©2015 Kirk Tuck.
I've posted a bunch of images over the years that came from a brace of Kodak DCS 760 cameras and older Nikon lenses. While the camera's files fell apart, peppered by noise, at anything over ISO 125 as long as you stayed in the sweet spot of ISO 80-125 you could get files that were glorious.
The sensor (with no anti-aliasing filter) was glorious with flesh tones. It was an APS-H sensor which created a 1.3x crop factor compared to a full 35mm frame so the 50mm lens I liked to use with it was more like a 65mm and that made it a perfect combo for this kind of wider, horizontal portrait.
Right now I'm binging on shooting with the Nikon D610 and D810 cameras because I love the wide open dynamic range in both cameras. Too bad my kid is grown up and off at college or I'd be down at the very next swim meet banging out images of the kids.
I'm getting re-acquainted with the 105mm focal length right now and I'm actively looking at getting a new 135mm f2.0. You might not need one but I'd sure like one...
Ahhh, the flesh tones. No magic bullet, just good sensors, good lighting and a light hand in the processing....
I miss the DCS 760's. I wish the would come out with another one, maybe the DCS 712. It would have the same lousy ISO performance, the same marvelous CCD sensor look but this time it would have 12 megapixels. It would still be retro but it would be a lot of fun to shoot with.
2 comments:
Totally agree with you re the Nikons. I can see how you'd want to immerse yourself in that focal length.
I use a couple of D800's at weddings one with the 135 f2 DC on it. Just love the files from that.
Cheers,
Andy
You got a good photo like that from an old digital SLR? Really? No way! Impossible! And a KODAK DSLR no less!
In fact, I was amazed at the quality of photos my wife and I got out of our vintage 4MP Canon P&S camera back in 2004. I all but stopped shooting with film once we got it. I have never used that Kodak DSLR, but I have used one of those older 50mm f/1.8 Nikkors. I've had mine for about 20 years, and have taken many fine photos with it - most recently some shots of my kids and wife. It really can produce wonderful photos. Today I was using an early AF version of the stellar Tamron 90mm f/2.5 macro lens. I don't think today's lenses are capable of producing noticeably-better images than these lenses.
Good luck with your acquisition of that 135mm f/2.
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