This is Judith. She asked me if I could take some pictures of her, I agreed, I took an hour off yesterday and we met near the place where I work. Of course I had taken the D300 with the 85/1.4 A-IS. It’s not strictly necessary to use a portrait lens for portraits, but if you have it anyway, you’re thankful for any excuse to use it 🙂
I learned two things: I love the low weight of the LX5. The D300 is already heavy, add the big hunk of glass that is the 85/1.4, and you have something that more than slightly stretches the limits of “portable”. Don’t get me wrong, I am used to carrying that camera, but still, after more than a month of using a compact, the difference is striking.
The other thing is, that I wouldn’t want to make a portrait series using the LX5. Sure, it would have been easier to keep the eyes in focus, than with a manual 85/1.4, but being able to make high speed bursts is really helpful.
I write this while being on the train to Carinthia. Today I was back to the LX5 and I have enjoyed it, but that’s really a tad unfair. The fast 24-90 lens of the LX5 is so much more versatile than an 85 mm portrait lens. The real comparison would be between the LX5 and the D300 / 17-50 combo.
The Song of the Day is “Interlude” from India Arie’s 2001 album “Acoustic Soul”. Hear it on YouTube.