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.

Nikon, Nikon, Review

Review: Nikon AF 85mm 1.4 D – The ideal Portrait Lens?

May 18, 2024 BastianK 12 Comments

Introduction

nikon nikkor af-d 85mm 1.4 portrait historical review contrast resolution famous 42mp 61mp bokeh vignetting coma aspherical sony a7rII z7 z8 z9 z6 zf — Nikon AF-D 85mm 1.4 on Sony A7rII

For one and a half decades – from 1995 to 2010 – the Nikon AF-D 85mm 1.4 had been Nikon’s top of the line fullframe portrait tele lens. It saw the peak of analogue photography as well as the peak of the digital SLR. When it had been released this was an expensive premium lens aimed at professionals, but in 2024 it has become much more affordable. Reason enough to have a closer look at it and see if this is a lens still worth considering today.

Sample Images

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Canon, Leica M, Review

Review: Canon 50mm 1.4 LTM

May 15, 2024 BastianK 18 Comments

Introduction

review canon ltm m39 leica 50mm 1.4 japanese summilux lens contrast resolution m10 42mp 24mp 61mp m6 analogue contrast bokeh vignetting — Canon 50mm 1.4 LTM on Leica M10

While Canon had a spectacular 50mm 0.95 and an only slightly less spectacular 50mm 1.2 in their LTM lens line-up, it seems the most popular of all those 50mm lenses is this compact and affordable f/1.4 version. Over the years this lens became somewhat of a legend, but is this actually justified? Let’s find out in this review.
This lens will be reviewed on the 42mp Sony A7rII and the 24mp Leica M10.

Sample Images

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Accessories, Adapters, Nikon, Nikon, Review

Review: Monster LA-FE1 and LA-FE2 AF Adapter (Nikon-F to Sony-E)

May 8, 2024 BastianK 28 Comments

Introduction

monster la-fe2 lafe2 lafe 2 la-fe 2 II Mark MK autofocus autofokus auto focus adapter sony nikon z e mirrorless screwdrive screw driven review performance eye af — Monster LA-FE2 adapter

Canon users that wanted to get into the fullframe mirrorless E-mount world early were in a good spot: the Sigma MC-11 and the metabones Canon EF to Sony E adapters allowed using Canon EF-mount lenses on Sony cameras with only little limitations. For Nikon F-mount users the situation was sadly way worse and it took some time before the first similar adapter (Commlite CMF-EN1) was released – and that one had a lot of issues.

But suddenly, out of nowhere, the situation changed. With the release of the Monster LA-FE1 and later the LA-FE2 adapter we can now finally adapt Nikon F-mount lenses in a similar quality as those Canon EF-mount ones. The LA-FE2 even allows auto focus with the screwdriven Nikon AF(-D) lenses to work on Sony – something not even possible on Nikon’s own Z-mount cameras. Let’s have a closer look.
Update 07/24: more lenses tested, FW 06 for LA-FE1 tested

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Leica, Review, Thypoch

Review: Thypoch Simera 28mm 1.4

April 28, 2024 BastianK 42 Comments

Introduction

thypoch simera 28mm 1.4 fast wide angle leica m10 m11 m9 m8 m10r review 42mp 24mp 61mp contrast sharpness bokeh vignetting — Thypoch Simera 28mm 1.4 on Leica M10

Thypoch is a new manufacturer of photography lenses and entered the market at the end of 2023 with two M-mount lenses, the Simera 28mm 1.4 and 35mm 1.4. There are a lof of 35mm 1.4 lenses for M-mount, but only a handful of 28mm 1.4s, so I am very curious what this final production model of the 28mm 1.4 is capable of.

This lens is also part of my Comparison of Fast 28mm Fullframe Lenses.

Sample Images

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Nikon, Nikon, Review

Review: Voigtländer 55mm 1.2 SL IIs Nokton – The last F-mount lens?

April 25, 2024 BastianK 21 Comments

Introduction

voigtländer sl iis nokton nikon f 55mm 1.2 ai-s fast review 42mp sony nikon z 61mp z6 z7 z8 z9 a7riv a7rv contrast sharpness bokeh vignetting portrait — Voigtländer 55mm 1.2 SL IIs Nokton on Nikon FM2n

Cosina is always up for a surprise and when they announced this Voigtländer 55mm 1.2 SL IIs Nokton for the Nikon F-mount in 2023 – 5 years after Nikon transitioned to the Z-mount – that surely was a big surprise. Lenses as fast as f/1.2 are rare birds in the F-mount world because they are really operating at the limit of this bayonet. As I will show you in this review, Cosina’s engineers managed to create something that Nikon’s engineers were not able to achieve in over 60 years.