Category Archives: Comparison

Comparison: The Battle of 35mm lenses – Nikon Z vs Sigma vs Tamron vs Zeiss vs Pergear vs Nikon Ai-s

Introduction

Comparison: The Battle of 35:s - Nikon Nikkor Z 35 1.8 S vs Sigma 35 mm HSM Art vs Tamron USD vs Carl Zeiss Distagon vs Pergear vs Nikon Ai-s 35mm Which one best 35mm Viltrox ETZ ef to Z, FTZ adapter Megadap adapter K&F Concept adapter AF adapter

If you ask all the photographers, which single prime lens they would choose if they could own only one lens in the world, the majority would say the 35mm, and most of the rest would say a fast 35mm. This is because it is one of the most versatile prime lenses. Although it’s a wide-angle lens, it is sometimes referred to as the alternative normal lens because it is so close to the standard focal length that it does not distort the subject much. With such lenses, you can also get a good background separation with a nice bokeh. They are useful in almost all kinds of photography, especially in everyday photography, street photography, environmental portraits, landscapes, weddings, events, and travel. Additionally, it works well for stitched astrophotography.

Its popularity has led to numerous 35mm lenses being produced by various manufacturers from the early days of photography to the modern era. In this article, I will compare six of them, from vintage to old to new. Let’s have a look together!

Sample Images

Comparison: The Battle of 35 35s - Nikon Nikkor Z 35 1.8 S vs Sigma 35 mm HSM Art vs Tamron USD vs Carl Zeiss Distagon vs Pergear vs Nikon Ai-s 35mm Which one best 35mm Viltrox ETZ ef to Z, FTZ adapter Megadap adapter K&F Concept adapter AF adapter Nikon z7 z7ii Z8 Z9 Zf
Nikon Z6 | Nikon 35/1.4 Ai-s | Nikon FTZ | f/1.4
Comparison: The Battle of 35 35s - Nikon Nikkor Z 35 1.8 S vs Sigma 35 mm HSM Art vs Tamron USD vs Carl Zeiss Distagon vs Pergear vs Nikon Ai-s 35mm Which one best 35mm Viltrox ETZ ef to Z, FTZ adapter Megadap adapter K&F Concept adapter AF adapter Nikon z7 z7ii Z8 Z9 Zf
Nikon Z6 | Nikon 35/1.4 Ai-s | Nikon FTZ | f/1.4
Comparison: The Battle of 35 35s - Nikon Nikkor Z 35 1.8 S vs Sigma 35 mm HSM Art vs Tamron USD vs Carl Zeiss Distagon vs Pergear vs Nikon Ai-s 35mm Which one best 35mm Viltrox ETZ ef to Z, FTZ adapter Megadap adapter K&F Concept adapter AF adapter Nikon z7 z7ii Z8 Z9 Zf
Nikon Z6 | Sigma 35/1.4 HSM Art | Viltrox EF-Z | f/1.4
Comparison: The Battle of 35 35s - Nikon Nikkor Z 35 1.8 S vs Sigma 35 mm HSM Art vs Tamron USD vs Carl Zeiss Distagon vs Pergear vs Nikon Ai-s 35mm Which one best 35mm Viltrox ETZ ef to Z, FTZ adapter Megadap adapter K&F Concept adapter AF adapter Nikon z7 z7ii Z8 Z9 Zf
Nikon Z6 | Tamron 35/1.4 USD | Nikon FTZ | f/1.4
Comparison: The Battle of 35 35s - Nikon Nikkor Z 35 1.8 S vs Sigma 35 mm HSM Art vs Tamron USD vs Carl Zeiss Distagon vs Pergear vs Nikon Ai-s 35mm Which one best 35mm Viltrox ETZ ef to Z, FTZ adapter Megadap adapter K&F Concept adapter AF adapter Nikon z7 z7ii Z8 Z9 Zf
Nikon Z6 |Carl Zeiss Distagon 35/1.4 HFT | KF QBM-NIK Z | f/2.8

Continue reading Comparison: The Battle of 35mm lenses – Nikon Z vs Sigma vs Tamron vs Zeiss vs Pergear vs Nikon Ai-s

Review: Megadap ETZ-21 PRO vs Techart TZE-01 Adapter – Using Sony E Lenses on Nikon Z Cameras

Introduction

Sony E to Nikon Z AF adapter autofocus adapter ETZ E-T-X E-to-Z E-2-Z E2Z Megadap Techart Meike Fotodiox Haoge Nikon nikon z6 Z6ii z50 z30 zfc z7 z7ii Z8 Z9 Zf nikon z f fc Sony FE
Megadap ETZ21 PRO, Techart TZE-01, Lens mount

Do you want to use Sony E mount lenses on your Nikon Z cameras? Maybe you want to switch systems and go from Sony E to Nikon Z, but you have some or many Sony E lenses you want to keep and use. Or maybe you just like one of the Sony GM lenses or a lens from a 3rd party that is available in Sony E but not in Nikon Z? No worries, for any reason it is, you can use Sony E lenses on your Nikon Z camera through a mount adapter. 

I have been using two adapters; Megadap ETZ21 PRO and Techart TZE-01. I compare them against each other and give you my thoughts here. Let’s have a look!

UPDATE (August 21, 2024):
Neewer has come up with a new option, their ETZ adapter shows the focus confirmation (green box) even with completely manual lenses without any electric contact when used on Nikon Zf and Z6iii, while the two tested adapters here can not do that.

Continue reading Review: Megadap ETZ-21 PRO vs Techart TZE-01 Adapter – Using Sony E Lenses on Nikon Z Cameras

Comparison: Super Fast 50mm M-mount Lenses

Introduction

comparison super fast 50mm m-mount leica 24mp 42mp 61mp sharpness contrast bokeh vignetting noctilux 0.95 zhong yi speedmaster voigtländer vm nokton 1.0 1.2 MS-optics ISM mr. ding 1.1
Leica 50mm 0.95 Noctilux | Zhong Yi 50mm 0.95 M | Voigtländer VM 50mm 1.0 Nokton | MS-Optics 50mm 1.0 ISM | Mr. Ding 50mm 1.1 | Voigtländer VM 50mm 1.2 Nokton

The M-mount seems to be more popular than ever, thanks to plenty of manufacturers – old and new – from Europe, Japan and China designing and releasing countless of new lenses every year for this bayonet.
Super fast 50mm lenses are especially popular here, so many manufacturers designed one as their “flagship” lens.
Thanks to a reader and very cooperative companies I managed to get 6 of these lenses on my table at the same time, so let’s see what each of them is good at – to help you figure out which one might work best for your needs.
Last Update March 2025: Transmission section updated

Continue reading Comparison: Super Fast 50mm M-mount Lenses

Comparison: Sigma Art 35mm 1.2, 35mm 1.4 and 40mm 1.4

Introduction

comparison sigma art 35mm 1.2 1.4 40mm hsm dg dn review sharpness contrast bokeh infinity portrait coma
Sigma 35mm 1.2 Art DG DN – Sigma 35mm 1.4 Art DG – Sigma 40mm 1.4 DG

Sigma now offers the DSLR designs 35mm 1.4 Art and 40mm 1.4 Art and the newly designed 35mm 1.2 Art for Sony E-mount cameras. Let us find out what the differences between those 3 are and if there is a reason to get one of the bigger, heavier and more expensive lenses.

Continue reading Comparison: Sigma Art 35mm 1.2, 35mm 1.4 and 40mm 1.4

135mm legacy Shoot out: SMC Pentax-M f/3.5 vs Canon nFD f/3.5 vs. Panagor f/2.8

Shoot out: SMC Pentax-M 135mm f/3.5 vs. Canon nFD 135mm f/3.5 vs. Panagor PMC auto tele 135mm f/2.8

In my search for a compact but good budget telelens I came across the SMC Pentax-M 135mm f3.5 and the Canon newFD 135mm f/3.5. Later, I also found a Panagor PMC auto tele 135mm f/2.8 in Canon FD mount. These lenses are cheap, light, and small, but how do they perform?

Disclaimer: I only tested one sample of the Canon and Panagor, and two samples of the Pentax. Since these lenses are old there might be more sample variation than usual, other samples might perform slightly better or worse. Both Pentax samples displayed similar performance. 

Left to right: Panagor, Canon, Pentax

Specifications

Specifications Canon newFD 135mm f/3.5 SMC Pentax-M 135mm f/3.5 Panagor PMC auto tele 135mm f/2.8 (FD)
Diameter 63 mm 63 mm 61 mm
Length 85 mm 66 mm 88 mm
Filter diameter 52 mm 49 mm 55 mm
Weight (ex. Adapter) 325 g 270 g 411 g
Aperture f/3.5-32 f/3.5-32 f/2.8-22
Minimal focus distance 1.3 m 1.5 m 1.5 m
Elements/groups 4/4 5/5 4/4*
Aperture blades 6 8 6

(*Based on the optical design of this lens for other mounts)
Continue reading 135mm legacy Shoot out: SMC Pentax-M f/3.5 vs Canon nFD f/3.5 vs. Panagor f/2.8