Critique Welcomed Dawn At Merritt Island Wildlife Refuge

Keith Hollister

Well-Known Member
My partner in crime and I drove over to Merritt Island this morning to try and get some star & sunrise photos. We were looking east (duh) over Cape Canaveral AFB & Kennedy Space Center. The VAB was just off camera to the left on the second photo. Fuji X-E2, XF14mm. 3 stop ND filter on the second shot. Single exposures - no HDR. That's Venus in the left hand sky of the first image.



 
Thanks, everyone for the kind words. Unfortunately we got there a little too late for the stars (too much light pollution from dawn) and the sky was pretty boring for sunrise (not a cloud in the sky).

Peter - sorry to hear you are considering selling your D800 and ZF21 combo. You were really getting the hang of that combo recently.

Unless you are really wed to the idea of the optical finder, the X-E1 is identical in IQ and AF performance and is going for very low prices right now (at least in the US). The X-E2 is an X-E1 with faster AF, quicker overall response and an improved electronic viewfinder.
 
Thanks, Nick. Yeah, the 14mm is a fantastic lens by any standard. It is the primary reason I moved to Fuji X as my main camera system, frankly. I love the files from the cameras but a lot of that is due to the glass (with one or two minor exceptions) being outstanding across the board.
 
Thanks, Nick. Yeah, the 14mm is a fantastic lens by any standard. It is the primary reason I moved to Fuji X as my main camera system, frankly. I love the files from the cameras but a lot of that is due to the glass (with one or two minor exceptions) being outstanding across the board.

Indeed, I put the 14 on par with my old 14-24 Nikkor and thats quality glass. Fuji have certainly put some efforts into their lenses. I know i shouldn't but I will get the 56mm, my girl is going to NY at the end of the month, hope to get her to call in to B&H if they have one in stock (Doubtful).
 
Thanks, Glenn.

Nick - I had preordered the 56, but canceled it after realizing I don't really need it at this time. I'm not doing much portraiture lately and the 60/2.4 or the zooms do fine for what I am using longer focal lengths for. If I feel the need for that look, I still have a 85/1.8G for my D800. I decided I would rather have the black X100S instead (leaf shutter - high speed flash sync). The rather long minimum focus distance kind of put me off as well.
 
The 85g is a corker, I had the older 85 1.4 a great lens, but also you had to be bang on with focus. Your right about the leaf shutter, I really miss my 100, still have a nice leicatime case for it, maybe I will get another so I can use the case again :)
 
Beautiful images, Keith. I love the 1st one especially for Venus and the stars and the graduated, deepening inkiness toward the top. Also the teeny-weeney lights on the horizon down low. Lovely!
 
Thanks, Brian. I kinda got lucky on the lights down on the horizon to the right - I didn't even notice those as I was framing up the shot and playing with the exposure in the field (I was trying to get the maximum contrast on the stars). Just a little extra bit of luck.
 
Thanks, Beth.
 
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