I haven’t bought a new camera lens in more than three years, but heading to the big open vistas of the West, I couldn’t resist. I stopped into a little camera store in Casper, Wyoming, that turned out to be a great little camera store. The manager worked with me to find a quality wide-angle lens and adapter for my Sony A7 that was in my price range (and well below what a straight Sony wide-angle would cost). I left the store excited to try it out.
Here’s one of the first things I shot: Oxbow Bend in the Grand Tetons. There’s no way my other lenses would have captured that big a view, although this image is actually cropped a bit down from the original size.
There’s a learning curve to a new lens, especially one not expressly built for your camera. This one has an electronic adapter that lets lens talk to camera, so it can do manual or auto-focus and the camera automatically displays the lens settings as I’m composing the shot. (By contrast, my old Minolta lens with adapter doesn’t do any of that, and so photos with that are more a “hope I got it” and then check the monitor after the shot to see how things turned out.)
By the third day, I’d gotten better at using the new lens so I walked out onto a mostly dry creek near my campsite and had a little fun with the light and clouds. Some in-camera settings, some post-processing work and I like how it turned out.
How much can a wide angle lens distort? A lot! That’s the Grand Tetons way back there in the center of the image below.
This new lens is gonna be fun! Stay tuned because this winter in the desert will be a whole new way for me look through my viewfinder.
View life through a wide angle lens attitude and see your horizons broaden.
Stephen Richards
Loving these big vistas!!!!
Beautiful! I am looking forward to time in the desert, too!
Like maybe time this winter? The desert is beautiful and I would love to see you two!
I received a real camera for Christmas, to take pictures while camping. I haven’t had the confidence to do so yet and will bring it next time we are together. Looking forward to seeing you and using my new camera.
Bonnie, is that you, my friend? We need to work on your website and your camera knowledge!
I’m not sure if your words or your photography inspire me more. I enjoy both and some posts lean one way and some lean the other. I think that’s why I like them so much. Great camera work! Keep it up!
Thanks, Daniel! Good to hear from you. Sometimes photos inspire me to write, and sometimes I write something that is in search of the right photos and I have to wait for the images to show up.
I have a Tokina wide angle and it’s my go-to lens for anything outdoors. I love the skies that it can capture.
I’m definitely learning on the wide-angle lens, Kristi. Any tips? Mine is a Tamron brand.
I’m a novice myself. Just lots of shooting and discovering where where your camera loves to be. Your photos are looking great! Wide angle lenses just seem to give them an extra “wow” factor. 🙂
Really enjoyed this post Annie, being an amateur photographer myself. I also try and spend my money wisely on camera equipment as it could easily get out of control! I pretty much stick to the basics but adding a few new pieces here and there can be pretty exciting. Love your new photos with the wide angle. Really gives a nice interpretive view of what you’re seeing.
I am currently in New Brunswick Canada just beginning a weeklong photography course with Freeman Patterson. So, I am squarely in the photography “zone” as I write this.
I expect to be tickled and challenged many times over!
Keep posting your photos and essays. A treat to see and read.
Oh, a photography course with Freeman Patterson sounds awesome! I can’t wait to hear what you did and learned. And see the images you create! Have fun!