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.
Leica M, Review, Voigtlander

Review: Voigtlander VM 50mm 1.5 II MC Vintage

28 Comments

Introduction

Voigtländer VM 50mm 1.5 II MC Vintage with lens hood attached on Sony A7rII
Voigtländer VM 50mm 1.5 II MC Vintage on Leica M10

50mm lenses have been one of the staple horses of Cosina/Voigtländer for a long time and – as of the time I am writing this review – the Voigtlander 50mm 1.5 II Nokton Vintage is one of the latest additions to this ever growing line up.
It would best be described as their “most compact, still very fast and with a modern rendering” option and we will have a look how it performs in this review.
This lens will be reviewed on the 42mp Sony A7rII and the 24mp Leica M10.

Sample Images

voigtlander vm 50mm 1.5 II vintage multi coated e apo-lanthar review 42mp 61 mp sony a7riv a7rii a7riii contrast resolution sharpness bokeh
Leica M10 | Voigtländer VM 50mm 1.5 II MC | f/2.8
voigtlander vm 50mm 1.5 II vintage multi coated e apo-lanthar review 42mp 61 mp sony a7riv a7rii a7riii contrast resolution sharpness bokeh
Leica M10 | Voigtländer VM 50mm 1.5 II MC | f/1.5
voigtlander vm 50mm 1.5 II vintage multi coated e apo-lanthar review 42mp 61 mp sony a7riv a7rii a7riii contrast resolution sharpness bokeh
Leica M10 | Voigtländer VM 50mm 1.5 II MC | f/1.5

Continue reading Review: Voigtlander VM 50mm 1.5 II MC Vintage →

Review, Sony E-mount, Voigtlander

Voigtlander 35mm 2.0 E Apo-Lanthar Review

44 Comments

Introduction

voigtlander vm 35mm 2.0 e apo-lanthar review 42mp 61 mp sony a7riv a7rii a7riii contrast resolution sharpness bokeh
Voigtländer 35mm 2.0 Apo-Lanthar E on Sony A7rII

After the 65mm 2.0, 110mm 2.5 and 50mm 2.0 this 35mm 2.0 Apo-Lanthar E is the fourth addition to Voigtländer’s Apo-Lanthar lineup.
From these previous Apo-Lanthar lenses we are used to see very high sharpness and contrast and generally a very high level correction of pretty much all optical aberrations. So we already know what we are in for here, or are there any surprises? Let us find us in this review.

Sample Images

voigtlander vm 35mm 2.0 e apo-lanthar review 42mp 61 mp sony a7riv a7rii a7riii contrast resolution sharpness bokeh
Voigtländer 35mm 2.0 Apo-Lanthar E | Sony A7III | f/8.0
voigtlander vm 35mm 2.0 e apo-lanthar review 42mp 61 mp sony a7riv a7rii a7riii contrast resolution sharpness bokeh
Voigtländer 35mm 2.0 Apo-Lanthar E | Sony A7III | f/2.0
voigtlander vm 35mm 2.0 e apo-lanthar review 42mp 61 mp sony a7riv a7rii a7riii contrast resolution sharpness bokeh
Voigtländer 35mm 2.0 Apo-Lanthar E | Sony A7III | f/2.0

Continue reading Voigtlander 35mm 2.0 E Apo-Lanthar Review →

Laowa, lenses, Review, Sony E-mount

Review: Laowa 35mm 0.95 – The world’s fastest 35mm lens

95 Comments

Introduction

laowa 35mm 0.95 worlds fastest lens review bokeh 42mp 61mp laowa venus optics venuslens fullframe contrast resolution bokeh
Laowa 35mm 0.95 FF on Sony A7rII

By now I have used over 150 lenses – of which 20 are 35mm lenses and most of them reviewed here – and it is safe to say that nowadays I am rarely excited about a new release in this focal length range. This Laowa 35mm 0.95 is not only the fastest 35mm fullframe lens though, it is also the widest f/0.95 fullframe lens – so two records in one lens (as of 2021 and counting).
Such bold designs often spot noticeable compromises, will this also be the case here? Let us find out in this review.
Last update: May 2023, new samples added

Sample Images

laowa 35mm 0.95 worlds fastest lens review bokeh 42mp 61mp laowa venus optics venuslens fullframe contrast resolution bokeh optical vignetting fall off
Sony A7III | Laowa 35mm 0.95 | f/0.95
Sony A7III | Laowa 35mm 0.95 | f/0.95
laowa 35mm 0.95 worlds fastest lens review bokeh 42mp 61mp laowa venus optics venuslens fullframe contrast resolution bokeh optical vignetting fall off
Sony A7III | Laowa 35mm 0.95 | f/0.95
laowa 35mm 0.95 worlds fastest lens review bokeh 42mp 61mp laowa venus optics venuslens fullframe contrast resolution bokeh optical vignetting fall off
Sony A7III | Laowa 35mm 0.95 | f/0.95
Sony A7rII | Laowa 35mm 0.95 | f/0.95
laowa 35mm 0.95 worlds fastest lens review bokeh 42mp 61mp laowa venus optics venuslens fullframe contrast resolution bokeh optical vignetting fall off
Sony A7III | Laowa 35mm 0.95 | f/0.95
laowa 35mm 0.95 worlds fastest lens review bokeh 42mp 61mp laowa venus optics venuslens fullframe contrast resolution bokeh optical vignetting fall off
Sony A7III | Laowa 35mm 0.95 | f/8.0

Continue reading Review: Laowa 35mm 0.95 – The world’s fastest 35mm lens →

Review, Sony E-mount, TTArtisan

Review: TTArtisan 50mm 1.4 E

46 Comments

Introduction

ttartisan 50mm 1.4 sony a7riii a7riv sharpness bokeh resolution contrast review e-mount
TTArtisan 50mm 1.4 E on Sony A7rII

The TTArtisan 50mm 1.4 M is one of my favorite affordable modern manual focus lenses, now after the M-mount version we are getting a native (and cheaper!) E-mount version.
What has changed? Optically: nothing, mechanically: a bit, MSRP: a lot. So let us have a closer look which makes more sense to get as an E-mount user.

This lens is optically the same as the M-mount version so I will reuse many sections of my review of the M-mount version here.

Sample Images

ttartisan 50mm 1.4 sony a7riii a7riv sharpness bokeh resolution contrast review e-mount
Sony A7III | TTArtisan 50mm 1.4 E | f/1.4
ttartisan 50mm 1.4 sony a7riii a7riv sharpness bokeh resolution contrast review e-mount
Sony A7III | TTArtisan 50mm 1.4 E | f/1.4
ttartisan 50mm 1.4 sony a7riii a7riv sharpness bokeh resolution contrast review e-mount
Sony A7III | TTArtisan 50mm 1.4 E | f/1.4

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Review, Sony E-mount

Review: Sony FE 35mm 1.4 GM – The perfect 35mm lens?

31 Comments

Introduction

sony fe 35mm 1.4 gm gmaster za art 1.2 contrast resolution bokeh 42mp 61mp
Sony FE 35mm 1.4 GM on Sony A7rII

A fast 35mm lens is one of the most popular lenses for wedding and reportage photographers. In the Sony world we had to wait a long (read: very long) time for a really good one though, as the Sony FE 35mm 1.4 ZA was a bit of a dud with its huge sample variation and even the third party manufacturers were a bit late too the game (I am looking at you, Sigma 35mm 1.2 Art DG DN).
Now Sony has proven they know what the duds in the lineup are and after 5 years released the Sony FE 35mm 1.4 GM to rule them all. Let us have a look, if this really is the perfect fast 35mm lens.

Sample Images

sony fe 35mm 1.4 gm gmaster za art 1.2 contrast resolution bokeh 42mp 61mp
Sony A7III | Sony FE 35mm 1.4 GM | f/1.4
sony fe 35mm 1.4 gm gmaster za art 1.2 contrast resolution bokeh 42mp 61mp
Sony A7III | Sony FE 35mm 1.4 GM | f/1.4

Continue reading Review: Sony FE 35mm 1.4 GM – The perfect 35mm lens? →