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bunnToday I had the first apple off the early apple tree. Oddly, the top of the tree has not really set fruit but the bottom of the tree is weighed down with it. It's a good week or more before they are usually ripe, too.
I have also managed to find some more sheltered rowan trees that managed to set fruit this year - was it a particularly windy spring, I wonder? The ones in exposed positions seem to have very little fruit. But the little crab apple trees are covered: I have filled my bag with crabapples and not made a dent! Jelly here we come!
This photo, apart from demonstrating what a splendid number of crab apples I have got, also shows that sometimes autofocus is more hassle than it's worth. I wanted to take a photo showing the rich colours of the apples against the dark surface, but the autofocus on the lens that happened to be on my camera threw a wobbly, and would not focus because it thought there was not enough light, even though I could see clearly that the image was fine.
I swapped the lens to a manual focus one, which instead of worrying that it was too dark, simply focussed where I told it to, and got a much better clearer image. Of course this works best for still life where the item is not likely to move about. The apples in the foreground are not quite crisp though, I could maybe have used a slightly deeper depth of field. Hey ho.
I have also managed to find some more sheltered rowan trees that managed to set fruit this year - was it a particularly windy spring, I wonder? The ones in exposed positions seem to have very little fruit. But the little crab apple trees are covered: I have filled my bag with crabapples and not made a dent! Jelly here we come!
I swapped the lens to a manual focus one, which instead of worrying that it was too dark, simply focussed where I told it to, and got a much better clearer image. Of course this works best for still life where the item is not likely to move about. The apples in the foreground are not quite crisp though, I could maybe have used a slightly deeper depth of field. Hey ho.
Here is a bonus photo of a longleggedy pony foal, for no particular reason other than that I liked it.:
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no subject
Date: 2011-07-20 07:59 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-07-20 08:11 pm (UTC)It was quicker to swap lenses, particularly as the Nex3 autodetects if you are using a manual focus lens and offers you a one-click 'manual focus assist' mode which makes getting the focus just right really easy and intuitive. I love manual focus! It's so off and onable!
no subject
Date: 2011-07-20 08:13 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-07-20 08:19 pm (UTC)I'd like a proper autofocus zoom lens for it - I think image stabilisation and autofocus really comes into its own on big zooms, my manual zoom is a bit harder to use - but for portraits and garden pics and still lifes, the Nex3 with a cheapo adaptor and an ancient manual lens from the 1980's does a fab job. Actually it does a pretty fab job on moving images too, as long as you think a bit about where you want the focus to be.
I really like being able to easily decide the focus, rather than pointing and hoping the lens autofocus will work out what I mean!
no subject
Date: 2011-07-20 08:20 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-07-21 04:09 am (UTC)The only catch is that you have to like brandy. If you don't, give it to a friend as a wintery present and they will think you are very clever. :D
no subject
Date: 2011-07-21 08:49 am (UTC)Crabapple brandy sounds worth a try!
no subject
Date: 2011-07-21 03:08 pm (UTC)hmmmm. Why did I never make blackberry vodka when I was drowning in blackberries? What a good idea--better than simply eating them straight up all in one frenzied month, like I did.
yes, it is very hard to wait for the brandy: that's why I recommend hiding it so it doesn't make you miserable staring at it. Also I like how it doesn't turn out sweet, which can be a nice contrast to other flavored alcohols.
no subject
Date: 2011-07-21 09:22 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-07-21 11:49 pm (UTC)(scuttles off to harass my wonderful friends who have both a crabapple tree in front AND a backyard full of blackberries...)