Most photographs were shot close to wide-open at a range of f1.4 to f2. The Canon 50mm f1.4 is not sharp wide-open, particularly around the edges. Typical with most lenses, the sharpness increases throughout the frame as you close down the aperture about 2 stops. Nevertheless, I like to play with shallow depth of field, it’s one of the reasons I got the Canon 6D.

Waiting for Customers, 6th Street – Austin, Texas

Scooters and Bikes, 6th Street – Austin, Texas

I like to shoot at night or indoors which means low light. I’m hoping that the high ISO ability of the 6D along with a large aperture lens with continue to unlock more and more challenging dark scenes. I’m willing to sacrifice some level to sharpness to capture the moody feel of the night. That said, it looks like I can stop down somewhat, to perhaps f2 or f2.8. Something that I may try in a future photo excursion.

Affinity Glow, 6th Street – Austin, Texas

Pubs and Cafes, 6th Street – Austin, Texas

Purples and Red Arches, 6th Street – Austin, Texas

I’ve posted these photos chronologically. The first one shot at 8:15pm, about 10 minutes before sundown. The last one at 9pm. You can see the progression of darkness. I think the city comes alive as darkness falls. I particularly love twilight. The warm man-made lights nicely contrast against the deep blue sky. The ambient light still reveals details, which disappear as night falls.

Driskill Hotel Carriage, 6th Street – Austin, Texas

Smoking Alone, Congress Avenue – Austin, Texas

What a Relief, Congress Avenue – Austin, Texas

This post is part 2 of my first real test of the Canon 6D series.

Also see:
   Molly and her friends on 6th Street
   A peek inside 6th street, with a 6D at f1.4 and f1.6
   Buffalo Billiards, it’s better than watching TV

Click on the photographs to see a larger image and hover over the photos to see the exposure detail.