Very Exciting News!

Hey Folks,

Tom Houston Photography has gone FX.  So I have invested in a D600 which means I will be using a Full Frame camera as my main body now.  My D90 will be my backup and it is a cropped sensor or DX camera.

It is a big step and I am very excited to use this camera to see what it can do.  Once I have used it another to base more than initial thoughts on it, I will make a video review of it.  So stay posted for that!

Tom

Lens Re-Review: AF-S DX 17-55mm f/2.8 IF ED

Lens Re-Review AF-S DX

Hey,

I remember saying this lens wasn't as sharp as I wanted it to be for portraits however I just did an event for a friend's surprise birthday party and it may have changed my mind.  The photos were very sharp when I was at f/4.  This was not a problem because I was using it with the Sb-900.  Still not my 50mm but the 17-55mm does the job well.

Thought I would toss that out there as well.  But be sure to read my full review.

Lens Review: AF-S DX 17-55mm f/2.8 IF ED

Lens Review: 17-55mm f/2.8 DX

Thoughts and Opinions: 

This is the newest piece of glass of mine.  Weighing in at 754g, this is a big piece of metal and glass.  Being a pro DX lens, it is built to a very high standard.  This was the only pro DX wide angle zoom with a fixed f/2.8 aperture in Nikon's line up.  I always try to buy FX lenses so that if I do ever upgrade I can have lenses for a FX body.  The 17-35mm was too expensive and the 16-35mm I don't think would suit me needs (however that has changed). I needed a lens can do many things really well, but if I wanted perfection I could use my 105mm Macro VR or my Tokina 11-16mm.  So the 17-55mm was really my only option for a fixed aperture zoom lens for a D90 body.  

So, sadly this lens was the only one that fit my wants/needs so I got it.  I didn't feel comfortable getting the lens just because it was the only one in that category but oh well.  Also it didn't help that it was a lens that was just shy of $1,700.  So onto how I think about this beast.

I have only had this lens for about a month or so now and so far so good.  In the first week of owning this lens I did a photo shoot and left this lens on my body the whole time.  I wanted to see what this thing could do as well as it was outside portraiture and I wanted to get more background in the portraits.  It worked well, and it was nice to be able to not have to move my body forwards and backwards to frame the shot.  So, I love primes and I know zooms can make photographers lazy because they don't have to move however it is handy sometimes.  I was laying on an old railroad bridge taking a portrait shot.  I needed to move closer however I had my iPhone in one pocket, and my apartment keys in the other.  So if I started wiggling around to move back and forth on the wooden beams, I could see either my keys or phone going for a swim.  So that was a nice change from my primes.  

As I am writing this, I am currently in northern Quebec and on the drive up here I past the Rupert River.  Other than Niagara Falls I have not seen rapids/water falls that big.  So I used my Tokina 11-16mm first but then hiked on the other side of the river to a look out that is right beside the falls.  There I used the 17-55mm.  It was very good I found.  It was nice zooming out and getting the whole falls or the bridge in the distance as well as zooming in on the rainbows in the mist.  

It is a useful lens for me so far which is good since I paid a lot of money for the glass.  Honestly it may be a little over priced however for myself in the long run it is worth it.  However this is one of those lenses for me that I need to use for a couple of years before I feel it is 100% justified.  

I find that it is sharp but compared to my 50mm and 105mm the zoom isn't as good.  It is very good for a zoom however when you do a 100% crop on a photo with the 17-55mm, you can see it isn't as sharp as a prime.  However I knew this before I got the lens that I would not have the same sharpness as my primes.  Nevertheless it is a zoom lens so you do gain some other benefits for losing a little sharpness.  

This is a big lens, well for me that is.  Compared to my other lenses, I think this is the bulkiest.  With lens hoods on, the 105mm still is longer however with the lens being fairly long with a 77mm filter, so it's big.  So it is a small workout carrying it around however it is not a problem personally.  I have the MB-D80 battery grip for my D90 so it does help balance things out nicely.  

The zoom ring is smooth however it isn't uniform.  There are sections where you do have to give it an extra push to get the lens to zoom which corresponds usually between 35-55mm and 17-24mm in the zoom range.  The extra energy is to get the lens barrel to extend.  I am sure as I use the lens more, this will not be that noticeable as well as starting off for me it isn't that large of an issue.  So I am not too worried about the zoom ring.  The focus ring is nice as smooth as well and the focusing is very quiet.  The speed is also fast on my D90 which is good. 

I may update this review more because I just realized this is more of my "initial thoughts and opinions."

Usage:

I have used this lens for portraits as well as for landscapes and it has performed well.  I have used it on a hike as well but there wasn't a lot of subject material for photos so the photos were decent.  However all and all this lens as performed well to my standards.

Pros:

- Good work horse lens

- Fixed f/2.8

- Pro glass

- Fairly sharp

- Manageable amount of distortion at each end ( 17 & 55 )

- Weather sealed

Cons:

- Expensive

- VR could be handy

- Some people could find it heavy (but some people like that)

Just a side note thing:  I personally find the lens hood more cumbersome than the lens.  The hood it really wide so it doesn't fit in my bag being inverted on the lens.  So I have to not bring my flash if I want to being the lens hood.  I will try to figure an easy way to transport the hood however as I said to a buddy of mine, it might just be worth it to wear as a bracelet  to and from shoots.  It is large enough I can fit my tokina's 11-16mm lens hood partially in the 17-55mm's hood.   

Sample Images:

Portrait - 17-55mm

Bridge over Rupert River, Quebec - 17-55mm

Flower, Eastmain, Quebec - 17-55mm

Conclusions:

So far this a great lens that fits into my kit really well.  I enjoy looking forward to using it at events, parties and such as well as outside portraits again.  It has performed well when I have used it, and I knew it wasn't going to be as sharp as a prime.  As I mentioned earlier, it is maybe a little over priced for the lens but I will hopefully have it for a long time so I don't see myself not getting my money's worth. 

I have not reached any large conclusions as of yet with this lens other than I am excited to use it more.  When I do I will pass more of a judgement on the lens.  So I guess stay tuned in for that.

I have a Flickr Set for this lens where I put my favourite photos of the lens.  This is the link: http://www.flickr.com/photos/tomjbh/sets/72157626557136368/

Rating: Overall: 4/5

Landscape: 4/5

Portrait: 3.5/5

Events: 4/5

Overall: 4/5

Here is my link to my video review of this lens:  http://youtu.be/SLtmMbAeaQA

Lens Review: Tokina AT-X 11-16mm f/2.8 Pro DX

Lens review: When you don't want your landscapes to just look like a small snapshot of what you saw...                                                                                                                              
Thoughts and Opinions:                                                                                                       

The Tokina 11-16mm was purchased because one of my main wants with my photos was to take a picture of a landscape and have the photo actually look like what I saw.  This lens did that for me.  It is a very good lens and very sharp.  I really like how it doesn't have a lot of distortion.  Obviously at 11mm, you can have very distorted images depending on how you compose the shot as well as the subject position in the photo.  

I really like the build quality of the lens.  It is a very sturdy piece of glass.  I have heard mixed feelings about third party lenses however this lens is a gem.  It is a little heavy but I personally don't mind because it feels well built, which I think it is.  The front element reminds you just how wide that lens sees.  It looks more like a dome then a lens and at 77mm, it is one big dome.

The lens hood is good and is almost needed on really bright days however anything that wide will be prone to flares.  You can usually control the flares by going to 14-16mm however sometimes it is unavoidable.  I know no lens is perfect so this would be a flaw however it doesn't have many.

It is not that expensive for it's performance I think which makes it a very good lens, especially for someone who can't justify buying the 14-24mm Nikkor or the DX equivalent.  I personally would choose the Tokina over the Nikon in this case because I don't need a zoom range here because I am content using this lens specifically for landscapes or architecture.  

Recently I have done some event photography in small areas and it is fairly fun to toss on the ultra wide angle.  With this lens you can get a picture of the whole room with all the guests.  The perspective may be a little wonky with the straight lines but it is fun.  Portraits can also can get spiced up a little with a ultra wide angle from time to time.

I thoroughly enjoy this lens and it is one of my favourite lenses for sure.  It is also nice to have the quick switch between manual and autofocus by pushing and pulling the focus ring.  And I almost forgot but it has a constant f/2.8 aperture.  So it trumps the Nikon 12-24mm because the Nikon is only a f/4.  Also it is still cheaper than the Nikon.  The 10-24mm Nikkor is wider however it has a variable aperture.  Personally I avoid variable apertures now.  They are okay when you start but once you use fast glass there is no going back.  My small exception however is the 105mm Macro VR because it does change apertures even though it says f/2.8.  But I will go into that when I review that lens.  Going back to the Tokina, it is a great, fast and sharp lens. 

Usage:

I have brought this lens with me from Ontario through to Alberta.  This lens really shines when you have wide vistas.  It was amazing to have a lens that could take photos of the canyons there.   As mentioned I have used the lens for events and it is quite nice to be able to capture the whole party.  Also it is easier to take photos of people in a room without them being camera shy if they don't know that they are actually in the photo.  The wide angle is very deceiving that way because people don't think they are in frame.  

Pros:

- Cheaper than Nikon wide angles (not sacrificing quality)

- Great Built

- Wide (Wider than Nikon lenses in the same category)

- Heavy

- Sharp

- Fast focus 

- Low distortion  

- Versatile

- Constant f/2.8

Cons:

- Flares/Ghosts

- Weight (maybe to some people)

- Lens hood may be a little small (However I am not sure how much larger it could be made)

Sample Images:

Horsethief Canyon - Drumheller, AB 

T-Rex - Royal Tyrrell Museum
Drumheller, AB

Fireworks - Sault Ste Marie, ON

Flickr Set: Tokina 11-16mm

http://www.flickr.com/photos/tomjbh/sets/72157624111638097/

Conclusions: 

From my semi-limited experience with lenses, this is a must have for the photography I personally like doing.  It may not be for everyone because it only zooms by 5mm.  It is fairly limiting sometimes however it is the price I am willing to pay for a lens like this one.  It is more of a prime lens almost because of its limited range.  

After trying for awhile to try to think of cons, I realized I don't have that many bad things to say about this lens.  I don't have a rating system for the gear (yet?) but this lens would be near perfect from my experience.


Rating: 


Landscape Lens: 4/5
Overall: 4/5

Camera Review

Camera Review: Nikon D90


Update: Here is my video review of the Nikon D90 on my youtube channel:  http://youtu.be/mp4jBd6HAGM

This is the first and only camera I have had.  I have been using it for two years now and I love it.  It is a great camera for the price and I bought it when it first came out as well.  Now it is around $500 cheaper or so.  The build quality is good, it isn't weatherproofed or made from magnesium alloy however it is a sturdy camera.  I don't take it in the rain or drop my camera so those features are only if you are shooting in tricky situations.


One factor that a lot of people look for in a camera is how fast it can take photos.  The D90 has 4.5 fps which is very decent.  It doesn't sound like a machine guy but unless you are taking a lot of sports photography that isn't needed that I've found.  I always like dreaming about a faster camera however I don't need it.


The D90's ISO is 200-3200 which is decent I think.  After the release of the newer Nikon cameras with 100-6400 ISO, the D90's 200-3200 isn't that impressive anymore however the D90's still good.  I've done shots in low light and with the 18-105mm, which was a bit of a trouble.  That is why I invested in better and faster glass.  It is said to invest in glass instead of buying the newest camera which I agree with.  I also invested in a flash which is a very good investment which also helps add in light to help keep the ISO low.  I have found either a flash or fast glass is good enough to not risk getting noise in photos with the D90 in areas with bad lighting.


I have used a friend's canon as well as another smaller Nikon camera and I prefer the D90.  The size is nice because it isn't really small as well as it isn't big and heavy.  The ergonomics are good and I got the Nikon battery grip (MB-D80) for it so that it is easier for me to take portraits.  There were other reasons however I go over those when I review the MB-D80.  I do believe the D90 is a good size for a camera.


The buttons are in good places however they could be placed a little better.  However for a amateur camera like the D90, they are fine.  After using it for awhile it is not an issue.  The battery life is amazing.  The EN-EL3e battery has amazing battery life as well as the D90 is very efficient.


The HD video feature has not really been a great help to me personally.  I have taken one video of mountain sheep hopping up a rock face in Jasper, AB.  It wasn't that great of a video but it was something the pictures couldn't really capture.  But other than that video I haven't really used the D90 for a video camera.  The live view function also hasn't been a very useful feature.  Again I have maybe used it once or twice.


The 11 point AF system is very good.  More points could be useful however I have learned to make do with the 11 and their placement.  Personally I wouldn't know what to do with 51 AF points.  The D7000's 39 points could be good however with enough practice, 11 points isn't the end of the world.


The 12.3 mp is enough for any normal use for a photographer.  I have printed out two 2' x 3' photos and they look perfect for sharpness and clarity.


In conclusion, the D90 is a very very good camera where it sits in the Nikon line up.  Yes, it is 3 years old and the D7000 is better however the D90 still holds it's own.  The D90 is a very good camera for a starting photographer that knows they will continue doing photography.  I highly recommend this camera and I am very glad that I bought this as my first camera.


Side note: As mentioned I did buy the D90 almost 3 years ago so it is older now.  The D7000 is now at the price I got the D90 for.  So personally, if I did it over again right now, I would probably get the D7000.  However, this said... If you would rather save a couple hundred dollars and get the D90 and get a better lens or a flash or something, then that would be another very good idea.

Lens Review: Nikkor AF-S DX 18-105mm f/3.5-5.6 ED VR

Lens Review: DX 18-105mm f/3.5-5.6 ED VR

Thoughts and Opinions:

This is a very good kit lens that I got with my camera (D90).  I used it for roughly a year and it got a lot of use.  The construction of the lens was decent considering it was a kit lens.  The focus and zoom rings were plastic but felt good while focusing or zooming.  The range of 18-105mm was very useful for starting out. I remember debating between the 18-55mm and the 18-105mm in the camera store.  The 18-55mm was cheaper however I did not want to have to replace the lens down the road because of any lack of reach.  

I put this lens to go use with a 19,000 Km road trip across most of Canada.  The lens performed very well from the landscapes of the Rockies to capturing wildlife.  It is a very sharp lens for the cost.  Obviously, it isn't very wide, or zooms in that much in comparison to other lenses however for a starting kit lens it does the job quite well.

After roughly a year, I had invested in the Tokina 11-16mm and the Nikkor 50mm f1.8.  These two lenses, for my use, basically replaced the 18-105mm and since then the kit lens has been a paper weight.  There wasn't anything wrong with the lens in my opinion, just that there were other lenses that are better. A classic saying I have heard mentioned about a lenses like this is, "it is a jack of all trades but a master at none."

Usage:

As mentioned, I used it as I traveled through Canada.  It was taking good photos from Ontario through to British Columbia as well as in the Yukon and Northwest Territories.  It did well in all of the conditions for the most part.  I also have used it around my house when I was home from school in the summer and it did a decent job with pictures of flowers in the garden as well as using it on hikes.

Pros:

- Very versatile 

- Fairly light weight 

- Covers a good range

- Sharp

- Very good starting lens

Cons:

- Plastic construction

- Variable aperture

- Prone to some flares at the wide end

- Not very good at anything specifically (Could also be a pro)

Sample Images:

Humming Bird - 18-105mm

Rain Forest - 18-105mm

NWT Sunset - 18-105mm

Conclusions: 

I highly recommend this lens for a lens to start out with.  You pay a little extra than the 18-55mm but you get a better a larger zoom range.  Personally, I found this zoom to be helpful and useful to a beginner who may not know what they like photographing.  You can definitely got your money's worth with this lens.  


Rating: 


For a beginner kit zoom lens: 4 out of 5
Overall lens: 3 out of 5