The Amazing Sony A1/A7/A9/APS-C & Anything else welcome Mega Thread!

f/2.8 said:
DXO is completely out of date those tests where some years ago. This guide is for the A7RIV, the guy who did the tests said that on the 24 mp bodies the average lenses would be good too excellent.
Click to expand...
Exactly this.
DXO lens testing on 24mp is like testing car top speed through rush hour town traffic. A Ferrari won’t be any quickier than a Mini.

At 100 lp/mm (high Res) the Sony 135mm f/1.8 GM has a higher MTF than most excellent primes do at 50 lp / mm. If you don’t speak MTF, basically that means this lens can resolve fine details that would be a blur on excellent lenses.
 
f/2.8 said:
DXO is completely out of date those tests where some years ago. This guide is for the A7RIV, the guy who did the tests said that on the 24 mp bodies the average lenses would be good too excellent.
Click to expand...
SDK^ said:
Exactly this.
DXO lens testing on 24mp is like testing car top speed through rush hour town traffic. A Ferrari won’t be any quickier than a Mini.

At 100 lp/mm (high Res) the Sony 135mm f/1.8 GM has a higher MTF than most excellent primes do at 50 lp / mm. If you don’t speak MTF, basically that means this lens can resolve fine details that would be a blur on excellent lenses.
Click to expand...

DXO lens testing is also on 42mp, they haven't got round to A7RIV yet.
FE90 resolves 42mp according to them and only lens that does so (and I mentioned they haven't tested newer lenses yet but even if they did surely you can't get than resolving all MPs)
 
nandbytes said:
DXO lens testing is also on 42mp, they haven't got round to A7RIV yet.
FE90 resolves 42mp according to them and only lens that does so (and I mentioned they haven't tested newer lenses yet but even if they did surely you can't get than resolving all MPs)
Click to expand...

Exactly, the A7RIV is more demanding than the A7RII and A7RIII. Unlikely that the DXO tests will ever be updated, they have only tested a couple of lenses in the last couple of years.

Obviously the guy that has done the charts results aren't conclusive, because he has only tested one copy of each lens but to me it seems pretty spot on. The chart is based purely on sharpness. If for example it was based on a.f performance or rendering the results would be very different.

It's a good quick glance guide for anyone that has an A7RIV or is thinking of getting one.
 
f/2.8 said:
Exactly, the A7RIV is more demanding than the A7RII and A7RIII. Unlikely that the DXO tests will ever be updated, they have only tested a couple of lenses in the last couple of years.

Obviously the guy that has done the charts results aren't conclusive, because he has only tested one copy of each lens but to me it seems pretty spot on. The chart is based purely on sharpness. If for example it was based on a.f performance or rendering the results would be very different.

It's a good quick glance guide for anyone that has an A7RIV or is thinking of getting one.
Click to expand...

They did claim they'd update it. They have tested a lot of recent Z and RF lenses.

All I am saying is I would use his results with a grain of salt just as I would DXO's tbh. Though I don't disagree with his outstanding list.
 
Talking of outstanding lenses there is a open box FE135 for £1449 with full warranty at LCE. Feel this is a good price for a new UK lens.
Would have got this myself if I hadn't found a better price.
 
Last edited:
Hopefully DXO Mark will continue to update their DSLR and Mirrorless cameras and lens tests as they are useful reference. The last 18 months they have pretty much concentrated on Mobile phones as that is the sexy segment of the market right now.
 
nandbytes said:
DXO lens testing is also on 42mp, they haven't got round to A7RIV yet.
FE90 resolves 42mp according to them and only lens that does so (and I mentioned they haven't tested newer lenses yet but even if they did surely you can't get than resolving all MPs)
Click to expand...
Take a look at the Sony MTF lens resolution charts over at Lens Rentals https://www.lensrentals.com/blog/2019/04/just-mtf-charts-sony-fe-mount-prime-lenses/
I find the blog posts on that site really good reading and they can be trusted. They are not affiliated to any manufacturer, they process a lot of gear through their rental system which all receive a lot abuse and the reviews & testing is averaged out across ~10 off the shelf production units.

In terms of the 90mm Macro lens - It's an average lens in that range.
Compared to the sony 135mm F1.8 : The 50 lines per millimeter (lp/mm) purple line is a lot lower than the 135mm [ both wide open: F2.8 vs F1.8].
In fact the 135mm tested at 50 lp/mm out performs the 90mm tested at 30 lp/mm, and it's over 1 stop faster. I have the Canon Macro L IS F2.8 lens and that performs better than the Sony 90mm Macro.

/Geek mode :exit:

49438651931_a286fc30ba.jpg
49438651146_14e0ec7dc9.jpg
 
Last edited:
Cagey75 said:
I wouldn't trust any reviewer the Sony specific sites recommend. They're not going to link to so-so or bad reviews, all of these specific gear based sites are the same.
Click to expand...
His not paid or associated with Sony at all.his a regular bloke like you that I have followed From a7r2 day's in Sony Facebook group
 
SDK^ said:
Take a look at the Sony MTF lens resolution charts over at Lens Rentals https://www.lensrentals.com/blog/2019/04/just-mtf-charts-sony-fe-mount-prime-lenses/
I find the blog posts on that site really good reading and they can be trusted. They are not affiliated to any manufacturer, they process a lot of gear through their rental system which all receive a lot abuse and the reviews & testing is averaged out across ~10 off the shelf production units.

In terms of the 90mm Macro lens - It's an average lens in that range.
Compared to the sony 135mm F1.8 : The 50 lines per millimeter (lp/mm) purple line is a lot lower than the 135mm [ both wide open: F2.8 vs F1.8].
In fact the 135mm tested at 50 lp/mm out performs the 90mm tested at 30 lp/mm, and it's over 1 stop faster. I have the Canon Macro L IS F2.8 lens and that performs better than the Sony 90mm Macro.

/Geek mode :exit:

49438651931_b33c8e7162_o.png
49438651146_5972000161_o.png
Click to expand...

I do like Roger and his testing. Trust it more than most places.

My point wasn't really to show FE90 is the bestest lens, it was more to point out the other results should be taken with a grain of salt (just as I would suggest with dxo).

FE90 is the only prime I bought for its sharpness and I'm pleased with it even on A7RIV. My GM/Zeiss primes I bought for their rendering more than sharpness. I have no issues using 85GM on A7RIV, but the 135GM certainly has a little extra bite for pixel peeping. Again I like the way 135GM renders wide open.
 
nandbytes said:
I do like Roger and his testing. Trust it more than most places.

My point wasn't really to show FE90 is the bestest lens, it was more to point out the other results should be taken with a grain of salt (just as I would suggest with dxo).

FE90 is the only prime I bought for its sharpness and I'm pleased with it even on A7RIV. My GM/Zeiss primes I bought for their rendering more than sharpness. I have no issues using 85GM on A7RIV, but the 135GM certainly has a little extra bite for pixel peeping. Again I like the way 135GM renders wide open.
Click to expand...
(y)
 
jonneymendoza said:
His not paid or associated with Sony at all.his a regular bloke like you that I have followed From a7r2 day's in Sony Facebook group
Click to expand...

Who said anything about payment? You can have bias without any sponsorship. My post was more aimed at the Sony site, I said they're not going to link to a bad review.
 
Last edited:
Cagey75 said:
Who said anything about payment? You can have bias without any sponsorship. My post was more aimed at the Sony site, I said they're not going to link to a bad review.
Click to expand...
They do link to bad reviews sometimes.

And the posts simply lists the top lenses that the person has tested
 
jonneymendoza said:
They do link to bad reviews sometimes.

And the posts simply lists the top lenses that the person has tested
Click to expand...

I can see that, but in general. The Blog is called Sony Alpha Blog. It is likely going to be a bit bias even on the lens front.
 
Last edited:
When I get a new lens I check it against natural light outside to make sure all is ok. When looking in the rear element this bit (circled) was glinting back at me.

Be concerned and send it back or just keep it? Brand new lens for reference.

Updated below.
 
Last edited:
TGphoto said:
When I get a new lens I check it against natural light outside to make sure all is ok. When looking in the rear element this bit (circled) was glinting back at me.

Be concerned and send it back or just keep it? Brand new lens for reference.

View attachment 266892
Click to expand...

You sure it's not just some dust particle(s)?

Out of interested what lens is this?
 
TGphoto said:
When I get a new lens I check it against natural light outside to make sure all is ok. When looking in the rear element this bit (circled) was glinting back at me.

Be concerned and send it back or just keep it? Brand new lens for reference.

View attachment 266892
Click to expand...
It's more if you want to sell it later that it becomes a problem.
 
Personally I would slap it on the body, take some photos, if no ill-effects I would ignore it. In fact, rightly or wrongly I never really check stuff over in great detail, I just use it and if there's a problem then I'll see it in the images.
 
TGphoto said:
When I get a new lens I check it against natural light outside to make sure all is ok. When looking in the rear element this bit (circled) was glinting back at me.

Be concerned and send it back or just keep it? Brand new lens for reference.

View attachment 266892
Click to expand...
Probably just dust which is inside all new lenses. It will have zero impact on your images
 
NewBeetle said:
Personally I would slap it on the body, take some photos, if no ill-effects I would ignore it. In fact, rightly or wrongly I never really check stuff over in great detail, I just use it and if there's a problem then I'll see it in the images.
Click to expand...

Wrongly I would say, if I'm buying a £700 lens then I expect it to be spot on to be honest. To be fair I wouldn't say a check under natural light is a massively thorough check, not to the extent of shining torches through them like some do.

SDK^ said:
Probably just dust which is inside all new lenses. It will have zero impact on your images
Click to expand...

Maybe true, but none of the other 4 lenses I have bought brand new in the last 12 months have had this.
 
all lenses have dust (if you can't find it just means your light source and/or magnification isn't enough). But in this day and age for a weather sealed lens I'd expect no visible dust in day light to my naked eye.
 
nandbytes said:
all lenses have dust (if you can't find it just means your light source and/or magnification isn't enough). But in this day and age for a weather sealed lens I'd expect no visible dust in day light to my naked eye.
Click to expand...

Yeah I’d agree with that.

One reason I don’t shine a torch down it. The reason I look in daylight is because it’s my normal shooting conditions.
 
TGphoto said:
Maybe true, but none of the other 4 lenses I have bought brand new in the last 12 months have had this.
Click to expand...
Read the opening paragraph : https://www.lensrentals.com/blog/2019/04/removing-fly-from-weather-sealed-canon-70-200mm/

it’s hard to remain polite the 843,911th time some newbie goes into hysterics because there’s dust in their lens. Telling them it doesn’t matter a bit, and that all their other lenses have dust they just can’t see ( because different optics magnify dust more than others, or because they’re using some puny little baby light to look into their lenses) won’t stop the hysterics,
Click to expand...

If you have time read the full article which describes how a fly inside a lens has no impact on the images taken with it, until a slight shadow at F13.
 
Last edited:
SDK^ said:
Read the opening paragraph : https://www.lensrentals.com/blog/2019/04/removing-fly-from-weather-sealed-canon-70-200mm/



If you have time read the full article which describes how a fly inside a lens has no impact on the images taken with it, until a slight shadow at F13.
Click to expand...

I do fully appreciate that, but this is a brand new lens , it’s in the centre of the optics and it’s not a particularly cheap lens (for me).

Plus, reading the first two paragraphs tells me that guy is a bit of a t*t.
 
Last edited:
I have to admit if I bought a brand new lens and there was an obvious speck of dust in it I would send it back.
 
New or old : Lenses aren’t sealed, air moves in and out … and air carries dust. Dust prefers to stick to something rather than float around, so once in the lens it tends to settle on an element.

TGphoto said:
Plus, reading the first two paragraphs tells me that guy is a bit of a t*t.
Click to expand...
Well he owns probably the largest lens rental business in the world and is simply playing back his experiences of people [probably in the thousands] complaining about dust and then complaining about the cost to remove the dust ....... the take away; people like to complain : :p
 
Last edited:
does anyone use a right-angle viewfinder rather than the tilt screen? I had one (Seagull) from years ago which I lost while out photographing yesterday (actually also lost a spare battery but found that where I thought h view finder would be). Wondering whether to get a replacement or use the tilty screen...
 
Robw_uk said:
does anyone use a right-angle viewfinder rather than the tilt screen? I had one (Seagull) from years ago which I lost while out photographing yesterday (actually also lost a spare battery but found that where I thought h view finder would be). Wondering whether to get a replacement or use the tilty screen...
Click to expand...
I used to have us a right angle view finder when on nikon. I tried tilting the rear screen earlier this year when photographing swans from a low hide window at Welney. The rear screen works as well as the viewfinder on Sony with no loss in AF performance. The only issue I can foresee with using the rear screen is reflection. I was in a dark hide so reflections wasn’t an issue. Out in bright daylight reflections could be an issue.
 
rob-nikon said:
I used to have us a right angle view finder when on nikon. I tried tilting the rear screen earlier this year when photographing swans from a low hide window at Welney. The rear screen works as well as the viewfinder on Sony with no loss in AF performance. The only issue I can foresee with using the rear screen is reflection. I was in a dark hide so reflections wasn’t an issue. Out in bright daylight reflections could be an issue.
Click to expand...
thanks - i use manual lenses but that should be ok ... and yeah reflection may be a pain
 
Anyone fancy organising a few meet ups this spring? It would be great to put faces to names on here. I’m sure we could think of a few ideas that could be of interest to everyone.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top