Issue 7 · Summer 2018 Token charge: € 2.50
WIN A
70-210 mm F/4 Di VC USD Survey ins
ide
NEW YORK × TRAVEL ZOOM
NEW 28-75 mm f/2.8 Di III RXD
One lens for everything: Philipp Ruopp on his USA trip with the 18-400 mm
Now available: Fast professional zoom for Sony DSLMs with full-format sensor
HIGHLIGHT
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ENJOY THE SUMMER The sunset over the sea tops off a beautiful day on holiday. An unforgettable moment that you can capture with your full-format DSLM camera forever. The new fast standard zoom 28-75 mm f/2.8 Di III RXD for Sony’s E-Mount will help you take really dynamic snapshots at 28 mm and f/2.8 with an attractive depth effect. www.tamron.eu/ de/objektive/2875mm-f28-diiii-rxd
Technical information: 28-75 mm f/2.8 Di III RXD · 28 mm (35 mm format) · 1/500 s · f/2.8 · ISO 400
PHOTO: MARTIN KROLOP; MODELS: DESI AND SARAH FROM WWW.STAYSALTY-LIFE.COM; INSTAGRAM.COM/THE_MEOW__/ UND INSTAGRAM.COM/DESIREE_RONIT/
HIGHLIGHT
HIGHLIGHT
RAIN OVER THE CITY OF LOVE On a trip to Paris, nature photographer Alexander Ahrenhold followed his sense for atmospheric light conditions and exciting weather phenomena. The view of the Eiffel Tower from the 200-metre-high Tour Montparnasse is well known. Nonetheless, this picture works in a particular way because it is enriched by a special detail caused by the time at which it was taken: A lonely rain cloud is drawing over the city like a UFO and make for a dramatic moment.
www.tamron.eu/ de/objektive/70210mm-f4-di-vc-usd/
Technical information: 70-210 mm f/4 Di VC USD 路 70 mm (35 mm format) 路 1/60 s 路 f/4.5 路 ISO 400
HIGHLIGHT
Tamron Magazine 7
REPORT
An unusual experience for Tamron pro Philip Ruopp: He took an 18-400 mm f/3.5-6.3 Di II VC HLD with him on holiday to the USA – and showed everything the travel zoom can do.
THE STARS OF
NEW YORK
PHOTO: PHILIP RUOPP & SEBASTIAN FEURLE
REPORT
Tamron 18-400 mm f/3.5-6.3 Di II VC HLD 路 27 mm (35 mm format) 路 15 s 路 f/11 路 ISO 200
REPORT
ro photographer Philipp Ruopp admits he was a bit sceptical when he and his friend Sebastian Feurle flew to the USA with just one lens. “Usually, I’d take a rucksack full of equipment. At least two full-format cameras, and then several SP prime lenses and fast SP zoom lenses from Tamron,” he explains – and looks questioningly at the handy camera-lens combination he is holding: an APS-C DSLR and a Tamron 18-400 mm f/3.5-6.3 DI II VC HLD. “I've never shot with a travel zoom and I’m really excited to see whether it really meets my high expectations.” A few days later in New York, their initial worries are put to rest. Ruopp and Feurle have the first few great pictures in the bag and they’re impressed. A love for photography connects the pair and Feurle is hoping for a few exclusive expert tips after the trip to take his photography to the next level. To focus the process and not randomly stab at the endless selection of subjects, the two have set the following goals for their photography: They have chosen black and white, (advertising) signs and night shots – and they’re on photo tour in the urban canyons not just in the day, but in the evenings as well. “The 18-400 mm gives me more freedom, which I enjoy,” says Ruopp. “It makes us much more flexible on the road than when I take my professional equipment with me. And the image quality of the megazoom is impressive as well.” The pictures the two took are testament to that, some of which were taken under very difficult lighting conditions. Even the night shots with
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“THE 18-400 MM GIVES ME MORE FREEDOM. I ENJOY THAT A LOT.”
27 mm (35 mm format) · 1/30 s · f/4 · ISO 250
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330 mm (35 mm format) · 1/40 s · f/6 · ISO 250
40 mm (35 mm format) · 1/500 s · f/5.6 · ISO 250
27 mm (35 mm format) · 1/200 s · f/4 · ISO 200
relatively long exposure times are still sharp. “The image stabilisation is great,” says Ruopp. “It meant we could take sharp shots free hand even with a 1/4 second exposure.” That can be seen in the picture results of the USA trip. Because the megazoom covers such a wide range of focal lengths, they managed to realise lots of their ideas for photographs. “As well as our black and white series, we decided to take a series of pictures with the lit-up neon signs in different colours,” says Ruopp. “This is exactly where the longer telephoto focal lengths proved helpful, even if we rarely use the full, enormous potential of the effective 600 mm focal length (35 mm format) for our type of photography in the city.”
PHOTOS: PHILIP RUOPP & SEBASTIAN FEURLE
REPORT
40 mm (35 mm format) · 1/15 s · f/4 · ISO 100
57 mm (35 mm format) · 1/8 s · f/4 · ISO 500
Tamron Magazine 17
REPORT
Tamron’s 18-400 mm f/3.5-6.3 Di II VC HLD offers the world’s first 22.2x zoom factor for an APS-C DSLR lens. It combines the art of photography with the joy of travelling like no other lens.
27 mm (35 mm format) · 1/4 s · f/4 · ISO 500
Ruopp and Feurle’s photos showed us one thing more than anything else: High-quality pictures can be taken even with a “travel zoom” if you know how to set the lens properly. "I actually just took photos and didn’t think about it too much. If you overthink it, you lose the relaxed atmosphere that is so important to take good pictures.” Ruopp changed to M mode for the night shots, controlling the exposure manually. Most of the pictures were taken slightly stopped down because the image quality is usually a bit better than with the aperture fully open. “The automatic setting would over-expose the picture. Manually controlling the exposure lets me stop the lights whiting out,” Ruopp explains. “With the aperture at f/4, the light sources can be seen clearly.” Ruopp and Feurle's conclusion at the end of their USA trip with the ultra-telephoto? Fuerle is satisfied because he has learnt a lot from his
“THIS LENS COMBINES THE ART OF PHOTOGRAPHY WITH THE JOY OF TRAVELLING.” 18 Tamron Magazine
friend. And Ruopp is happy because he got to travel light. The 18-400 mm pleasantly surprised him both with its sharpness and its features, including VC image stabiliser and HLD autofocus motor, he says. “It's perfectly suited as an all-purpose lens, and not only because of its enormous range of focal lengths.”
52 mm (35 mm format) · 1/60 s · f/4 · ISO 320
Technical Data 18-400 mm f/3.5-6.3 Di II VC HLD Focal length: 18-400mm Speed: f/3.5-6.3 Minimum object distance: 45 cm Max. image ratio: 1:2.9 Elements/groups: 16/11 Filter diameter: 72 mm Length: 123.9 mm Weight: 710 g
27 mm (35 mm format) · 1/125 s · f/5.6 · ISO 160
REPORT
Philip Ruopp, born in 1982, has been working as a sports and advertising photographer for more than 15 years. He is based in Laichlingen, Alb-Donau-Kreis. From there, he travels around the globe for action-packed shoots for a variety of clients. www.philip-ruopp.de 97 mm (35 mm format) · 1/8 s · f/4.8 · ISO 800
PHOTOS: PHILIP RUOPP & SEBASTIAN FEURLE
ABOUT: PHILIP RUOPP
PRACTICE
PHOTO IDEAS FOR YOUR HOLIDAY
PHOTOGRAPHY ON THE ROAD Do you want to bring home (even) better pictures from your travels? We have a couple of tips for you from pro photographer Philipp Ruopp. His trick: Set achievable goals instead of just snapping shots without a plan.
hen Philipp Ruopp packs his photo bag, he can already see in his mind’s eye many of the subjects he’ll later photograph. Yes, the details are lacking at that point, but he more or less has a specific idea of how he is going to do a job. The same applies when the pro photographer goes on holiday privately. “I don’t have the same pressure then as during a professional
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production, of course, but I’m still picturing what kind of photos I want to bring back with me at the end of the trip,” he says “On the USA trip that took us to New York and Nashville, for example, we had imagined two series: first, the striking black and white series, and second, the colourful neon adverts. Other than that, we didn’t just want to photograph all day; we wanted to work in
the evening, when there’s a particular kind of atmosphere.” A plan like this, even if it's just a vague idea at first, will sharpen your approach and help you find the right subjects for your photos. This will make sure you get amazing photos from your trip.
IDEA 1 Take wall pictures that tell a story about how it feels to be in a place
PHOTOS: PHILIP RUOPP & SEBASTIAN FEURLE
31 mm (35 mm format) · 1/320 s · f/4 · ISO 100
“Admittedly, this trick is simple. But it works! Be inspired by the creativity of the graffiti artists. Try to incorporate the environment in your composition – ideally, this will evoke an interesting dialogue between the contents of the wall picture and the scenery.”
57 mm (35 mm format) · 1/2000 s · f/4 · ISO 320
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43 mm (35 mm format) · 1/3200 s · f/3.8 · ISO 320
150 mm (35 mm format) · 1/250 s · f/5.3 · ISO 320
PRACTICE
IDEA 2 Bring yourself or a friend into the picture “Are your subjects sometimes missing something, a final touch? Then try this simple trick: Position a friend or family member in the picture. This will let you conjure a great subject as if from nowhere. It doesn’t matter if it’s wonderful scenery, great lighting or just a mundane background – (self) portraits always work. An extra tip: Photograph from some distance with the supertelephoto. You can get great background blur with a large aperture (e.g. f/4 or f/5.6).”
39 mm (35 mm format) · 1/400 s · f/5.6 · ISO 400
27 mm (35 mm format) · 1/10 s · f/4.5 · ISO 640
27 mm (35 mm format) · 1/125 s · f/2.8 · ISO 640
300 mm (35 mm format) · 1/320 s · f/6.0 · ISO 400
105 mm (35 mm format) · 1/30 s · f/4.8 · ISO 800
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PRACTICE
IDEA 3 Discover mirror perspectives! “Does something strike you about the picture below? Exactly – it’s upside down. I photographed the mirror image in a puddle after a downpour. Once we’d got a taste for it, we shot a whole ‘mirror series’ – and saw the Big Apple through new eyes. Since it was quite a grey day, we converted most of the pictures afterwards into black and white and raised the contrast a bit.”
39 mm (35 mm format) · 1/800 s · f/3.5 · ISO 320
Phillipp Ruopp took all photos in this article with the 18-400 mm f/3.5-6.3 Di II VC HLD. Philipp Ruopp learned to love the VC image stabiliser, especially for the night shots. It made the shots on this page a success despite the long exposures, some of which were quite unusual for the focal length used (see technical data). 27 mm (35 mm format) · 1/800 s · f/4 · ISO 320
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PHOTOS: PHILIP RUOPP & SEBASTIAN FEURLE
39 mm (35 mm format) · 1/800 s · f/3.5 · ISO 320
PRACTICE
27 mm (35 mm format) · 1/30 s · f/3.5 · ISO 500
120 mm (35 mm format) · 1/25 s · f/5 · ISO 500
IDEA 4:
27 mm (35 mm format) · 1/400 s · f/4.0 · ISO 640
Colourful neon advertising
112 mm (35 mm format) · 1/20 s · f/5 · ISO 500
27 mm (35 mm format) · 1/50 s · f/3.5 · ISO 500
Be enchanted by the lights at night! It’s amazing how the atmosphere of a place can change in the evening. Now you can take really amazing pictures. Don't be afraid of long exposures! My trick for maximum sharpness: Switch on the image stabilisation, relax and support the camera, breathe out and shoot. Try it!”
TRAVEL IN STYLE: MANFROTTO BEFREE & NOREG This stylish and light-weight duo is guaranteed to make your next photography tour more fun. The Befree Advanced Carbon weighs just 1.25 kg. This makes it easier and more enjoyable for photographers to travel longer distances to capture unique subjects in front of the lens. Like the aluminium version, this new model has the TIPA-award-winning 494 ball head. The compact, powerful head allows quick and precise swivelling and tilting movements, has a maximum bearing load of 8 kg and will help you take pinsharp photos even when using telephoto lenses like the SP 70-200 mm f/2.8 or the 18-400 mm f/3.5-6.3. The new Noreg camera rucksack 30, with its Scandinavian design, can be used in a multitude of different ways. The modular design of the transport system consists of several integrated units that can also be used separately if desired.
Manfrotto Noreg camera rucksack 30: Stylish and versatile rucksack suitable for both city tours and outdoor activities
Manfrotto Befree Advanced Carbon: Light-weight and stable travel tripod for maximum sharpness and picture quality
The camera case, which is removable and can be used separately, offers space for a medium-size system camera with a standard zoom lens attached and one or two additional lenses. www.manfrotto.de
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PRACTICE Attractive bokeh: With a large aperture, the 70-210 mm can achieve attractive bokeh. This makes the main subject clear and sharp, popping out against a wonderfully soft background.
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210 mm (35 mm format) · 1/400 s. · f/4.5 · ISO 800
PRACTICE
70-210 mm f/4 Di VC USD
POWERFUL PHOTOS COMPLETELY BY INSTINCT Compact, light and always by your side. For nature photographer Alexander Ahrenhold, the telephoto 70-210 mm f/4 is the perfect take-everywhere lens. powerful telephoto lens is a must for animal photographers. It lets your shy subjects still fill the frame even from some distance away. One disadvantage: The SP 70-200 mm f/2.8 G2 including tele converter or the SP 150-600 mm f/5-6.3 G2 are little too heavy and unwieldy for many photographers on longer trips through flora and fauna. That’s why nature photographer Alexander Ahrenhold always prefers the new 70-210 mm f/4 Di VC USD. The stand-out features of the modern zoom lens include good optical performance, low weight and a compact design. “As an animal photographer, I rely on telephoto focal ranges because I rarely have the opportunity to photograph a wild animal from up close,” says Ahrenhold. “With a longer focal length, I can still make the animal so large in the frame that the viewer feels like the subject is within arm’s reach.” Many of his photos are in fact extraordinarily vivid and seem almost threedimensional. Every fine hair can be seen against the soft
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210 mm (35 mm format) · 1/500 sec. · f/4 · ISO 2000
210 mm (35 mm format) · 1/800 sec. · f/7.1 · ISO 500
Technical data 70-210 mm f/4 Di VC USD Focal length: 70-210mm Speed: f/4 Minimum object distance: 95 cm Max. image ratio: 1:3.1 Elements/groups: 20/14 Filter diameter: 67 mm Length: 176.5 mm Weight: 860 g
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PRACTICE
Robust and weatherproof: Seals to protect against water splashes and dust, the fluorine coating on the front lens and the robust housing make the 70-210 mm f/4 the ideal outdoor lens.
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background. The new 70-210 mm f/4 has virtually become Ahrenhold’s new universal lens: “I have it on my camera almost all the time on my trips through the countryside.” The advantages are obvious. Despite its low weight, the f/4 telephoto offers the performance a professional user expects from a lens. The ultrasound autofocus works quickly and silently, while the VC image stabiliser allows tack-sharp pictures at extreme telephoto settings even in low light. Three optical LD (low dispersion)
elements contributes to the high picture quality; these optimally correct longitudinal and lateral chromatic aberrations. “And if 210 mm isn’t enough to get close enough, I can just use one of Tamron’s two teleconverters to extend the focal length by 1.4x or 2x,” says Ahrenhold, drawing a positive conclusion after his tour with the 70-210 mm f/4: “A telephoto lens couldn’t be any more versatile!”
PRACTICE
Versatile focal length: With a zoom range of 70 mm to 210 mm, the telephoto is suited to a variety of styles. It can be used optimally in photo journalism and portraits as well as in nature and landscape photography. Because of the high picture quality at high ISO settings, f/4 means no limitations in practice.
155 mm (35 mm format) · 1/5 s · f/5.6 · ISO 400
210 mm (35 mm format) · 1/250 s · f/4 · ISO 210
58 mm (35 mm format) · 1/320 s · f/3.2 · ISO 320
70 mm (35 mm format) · 1.6 sec. · f/18 · ISO 32
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GALLERY
d Photographer: Katharina Piberger Lens: 18-400 mm f/3.5-6.3 Di II VC HLD We think: Shots don’t always have to be huge panoramas. Sometimes what seems to be banal scenery is enough to capture a particular holiday memory. This is just such a shot, which the photographer has taken on a quiet canal in Venice.
READER GALLERY In every issue, Tamron Magazine presents the best reader photos it receives. Are your photos here in this issue?
Do you find that great photos look so much better in print? Do you want to see your picture in Tamron Magazine? Then send us your best Tamron shots now! The only requirement: The picture must have been taken with a Tamron lens. The editorial staff will comment on a selection of the best submissions in each issue. Just upload your photo with a short description of the content and the story of how it was taken to the following Tamron website: www.magazin.tamron-fotorallye.de
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GALLERY
“MAKE VISIBLE WHAT, WITHOUT YOU, MIGHT PERHAPS NEVER HAVE BEEN SEEN.” Robert Bresson (1901–1999)
f Photographer: Jonas Lauber Lens: SP 15-30 mm f/2.8 Di VC USD We think: “The photographer use a twenty second exposure with an f/2.8 aperture and ISO 3200 to capture the Orion constellation in the winter sky above the Matterhorn. A fascinating photo with the stars in the sky in competition with the lights on the floor over who can twinkle the brightest.”
e Photographer: Justus Steinfeld Lens: AF 17–50 mm f/2.8 XR Di II LD ASL We think: “The power of this photo in particular is that it lets us dream ... who doesn’t wish they were here on the top of the chalk cliffs at Bat’s Head in Dorset? The morning sun shapes the softly rolling hillsides with its golden light. The freshness and clarity of the moment is really tangible for the viewer of this photo.”
f Photographer: Uwe Bauer Lens: SP 150-600 mm f/5-6.3 Di VC USD G2 We think: “The side light makes the head of this bald eagle vividly jump out of the photo. The focus is precisely on the eye. A masterful portrait that seems straight out of a textbook.”
c Photographer: Anke Hanusik Lens: 18-400 mm f/3.5-6.3 Di II VC HLD We think: “Sunsets can be tacky, but properly staged, they almost always work: For example, here, the photographer has positioned a dandelion directly in front of the orange fireball, creating a captivating silhouette.”
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GALLERY
c Photographer: Motty Henoch Lens: SP 70-200 mm f/2.8 Di VC USD We think: “Less is more! That goes for the photography as well. The deliberate reduction of the elements in the picture has resulted in a simple and effective composition. This photo doesn’t need any more than two trees, the horizon and the golden ratio. With the small angle of view of 200 mm, such a compelling section of the picture is even easier to find.”
d Photographer: Robert Somweber Lens: SP 15-30 mm f/2.8 Di VC USD We think: “Sharp contrast and a tired dog. This photo doesn’t need many words. The particular allure of the picture comes from the extraordinarily short shooting distance. You can almost feel the closeness to the exhausted little four-legged friend. The extreme wide angle focal length (15 mm) also makes for powerful depth – and makes the dog’s nose and eye seem relatively large, which underlines the humorous character of the picture.”
c Photographer: Peeraphon Hübner-Taenkhumthong Lens: SP 45 mm f/1.8 Di VC USD We think: “Finding the extraordinary in the ordinary often makes the difference between an excellent and a normal photo. In this one, the photographer looked for – and found – a fresh angle on the famous Golden Gate Bridge. The tight image angle and the unusual perspective on the bridge through two trees draw the interest of the viewer involuntarily.”
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GALLERY
The SP 35 mm f/1.8 is ideal for nature shots. It is especially popular with journalism and lifestyle photographers, who appreciate authentic imagery and the expressiveness of the subject. Thanks to its high resolution, it is suitable for demanding professional productions.
PHOTOS: HENDRIK ELLERHORST
SP 35 mm f/1.8 ∙ 1/320 sec. ∙ f/3.2 ∙ ISO 100
SP 35 mm f/1.8 ∙ 1/250 sec. ∙ f/3.2 ∙ ISO 100
SP 35 mm f/1.8 ∙ 1/320 sec. ∙ f/3.2 ∙ ISO 100
PICNIC IN THE COUNTRYSIDE Henrik Ellerhorst took just one lens with him for his lifestyle shoot: the SP 35 mm f/1.8.
For most of my work, I use a focal length of 50 mm or more. As a people and portrait photographer, faces, clothing and poses are often in the foreground of my photos, so the SP 35 mm f/1.8 initially seemed like the wrong choice. However, a picnic in the countryside with my camera changed my opinion. Judging by the hardware alone, the lens is solidly made, which I’m used to from Tamron. What struck me after my first few photos was the attractive background blur. The lens achieves a really natural level of sharpness. The focus is crisp. With the short minimum object distance, I can get right up close to my models when I’m shooting and that really creates the impression of an
over-the-shoulder view. I especially appreciate that on the move. My conclusion: the SP 35 mm f/1.8 is a compact and robust companion for (nearly) any situation. With a full f/1.8 aperture, I can create a great mood at a short distance to the subject with great bokeh. The autofocus is snappy and precise. On balance, I have a lot of nice things to say about this lens for staged shooting outdoors, especially that it’s great to use with the widest aperture. In combination with the VC image stabiliser, it still lets me work without a tripod at dusk in low light.
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MY PROJECT
MY PROJECT
AMERICAN FOOTBALL Eric Willenbücher works for Tamron as a Section Manager Technical Marketing and his current favourite thing to photograph is his sons on the “run” over the goal line.
SP 150-600 mm f/5-6.3 Di VC USD G2 · 200 mm (35 mm format) · 1/3200 s · f/5.6 · ISO 1250
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MY PROJECT
hat fascinates me about sports photography is the amount of power and dynamics that make their way into the ‘frozen moments’ of the photos. The details of the movements and the actual performance of the athletes are often first seen in a photograph. My two sons play American football, U16 and U19 with Black Venom (green jerseys) in Wesseling. It's a very quick and action-packed sport. All the players are at full throttle with every play. Even as a photographer on the sidelines, that can really make you sweat. I started photographing football in the national league at 14. From 1988 to 1991 I then completed a classical training course in architectural, industrial, portrait and journalism photography. This experience is still really useful to me today for American football. I photograph with a Nikon camera that is usually fitted with an SP 150-600 mm f/5-6.3 G2. Using that equipment, I usually choose a deep position and work with a long focal length starting from 200 mm where possible. The super-tele and the deep position makes the athletes seem even bigger and more dynamic against the background. A high frame rate and a snappy, powerful autofocus are a must. The plays are so quick that it's sometimes difficult with the camera to keep an eye on the bigger picture. For that reason, I follow what’s happening both with the camera and with my own eyes so that I can press the shutter release at the right moment.
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SP 70-200 mm f/2.8 Di VC USD G2 · 200 mm (35 mm format) · 1/500 s · f/6.3 · ISO 1000
SP 15-30 mm f/2.8 · 15 mm (35 mm format) · 1/4000 s · f/6.3 · ISO 1250
American football is a very dynamic sport that requires maximum concentration from the photographers as well. A good eye, a quick autofocus and quick shutter speeds are essential.
PROFILE: ERIC WILLENBÜCHER
PHOTOS: ERIC WILLENBÜCHER
Born: 1971 Residence: Wesseling Job: Section Manager Technical Marketing Employer: Tamron Europe GmbH Photography: Sports, journalism Passion: Photography in peace and quiet and discovering new topics for photography; apart from that, sports Favourite lenses: SP 35 mm f/1.8, SP 45 mm f/1.8, SP 70-200 mm f/2.8, SP 150-600 mm f/5-6.3 G2
SP 150-600 mm G2 · 210 mm (35 mm format) · 1/1000 s · f/6.3 · ISO 1000
SP 150-600 mm G2 · 150 mm (35 mm format) · 1/4000 s · f/6.3 · ISO 1250
SP 150-600 mm G2 · 210 mm (35 mm format) · 1/3200 s · f/7.1 · ISO 1250-
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