Every Single Time...

Every single time some expert writes an internet article to tell me that I shouldn't do that, I can't do that, or I didn't do that, I go out and make the mistake of doing it. And in 73% of cases I should, can, and did succeed. The victories can be very small, of no interest to anyone but myself, and sweet as summer sunshine - based solely upon the fact that I defied the expert.

The other 27% of the time I scrape the residue off the ceiling and air out the studio. Don't ask.

Case in point is the fan-boy-forum advice that you can't take successful action pictures with a mirror-less camera - particularly if you use an adapted lens and try to work in poor light. Telling me this was like Nolan telling Cardigan where the guns were...it was bound to lead to either hamburger or glory.

So I hied myself out into the twilight with my ( quote...slow, old ) Fujifilm X-Pro1...( the shame...not a new model...) and a Rayqual X-mount adapter and attached a new 50-100mm Sigma f:1.8 DC lens and waited for passing trade.

Here's the total frame capture of an Etihad plane taking off.

And here's the enlarged portion of the aircraft itself. Handheld, 1/125 sec. Focused at the start of the pass with the Fujifilm's command dial by enlarging the AF box and then refined by manual focusing of the lens - the Sigma has a very smooth action that is well damped.

I got a chance to capture PolAir 1 as it orbited the freeway at dusk - presumably some pileup near the Mt. Henry Bridge but the distance over which it was captured was such as to render it the same size on the original file as the Etihad plane. Then I was fortunate that the Royal Flying Doctor plane came in and slowed down while dropping the gear.

All this in the lousy light of dusk - about f:1.8-4. It is infinitely exciting when you consider what might be done with one of these new-generation Sigma lenses in the full light of day - or one of their longer teles as well. For real excitement, consider the idea of a Fujinon 90mm f:2 AF lens as well. Or one of their 100-400mm f:4.5-5.6 for aircraft...or cars.

And just think - the X-E2s and the X-t10 are even faster to focus than the X-Pro1...someone hold that expert while I look for a lump of wood.

Note for users of DSLR's: Nikon and Canon mounts are standard on Sigma lenses and there is nothing to stop you from going out at dusk and doing equally well. The 50-100mm is a corker of a lens.