Ultra wide Street Photography - Nikon Z6II + 14-24mm 2.8G

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MY CAMERAS:
⭐ Nikon Z6 II: amzn.to/3pK4A5W
⭐ Nikon Mount Adapter FTZ: amzn.to/38a0gGQ
⭐ Nikon D4: amzn.to/38Wj7Ex
⭐ Ricoh GR II: amzn.to/2JIku1g
⭐ Ricoh GR III: amzn.to/3rW0Ksn
MY LENSES:
⭐ Nikon Z 24-70mm f/2.8 S: amzn.to/3pq3I7m
⭐ Voigtländer Ultron 40mm f/2 SL-II S: amzn.to/3m6w6vc
⭐ Nikon 28mm f/1.4E: amzn.to/2X67vJO
⭐ Nikon 14-24mm f/2.8G: amzn.to/3pKamnS
⭐ Nikon 24-70mm f/2.8G: amzn.to/391qA5A
⭐ Nikon 70-200mm f/2.8G ED VR II: amzn.to/38QBf2K
⭐ Funleader 18mm Cap Lens: myfunleader.co...
⭐ Viltrox 85mm f/1.8 Z-mount: viltroxstore.c...
STRAP:
⭐ Peak Design Slide Camera Strap: amzn.to/3gk3Xyl
TRIPOD:
⭐ Sirui T-1205X Carbon Fiber Tripod: amzn.to/3a5gqCl
⭐ Sirui K-10x Ballhead: amzn.to/370O36z
VIDEO SHOT ON:
⭐ Nikon Z50: amzn.to/2YpU8EN
GIMBALS WE USE:
🎥 DJI Osmo Mobile 3 Gimbal: amzn.to/38S0ou4
🎥 DJI RSC 2: amzn.to/36qqnIE

[@theslowwalkers]

Really enjoyed the easy going way you go about your photography and the way you pass on the information. Also like the interaction with Axel and the public too.

[@EYExplore]

Thank you very much!! Glad you like our casual style. :)

[@studiowaelz9204]

I could watch you guys for hours walking around Tokyo! So interesting hope i'll get there soon, too.

[@EYExplore]

Thank you very much!! :)

[@LWJCarroll]

Lol I already do! Laurie

[@uscssnostromo7431]

Love the videos that focus on specific focal lengths. You do a good job of not only explaining and presenting the character of certain focal lengths but also explaining how you tend to utilise them and how they serve a purpose to you. This and your 85mm video definitely gave me a nudge to explore outside of my 40mm comfort zone a little bit. Great as always, keep it up.

[@EYExplore]

Thank you so much! I hope to do more unusual focal lengths for street photography. :)

[@Insomnia_Central_]

“There’s an opportunity with any lense” 💯💯💯💯💯

[@EYExplore]

Totally! :)

[@PickinPins]

Love your commentary in your videos! It really makes us, the viewers, see what you see and think how you think which I believe will make us all better photographers. Thanks bro! 👍

[@EYExplore]

Thank you so much for saying so! :)

[@detectivejonesw]

Great video, I especially liked the photos of the train with the person in the background, and the shopkeeper poking her head out the window

[@EYExplore]

Thank you! I like the shopkeeper shot the most probably! :)

[@ayman.s]

Fantastic! My go to lens is a 15-35...so it was great to hear your take on shooting wide in urban spaces.

[@EYExplore]

Glad to hear that! Thank you! :)

[@adventure_photo]

Love your commentary and thought process on shooting so wide. Thanks for another great video.

[@EYExplore]

Thank you so much! :)

[@pamelasmith8652]

Some or many may disagree, but you were shooting street photography IMO. Great video. JT

[@EYExplore]

Thank you!! :)

[@Seegurke.]

Loved this one. Very interesting place, lovely small passages, so much going on there, must visit it one day. As always, invisible Alex did superb recording of Lukasz and the scene, and Lukasz you are an exceptional teacher. By watching you and the scene , hearing whats going on in your mind, sharing your settings etc. i realy think i train my creative eye just by viewing this video. It is almost like being there by myself. Could watch this for hours, great channel! :-)

[@EYExplore]

Thank you so much for the awesome feedback!! I'm very glad to know you enjoy our style of video content!! :)

[@MarkPuke13]

always love the viedos guy!!! lukas you rule!!!! also hello and watching from GUAM!

[@EYExplore]

Thank you so much!! :)

[@feklee]

Your videos have this ease which many photography videos are missing, no distracting background music, very down to earth. One day, if I make it to Tokyo, and first Japan needs to open, I'd love to participate in one of your workshops. When seeing you fiddle with shutter speed all the time, I keep thinking that in the future with electronic shutters that possibly can be done in post. The camera could just take a bunch of shots at high ISO and shutter speed, then put them together into one raw file (if that's even possible).

[@EYExplore]

Thanks!! That's also an interesting idea in how tech can improve. But the thing is, how would that impact motion blur? Anyway, I do think some kind of engineering solution probably exists.

[@feklee]

@@EYExplore For a 1/60 photo you could have eight 1/500 “sub-photos”, each with little motion blur, but high noise. Then you can decide in post whether to combine them into one 1/60 low-noise photo, or to keep one 1/500 non-blurred photo, or some kind of mix. Of course, this sounds wasteful memory-wise, but so is already JPEG vs. RAW.

[@EYExplore]

@@feklee Interesting idea. I suppose it makes sense computationally as long as there are no 'gaps' between exposures because then the motion blur would not be continuous. But I understand the concept.

[@Bryan-lu4du]

It’s great that you verbalize your thought process. You definitely earned another subscriber and maybe a patron as well.

[@EYExplore]

Thank you so much!! We really appreciate it! :)

[@chesterjohnson4504]

I had been using a Nikon D700 with a 35mm or 20mm prime. I picked up a Canon R5 with a 15-35mm f/2.8. I am thinking of trying the R5 for mainly buildings and environmental street photography. Yes, auto ISO and Manual seems to work the best for my attempts. I do like the colors on the D700.

[@EYExplore]

Great! Lots of great camera options are out there these days. :)

[@hayleyt8018]

I stayed in Koenji on my trip to Tokyo a few years ago. Such a cool area! Can't wait to go back. Great video :)

[@EYExplore]

Thank you! It's a very cool, and sort of underrated part of Tokyo.

[@ThalinRPG]

Wow, I've been watching you on the Ricoh channel and only just found this channel too. This will keep me busy!

[@EYExplore]

Hehe, glad to hear that! :)

[@LWJCarroll]

The patterns of the wires, pipes, electric meters would have been a great buzz for myself...thanks Laurie

[@EYExplore]

I love that kind stuff too! :)

[@romiemiller7876]

I have a 14-24 f2.8 F mount for my D800. It's a fantastic lens, and I've heard that the Z mount version is even better. 14mm is almost a fisheye. It's really wide. But the Nikon 1-24 has a lot less distortion than other similar lenses. I'm experimenting with it for semi closeup portraits that also include a lot of background for context. It's a good method for documentary and lifestyle portraits. I have to be very careful about distortion though.

[@EYExplore]

Yeah the f-mount 14-24 is already an amazing lens. It's very impressive how much Nikon were still able to improve upon it, though. It's a very versatile lens as long you can get close enough. :)

[@eddyjcreative100]

Lucas long time new hardware

[@EYExplore]

I think I'm done buying new hardware. What I have now should last me for a long, long time.

[@wackyislandboysstreetphoto805]

I loved your shot of the 2 biker coming around the corner… you have me wanting to do some night shooting 😎

[@EYExplore]

Thanks! Yeah, that was a nice lucky moment! :)

[@samsalueng]

I think I am now starting to understand the concept that you use the -ev when there's a lot of dark areas in the shot as the camera while try itself to compensate for that and would therefore make the shot too bright. I am thinking that this once known can also be used in a reverse situation where there was a very bright lit area then you would use + ev if needed in the shot. What I like is that you are getting me through your guidance to start thinking for myself and start to control what I actually want out of the shot.

[@EYExplore]

That is exactly correct! Sometimes when I shoot into bright sunlight I have to go +EV to compensate the other way. It's just that for most of my subjects this is rare. Glad to hear that you are getting the hang of these concepts for yourself, too! :)

[@LWJCarroll]

Thanks I enjoyed this. Btw an amazing contrast to the countryside in Japan! Laurie

[@EYExplore]

Yeah, although I love the countryside too!

[@gjwhite]

These are always a pleasure, and I appreciate your kind enthusiasm for photography! (Though I was scandalized--no Ricoh??)

[@EYExplore]

Haha, you know I am originally a Nikon guy. I only picked up a Ricoh in 2017. But anyway, I love both. They are totally different ways of shooting! :)

[@romiemiller7876]

A 14mm is really wide. It's almost a fisheye. I've been experimenting with my 14-24 for documentary and lifestyle photos where I can shoot close and still have a lot of background for context. I have to be very careful about distortion though. Night street photography is dangerous anywhere in my city. It has a very high crime rate. So, I have to be careful.

[@EYExplore]

Definitely be careful out there!! :)

[@ChritsianBucic]

Such an interesting tour under the wide perspective view, everything is disposing of like in the studio ;-)

[@EYExplore]

Thanks! :)

[@DailyStreetProject]

Yeah, i love wide lens 😍

[@EYExplore]

Me too!! :)

[@Audimann]

The 14-24mm is also great on apsc cameras like the D500. Your fov is like 21mm equivalent but that does not matter. I have FF cameras also to get the most out of it. I have tried many apsc wide angle zooms on my D500 but they all fail big time. Maybe the center is sharp but the edges are ugly and many problems with af consistency. The 14-24mm lets my D500 really shine. And my D850 also of course😊

[@EYExplore]

Yeah, using such a FF lens on APSC give you so much quality because you're cropping off the corners and using the center of a much larger circle. And 21mm to 35mm equivalent FOV is super useful! :)

[@3082frank]

A very interesting prespective using such a wide lens. I guess it has alot to do with preference of style. Some of the shots complimented the wide angle but it is really an odd and tricky angle for street photography. IMO it feels a bit restricted but thats just me. Great video again.

[@EYExplore]

I totally agree! I rarely use it like this. I mainly use this lens for architecture and cityscape photography.

[@geomox4]

I was taught that each eye sees at approx 47mm. Which is why your both eyes together seem to have a much wider field of view

[@EYExplore]

That could be the case! I'm really not sure.

[@robertleeimages]

Here you go, a Quote about our eyes compared to camera from Cambridge in Colour..... Our eyes are able to look around a scene and dynamically adjust based on subject matter, whereas cameras capture a single still image. This trait accounts for many of our commonly understood advantages over cameras. For example, our eyes can compensate as we focus on regions of varying brightness, can look around to encompass a broader angle of view, or can alternately focus on objects at a variety of distances. However, the end result is akin to a video camera - not a stills camera - that compiles relevant snapshots to form a mental image. A quick glance by our eyes might be a fairer comparison, but ultimately the uniqueness of our visual system is unavoidable because:. ANGLE OF VIEW With cameras, this is determined by the focal length of the lens (along with the sensor size of the camera). For example, a telephoto lens has a longer focal length than a standard portrait lens, and thus encompasses a narrower angle of view: Unfortunately our eyes aren't as straightforward. Although the human eye has a focal length of approximately 22 mm, this is misleading because (i) the back of our eyes are curved, (ii) the periphery of our visual field contains progressively less detail than the center, and (iii) the scene we perceive is the combined result of both eyes. Each eye individually has anywhere from a 120-200° angle of view, depending on how strictly one defines objects as being "seen." Similarly, the dual eye overlap region is around 130° - or nearly as wide as a fisheye lens. However, for evolutionary reasons our extreme peripheral vision is only useful for sensing motion and large-scale objects (such as a lion pouncing from your side). Furthermore, such a wide angle would appear highly distorted and unnatural if it were captured by a camera. Our central angle of view - around 40-60° - is what most impacts our perception. Subjectively, this would correspond with the angle over which you could recall objects without moving your eyes. Incidentally, this is close to a 50 mm "normal" focal length lens on a full frame camera (43 mm to be precise), or a 27 mm focal length on a camera with a 1.6X crop factor. Although this doesn't reproduce the full angle of view at which we see, it does correspond well with what we perceive as having the best trade-off between different types of distortion.

[@EYExplore]

Thanks! :)

[@robertleeimages]

@@EYExplore sorry it's so long i included the first part because of it saying about video rather than stills, but found it interesting and got me thinking could a camera be made with a round concaved sensor and what changes to lenses would need to be made. Food for thought 🤔

[@HazaraTechnic]

AMAZING

[@EYExplore]

Thanks! :)

[@RowanWatersStudios]

I am still in the learning (and hands-on learning) photography and your videos help me so much. Although I only own one camera, learning and understand the settings period helps a lot. I own a Kodiak pixpro az528 52mm, I can't seem to find much info on the use of it. I think it may be a serious beginner camera, however, I enjoy it for the freedom it gives me. My question is have you ever owned a camera like this, with a fixed lens? and side question: the guy in the grey suit, any idea why he was still hanging out on the block after nearly a half hour?

[@EYExplore]

Ah, I should have explained this dude. He's a tout for a local bar, trying to get people to come in. These bars are usually expensive and will have women there to hang out with the customers (nothing dirty, they're like hostesses). As for the camera: these kinds of cameras used to be very popular but since smartphones got so good they're really gone out of style. I still think they're great for beginners though because they are much more hands-on than a phone. And the ergonomics are better too. They are commonly called 'bridge cameras' because they bridge the gap between really basic point-and-shoot cameras and interchangeable lens cameras. Anyway, all of the same concepts of any camera should apply. Things like exposure, aperture, shutter speed, ISO, metering modes, focus modes... all of these settings should be there, so you can use it how you would use an SLR or mirrorless like the one I have.

[@RowanWatersStudios]

@@EYExplore Epic! Thank you for the info! Glad to know that guy wasn't sketchy bussiness and the ladies are respected. I agree the pixpro has done wonders for me so far! I have loads of good photos on my blog! Maybe one day when I come to Japan, I will stop by and get a photography tour from you!

[@nancyk9475]

Great content! What backpack are you using here? I’m looking for my next lens to add with my 24-70 f4 and thinking about a prime for the Z6ii for travel, street, night, and landscape and was thinking about a 20mm. But after seeing this, maybe I should be looking at the 14-30 f4(the 14-24 f2.8 is out of the budget).

[@Tom_YouTube_stole_my_handle]

Unless you know you want to go wider than 20 regularly I'd say get the 20. Wider focal lengths are very difficult to use well and you'd have a lighter more compact lens in a 20. The 14-24 is my least used lens and often I leave it out of my bag because of the weight.

[@detectivejonesw]

Are you set on going wide? I'd recommend off the bat the 50 1.8 - it's the cheapest of the bunch, optically phenomenal, and would be helpful for all of those use cases. Wide angle lenses make cool images if you try and find scenes that suit them but most of the time they aren't the right choice for the scene in front of you and a 35 or 50 is more helpful. Also I'm pretty sure you could get the 50 and the 85 for the price of the 14-30 and just a tad more than the 20mm on its own. Edit: looks like I was wrong on the price of the 85 it's more than I thought, the 50 is still significantly cheaper though and would leave you some left over money to do something else

[@EYExplore]

Thanks! The backpack is from Hakuba, a Japanese brand: www.hakubaphoto.jp/gw-pro_red The prime 20mm is nice because of the larger aperture though. I would say if you already have a 24-70 f/f then a 20mm f/1.8 will compliment is nicely. Also, I think primes are very fun and a great way to add creative constraints that could lead to learning and discovery.

[@nancyk9475]

@@EYExplore thank you. I think I might look at the new 28mm f2.8 SE and not the 20mm, too much $$. I might just end up with the 14-30 f4 instead, more versatile

[@EYExplore]

@@nancyk9475 the 28mm SE is a great deal I think! I'm looking forward to the 40mm pancake as well.

[@joeltunnah]

Lukasz, what do you think of the Z6ii for manual focus? I have a large collection of Nikkor AI-S lenses. Love the shot of the guard closing the shop!

[@EYExplore]

I use it sometimes with my Voigtlander 40mm and it works very well. It actually aids manual focus in many ways. For example, the focus point itself will turn green when focus is acquired. Also, you can zoom the image at any time in the EVF allowing for precise focus. Finally, the aperture is always previewed up to f/5.6 (I believe) so you are always seeing the actual DOF. This is unlike on an SLR where the aperture is always wide open unless you use the DOF preview button which has the drawback of making the viewfinder very dark. The EVF remains bright as they camera can just increase gain to give an accurate preview. Overall, it's very handy for MF! However, I'm not sure if all AI-S lenses work on the FTZ Adapter. You'll have to confirm that lens by lens.

[@joeltunnah]

@@EYExplore thanks for the detailed reply!✌🏻

[@wackyislandboysstreetphoto805]

Watching you walking around you shot architectural and let a few pedestrians and a bicycle go.by without shooting… just wondering why you didn’t, see anything while they passed you. thanks!

[@EYExplore]

I dunno, I guess they weren't interesting. Just because there are people walking on the street does not mean they are worth photographing. :)

[@hiroshimarossross6259]

Enjoying your channel and learning a lot. Like your style. I have started shooting in manual mode on my Z6_2 . If I could ask a question about exposure compensation in manual mode. You often set that, but at what point in time do you set it. Do you take a shot, check the exposure then take another one. Or from experience you know what compensation is needed before the shot. I often want to darken the shot to create an atmosphere, different to what the camera thinks. Take care. Ross

[@EYExplore]

Thanks! I do know from experience what I'll need. However, most importantly on a mirrorless camera like the Z6II you can see the exposure right in the viewfinder, so I can make the adjustment on the fly. I also sometimes have the histogram up in the EVF and use it to help me gauge the exact exposure I want. And of course, do also sometimes confirm on the back screen as well after shooting if I am unsure.

[@dominiqueleblanc2193]

How did you like this combo? I am thinking of changing my d810 for this z6 ii.

[@EYExplore]

It was good, but I recently got the 14-24mm f/2.8 for Z mount and it is sooooo much better. It's lighter, smaller, a bit better image quality (but not that much), fewer issues with flares, and feels faster and more accurate in terms of AF. I will do a video on it next month probably. :)

[@Edwin1947D]

You mention the occasional shop owner who objects to you taking a photo of their establishment - I often wonder why they would object? Seems like they would be happy to have their business showcased as much as possible.

[@EYExplore]

Well, it's okay, everybody is different. I can see how in busy areas with lots of tourists it can get annoying.

[@wackyislandboysstreetphoto805]

Was it because there wasn’t enough dramatic feel?

[@EYExplore]

Sorry, what are you referring to?

[@CMDR_Scorpion]

How do you feel about distortion on ultra wide shots in street / urban photography? personally i dont mind it..

[@EYExplore]

No problem! It just makes the photo feel very close. Lately, I've been shooting with my ultra-wide quite a lot. :)

[@c3vette47]

Awesome video. Can I ask what software you use to correct distortion?

[@EYExplore]

Thanks! I just use the built-in lens profiles in Adobe Camera Raw (same as Lightroom). I just use the default setting. Nothing fancy! :)

[@JeffWalshPhotography]

Great video, and that backpack is bigger than you are. I'm curious, how do you define street photography? You mentioned a few times that "this isn't street photography," in this video so I'm curious on your more concrete definition of street photography

[@Shutter_Priority]

He made a video about that question two weeks ago: kzbin.info/www/bejne/gGa8pGinqZmooK8

[@EYExplore]

@@Shutter_Priority Thanks for the link! :)

[@EYExplore]

Thanks! It's a very comfy backpack actually. In this case I had another camera and lens in there for a video we shot earlier in the day (will come out in a few weeks). And someone else has replied: I did a video recently all about my definition for street photography. Check it out! :)

[@RodrigoRahmeier]

Very nice content! A doubt, is your 14-24mm ED or Z? Can I use an "old" 14-24mm ED with the modern mirrorless Z62 cameras or I need an adaptor? Thank You!

[@EYExplore]

In this video I am using the F-mount version with the adapter. I loved it, and it worked very welly, but I did recently upgrade to the Z-mount version mainly due to the size and weight. :)

[@TaipeiGeek]

Wow, streets are so empty. And I was wondering, if it's OK to not wear a mask? Here in Taipei it's compulsory, and we now have like 1-2 cases per day.

[@EYExplore]

It's not compulsory. If it's crowded I always wear one, but in empty streets like this I feel it's okay to go without one for an hour while shooting these videos.

[@TMM6900]

Woohoo! Finally!

[@EYExplore]

:)

[@TMM6900]

Is there a reason why you use avg metering instead of center metering for this video?

[@EYExplore]

Yes, I explained that in this video: kzbin.info/www/bejne/pHjWqHyoftGLiNU Basically, it's more reliable when using it with Subject Tracking.

[@TMM6900]

@@EYExplore right, so if you aren't doing subject tracking. You would just use avg metering? Would metering modes effect auto focus performance?

[@EYExplore]

@@TMM6900 Well, I cannot say because I'm ALWAYS using subject tracking (or at least wide area AF which is the parent mode for subject tracking).

[@paulm8157]

14 mm a tad too wide, IMO - distortion distracts. Glad those guys didn’t “murder” you😁. What do those T-shirt markings translate to?

[@EYExplore]

It says 'Happy Hamburger' on my shirt. :)

[@wackyislandboysstreetphoto805]

Frame 2747 a guy walked by you you let him pass and you shot the building. I notice you prefer the people in the distance. I’m asking too learn from your ideas… thanks. I want too see your train shot if it passes

[@EYExplore]

I really don't have blanket rules. I just shoot what looks interesting in the moment. People just walking down the street are not particularly interesting to me. They need to be doing or expressing something before I'm interested in photographing people. :)

[@wackyislandboysstreetphoto805]

Do you ever get hassled ?

[@EYExplore]

Not really. Most people just ignore me. :)

[@Schorti666]

1/10 wow. Dude, let your tripod at home ;-)

[@EYExplore]

Why? I was using it earlier in the day to shoot something else.

[@Schorti666]

@@EYExplore your hand must be so calm that you dont need it. even in a long exposure ;-)

[@EYExplore]

@@Schorti666 Ha! I wish! :)