Hey, this is Scott of Photography Banzai.
In this video I'm going to talk about the canon EF 135
millimeters F/2.8 Soft Focus lens. On my last outing for the cosplay photos I
really wanted something longer range, but with a larger aperture. I do have the 55
to 200 millimeter lens, but at around 135 millimeters it's maybe f5.6 or so. And
that's pretty slow. Considering the limited options in the EF-M system for
native glass, I wanted to get something in the EF mount. So they are full frame
lenses, but I also did not have the adapter. I picked up a used adapter for
around $100. So about half price. I really wanted the OEM one. Got that with the
lens for a pretty low cost, and so far so good. I took it out to a local park just
to shoot some nature photography as usual. The park I went to is good for
telephoto lenses. There's a large looping path. Good to use that compression of the
long telephoto lens. Also, there was a Vietnam War Memorial, and a World War
trench that a museum next to the park built that they use for reenactments. I
managed to get out there with the leaves when they were nice and colorful for the
most part, so that was a big benefit to the paths and the telephoto lens. I'm
going to go over a few techniques and ways that I was taking photos at that
park with that 135 millimeter lens. I did try out the soft focus feature quite a
few times. I'm not really sure how it can be properly used, or effectively used. It is
very unusual. There are two settings to it, and then you have a setting where it
basically turns it off which is the main reason I bought this lens. With some
compression. Using the large aperture. Having the path curve, or just going
straight... really looks amazing. I like that look.
I lucked out in one situation where there were two people walking down the
path. Eventually I was able to take a photo as they kept going down that path.
It looks really nice. I try to get lower. That way as you're closer to the bottom
of the photo... It really fills the frame with a path itself. And then it scales
very nicely down into the photo, into the horizon. Using any type of object around
the area is a good way to enhance photos. They're different benches. I tried to
utilize those. With the nature side of things, there are
so many different trees so many different plants that you can isolate in
the photo. With that telephoto lens, large aperture. Or with that I tend to
naturally go for the thirds of the photo to put some type of subject in. Now, that's
really based on personal preference and your style. But it is good to mix things
up. Sometimes even just a center framed photo with some isolation can look
pretty interesting as well. With the Vietnam War Memorial it is challenging
in that area to get photos. It is pretty cramped with a telephoto lens. Now, I did
get some photos of the large helicopter. It's basically a full helicopter with a
flag attached to it. I did get a few photos. It looked a little interesting. Even
though I slipped on my butt in the trench area, I did get a few photos
around there. Didn't stick around, but still an interesting spot to take photos.
I think it would be better with a wider angle lens in that case. Now that I
have that adapter for the EF lenses on the EF-M camera, I'm definitely going to
be looking at other lenses in that mount. Probably lower-cost ones. Maybe the 50
F/1.8 eventually. It is a good option for the system. It adds a huge range of
lenses, of course. With the autofocus of this lens. It's actually pretty loud...
But when you're focusing for situations that are pretty close... You shoot something in
one area. And then the next subject is not too much of a distance change, it's
very quick. It works really well. Maybe not as quick as the native lenses, but
really not too bad. I don't think this lens is especially sharp, even at the
zero setting. For most situations I think it will be good enough. Of course, I would
have liked the 135 F/2, but that is a humongous price difference between those
two lenses. Now this one is sufficient considering my budget and all that. The
first outing went pretty well. Definitely going to be trying this lens
out in the future for portrait photography when I can make that happen.
Anyways, I hope you enjoyed this video. If you did please consider subscribing
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Thanks again!