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.

How good a camera you need? – A closer look at the Huawei Mate 20 Pro

Introduction

huawei mate 20 pro phone photography smartphone small sensor resolution review bokeh computational photography
Huawei Mate 20 Pro | 27mm equivalent | polarizer

Very often we get asked questions like: should I get lens X or lens Y? Out of lens X, Y and Z: which is the best performer? Which 35/50/85mm lens should I buy? Do I need a camera with 42mp? Is the Zeiss Batis 18mm 2.8 or the Zeiss Loxia 21mm 2.8 sharper?
For several reasons we usually cannot answer these questions: rarely we know what you want to use the lens or camera for and often the difference between a good and a bad sample of the same lens is bigger than that between two different lenses.
So, to give you a different perspective, in this article we will look at the Huawei Mate 20 Pro, a smartphone with above-average camera capabilities and see what results can be obtained from this pocketable 200g device.

Sample Images

huawei mate 20 pro phone photography smartphone small sensor resolution review bokeh computational photography
Huawei Mate 20 Pro | 27mm equivalent
huawei mate 20 pro phone photography smartphone small sensor resolution review bokeh computational photography
Huawei Mate 20 Pro | 16mm equivalent
huawei mate 20 pro phone photography smartphone small sensor resolution review bokeh computational photography
Huawei Mate 20 Pro | 80mm equivalent

Continue reading How good a camera you need? – A closer look at the Huawei Mate 20 Pro

Review: Sigma 35mm 1.4 Art

Introduction

sigma 35mm 1.4 art hsm dg sharpness resolution contrast high 42mp a7rii a7riii bokeh za sony
Sigma 35mm 1.4 Art on Sony A7rII

You have been asking for reviews of Sigma Art lenses for quite some time now, so I am glad that I can finally present you one of the Sigma 35mm 1.4 Art. Let us find out if this is the better choice compared to the Sony FE 35mm 1.4 ZA.

Sample Images

sigma 35mm 1.4 art hsm dg sharpness resolution contrast high 42mp a7rii a7riii bokeh za sony
Sony A7III | Sigma 35mm 1.4 Art | f/1.4
sigma 35mm 1.4 art hsm dg sharpness coma astro astrophotography milky way astigmatism
Sony A7III | Sigma 35mm 1.4 Art | f/1.4 | pano from 4 shots
sigma 35mm 1.4 art hsm dg sharpness resolution contrast high 42mp a7rii a7riii bokeh za sony
Sony A7III | Sigma 35mm 1.4 Art | f/1.4

Continue reading Review: Sigma 35mm 1.4 Art

Quick Review: Zenitar 50mm 0.95 E

Introduction

zenitar 50mm 0.95 noctilux zhong yi mitakon SLRmagic sharpness resolution 42mp e-mount a7rIII a7rII bokeh
Zenitar 50mm 0.95 E on Sony A7rII

Zenith is mostly famous for still producing decade old designs like the Helios 2/58 and some Kickstarter lenses like the Petzval. But this Zenitar 50mm 0.95 E is a completely new design with staggering specs. But how does it stack up to the Zhong Yi Mitakon 50mm 0.95?
This was supposed to be a full scale review, but unfortunately this lens is so inherently flawed that I decided writing one would be a waste of time, read on to find out why.

Samples

zenitar 50mm 0.95 noctilux zhong yi mitakon SLRmagic sharpness resolution 42mp e-mount a7rIII a7rII bokeh
Sony A7III | Zenitar 50mm 0.95 E | f/0.95
zenitar 50mm 0.95 noctilux zhong yi mitakon SLRmagic sharpness resolution 42mp e-mount a7rIII a7rII bokeh
Sony A7rII | Zenitar 50mm 0.95 E | f/0.95
zenitar 50mm 0.95 noctilux zhong yi mitakon SLRmagic sharpness resolution 42mp e-mount a7rIII a7rII bokeh
Sony A7rII | Zenitar 50mm 0.95 E | f/0.95

Continue reading Quick Review: Zenitar 50mm 0.95 E

Review: Laowa 15mm 4.0 Macro

Introduction

laowa 15mm 4.0 f/4 macro f/4.0 review 42mp high resolution makro close focus flare e-mount a7rii a7riii
Laowa 15mm 4.0 macro on Sony A7rII

The Laowa 15mm 4.0 macro is a very unique lens, being the only ultra wide angle lens that can focus close enough to offer a maximum magnification of 1:1. But how useful is an ultra wide angle lens optimized for such magnifications? Let us find out in this review!

Sample Images

laowa 15mm 4.0 f/4 macro f/4.0 review 42mp high resolution makro close focus flare e-mount a7rii a7riii
Sony A7rII | Laowa 15mm 4.0 Macro | f/4.0
laowa 15mm 4.0 f/4 macro f/4.0 review 42mp high resolution makro close focus flare e-mount a7rii a7riii
Sony A7rII | Laowa 15mm 4.0 Macro | f/4.0
laowa 15mm 4.0 f/4 macro f/4.0 review 42mp high resolution makro close focus flare e-mount a7rii a7riii
Sony A7rII | Laowa 15mm 4.0 Macro | f/8.0

Continue reading Review: Laowa 15mm 4.0 Macro