Category Archives: lenses

Review: Light Lens Lab 50mm 2.0 Speed Panchro II

August 23, 2023 BastianK 13 Comments

Introduction

light lens lab cooke speed panchro ii sp spii review leica m10 m11 m9 42mp 24mp cinematic contrast sharpness rendering bokeh 50mm 2.0 film analogue — Light Lens Lab 50mm 2.0 SP II on Leica M10

With this 50mm 2.0 Speed Panchro II lens, Light Lens Lab tried to bring the look of the original Cooke SP II to the 35mm format and doing so at an affordable pricepoint – at least compared to what the original lenses are going for on the used market these days.
Before this lens, I never paid any attention to these old cine lenses, that makes it even more interesting to have a closer look at one.
This lens will be reviewed on the 42mp Sony A7rII and the 24mp Leica M10.

Sample Images

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Nikon, Nikon Z, Review, Viltrox

Review: Viltrox AF 24mm 1:1.8 STM ASPH ED IF (Z mount)

August 20, 2023 Martin 13 Comments

Introduction

Viltrox AF 24/1.8 Z, is the only AF prime 24mm lens for Nikon Z cameras besides the Nikon Nikkor Z 24/1.8 S (Also available with Sony FE mount). The full name is “Viltrox AF 24mm 1:1.8 STM ASPH ED IF for Nikon Z“. 24mm on a full frame camera is quite wide at the verge of ultra-wide angle, which can create dramatic images but at the same time it is not so wide that it makes composing images difficult. It is great for landscape photography, but due to its f/1.8 wide aperture, it can also be easily used indoors or in other low-light situations. It costs less than half as much as the Nikon 24mm lens, which makes it a very attractive alternative, but is it good enough? Let’s find out!

Sample Images

Viltrox 24mm f/1.8 review sharpness bokeh coma vignetting 24mp nikon z6 z6ii 46mp nikon z7 z7ii Z8 Z9 — Nikon Z6 | Viltrox 24/1.8 STM ASPH ED IF | f/1.8

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Canon, Canon EF-Mount, Review

Review: Canon EF 50mm 1.2 L USM

August 13, 2023 BastianK 16 Comments

Introduction

review canon ef 50mm 1.2 l usm 1.2l lens contrast resolution m10 42mp 24mp 61mp m6 analogue contrast bokeh vignetting — Canon EF 50mm 1.2L USM via metabones adapter on Sony A7rII

During the DSLR era the Nikon users always envied the Canon users for their fast f/1.2 primes – even though most would have never willingly admitted to that. But those f/1.2 primes came at a price not only quantified in hard earned dollars: autofocus inaccuracies and focus shift could really spoil the party.
Now the modern mirrorless cameras solved these issues, and when the first AF adapters for E-mount came out some people even said these lenses work better on Sony mirrorless cameras than they ever did on Canon (D)SLR cameras.
So let’s find out together in this review, if there is still a reason to get and use this lens in 2023.

Sample Images

Sony A7III | Canon EF 50mm 1.2 L USM | f/1.2

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lenses, Review, Sony E-mount, Viltrox

Review: Viltrox 75mm 1.2 AF E Pro APS-C

July 31, 2023 BastianK 27 Comments

Introduction

viltrox 75mm 1.2 af e aps-c e-mount review sony a6700 a6600 a6500 a6000 fuji sharpness contrast bokeh vignetting coma ca loca aberrations — Viltrox 75mm 1.2 AF E on Sony A7rII

If you are a regular reader you know I only rarely review APS-C lenses – I only use fullframe cameras and therefore have no personal use for APS-C lenses – but Viltrox played it smart by just sending this 75mm 1.2 AF to me without asking first. I guess they were hoping a fullframe equivalent of 113mm f/1.8 coupled with the raving reviews from the Fuji-X users would be enough to convince me to have a closer look at this lens. As you are reading this now, it seems their plan came together.
Update: lens is available to order from the manufacturer’s shop (use the code PRnet for 8% discount) | ebay.com (affiliate links) now

Sample Images

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Analogue, Leica M, Voigtlander, Zeiss

Analogue Adventures – Part 23: Silbersalz35 500T Push +1

July 27, 2023 BastianK 6 Comments

The guys from Silbersalz35 were organizing a small Night Photowalk in Stuttgart and part of the package was one roll of their 500T Vision3 cinefilms that you already know from some of my previous articles. I figured this was a good opportunity to find out how the film holds up being pushed one stop so I decided to pay the entry fee and join.
Processing (ECN-2, Push +1) and scanning was done at Silbersalz35 in Germany.