Let's talk about lenses.

[Asher Kelman]

The Minolta AF 85 f/1.4 is certainly excellent, but less on the small and lightweight side.

Best regards,
Michael

That's helpful, Jerome. Thanks! Also the Otus lenses work. Apparently the 55 mm is fantastic. Makes for a fabulous "MF" combo for great detail but the ability to use high ISO.

I wonder how much faster the shutter speed has to go to be assured to the effective increased resolution of the extra pixels from the A7 to the A7R? IOW, can one get full benefit of the A7R hand held in good light?

Asher

 

[jake klein]

I don't love this lens but sometimes it gets the job done!

Nikkor 35mm f1.8G

Of course there is always the Nikkor 85mm f1.4D as well.

 

[Jerome Marot]

That's helpful, Jerome. Thanks! Also the Otus lenses work. Apparently the 55 mm is fantastic. Makes for a fabulous "MF" combo for great detail but the ability to use high ISO.

I wonder how much faster the shutter speed has to go to be assured to the effective increased resolution of the extra pixels from the A7 to the A7R? IOW, can one get full benefit of the A7R hand held in good light?

Asher

Judging by the D800, I would say 2 to 3 times focal length for handheld pictures. So for 85mm: 1/170s to 1/255s.

 

[Ben Rubinstein]

I did a test tonight, tripod, flash, 2 second timer. All stopped down to f11. Tested a Pentax Super Takumar 50mm f1.4, 35mm f2 and a Takumar SMC 28mm f3.5.

First thing I found out was that the adaptor isn't straight, left side noticeably OOF. In general however I stand by my previous comment. These lenses give about 10 megapixels of detail/resolution and the contrast stucks. The 28mm was the best of the bunch but that isn't saying much.

I decided tonight (final) to sell my canon lenses, they are stupidly large next to the camera. I'm probably going to buy the OM 21mm f3.5 which recieves good reports on this camera. I need a small 50mm which is dreamy wide open and bitingly sharp stopped down to f2.8 with good corners by f5.6, and good bokeh throughout. Such as my Canon 50L was. Playing with the idea of the Leica 50mm 'lux pre-asph. Either that or the Sonnar 1.5. I have never used either lens though. The FE Zeiss 55mm is a very sharp lens but the rendition wide open is just too clinical for my needs.

I'm also working on a portrait lens solution. There I don't need resolution as much but would still prefer a lens that would do the camera proud.

 

[Michael Nagel]

Ben,

If this is of interest for you - I could make a few test shots using the M85/2 on a camera with 24Mpix APS-C sensor (without AA-filter). This could give you an impression of the center performance.

Currently I use it on on 14.6Mpix and 16Mpix APS-C and the result was good each time.

Best regards,
Michael

 

[Ben Rubinstein]

Thanks but no, I'm going to be looking for a rangefinder sized lens. Appreciate the offer though!

 

[Michael Nagel]

Ben,

I mentioned the two lenses because they are on the low end of size and weight in the (D)SLR world while being corrected for 36x24mm sensor/film. While the performance of the Limited lens is known, the M85/2 is IMHO underappreciated.

Leica M-Lenses would be the obvious choice. Forum chatter suggests that you will be fine at 50mm and longer, but for wide-angle there is potential of colour cast in the corners and not so stellar performance. Most of it seems just a matter of additional steps in your workflow, but not all.

Best regards,
Michael

 

[Ben Rubinstein]

Lot of talk about the 50mm Summilux with smeared corners till f5.6/8. Doesn't bother me that much, I don't need good corners when I'm shooting wider open than that anyway.

 

[Ben Rubinstein]

I'll look at the M85mm, it is very small and has a good rep from what I can see. Certainly a lot cheaper than the limited! Thanks for bringing it to my attention.

 

[Ben Rubinstein]

Apologies to make to my 50mm Takumar, I had a play with the adaptor and seated the lens in it better (it has a rotating collar inside to align the screwmount lenses correctly and I think that was causing the problems). Did a test out doors. At f8 I had to back the sharpening down all the way. Yes the very far corners did go a bit soft but otherwise I don't see anything in which it lacks to what I'm used to from modern lenses on my 5D3 as far as resolution is concerned. By f11 diffraction is showing and quite noticeably at f16 however it can be controlled with sharpening carefully. Colour and contrast is something else of course. Just did the same test with the 35mm and the 28mm. Will share results.

EDIT: The 28 and 35mm are ok sharp in the centre, the 35mm better than the 28mm. The corners however never get useable. Very smeared. I couldn't use these lenses for anything which needs even a modicum of detail in the corners or edges.

 

[Ben Rubinstein]

Here's the file shot on the 50mm at f8. Sharpening and corrections already in the DNG. Not bad for a 50 year old lens with a scratched rear element on a cheap ebay adaptor! Focus on the AC unit across the street. Think I'll get me a Novoflex M42 adaptor to make the lens work better and if I get a M85mm simialr to the one Michael has shown me, it should be a simple adaptor from the screw mount. All the money saved on buying a Leica 50mm can buy some nice adaptors

 

[Ben Rubinstein]

Bidding on a Pentax M85 f2 as recommended by Michael, let's see what happens. I need to start stocking up on adaptors too...

 

[Chris Calohan II]

Ok guys/gals, I need some good advice on a great landscape lens. I shoot a Nikon D800 and my general walk around lens is the 28-300mm 3.5/5.6. I find it to be tack sharp pretty much throughout the focal range, with perhaps a bit of vignette on the top end. It's livable and Photoshop's lens correction fixes it every time.

But, 28mm it not quite wide enough but I know I am not overly thrilled with the 20mm Nikkor (unless I just got a loser) and 18mm would be as wide as I would want to go. My instinct is to go with the 21mm Zeiss Distacon but that's a lot of greenbacks yet I know the quality of the glass to be superior in every way. I want a relatively "fast" lens but don't want to break the bank, either.

A good bit of what I would shoot with this lens would be tripod mounted.

Any suggestions will be greatly appreciated.

 

[Chris Heilman]

Ok guys/gals, I need some good advice on a great landscape lens. I shoot a Nikon D800 and my general walk around lens is the 28-300mm 3.5/5.6. I find it to be tack sharp pretty much throughout the focal range, with perhaps a bit of vignette on the top end. It's livable and Photoshop's lens correction fixes it every time.

But, 28mm it not quite wide enough but I know I am not overly thrilled with the 20mm Nikkor (unless I just got a loser) and 18mm would be as wide as I would want to go. My instinct is to go with the 21mm Zeiss Distacon but that's a lot of greenbacks yet I know the quality of the glass to be superior in every way. I want a relatively "fast" lens but don't want to break the bank, either.

A good bit of what I would shoot with this lens would be tripod mounted.

Any suggestions will be greatly appreciated.

I can't recommend the 17-35 f/2.8 Nikkor enough. It blows the 20mm f/2.8 D away as far as corner to corner sharpness, and has negligible distortion (not that important for "normal" landscape, I know.) I did a lot of research before purchasing this lens, and I am convinced that it's the best lens available for F mount in the ultra-wide range.

It is pricy, but you should be able to find it for about a grand. Beware a squeaky AF motor when looking at used lenses.

 

[James Lemon]

Ok guys/gals, I need some good advice on a great landscape lens. I shoot a Nikon D800 and my general walk around lens is the 28-300mm 3.5/5.6. I find it to be tack sharp pretty much throughout the focal range, with perhaps a bit of vignette on the top end. It's livable and Photoshop's lens correction fixes it every time.

But, 28mm it not quite wide enough but I know I am not overly thrilled with the 20mm Nikkor (unless I just got a loser) and 18mm would be as wide as I would want to go. My instinct is to go with the 21mm Zeiss Distacon but that's a lot of greenbacks yet I know the quality of the glass to be superior in every way. I want a relatively "fast" lens but don't want to break the bank, either.

A good bit of what I would shoot with this lens would be tripod mounted.

Any suggestions will be greatly appreciated.

You can not go wrong with the 21mm Zeis lens the tones are amazing and a boost in dynamic range.

 

[Jerome Marot]

The 16-35 VR is not bad.

 

[Chris Calohan II]

I had the 16-35 and while I liked it to some degree, I thought the distortion at the bottom end was more bend than I wanted...I will look into the 17-35 as I have not explored it yet though wonder if it is relatively the same as the 16-35??? Anybody have od had both?

 

[Ben Rubinstein]

Just bought an OM 21mm f3.5, one of the last made in 2003. Brand new in box with full year warranty! Looking forward..

 

[Cem_Usakligil]

Just bought an OM 21mm f3.5, one of the last made in 2003. Brand new in box with full year warranty! Looking forward..

I'm very curious Beni, I hope that it'll work out well. If so, I'll follow too. Did you find it on Ebay or somewhere else? Where does it get shipped from?

 

[Ben Rubinstein]

It was this one:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/111225113474?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1423.l2649

Expensive but the price of this lens has gone crazy recently and this is a rare late model multi coat. I don't think I can lose out.

 

[Cem_Usakligil]

It was this one:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/111225113474?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1423.l2649

Expensive but the price of this lens has gone crazy recently and this is a rare late model multi coat. I don't think I can lose out.

Great! How do you know if a version is multi coated or not? Any specifics I should pay attention to before ordering? Which lens adapter did you buy for it? Thanks a lot for your help.

 

[Ben Rubinstein]

http://www.fredmiranda.com/forum/topic/750634/0&year=2009#6841642

That link has the way to tell using outward signs and serial numbers.

I'm buying the Novoflex adaptor. Wide angle lenses need the very best adaptors and Novoflex are universally praised as the best you can buy.

Most of the ones for sale are the G.Zuiko versions, non multi coated and cheaper as a result. I'm told that they are slightly worse for flare and a drop less contrast. Not sure if it would bother you.

 

[Ben Rubinstein]

Just scored a pristine Pentax M 85mm f2 lens on ebay for £130. About £100 under the going price on the EU. Rather happy about that and thanks again Michael!

 

[Cem_Usakligil]

Just scored a pristine Pentax M 85mm f2 lens on ebay for £130. About £100 under the going price on the EU. Rather happy about that and thanks again Michael!

I'm jealous Beni, I can't find any worthy 21mm right now. I'm sure the 85mm will be gone too. But no, of course I'm not jealous, I'm happy for you.

 

[Jerome Marot]

FWIW, the Minolta AF 20mm f/2.8, still available new under the Sony label, is a very nice lens and not very big either. It will AF on the A7/A7r with the "translucent mirror" adapter.

Mine is over 20 years old.

 

[Michael Nagel]

Just scored a pristine Pentax M 85mm f2 lens on ebay for £130. About £100 under the going price on the EU. Rather happy about that and thanks again Michael!

Ben,

hope you will enjoy the lens as much as I enjoy mine.
I had the occasion to test mine on a K-3.
The result was better than I expected - the lens still performes nicely, albeit softer at f2.

Best regards,
Michael

 

[Ben Rubinstein]

Will probably be nice and dreamy on a 36 megapixel camera then when wide open!

Just bought Novoflex adaptors in M42, K mount and OM mount. The K mount adaptor cost almost as much as the lens, the M42 adaptor cost more than the lens. I don't want to cheap out on adaptors though. This camera is brutal for showing up adaptor problems.

 

[Michael Nagel]

I have a Novoflex Adaptor P/K to µ4/3. This one was not cheap either but is pretty solid...

 

[Asher Kelman]

Will probably be nice and dreamy on a 36 megapixel camera then when wide open!

Just bought Novoflex adaptors in M42, K mount and OM mount. The K mount adaptor cost almost as much as the lens, the M42 adaptor cost more than the lens. I don't want to cheap out on adaptors though. This camera is brutal for showing up adaptor problems.

So, Ben,

At the focal lengths and speeds you use, do you expect to get the full benefit of the 36MP A7R with the lenses you are gathering, or are you looking long term for that level of refinement with A7 designated lenses as they are released?

I have been holding back since this thread reported the vibration issues with the A7R shutter. My needs are for 21-24mm for orchestras and 45mm to 135mm approx for groups and portraits.

Asher

 

[Asher Kelman]

I have a Novoflex Adaptor P/K to µ4/3. This one was not cheap either but is pretty solid...

Michael,

I'm surprised at the flurry of purchases with manual lenses? Is your use so deliberative or do you have some special tricks for use with people such as hyperfocal distance or else small apertures?

Asher