With my Switzerland coverage completed, I’m switching to events from Austin until I return to part three of my European coverage in Paris. Up first is a mini-series on this year’s Chinese New Year Celebration. I often use these events to test out new gear. In 2023, I used the then new Fujifilm X-S10. Now I’m all in with the Sony A7C. I’ve shot the Sony exclusively for the last year since I purchased it in April 2023.

Last year, I used the Fujifilm 50mm f1.0 lens, which has a full-frame equivalent of a 75mm f1.5. I upped the shallow depth of field effect using a Sigma 85mm f1.4. One downside of the A7C compared to the Fuji X-S10 is its slower sensor readout, which means the digital shutter is not ideal for fast action, causing unwanted distortion. Luckily, it was an overcast day, and a 1/4000-second mechanical shutter was fast enough on the A7C.

These events can be cluttered, so to make a simpler picture, I blurred the background as much as possible. I used the same framing technique for both events, focusing on the closest performer.

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