Sony 85mm F1.4 GM Archives - SCULPTURE IN CONTEXT 2023 PLUS

A FREQUENTLY UNNOTICED TRIBUTE

Amidst the bustling crowds at Smithfield Luas stop, an unassuming memorial stands as a silent homage to a remarkable man whose legacy often escapes the hurried gaze of passersby.

Dave Conway, a father of two, met an untimely end at the tender age of 38, victim to a tragic motorbike accident. His indelible mark, however, remains etched in Dublin’s urban fabric.

As a Demolition Manager, Dave played a pivotal role in shaping the LUAS construction project — an endeavour that now crisscrosses our city. His dedication and expertise left an indelible imprint on the very tracks we traverse daily.

For nearly a year, I delved into the mystery surrounding the sculpture adjacent to the tram stop. It remained an enigma until a serendipitous moment revealed its creator: James Gannon. This gifted artist, working with stone and bronze from his Dublin and Roscommon studios, breathed life into the unassuming structure.
The Bench That Speaks: Some dismiss it as such. But look closer. Trace the tramlines etched into its form—the subtle nod to the very tracks Dave once navigated. Curious, I engaged fellow Dubliners in conversation. Not one had noticed its deeper significance until I pointed out those embedded rails.

Gannon’s career highlights include:

Gold Medal, Irish Landscape Exhibit (EXPO ’91 Osaka, Japan): This prestigious award in 1991 was in recognition of his outstanding granite sculptures.

Public Commissions: He’s created numerous public sculptures, such as those decorating the façade of Dublin’s historic Fruit and Fish Market Buildings, and a large granite piece dedicated to the Travelling Community at Parslickstown.

Representation of Ireland: In 2001, Gannon represented Ireland at the Symposium du Granit des Marches de Bretagne in France.

His work often explores themes of heritage, growth, and the interplay between natural and human-made forms. One notable piece, “Hybrid Vigour”, was inspired by his grandfather and the agricultural concept of cross-breeding to achieve greater strength.

THE CONCRETE SHELTER AND THE CORTEN STEEL SCULPTURE

I included the concrete shelter in some of the photographs even thought they have no obvious connection other than their location.

The Embraced Loop, by Anaisa Franco, is a poignant and significant sculpture located in the People’s Gardens within Phoenix Park in Dublin, Ireland.

Here are the key details about this remarkable monument:

Purpose and Symbolism: The Embraced Loop serves as an HIV and AIDS NATIONAL MONUMENT. Its design expresses solidarity with everyone, both past and present, who has been affected by HIV and AIDS.

The sculpture aims to:

Show solidarity with those currently living with and affected by HIV.
Remember those who have lost their lives to this devastating disease.
Celebrate the lives of those who fought bravely and supported others.
Mark their contribution to society.

Design and Aesthetics:

The sculpture takes the form of an abstract loop.
It creatively incorporates the Red Ribbon, which is universally associated with HIV/AIDS awareness.
The loop symbolises interactive approach and the interconnectedness of all those impacted by the epidemic.

Unveiling and Significance:

The Embraced Loop was officially unveiled in the Phoenix Park. Taoiseach Leo Varadkar expressed its importance, stating that it would permanently reside in the People’s Gardens.

The monument serves as a powerful reminder that the struggle against HIV/AIDS is ongoing, and we must continue to act and support those affected.

Anaisa Franco is an award-winning artist who pioneers participatory public art with a mission to activate the body and public spaces through an interactive approach. Her studio specialises in parametric digital fabrication and technology integration, creating experiential, self-sustainable organisms. Graduating with a Masters in Digital Art from the University of Plymouth in England, UK, in 2007, Franco has developed digital work at Medialab Prado (2008) and currently works as a New Media artist at Applied Future Studio in Berlin. Her work combines creativity, technology, and community engagement to create meaningful and impactful installations.

TODAY IS USED THE SONY 85MM LENS

The Sony FE 85mm F1.4 GM lens is an absolute gem for portrait photography.
Let’s dive into the details:

Image Quality: The lens ticks all the right boxes for portraiture on a full-frame camera. With its 85mm focal length and fast f/1.4 aperture, it excels at isolating the main subject against a beautifully blurred background. The image quality is stunning, and the bokeh is wonderfully soft and dreamy, even when stopping down a little. The lens features a very well-rounded 11-blade diaphragm that contributes to the pleasing bokeh.

Build and Handling: The build quality is rock-solid, and the lens is weather-sealed. It’s part of Sony’s flagship G Master (GM) lineup, which means top-quality construction. Notably, it includes a customisable focus-hold button and an aperture control ring with a ‘de-click’ option for smooth transitions during video shooting.

Optical Design: The optical path incorporates a high-precision XA (eXtreme Aspherical) element for enhanced bokeh quality. Additionally, there are three ED (Extra-low Dispersion) elements to boost sharpness, contrast, and reduce colour fringing.

Performance: Autofocus, based on a Linear SSM (Super Sonic wave Motor), is fast and near-silent. Sharpness is excellent wide open at f/1.4 and becomes stunning when stopped down slightly. The lens also features Sony’s nano-structure AR coating to minimize ghosting and flare.

Price: It’s undeniably a pricey lens, but its performance more than justifies the cost.
In summary, the Sony FE 85mm F1.4 GM is ideal for top-quality portraiture and still-life photography. Whether capturing people or objects, this lens delivers outstanding results.

The Sony FE 85mm F1.4 GM lens has garnered acclaim for its optical excellence, but it’s not without a peculiar issue related to autofocus noise.

Let’s delve into the details:
Focus Noise: Some owners [including myself] have reported an unusual noise when the lens focuses. Descriptions range from a coffee grinder-like sound to a scraping noise. This issue was particularly prominent in the lens’s early days, around 2016-2017. You can find discussions about it on forums like SonyAlphaForum, Fredmiranda, and Dpreview.

Scratches Inside the Lens: In a few cases, this autofocus noise seems to have caused scratches inside the lens. While not widespread, it’s essential to be aware of this potential concern. I did not notice this issue.

Comparisons and Observations:
Roger Cicala from LensRentals conducted some preliminary investigations:
Noise: All the lenses exhibit some noise during focusing, with varying levels of loudness. Most likely, this noise comes from the motor (possibly Piezo motor noise).
Inner Barrel Markings: Over half of the lenses have markings on the inner barrel when the focusing element is retracted toward the mount. These markings could be lube or scrapings in the plastic.
Dust: Like many wide-aperture 85mm lenses, the Sony FE 85mm F1.4 GM has some dust particles inside, which is typical and not unique to this lens.
Lube Streaks: No lube streaks on inner elements were observed.
Metal Shavings: The inner barrel doesn’t appear to be metal, and no dust particles resemble reflective metal shavings.
Noise Consistency: After focusing back and forth 500 times, there was no noticeable change in noise.

Sony 85mm F1.4 GM

DEMOLITION DAVE’S MEMORIAL AT THE SMITHFIELD TRAM STOP

EMBRACED LOOP BY ANAISA FRANCO