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The 58mm F/1.4G Thread

  
 
zhangyue
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p.6 #1 · The 58mm F/1.4G Thread


xtralight wrote:
It is possible to take pictures of fast moving children. There were sport photographers in the old days who were able to take action shots. It is just not as easy...

Try to take pictures at f1.4 in manual focus with fast, erratic moving children. You will have some good shots, but your rate of success will be lower than with a fast DSLR and good AF.


As two kids' father, since I move to MF, I never look back. I am not having 'some' good shots, I can guarantee you I have much higher success rater than AF. Because 80% of time, before I hit the shutter, I know it is in focus. The freedom of put my subject anywhere in frame is priceless and 'the' moment is short, no time to mess up AF point with hand or center focus recompose at close distance.

MF is great with subject within known distance to you, manual is very fast and reliable to track small movement at that case, it is almost like motion capture.

I can tell for sure, once you manage MF well, most likely, you will do AF just fine. But not vise vasa. Once you are deep into MF, it is hard to AF only, they are compliment to each other, and each have trade off.

If you are professional portrait, kids, family, wedding photographer need take thousands photos per day, by all means have your Canikon ready, I must admit manual focus require skill and practice and consume a lot more brain/eye power.

Above cute girl case, it is perfect for manual focus with known distance and small movement. Joe did mis some shots in above. I won't use AF-C continuous fire the shutter so my keeper rater of course higher than AF, and at least 80% of my captures will be in focus in similar case, and I have a lot more freedom to compose. I know that based on my experience.

Some pictures (notice eyes can be anywhere in the frame)

They are all at f1.4 by Leica 35mm Manual lens and D700,(I just pick some from a set from my flickr) and none of them wait for you to capture.



I have tons of samples show my point, for 35,&50 MF is great for short distance, less so with longer lens. I will remove above photo to keep the thread theme until one day I can post some sample from this lens

Edited on Nov 21, 2013 at 01:00 PM · View previous versions



Nov 21, 2013 at 01:54 AM
zarekr
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p.6 #2 · The 58mm F/1.4G Thread


dasams wrote:
The text on the crops says it's the center but in fact appears to be right of center. Was the focus point within this crop? Also, what's the opinion of the star bursts at each light? I find them distracting and note that my 85 1.4g does the same thing at f8. Thanks for posting these crops.


Slightly off-center but more interesting detail to consider. In any event, here are the full res files. You'll have to excuse my dirty sensor at f8:







Nov 21, 2013 at 06:28 AM
xtralight
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p.6 #3 · The 58mm F/1.4G Thread


zhangyue wrote:
As two kids' father, since I move to MF, I never look back. I am not having 'some' good shots, I can guarantee you I have much higher success rater than AF. Because 80% of time, before I hit the shutter, I know it is in focus. The freedom of put my subject anywhere in frame is priceless and 'the' moment is short, no time to mess up AF point with hand or center focus recompose at close distance.

MF is great with subject within known distance to you, manual is very fast and reliable to track small movement at
...Show more

I know about using MF when I used to own a M6 with 35mm f1.4, 50mm f2 and 90mm f2.

Your pictures are not as close as Joe's. You have more depth of field to compensate for minor focus error with your 35mm. As to show me some 50mm picture at f1.4 and close focus distance, I know that you will have some. It is possible to take pictures with MF lenses. I give you that. But was your picture you had good was exactly THE moment you wanted at first?

My point is that if I want THE moment with the composition I want with a sharp eye in focus of my children when using my 85mm f1.4 or any lens at f1.4 at close distance, my odds will be higher with AF. I may have good pictures of my children with MF, but they might not be exactly what I wanted…

Most sport photographers are not using MF lenses anymore for a reason, neither most wedding photographers. There are some that might do it, fine, as there always some exceptions to every rules.

I might buy an Otus someday since it has great performance, and the price is not that high compared to a Leica 50mm f1.4 M lens. I will wait for my 58mm before making a decision.

I think that you will hold your position and the same for me. Let stop this talk, you are enjoying your Leica lens while taking pictures of your kids, I will enjoy my fast AF lenses with my fast DSLR with my kids. That is all that is important, us enjoying taking pictures of our kids.



Nov 21, 2013 at 08:55 AM
zhangyue
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p.6 #4 · The 58mm F/1.4G Thread


del for off topic




Edited on Aug 04, 2014 at 01:58 PM · View previous versions



Nov 21, 2013 at 01:04 PM
Todd
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p.6 #5 · The 58mm F/1.4G Thread


I took a look at one of these lenses at my local camera store today. Tried it out on my D800e and unless it needs to have a fine tuning done, it really didn't blow me away. I was really expecting sharpness equal to my Sigma 35mm F/1.4, but it just wasn't there. The lens also had quite a bit of chromatic aberration which I thought the nano Crystal coat would get rid of. It focused about as fast as the 50 f/1.4, I just don't see where the $1700 comes from.

However the image quality looked pretty decent and there was no light falloff as advertised. The lens is really not for me. I will not be purchasing this lens at all, I would much rather shoot with my 85mm. For those of you that are getting this lens, I hope you enjoy it and get a lot of use out of it. I am just expressing my own experience and opinion at this point. However as usual, I may change my mind in the future. But for now, I do not really see a need to have it. I was just expecting a lot more from it and I guess that's why I wasn't really impressed.

T



Nov 21, 2013 at 04:10 PM
Joe Marquez
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p.6 #6 · The 58mm F/1.4G Thread


Sunset Hula.




Nov 21, 2013 at 07:36 PM
sanjayg
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p.6 #7 · The 58mm F/1.4G Thread


Joe Marquez ... wow!! I don't know much about lens design but I think this lens was made for low light situations like these. Fantastic - I know I won't buy one (too much coin) but it is a specialty lens.


Nov 21, 2013 at 07:41 PM
Andre Labonte
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p.6 #8 · The 58mm F/1.4G Thread


WOW, these are some nice shots ... seems Nikon did a good job ... better have for that price ... but a lot less $$ than the Otis and it has AF.


Nov 21, 2013 at 09:45 PM
xtralight
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p.6 #9 · The 58mm F/1.4G Thread


zhangyue wrote:
You either didn’t read what I posted, or have no clue what I posted. Pick a Leica Rangefinder as a MF example just show this clueless on what I am talking about. I am a M9 user and I can’t get above shots by using RF, (at least 80% of above) they all at minimal focus distance and of center, focus and recompose error can’t be tolerated here. You have to focus by eyes.

Again, this tell me you have no clue about DOF or difficult of having image in focus at different focus length. If anything, I will say
...Show more

English is not my native language but the way you wrote your reply, even if you said it is pacifically, your tone is the more condescending one…

It seem to me that I did not try to offend you or to diminish your talent or anything. But, the way I understand your reply, I am the kind of photographer that just spray and pray with a machine gun sort of DSLR. It is worthless than to try to change your mind then.

You are right about DOF, I was wrong. In your specifics conditions for MF and with your skills, AF may not be better, I do not know and I won't imply anything.

How a picture can show you how erratic was my kid was before the shot was taken? It is impossible, you must be there… For a good test, we need to be taking the pictures of the same subject and see the number of keepers. And I am sure we will disagree about what is a good picture!

For the OP, sorry for the off topic.




Nov 21, 2013 at 10:42 PM
Bastian Bleu
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p.6 #10 · The 58mm F/1.4G Thread


Finally got my copy in today and of course it is raining. I'll post a few examples as I get them.


Nov 22, 2013 at 02:10 PM
 


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zhangyue
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p.6 #11 · The 58mm F/1.4G Thread


del for off topic

Edited on Aug 04, 2014 at 01:59 PM · View previous versions



Nov 22, 2013 at 02:56 PM
xtralight
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p.6 #12 · The 58mm F/1.4G Thread


zhangyue wrote:
Don't make 'made life easier' as lame excuse of incapable skill. Don't even laugh others chocie before fundamental understanding and learning. Offend is not taken, but point need to make clear since it is all start from you challenge the validation of MF but turn out you don't even have any experience on MF.

That is all.


Why did you took it so personal at the first place? Does MF need you to defended it like you did in your posts?

I am sorry buddy, my bad! I have some experience in MF but not at your level, sorry again then. My skill is in action photography with AF since I have incapable skill in MF. I am a too lazy guy to take the time to understand and learn the fine craft of MF.

Adieu monsieur!




Nov 22, 2013 at 07:45 PM
Bastian Bleu
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p.6 #13 · The 58mm F/1.4G Thread


First impression; Very dreamy at 1.4, similar to the MF 1.2. Not sure I can use that given I have yet to get an eye sharp. Feels very cheap as well, like it will crack if it take a tumble. Hopefully I can get outside tomorrow and get some images as well as night sky photos to really test it.

Edit: And by "dreamy" I mean soft but some like that look for portraits. I'm not one of them..



Nov 22, 2013 at 08:12 PM
xtralight
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p.6 #14 · The 58mm F/1.4G Thread


The "dreamy" look is with close range focus?


Nov 22, 2013 at 09:07 PM
Todd
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p.6 #15 · The 58mm F/1.4G Thread




Bastian Bleu wrote:
First impression; Very dreamy at 1.4, similar to the MF 1.2. Not sure I can use that given I have yet to get an eye sharp. Feels very cheap as well, like it will crack if it take a tumble. Hopefully I can get outside tomorrow and get some images as well as night sky photos to really test it.

Edit: And by "dreamy" I mean soft but some like that look for portraits. I'm not one of them..


Now you're talking. I really want to see what this thing looks like on the night sky because I do a lot of astrophotography myself. I use the portable device called the Astrotrac and my latest and greatest image so far was of the Andromeda galaxy taken with my Nikon D800 with the Nikon reflex 500 mm F8 mirror lens. It was an eight minute exposure at ISO 2000. Really looks nice.

So if you can actually get out there and test that lens at F2 .8 and let me know what the star points look like and how much chromatic aberration is going to be visible, that would be helpful to me. Congratulations on the lens, I'm sure you will enjoy it. However I think that I will pass on this one because it's not what I need.
Is rather use my 85 mm. If you want to see any of my astrophotography, just click on the SmugMug link under my avatar and they will be featured in the nature Gallery

Todd



Nov 22, 2013 at 09:20 PM
Bastian Bleu
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p.6 #16 · The 58mm F/1.4G Thread


xtralight wrote:
The "dreamy" look is with close range focus?


Yes.



Nov 22, 2013 at 09:55 PM
Bastian Bleu
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p.6 #17 · The 58mm F/1.4G Thread


Todd wrote:
Now you're talking. I really want to see what this thing looks like on the night sky because I do a lot of astrophotography myself. I use the portable device called the Astrotrac and my latest and greatest image so far was of the Andromeda galaxy taken with my Nikon D800 with the Nikon reflex 500 mm F8 mirror lens. It was an eight minute exposure at ISO 2000. Really looks nice.

So if you can actually get out there and test that lens at F2 .8 and let me know what the star points look like and how much
...Show more

Todd, Great shots! I wish I could get someplace without any light polution. But that's tough in the Northeast without driving a few hours into the mountains.



Nov 22, 2013 at 10:04 PM
rittrato
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p.6 #18 · The 58mm F/1.4G Thread


Post some pics!


Nov 23, 2013 at 01:07 PM
Bastian Bleu
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p.6 #19 · The 58mm F/1.4G Thread


I had a chance to wander around today and take some photos with this little maniac of a lens. My initial impression was "meh" and that has done a full 180. It's not the sharpest lens ever but it has character to my eye. The "dreamy" look that I referred to in my last post was in essence saying that the image was not sharp at the point of focus, but with some light sharpening in LR it all came together. All of these images are edited in LR with my normal workflow of just the basics. I don't see any reason to look at OOC images for this lens as nobody is ever going to post or show off a OOC image without the basic edits. It's in our nature. So have a look. I hope they help or at least show a different side to the previous images posted here, because remember it's cold in the Northeast right now..Remember this is the first time I have actually "used" this lens so this is my first "real" test.


















f1.4

f4.0
[URL=http://s1096.photobucket.com/user/nbdavn/media/58mm14GTestimages-19_zps44356e89.jpg.html]











Edited on Nov 23, 2013 at 05:01 PM · View previous versions



Nov 23, 2013 at 04:53 PM
hijazist
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p.6 #20 · The 58mm F/1.4G Thread


Thanks for sharing these The lens indeed has character which to my eyes is somehow Leica-like especially in the picture of the boxes next to the harbor. The bokeh is just so beautiful and calm. Also looks sharp enough for me.

Congrats



Nov 23, 2013 at 04:58 PM
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