(A long way) Out of Africa

Disclaimer: I don't like photographing captive animals very much.  It just feels wrong.  After all the animals are just..well...there!

Still a trip to Longleat with the family meant that I had to take a few snaps with the Carl Zeiss Jena DDR 135mm.  An M42 lens mounted on my trusty Sony a33. Andrew loaned me the lens ages ago and I still haven't used it.  Until now! I immediately started liked it.  Its nice and small and has a cool retro vibe about it.  The focus is nice and smooth and easy to use. Initially I found it a bit strange using a fixed focal length of 135mm as its a bit "here nor there" really! Despite the battle ship grey clouds above I still got some reasonable pics.  I tried to get ones which were a bit different.  Here they are.

(CLICK ON A PIC AND IT WILL GO BIG)

The Lemurs huddled up for just a few seconds

f 1.7 

1/200 second 

ISO 800 (it was really dark!) 

This Lion was quite high up in a tree!

f1.7

1/400 second

ISO 400

Someone was getting a photo with their camera.  It bathed the bat in red, which I quickly took opportunity of! Looks a bit evil!  

Taken in almost total darkness

f.17

1/15 second

ISO 3200

My daughter enjoying PostmanPat

f1.7

1/800 second

ISO 400 

 I didnt really go round the gardens much but these looked quite nice even in the flat light
F1.7

1/400 second

ISO 400

Its just odd. Sea Lions in a lake!

f1.7

1/640 second

ISO 800

Overall, it was great to try something a bit different and I will certainly be attaching it more often (unless Andrew wants it back!)