Jack, I am loving your video essays, which are on a much higher level than most videos around here. You seamlessly weave together disparate elements in a compelling way: the art and science of photography, philosophy, travelogue, social commentary, product reviews, and critical analysis. I am amazed that you are able to do this as a side gig-capturing and editing the B-roll alone must take many hours, let alone planning and writing highly intelligent scripts. Kudos and keep 'em coming! 👌 PS I recently got the 26/2.8 and have been loving it on my Z6.
It is a lot of work but our community is an intelligent and savvy audience! Need to put in the work to earn your time watching. Thanks so much, I love connecting with other photographers. Happy shooting!
Love this. Too often "imperfection" is misconstrued as bad quality. While "perfect" optics are reliable, I'll always still favor my imperfect lenses, for my art and for my own enjoyment.
As usual, incredible. I love the character of the lenses Shogun used, it not only conveyed a sense of exoticism, but it’s also different. Too often photography and film making play it safe. Tack Sharp. Perfect exposure. No distortions. Etc. But photography and film making are not a science, they are an art. And perfection isn’t the absence of imperfections. Keep up the great work!
My first thought when I saw the Shogun pilot was wow they’re really going for it! Most audiences won’t get the point of all that distortion and swirl, but I love that they did it. Thanks for watching as always, hope you’re well!
Thank you for the quality you put here, from NOT using the microphone with a hand (that I never understood why people do that) to expose photography into an environment that is gorgeous and with technical hints of reality. THANK YOU for reducing the "same-old-new-same" of YT.
Thank you for the kind words! Trying my best to create content I enjoy watching, will keep making videos that hopefully reach a broader audience over time
For me it sounds like you are ready for the Leica Q 28mm cameras :D Great video as always Jack! I was thinking about this lately and want to try it on a Z30 or ZFc. Have to check my local camera store, if I could borrow these, since these combos would be extremely compact with ca. 40mm equivalent. Although these bodies have quite old / slow tech compared to all new Nikon bodies. Excited for your Japan trip my friend :)
It’s sharper than the 40mm but 26 is not 40. A good combo kit together! I don’t think it’s necessary to trade the 28 for 26 unless you’re shooting up close all the time? More important for travel (e.g food, flowers…) than for street where the 28 is plenty sharp 3 metres away
Not usually a commenter but I stumbled across your channel recently and love your story telling style! Funny how you can talk about 3 different things at the same time yet I can understand all of it hahahaha
Despite size and performance, do you prefer 24, 26 or 28mm for traveling? Im 24 guy but curious with 26mm due its size. If one has go, do you prefer keep zf or z6iii ?
I only just became better at shooting 28mm, but chose the 26mm because of the increased sharpness up close and the size! Really impressed with the overall package. And you already know the answer… haha Zf all the way!
Not your typical lens review, I really like it! When I was watching the show I also recognized a few of your points, although some others were new to me. I think I have to rewatch the show at a certain point.
Hello thanks for watching! I try to have a fresh take on gear reviews on the channel, don’t always get it right but it’s fun making these types of videos
Wow, you really made we want to watch Shogun! I have been meaning too, but all of the talk about the interesting lens choices and them being okay with "imperfections" is intriguing, something I hope to see more of in cinema. The 26mm lens is quite interesting, with a lot of strengths and weaknesses. So at the end of the day you would choose this over the 28mm, primarily due to the sharpness? I am really attracted to the small size, as I do not often shoot wide, but invariably you need a wide angle at least once in a trip, to really capture the scale of things. So having something really compact and easy to fit in a bag is nice. Also, congratulations on getting the Plena! Have fun with it, and I look forward to hearing your thoughts about it!
I chose the 26mm over the 28 in the end because of the up close sharpness, not so much for street but probably more for travel? The 28mm is easier to shoot for street due to the lower distortion but I picked the imperfection I'm OK with haha. Yes I finally decided on the Plena, and it has arrived! Lots of testing ahead
Love the insights on both the lens and the Shogun series which I am watching right now. I have been looking at the 26mm and 40 for my Japan trip next year. I am thinking that the 26 may be the way to go to get my Z8 to be a smaller footprint. I am curious what cameras you will be taking to Japan and what you will cary when wandering the streets? Keep up the great work and really looking forward to what you come back from Japan with..
I chose this 26mm over the 28, but the travel kit is another big decision… might go with an all Nikon kit this time around (Zf and Z6iii) but haven’t finalised the lens options. That is the topic for a future video - hope you’re doing well!
@@BokehTherapy I am doing well. I look forward to your Japan kit video. The last one was fun to watch. I am thinking I will bring my M11 and Z8. Temptation to purchase a used Zf while I am there but thinking the Z8 as a Nikon body with a 35mm and 28mm. I am sure I will change my mind a few million times before the trip. Not going to over pack but want to make sure I have what I need. Will leave the big three zoom lenses at home as those are just too heavy.
Just like you I love shooting Leica and Nikon together - just makes sense on so many levels. This trip though think I'll go with an all Nikon setup. Love my smaller lenses, but the Plena is a little too good to leave at home... more in the next video!
@@BokehTherapy That Plena lens is tempting. Would probably have grabbed one if I didn’t already own the 85mm f1.2 which is amazing. Can’t wait for the next video.
Love this one, Jack! I am and always have been a proponent of embracing imperfection. I have found that many of my most pleasing projects involved some sort of imperfections and I also think many a project with merit have been dismissed because the T's were not crossed and the I's not dotted. I now want to watch Shogun! 😊 Have you shot with the 28mm? I've been using it a lot and find some similar characteristics.
Hello Juliette! I have shot with the 28mm but don’t own it sadly. I chose the 26mm in the end because of the sharpness up close but need to deal with a bit more distortion because of it. Shogun is great, I just finished it last week. Hope you’re well!
Great vid, Jack. I was curious about this lens. I might have to add it to the kit. Nice Seiko, btw! I added a Speedtimer to my rotation. Great watches!
Oh no more choices… will be taking a close look in person at Yodobashi camera once I get to Tokyo. The Fujitsubo titanium promaster diver also caught my eye
Hey Jack, so you off loaded your Sony A7CR in favour of the Nikon Zf? Have you had any regrets? Only reason I ask is I’m tossing up between these two for travel and EDC.
Hello! Yes I ended selling my Sony A7CR, but I’m sure an upgrade from Sony is due out any day now. No regrets for my workflow but the Zf is quite a bit bulkier! I’ve gotten used to the size and ergos and the AF isn’t as good as Sony. I am having a lot more fun though. Have you tried the Zf in person?
Argh that makes it harder! Still worth the trek though, the ergonomics are what divides people most on the Zf. Make sure the store has a Smallrig grip in stock for you to try out at the same time? Let me know what you go with!
ive had that lens since it came out and I love it. the quirks you mention are not something crosses my mind because it excel at what I want from that lens. Love it !
This was a great video! Really interesting stuff, but I enjoyed how you tied it into Shogun and told a larger story. Cause it was an incredible show, and I really loved their lens and cinematic choices to shoot it. I watched another video essay recently on the concept of wabi-sabi as the aesthetic, exploring 'are bure boke' as philosophy and as technique. I shoot the TTArtisan 27mm f2.8 for travel and everyday, and I think it has a lot of similar 'flaws' to the 26, in image character, etc., but it also has a nice swirly catseye bokeh which I enjoy.
Nice! TTArtisan are my favourite third party lens maker, and they’re really great to work with for RU-vid. Are Bure Boke is another philosophy I love diving deep into from Daido Moriyama’s older work. Thanks for watching!
I generally don’t go for a full-time filter on my lenses, but I agree it’s a good idea for this 26 with its external focusing. This is my favorite daily carry, so perfect for the Zf and also pairs well with the Z8 👏🏻
an other awesome video, Just got the Zf a few days ago, Im impressed, had to turn off the link focus point to VR because was causing missed focus with eye detection, now its all fine. got the 40mm f2 kit, looking forward to the s line 50mm 1.8!!!!!
Another absorbing, brilliant video. I understand the Thypoch Simera 28mm f/1.4 has a floating element lens design that allows pretty sharp close up images, with less distortion. How would you compare that lens to the Z 26 f/2.8 pancake and Z 28mm f/2.8 muffin in overall IQ, especially for mid to far distances? The Thypoch is quite a bit longer and heavier, so certainly not as sleek for street as these light Nikons, and it is MF (not a problem with zone focus in wide angle). I would be shooting mostly landscapes and cityscapes, so I think a 28mm with better corner sharpness would be a better fit for me. And that noisy focus motor on the 26mm I think would be very annoying. Thanks for all your hard work and erudite story telling and reporting.
I think the 28mm is great for mid to far distances, especially given the price! The 26mm is sharper but the difference is mostly up close for family shots and travel that’s handy (not so much for street). The Thypoch is a different comparison altogether, don’t think it’s as sharp as either lens but you buy it for the dreamy f1.4 and the MF experience? Hope that helps, they’re all great options. Thanks for watching!
@@BokehTherapy Thanks so much, Jack. Really helpful. I really hope Nikon introduces a superb, reasonably small S-line 26-28mm lens , maybe f/2, and with a custom control ring (if we can't have true clicky aperture ring).
I flippin love how they photographed Shogun. It's perfectly dreamy. I've only had the opportunity to visit Japan once. I had 36 hours in Tokyo. Back then I had a D750 in my bag with the Nikon 20mm f/1.8 G on it. Lovely lens and good for some interesting shots on the rainy streets and in moody temples. I hope to go back one day.
The cinematographers really went for it didn’t they! A beautifully imperfect look frame to frame. In Australia we are blessed with proximity to Japan - just a 9 hour flight away. Hope you make it back to Tokyo, it is really worth it!
Hi Jack, came across your videos and liked them a lot. It's not only about gear, it's about photography. A little question: could you speak a tiny bit slower to give us some time not only to hear but also to think? I believe it will add value to your videos. Of course subscribed and looking forward for more videos.
They say it’s a 26mm but I always thought it felt more like a 24mm. So I set it up next to my Olympus equivalent 24-80 pro lens and the Olympus at 24mm is pretty much the same.
Interesting - I find the 4:3 ratio hard to compare focal lengths to 3:2 sensors. I thought it was a little tighter than the 24mm g master from Sony? A bit easier to use than that lens anyway. Thanks for watching!
I ordered this lens with the Nikon rebate that’s going on right now. It backordered quick. So cool you release a video about it while I wait for the lens to ship. Edit: I also have the Plena 🙂
I've owned this lens for a while now but have hardly used it. I'm still not sure on exactly what it is capable of, or conversely, not capable of. I've got a trip to Europe coming up next month and I want to go small and light with my photography gear. I'm debating between bringing my Zf with 26mm and 40mm or my Fuji x100Vi. I guess I should get out there in my own home town and put the 26mm to the test. Great video with much food for thought! Enjoy your trip to Japan, a country I would dearly love to visit.
I was not enthused about the focal length of 26mm at first but am very pleasantly surprised with the results. Give it a go, both the lens and hopefully a future trip to Japan? Always nice hearing from you, thanks for watching!
@@BokehTherapy I've actually got family ties to Japan through my brother-in-law who married a woman from Kyushu. Her parents, sisters, and other relatives are still there. Your video has definitely inspired me to check out the 26mm further, we'll see how it goes :) The thought of bringing only the x100vi on our trip is very appealing though, so small and light, great image quality. We'll see how that goes too! lol
Take both cameras! With different focal lengths you'll feel more relaxed and enjoying the moment. The act of changing lenses, it's what makes one commit to a lens. Thinking about the shoots we're missing... with two cameras problem solved. And if something happens to one camera you'll always have the other ! It works wonders for me.
@@pimentovski2011 That's not a bad idea actually. The x100vi's weight and size is negligible in the grand scheme of things. Although, it does mean different batteries/chargers etc. I've got 6 weeks to make up my mind :)
@Cariboukid even more reason to visit. Two small cameras with two tiny lenses sounds very manageable for travel. I used to love the idea of 1 camera 1 lens but with this channel I definitely need a backup camera at least when travelling
The Batman made ultra character lenses super hype so it's been a look of the time recently. Think 2000s being matrix green, the orange and teal look. Marvel is pretty neutral so it was a while since we had a look. I'm not a huge fan, since some lenses are so distorted it forces a lot of centre framing regardless of whether the shot needs it. I think they are great tools for certain moments though - typically to imply some kind of confusion like drunkeness, psychosis, fear, anxiety, isolation etc.
It's a real split in the medium - newer photography gear is going towards more clinical while cinematography is going full-blown character. I wonder if the character lenses will be a fad that fades out over time. Hope you're doing well!
Great video about a very interesting lens. Excellent points. Well done all around. But, I don't really understand the tourist angst about over-tourism. If you are a tourist and you think over-tourism is real, and you think it is a serious problem then you shouldn't go. It is not fair to expect everyone else not to go. Does learning the language and customs help? Sure. But it doesn't alleviate the actual problems of over-tourism. To be clear, I'm not advocating for the "don't come here" over-tourism alarmists. Tourism is a double edged sword. It certainly can be a burden on a culture but it also helps traditional cultures, foods, art, music and architecture to remain intact and even thrive when they would otherwise languish. But signaling deep concern and going anyway doesn't seem genuine to me.
Some interesting points Ben. Are you based in Japan? Always keen to hear the thoughts from locals. Over tourism is a complex issue, but I don’t believe reflecting on how we fit into different cultures can hurt? Being more thoughtful is not disingenuous in my books. Thanks for watching
@@BokehTherapy No, I'm not in Japan. I've never been. However, I went to college and lived in one of the oldest and most beautiful cities in the US with a very distinctive southern culture and a storied past. When I was in college the city was run down and in many places dangerous at night. But it was starting to come around with the help of increasing tourism. Things were lost due to that. Over the years a lot of the old merchants, families and restaurants began to disappear. But it is now vibrant, thriving and one of the best cities in America for food. It is expensive to visit there and it is crowded almost year round now. That is frustrating. But I'd never want it to be like it was in the late 1970s. I agree, no harm in trying to differentiate yourself from thoughtless tourists. Learning some of the language and customs also enhances your experience. And maybe I took it the wrong way but there is a lot of buzz about worldwide over-toursim and it seems like a lot of the folks complaining about it are, well, tourists who visit or plan on visiting places suffering from it.
@bencompson I don't think the answer to over-tourism is "under-tourism"? Both sides benefit from the experience, but as with all things it's not what you do it's how you do it. The vast majority of Japanese locals are incredibly welcoming to visitors, but many tourists take that hospitality for granted. I hope you can visit Japan one day - it has been a transformative experience for me!
Brilliant comparison to the film. You have a wonderful way of winding stories together with photography. I love shooting with this lens. You're spot on about the close focusing ability. Not quite a macro, but superior to, say, the 50 1.8 for up-close nature shots, which I didn't expect when I bought it. Does a nice job in low light as well. Looking forward to your review of that behemoth!
I am very impressed with how versatile the 26mm is when you can get this close. A great companion to a 50mm setup. Thanks for watching, and Plena review is in the works!
