'Soft' portraits - Tamron SP 70-150 f2.8 AD2

[hoanpham]

Tamron SP 70-150 f2.8 AD2 on 5dm2. No PP.

Click on photos for HD resolution.

#1 At f4, soft setting 2.5, 150mm


#2 At f4, soft setting 1.5, 105mm


With soft setting = 0, it delivers razor sharp.
The combination of f-stop and soft settings does have affect on 'soft'/glow effect.

[Attila]

to me second one suit well, very nice portrait.

[martinsmith99]

Nice portraits!

[hoanpham]

thank you Attila and Martin.

this lens also displays vignette on f2.8, full frame.
in some cases, it also has a bit swirly bokeh.
colors are superb, very rich.

[Laurence]

The FIRST thing that came to mind was that the colors seem so perfect. Of course, that's through my
computer monitor. The colors ARE rich, and I can see the usefulness of the soft settings. I'm sure the
film also contributed to the rich colors. Let me guess - Reala? or Portra?

Even the backgrounds look different between the two f:4 images. Is the first image bokeh a result
of the soft setting effect? I love it - the focus falloff is tremendously smooth. Notably, the edge of
the arm of the couch over the left side of this cute little guy seems to melt away - nice.

But, at the same time, looking at the sweater in both images, the little ridges in the pattern seem
equally sharp. So...I guess one might call it 'soft sharp'?

It would be wonderful to see some more examples when your time allows. It's very interesting.

Tamron comes through once more.

[hoanpham]

Thank you Laurence,

I still have 100 rolls medium format left, but not many 35mm rolls. Yes, the film also affect the colors.

I am using the canon 5dm2. My setup for the above photos is very simple: off-camera flash with tungsten gel, manual, 1/8 power, enough to kill ambient light. Ambient is a mix of uneven tungsten spots and fluorescent. Shot in manual.

f4 and soft setting 1.5 is almost unnoticable, and still nice/usable with soft setting 2.5 at f4.
F-stop reduces/increases the glow when use with soft settings, and allows to 'control in finer steps'.
Bokeh also different in different zoom/focal.

Highligh areas add more glow than darker areas and affect the contrast.
Soft setting 2.5 at f2.8 is useless, too soft, glowing everywhere.
Soft setting 3.0 at f4 also useless.

As far as I noticed, the sharpness in focused areas still there, only the 'glow' is added. Very unlike many wide open lenses.

The lens and different cases of softness challenge alot. It's also somewhat heavier than the primes I am using.
Lots of fun hours to play.


#3 At f2.8, soft setting 2.5, 70mm, backlit.
PP: increased/normalized black level. Notice the vignette, and sharpness.


#4 At f4, soft setting 2.0, 150mm.
Original out from camera has very good color, perhaps no need PP, but I creased slightly anyway (+2) in LR

[ForenSeil]

[hoanpham]

Thanks Soren.

It would be interesting to compare with other soft lenses like Pentax FA 85/2.8 soft, Nikkor DC, or even sony's 135 STF.
It gives a different kind of soft, but in focus is sharp. I saw photos from the pentax soft 85/2.8 and don't like it. Also pentax's price is too high to try one.

[Laurence]

#4 At f4, soft setting 2.0, 150mm.
Original out from camera has very good color, perhaps no need PP, but I creased slightly anyway (+2) in LR

Just a perfect image. What you did in Lightroom only increased the overall value of the image. Nice job.

[hoanpham]

Thank you Laurence.

I will play more with it when time allows.
A challenged lens after all...