Thread: A question for cloudscape photographers

What is your favorite camera and lens (focal length) combination? Do you have a favorite setup that you use?

Inquiring minds want to know.

Cheers, Jock

When the light is right, the LX5 at 24mm (equivalent) is quite effective :


P1040898.jpg by nearlycossack, on Flickr

I would say your FZ is the cloudscape king. The focal length is kinda dictated by the clouds and the composition. Seems I have a number of them using a 50mm (ff equivalent), but some I zoom in more.

Originally Posted by hannahntilly

When the light is right, the LX5 at 24mm (equivalent) is quite effective :


P1040898.jpg by nearlycossack, on Flickr

Lovely!

Cheers, Jock

Foveon, Foveon, Foveon.

I tend to be at least one step behind the latest camera/sensor, so I still use a GF1 or GH2. Certainly for the GF1 when using a digitally designed lens, I will meter the brightest part of a cloud with a spot meter and then reduce the exposure by two stops, at most 2.5 stops. However I am getting the feeling that certain adapted lenses are better at controlling highlights and I was quite impressed with my latest, a Nikon 20mm, f/4 tested the other day on a GH2. I had to often overexpose on the cameras meter by 2/3 of a stop and found it much easier to control the highlights.





I'm wondering if the modern lenses are of rather higher inherent contrast which leads to more difficulty in controlling highlights.

Back in my roll film days I used a Voigtlander 6x9 roll film camera with a 105mm lens, then a Mamiya Press with a 6x9 back and a 90mm lens. These equate to something in the 43mm-45mm equivalent on 35mm film. I'm very tempted by the latest Sigma Merrills as a means of hopefully achieving the quality those old roll film cameras gave me for black and white landscape work.

So I guess the equivalent of 24mm to 45mm in 35mm terms for landscapes/cloudscapes.

Barrie

I believe any camera is capable of excellent cloudscapes. I use all of mine, and its the post processing that really makes the shot shine. (Assuming I have a shining shot potential... there is that... )

GRD3

Ocean Cloudscape by kyte50, on Flickr

XZ-1

Big Aussie Sky by kyte50, on Flickr

X-100

Cloudy by kyte50, on Flickr

F550-EXR

Sundown on the Lake by kyte50, on Flickr

Then there are the DSLRs as well.

Originally Posted by kyteflyer

I believe any camera is capable of excellent cloudscapes. I use all of mine, and its the post processing that really makes the shot shine. (Assuming I have a shining shot potential... there is that... )

What Sue said. Camera doesn't matter - focal length depends on the shot and the clouds. Processing can make them unreal and dramatic or real and subtle or just a very literal translation. I tend to exaggerate the heck out of them and go for drama, one way or the other. In color, I pull all sorts of texture out of them and go with grain. In B&W, I play with color filters and some texture (that's "structure" in Silver Efex Pro) to bring 'em out. One of each below, arguably overdone but the way I tend to like 'em...





-Ray