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| The Effects of Time |
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Traveling Malta with the Makro-Planar T* 2/100 ZF
I used to be a press photographer. This enabled me to develop my photographic skills in a wide variety of subjects. I found the right balance to my fast-paced work in creative photography. In addition to HDR and panorama photography, I am also fascinated by macro photography.
On a short trip to Malta, I discovered near the St. Angelo Fortress structures left to decay dating back to the island's colonial period. I was particularly interested in these bollards. I wanted to take pictures as accurately as possible of the bizarre shapes and colors resulting from the years of rusting. This was the inspiration for this series of photos.
All images were captured using my digital SLR camera and the Makro-Planar T* 2/100 ZF. This equipment turned out to be the right tool. The details in the focal plane are still sharply defined even with a wide aperture. The outstanding brilliance of the images is also impressive.
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| Due to the razor-sharp definition, even the tiniest cracks in the metal are reproduced with amazing detail. |
When working with this lens, I am particularly impressed by the precise focusing mechanism with the extremely large angle of rotation. It allows me to utilize as a design element a precisely defined border between crisp and blurry. The ability to direct the eye of the beholder to the elements I find important is virtually at my fingertips.
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| It is just fun to play with focus and blur and thereby direct your attention to what really matters. |
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| The imaging performance is outstanding even at full aperture, enabling full utilization of the high speed of the lens. |
The strength of the Makro-Planar T* 2/100 ZF also lies in the area of “normal” telephotography. This is where the lens benefits from its practically distortion-free rendition in all image scales. I like to isolate subjects against a blurry background. This enables me to virtually drag the observer into the image. Here, the almost circular aperture leads to an even more harmonious display of blurred details in the background which enhances the perfection of the image even further.
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| The isolation effect is clearly visible in this typical tele-photo. |
My personal summary is very positive: Thanks to the Makro-Planar T* 2/100 ZF and its outstanding performance, I can make full use of all aspects of photography important to me. The precision of the manual focus and “playing with the depth of field” have rekindled my fascination in macro photography.
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| | About Franz Müller
Franz Müller is a self-taught photographer. He was fortunate to have the opportunity to employ his enthusiasm for photography as a press photographer. He then passed on his extensive knowledge as a teacher for photography and video courses. Today, he is primarily involved with HDR and panorama photography. |
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September 2008 |
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