LIN CHIACHENG

2024.05.10 · Sony A7R III · SEL40F25G · Kenko Black Mist No.5

A lighter lens. A week of everyday photographs.

A small 40mm on the A7R III made it easier to carry a camera and keep the scenes I used to pass by.

Evening light along a street
14 / PHOTOGRAPHS

I used to carry the first-generation 24–70mm GM and an 85mm F1.8. They were useful, but too heavy for every day. I often saw something I liked without a camera to photograph it. I considered a GR III but could not find one, so I looked for a lighter lens for my A7R III instead.

I chose the SEL40F25G. On May 2, 2024, I bought a nearly new used copy in Japan for ¥66,000, without its box. The lens weighs 179g, which made taking the camera out much easier. I took quite a few pictures in just one week.

An afternoon in the park
01 / An afternoon in the park
Sunlight through the trees
02 / Sunlight through the trees
Benches in the park
03 / Benches in the park
Looking down at an intersection
04 / Looking down at an intersection
A cyclist passing a corner
05 / A cyclist passing a corner
A narrow alley
06 / A narrow alley
A residential street
07 / A residential street

There are parks, alleys, stations, evenings and nights in these pictures. Everyday places already offer plenty to photograph. Having the camera with me gave me a chance to keep scenes I would previously have passed by.

An intersection outside a station
08 / An intersection outside a station
Bicycles in an alley
09 / Bicycles in an alley
People along the pavement
10 / People along the pavement
A train at the platform
11 / A train at the platform
A shopping street corner
12 / A shopping street corner
Light across a wall
13 / Light across a wall
The city skyline at dusk
15 / The city skyline at dusk

I worried about depth of field and night shooting at F2.5, but was happier with the results than I expected. The image quality is enough for me. The background does not always need to disappear; keeping some street and surroundings can show where a person is.

Walking in evening sunlight
16 / Walking in evening sunlight
Walking beneath the railway
17 / Walking beneath the railway
People crossing the street
18 / People crossing the street
A moment during a delivery
19 / A moment during a delivery
Evening in an alley
20 / Evening in an alley
A playground slide
21 / A playground slide
An alley at blue hour
22 / An alley at blue hour

Purple fringing and flare can be noticeable. Still, I do not always want to avoid flare. Sometimes that light gives a picture the atmosphere I like. Light across a wall or through leaves is a different way of thinking about a lens from reading its specifications.

Shops lighting up
23 / Shops lighting up
A station at night
24 / A station at night
A ramen shop after dark
25 / A ramen shop after dark
A path beneath the trees
26 / A path beneath the trees
A portrait beside a tree
27 / A portrait beside a tree
A lane beneath overhead wires
28 / A lane beneath overhead wires
A quiet alley
29 / A quiet alley

Everything that week was shot in RAW, with a simple colour pass afterwards. I kept a Kenko Black Mist No.5 on as a protective filter. Its diffusion is mild, which is enough for now. I like being able to see detail; every picture does not need a strong treatment.

NOTES

After a week, what I appreciated most was wanting to take the camera outside. Even a good lens cannot photograph the street if it stays at home. This 40mm solved the weight problem that mattered to me and made taking a few pictures each day easier.

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