Guest Review: Pentax SMC FA 31mm f1.8 Limited

11/15/2020:  “Alternatives” and “Conclusion” and “Notes” sections has been updated in light of new releases, and a few more sample images have been added.

The Pentax 31mm f1.8 Limited is a fast moderate wide angle lens released in 2001. It’s designated as one of Pentax’s “Limited” series, denoting its high status within the Pentax catalogue. Since its release, the 31 Ltd has been beloved, especially within the Pentax community. I picked up my first copy in pursuit of a fast, decently priced alternative to the Sony RX1. Sony hasn’t provided shooters with a native fast 35mm f1.8 or f2 option. The 31 Ltd was a highly praised lens upon release, but optics have come along way recently, and it’s getting long in the tooth. Let’s see how it holds up 17 years after it’s release, and what type of images we can expect.


The 31mm focal length is an oddity, being near but noticeably different from the more conventional 28mm or 35mm focal lengths. The 31 ltd functions as versatile jack-of-trades lens with its 31 FL. The lens is still in production by Pentax/Ricoh, coming in either silver or black.

To view larger versions of the photos in this review, follow this link to my Pentax 31 ltd album on flickr

 

Continue reading Guest Review: Pentax SMC FA 31mm f1.8 Limited

Review: Sigma 50mm 1.4 EX – Still worth getting in 2020?

Introduction

sigma 50mm 1.4 ex dh hsm sony a7riii a7riv sharpness bokeh resolution contrast review
Sigma 50mm 1.4 EX with Sigma MC-11 adapter on Sony A7rII

Back in 2008 the Sigma 50mm 1.4 EX was the biggest and most expensive 50mm f/1.4 lens with AF for DSLRs. Now, 12 years later, it looks reasonably sized compared to its modern competitors and can be found used for bargain prices.
But is it a lens still worth considering in 2020? Let us find out in this review!

Sample Images

sigma 50mm 1.4 ex dh hsm sony a7riii a7riv sharpness bokeh resolution contrast review
Sony A7III | Sigma 50mm 1.4 EX | f/1.4
sigma 50mm 1.4 ex dh hsm sony a7riii a7riv sharpness bokeh resolution contrast review
Sony A7III | Sigma 50mm 1.4 EX | f/1.4
sigma 50mm 1.4 ex dh hsm sony a7riii a7riv sharpness bokeh resolution contrast review
Sony A7III | Sigma 50mm 1.4 EX | f/1.4

Continue reading Review: Sigma 50mm 1.4 EX – Still worth getting in 2020?

Best Astro-Photography Lenses for the Sony A7 series

Introduction

Sony A7s | Batis 18mm 2.8 | f/2.8 | ISO6400 | 20s

Landscape astrophotography is something I have been doing for several years. Luckily over the past few years many lenses have been released that make this task easier than ever. So today we are going to have a look at all the available lenses for your Sony so you can choose the one that works best for your needs.
Last update: December 2021

What is landscape astrophotography?

Sony A7s | Nikon AF-S 20mm 1.8G | f/1.8 | 3 shot panorama |

In landscape astrophotography you will usually try to have a combination of the starry sky (with Milky Way or Northern Lights) as well as some foreground (e.g. landscape) in your frame so we are mostly looking at ultra wide to normal lenses (for stitching) here.

Continue reading Best Astro-Photography Lenses for the Sony A7 series