Feel good hit of the summer

There's no mistaking summer in Japan. Any summertime anime scene will have their distinct chorus in the background. I say background, but sometimes it can feel as if you're wearing these things as headphones. They certainly have an awesome song.

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Camoflaged

The thing is, I miss them when they're gone. I look forward to their calls all year, as they signify that summer is really here.  It's also a noise not familiar to the UK, so I only associate it with Japan. Cicadas in different countries seem to have a different pitch. Apparently it's only the males which call, but I've not looked close enough to check. 

We go on our summer holiday today, so I'm not sure when I'll next make a new post.

Coming out to play

Over 40% of my photolibrary this year was captured using the Zeiss 24/1.8 for Sony E-mount (which translates to a focal length of 35mm on a camera with a "full-frame" sensor). Personally, I felt that figure should have been more like 95% - but if I look back at "keepers" rather than total shots, the figure is closer to 80%.

I liked the Zeiss rendering. I liked the bokeh  afforded by f/1.8. I liked the 35mm (equivalent) field of view. There wasn't much not to like. In fact, I think it's the best lens for the NEX system. I'd recommend it in a heartbeat.

I sold the lens on Sunday afternoon. Why? Well, this post marks the start of photos taken with my new camera, the Sony RX1. The Sony DSC-RX1 is a camera with a "full frame" sensor, and a fixed length 35mm Zeiss lens, in an ultraportable package. It's far smaller than the NEX-7, and that's saying something. I'm learning all about the camera, but managed to get away at lunch time to the nearby lake, and saw this exuvia attached to a nearby tree. The cicadas are deafening now. Like me with my new camera, they're all coming out to play. 

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Heavily-cropped photo of a duck

Full-summer is just around the corner. Once these evening storms abide, temperatures won't fall below 30°C until September...

Summer Storms

Summer is definitely here. For the last two days, the temperature in central Tokyo peaked somewhere over 35°C. North of Tokyo, in the mountains of Gunma-ken, 900 people were hospitalised and 2 died from heatstroke. It's rather hot, to say the least. It's also very humid (between 50% ~ 95% RH).

The strong sun easily burns, and it's not uncommon to see ladies with parasols. The heat causes the moist air to rise high, creating these magnificent cumulonimbus clouds. When I took this photo, we could already hear the thunder in the distance. Two hours later, the thunder was above us, and we endured another huge thunderstorm.