Sony's full-frame Alpha 7 and 7R

i got that one...i still laugh when i read it "Cardboard box"

David Arbogast wrote in post #16612787
I had hoped my comment about the "High-Quality Cardboard Representation Box" was a clear-enough tell that I think the $11K Noctilux is a joke. If you're trolling, then I'm right there with you.

If the Noctilux was super-sharp and well-corrected at f/.95, it would be an amazing lens, with a perhaps-justifiably ultra-high price. But, I have not yet seen a faster-than-f/1.4 50mm lens that impresses me (including the Canon 50mm f/1.2L).

Oh yeah, I got the cardboard gag. I'm tempted to contact them and ask if I can have a discount if I buy it without the box

TBH I've not seen an f/1.4 lens that's impressed me (at f/1.4) that's been cheaper than, oh, say, the Otus.

sploo wrote in post #16613120
Oh yeah, I got the cardboard gag. I'm tempted to contact them and ask if I can have a discount if I buy it without the box

TBH I've not seen an f/1.4 lens that's impressed me (at f/1.4) that's been cheaper than, oh, say, the Otus.

Everything I am seeing, including the very nice/helpful comparitive review link you posted earlier, points to the native FE 55mm f/1.8 as the best performance/value 50-ish mm option for discriminating a7(R) users.

The new Sigma 50 f/1.4 Art will likely be very impressive (optically) as well, but I don't think I would like it on the a7. I didn't like using the optically excellent 35mm f/1.4 Art as a manual focus lens, and mine suffered from erratic AF. It will likely be my last Sigma lens. That's a real bummer; Sigma is doing some excellent optical work lately.

Although I am thoroughly impressed with the FE 55mm f/1.8, I chose the Otus for my 50-ish mm to maintain "ecosystem" consistency with the rest of my Canon-mount lenses. I like to shoot with pairs of prime lenses (swapping as needed), and am enthused about shooting the Otus 55mm along with the equally excellent 2/135mm ZE. Choosing the Otus over the FE 55mm means I can mount it to either Canon or Sony camera and I like that flexibility as well. It's certainly not a good "performance/value" choice though, but it's going to please me, so that's what counts. And I still saved a crap-load of $$$ by not choosing the Noctilux.

David Arbogast wrote in post #16613514
Everything I am seeing, including the very nice/helpful comparitive review link you posted earlier, points to the native FE 55mm f/1.8 as the best performance/value 50-ish mm option for discriminating a7(R) users.

The new Sigma 50 f/1.4 Art will likely be very impressive (optically) as well, but I don't think I would like it on the a7. I didn't like using the optically excellent 35mm f/1.4 Art as a manual focus lens, and mine suffered from erratic AF. It will likely be my last Sigma lens. That's a real bummer; Sigma is doing some excellent optical work lately.

Although I am thoroughly impressed with the FE 55mm f/1.8, I chose the Otus for my 50-ish mm to maintain "ecosystem" consistency with the rest of my Canon-mount lenses. I like to shoot with pairs of prime lenses (swapping as needed), and am enthused about shooting the Otus 55mm along with the equally excellent 2/135mm ZE. Choosing the Otus over the FE 55mm means I can mount it to either Canon or Sony camera and I like that flexibility as well. It's certainly not a good "performance/value" choice though, but it's going to please me, so that's what counts. And I still saved a crap-load of $$$ by not choosing the Noctilux.

It's a shame that the FE 55mm f/1.8 isn't available in a Canon mount, as from what I've seen it'd certainly be a better choice than any of the currently compatible ~50mm offerings I've tried (I haven't tested the 50L, but based on images I've seen it wouldn't surprise me if the FE gave it a run for its money at f/1.8).

A guilty part of me is feeling responsible for you dropping an obscene amount of cash on a manual focus Otus though

David Arbogast wrote in post #16613514
Everything I am seeing, including the very nice/helpful comparitive review link you posted earlier, points to the native FE 55mm f/1.8 as the best performance/value 50-ish mm option for discriminating a7(R) users.

The new Sigma 50 f/1.4 Art will likely be very impressive (optically) as well, but I don't think I would like it on the a7. I didn't like using the optically excellent 35mm f/1.4 Art as a manual focus lens, and mine suffered from erratic AF. It will likely be my last Sigma lens. That's a real bummer; Sigma is doing some excellent optical work lately.

Although I am thoroughly impressed with the FE 55mm f/1.8, I chose the Otus for my 50-ish mm to maintain "ecosystem" consistency with the rest of my Canon-mount lenses. I like to shoot with pairs of prime lenses (swapping as needed), and am enthused about shooting the Otus 55mm along with the equally excellent 2/135mm ZE. Choosing the Otus over the FE 55mm means I can mount it to either Canon or Sony camera and I like that flexibility as well. It's certainly not a good "performance/value" choice though, but it's going to please me, so that's what counts. And I still saved a crap-load of $$$ by not choosing the Noctilux.

Congrats on the Otus! I still want this lens but, with other gigs coming up, I was forced to pick up a Nikon 200 VR II.

jdizzle wrote in post #16614092
Congrats on the Otus! I still want this lens but, with other gigs coming up, I was forced to pick up a Nikon 200 VR II.

Thanks! I was pretty excited and surprised to get a message from the retail shop that Zeiss had sent them three lenses (I think the other two were going to pre-orders). Now I hope Zeiss will get busy and make me an Otus 28mm (I know they're working on an Otus 85mm next though).

If the 200mm is in the same quality ballpark as the Canon 200mm f/2L, that should be a pretty fantastic lens...congrats to you on that.

Had another shoot at the John Varvatos headquarters to shoot Fall Fashion 2014 line.

These are a few behind the scenes shots taken with my Sony A7 + Canon 50mm FL 50mm f/1/4 (@1.4 and f/2)....

1. My "Money Maker"; Canon 5D MKIII

sploo wrote in post #16612731
There's that too yes. Sometimes I think soft shots from very fast lenses are a result of missing focus (rather than the lens being soft). That said, from tests I've seen of many fast (f/1.8 and quicker) primes, very few are particularly good until you stop them down well past f/2.0; which somewhat limits their aperture advantage.

I saw a test from a very well respected first in the queue leica tester guy of the 0.95 when it launched.

He gushed over it. To me every single photo he posted was poorly focused.

RobDickinson wrote in post #16620190
I saw a test from a very well respected first in the queue leica tester guy of the 0.95 when it launched.

He gushed over it. To me every single photo he posted was poorly focused.

Yea, I think sometimes people see impressive numbers (big aperture, big price) and are so busy fellating the product they sometimes loose sight of the fact something really might not be quite that great.

For me, the Otus f/1.4 is a crazy price, but it does appear to be able to justify itself (to those with the cash) based on having superb quality wide open. From tests I've seen, that f/0.95 wasn't really sharp until stopped down way further... which to some extent kinda defeats the point.

AYe, looking for a nice wide astro lens, all the usual suspects need stopping down a fair bit...

anyone here care to contribute on my dilema here?

https://photography-on-the.net …/showthread.php​?t=1356057

Straightforward question here: I'm under the impression it's not possible to AF with Nikon F-mount lenses, regardless of adapter. True?

I'm trying to hold out for a D610, but the A7 price is awfully tempting. However, no AF is a dealbreaker, obviously.

brettjrob wrote in post #16636046
Straightforward question here: I'm under the impression it's not possible to AF with Nikon F-mount lenses, regardless of adapter. True?

I'm trying to hold out for a D610, but the A7 price is awfully tempting. However, no AF is a dealbreaker, obviously.

As of now, there is not an adapter that that can AF with any Nikon mount lens.

I played with the A7 at best buy and the ergonomics would take some serious getting used to. Id almost venture to say that they are awful. On the flip side, I played with a file from an A7R/35/2.8 and it was magical. Really liked the file. GAS aside, I just dont see this camera in my future, as for what I do, my 6D does just fine. Those Sony sensors tho...damn

The erogonomics aren't quite as nice as the Canons and Nikons I've used. Things I don't really like are the placement of the two control wheels and big thick, hard edged feel to them, the placement of the one button (C2) used to zoom in on a photo.

Other button layouts aren't an issue IMO - they're all part of learning a new camera.

Ran into slight issues with the EVF last night using a Nikon mount lens and firing an SB800 flash. The thing was simulating exposure which I had set at 1/200, ISO 400 and aperture somewhere around f/8-11. Accordingly it was almost black in the viewfinder making it near impossible to focus without changing one or more of the exposure settings so that I could see the subject (and then I would grossly over expose when I forgot to change back). Grrr