PWH3.COM

The Nikon 35mm F1.8G DX is a Must-Have Lens for a Beginner

A previous article I wrote talked about how to get started in photography without spending a bunch of money on gear. I’d like to focus on the lens I recommended in that article — the Nikon 35mm f1.8G DX.

Classic Field of View

Most beginning photographers will have a crop-sensor camera, such as the Nikon D3300 that I recommended in the article. Without getting crazy technical here, using a crop-sensor camera always means that the millimeter number on the lens (in this case 35mm) is multiplied by 1.5. That means that this lens will give you the rough equivalent of a classic 50mm field of view.

The Nikon 35mm f1.8G DX lens looking all sexy on my bed. Photo taken with a Samsung Tablet.

Sharp, Light and Small

The Nikon 35mm is a lightweight lens. It’s perfect for carrying around all day long and using in a variety of situations. It’s useful for photos of people, close-up shots of objects, and even landscapes. The lens is very sharp and delivers images with quite a bit of detail.

Keep in mind that the lens is a prime lens with a fixed focal length – meaning that you can’t zoom with it. If you need to get closer to your subject, you’ll have to actually walk towards it!

Yes, you can fit everything in the shot even though it’s not a zoom lens!

Cheap and Popular

The lens is also inexpensive. Brand new, it shouldn’t cost you more than $200 from any major internet camera retailer.

Even better, this lens is so popular that one of your Nikon-shooting friends probably owns one, and may let you try it out – at least for a few shots.

Good for Low Light and Night Shooting

The f-number of a lens tells you how much light the lens lets in, or how “bright” it is. Once again, I won’t get too technical here, but the lower the f-number, the better a lens will perform in low light situations or at night. This lens has an f-number of 1.8, which is a very low number (for comparison, a typical zoom lens has an f-number of 3.5, which is why most zoom lenses are not so good for low-light shooting).

What this all means is you can finally shoot clear, detailed pictures of your friends drinking in dimly-lit bars, or capture scenes on the streets at night that don’t look dark and grainy.

Were they running from the rain – or from me & my camera?

Blurred Background

Another great aspect of this lens is the ability to shoot photos with that “blurred background” look that everyone loves and craves. This makes the lens useful for casual portraits, or to isolate a subject that’s in front of a distracting background, such as a busy street.

A blurry bunch of flowers, just for you.

Nikon created a gem with this lens and even more amazing is how inexpensive it is to own. I highly recommend you go buy (or try) the Nikon 35mm f1.8G DX. Do you have this lens and enjoy shooting with it? Or are you a beginner that has more questions about it? Leave a comment below or feel free to message me on Instagram.

All photos in this article were taken with a Nikon D5100 and Nikon 35mm f1.8G DX lens. Except for the photo of the lens itself, which was taken with a Samsung Tablet & Snapseed.

Using a Nikon D90 in the Year 2017

I really like using older cameras and gear and trying to squeeze the best results I can out of them. A while ago I picked up a used Nikon D90 as a “backup” camera (as if I need any more cameras). What’s it like using a camera that came on to the market in 2008? Honestly, not that bad.

If you shoot RAW like I’ve suggested, you can get some pretty good results out of a camera that’s considered staggeringly obsolete in today’s fast-moving world of technology.

The D90 has a built-in focus motor, which is great because you can use almost any Nikon or third-party lens on it. I typically pair it with an old Sigma 30mm f1.4 DC HSM, a quirky lens that sometimes doesn’t focus on anything at all, but renders beautifully when it does.

Oh, you got my fresh and juicy right here? Why I oughta…

Another great thing about the D90 is the controls and handling. It has dual-dials and many buttons, making using the camera in manual mode very easy. You’ll probably want to shoot in manual mode, pick the lowest shutter speed you find acceptable, and keep your ISO under 800 to get the best results.

See a pattern to these photos? I guess I was hungry that night.

The 12.3 megapixel images definitely have a distinct “look” to them, and that’s due to a lack of dynamic range and what I find to be duller colors in general. With a good amount of post-processing effort on the RAW files, particularly in terms of color correction, you can bring them almost up to par with more modern cameras. On the other hand, it’s very easy to get a lo-fi “film look” out of the images if that’s what you’re aiming for.

Okay, not food-related. Then again, there is popcorn in there…

One last interesting thing about the D90 is that it seems to currently be very popular in other countries. Perhaps this is due to a lack of availability of other models at reasonable prices. I’m just guessing, I don’t really know. But if you hop on the #nikond90 or #d90 tags on Instagram, you’ll likely be treated to some very cool photographic scenes from all over the world.

Would I recommend that you run out and buy a D90? Honestly, no. You’ll get way better images out of a used entry level DSLR like a Nikon D3300 for around the same amount of money. Even with a lot of post-processing, the D90 images still won’t look quite as good as those from a newer camera, particularly when it comes to high-ISO shots.

View this post on Instagram

We are all New Yorkers.

A post shared by PWH3👽 (@pwh3.nyc) on May 2, 2017 at 6:01am PDT

However, if you’re looking for a creative challenge, really are looking for a backup camera that you won’t mind ruining, or just want to mess around with old technology, by all means get a D90 and go out and shoot with it.

The photos in this story were taken with a Nikon D90 and Sigma 30mm f1.4 DC HSM lens.

An Outing to the Central Park Reservoir

Real New Yorkers simply call it the Central Park Reservoir, but officially it’s called The Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis Reservoir. The Reservoir stretches from 86th to 96th street, and from 5th avenue to Central Park West.

I wanted a specific shot of some particular Upper West Side buildings, so I entered Central Park at 90th street and 5th avenue and walked up a few steps to the gate surrounding the Reservoir.

Whenever I think of the Reservoir, I’m reminded of the movie Marathon Man with Dustin Hoffman. To this day, there is a constant stream of joggers around the Reservoir, and the path around it is a sort of loose, sandy gravel to facilitate running. I wonder how many of those joggers have seen that movie.

I didn’t know the Reservoir was decommissioned in 1993. That explains the lack of security around it and the low gate. I assume that if the Reservoir did supply New York City with water, no one would be allowed anywhere near it in this day & age.

The Central Park Reservoir is great to visit and watch the sunset on a nice day, or to jog around it if that’s your thing. There are many great views of the city and photographic opportunities to be had there.

The photos in this story were taken with an Olympus EM-10 and Lumix 14mm f2.5 & Lumix 25mm f1.7 lenses.

New York City’s Union Square Park

Union Square is one of my favorite places in New York City. It’s often the starting point for many interesting nights out. Union Square is also a great place to just sit down and relax — some nights, it’s the only destination.

In the warmer weather you’ll find young people playing hacky sack or soccer. You’ll see skateboarders practicing kickflips and ollies, while street performers dance for dollars. There’s even a freestyle rap group that meets up there on Friday nights. And let’s not forget the chess players. Drop in a for a friendly game.

In practical terms, Union Square is a major transportation hub. You can catch many subway trains here (4, 5, 6, L, Q, N, W and R). The L train can connect you to the 8th Avenue Line, so you’ll be able to catch the A, C, E after a quick ride.

Enter the subway. Or just hang around it.

Union Square Park stretches from Broadway to 4 Ave and from East 14th street to East 17th street. You can access the subway from many entrances in the park.

The photos in this story were taken with an Olympus EM-10 and various lenses.

Your Kit Lens Probably Isn’t So Bad After All

The kit lens is the inexpensive zoom lens that comes with a new DSLR or mirrorless camera. Usually it’s made of plastic with a plastic mount. Years ago, kit lenses used to be very badly built and of poor optical quality. I have one old kit lens that was difficult to zoom in and out (it would become hard to turn and even get stuck at certain points). Even worse, it had optical problems, leaving one area of the photo very blurry while the rest of the photo was perfectly sharp. Kit lenses today are both built better and much better optically. Here are more good points about kit lenses:

They Are Cheap

Usually when you buy a new camera, the kit lens is around $100. For that relatively low outlay of cash, you get a lens that probably has very fast autofocus and may even have image stabilization built into it, as is the case with Nikon kit lenses. Due to its low cost, it’s less of a worry bringing it to places where you may not want to risk a more expensive lens.

Kit lenses make me feel safer riding the NYC subway.

They Are Versatile

Because they cover such a big focal range — allowing you to zoom from a wide shot to a close up shot and anything in between — they’re great for a lot of photographic situations. They are especially useful while traveling or at an event.

They Are Lightweight and Small

Since they are small and mostly made from plastic, they are very light compared to more expensive lenses, which will likely be larger and made with metal. Many of the newest kit lenses are also designed to basically retract into themselves, becoming more compact for storage or for stowing in a camera bag.

They Are Sharp & Can Focus Closely

Yes, it’s true. The newer kit lenses are surprisingly sharp with pretty good image quality. I have also found that many can focus very close to the subject, which is useful for photographing objects like toys or food.

Downsides

Sounds great, right? So why would you need any other lens? Well, as good as the kit lens may be, more expensive lenses will still be better optically. There really is a difference there. If you’re a beginner you may not be able to tell, or it may not matter to you right now. Later on in your photographic journey, it might become important.

Another downside with kit lenses is that they aren’t the best choice for indoor photography or night photography. However, I have done both of those types of photography with a kit lens — all of the photos in this article were taken with a kit lens, including the night shots.

Finally, every new photographer wants to experiment with that creamy “blurred background” look. While you can achieve it somewhat with a kit lens under the right conditions, it’s not the ideal lens for it.

Don’t worry about any of that right now, though. Go out and shoot with your kit lens. It’s probably a lot better than you think and you will get some great images out of it.

All photos in this story were taken with an Olympus EM-10 and the Olympus 14-42 RII kit lens.

Inside New York City’s Oculus at the World Trade Center Station

The World Trade Center Station is a transportation hub that connects New Jersey trains to New York trains. The centerpiece, called the Oculus, can be thought of as the main station house.

The Oculus — surrounded by other, less-dramatic buildings.

Inside the Oculus is what’s technically the Westfield Mall. There are said to be over 100 retail stores and restaurants in the Mall, including an Apple Store, Banana Republic and an Eataly.

Designed by Spanish architect Santiago Calatrava, the whole structure is supposed to resemble “a bird being released from a child’s hand.” I found it to feel more like being inside of some kind of futuristic dinosaur, since the curved beams reminded me of bones or ribs. It did have a very organic feel to it, and I did like the overall look of the place. It’s a bright, open space and if you enjoy shopping and dining out you can surely spend a lot of time inside of it.

From a commuting standpoint, the Station lets you access the PATH system to get to New Jersey, as well as many (the 2, 3, A, C, E, N, R, W) New York City Subway trains.

If you’re vacationing in New York City, you might as well check the Oculus out while you’re here. You’ll probably stumble into it after you’ve visited the One World Trade Center Observatory anyway. If you’re a New Yorker you can skip this place until you, for some reason, have to take a PATH train to New Jersey and can’t do it from Penn Station.

The photos in this story were all taken with an Olympus OMD EM-10 and the Olympus 14-42 RII kit lens.

The Empire State Building as Seen From 10th Avenue

This image is also featured in my article Why You Should Shoot RAW. You can see the original version in that blog entry and get some information about the benefits of RAW. Taken with a Nikon D5100 and 35mm f1.8DX lens from the backseat of a taxi.

A Visit to the Empire State Building Observation Deck

Standard Admission for adults to the Empire State Building’s 86th Floor Observation Deck is $34. Remember, don’t buy the tickets from the street vendors outside the building — it’s likely a scam. Buy them inside the Empire State Building on the second floor.

Much like at One World Trade Center, there will be very long lines and you’ll be subject to a security screening. Once that’s done, you’ll walk through winding Art Deco corridors until you reach the elevators.

Hanging out on the 80th floor of the Empire State Building.

The first elevator will take you to the 80th floor. During the ride, you’ll see that the ceiling of the elevator is a screen depicting the construction of the Empire State Building, with steel beams flying overhead and the sounds of hammers and drills. Wisecracking construction workers with overdone “New Yawk” accents make jokes and comments as the beams come together.

Once on the 80th floor, you’ll be able to see downtown Manhattan through the windows. You can see such landmarks as the Statue of Liberty, the Flatiron Building, and most notably One World Trade Center. You can spend as much time as you like looking out of the windows on the 80th floor and taking pictures. Just be sure to take care while photographing since you’re shooting through thick glass.

Next you’ll line up to get on to a second elevator. The line stretches past the gift shop, which you’ll later exit through on the way out of the building.

The second elevator will take you to the 86th floor and the Observation Deck. Here you’ll be outside and have the full experience, with quite a few amazing views. Even better, your photographs will look great since you’re outside and there are no windows, just the iron bars which you can shoot through.

Shoot through the iron bars, or use them for effect.

You can spend as much time as you want on the Observation Deck as well, but it’s usually rather crowded. Expect to be standing shoulder-to-shoulder with others, and brace yourself for the inevitable bumps and jostles. Be careful if you’re toting a big camera and long lens.

The Conde Naste Building and Bank of America Tower.

Once you’re done taking in the sights, you’ll exit through the gift shop I mentioned before, which has all sorts of Empire State Building-related souvenirs.

My kind of souvenir. Is there Empire State Building brand whiskey?

I didn’t like the experience at the Empire State Building as much as I did at One World Trade Center Observatory. However, at least from a photography standpoint, the views are much better from the Empire State Building because you’re not behind glass.

Because of the spectacular views, I recommend giving the Empire State Building a visit. Try to time your visit so that you’re on the 80th floor around sunset for the most spectacular sights, and hang around to get some good night shots.

Photos in this story taken with an Olympus EM-10, Panasonic 25mm f1.7 and the Olympus 14-42RII kit lens.

Why You Should Shoot RAW

I always recommend that all photographers, even beginners, shoot RAW instead of JPG. Here are my reasons:

Exposure

It happens: you were in a hurry and underexposed your image. It’s too dark. But RAW files contain so much information when compared to JPG files that you can lift the exposure without degrading the image quality. Depending on the file and camera used, you may be able to increase the exposure by two or three stops without ruining it.

Color Correction

Fixing white balance issues is very simple in RAW, as well as controlling the hue and saturation levels of individual colors. For example, after white balancing the image, if something in your image is still too red or too yellow you can specifically reduce the saturation levels of those colors, without touching the other colors.

Noise Reduction

RAW files have no noise reduction applied, so you can apply your own. We all hate noise, but sometimes when shooting in JPG, the camera will apply too much noise reduction and make fine details like hair or architectural lines look “mushy”. RAW lets you add just the right amount.

Sharpening

As with being able to control the amount of noise reduction applied to the image, you can also control the amount of sharpening. Some JPG settings cause certain images to look oversharpened. In certain situations, such as portrait photography, you may not want any sharpening at all.

Luminance Channels

My favorite aspect of working with RAW files, since I shoot a lot of scenes with city lights. You can boost or lower the brightness of certain colors of light. For example, if you want to make the red traffic lights in a street scene stronger while reducing the strength of the headlights of cars, you can do that specifically, without brightening or darkening the other light sources in the image.

Future Software

One last interesting thing about RAW is that the software used to edit RAW photos is often being improved upon by software developers. This means that you can go back to your old RAW files months or even years later and extract even more detail. Try loading that old, underexposed file that doesn’t look so good through a new RAW converter and play around with it. You may be able to pull out something amazing from it. I certainly have been able to. A JPG on the other hand is basically frozen in time.

The original file as rendered by the camera (that is to say, the unedited JPG).

This is the original file of the image at the beginning of this article — the JPG image that is automatically made alongside the RAW file. It’s not bad out of the camera, but editing the RAW version of this image really helped me bring it to a whole new level. RAW is particularly useful when using a camera with a smaller sensor such as APS-C or Four Thirds or when using an older camera — you can really get the most of out of your images with a little editing.

If you have any questions about RAW or editing, feel free to comment below or e-mail me.

A Visit to the One World Trade Center Observatory

Standard Admission to the One World Observatory is $37 dollars per adult if you buy the tickets inside at the window. Keep in mind that the lines are always long and you’ll have to go through a security screening process. You’ll be required to remove any jackets, bags, belts, phones, and electronics and place them in a bin to be scanned while you step through a metal detector.

Once that’s done, you’ll walk along a tunnel-like corridor lined with presentation screens that display short movies about One WTC and Ground Zero. This corridor eventually leads to the elevators.

Once inside an elevator, you’ll find that the elevator walls are actually screens that show an animation of how New York City has changed over the decades. This is done in a way that gives you the sensation of rising above the city while it builds up below you. The elevator ride ends with a depiction of the construction of One WTC itself as you see steel beams assemble overhead.

Interactive elevator ride. Be sure to hit ‘record’ on your phone!

You’re then brought into a theater-like area and treated to a movie projected onto a large wall showing all sorts of scenes from around NYC.

Movie time! Great scenes of everyday life from around New York City.

When the presentation ends, the wall itself lifts up revealing huge windows and a taste of the amazing views that One WTC offers.

The big reveal! The movie wall lifts up, showing the actual city.

After a brief orientation from one of the staff members, you’re given the chance to take in the views of the city via One WTC’s two-level observatory.

Through the large windows you can see many landmarks including the Brooklyn Bridge, Statue of Liberty, and the Empire State Building.

The Manhattan Bridge and the Brooklyn Bridge are among many of the landmarks you can see.

You have as much time as you want in the Observatory. There’s even a cafe that serves coffee, tea, pastries, sandwiches, and so on. So relax, hang out, enjoy the views – and take lots of pictures.

Whether you’re visiting New York City or are a long-time New Yorker, I highly recommend visiting. All of the presentations were excellent, the staff was very friendly, and the overall experience was inspiring and uplifting with a very positive statement about New York and the city’s resiliency.

Photos in this story taken with an Olympus EM-10, Panasonic 25mm f1.7 and the Olympus 14-42RII kit lens.