Moody Sunset Walk Viltrox vs Pentax
It had been grey and stormy all day, the warm temperatures and rain slowly melting away the piles of ice and snow around the city. The kind of day best spent hunkered down, getting work done. As I wrapped up the last of my emails, a sudden burst of sunlight illuminated the buildings outside my window. Most people might not even give it a second thought, but to a photographer, seeing the sun break through the clouds after a storm is one of the most exciting moments. It almost always guarantees a dramatic sky, a perfect opportunity to capture some cool images. So, out the door i went.
I’ve been testing out the Viltrox 20mm f2.8 on the Sony A7C II, so that went into my camera bag first. I also love shooting cityscapes with vintage lenses, so I brought along the Pentax SMC 50mm f1.2 mounted on the Canon R5 Mark II. I know it’s not practical to bring two camera systems on a photo walk but who has time for logic when the sun is setting fast. A 20mm and a 50mm felt like a solid combo, but as I reached the lake, I found myself wishing I had also brought a longer lens, maybe a 135mm. Oh well, you can’t win them all.
The scene was perfect: moody clouds hanging low, the golden glow of the setting sun filtering through gaps in the clouds, specular highlights glistening off the water in the sky and a touch of fog as the temperature fell. I got into my zone, snapping away, enjoying the crisp air and the energy of the moment. There’s nothing like a good photowalk after a day spent sitting behind a desk.
I’ll be making full review videos of both lenses soon, so stay tuned for that. In the meantime, here are some sample shots taken with both the Viltrox 20mm f2.8 and the Pentax SMC 50mm f1.2. I even experimented with the dramatic XPan crop ratio. I’ve been really into the Xpan look recently.
