Fifteen degrees of grey

(CLICK ON A PIC AND IT WILL GO BIG)

There is no such thing as bad light! Use what you've got. And with that in mind James and I set off into the grey dark flat light that passes for December these days. No lovely blue bright crisp winters day just 15deg of grey.

One lens I haven't really used so far is the 135mm f2,5 Takumar. Today was the day, partly because I haven't got many good shots to use as examples in its 'gear page' which I'm working on as we speak, or as you read rather.
The route was from Catcott lows over to Greylake back to Tealham Moor and ending up at Hamwall. If there isn't a number underneath it then its the 135mm

And so it began................

Catcott Lows in all it's glory

Goldfish

View through a screen

Another view through a screen

was a tree

Over to Greylake

It was a pea souper of birds sometimes all coming up at once

TEXTURE

FREAKY SIDEWAYS TEXTURE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

aaaaaand relax

TEXTURE OVERLOAD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

17mm Fisheye (I couldn't resist, it was asking for it!)

Pollards

Pollardi (Excuse my Latin)

Final stop at Hamwall. We went for the murmurations. Unfortunately they went straight to Shapwick.

Beautiful watery sunset. I could have changed the white balance to make it dreamy gold but it wasn't so I didn't.

Starling murmuration just passing through

I was very pleased with this lens. Its perhaps a little too close for comfort sometimes as with the pollarded trees where I only just got them in. The ditch behind me prevented a wider shot but for the Bulrushes and grass pics it was perfect. In other words this is a good portrait lens. No need to get too close. Probably good for street photography if that's your bag. It's not mine. I did notice quit bad vignetting around the corners from the hood. I'm a big fan of hoods. It helps with contrast and flare while protecting your glass. These longer lenses like the 100mm Macro don't really need one so I will be leaving it off in future. Can be a nice effect sometimes but I'd rather not have it. I will be trying to use this baby more. Perhaps in place of the 100mm macro although it does have a minimum focal length of about 1.5m. Bit long perhaps and the macro is a good all rounder. I'll have to alternate. The coolest thing is it's f2.5 aperture. Great for that sort of effect and low light. Needed it today I tell you.