Year End Musings 2025 Edition

 Another year went buy quickly. This year saw the arrival of the Fujifilm X100VI and DJI Osmo Pocket 3. So far both cameras are behaving as expected. The Fuji has the place of my Z7 on photowalks and trips, but I've yet to learn the controls. The Pocket 3 has proven to be a fun video camera, although I've barely scratched the surface of its capabilities.

On the lens front, I added three lenses this year (as covered in previous posts); a slow year. I don't really see more lenses in the future, as I now have way more than I want or need. Cabinet space is also close to bursting.

For accessories, my primary computer was replaced, so I should be good for another four years or so. I will probably need a new iPad, as the charge of the one I have is getting low. 

So what's in store for 2026? More travel, more use of my existing kit, and less new purchases.

The Z9 at ISO 9000 (and beyond)

 Back in 2015, I posted some images taken at ISO6400 with the D3. Now it's the Z9's turn. and it does much better than its ancestor. Here are some photos taken at last year's Dia de los Muertos event, the only night event that I attend with some regularity. 

It's a bit of a cheat though, as I used TopazDenoiseAI to clean up the noise. Still, the extra resolution helps reduce the noise when re-sizing the files. And yes, Topaz does a lot of the heavy lifting. I've limited the auto ISO to 25600, as it seems that's the limit where the camera and software work together to give decent images.

I know I used the Z7 at Dia several years ago, but the results will be close enough to the Z9 that it's not worth the effort to re-process them.

All-around travel lens: Nikon 24-200mm Z

My travel kit has consisted of the 14-30mm Z, 58mm f/1.4, and an ancient 75-150mm f/3.5E manual focus lens. I find the 70-300E a little too big and heavy to carry around while walking several miles a day while on vacation.  The 75-150E has punched above its price, giving me some nice photos that hold up even while pixel peeping.

Nikon 75-150E full size crop at 150mm, from a distance of about 4300ft, or 8/10ths of a mile

But I've been itching to get an autofocus travel lens, one with a little more reach. On a trip to Osaka earlier this year, I went around looking for a used used Nikon 24-200mm Z. I had to find it, since I didn't bring the 75-150E, and I planned to attend my first matsuri (a Japanese traditional festival) in Tokyo. I found a clean copy at a reasonable price at Naniwa Camera Umeda, across from Yodobashi.

It's not an S line lens, but it is weather sealed and has VR. I'm not too happy that the maximum aperture is down to f/5.6 at 50mm, and f/6.3 at 85mm, but that's the price you pay for small, long reach, and cheap. The VR is ok, although it gets jumpy at the longer end of the focal range, more visibly when recording video. I was worried about not getting enough separation at f/6.3, but it's not that bad at 200mm.

Overall verdict: this is going to be my long travel lens.

And now for some sample images.

Second time around for the Viltrox 16mm f/1.8 Z

Back in 2024, I purchased a Viltrox 16mm f/1.8 Z. Wide angle lenses have always been a challenge for me, but I continue to give them a try. The Viltrox is a sharp lens, with a bit of vignetting and flare, but it is a wide angle. Build quality is pretty good, and it balances fine on the Z7. Autofocus speed is fast, but I noticed it hesitating at times, requiring a release and re-press of the shutter button. This lens is Viltrox's first one for the Z mount, so I returned it as I didn't want to be stuck with a dud.

A few months later, Viltrox released a firmware update that was supposed to fix the AF issue, but the lens had gone back up in price. I made a mental note to keep an eye out for a used one, and a year later I found one on FB Marketplace. One firmware update, and so far the AF has behaved. The street fairs and festivals are over though, so I'm unsure when I'll be able to give the new firmware and lens a good workout. 

In the meanwhile, here are some photos from last year's tests.

Third try with a fast lens: the Minolta MC-Rokkor 58mm f/1.2

 I really need to stop looking for old lenses. This time around, it's a Minolta 58mm f/1.2 in MC form. Another impressively solid fast normal lens designed in the 60's. 

I've only used it on two outings, and so far I haven't managed to connect with it. Veiling flare galore wide open, slightly more than the Nikon or Canon that I also own. It definitely doesn't like a strong light source outside of the frame though. My initial photos were sorely lacking in contrast, and even showed a slight rainbow flare in one image. I had a hood on it for the second outing, but that makes it a little more unwieldy with all the weight out front, and I think the hood is vignetting a bit.

I think it's time to throw in the towel, and get a modern f/1.2.

On a sitekeeping note, I've updated all the broken image links. I had to re-edit some of the photos, as the original posted ones are not on my hard drive.