Newcastle Shops

Contrasting shops, a traditional  bookshop, a fashionable boutique, and an independent music store

Boutique within Eldon Square

Book shop within Grainger Market

Get your vinyl here

Sony NEX 6

Zuiko 50mm f1.8 on NEX 6

I have a collection of old lenses from film cameras that I have acquired over the years. You can buy these lenses quite cheaply now, and they are very usable on a Sony NEX 6 camera. Of course you don't get  image stabilisation or auto focus, but for many subjects this isn't a problem.

The NEX 6 has an electronic viewfinder, with dioptre correction for users of specs, and allows approximately 5 x and 10 x magnification of the image, so precise focusing is relatively easy. There is also a focus peaking feature, but I prefer to use that at its minimum setting as it can give false positives, and also obliterate sections of the image, making composition more difficult.

I recently ran a quick test of 4 old lenses, all standard 50mm jobs from the past. Pentax f1.4 and f1.7 and Olympus Zuiko f1.4 and f1.8. My findings were a little surprising as the cheaper f1.7 and f1.8 glass outperformed their f1.4 stablemates as far as sharpness at f5.6 was concerned.

The Olympus lenses both performed better on the NEX than their Pentax cousins in this limited test.

Here's an example of the Olympus Zuiko 50mm f1.8 in action. Not a very interesting subject I fear, the bus garage in Hexham. Click on the photos for a bigger image.

The overall view at, from memory, f8, and from the camera's record 1/60th at ISO1600

The 100% crop. You can read the word Plaxton at the bottom of the number plate.

This 50mm f1.8 Zuiko lens was bought, with camera attached, for £10. It's comfortably sharper than the zoom lens supplied with the NEX camera, but, nothing like as convenient to use.

Kern Morris at Whitley Bay Playhouse

Prior to the start of the folk meets street dance "The Lock In" performance, Durham based Kern Morris were invited to do a warm up act outside the theatre.  We could have done with some warmth as it was very cold, and of course quite dark, but the Morris people put on a super display. Full marks to the musicians for playing with frozen fingers!

The Lock In was great. We enjoyed all of the varied routines that we were treated to, but the supercharged traditional rapper dance was quite incredible, with unbelievable speed, energy and accuracy, and not a drop of blood spilt. I have never previously found Morris dance to be edge of seat exciting, but this was something else.  

If you get the chance, see this show! 

NEX 6 Sigma 19mm Nissin Di622 flash.

The Sage etc

We had to go into Gateshead this afternoon and decided that a walk along the riverbank and crossing over to Newcastle might be an idea. Wrong, it was bitterly cold, overcast and windy. We made it into the Sage concert hall and were delighted to find a free midday concert in progress.

The group calling themselves Sleeping Dogs performing within the atrium of the Sage. Very good indeed, we stayed to listen

People enjoying a coffee with friends. I wonder is that Garry Jenkins of wind energy fame sat on the right?

I wasn't the only photographer in there! Must give thanks to wor lass for pointing that one out.

You get a better class of graffiti adjacent to the Sage, local hero  "Wor Bobby" Robson.

Sony NEX6 Sigma 19mm and Sony 55-210 lenses.

NEX 6 Sony E kit zoom versus Sigma 19mm f2.8

There is considerable interest in the newish Sony 16-50 lens that is being packaged with the NEX 6

In this posting I show actual pixel crops from both that lens taken at 19mm and  f5.6 and from the Sigma 19mm also at f5.6. The approximate overall view is also shown. Camera mounted on sturdy tripod and timed delay used to activate shutter. The photos were taken within minutes of each other but from very slightly different positions.

Developed in lightroom using default settings, but with lens correction applied in each case.

There is clearly a differential in the focal lengths!

Actual pixels from left, centre and right of main image.

Click for enlarged view.

Overall View

Actual pixels Sony 16-50 at 19mm and  f5.6

(Full view processed JPG 8.5M )

Actual pixels Sigma 19mm f2.8 at f5.6

(Full view processed JPG 10.3M )

My interpretation. The Sigma lens is gathering more detail and at a higher level of contrast. It has a significant advantage in the centre, but the extreme edges are not great. The Sigma is a clear winner here. Having taken a number of shots with the Sigma now in a variety of conditions, it produces very pleasing results, and unless extreme edge definition is critically important, is a very good choice.

I have to say that my Sony 16-50 lens has proved to be reliable, despite considerable abuse. I regularly carry this lens when cycling and the camera has been dropped etc. However a friend of mine recently bought a used copy and, despite a pristine external condition - mine has been through the wars, it has ceased to work. Taking it to a local repairer he was advised that economic repair was not possible, and that this was a relatively common problem with the lens. 

Edit 08-12-16 See also  Problems with Sigma 19mm lens

Workfit Cycling Challenge Newcastle

The Workforce Workfit cycling challenge took place in Newcastle's Eldon Square shopping centre.

People signing up

Two ladies pedal while watching their virtual progress on a TV screen

A representative of Durham County Council nears the end of his stint encouraged by colleagues.

Sony NEX 6 16-50

Snow in the Toon

Having acquired a decent quality camera that you can carry in a coat pocket I was able to take a few night shots of the snow in Newcastle after leaving a concert at the Sage.

Sony NEX 6 16-50