Category Archives: Review

Review: Leica 50mm 1.4 Summilux-M Asph

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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Review: Viltrox FE 16mm 1.8 AF

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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Review: KMZ Helios-44 58mm 2.0

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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Review: 7Artisans 15mm 4.0 Asph

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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Review: Tamron SP AF 90mm F2.5

Introduction

Tamron SP AF 90mm f/2.5 on Nikon Z6

Tamron made a big impression on the market when they launched their SP 90mm F/2.5 back in 1979. Small, flexible and very sharp. It is originally designed for 35mm cameras (full-frame) but can also be used on APS-C cameras with an equivalent focal length of 135mm. It is a classic dual purpose 90mm macro lens. The lens manages to do a 1:2 magnification, almost macro and many call it for a macro lens although Tamron themselves did not do that and only talked about it as “a medium telephoto portrait lens”.  (They called the previous versions, also with 1:2 magnification, “tele-macro” though.) Anyhow, it has long been the general opinion that it has very good close-up capabilities and it can do 1:1 macro with some help as we will see. It is also very suitable for use as a portrait lens at normal distances. The lens has been updated several times since its first release and changed look and optical formula during over 40 years of its existence. Each new version could have an additional feature, improved optical performance, just a cosmetic update, or a combination of them. We are going to look at the first AF version of this lens from 1990. The lens has been made with native mounts for Nikon F, Pentax K and Minolta/Sony A. I test a Nikon mount lens mostly on a FF mirrorless Nikon Z6 and APS-C DSLR Nikon D7200  (F mount) but I also include images taken with FF DSLR Nikon D600 (also F mount).

Sample Images

Nikon D600 | Tamron AP AF 90mm f/2.5 | 2.5

Nikon D600 | Tamron AP AF 90mm f/2.5 | 7.1 | Focus stacked from 11 images

Nikon D600 | Tamron AP AF 90mm f/2.5 | 3.3

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