Mitakon 65mm f/1.4 Sample Images

I have used a Mamiya RZ67 Pro ii for quite a while and I love the look that it brings the my photography. Although the camera takes the photograph, the photographer makes the photograph. I get a feeling from this lens on my GFX system as if I was back shooting my medium format film.

A few images above shows the lens being used in various settings. Although the lens is manual focus, I find myself focusing quickly due to the long focus throw. I know this sounds a bit weird but hear me out. If the focus throw is long and smooth it gives you better odds of nailing focus quicker since you can get micro adjustments. However going from infinity to minimal focusing distance is a bit slow.

Speaking of minimal focusing distance. There are a few images in this set above that showcase how nice it is. I am a huge fan of minimal focusing distance if its is minimal enough. I love how it separates even the eyes from the nose and leaves you staring at what the photographer intended on. Shout out ot Patrick Glackmeyer for taking my portrait.

Although I have only had this lens for a few months now, it still wants me to use it. My GFX 50S attached to this bad boy really just looks nice. It is definitely a great feeling combo and I find myself shooting more with it daily. As you see above, it not only takes great portraits of people it takes awesome care photos as well. This lens is not an all around lens in my opinion but when used for its use case, it stands apart from the rest.

I really wanted to keep this blog short and sweet. At the end of the day this is an amazing lens for my bag because it is suitable for the type of photography I do (which is mainly portraits and documentary). The lens has a unique fall off and very nice separation from subjects. It also has amazing characteristics as far as lens flares (something I adore about 3rd party lenses). Considering the price has dropped, I think now would be the time to purchase one if you are considering an actual medium format looking image.

Mitakon 65mm f/1.4 Sample Images for the GFX systems. Sample Portraits with the Mitakon 65mm f/1.4

X-T4 - 18mm 1.4

Throughout this blog you will be seeing images I have taken with the 18mm f/1.4.

After owning the Leica Q for years I fell in love with the 28mm focal length. It hits a nice spot between my old favorite, the 35mm and the 24mm that I used quite often. I used a 24mm G-Master on a Sony for a few years and the 35mm Sigma 1.4 on my Canon 5D MK iii for a VERY long time. I thought it could not get better between the two honestly.

I shot on the X-T3 for a while, I have always been a sucker for the tactility and user friendliness of Fuji cameras but I was not 100% sold on the system. I have had every single X100 that there has been and currently have the X100V (my favorite camera) which just blows me away. Eventually I sold my X-T3 and went back into sony due to the full frame and the technology.

One of my great friends Patrick Glackmeyer was telling me about his new lens, the 18mm 1.4 for his X-T4 and when he talks about gear, I listen. He said it reminded him a lot of the Leica Q and that is why he purchased it. He brought the camera over, we went and shot some street photography and within the day he was walking away with a Leica Q and I had my new favorite lens and camera + a few more lenses.

After acquiring the 18mm f/1.4 I hardly ever took it off of the X-T4 that it came attached to. I have photographed everything from my honeymoon to protests in San Juan. The lens is TACK sharp and has a great build like the 16mm f/1.4. These two lenses actually remind me a lot of each other but those 2mm really make a difference in the feel of the photos that it produces. I know I talk a lot about the X100V (with good reason) and how I use it with the WCL which is about the same as this set up with the 18mm. But the 1.4 really gives me a bit more depth than the X100V even though I don’t shoot wide open that often, it is there if I need it.

I leave this lens on for most of my wedding photography since it gives me nice environmental portrait and candid opportunity. I have photographed every wedding that I have shot with this beautiful piece of metal and glass since I traded Patrick. A lot of people ask “do you miss full frame"?” and no I don’t. In my honest opinion it is the gear that takes the image but the photographer makes the image. You do not need a huge sensor to create beautiful work. If you put this lens next to a full frame 28mm lens, you cannot really tell a difference.

I live in Nashville, TN AKA the new Hollywood. We have so many street photography opportunities here it is pretty insane. This lens helps capture street work very well due to its quick AF motor technology. I rarely ever miss a shot even shooting from the hip at wider apertures. There is no chromatic aberration, it is sharp, clean, contrasty and the tactility feels like the military created this lens for soldiers in war. I actually do documentary work for a lot of electric companies in the south east of U.S. and this lens shines in these situations. It never fails to help me when I get in confined situations whereas a 35mm equivalent would not help in the least.

Overall, it is what it is, a great lens. I highly recommend it to anyone who is not afraid to zoom with their feet, does documentary work of just about any kind and environmental portraiture.

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X100V - Desert Camera?

The X100 series came to life in 2010 in 10 years it has had 5 versions and today we have the X100V. The X100 series is a fixed lens, APSC camera system that sports a 23mm f/2 lens (35mm equivalent on a full frame sensor). I don’t want to get wrapped up in the specs of this camera, rather the feeling I get when using it.

This camera stays with me for the most part. It’s small, great image quality, tactility is pleasing, weather sealed because I shoot in ALL conditions and I would say ergonomically correct. Every time I pick up this camera it makes me want to shoot more. Most people refer to this camera as a street photography camera, this is true but it’s also much more. I shoot weddings, portraits, landscapes, street and fashion with this little beast. I don’t use it as a primary camera due to the one card slot but I shoot the shit out of it. This camera and the Leica Q are my most used cameras and neither are my primary.

There is no perfect camera, this one is no exception. The crop sensor limits our low light ability and the depth of field that most portrait photographers want to separate the subject from the background. The continuous AF is nothing to write home about and the buffer is far from the best. The X100 series has a small footprint limiting us to flip screen vs a tri folding screen like the XT series has (no complaints on my end considering the V is the first one with a flip screen and that’s good enough for me). One card slot really pisses me off because I could use this a lot more for pro work if I had that redundancy.

Overall, I think this camera is for everyone and is a work of art within itself.

cheers,

Hunter Hart

Leica Q in 2021

I’ve had the Leica Q since 2017, I bought it used on B&H for $3,500. It’s been to a few different countries, several different states and in some situations it should never find itself in (the ocean). Needless to say, I’ve put this camera through its paces. So much so that I had to have it repaired because of my stupid choices that costed me over $1,600 to have it fixed. Was it worth it? You’re damn straight. Below, I tell you why.

The Leica Q is a beautiful machine. It’s not lightning fast with its Auto Focus and the battery isn’t made by Tesla. However it does have the same appeal to me as it did the day I bought it. The black and whites that come straight out of the camera as jpeg on medium contrast are so unique, punchy and wonderful.

The tactility of the camera is so satisfying, it feels like you would expect paying so much for such a tool. The 28mm focal length is a perfect length for my taste in photography (I like to stay pretty close to the subject). I’ve used a 35mm and 24mm for several years and this falls right between them. If the Leica Q had dual card slots I could definitely get away with only shooting it at weddings.

So??? You’re stuck with one lens. This is what I think of as finding strength within the weakness. If you shoot on one lens consistently, you learn how to use it better than most would with a bag full of options. I understand that the fixed lens can shy people away and that’s okay, this camera isn’t made for everyone! I’d definitely say it was made for me though.

When I was in South Africa I shot a ton of models and landscapes. I never leave without the Leica Q and thankfully this was no exception. My Sony A7iii bit the dust half way through my 70 day stay so I resulted in using the Q for the majority of my time there. I never hard a problem using this camera and fell even more in love with it when it’s all I had. This was right around the time that the X100V showed up on the scene (a camera I was dying to have since I’ve had every other X100 model, something about fixed lenses just does something for me). Unfortunately I could not get the camera store there to let me buy one since they had a list of people waiting on it. The reason I bring up the X100 series is because so many people like to compare them. While the X100V is an amazing (weather sealed) camera, the images are sharp and crispy, the tiltable screen makes my type of shooting easier and film simulations are super cool, the image quality doesn’t beat the full frame 28mm on the Leica unfortunately.

Final Thoughts:

Leica made an amazingly expensive product for face value. I suggest you rent one before you buy it because I really think it’s a love it or hate it camera. I’ve had some friends pick it up and put it down and some HAVE to have it. The images are astounding, the lens is superb, it handles low light well, it’s full frame, the body is strong, it feels great in the hand and Leica prides itself on its quality and on its ability to fix your camera correctly. I love the camera, I’d like to have the Q2 apart from the file sizes that I don’t really need (but that’s going to be a while for me until the price drops)

50mm 7Artisans f/1.05 E-Mount

After purchasing my first 7Artisans lens for the E-Mount system, I could not get enough. I looked into the 50mm and had to have it. After a couple of months with it I have decided, this is one of my favorite lenses of all time. The 35mm f/1.4 is a great lens (sharp enough for most especially stopped down to f/2) but nowhere near as sharp as this lens. The 50mm f/1.05 is tack sharp and quick to focus considering it is a manual lens. On an E-Mount system its helpful to have focus assist zoom and peaking. I hardly ever miss with this lens, even if the subject is moving toward me or away.

The bokeh this thing produces is out of this world, not to mention the character (something I love in the 7Artisans line up). It has what i call “infinity flare” where the flares look like the figure 8. Obviously the low light performance is about as good as you can get considering the aperture. I give this lens a 9/10 on a manual lens scale. The only draw back is the weight (to me not that big of a deal) a lot of people complain about weight.

If you are looking for a full frame, manual lens, extraordinary bokeh and sharpness, amazing light rendering and a well built piece of equipment, you have come to the right place. Let the work speak for itself.

Tap the photo to see the next image.

Purchase 7artisans 50mm f/105

7Artisans 35mm f/1.4 E Mount on the A7iii

I watch a lot of reviews and dive into weird quirky lenses quite often. I decided to pick this lens up because I love the 35mm focal length and the f/1.4 is a very fast lens. I have to say, I have only taken this lens off one time which was to put on the 50mm f/1.05 7Artisans lens (review coming soon). I am in love with this manual lens, it makes you work harder for your composition and you become more intentional as every shot counts and you can easily miss something if you’re not paying attention. This lens reminds me of shooting film so much, it makes you want to go out and shoot and that is always my favorite type of gear. I would highly recommend this lens considering it is only $199 as of now and it is a competitor of the leica summilux 35mm 1.4 and I do not see why you would not purchase something so inexpensive that puts out great quality images. This lens is not as sharp as a summilux however, it has amazing lens flares and lots of character. These are a few things I look for in lenses to separate yourself from everyone else. This lens is unique, light weight and very fun to use. I hope these samples bring it justice.

Lens Review Video Link

Looking UP

It has been a little over three weeks in Birmingham, as I said before “it has been tough”. Today I went around to a few car dealerships to present to them photos that I have taken of cars recently and in the past. I pitched the idea a bit differently than most people do, so I hope my curveball will come crashing square into their bat as if Mark McGuire was up to plate.

I am up to 4 jobs in Birmingham (which is not a lot at all but it is more than it was a few days ago). I am excited about all of my new clients and cannot wait to see their expressions when they see the outcome. Things are looking up, I just have to keep pushing and remain persistent.

Here’s To Thin Air and Charlie

I seem to always find when I get down on myself as a creator and my back feels like it is against the wall, I come out swinging harder than before. A few months ago I was working on a project named “Everything Between”. This project was exploit the moments between the ups and downs instead of a highlight of our highs and lows. I documented the Kight family, specifically their youngest child Charlie. I followed him to school at the beginning of his school career (kindergarten) and back home where his mother and father would play with him and his sister then cook dinner. Just a normal day in the life of kind of. To me this was a huge success, it may not have soared to the top of social media or hit the New York Times but in my heart it just worked. So I picked up the phone and finally started calling people, I decided I would shoot for Fired Departments in Birmingham, AL this time around. So hopefully they will pass the idea along through city hall to get it approved. I am not excited about getting the gig just excited that I created an opportunity out of thin air. Here is to thin air and Charlie.

The Other Side

Being a photographer is not at all easy. You have to start with no knowledge of anything at all and hope to God that what you teach yourself becomes lucrative. After years of hard work you build a clientele if you’re lucky and you make a little money and then a pandemic hits. Throughout all of COVID I have found myself wondering “what do I do with my time.” I look around and most people I know have gone back to work or school and I am sitting here writing a blog because I cannot find anything to do. The reason I write these blogs is so I can look back and see where I was at this point in my life. Quite frankly, I would say I am not in the best spot. After my move to Birmingham (if you have read the last post you’d know I cannot find any work here) it has been tough adjusting to being alone with nothing to do. I have applied for several jobs, emailed and called tons of people regarding my service to hear nothing back. I ask myself “what would get me out of this rut” and the answer is always to get behind a camera. I cannot explain what it does to me other than it makes me become my true self. I am very happy when I am doing what I love and I cannot wait for someone to see me. So, to future Hunter: You did it, you hung in there when life was not easy and you made it out on the other side. Congrats.

Photo Creds- Sarah Edwards

Landslide

All I have been saying for the last few weeks is “I just need one break.” But the truth is, I just need a crack, I can finish the rest. If I can get my foot into one door, I think I can pry it open and pour myself in like a cool glass of lemonade on a hot summer day. I have met several people and hopefully made an impression on them that will lead them to spread my name. I recently had the privilege of shooting for American Idol contestant, Taylor Hicks (who I met through John Daly) at his BBQ place Saw’s Juke Joint. Do I shoot food often? No. However I did and they turned out, he loved them and I hope other people do as well so they’ll want to be next. I am lost in this world but not lost to the world. Earth is ours and we can all achieve the goals we have always wanted, we just need that one crack to create the landslide.

Birmingham Alabama

Whoa,

Talk about a wake up call. I have now been living in Birmingham for over a week. I am pleased with the location that I am in but the size of the city is overwhelming. I know it is not LA or NYC but damn it is a lot bigger than I am used to. I am currently nervous about finding work because of the pandemic going on (not sure if you’ve heard). I have reached out to several people and no hit yet. I ran into some fellow photographers on instagram who wanted to have a photo meet up, that was fun. However, they are hurting for work as well which leaves me wondering “how is a full time photographer new to a city going to get a job in this town”. I have no conclusion to this issue yet, I just wanted to write about what I am going through. I am lost, scared, excited and nervous. Hopefully my next blog will be a little more enlightening.

Hunter Hart

What Do You Regret?

Not just as a photographer but as a human, I have many regrets. I am 28 years old and I have lived in the same place practically my entire life. I have ALWAYS wanted to leave, since I can remember. I got caught up in relationships, staying close to my family, going back to school (a few times) I got comfortable with my life here. I believe being comfortable or content creates a barrier to the outside world, blocking your sense of self and of what you could have been.

Have you ever gone to a movie theatre to watch a movie you have just been waiting on FOREVER? You get your pretzel with cheese and large coke for $130 and you get all comfy in your duct taped chair that hasn’t been reupholstered since the 90’s? Your movie starts off great since you went in with optimism, then you come to find that it is not near as good as you thought? Your movie grows silent for a moment, you have to be safe with your popcorn so you don’t make too much noise. All of a sudden you can hear a movie in the next theatre over. You can hear the people laughing next door at the movie you could have seen but you chose the one you thought was going to be best and now your filled with a lower form of regret. You think to yourself “maybe I should just leave”, but out of respect for the other people who put theirselves in the same position you stay and wait patiently for the end…

The point is, don’t always do what everyone else is doing or what everyone else is talking about. And do not be afraid to get up and walk out of the movie. You did pay for it after all.

Hunter Hart

Moving on is not easy.....

Life throws unexpected curveballs at you constantly. I have been in my hometown area for 20 years now and I have always felt something pulling at me to move away from here. So finally, everything fell into place to allow me to do so. This will NOT be an easy transition, but what transition is easy? I am so excited to decide to take the leap as a travel photographer. The big question is “where will you go”, the answer: Who Knows? But I think the unknown is actually what holds all of the answers. How will you ever know what you are capable of if you sit still and let life pass you by? FINALLY, it is my turn to throw all of the things that have been holding me back into the wind. I am letting the universe and my gut push me into the direction I am supposed to go. Of course, confusion and vulnerability will sink in and challenge me more than I have ever been challenged. BUT, what is life if you are not challenged. I cannot wait to see what this future holds and I am grateful that I have the ability to do these things. I will do great things regardless.

Sometimes you just have to wear your blind fold and trust fall into the life that you want to live.

Let Me Be Honest....

Being any type of artist is tough in my opinion. You go your whole career wondering what people think of you. Let’s face it, you hear a lot more about you that is not true than the other way around. However, I do love hearing encouraging words such as “great work”, “keep it up, cannot wait to see what you do next” but really I think deep down we don’t want to hear about how good or bad our work is. We want to hear something genuine about ourselves. One of these days someone will run into me and not mention my work at all and just say “Hey I think you’re a good guy” or “Hey, you are a real dirtbag”, at least it is real and more personal. I find my work to be personal, yes but that is what I allow the public to see of myself. So maybe this entire paragraph is a bit contradicting. But hell, aren’t we all?

I wear a mask everyday but more than likely you’ll call it a camera.

Hunter Hart