Canon EF-S 15-85 lens sample photos

Following my Canon EF 70-300 lens sample photos, here are similar ones highlighting the usefulness and quality of my regular zoom lens Canon EF-S 15-85mm IS USM. Left is a photo of the male leaders of the 3/21/10 Los Angeles Marathon on San Vicente Blvd. approaching 14th St. in Santa Monica.

Here is a 100% crop of this 85mm (136mm in 35mm equivalent) zoom shot (F/8, 1/320 second, ISO-200). Winner Wesley Korir is in orange.

(Click all photos for full 800 px wide or all big photos.)

A quick turn to the left, pulled all the way back to 15mm (24mm in 35mm equivalent) looked like this, showing runners and the camera truck you don't see on TV.

It looks like my center spot focus locked on the truck (F/8, 1/800 second, ISO-200). Again, these are all original camera JPGs with no sharpening or other adjustments.

Here's another zoom, of a Pasadena Gold Line train crossing Mission St. in South Pasadena on 3/26/10. First is zoomed in on the approaching train at 85mm (136mm).

It looks like the auto focus locked on the pole on the right, in front of the train; the yellow sign is also within the depth of field (F/11, 1/320 second, ISO-200).

I've widened to 31mm (50mm 35mm equivalent) to include the historic buildings on the left and right.

The brick wall on the far left is nice and sharp at 100% (F/11, 1/400 second, ISO-200).

I find the zoom range useful, image quality on my 18 MP Canon Rebel T2i very good, and I just like the feel in hand of this camera and lens.

Canon EF 70-300 lens sample photos

I've intended this blog to be more about images of Los Angeles; why not start with the results of shopping for a new DSLR and telephoto zoom lens? After reading many reviews I bought a Canon EF 70-300mm f/4-5.6 IS USM lens yesterday for my new Rebel T2i (also with EF-S 15-85mm f/3.5-5.6 IS USM regular zoom).

Above is the Westwood Village Theater tower from a block away at 300mm, full-frame 18 MP (5184 x 3456 pixels) reduced to 800 px wide. Left is a 100% crop (click all photos for full 800 px wide or all big photos). AF locked quickly on the seagull (1/1000 second, F/8, ISO-200).

Here's the Santa Monica Pier from 3/4 mile north on Palisades Park at 300mm, and a 100% crop of the ferris wheel. Behind the wheel is the Manhattan Beach Pier and Redondo Beach, around six miles away, which explains the fuzziness (1/800 second, F/8, ISO-200).
I found sample images most useful to me, so I'd like to share some of mine so far. These are all original camera JPGs with no sharpening or other adjustments. Also, I used only the center spot for focusing in all cases.

Here's a group of plants at 300mm from about a hundred feet away, and a 100% crop of the succulent at lower-left (1/200 second, F/8, ISO-200).

My biggest question was whether this lens would be sharp enough - and others' concerns about non-ring USM and the extending, rotating lens barrel - compared with the more expensive, larger, but shorter-reach EF 70-200mm f/4L IS USM. My answer is yes.

And this is a sample shot of the far side of the camera store at 300mm, with a 100% crop from below center showing readible text (1/25 second, F/8, ISO-1600). Image Stabilization worked well for this hand-held shot.

I think the biggest variable in the sharpness of my test photos is what part of the scene I lock focus on (as in the landscapes with a lot of depth). I'm still learning the camera and lens, but having a lot of fun with what 300mm can do.

The Solution to ...

The right energy plan addresses all of Global Warming, Peak Oil, Energy Independence (2/3 of U.S. oil is imported), and Economic Stimulus spending (investing in green jobs and future economic sustainability).

Here's my summary in four images (click to enlarge).

Nearly half of U.S. oil is used for gasoline, and over half of California's global warming emissions come from passenger vehicles and electricity generation.

The greatest leverage is Efficiency in transportation and buildings' energy use.

The most practical renewable energy in large quantities is electricity from solar, wind, and geothermal.

The most sustainable transportation is electric - EVs and plug-in hybrids, transit, passenger and freight rail.

There is a growing consensus around these main policies, as recently noted by Adam Stein in Gristmill and the Post Carbon Institute's The Real New Deal.

Sources:
World Oil Production - ASPO Newsletter and OilPoster.org
Crude Oil and Products' sources - U.S. EIA Petroleum Supply Monthly, Tables 4, 38
Oil Uses - U.S. EIA Petroleum Supply Monthly, Table 4
Greenhouse Gas Emissions - California Air Resources Board

New Metro Long Range Transportation Plan

The new post-Measure R staff-proposed Long Range Transportation Plan was noted by the LA Times' Steve Hymon and is available for download from the Planning & Programming Committee agenda here (PDF).

Here is the Recommended list of Transit Corridor projects (first page of Attachment B):

Transit Corridors -- $ Millions (YoE) -- Open Year (FY)

Metro Gold Line Eastside Light Rail Transit (LRT) -- 899 -- 2010
Exposition LRT Phase I: 7th Street Metro Center to Culver City -- 862 -- 2011
San Fernando Valley North-South Metro Orange Line Canoga Extension (R) -- 223 -- 2013
San Fernando Valley East North-South Rapidways (R) -- 100 -- 2013
Exposition LRT Phase II: Culver City to Santa Monica (R) -- 1,646 -- 2015
Wilshire Boulevard Bus Rapid Transitway -- 124 -- 2015
Metro Gold Line Foothill LRT Extension (6)(R) -- 905 -- 2017
Metro Green Line LRT Extension to LAX/Crenshaw Corridor: Segment 1 - 1 mile -- 443 -- 2018
Metro Green Line LRT Extension to LAX (R): Segment 2 -- 300 -- 2018-2022 (depending on LAX contribution)
Regional Connector (R) -- 1,158 -- 2018
Westside Subway Extension to Westwood (R):
Segment 1 to La Cienega -- 2,350 -- 2019
Segment 2 to Century City -- 2,597 -- 2026
Segment 3 to Westwood -- 1,497 -- 2032
Crenshaw Corridor (3)(R): Segment 2 (mode is TBD) -- 2,004 -- 2029
Metro Green Line LRT Extension: Redondo Beach to South Bay Corridor (R) -- 570 -- 2035
Metro Gold Line Eastside LRT Extension (R) -- 2,845 -- 2037
San Fernando Valley 1-405 Corridor Connection (R) (mode is TBD) -- 2,420(8) -- 2038
West Santa Ana Branch ROW Corridor (R) -- 405(8) -- As additional funds become available

(R) Projects included in Measure R
(3) Technology to be determinted; cost assumes LRT
(6) Measure R funds estimated to fund segment to approximately Glendora, including yard and vehicles
(8) Measure R contribution only

Tier 1: Currently Under Planning Study/Environmentally Cleared/Route Refinement Study/Previously Studied

Burbank/Glendale LRT from LA Union Station to Burbank Metrolink Station
Harbor Subdivision Alternate Rail Technology (ART)
Metro Gold Line Eastside LRT Extension Branch not funded in Recommended Plan
Metro Gold Line Foothill LRT Extension (beyond segment funded by Measure R)
Metro Green Line LRT Extension between Norwalk Station and Norwalk Metrolink Station (Elevated or Underground Light Rail)
Westside Subway Extension (beyond segment funded by Measure R)

Tier 2: Candidates for Further Project Definition

Metro Green Line LRT Extension between South Bay Galleria and Pacific Coast Highway Harbor Transitway Station
Metro Green Line LRT Extension from LAX to Expo Santa Monica Station
Metro Red Line Extension from North Hollywood Station to Burbank Airport Metrolink Station
"Silver" Line LRT between Metro Red Line Vermont/Santa Monica Station and City of La Puente
SR-134 Transit Corridor BRT between Metro Red Line North Hollywood Station and Metro Gold Line Del Mar Station
Vermont Corridor Subway
"Yellow" Line LRT between Metro Red Line North Hollywood Station and Regional Connector