Category Archives: photography

Best lenses for Sunstars

sunstar sun sunburst blendenstern diaphragm stroke 10 7 8 14 18
Zeiss Loxia 21mm 2.8 | f/11 | 10 straight blades

The shape and appearance of sunstars is very important for landscape and architecture photographers. For some of them, they are even a defining element in their photos. Sunstars can appear around strong point light sources under certain circumstances, in this article I will talk about how to get them and how certain lenses (being more specific: number and shape of aperture blades) can influence their rendering.
Last update: December 2021

Sample Images

sunstar sun sunburst blendenstern diaphragm stroke 10 7 8 14 18
Zeiss Loxia 21mm 2.8 | f/5.6 | 10 straight blades
sunstar sun sunburst blendenstern diaphragm stroke 10 7 8 14 18
Zeiss Loxia 35mm 2.0 | f/11 | 10 straight blades
sunstar sun sunburst blendenstern diaphragm stroke 10 7 8 14 18
Zeiss ZM 35mm 1.4 Distagon | f/11 | 10 straight blades

Continue reading Best lenses for Sunstars

A beginner’s guide to bird photography – Episode 1: Sharpening your senses

Long-eared owl | Sony A7RIV* | Sony 1.8/135 GM | 1/1000s | f1.8

Many of you may have wondered where I have been in the past year. My last review has been published long ago and the dust settles on my blog activities. There is a good reason: I have been out there and had an intense time learning new skills in a totally different field of photography. Now I am ready to share my knowledge in a beginner’s guide for bird photography.

Continue reading A beginner’s guide to bird photography – Episode 1: Sharpening your senses

Review: MS-Optics 73mm 1.5 Sonnetar

Introduction

ms-optics ms-optical 73mm 1.5 sonnetar f/1.5 fast summilux leica m10 24mp 42mp review sharpness contrast resolution lateral ca chromatic aberration aberrations
MS-Optics 73mm 1.5 Sonnetar via Hawks Factory Helicoid adapter on Sony A7rII

I always considered the Voigtlander VM 75mm 1.5 Nokton a very small and lightweight fast portrait lens, that is until I came across this MS-Optics 73mm 1.5 Sonnetar.
But what does this tiny lens have to offer? Are we better off carrying the heavier Voigtlander lens or is the Miyazaki lens actually holding some surprises for us?
Lens is being tested on 42mp Sony A7rII and 24mp Leica M10

Sample Images

ms-optics ms-optical 73mm 1.5 sonnetar f/1.5 fast summilux leica m10 24mp 42mp review bokeh rendering contrast resolution sharpness
Sony A7III | MS-Optics 73mm 1.5 Sonnetar | f/1.5
ms-optics ms-optical 73mm 1.5 sonnetar f/1.5 fast summilux leica m10 24mp 42mp review bokeh rendering contrast resolution sharpness
Leica M10 | MS-Optics 73mm 1.5 Sonnetar | f/2.8

Continue reading Review: MS-Optics 73mm 1.5 Sonnetar

Review: Leica 90mm 2.0 Summicron M

Introduction

Sony A7s with Leica 90mm 2.0 Summicron M (pre Asph) and VM-E close focus adapter (Helicoid)

The Leica Summicron-M 90mm 2.0 has been Leica’s top of the line M-mount portrait lens from 1980 to 1998. It is also one of the first lenses I reviewed for this blog, but I had to sell it to fund the Zeiss Loxia 85mm 2.4 back in the day. Yet, I somehow missed this Leica’s high contrast look and nice bokeh, so I decided to give it another chance.
Lens is being tested on 42mp Sony A7rII and 24mp Leica M10

Sample Images

bokeh summicron 90mm 2.0 sony a7 review 42mp leica m10 24mp sharpness contrast
Leica M10 | Leica Summicron 90mm 2.0 pre-Asph | f/2.0
bokeh summicron 90mm 2.0 sony a7 review 42mp leica m10 24mp sharpness contrast
Leica M10 | Leica Summicron 90mm 2.0 pre-Asph | f/2.0
bokeh summicron 90mm 2.0 sony a7 review 42mp leica m10 24mp sharpness contrast
Sony A7III | Leica Summicron 90mm 2.0 pre-Asph | f/2.0 | LM-EA9
sony a7s summicron-m 90mm 2.0 a7s portrait wedding men groom husband
Sony A7s | Leica Summicron M 90mm 2.0 | f/2 | full resolution
bokeh summicron-m 90mm 2,0 f2 sony a7s leica leitz
Sony A7s | Leica Summicron M 90mm 2.0 | f/2 | full resolution
bokeh summicron 90mm 2.0 sony a7 review 42mp leica m10 24mp sharpness contrast
Sony A7III | Leica 90mm 2.0 pre-Asph | f/2.0 | LM-EA9
bokeh summicron 90mm 2.0 sony a7 review 42mp leica m10 24mp sharpness contrast
Sony A7III | Leica Summicron 90mm 2.0 pre-Asph | f/5.6

Continue reading Review: Leica 90mm 2.0 Summicron M

Finding photo opportunities near home

Introduction

Sony A7rII | Zeiss Loxia 21mm 2.8 | f/8.0

I love travel photography, going to exotic places and exploring landscapes and cities different from those I can find back home. But when you travel somewhere far away what you mostly do is checking before what are “the best” spots, hoping for decent weather only to actually end up at a totally overcrowded landmark with lots of other photographers, fighting for a good spot and hoping to not have too many tourists in the picture.

In this article I will try to show some alternatives that might not be as exotic, but can nevertheless be just as enjoyable and in the process might also improve your photography skills more than just “collecting” the shots from other photographers.

Sony A7rII | Zeiss Loxia 21mm 2.8 | f/4.0

Continue reading Finding photo opportunities near home