All posts by Martin

Martin M.H. lives outside Stockholm, Sweden. He is a M.Sc. in Computer Technology but he has been a passionate photographer for over 45 years. He started his photographic adventures when he was thirteen with an Agfamatic pocket camera, which he soon replaced with a Canon rangefinder camera that his mom gave him in his teenages. After that he has been using Canon SLR, Nikon SLR manual focus and Autofocus, Sony mirrorless crop sensor, Nikon DSLR and Nikon Mirrorless. He has photographed any genre he could throughout the years and you can see all kind of images in his portfolio. During the later years though it has been mostly landscape, nature, travel and some street/documentary photography.
camera, Comparison, Laowa, lenses, Nikon Z, Review

REVIEW/COMPARISON: Laowa FF II TS 55mm & 100mm f/2.8 Macro 1X

7 Comments

Introduction

Laowa FF II TS 55mm f/2.8 1X Macro on Nikon Z7II
Laowa FF II TS 55mm f/2.8 1X Macro on Nikon Z7II

UPDATE 20.12.2024:
Reworked the close-up sharpness section and added both 1:1 and 1:2 magnification test shots for both lenses.

The Laowa FF II TS 55mm and 100mm f/2.8 Macro 1X lenses are true macro lenses, offering 1:1 magnification along with tilt-shift functionality that enhances control over the focal plane.

While major camera and lens manufacturers like Canon, Sony, Nikon, Leica, Panasonic, Hasselblad, Sigma, and Tamron have largely overlooked this niche in mirrorless cameras, Laowa has stepped up to fill the gap. Their lenses, available in almost all major mounts, feature tilt and shift capabilities that open up new creative possibilities for photographers.

The tilt function allows precise control over the focal plane, enabling photographers to either extend or limit the in-focus area. This makes these lenses perfect for capturing intricate product details or adding selective focus for artistic compositions. With such versatility, Laowa’s lenses offer greater creative control over depth of field, making them a valuable tool for specialised photography needs

Since these two lenses are almost identical in shape, build, and handling, and were released simultaneously, I decided to combine my review of both. This way, I can avoid repeating the same points and provide a direct comparison, so you can see them side by side.

camera-icon2I tested these lenses on a 46 Mp Nikon Z7ii (Sample images were taken with a Nikon Zf)
You can see this review as a YouTube video here!
Sample images in higher resolution here

Sample Images

Nikon Zf | Laowa FF II TS 100mm f/2.8 1X Macro | f/11
Nikon Zf | Laowa FF II TS 100mm f/2.8 1X Macro | f/11
  • 55mm-tilt-f2-8

  • 55mm-noTilt-f2-8

  • 55mm-noTilt-f16

Nikon Zf | Laowa FF II TS 55mm f/2.8 1X Macro | f/5.6 (Shift panorama)
Nikon Zf | Laowa FF II TS 55mm f/2.8 1X Macro | f/5.6 (Shift panorama)
Nikon Zf | Laowa FF II TS 55mm f/2.8 1X Macro | f/2.8 | Tilted
Nikon Zf | Laowa FF II TS 55mm f/2.8 1X Macro | f/2.8 | Tilted
Nikon Zf | Laowa FF II TS 55mm f/2.8 1X Macro | f/2.8
Nikon Zf | Laowa FF II TS 55mm f/2.8 1X Macro | f/2.8 No Tilt
Nikon Zf | Laowa FF II TS 100mm f/2.8 1X Macro | f/2.8 | Tilted
Nikon Zf | Laowa FF II TS 100mm f/2.8 1X Macro | f/2.8 | Tilted

Continue reading REVIEW/COMPARISON: Laowa FF II TS 55mm & 100mm f/2.8 Macro 1X →

lenses, Manufacturers, Review, Viltrox

Review: Viltrox AF 35mm f/1.7 XF (APS-C)

6 Comments

Introduction

viltrox 35mm 1.7

The APS-C 35mm focal length is equivalent to 52mm on a Fullframe camera, therefore it is in the ‘standard’ focal length category and very close to the classic 50mm lenses on fullframe cameras, with an angle of view offering none of the ‘perspective distortion’ associated with wide angle or telephoto lenses. This lens on an APS-C camera is equivalent to a Nifty Fifty on a fullframe camera. Let’s have a closer look at it!

camera-icon2I tested this lens on a 26 Mp Fujifilm X-S10.
You can see this review as a YouTube video here!
Most of the sample images in high resolution here.

Sample Images

Viltrox AF 35mm f/1.7 | Fijifilm X-S10 | f/10
Viltrox AF 35mm f/1.7 | Fijifilm X-S10 | f/10
Viltrox AF 35mm f/1.7 | Fijifilm X-S10 | f/1.7
Viltrox AF 35mm f/1.7 | Fijifilm X-S10 | f/1.7
Viltrox AF 35mm f/1.7 | Fijifilm X-S10 | f/1.7
Viltrox AF 35mm f/1.7 | Fijifilm X-S10 | f/1.7
Viltrox AF 35mm f/1.7 | Fijifilm X-S10 | f/16
Viltrox AF 35mm f/1.7 | Fijifilm X-S10 | f/16

Continue reading Review: Viltrox AF 35mm f/1.7 XF (APS-C) →

camera, lenses, Nikon, Nikon Z, Travel-Report

Travel Diary: An Arctic Trip (Day 4)

2 Comments
Nikon Z6 | Nikkor Z 24-70/4 S | f/11
Nikon Z6 | Nikkor Z 24-70/4 S | f/11

This diary entry covers our fourth day of the trip. For details on previous days, see the ‘Further Reading’ section at the end of the article.

Youtube small iconSee the video of An Arctic Trip; Day Four on YouTube
Sample-Image-iconSample images in high resolution here.

On the fourth day of our trip, the weather was clear and at sunrise a beautiful light fell on the snow, so I went out alone to take pictures.

Nikon Z6 | Nikkor Z 24-70/4 S | f/8
Nikon Z6 | Nikkor Z 24-70/4 S | f/8

Nikon Z6 | Nikkor Z 24-70/4 S | f/8

Nikon Z6 | Nikkor Z 24-70/4 S | f/8

Nikon Z6 | Nikkor Z 24-70/4 S | f/8
Nikon Z6 | Nikkor Z 24-70/4 S | f/8

Continue reading Travel Diary: An Arctic Trip (Day 4) →

camera, lenses, Nikon, Nikon, Nikon Z, Review

Review: Nikon Nikkor Z 85mm f/1.8 S

3 Comments

Introduction

Nikon Z 85mm f/1.8 S | Nikon Z7ii
Nikon Z 85mm f/1.8 S | Nikon Z7ii

The Nikon Nikkor Z 85mm f/1.8 S is a short telephoto lens that delivers excellent background blur thanks to its large aperture. While it’s ideal for portrait photography, it can also be effectively used for landscape and street photography, thanks to its relatively wide field of view for a telephoto lens. This professional-grade lens is designed for both professionals and enthusiasts. From 2019 to 2023, it was Nikon’s only 85mm option for professional use on Z cameras, until the introduction of the 85mm f/1.2 S. Let’s take a closer look!

camera-icon2I tested this lens on a 46 Mp Nikon Z7ii (Sample images were taken with a Nikon Zf and Nikon Zfc)
You can see this review as a YouTube video here!

Sample Images

Nikon Zf | Nikon Z 85mm f/1.8 S | f/2
Nikon Zf | Nikon Z 85mm f/1.8 S | f/2
Nikon Zf | Nikon Z 85mm f/1.8 S | f/1.8
Nikon Zf | Nikon Z 85mm f/1.8 S | f/1.8
Nikon Zf | Nikon Z 85mm f/1.8 S | f/6.3
Nikon Zf | Nikon Z 85mm f/1.8 S | f/6.3
Nikon Zf | Nikon Z 85mm f/1.8 S | f/1.8
Nikon Zf | Nikon Z 85mm f/1.8 S | f/1.8
Nikon Zf | Nikon Z 85mm f/1.8 S | f/11
Nikon Zf | Nikon Z 85mm f/1.8 S | f/11
Nikon Zf | Nikon Z 85mm f/1.8 S | f/8
Nikon Zf | Nikon Z 85mm f/1.8 S | f/8

Continue reading Review: Nikon Nikkor Z 85mm f/1.8 S →

camera, lenses, Manufacturers, Nikon, Nikon, Nikon Z, Review

REVIEW: Nikon Nikkor Z 50mm f/1.2 S

16 Comments

Introduction

The Nikon Nikkor Z 50mm f/1.2 S, designed primarily for demanding professionals and discerning enthusiasts, is one of the fastest autofocus lenses in the Nikkor Z lineup. While Nikon has a legacy of producing ultra-fast f/1.2 standard lenses, this is their first f/1.2 autofocus lens. Nikon’s history with f/1.2 lenses began in 1965 with the introduction of the Nikkor-S 55mm f/1.2. This was followed by the legendary Noct-Nikkor 58mm f/1.2 in 1977 and the AI-Nikkor 50mm f/1.2 S in 1981. However, after the 1980s, Nikon took a break from producing f/1.2 lenses until the advent of the Z mount system in 2018.

With the larger Z mount, Nikon aimed to overcome the limitations of their previous f/1.2 lenses by incorporating new technology. As a result, the Nikkor Z 50mm f/1.2 S was launched in September 2020.

But did Nikon succeed in meeting these high expectations? Let’s find out!

camera-icon2I tested this lens on a 46 Mp Nikon Z 7II (Sample images  taken with Nikon Zf)
You can see this review as a YouTube video here!

Sample Images

Nikon Zf | Nikkor Z 50mm f/1.2 S | f/1.2
Nikon Zf | Nikkor Z 50mm f/1.2 S | f/1.2
Nikon Zf | Nikkor Z 50mm f/1.2 S | f/1.2
Nikon Zf | Nikkor Z 50mm f/1.2 S | f/1.2
Nikon Zf | Nikkor Z 50mm f/1.2 S | f/1.2
Nikon Zf | Nikkor Z 50mm f/1.2 S | f/1.2
Nikon Zf | Nikkor Z 50mm f/1.2 S | f/1.2
Nikon Zf | Nikkor Z 50mm f/1.2 S | f/1.2
Nikon Zf | Nikkor Z 50mm f/1.2 S | f/1.2
Nikon Zf | Nikkor Z 50mm f/1.2 S | f/1.2

Continue reading REVIEW: Nikon Nikkor Z 50mm f/1.2 S →