Monthly Archives: April 2023

Laowa, Leica M, Review

Review: Laowa 15mm 2.0 Zero-D M-mount

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Introduction

laowa 15mm 2.0 zero-d m-mount leica m10 m10r m11 review sharpness contrast coma distortion vignetting 42mp 24mp 61mp
Laowa 15mm 2.0 M-mount on Leica M10

Photokina in 2016 was the first time I saw the Laowa 15mm 2.0 Zero-D for Sony E-mount, I bought it as soon as it was available and have used it since. Already at that time there was talk about the lens being released for M-mount but it never happened and admittedly I kinda forgot about it.
But what happened at CP+ 2023? We see an M-mount version of the Laowa 15mm 2.0 Zero-D. And for M-mount it might be even more spectacular, pushing the boundaries of the system quite a bit. So let’s see what has changed compared to the Sony version!
Lens is being reviewed on Sony A7rII and Leica M10

Sample Images

laowa 15mm 2.0 zero-d m-mount leica m10 m10r m11 review sharpness contrast coma distortion vignetting 42mp 24mp 61mp
Leica M10 | Laowa 15mm 2.0 M | f/11
laowa 15mm 2.0 zero-d m-mount leica m10 m10r m11 review sharpness contrast coma distortion vignetting 42mp 24mp 61mp
Minolta CLE | Laowa 15mm 2.0 M | f/2.0 | Ektar 100 | Push +1
laowa 15mm 2.0 zero-d m-mount leica m10 m10r m11 review sharpness contrast coma distortion vignetting 42mp 24mp 61mp
Leica M10 | Laowa 15mm 2.0 M | f/5.6
laowa 15mm 2.0 zero-d m-mount leica m10 m10r m11 review sharpness contrast coma distortion vignetting 42mp 24mp 61mp
Leica M10 | Laowa 15mm 2.0 M | f/11

Continue reading Review: Laowa 15mm 2.0 Zero-D M-mount →

Konica, Konica AR, Nikon Z, Review

Review: Konica Hexanon AR 40mm f/1.8

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Introduction

Konica Hexanon AR 40mm F1.8 on Nikon Z6
Konica Hexanon AR 40mm F1.8 on Nikon Z6

Konica Hexanon AR 40mm f1.8 is a pancake standard lens, it was shipped as kit lens with Konica SLR cameras during a couple of years in mid and late ’70s. While it is not an actual wide angle lens it is still wider than a normal 50mm lens, which, in my opinion, can be helpful for street photography as it allows to include more of the environment from the same camera to subject distance. It also does so without introducing the perspective distortion of a 35mm wide angle lens with equivalent speed/aperture.
Sometimes it’s hard to explain it but in many situations the 40mm focal length feels just right (i.e. to my taste). When it was introduced some photography magazines considered it the sharpest lens ever produced (for its time that is), there is no hard proofs on that though. You can find it very cheap at about 20-30$. Let’s see if it still is justified to buy this lens today.

Sample Images

Nikon Z6 | Konica Hexanon AR 40/1.8 | 5.6
Nikon Z6 | Konica Hexanon AR 40/1.8 | 5.6
Nikon Z6 | Konica Hexanon AR 40mm F1.8 | 5.6

Continue reading Review: Konica Hexanon AR 40mm f/1.8 →

Review, Samyang, Sony E-mount

Review: Samyang AF 24mm 1.8 FE

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Introduction

24 1.8 af fe samyang review a7rii a7rv a7riv 42mp 61mp contrast resolution sharpness bokeh
Samyang FE 24mm 1.8 AF on Sony A7rII

The earlier Samyang lenses didn’t really impress me: dinky casing, lack of controls and severe issues with sample variation. This Samyang FE 24mm 1.8 AF was the first of a new generation of Samyang AF lenses though: customizable switch, focus hold button, rubber gasket and vastly improved materials. Did they finally hit the mark? Let’s find out in this review!

Sample Image

24 1.8 af fe samyang review a7rii a7rv a7riv 42mp 61mp contrast resolution sharpness bokeh
Sony A7III | Samyang 24mm 1.8 AF | f/1.8
24 1.8 af fe samyang review a7rii a7rv a7riv 42mp 61mp contrast resolution sharpness bokeh
Sony A7III | Samyang 24mm 1.8 AF | f/2.8
24 1.8 af fe samyang review a7rii a7rv a7riv 42mp 61mp contrast resolution sharpness bokeh
Sony A7III | Samyang 24mm 1.8 AF | f/1.8
24 1.8 af fe samyang review a7rii a7rv a7riv 42mp 61mp contrast resolution sharpness bokeh
Sony A7III | Samyang 24mm 1.8 AF | f/5.0
24 1.8 af fe samyang review a7rii a7rv a7riv 42mp 61mp contrast resolution sharpness bokeh
Sony A7III | Samyang 24mm 1.8 AF | f/1.8
24 1.8 af fe samyang review a7rii a7rv a7riv 42mp 61mp contrast resolution sharpness bokeh
Sony A7III | Samyang 24mm 1.8 AF | f/1.8

Continue reading Review: Samyang AF 24mm 1.8 FE →

Analogue, Leica M, MS-Optics, photography

Analogue Adventures – Part 17: Kodak Ektar 100 ECN-2 processed

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Kodak Ektar 100

Ektar 100 is easily one of my favorite films: low grain, lots of details, lovely colors – simply what I would call high a quality film. Some of you may remember when I exposed a roll of badly expired Ektar, but this time let’s have a look what it can really do.
Processing (ECN-2) and scanning was done at Silbersalz35 in Germany.

ektar 100 kodak review m6 leica analogue analog
Leica M6 | MS-Optics 35mm 1.4 | f/2.0 | Kodak Ektar 100 ECN-2
ektar 100 kodak review m6 leica analogue analog
Leica M6 | MS-Optics 35mm 1.4 | f/5.6 | Kodak Ektar 100 ECN-2
ektar 100 kodak review m6 leica analogue analog
Leica M6 | MS-Optics 24mm 2.0 | f/11 | Kodak Ektar 100 ECN-2
ektar 100 kodak review m6 leica analogue analog
Leica M6 | MS-Optics 35mm 1.4 | f/2.8 | Kodak Ektar 100 ECN-2
ektar 100 kodak review m6 leica analogue analog
Leica M6 | MS-Optics 35mm 1.4 | f/2.0 | Kodak Ektar 100 ECN-2

Continue reading Analogue Adventures – Part 17: Kodak Ektar 100 ECN-2 processed →

Accessories, Adapters, camera, lenses, Meta, Opinion, Sony E-mount

Adapting Lenses – Still worth it in 2023?

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Introduction

canon ef 200mm 2.0 l is usm sony 42mp high res review 1.8 comparison sharpness bokeh resolution brenizer
Canon EF 200mm 2.0 L IS on Sony A7III via Metabones Smart Adapter

There have always been people adapting lenses to other camera systems, but it was really the release of the Sony A7 that completely changed the game, being the first affordable fullframe mirrorless camera with a short flange focal distance, Liveview and built-in EVF.
This not only made it possible to use long forgotten legacy lenses from decades ago on a modern camera, it also led to some of the most sophisticated adapters we have seen so far.
This was the end of 2014 and since then a lot has changed, so let us see what are the reasons to adapt lenses and in what cases it is still worth it today.

Continue reading Adapting Lenses – Still worth it in 2023? →