All posts by BastianK

My name is Bastian and I am your expert here when it comes to ultra wide angle lenses, super fast portrait lenses (ranging from a 50mm f/0.95 to a 200mm f/1.8) and I also have reviewed way too many 35mm lenses. Don't ask me anything about macro or wildlife shooting though.

Review: Minolta 28mm 2.8 M-Rokkor

Introduction

minolta 28mm 2.8 m-rokkor leica review contrast sharpness vignetting 24mp m10 42mp m11 resolution
Minolta 28mm 2.8 M-Rokkor on Minolta CLE

The Minolta 28mm 2.8 M-Rokkor was released alongside the Minolta CLE and is one of the most affordable 28mm M-mount lenses these days. Unfortunately it is also infamous for developing “white dot issues”, probably the main reason for this lens still being affordable on the used market. What is this all about and is it still a good idea to buy this lens or should you rather stay away from it? Let’s find out.
Lens is being tested on 42mp Sony A7rII and 24mp Leica M10

Sample Images

minolta 28mm 2.8 m-rokkor leica review contrast sharpness vignetting 24mp m10 42mp m11 resolution
Leica M10 | Minolta 28mm 2.8 | f/8.0
minolta 28mm 2.8 m-rokkor leica review contrast sharpness vignetting 24mp m10 42mp m11 resolution
Sigma fp | Minolta 28mm 2.8 | f/8.0 | ©Juha Kannisto
minolta 28mm 2.8 m-rokkor leica review contrast sharpness vignetting 24mp m10 42mp m11 resolution
Leica M10 | Minolta 28mm 2.8 | f/2.8
minolta 28mm 2.8 m-rokkor leica review contrast sharpness vignetting 24mp m10 42mp m11 resolution
Leica M10 | Minolta 28mm 2.8 | f/5.6
minolta 28mm 2.8 m-rokkor leica review contrast sharpness vignetting 24mp m10 42mp m11 resolution
Sigma fp | Minolta 28mm 2.8 | f/8.0 | ©Juha Kannisto

Continue reading Review: Minolta 28mm 2.8 M-Rokkor

Analogue Adventures Part 24: Agfa APX400

After buying the Leica M6 I bought whatever films I could find and among those also was an Agfa APX400 black and white film. It was lying in the fridge for more than a year before I finally conviced myself to use it.
Processing and scanning was done at urbanfilmlab in Germany.
The pictures you see in this article are from 1 roll.

agfa apx 400 agfaphoto agpha black white bw sw schwarz weiss weiß minolta cle leica m voigtländer vm 35mm 1.2 III nokton
Minolta CLE | Voigtländer VM 35mm 1.2 III | f/5.6 | APX400
agfa apx 400 agfaphoto agpha black white bw sw schwarz weiss weiß minolta cle leica m voigtländer vm 35mm 1.2 III nokton
Minolta CLE | Voigtländer VM 35mm 1.2 III | f/1.2 | APX400
agfa apx 400 agfaphoto agpha black white bw sw schwarz weiss weiß minolta cle leica m voigtländer vm 40mm 1.4 classic nokton
Minolta CLE | Voigtländer VM 40mm 1.4 Nokton Classic | f/1.4 | APX400
agfa apx 400 agfaphoto agpha black white bw sw schwarz weiss weiß minolta cle leica m voigtländer vm 35mm 1.2 III nokton
Minolta CLE | Voigtländer VM 35mm 1.2 III | f/2.8 | APX400

Continue reading Analogue Adventures Part 24: Agfa APX400

Review: Light Lens Lab 50mm 2.0 Speed Panchro II

Introduction

light lens lab cooke speed panchro ii sp spii review leica m10 m11 m9 42mp 24mp cinematic contrast sharpness rendering bokeh 50mm 2.0 film analogue
Light Lens Lab 50mm 2.0 SP II on Leica M10

With this 50mm 2.0 Speed Panchro II lens, Light Lens Lab tried to bring the look of the original Cooke SP II to the 35mm format and doing so at an affordable pricepoint – at least compared to what the original lenses are going for on the used market these days.
Before this lens, I never paid any attention to these old cine lenses, that makes it even more interesting to have a closer look at one.
This lens will be reviewed on the 42mp Sony A7rII and the 24mp Leica M10.

Sample Images

light lens lab cooke speed panchro ii sp spii review leica m10 m11 m9 42mp 24mp cinematic contrast sharpness rendering bokeh 50mm 2.0 film analogue
Leica M10 | Light Lens Lab 50mm 2.0 SP II | f/2.0
light lens lab cooke speed panchro ii sp spii review leica m10 m11 m9 42mp 24mp cinematic contrast sharpness rendering bokeh 50mm 2.0 film analogue
Leica M10 | Light Lens Lab 50mm 2.0 SP II | f/2.8
light lens lab cooke speed panchro ii sp spii review leica m10 m11 m9 42mp 24mp cinematic contrast sharpness rendering bokeh 50mm 2.0 film analogue
Sony A7rII UT | LM-EA9 | Light Lens Lab 50mm 2.0 SP II | f/2.8
light lens lab cooke speed panchro ii sp spii review leica m10 m11 m9 42mp 24mp cinematic contrast sharpness rendering bokeh 50mm 2.0 film analogue
Leica M10 | Light Lens Lab 50mm 2.0 SP II | f/2.0
light lens lab cooke speed panchro ii sp spii review leica m10 m11 m9 42mp 24mp cinematic contrast sharpness rendering bokeh 50mm 2.0 film analogue
Leica M10 | Light Lens Lab 50mm 2.0 SP II | f/2.0
light lens lab cooke speed panchro ii sp spii review leica m10 m11 m9 42mp 24mp cinematic contrast sharpness rendering bokeh 50mm 2.0 film analogue
Sony A7rII UT | Light Lens Lab 50mm 2.0 SP II | f/2.8

Continue reading Review: Light Lens Lab 50mm 2.0 Speed Panchro II

If you like something, that doesn’t necessarily mean it is good

Introduction

ms-optics ms-optical ism sonnetar f/1.0 f/0.95 fast noctilux angenieux leica m10 24mp 42mp review sharpness bokeh vignetting
Leica M10 | MS-Optics 50mm 1.0 ISM | f/1.4

…and only because something is good you don’t have to like it either.

I am an active member of several photography boards (Fred Miranda, DSLR-Forum, Leica Forum) and in addition to that plenty of Facebook groups and in a moment of weakness I might even have a look at the comment section of a Sonyalpharumors post. And of course I am also taking care of our own Discord community since early 2023.

What got me thinking and ultimately motivated me to write this piece: how useful is it to ask random people what lens you should buy?

The more time I spend on those boards (and I am trying to spend less time there), the more I think asking these questions there is pretty much pointless. Why is that?

Continue reading If you like something, that doesn’t necessarily mean it is good

Review: Canon EF 50mm 1.2 L USM

Introduction

review canon ef 50mm 1.2 l usm 1.2l lens contrast resolution m10 42mp 24mp 61mp m6 analogue contrast bokeh vignetting
Canon EF 50mm 1.2L USM via metabones adapter on Sony A7rII

During the DSLR era the Nikon users always envied the Canon users for their fast f/1.2 primes – even though most would have never willingly admitted to that. But those f/1.2 primes came at a price not only quantified in hard earned dollars: autofocus inaccuracies and focus shift could really spoil the party.
Now the modern mirrorless cameras solved these issues, and when the first AF adapters for E-mount came out some people even said these lenses work better on Sony mirrorless cameras than they ever did on Canon (D)SLR cameras.
So let’s find out together in this review, if there is still a reason to get and use this lens in 2023.

Sample Images

review canon ef 50mm 1.2 l usm 1.2l lens contrast resolution m10 42mp 24mp 61mp m6 analogue contrast bokeh vignetting
Sony A7III | Canon EF 50mm 1.2 L USM | f/1.2
Sony A7III | Canon EF 50mm 1.2 L USM | f/1.2
review canon ef 50mm 1.2 l usm 1.2l lens contrast resolution m10 42mp 24mp 61mp m6 analogue contrast bokeh vignetting
Sony A7III | Canon EF 50mm 1.2 L USM | f/1.2
review canon ef 50mm 1.2 l usm 1.2l lens contrast resolution m10 42mp 24mp 61mp m6 analogue contrast bokeh vignetting
Sony A7III | Canon EF 50mm 1.2 L USM | f/1.2
review canon ef 50mm 1.2 l usm 1.2l lens contrast resolution m10 42mp 24mp 61mp m6 analogue contrast bokeh vignetting
Sony A7III | Canon EF 50mm 1.2 L USM | f/1.2

Continue reading Review: Canon EF 50mm 1.2 L USM