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.

Analogue Adventures – Part 19: Fuji Superia X-Tra 400 ECN-2 processed

Fuji Superia X-Tra 400

Any film is hard to get these days, but the Fuji films are even harder to get than the Kodak ones here in Germay. Therefore I developed the habit of buying any type of color negative film I haven’t used before for this series – even when it means paying 20€ for just this one roll of Fuji Superia X-Tra 400.
Processing (ECN-2) and scanning was done at Silbersalz35 in Germany.

hologon leica m contax-g 16mm 8.0 8/16 center filter review sharpness leica m10 m11 sony e-mount adapter conversion sharpness distortion carl zeiss germany
Leica M6 | Hologon 16mm 8.0 | Fuji Superia X-tra 400 ECN-2
fuji fujifilm x-tra xtra 400 superior review m6 leica analogue analog
Leica M6 | MS-Optics 35mm 1.4 | f/8.0 | Fuji X-Tra 400 ECN-2
fuji fujifilm x-tra xtra 400 superior review m6 leica analogue analog
Leica M6 | MS-Optics 35mm 1.4 | f/2.0 | Fuji X-Tra 400 ECN-2
fuji fujifilm x-tra xtra 400 superior review m6 leica analogue analog
Leica M6 | MS-Optics 35mm 1.4 | f/2.0 | Fuji X-Tra 400 ECN-2
fuji fujifilm x-tra xtra 400 superior review m6 leica analogue analog
Leica M6 | MS-Optics 35mm 1.4 | f/4.0 | Fuji X-Tra 400 ECN-2

Continue reading Analogue Adventures – Part 19: Fuji Superia X-Tra 400 ECN-2 processed

TTArtisan Leica M to E and M to Z 6-bit Adapter

Introduction

ttartisan leica m to sony e adapter 6 bit code programmable exif
Voigtlander VM 75mm 1.5 via TTArtisan M->E 6-bit adapter on Sony A7rII

Since I bought my first E-mount camera seven years ago I have been using adapted M-mount lenses. Missing Exif data have always been a nuisance though and while the “Lens Compensation” camera app was a ray of hope, it didn’t exactly work all that well.
Now TTArtisan came up with a product which I have pitched to so many manufacturers before: a semi programmable Leica-M to Sony-E/Nikon-Z adapter. Let’s have a closer look!
Update August 2024: more information on the version for Nikon Z-mount (affiliate link) added

Continue reading TTArtisan Leica M to E and M to Z 6-bit Adapter

Review: Sony FE 20mm 1.8G

Introduction

sony fe 20mm 1.8g review comparison a7rv a7riv 42mp 61mp sharpness handling build quality
Sony FE 20mm 1.8G on Sony A7rII

There are plenty of great lenses available for fullframe E-mount cameras in the 20mm range, but it is said among those this Sony FE 20mm 1.8G is an outstanding, well-balanced highlight. A review was long overdue, so here we go.

Sample Image

sony fe 20mm 1.8g review comparison a7rv a7riv 42mp 61mp sharpness bokeh sample
Sony A7III | Sony FE 20mm 1.8G | f/1.8
sony fe 20mm 1.8g review comparison a7rv a7riv 42mp 61mp sharpness bokeh sample
Sony A7III | Sony FE 20mm 1.8G | f/1.8
sony fe 20mm 1.8g review comparison a7rv a7riv 42mp 61mp sharpness bokeh sample
Sony A7III | Sony FE 20mm 1.8G | f/8.0
sony fe 20mm 1.8g review comparison a7rv a7riv 42mp 61mp sharpness bokeh sample
Sony A7III | Sony FE 20mm 1.8G | f/2.8
Sony A7III | Sony FE 20mm 1.8G | f/1.8

Continue reading Review: Sony FE 20mm 1.8G

Analogue Adventures – Part 18: Choosing a secondary Camera

Introduction

If you followed my Analogue Adventures over the past year you probably noticed I have been shooting quite a bit of 35mm film lately. Doing that, I discovered things I like as well as things I don’t like. Either way, I decided to continue with these Analogue Adventures as I think there is still a lot to be learned for me, but I also decided to get a second analogue camera with M-mount for doing that.

Continue reading Analogue Adventures – Part 18: Choosing a secondary Camera

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

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