Batis 18mm Lens vs Sony 16-35mm Lens

Batis 18mm Lens vs Sony 16-35mm Lens

Photography Gear

I switched lenses! Yep, I sure did! So ultimately why did I choose the Batis?

1. Weight Savings (saved about a half a pound)

2. Wider Aperture (f2.8)

3. Cheaper (saved about $1100)

Weight Savings:

As you all know I do a bit of adventuring where I have alot of weight on my back. During the summer days you can find me on road trips, hiking long trails, or backpacking. I love being outside and being out in the high country is where I get some of my best landscape images.

Wider Aperture:

Ever since I started getting into astro photography, I wanted to get a wide angle lens with a wider aperture than what the Sony 16-35 mm has. The Sony is an F4 and I wanted to get an F2.8. So the research began.

Price:

The Sony 16-35mm F2.8 came out and man it is drool worthy; however, it is expensive  coming in at $2100+ and a heavy pig. Then there is the Batis 18mm F2.8. This one comes in at about $1400 plus it is significantly lighter than both Sony lenses. See specs below.

One day I was in my local camera shop and there just so happened to be a Batis in the used gear section. Hmm.... do I buy a used lens? So I asked about the history of the lens and it just so happened that this lens was like brand new. The guy started out with... "well, funny story". You always know you are in for a treat when that is the very first comment. This lens was bought and returned within a few months due to its size hahaha! So, I was basically going to get a new lens for a used price..... SOLD!

“Just for kicks... here are a few specs of each lens:”

Batis 18mm F2.8:

Filter ThreadFront: 77 mm

Dimensions (DxL)Approx: 3.94 x 3.15"

Weight: 11.64 oz

Price: $1400

Sony 16-35mm G Master F2.8

Filter ThreadFront: 82 mm

Dimensions (DxL)Approx.: 3.48 x 4.79"

Weight: 1 lb 8 oz

Price: $2200

Sony 16-35mm F4

Filter ThreadFront: 72 mm

Dimensions (DxL)Approx. 3.07 x 3.88"

Weight: 1lb 2oz

Price: $1250

So that is it! I am excited to begin sharing images that come from this lens, and am equally excited for how light my entire set up is! Yay!

What lens is your favorite? Leave a comment below. I would love to chat!

Wishing you a beautiful day!

Bessie

P.S. Did you love this post? Want to see more photography tips and tricks? Check this out here:

4 Things All Great Photos Have in Common - Photography Tips and Tricks

4 Things All Great Photos Have in Common

Photography Tips and Tricks

Have you ever wondered why your photos aren't as good as the 'Pro's'? Have you ever just felt a little down about your images knowing that you can do better, you just don't understand why the image didn't turn out the way you wanted? Well, then this blog is for you!

Here are 4 things all great photos have in common:

1. Interesting Subject

You have to love your subject. If you don't like your subject then that is going to reflect in your image.

2. Good Composition

You need to show off your subject using good composition . Stop, take a look around, and figure out what you think is neat in the scene and then compose your image to show that off. There are many different tips on composition such as leading lines, the rule of thirds, and so forth.

3. Good Technique

Figure out what the most important part of your scene is. Then use good technique to emphasize that. You will need to learn manual mode and be able to tweak your shutter speed, aperature, and ISO to be able to accentuate what you like in the scene.

4. Good Light

Basically I love shooting during golden hour. This creates some beautiful soft light, no harsh shadows, and the images are just dreamy.

If you are stuggling with figuring out what is good light, I would suggest looking at other photographers images. Really study the image and the light. Where is the light coming from, what time of day was it taken, how did they use light to get the final result?

I hope you all enjoyed this one. Make sure to share it with all your buddies :)

Wishing you a beautiful day!

Bessie

P.S. Did you love this post? Want to see more photography tips and tricks? Check this out here:

5 Fun Camera Hacks in Minutes - Photography Tips and Tricks

I love creating a picture. That is why I am a photographer. I started off with film and created my images in a dark room. There was something about being able to touch the photograph that you took and watch it actually come to life. It was amazing.

Well, when the world of photography went to digital, I had to change with the times as well. I fought it quite a bit. Kicking and screaming along the way. It just doesn't feel the same. You can take thousands of photos and just find your best shot, where as in the film world, you only had one try to get it right.

Eventually, I have adapted, and I absolutely love my digital camera (ppsssttt... here is my gear list). I still love creating an image, and that is where in camera hacks come in to play. I don't use editing software too much. I love to create the image in camera while I am taking it rather than adding layers and effects later while sitting on the computer. So, there are a few in camera hacks that I absolutely looovveeee to do while taking portrait images.

5 Fun Camera Hacks in Minutes:

Photography Tips and Tricks

1. The Plastic Bag Hack

2. The Sunglasses Hack

3. The Match or Lighter Hack

4. The Knife Hack

5. The Flashlight Hack

How to use these hacks: You will take each item and place them over or near your lens being extra careful not to scratch your lens. Watch the video below for examples.

I hope you all enjoyed this post! Make sure to share it with your friends. Also, leave a comment if you have any fun camera hacks that you have used, or if you have tried these. I would love to hear from you!

Bessie

P.S. Did you love this post? Want to see more photography tips and tricks? Check this out here:

Four Minute Fridays are Here!! Photography Tips and Tricks

Four Minute Fridays are Here!!

Photography Tips and Tricks

Four Minute Fridays are here! Wait what is that even a thing?
Heck yes it is, I just made it up 😂.

Ok on a serious note... I made a YouTube video all about it to kick off 4 Minute Fridays! Go check it out.

This year I decided I wanted to add more how to tips and tricks videos for this YouTube channel. I put out a poll on my social media both Instagram and Facebook. That pole was asking if people would be interested in 4 minute Fridays and every single person voted yes.

Ok so what the heck am I talking about? Four minute Fridays are going to be a series of how-to videos. Each video is going to be under four minutes long and get straight to the point. I will be posting these videos every other Friday throughout this year and if I get crazy I will post them every Friday.

Now don't worry I'm still going to be sharing my behind the scenes and how I got the shot videos along with my Adventures. The Four Minute Friday series is only going to be an addition to my landscape photography. I hope you guys are as excited as I am for this series of videos. I can't wait to begin sharing all the things that I have for you in this upcoming year.

So until next Friday I hope you guys have an amazing day.

Bessie

Hey Photogs! Wanna know what gear I use? Check these out:

Camera Gear

Electronic Gear

To see photography tips and tricks:

How to take Firework Pictures: Quick Tips

How to take Firework Pictures Quick Tips

by Bessie Young

Can you believe it is already the 4th of July?! Time sure does fly by. I am sure you all want to be able to take some amazing pictures of the fireworks, your kids playing with sparklers, and just the festivities that the 4th of July brings.

Here are a few quick tips on how to take some great firework shots:

1. Scope out your location : This is key to a great shot.

2. Use a tripod : this will keep your camera stable and allow the images to not be blurry

3. Use a cable release or wireless remote : This will decrease the possibility of camera shake

4. Shoot the image in as high of quality as you can : I shoot in RAW

5. Turn off Auto focus and manually focus your lens to infinity: I set up when it is bright outside and find my best focus. Then, when it gets dark I know for certain that my image is going to be crisp sharp.

6. Turn your flash off.

7. Use manual mode on your camera.

• Shutter Speed: Think about how you want the fireworks to look. Do you want them to be streaks in the sky, or do you want a burst of light? If you want streaks in the sky you need to set your shutter speed to 15 seconds or more. Bulb mode is optimal. You can use bulb mode and your shutter release cable. This will allow you to keep the shutter open as long as you would like. Be careful if you are trying to get multiple bursts as it is very easy to overexpose the image.
• ISO : Shooting at a low ISO will keep for a clean shot. You really need to know your camera and at what ISO your camera will begin to get grain. I typically set mine to 400 or less.
• Aperture : Keep your aperture between 8 and 16.
• Hint: A good starting point is to set your settings at ISO 100, F 11, and 30 sec exposure. If the photos are too dim, keep the shutter open longer.

8. Experiment : experiment with different settings but make sure to track your results. This way you know what works best.

Now go get out there and have fun. Happy 4th of July!!!

Bessie

P.S. wanna know what gear I used? Check it out here:

Kit Used:

Camera: Sony A7Rii: http://amzn.to/1taGpAu
Favorite Lens: Sony FE 24-70 F2.8 G Master: http://amzn.to/2n747NJ
Best Wide Angle: Sony 16-35mm lens: http://amzn.to/1UBjBDW
Vanguard Tripod: http://amzn.to/2aoI5ku

Filming:
LG G3 Smart Phone

Editing & Processing:
Bulk editing: Adobe Lightroom: http://amzn.to/1WB7Jnc
Fine tuning: Adobe Photoshop : http://amzn.to/1WB7YPh
Viva Video Pro for combining videos