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Equipment: Canon EOS 20D with Sigma 10mm f2.8 EX DC lens (circular vignette created by lens hood used to reduce glare). Mounted on a lightweight carbon fibre/magnesium Manfrotto 190CXPro3 tripod and 808 RC4 Manfrotto 3 way pan-tilt head.

Exposure: ISO 100; f11; 1/60th sec

Fish River Canyon Fisheye

The fisheye lens creates unique perspectives with its wide angle distortion. Unfortunately the hood is required whenshooting into backlit subjects. The lightweight CXPRO3, weighing in at only 1.3 kgs was actually lighter than the 808 RC4 head which weighs 1.4 kgs. Unfortunately there don’t seem to be any lightweight heads around, unless you downgrade features and go for a simpler head. I like the the multiple spirit bubble levels on this head for each axis of movement. It’s easy to make fine adjustments on this head. In any case, keeping total weight under 3kgs to carry around is a plus. Maybe one day there will be lightweight high quality heads.

Exposure: shot at 10mm; ISO 100; f8; 1/15th sec

Landscape - The Canyon

The 10-20mm operating at full width nearly covers the expanse of the valley below. Some regret at not having apolarising filter for this shot as it would have made the sky a richer blue.

Exposure: shot at 11mm, and comprising 4 shots stitched together 15 degrees in rotation apart; ISO 100; f8; 1/10th sec

Fishriver Panaroma

The full panoramic kit was not used with this photo. The 300N head helped keep constant the degrees between eachphoto, but the vertical area of the photo had to be cropped because of nodal point misalignment. This is not as bad on this photograph because the subject matter is distant.

Exposure: shot at 20mm; ISO 100; f11; 1/125 sec

The Dunes

Equipment: Canon EOS 20D with Sigma 18-200mm f/3.5-6.3 DC lens with Hoya circular polariser.

The Hoya polariser managed to punch a little more blue into the sky which was otherwise very light with the sun almost 180 degrees behind me. The people walking along the spine of the dune really make this picture and emphasise the size of these dunes.

Exposure: ISO 100; f14; 1/200th sec

Dune - Fisheye

Equipment: Canon EOS 20D with Sigma 10mm f2.8 EX DC lens (circular vignette created by lens hood used to reduce glare).

Since the lens has quite a pronounced outward curvature, glare is also a problem when shooting with the sun above. Itis possible to shade the lens with another object. Under the circumstances, I didn’t have time to set the tripod up and just took the shot. The lens, although impossible to mount a circular polariser on, does seem to do more than average in having the perceived effect of a polariser.

Exposure: shot at 125mm; ISO 100; f11; 1/125 sec

The Dunes, Trees in Foreground

Equipment: Canon EOS 20D with Sigma 18-200mm f/3.5-6.3 DC lens with Hoya circular polariser.

Exposure: shot at 21mm; ISO 100; f11; 1/125 sec

Landscape - Depth of Field

Equipment: Canon EOS 20D with Sigma 18-200mm f/3.5-6.3 DC lens with Hoya circular polariser.

I think this shot proves a point. Cheap versatile lenses don’t necessarily mean nasty shots. There is a surprising amount of detail and sharpness that can be seen at 100% enlargement across the frame. In landscapes you’ll often want to shoot in the ’sweet spot’ of depth of field - f11 and most lens issues tend to bare themselves at the extremes of the aperture range.

Exposure: shot at 88mm; ISO 100; f11; 1/125 sec

Landscape - Using the clouds

Equipment: Canon EOS 20D with Sigma 18-200mm f/3.5-6.3 DC lens with Hoya circular polariser.

The sun was quite high in the sky at this stage so the shadow play on the dunes is courtesy of the clouds - an important lighting device in the outdoors.