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: MS-Optics 24mm 2.0 Aporia

Introduction

MS-Optics 24mm 2.0 Aporia on Leica M10

Whenever some lens is advertised as “the smallest lens ever made” we usually get to deal with some junky fixed focus and fixed aperture pinhole lens. The MS-Optics 24mm 2.0 Aporia is a very different story though, only 45g and less than 6mm in length but with a maximum aperture of f/2.0, a real diaphragm and rangefinder coupled focus mechanism. But there must be compromises, right?
Lens is being tested on 42mp Sony A7rII and 24mp Leica M10
Last update: April 2025

Sample Images

ms-optics ms-optical aporia apora pancake smallest lens world's leica m10 24mp 42mp review sharpness bokeh vignetting
Leica M6 | MS-Optics 24mm 2.0 Aporia | Provia 400x | f/2.0
ms-optics ms-optical aporia apora pancake smallest lens world's leica m10 24mp 42mp review sharpness bokeh vignetting
Leica M6 | MS-Optics 24mm 2.0 Aporia | Provia 400x | f/2.8
ms-optics ms-optical aporia apora pancake smallest lens world's leica m10 24mp 42mp review sharpness bokeh vignetting
Leica M10 | MS-Optics 24mm 2.0 Aporia | f/4.0
ms-optics ms-optical aporia apora pancake smallest lens world's leica m10 24mp 42mp review sharpness bokeh vignetting
Leica M10 | MS-Optics 24mm 2.0 Aporia | f/16
ms-optics ms-optical aporia apora pancake smallest lens world's leica m10 24mp 42mp review sharpness bokeh vignetting
Leica M10 | MS-Optics 24mm 2.0 Aporia | f/11
ms-optics ms-optical aporia apora pancake smallest lens world's leica m10 24mp 42mp review sharpness bokeh vignetting
Leica M10 | MS-Optics 24mm 2.0 Aporia | f/2.8
ms-optics ms-optical aporia apora pancake smallest lens world's leica m10 24mp 42mp review sharpness bokeh vignetting
Leica M10 | MS-Optics 24mm 2.0 Aporia | f/2.0
ms-optics ms-optical aporia apora pancake smallest lens world's leica m10 24mp 42mp review sharpness bokeh vignetting
Leica M10 | MS-Optics 24mm 2.0 Aporia | f/2.0
ms-optics ms-optical aporia apora pancake smallest lens world's leica m10 24mp 42mp review sharpness bokeh vignetting
Leica M10 | MS-Optics 24mm 2.0 Aporia | f/2.0
Leica M10 | MS-Optics 24mm 2.0 Aporia | f/2.0

Continue reading Review: MS-Optics 24mm 2.0 Aporia

Best Astro-Photography Lenses for the Sony A7 series

Introduction

Sony A7s | Batis 18mm 2.8 | f/2.8 | ISO6400 | 20s

Landscape astrophotography is something I have been doing for several years. Luckily over the past few years many lenses have been released that make this task easier than ever. So today we are going to have a look at all the available lenses for your Sony so you can choose the one that works best for your needs.
Last update: December 2021

What is landscape astrophotography?

Sony A7s | Nikon AF-S 20mm 1.8G | f/1.8 | 3 shot panorama |

In landscape astrophotography you will usually try to have a combination of the starry sky (with Milky Way or Northern Lights) as well as some foreground (e.g. landscape) in your frame so we are mostly looking at ultra wide to normal lenses (for stitching) here.

Continue reading Best Astro-Photography Lenses for the Sony A7 series

Review: Laowa 15mm 4.5 Zero-D Shift

Introduction

laowa 15mm 4. 5 shift tilt ts-e pc-e comparison review venus optics wide angle ultra wide angle sharpness uwa resolution contrast 42mp 61mp a7riv a7rii a7riii
Laowa 15mm 4.5 Shift with metabones adapter on Sony A7rII

For 11 years the Canon TS-E 17mm 4.0L was the widest shift lens available and now it is not Nikon but Laowa who challenges them with their 15mm 4.5 Shift. May this be the new king for wide angle architectural photography?

Sample Images

laowa 15mm 4. 5 shift tilt ts-e pc-e comparison review venus optics wide angle ultra wide angle sharpness uwa resolution contrast 42mp 61mp a7riv a7rii a7riii
Sony A7rII | Laowa 15mm 4.5 Shift | f/11 | shifted up | higher resolution
laowa 15mm 4. 5 shift tilt ts-e pc-e comparison review venus optics wide angle ultra wide angle sharpness uwa resolution contrast 42mp 61mp a7riv a7rii a7riii
Sony A7rII | Laowa 15mm 4.5 Shift | f/11 | shifted up
laowa 15mm 4. 5 shift tilt ts-e pc-e comparison review venus optics wide angle ultra wide angle sharpness uwa resolution contrast 42mp 61mp a7riv a7rii a7riii
Sony A7rII | Laowa 15mm 4.5 Shift | f/11 | shift pano
laowa 15mm 4. 5 shift tilt ts-e pc-e comparison review venus optics wide angle ultra wide angle sharpness uwa resolution contrast 42mp 61mp a7riv a7rii a7riii
Sony A7rII | Laowa 15mm 4.5 Shift | f/11 | shifted up

Continue reading Review: Laowa 15mm 4.5 Zero-D Shift

Review: TTArtisan 50mm 1.4

Introduction

TTArtisan 50mm 1.4 on Sony A7rII

To my surprise – shortly after the 50mm 0.95 – TTArtisan also released a more reasonable 50mm 1.4 lens. The optical design looks very interesting on paper: a longer focal length double gauss with a “speedbooster-like” rear group. This is similar to Cosina’s latest designs for the fast Voigtlander lenses, is this a good sign? Let us find out in this review!
This lens will be reviewed on the 42mp Sony A7rII and the 24mp Leica M10.

Sample Images

ttartisan 50mm 1.4 m m-mount leica m10 sony a7riii a7riv sharpness bokeh resolution contrast review
Leica M10 | TTArtisan 50mm 1.4 | f/1.4
ttartisan 50mm 1.4 m m-mount leica m10 sony a7riii a7riv sharpness bokeh resolution contrast review
Sony A7rII | TTArtisan 50mm 1.4 | f/1.4
ttartisan 50mm 1.4 m m-mount leica m10 sony a7riii a7riv sharpness bokeh resolution contrast review
Sony A7rII | TTArtisan 50mm 1.4 | f/1.4
ttartisan 50mm 1.4 m m-mount leica m10 sony a7riii a7riv sharpness bokeh resolution contrast review
Leica M10 | TTArtisan 50mm 1.4 | f/1.4
ttartisan 50mm 1.4 m m-mount leica m10 sony a7riii a7riv sharpness bokeh resolution contrast review
Leica M10 | TTArtisan 50mm 1.4 | f/1.4

Continue reading Review: TTArtisan 50mm 1.4

Review: 7Artisans 35mm 1.4 IF

Introduction

7artisans 35mm 1.4 m if internal focus rear m-mount leica m10 sony a7riii a7riv sharpness bokeh resolution contrast review
7Artisans 35mm 1.4 M IF with 7Artisans close focus adapter on Sony A7rII

The 7Artisans 35mm 1.4 IF came as a bit of a surprise as it features an internal focus design. Something, which is still rarely seen among M-mount lenses and a novelty for 7Artisans. But does this also translate to superior optical qualities? Let us find out in this review!
This lens will be reviewed on the 42mp Sony A7rII and the 24mp Leica M10.

Sample Images

7artisans 35mm 1.4 m if internal focus rear m-mount leica m10 sony a7riii a7riv sharpness bokeh resolution contrast review
Sony A7III | 7Artisans 35mm 1.4 M IF | f/1.4
7artisans 35mm 1.4 m if internal focus rear m-mount leica m10 sony a7riii a7riv sharpness bokeh resolution contrast review
Leica M10 | 7Artisans 35mm 1.4 M IF | f/1.4
7artisans 35mm 1.4 m if internal focus rear m-mount leica m10 sony a7riii a7riv sharpness bokeh resolution contrast review
Sony A7III | 7Artisans 35mm 1.4 M IF | f/1.4

Continue reading Review: 7Artisans 35mm 1.4 IF