Jeff Kott wrote:
Samuli,
This is one of the best lens evaluations I have ever seen. Thank you for sharing your hard work with us.
Jeff
Thanks, no extra work for me, I always want to understand the equipment strengths and weaknesses - if I can prevent someone else not being as frustrated as I'm now (because of getting 2.8/35).
I can share RAW-files or different apertures on most of the scenes if someone wants to make their own studies. Just send PM to me or ask via this thread.
Sony A7R and Zeiss FE 35mm f2.8 and Leica R 28mm f2.8 (the last two images)
I dont think that I share Samuli's frustrations unfortunately - colour casts can be an issue (but are very easily corrected) but otherwise a very capable performer at f4 even wide open
Samuli Vahonen wrote:
Edit, no extra work for me, I always want to understand the equipment strengths and weaknesses - if I can prevent someone else not being as frustrated as I'm now (because of getting 2.8/35).
Interesting evaluation. Unfortunately I have had very little free time this last week, and virtually none of it has coincided with good, or even acceptable light, so I have not shot as much as I wanted. I have not seen most of the problems you have found, except the blobby light-leak problem, which I have seen in one shot, with a streetlamp in the corner. I have not had the opportunity to go to the forest, yet.
Most of the shooting I have done has been in the near-to-middle distance, with background not so far away, and not so busy. Under these circumstances I have liked what I have seen, apart from a small colour drift in some images. I have liked the boke I have seen so far, for example the shot which I repeat below.
But I think anyway that I have my ZF lenses, which I know and love, and I want the AF lenses for different things, more for travel or family. I would get at most the 35, 55, 85, and maybe a wide and maybe the 24-70, but maybe a lot less; it depends on my evaluation of the camera system as a whole after getting the 55, i.e. do I sell my MFT stuff and use this, or keep the MFT as well.
carstenw wrote:
...I have not seen most of the problems you have found, except the blobby light-leak problem...
Like said on urban subjects the bokeh issue most likely is not issue. For example if I would shoot stuff like nicoimages above (great images btw!) I would most likely have any issues I mentioned. However I assumed that I could use 770EUR lens for my nature shooting as well, and it seems I assumed wrong.
What I plan to use 2.8/35 is work travel, usually I have brought Panasonic LX-3, or 5DmkII+2/28 (too large for laptop bag, but I have done it few times) or nothing (=just phone). I think for shooting urban stuff like New York architecture etc. it should work quite ok.
Samuli Vahonen wrote:
My evaluation of FE Sonnar T* 2.8/35:
Examples of flaring - the main difference to SLR-lenses is that they have issues on opposite site of lens if there are issues at all. For example if there is strong light source on top right corner there might be reflection on bottom left corner. In any of the 2.8/35 photos I took, I could not find this kind of reflection, but lens&camera seemed to have lots of reflections locally close to light sources.
That's not the lens. I see that with any and all lenses on my Nex (native, Leica, whatever) and so far from what I've seen in A7 photos. It's really a downer. I think it's internal reflections in the sensor toppings. Or, it could be reflections of the rear element of the lens. But, I see it for a lot of lenses, and it doesn't happen when those lenses are used on Leicas or whatever.
Just got my FE35 today. Honestly, before it arrived I thought there was at most a 50% chance of keeping it after trying it out, because my shelves are heavy with great alt 35's; but it's a really really nice lens -- very small and light (turns the A7R into a jacket pocket camera), fast and silent AF, and beautiful images.
ebrandon wrote:
Just got my FE35 today. Honestly, before it arrived I thought there was at most a 50% chance of keeping it after trying it out, because my shelves are heavy with great alt 35's; but it's a really really nice lens -- very small and light (turns the A7R into a jacket pocket camera), fast and silent AF, and beautiful images.
