Jan. 18, 2010

It didn't take long after getting my new Canon 14mm f2.8 lens that I realized that I would never again want to use my 17-40 zoom. Having a high quality single focal length wide angle suits me much better.  I hate zoom lenses, especially at the wide end, and would much rather grab a lens with a clear perspective in mind. A fast "normal" lens in in the 35mm range is what I wanted to compliment my 14mm lens.  In my film days I never thought the 50mm was very normal, but more of an awkward perspective. 35mm is more normal to me, sort of the angle of view you get with both eyes open where your attention is really focused without peripheral vision coming into play.  After reading all the reviews that I could I narrowed my choice down to Canon's 35mm f1.4L or the new 24 f1.4L II. WIth my 1.3x crop camera the 35 becomes a 45mm lens, and the 24 becomes a 31mm lens. I think if I was going to use the lens primarily for photographing people indoors that the 35 would be a better choice, but my main use for it is for outdoor scenics, and the 24 was an easy decision giving me something in between a 28 and 35mm lens on film for my 1D cameras.

In use the Canon 24mm f1.4 L II is a fantastic lens. Like with the 14mm it's a thrill to open files for the first time and see such great color, contrast, and detail from corner to corner. I see no chromatic aberrations with it. I know you can eliminate them digitally, but I don't want to deal with it. My first couple of days with the lens I used it as a walk around lens. It is well suited to more that I thought it would be and makes a good "standard" lens for me. It focuses very close and the fast maximum aperture with beautiful backgrounds will also come in handy to isolate subjects. It's real number one practical purpose for me is to illustrate bird habitats. I frequently get requests for them, but haven't done much of it. Now that I have this lens and the 14mm, I will be doing a whole lot more. Having two great lenses than are fun to use is enough motivation. Now I don't think I will leave home without them whether I'm going out to photograph birds or just for some general birding with the binoculars and scope. Canon is making some terrific wide angle lenses now. They're expensive, but you do get what you pay for. I took the 24 down to the Zaleski State Forest on Jan. 18 to try it out for its primary intended use.

The above photo is a typical wooded hillside in unglaciated Ohio. Characteristic breeding birds at this location that will be arriving in a few months include Red-eyed and Yellow-throated Vireos, Cerulean, Black-and-white, Worm-eating, Kentucky, and Hooded Warblers, Ovenbird, Scarlet Tanager, Wood Thrush, Eastern Towhee, and Eastern Wood-Pewee.  During May and June you will probably be able to hear all of those birds at this very spot. Year round residents include Carolina Chickadee, Tufted Titmouse, White-breasted Nuthatch, Carolina Wren, and Downy, Hairy, Red-bellied, and Pileated Woodpeckers.  Birds common only in winter in this habitat include Golden-crowned Kinglet, Brown Creeper, and Dark-eyed Junco.
 

The bottomlands in Ohio forests host a different suite of species than can be found in the hills. In addition to many of the birds mentioned for the first photo, species more likely to be found here in the breeding season include Blue-winged and Yellow-throated Warblers, Northern Parula, American Redstart, Louisiana Waterthrush, Acadian Flycatcher, and Eastern Phoebe. A hardy phoebe was even wintering at this spot. In winter species such Yellow-rumped Warbler and Winter Wren occur here.
 

The above photo is something that I think is pretty unique in Ohio, although I'm sure there are some folks out there who could show me similar spots. This is a hemlock gorge with rhododendrons. South of the Ohio border in West Virginia and Kentucky that is prime habitat for Swainson's Warbler, a species that does not nest in Ohio. I look for them here every year, but have never found any. During the breeding season other characteristic birds of these dark and damp hemlock gorges (without rhododendrons) in Ohio and hemlock gorges (with rhododendrons) further south can be found here. Those species include Northern Parula, Black-throated Green and Hooded Warblers, Louisiana Waterthrush, and Blue-headed Vireo to name a few.