Mini guide to wide aperture landscape photography

Just published in DAP is my new mini guide for making landscape images at wide apertures such as f/1.4 and f/0.95. I feel satisfied both with the images I made in a very short time, as well as my presentation on the approach; I’m pleased as I found it very stimulating to shoot this way, and I hope it will be of Service.

I really like this new piece! — Martin D

That was worth the years subscription in one article! — Timothy A

Examples presented are with the Leica 50mm f/0.95 Noctilux-M ASPH, and the Nikon 24mm f/1.4G (which is a very impressive lens). I’ll add Canon examples at some point, and indeed Canon has two great fast choices for this approach, the 50/1.2L and the 85/1.2L II.

You’ll want a neutral density filter for this type of shooting, because with f/1.4 or faster lenses, no camera has a fast enough shutter speed in bright conditions.

The following lenses are a partial list of many good choices for this approach:

• Leica 50mm f/0.95 Noctilux-M ASPH, 21mm f/1.4 Summilux-M ASPH, 24mm f/1.4 Summilux-M ASPH, 35mm f/1.4 Summilux-M ASPH, 75mm f/2 APO-Summicron-M ASPH [list of Leica lenses]
• Canon 24mm f/1.4L II, 35mm f/1.4L, 50mm f/1.2L, 85mm f/1.2L II, 135mm f/2L
  [list of Canon lenses]
• Nikon 24mm f/1.4G, 28mm f/1.4*, 50mm f/1.4G, 58mm f/1.2 NOCT*, 85mm f/1.4D, 105mm f/2 DC, 135mm f/2 DC [list of Nikon lenses]
• Zeiss 28mm f/2, 35mm f/2, 50mm f/1.4, 50mm f/2, 85mm f/1.4, 100mm f/2 for Canon or Nikon
• Olympus 50mm f/1.2* with adapter for Canon

* indicates a lens that must be purchased on the used market

Click to view a larger image.