/ Register

An afternoon with my Minolta 135

Discussion in 'Street, Documentary, and Portrait' started by spatulaboy, Jun 24, 2012.

Top Rated
  1. spatulaboy

    spatulaboy I'm not really here Subscribing Member

    3,223
    Jul 13, 2011
    North Carolina
    Vin
    Went to Duke Gardens at Duke University last weekend. I had my bag full of lenses, but at the last minute I was suddenly inspired to challenge myself. I decided to just use one lens the entire afternoon, the Minolta MD Tele Rokkor 135mm f2.8. A lovely lens that doesn't get used often.

    Yes the FL is quite long, but I discovered it's wonderful for candid portraits of the many visitors at the garden. I can get up close without getting... up close! I ended up with some great shots and had an awesome time shooting. I know a lot of people get stuck on a focal length that they feel comfortable with, but once in a while we should all get out of that comfort zone. You might learn something and have fun doing it!

    p.s. the shots of Laura are obviously posed. :wink:

    <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/vftsai/7397773046/" title="P1320393-1 by Vincent-F-Tsai (Spatulaboy), on Flickr"> 7397773046_7463a81a77_c. "800" height="600" alt="P1320393-1"></a>

    <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/vftsai/7397812052/" title="P1320432-2 by Vincent-F-Tsai (Spatulaboy), on Flickr"> 7397812052_d481a9e1de_c. "800" height="600" alt="P1320432-2"></a>

    <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/vftsai/7397807142/" title="P1320470-1 by Vincent-F-Tsai (Spatulaboy), on Flickr"> 7397807142_873a8b9aee_c. "800" height="600" alt="P1320470-1"></a>

    <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/vftsai/7397804508/" title="P1320483-1 by Vincent-F-Tsai (Spatulaboy), on Flickr"> 7397804508_2628eae06f_c. "800" height="600" alt="P1320483-1"></a>

    <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/vftsai/7397802146/" title="P1320519-1 by Vincent-F-Tsai (Spatulaboy), on Flickr"> 7397802146_56ee2e42c5_c. "800" height="600" alt="P1320519-1"></a>

    <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/vftsai/7397799192/" title="Picnic time by Vincent-F-Tsai (Spatulaboy), on Flickr"> 7397799192_ab2644ee21_c. "800" height="600" alt="Picnic time"></a>

    <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/vftsai/7397794906/" title="Wow by Vincent-F-Tsai (Spatulaboy), on Flickr"> 7397794906_0e55ebfd8e_c. "800" height="600" alt="Wow"></a>

    <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/vftsai/7397791748/" title="Laura by Vincent-F-Tsai (Spatulaboy), on Flickr"> 7397791748_b5a613b504_c. "800" height="600" alt="Laura"></a>

    <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/vftsai/7397785808/" title="Laura by Vincent-F-Tsai (Spatulaboy), on Flickr"> 7397785808_84c8b6e5cc_c. "600" height="800" alt="Laura"></a>

    <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/vftsai/7397779452/" title="Laura by Vincent-F-Tsai (Spatulaboy), on Flickr"> 7397779452_19562962a1_c. "800" height="600" alt="Laura"></a>

    <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/vftsai/7397776500/" title="Laura by Vincent-F-Tsai (Spatulaboy), on Flickr"> 7397776500_87324f5565_c. "600" height="800" alt="Laura"></a>
     
    spatulaboy, Jun 24, 2012
    #1
    • Like Like x 4
  2. DeeJayK

    DeeJayK Mu-43 Hall of Famer

    3,178
    Feb 8, 2011
    Pacific Northwest, USA
    Keith
    That's a nice set of images and a good reminder to step outside our comfort zone. I've always found my 135mm to be a very strange sort of in-between focal length on :43: - not wide enough for most subjects and not really as long as I'd like for those things I really want to shoot with a tele. I may have to give it another shot after seeing your results.
     
    DeeJayK, Jun 24, 2012
    #2
  3. Livnius

    Livnius Super Moderator Subscribing Member

    2,257
    Jul 7, 2011
    Melbourne. Australia
    Joe
    Very nice shots Vin. I think I may have to get something of a longer FL...my longest at the moment is the O45 and I am waiting patiently for the 35-100 ....but a long prime like this Minolta of yours looks like real fun and would be quite different for me.
     
    Livnius, Jun 24, 2012
    #3
  4. spatulaboy

    spatulaboy I'm not really here Subscribing Member

    3,223
    Jul 13, 2011
    North Carolina
    Vin
    Thanks guys. Like I said, it's not something I would shoot on a regular basis, but every time I do I always end up enjoying the lens. It's good to switch things up a bit and make your shooting experience fresh and new again.

    I think I'm one of the few that's actually looking forward to the Oly 75mm.
     
    spatulaboy, Jun 25, 2012
    #4