Photographed By William Murphy - Select Image To View Photographs

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Sony FE PZ 28-135mm f/4 G OSS

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There is a particular stillness to the National Botanic Gardens in Glasnevin during the early days of March. It is a period of transition, where the crisp bite of a Dublin winter begins to yield to the first tentative pulses of spring. Looking back at my archives from March 2016, I am reminded of how the light hits the Curvilinear Range—that masterpiece of wrought iron and glass—and how the season’s first snowdrops and crocuses provide a delicate contrast to the industrial elegance of Richard Turner’s architecture.

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March is an ideal time for a "photographic pilgrimage" to the gardens. While the outdoor arboretum is still waking up, the Great Palm House offers a humid sanctuary, its towering tropical palms and exotic ferns providing a lush, verdant backdrop that feels worlds away from the chilly banks of the River Tolka.

An Unusual Choice: The Sony A7RII & The Cinema Giant

During that 2016 visit, I was carrying the Sony A7RII. At the time, it was a revelation—the first camera I felt truly "liked" in an uncompromising way. Its high-resolution sensor captured the intricate textures of the gardens with incredible fidelity, from the peeling bark of ancient trees to the fine condensation on the greenhouse panes.

However, my choice of glass that day was, by all accounts, highly unusual. I opted for the Sony FE PZ 28-135mm f/4 G OSS.

Designed primarily as a high-end cinematography lens for video production, it wasn't the typical choice for a casual stroll through a botanic garden. To put it mildly, the lens was large and bulky, weighing in at over 1.2kg. Carrying it around Glasnevin felt less like traditional photography and more like a tactical exercise.

Yet, despite its heft, the results were undeniable:

Parfocal Precision: Because it’s a cinema lens, it maintained focus perfectly across the zoom range, which is a rare treat for still life and botanical work.

Optical Purity: It produced exceptionally clean, sharp stills with almost zero distortion—perfect for the geometric lines of the Victorian glasshouses.

Tactile Control: The dedicated rings for aperture and zoom allowed for a deliberate, slow-paced style of shooting that suited the tranquil atmosphere of the gardens.

While I might think twice today before lugging such a "beast" through a public park, those 2016 shots remain some of my favourites. They serve as a reminder that sometimes the "wrong" equipment for the job is exactly what you need to see a familiar landscape in a different light.

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