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

woof woof said:
TBH I'm still undecided on this lens. I do like trying and comparing lenses and this lens does appeal to me as it's very cheap and very small and light with reasonable image quality but what's the point of a f1.4 lens? It has two points, providing reduced depth when you want it and low light shooting ability and the latter is quite compromised as I need a higher ISO or a slower shutter speed compared to either of my Voigtlander 35mm lenses and both these things could well affect the final picture, motion blur or noise, not all the time though, mostly in low light. So if I keep this lens it'll be a daylight lens with limited low light ability.

I could just use my Voigtlander 35mm f1.2 as it fixes the Pergears issues but it's bigger and heavier.
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I agree with Lee, it’s always going to be on your mind and will bug you.
 
LeeRatters said:
Send it back & move on imo Alan :)

You'll never be happy with it as the issues will always bug you nagging in the back of your head.
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snerkler said:
I agree with Lee, it’s always going to be on your mind and will bug you.
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Wise words.

Plus something else just popped into my mind as it's ok saying this could be a daylight only lens but in the winter months low light ability often crops up on a day out with it getting dark between 16:00 and 17:00.

I would like to know what the issue is. I suppose the light gathering could just be down to poor coating compared to the Voigtlanders and Sony. I suppose the smaller bokeh balls could be due to the position of the aperture in the lens barrel.
 
woof woof said:
Wise words.

Plus something else just popped into my mind as it's ok saying this could be a daylight only lens but in the winter months low light ability often crops up on a day out with it getting dark between 16:00 and 17:00.

I would like to know what the issue is. I suppose the light gathering could just be down to poor coating compared to the Voigtlanders and Sony. I suppose the smaller bokeh balls could be due to the position of the aperture in the lens barrel.
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Whatever the reason you'll not be happy (y)
 
Has anyone got any experience of the Sigma 17mm f4 DG DN? I've been looking at something small and light to chuck in the bag when I'm out and about with the 20-70mm and need something a bit wider (thinking church interiors etc)
 
I don't suppose anyone here will be interested... but just in case... Just posted my X100f for sale on here.
 
snerkler said:
No deals to be had, not willing to pay over £500. Might look at Laowa instead.
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Just get the viltrox 16mm f1.8
An amazing lens and nothing even comes close at this price point.
It's about the same size as the 35GM or 20-70mm lens.
 
Mr Perceptive said:
If its for the odd shot why not shot a 2 shot or 3 shot vertical pano - saves the £££ and the bag weight
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I thought about this, but for interior shots I always find I get that 'classic' pano distortion.
nandbytes said:
Just get the viltrox 16mm f1.8
An amazing lens and nothing even comes close at this price point.
It's about the same size as the 35GM or 20-70mm lens.
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Too big, was wanting something much smaller and lighter so that I barely notice it in the bag. I've even thought about getting the Laowa cookie lens and using it in APS-C mode, but I think it might be too fiddly for my sausage fingers :lol:
 
Mr Perceptive said:
If its for the odd shot why not shot a 2 shot or 3 shot vertical pano - saves the £££ and the bag weight
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This is what I mostly do these days with the 20-70mm if I need go wider.

I have the viltrox 16mm f1.8 mostly for the f1.8 for shooting in low light and also astrophotography.
 
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snerkler said:
I thought about this, but for interior shots I always find I get that 'classic' pano distortion.
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Tbh depends how you shoot and stitch. You can get pretty close to or same as shooting with wider lens. But helps to shoot on a tripod and spend the time in PS for stitches.

snerkler said:
Too big, was wanting something much smaller and lighter so that I barely notice it in the bag. I've even thought about getting the Laowa cookie lens and using it in APS-C mode, but I think it might be too fiddly for my sausage fingers :LOL:
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If you don't mind APS-C lenses there's always the Sony 11mm f1.8 which is also amazing value for the quality you get.
 
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nandbytes said:
Tbh depends how you shoot and stitch. You can get pretty close to or same as shooting with wider lens. But helps to shoot on a tripod and spend the time in PS for stitches.


If you don't mind APS-C lenses there's always the Sony 11mm f1.8 which is also amazing value for the quality you get.
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I'll look into that, thanks.
 
Mr Perceptive said:
If its for the odd shot why not shot a 2 shot or 3 shot vertical pano - saves the £££ and the bag weight
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You are looking at a full steel pano rig. Wide angle stacking is very complex due to potential parallax issues. It's not your 3 shot pano with a 70-200 where even handheld works perfectly
 
snerkler said:
I thought about this, but for interior shots I always find I get that 'classic' pano distortion
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For proper interior work you need a proper 16-35 (gm2) and also ideally a tilt and shift. No way around that
 
LongLensPhotography said:
For proper interior work you need a proper 16-35 (gm2) and also ideally a tilt and shift. No way around that
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I've normally coped OK with my 16-35mm and just taken a single shot so if I get a cheap lightweight 16mm eq prime to go alongside the 20-70mm that should be OK for me (y)
 
LongLensPhotography said:
You are looking at a full steel pano rig. Wide angle stacking is very complex due to potential parallax issues. It's not your 3 shot pano with a 70-200 where even handheld works perfectly
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I don't disgaree with this, and 3:2 sensors also don't help when shooting wide angle lens pano's as more images are needed, but given @snerkler budget (sub £500), I would prefer to do this (handled or simple tripod), than have a cheap (often significantly optically distorted in its own right) wide angle. I know I won't get the perfection that you seek, but more often than not I will get an image that I'm happy with,
 
snerkler said:
I've normally coped OK with my 16-35mm and just taken a single shot so if I get a cheap lightweight 16mm eq prime to go alongside the 20-70mm that should be OK for me (y)
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you FF options as I see it are:
Laowa 14mm f4
Voigtlander 15mm f4.5
Laowa 15mm f2
Viltrox 16mm f1.8
Sigma 17mm f4

or as you have thought of before instead of using a crop lens, just keep the 16-35mm, return the 20-70mm and crop from 35mm for more reach. you can replace the ZA with the new version which is sharper at 35mm so that'll help with cropping in.

Personally I don't really shoot wider than 20mm all that regularly. So doesn't bother me as much even if I don't carry the 16mm with me.
 
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nandbytes said:
you FF options as I see it are:
Laowa 14mm f4
Voigtlander 15mm f4.5
Laowa 15mm f2
Viltrox 16mm f1.8
Sigma 17mm f4

or as you have thought of before instead of using a crop lens, just keep the 16-35mm, return the 20-70mm and crop from 35mm for more reach. you can replace the ZA with the new version which is sharper at 35mm so that'll help with cropping in.

Personally I don't really shoot wider than 20mm all that regularly. So doesn't bother me as much even if I don't carry the 16mm with me.
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My thoughts are that the 20-70mm will make a better travel lens than a 16-35mm and it will likely be fairly rare that I’ll need wider hence why I’m looking at a cheap lightweight UWA to chuck in the bag. It’ll only be more for ‘record’ shots so doesn’t need to be the absolute best performer. I’ve been looking at a lot of the Laowa’s from 9mm up, and also the voigtlanders from 10mm up.

I’d still keep the 16-35mm for landscapes, and would hope to upgrade this lens at some point. I do keep looking at the PZ but I’m pretty sure I’d find the power zoom annoying, especially not been able to see if you’re at the extreme ends of the zoom without have to look at the screen/VF.
 
Mr Perceptive said:
I don't disgaree with this, and 3:2 sensors also don't help when shooting wide angle lens pano's as more images are needed, but given @snerkler budget (sub £500), I would prefer to do this (handled or simple tripod), than have a cheap (often significantly optically distorted in its own right) wide angle. I know I won't get the perfection that you seek, but more often than not I will get an image that I'm happy with,
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Parallax gets very severe very quickly, and can waste a lot of time. This is not a slightly soft corner issue any more - this is major. I've done it all so am speaking from first hand experience. Anything wider than 24mm just won't stack period unless shooting with a spherical head and taking time to set it up. Even 24mm+ will want everything far further than is realistic in interiors; basically infinity focus.
So essentially I could do it because I have such a head, but it is such a royal PITA to lug it and use it that I would much rather not unless I am commissioned to do 360s.
Handheld and interiors... I'd rather not begin. Simply NO.

snerkler said:
I've normally coped OK with my 16-35mm
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right. So again what is wrong with it?
 
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LongLensPhotography said:
right. So again what is wrong with it?
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Nothing other than it's not ideal for travel imo as 35mm can be limiting and I think overall the 20-70mm will be better for this. I'd rather take the 20-70mm and lightweight UWA than the 16-35mm and 20-70mm, or the 16-35mm and a longer prime.
 
It was chilly at the seaside today.

A7 and Voigtlander 35mm f1.2.

The tide was coming in fast.

DSC04416.JPG

Shells, at just past MFD.

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At our usual picnic spot I felt the need to take one at f1.2 but should have stopped down just a bit for the birds.

DSC04403.JPG
 
snerkler said:
Cool, although quite a bit heavier than I was looking for.
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you don't want to pay as much or carry as much or spend time photographing with it as much?
I think this lens is made for you
phillipreeve.net

Review: Funleader 18mm 8.0 - phillipreeve.net

The Funleader 18mm 8.0 is a tiny yet affordable ultra wide angle lens. Due to its fixed aperture you may think it is a pinhole lens, but
phillipreeve.net phillipreeve.net

you don't even need carry a lens cap for it.
 
nandbytes said:
you don't want to pay as much or carry as much or spend time photographing with it as much?
I think this lens is made for you
phillipreeve.net

Review: Funleader 18mm 8.0 - phillipreeve.net

The Funleader 18mm 8.0 is a tiny yet affordable ultra wide angle lens. Due to its fixed aperture you may think it is a pinhole lens, but
phillipreeve.net phillipreeve.net

you don't even need carry a lens cap for it.
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Looks like fun but if I was going for a lens like that I'd be more interested in this.

dustinabbott.net

Laowa 10mm F4 "Cookie" Lens Review - DustinAbbott.net

Photographer Dustin Abbott shares a thorough review of the tiny Laowa 10mm F4 "Cookie" lens for APS-C mirrorless cameras
dustinabbott.net dustinabbott.net
 
I don't suppose anyone in this thread will be interested but as I have my eye on something I've decided to sell some stuff that hasn't been used for a while, all in the for sale section...

Syoptic 50mm f1.1.
Voigtlander 50mm f2 APO. This in particular is an outstanding lens. Maybe the best I've ever had for any camera.
Voigtlander 40mm f1.2.
Fuji X100f.
Panasonic G100.

I've not had much luck in the for sale section here in recent times but if none of this stuff sells I'll call a dealer as there really is no point hanging on to stuff I'm not using. I don't know if I'll list my film era lenses here or not, I might just go straight to a dealer.
 
Why the :oops: :$ ? :D

TBH I have way too much kit and I'm not using most of it so what's the point in keeping it? It's just slowly degrading in a drawer. I did have the idea that when I was retired I'd have the time to wander about by myself and maybe do a blog on the differences between a Minolta and a FD and such like but it's never going to happen and I'm getting older by the day.
 
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woof woof said:
Why the :oops: :$ ? :D

TBH I have way too much kit and I'm not using most of it so what's the point in keeping it? It's just slowly degrading on a drawer. I did have the idea that when I was retired I'd have the time to wander about by myself and maybe do a blog on the differences between a Minolta and a FD and such like but it's never going to happen and I'm getting older by the day.
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Because that's some really great stuff, wasn't expecting them to show up in sales.
But yes if you are not using them then no point keeping it around.

I would like to make an offer, but really struggling post Christmas/New year :(
 
nandbytes said:
Because that's some really great stuff, wasn't expecting them to show up in sales.
But yes if you are not using them then no point keeping it around.

I would like to make an offer, but really struggling post Christmas/New year :(
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I'd be surprised if anything sells... Here.

I'll leave them there a week or so and then give them a bump and then start calling dealers.

TBH the hardest decision was the G100. I bought that trying to relive my G1 days but the G100 only has one near top of camera dial and then I'm on the vertical back wheel and I just can't use the camera without jogging that back wheel. If it had even just one clickable near top of camera dial (like the G1) and if that back wheel could be disabled I'd probably use it a lot. But as it is I just hate the handling.
 
woof woof said:
I'd be surprised if anything sells... Here.

I'll leave them there a week or so and then give them a bump and then start calling dealers.

TBH the hardest decision was the G100. I bought that trying to relive my G1 days but the G100 only has one near top of camera dial and then I'm on the vertical back wheel and I just can't use the camera without jogging that back wheel. If it had even just one clickable near top of camera dial (like the G1) and if that back wheel could be disabled I'd probably use it a lot. But as it is I just hate the handling.
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You might have more luck if you advertise the G100 with a (small) lens.

I really loved that body. Let me go break some piggy banks and collect my pennies :ROFLMAO:
 
nandbytes said:
You might have more luck if you advertise the G100 with a (small) lens.

I really loved that body. Let me go break some piggy banks and collect my pennies :ROFLMAO:
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I did think about listing my Panasonic 14-42mm f3.5-5.6... it's the tiny kit lens... but TBH I just forgot. I should also list my Olympus 9-18mm.
 
Is there anyone here who has the Tamron 35-150mm f2-2.8 ?
All the reviews say it's a fantastic lens - terrific value for money.
 
Malfis said:
Is there anyone here who has the Tamron 35-150mm f2-2.8 ?
All the reviews say it's a fantastic lens - terrific value for money.
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had one but was too big for my liking. its a terrific lens, pairs really nicely with a 16-35mm.
 
I'm looking into reducing my camera weight and the cost of adding new lenses (yes, again) with a bit of GAS added as usual :) So my Canon gear is off to a dealer.

My short list includes the A7C II /A7CR. There is around £500 difference in price between these two or greater if I don't go full frame and opt for the A6700.

I need to add a minimum of one lens too. The lens options I'm considering is at the top price point the FE 24-70mm 2.8 GMII or for a lot less the Sigma or Tamron 2.8 equivalents.

My concern regarding choice is less financial (saving would be good!) but more about sharpness.

Any thoughts on the three lenses regarding sharpness from real world use?

I also intend visiting WEX to be sure the viewfinder is acceptable in use as I wear glasses and struggle a little with some EVF's.
 
Iiyama said:
I'm looking into reducing my camera weight and the cost of adding new lenses (yes, again) with a bit of GAS added as usual :) So my Canon gear is off to a dealer.

My short list includes the A7C II /A7CR. There is around £500 difference in price between these two or greater if I don't go full frame and opt for the A6700.

I need to add a minimum of one lens too. The lens options I'm considering is at the top price point the FE 24-70mm 2.8 GMII or for a lot less the Sigma or Tamron 2.8 equivalents.

My concern regarding choice is less financial (saving would be good!) but more about sharpness.

Any thoughts on the three lenses regarding sharpness from real world use?

I also intend visiting WEX to be sure the viewfinder is acceptable in use as I wear glasses and struggle a little with some EVF's.
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I'd be more concerned about the balance of the lens on the A7c bodies, with the relatively small grip it's not ideal imo so make sure you try the camera with this lens or a similar size weight lens.

AFAIK the Sony GM II is the best on the market.
 
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