Playing With Tamron Lens 2

A little bit ago, I went back outside to take some more shots of the mesas with the Tamron zoom lens as the lighting was better.

The results:

Playing With The Tamron Lens

Above, the mesas across the valley got some dusting of snow. Photos by Armand Vaquer.

Since it is sunny out with some clouds, I decided to shoot some photos of the mesas and front yard with my Tamron lens.

It has been a while since I've used the Tamron zoom lens. I don't think I've used it since I moved to New Mexico. I bought it for the 2016 Hawaii trip and it performed great.

Some more photos:

Photographing The Eclipse: How I "Dood" It

Above, the total eclipse in "Automatic" setting. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

I have been asked by several people how I managed to take the photographs of the Great American Eclipse on August 21.

It was actually easier that I would have imagined.

I used my Canon Rebel EOS T5i camera. I decided to use the most powerful zoom lens I have: the Tamron 18mm-270mm f/3.5-6.3 lens. I had the stabilizer setting switched to on. I also used my lens hood.

Prior to heading to Idaho to experience the eclipse, I did see some websites on how to photograph the eclipse. One of the things suggested was to always wear eye protective glasses, especially while looking through the camera's viewfinder. This I did. 

Above, the total eclipse in "P" setting. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

That was a little bit difficult. Without the glasses, it is easy to aim the lens at the sun, but with the glasses on, finding the sun was a little difficult as it made everything all black and the sun a smaller object to train the viewfinder on as part (or most) of it was covered by the moon.

Above, as the sun emerged from totality, we got the "diamond ring" effect. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

I had a tripod to use, but didn't. All I did was use the hood of the motorhome as a rest and brace for my elbows while shooting the photographs. I alternated between the "Automatic" and "P" settings on the camera. I had to shoot fast as the total eclipse only lasted about two minutes in duration.

I couldn't be more pleased with the results I got.

I was located north of Roberts, Idaho (where the red line of the eclipse's path crosses Interstate 15, just below Highway 33 in the map below).

Lens Fixed

Above, the lens is back on. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

There's one thing (possibly others) that analog camera lenses have over today's digital lenses, they don't give you error messages or fail to focus. With analog lenses, with a twist of the wrist, what you see is what you get! Since digital lenses have electronics in them, they can and do sometimes go haywire.

I finally had the 50mm lens for my Canon T5i Rebel camera fixed after it started giving me error messages and wouldn't correctly focus.

The good folks at Woodland Hills Camera had it all repaired and ready for me within 2 weeks. Not too shabby! Plus, they threw in a new lens cap strap at no charge!

Before leaving the store, I tested it out with my camera and it works as good as new.

The Tamron 18 - 270mm lens I bought (as a replacement) before the Hawaii trip worked great, but I did notice that it is not as sharp as the Canon 55mm lens.

Everything is ready to go, camera-wise, for the Metropolis trip.