Longwood Gardens with SMC Takumars

There is a revolution happening in digital cameras, and it’s all about miniaturization. Loading a backpack up with 9 lenses and a Sony NEX-6 body weighs less than a pro Nikon body with a single 200mm macro lens, with comparable results.

My first stop was the Conservatory and my Super-Multi-Coated Takumar 135mm f/2.5 lens.

The 135/2.5 is one of the best all-around SMC Takumars, but I’ll admit that on ‘crop’ sensors like in the NEX-6 it feels a bit too long for what it is. The orchids below were taken from about 4 feet (the minimum focus distance) with and without the Lens Turbo. [The tighter crop is without.]

I enjoyed the Bonsai exhibit with the SMC Takumar 24mm f/3.5, and switched to the 100mm f/4 macro for some closer-ups.

I needed a bit wider lens for the lovely poppies, so I kept the SMC Takumar 50mm f/1.4 for the rest of the Conservatory.

Outside at the fountain, I had the chance to compare framing between the 50/1.4 and 105/2.8, both shot at f/2.8.

I looped back for more with the SMC Takumar 105mm f/2.8 before closing up the place.