Reenactors

Sony A850

Yesterday I posted an ode to the M8 because it's a camera that deserves positive recognition. I didn't talk about it's faults or short comings because like any relationship you must overlook some things if you're going to stay together. Today I want to spot some shots I took with a Sony camera (a850). All my cameras and lenses are/were obtained used. Not exactly the opposite of the M8 but it's a tool that allows for good shots that an M8 will struggle (or indeed are impossible) to make. Most of these were taken from long range (up to 300mm) and some quite quickly (of necessity) using auto focus. The Sony has built in image stabilization. Not the M8's forte (putting it mildly). These were taken at the sesquicentinneal reenactment of the Battle of Prairie Grove, near Fayetteville, Arkansas in December, 2012. I used an old and quite inexpensive Sigma 28-300mm designed for the Minolta AF film camera(s). Downside of the cheap lens: if the barrel isn't locked it will gravity extend. Using this lens for this shoot is the Sony's strength. Built in stabilizaton means you can use older, cheaper lenses even for long distance shots and get decent results. None of these photographs were post processed. I did not use raw in this situation. While the boken isn't wonderful, it isn't glaringly bad (imo).

Most took it seriously. Some not so much.

All the photos I took that day are here:

https://plus.google.com/u/0/photos/109188283905572340434/albums/5817527278300968321?hl=en
  My one comment would be that these guys and gals (there were some gals and young people interspersed with the traditional guys) seemed to be having a lot of fun which is incongruous with the horror of the actual battle. Such is equivocation, which is often represented this way:

 Peace