Category Archives: lenses

Leica, Leica M, lenses, Review

Review: Leica 50mm 1.4 Summilux-M Asph

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Introduction

leica 50mm 1.4 summilux-m summilux asph asph. aspherical review leica m10 m10r m11 42mp sony a7rv a7riv a7 contrast sharpness resolution bokeh vignetting
Leica 50mm 1.4 Summilux-M Asph on Leica M10

This Leica Summilux-M 50mm 1.4 Asph is definitely among Leica’s most famous M-mount lenses. When it had been released in 2004 there was nothing quite like it. A compact fast 50mm rangefinder lens with aspherical element and floating elements design? You could not find this anywhere else.
But – maybe unlike some of the Nocitlux lenses – this wasn’t just a showcase of engineering technology, it actually proved to be a useful and capable lens cherished by many to this day.
Leica kept this in their portfolio – with unchanged optics – for 20 years, so how does it stack up against its younger and significantly cheaper competitors in 2023, especially the Voigtländer VM 50mm 1.5 Nokton MC and the TTArtisan 50mm 1.4 Asph? Let’s find out in this review.
This lens will be reviewed on the 42mp Sony A7rII and the 24mp Leica M10.

Sample Images

leica 50mm 1.4 summilux-m summilux asph asph. aspherical review leica m10 m10r m11 42mp sony a7rv a7riv a7 contrast sharpness resolution bokeh vignetting
Leica M10 | Leica 50mm 1.4 Asph | f/1.4
Leica M10 | Leica 50mm 1.4 Asph | f/1.4
Leica M10 | Leica 50mm 1.4 Asph | f/1.4
leica 50mm 1.4 summilux-m summilux asph asph. aspherical review leica m10 m10r m11 42mp sony a7rv a7riv a7 contrast sharpness resolution bokeh vignetting
Leica M10 | Leica 50mm 1.4 Asph | f/1.4
leica 50mm 1.4 summilux-m summilux asph asph. aspherical review leica m10 m10r m11 42mp sony a7rv a7riv a7 contrast sharpness resolution bokeh vignetting
Leica M10 | Leica 50mm 1.4 Asph | f/1.4
leica 50mm 1.4 summilux-m summilux asph asph. aspherical review leica m10 m10r m11 42mp sony a7rv a7riv a7 contrast sharpness resolution bokeh vignetting
Leica M10 | Leica 50mm 1.4 Asph | f/1.4

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Analogue, Leica M, MS-Optics, Projects

Analogue Adventures – Part 20: Kodak Color Plus 200 ECN-2 processed

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Kodak Color Plus 200

Even with the limited amount of different color negative films available these days Kodak manages to confuse the people by offering two different “low cost” ISO 200 daylight films: the Kodak Gold 200 (which I already had a look at here and here) and this Color Plus 200.
From what I gathered the Color Plus is based on older emulsion technology leading to slightly grainer and contrastier pictures, so let’s have a look at some samples.
Processing (ECN-2) and scanning was done at Silbersalz35 in Germany.

color plus 200 color+ kodak review m6 leica analogue analog
Leica M6 | MS-Optics 35mm 1.4 | f/2.8 | Kodak Color Plus 200 ECN-2
color plus 200 color+ kodak review m6 leica analogue analog
Leica M6 | MS-Optics 35mm 1.4 | f/2.8 | Kodak Color Plus 200 ECN-2
color plus 200 color+ kodak review m6 leica analogue analog
Leica M6 | MS-Optics 35mm 1.4 | f/8.0 | Kodak Color Plus 200 ECN-2
color plus 200 color+ kodak review m6 leica analogue analog
Leica M6 | MS-Optics 35mm 1.4 | f/2.0 | Kodak Color Plus 200 ECN-2
color plus 200 color+ kodak review m6 leica analogue analog
Leica M6 | MS-Optics 35mm 1.4 | f/2.8 | Kodak Color Plus 200 ECN-2

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Review, Sony E-mount, Viltrox

Review: Viltrox FE 16mm 1.8 AF

22 Comments

Introduction

viltrox af 16mm 1.8 fe review sharpness contrast bokeh astro milky way coma vignetting 42mp 63mp sony a7
Viltrox FE 16mm 1.8 AF on Sony A7rII

We all like surprises and this Viltrox 16mm 1.8 AF for fullframe was a big one. We previously reviewed the Viltrox 85mm 1.8 AF MKI and II and they were solid performers while being very affordable. But this 16mm 1.8 sounds way more spectacular on paper than an ordinary 85mm 1.8 lens and it even comes with some technology we haven’t seen anywhere else yet. Let’s have a closer look.

Sample Images

viltrox af 16mm 1.8 fe review sharpness contrast bokeh astro milky way coma vignetting 42mp 63mp sony a7
Sony A7III | Viltrox FE 16mm 1.8 AF | f/2.2
viltrox af 16mm 1.8 fe review sharpness contrast bokeh astro milky way coma vignetting 42mp 63mp sony a7
Sony A7III | Viltrox FE 16mm 1.8 AF | f/2.8
viltrox af 16mm 1.8 fe review sharpness contrast bokeh astro milky way coma vignetting 42mp 63mp sony a7
Sony A7III | Viltrox FE 16mm 1.8 AF | f/2.8
viltrox af 16mm 1.8 fe review sharpness contrast bokeh astro milky way coma vignetting 42mp 63mp sony a7
Sony A7III | Viltrox FE 16mm 1.8 AF | f/1.8
viltrox af 16mm 1.8 fe review sharpness contrast bokeh astro milky way coma vignetting 42mp 63mp sony a7
Sony A7III | Viltrox FE 16mm 1.8 AF | f/1.8
viltrox af 16mm 1.8 fe review sharpness contrast bokeh astro milky way coma vignetting 42mp 63mp sony a7
Sony A7III | Viltrox FE 16mm 1.8 AF | f/1.8
viltrox af 16mm 1.8 fe review sharpness contrast bokeh astro milky way coma vignetting 42mp 63mp sony a7
Sony A7III | Viltrox FE 16mm 1.8 AF | f/1.8

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lenses, Nikon Z, Review

Review: KMZ Helios-44 58mm 2.0

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Introduction

The Helios 44 is basically a copy of the Carl Zeiss Jena Biotar 58mm f/2, optically that is. At the beginning it was even called “БТК” – “БиоТар Красногорский” (BioTar Krasnogorski).  At the end of Wold War II the Russians took the Zeiss’ designs and materials back to Russia and copied them. The Soviet Union manufactured millions of this lens in different variants and it shipped as standard lens on many Soviet (Zenit) cameras.  KMZ (the same factory that made the Zenit cameras) started manufacturing this lens from 1945. The Helios 44 lenses have built a cult around themselves in modern days and have been very popular for portrait photography and videography, it is the number one vintage lens used for making videos on modern cameras. It is very popular for its image character, its clickless aperture, balanced center sharpness and not least its swirly bokeh. Let’s have a look!

Sample Images

Nikon Z6 | Helios 44 58/2 | f/2
Nikon Z6 | Helios 44 58/2 | f/2
Nikon Z6 | Helios 44 58/2 | f/2
Nikon Z6 | Helios 44 58mm f/2 | f/2
Nikon Z6 | Helios 44 58mm f/2 | f/2

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7Artisans, Review, Sony E-mount

Review: 7Artisans 15mm 4.0 Asph

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Introduction

7Artisans 15mm 4.0 asph uwa review sharpness coma vignetting 42mp 61mp sony a7riv a7r2 a7r3
7artisans 15mm 4.0 Asph on Sony A7rII

7Artisans are definitely busy with releasing new fullframe lenses and the latest addition is this 15mm 4.0 ultra wide angle lens. At first sight you may think this is a rebranded NiSi 15mm 4.0, because it shares focal length, maximum aperture and even its size is similar, but I can assure you this is not the case. So let’s find out which one is the better affordable 15mm lens.

Sample Images

7Artisans 15mm 4.0 asph uwa review sharpness coma vignetting 42mp 61mp sony a7riv a7r2 a7r3
Sony A7III | 7Artisans 15mm 4.0 | f/8.0
7Artisans 15mm 4.0 asph uwa review sharpness coma vignetting 42mp 61mp sony a7riv a7r2 a7r3
Sony A7III | 7Artisans 15mm 4.0 | f/8.0
7Artisans 15mm 4.0 asph uwa review sharpness coma vignetting 42mp 61mp sony a7riv a7r2 a7r3
Sony A7rII | 7Artisans 15mm 4.0 | f/8.0
7Artisans 15mm 4.0 asph uwa review sharpness coma vignetting 42mp 61mp sony a7riv a7r2 a7r3
Sony A7III | 7Artisans 15mm 4.0 | f/11
7Artisans 15mm 4.0 asph uwa review sharpness coma vignetting 42mp 61mp sony a7riv a7r2 a7r3
Sony A7III | 7Artisans 15mm 4.0 | f/5.6
7Artisans 15mm 4.0 asph uwa review sharpness coma vignetting 42mp 61mp sony a7riv a7r2 a7r3
Sony A7rII | 7Artisans 15mm 4.0 | f/5.6
7Artisans 15mm 4.0 asph uwa review sharpness coma vignetting 42mp 61mp sony a7riv a7r2 a7r3
Sony A7rII | 7Artisans 15mm 4.0 | f/8.0

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