The Way We See It: March 2013

Saturday, March 30, 2013

Canon 40mm f2.8 STM Review

Sunset at Crex Meadows - Crex Meadows WMA, WI
Canon 5D Mark II + Canon 40mm f2.8 STM flat fantastic

Gear reviews are a departure from my norm, but this little optic is such a good performer that is deserves a bit of love. I’m not one to shoot a brick wall or stuffed animals, so I can’t tell you how much sharper the EF 40 f2.8 is than “lens X,” but I do use my gear in the field, and if it survives the horrid weather and my abuse, it becomes a keeper.

I bought the Canon 40mm f2.8 STM from West Photo in Minneapolis, MN for about $175 and added the matching lens hood for another $20, or so. The purchase coincided with the onset of Fall and just prior to my trip to New York. I thought I’d use it for some street photography, but found that its also a superb landscape optic. Just to be clear, I had been using the Zeiss ZE 35mm f2.8 as my medium wide-angle lens, but decided to sell it shortly after shooting the far cheaper Canon “flat fantastic.” Now if this doesn’t get your attention, nothing else I say will. While the Zeiss was sharper at f2.0 and f2.8, it lost its edge once I began shooting at f5.6 and f8. The Canon 40mm f2.8 is every bit as sharp as the Zeiss when stopped down, and its lighter, smaller and has autofocus.

Spring? - Vadnais Heights, MN
Canon 5D Mark III + Canon 40mm f2.8 STM flat fantastic

If you are not aware, the Canon 40mm f2.8 STM is a “pancake-style” lens; this means that the optic is really flat. When mounted on a 5D Mark III, it’s barely bigger than the camera with just a body cap. Pancake lenses are nothing new to photography and were first conceived by Paul Rudolf in 1902 when he designed the Zeiss Tessar. I really love pancake lenses and have owned many in the past. My first was the SMC Pentax-M 40mm f2.8 that I purchased with a Pentax MX in 1979. This was followed by a Carl Zeiss 45mm T* Tessar f2.8 that I bought for my Yashica FX-3 Super 2000 in 1985, and a Nikkor 45 f2.8-P that I added to my kit when I was using Nikon FM’s and F100‘s. Regardless of the make, I always seemed to like the small profile and amazing quality packed into this simple optical design. While none of these pancakes are terribly fast at f2.8, they all were relatively sharp across the entire film plane.

Enter the Canon 40mm f2.8 STM. This lens was a surprise introduction in a somewhat feeble attempt to stem the movement away from small SLR cameras to Micro 4/3 bodies and Sony NEX camera systems. While I doubt the “new” Canon pancake will stop anyone from switching to smaller camera bodies, I do believe that this is a revolutionary lens. At less than $200, and often found for $150 after rebates, the Canon pancake is a bargain. It is solidly built with a quiet autofocus motor. Although not a USM style focus system, the STM focus motor is fast to autofocus and can be manually adjusted while in AF-mode. While the manual focus is slightly delayed due to the “focus by-wire” STM motor, it is just fine for a landscape shooter. Unlike the less expensive and faster Canon 50mm f1.8, the 40mm pancake has a metal lens mount and feels solid to the touch. I could never find any love for the “nifty fifty,” and now own the Canon 50mm f1.4 for my low-light shooting needs.

Misty Morning - Vadnais Heights, MN
Canon 5D Mark III + Canon 40mm f2.8 STM flat fantastic

So What’s The Big Deal?

There is something about the quality of this lens that continues to shock me. It is quite resistant to flare and seems to have amazing edge sharpness at f8 and f11. I never hesitate to use the pancake lens on my 5D MarkIII and have found it to be a surprisingly good landscape lens. In terms of quality, it bests the 17-40mm f4.0L at 40mm, exhibits no chromatic aberrations, and does not appear to vignette when stopped down. While shooting wildlife, I keep the 40mm f2.8 STM on a second body and can quickly capture snapshots of the landscape, setting and companions without feeling burdened by a heavy lens around the neck. In short, at $175 this flat fantastic has the best combination of price and performance than any lens I have owned in the past or present.

My advice... try it... you’ll buy it!

Saturday, March 23, 2013

Where is it?

Resplendent Quetzal (Pharomachrus mocinno costaricensis) - Savegre Mountain Hotel, Costa Rica
Canon 40D + Canon 300mm f2.8L IS + Canon 2x v1 Converter

Much like the desperation experienced during a futile search for cryptic wildlife, I am left with a burning question... where is it?
Etched in permanent ink are the words "Vernal Equinox." I scribbled this in haste during the endless dark, two words that would make any scrabble player proud. In Minnesota, the Vernal Equinox signals the end of a cold Hell that only Dante could so eloquently describe. March 20th at 8:02 a.m. (cdt) 2013, the equinox, it came and then it went. I wanted to strip myself of winter's burden and dance naked in the glow of the sun, but I made a better choice. It was 6℉ (-14℃) when Spring sprung and three days later it is still damn cold. I've kept my clothes on and I've begun the hunt... I'm looking for Spring, it's lost and and needs to be returned. If you find it, please send me an email.

Saturday, March 16, 2013

Almanac

Tiger Lilly (Lilium columbianum) - Jasper NP, Canada
Canon 5D Mark ii + Canon 100mm f2.8L IS Macro

On March 16, 2012 the temperature in Stillwater, MN peaked at 80.1 ℉ (26.7 ℃). The echoes of spring embraced anyone who cared to listen to the sounds of red-winged blackbirds that reverberated throughout the morning air. Our tepid winter was ending with a whimper, and a premature summer seemed to be on the horizon. Thoughts of unruly students ready to declare mutiny were almost as frightening as my fears of climate instability. The year was one of the warmest in Minnesota, drought gripped the Midwest, and fierce hurricanes battered the East Coast. Meanwhile, my students succumbed to cabin fever and quickly lost interest in anything I was selling. 2012 was a year for the record books.

Prairie Smoke (Geum triflorum) - Jasper NP, Canada
Canon 5D Mark ii + Canon 100mm f2.8L IS Macro

Today is March 16, 2013. The morning low was 17 ℉ (8.3 ℃), and the high temperature soared to a whopping 27 ℉ (-2.8 ℃); what a difference a year makes. There are no red-winged blackbirds or great blue herons declaring territories, and we are bracing for a another winter storm. While I happily embrace the return to normalcy, I am still fearful of our climate's unpredictability. The new normal might best be described as abnormal. What was, no longer is, and what will be, is now more uncertain than ever. Is the drought over or will it persist? Will another hurricane destroy the coast while tornados terrorize the heartland? Your guess is as good as mine.

While I'm certain that the Farmer's Almanac once offered valuable insight about the emergence of spring flowers, I doubt its predictions will be any more accurate than the weekend weather forecast. Sure, this "normal" winter has been a respite from recent history, but to claim that we are back to normal would be an admission of ignorance. The data's in, the future climate promises to be a wild ride.

Sunday, March 10, 2013

Winter Diary (Post VII)

Feet First
Trumpeter swans (Cygnus buccinator) are an ideal subject for the winter naturalist.
White bodies contrasting with black extremities seem produce a form that seem
to captivate my imagination.

Canon 5D Mark III + Canon 300mm f2.8L IS

"Spring" break is over today, and with it ends this winter diary... The "A-Job" takes priority and pays the bills, so this blog will return to its weekly rant about travel, ecology, evolution or anything photographic that comes to mind...
Embrace the cold and shoot the winter, it's that rare treat that always comes too soon and leaves too fast.

Saturday, March 9, 2013

Winter Diary (Post VI)

North American Mink (Neovison vison)
This little guy was working itself silly hunting for crayfish through a maze of mallards.
Captured during my pursuit of its more aquatic cousins, this small
mustelid appeared after being skunked by otters ;-p
Canon 7D + Canon 100-400mm f4.5-5.6L IS

Mink #2 (Neovison vison)
Canon 40D + Canon 300mm f2.8L IS + Canon 1.4x Converter

Friday, March 8, 2013

Winter Diary (Post V)

Mallard Roost (Anas platyrhynchos)
Disappointed after an eagle spooked two otters, I wondered where the waterfowl went.
Found Them!
Canon 5D Mark III + Canon 300mm f2.8L IS

Thursday, March 7, 2013

Winter Diary (Post IV)

Fallen
The pattern caught my eye while photographing swans.
I realized that it was an oak leaf that persevered on a frozen lake.
Crazy that something so light could be etched into the winter's sediments of Snow.
Canon 5D Mark iii + Canon 300mm f2.8L IS

Wednesday, March 6, 2013

Winter Diary (Post III)

After the Owls
Shot on February 23, 2013 this photo was made as the sun was setting.
With nearly 500 miles on the Jeep we saw very few owls
but many amazing landscapes.
Canon 5D Mark iii + Canon 24mm f3.5L TSE

Tuesday, March 5, 2013

Winter Diary (Post II)

Trumpeter Swan (Cygnus buccinator) - Minnesota
Canon 5D Mark III + Canon 300mm f2.8L IS w/ Canon 1.4x vi

Many nature photographers and enthusiasts take a hiatus during the winter months. To be honest, I can't blame them. Years of shooting in the bitter cold takes its tole on the extremities. My fingers, toes and tip of my nose now fears the frost. It's hard not to question my own sanity, yet... I persevere. I console myself with the naive belief that I am unique in this craft and that few are willing to capture the harsh months like I do.

In a few days I turn 48. As I approach 50, I am increasingly curious about how these experiences impact my longevity. Does the solitude during a winter shoot save me as many years as the cold takes away? I doubt I'll ever know, just like I doubt I'll ever stop.

In my last post, Fool Me Twice, I shared a treasured experience with otters that emerged from an ephemeral break in the ice. During the next five posts I spare you my words and just share some of what I've seen this winter. It's been a good year so far, now I'm looking forward to what follows 47.

Sunday, March 3, 2013

Fool Me Twice, Shame on Me!

River Otter (Lutra canadensis) - Minnesota
Canon 7D + 300mm f2.8L IS

I’m the guy who preaches, “get it right in camera!”

I tell my students and friends to practice exposure theory, “know what the meter says,” and “add light to white.” Yet, when faced with a critical moment, fear of loss consumes my process and I find faith in technology.

I’m not a faith type of guy, so why does a logician suddenly find religion when knowledge and experience should suffice? Call it fear of failure, chicken shit or misplaced confidence, but when the chips are down, I tend to trust the meter.

River Otter Pair (Lutra canadensis) - Minnesota
Canon 7D + 300mm f2.8L IS

Fool Me Twice, Shame on ME! Last week I blew a fleeting moment when I underexposed a great-gray owl in twilight. I knew the meter would get it wrong, but I had faith... I was wrong!

This morning I was at it again. As the sun slowly spilled over the horizon a pair river otters (Lutra canadensis) emerged from an ephemeral hole in the ice. Knowing their intolerance for people, I had less than five minutes to work. Should I trust the meter? Hell NO! Snow-covered lake ice will never be exposed correctly by a camera that interprets its world at 18% gray. Yet, the little voice in my head kept saying... “in five minutes they’ll be gone, trust your meter.” I shrugged off the doubt added light to white and overexposed the suggested “correct” exposure. Trepidation and fear of failure lost this round, while logic and experience ruled the day.