Category Archives: Review

Review: Light Lens Lab 28mm 2.8 9-element

March 22, 2025 BastianK 13 Comments

Introduction

light lens lab 28mm 2.8 nine element 9e review leica m10 m11 m9 42mp 24mp cinematic contrast sharpness rendering bokeh film analogue — Light Lens Lab 28mm 2.8 9-element on Leica M10

Those of you that already had a look at my other reviews of Light Lens Lab lenses already know, their mission is to bring back rare and expensive lenses from the past at more affordable prices to give more people the opportunity to use them. After the 35mm 2.0 8-element they tackled the 28mm 2.8 9-element – a lens going for almost 10 grand on the used market for reasons I have yet to understand. Let’s see how this lens compares to the tiny Voigtländer VM 28mm 2.8 Color-Skopar.
This lens will be reviewed on the 24mp Leica M10 and the 42mp Sony A7rII.

Sample Images

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lenses, Nikon, Review

Review: Nikon Z Nikkor 24-70mm f/4 S

March 16, 2025 Martin 7 Comments

Introduction

The Nikon Z 24-70mm f/4 S was the first zoom lens designed for the Nikon Z system. Zoom lenses are known for their convenience and versatility, and this one is often bundled as a kit lens with various Z-series cameras. But does it fit the mold of a typical kit lens? Or does the ‘S’ designation—reserved for Nikon’s high-end lenses—along with its $1,000 price tag, put it in a different league? Let’s find out!

camera-icon2 I tested this lens on a 46 Mp Nikon Z7ii (Sample images were taken with a Nikon Z6)
You can see this review as a YouTube video here!
Sample images in high resolution here.

Sample Images

Nikon Z6 | NIKKOR Z 24-70mm f/4 S | 24mm F/10

Nikon Z6 | NIKKOR Z 24-70mm f/4 S | 70mm F/7.1

Nikon Z6 | NIKKOR Z 24-70mm f/4 S | 46mm F/10

Nikon Z6 | NIKKOR Z 24-70mm f/4 S | 40mm F/8

Nikon Z6 | NIKKOR Z 24-70mm f/4 S | 70mm F/11

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Review, Sony, Sony E-mount

Review: Sony FE 70-200mm 2.8 GM OSS II

March 8, 2025 BastianK 19 Comments

Introduction

sony fe 70mm-200 2.8 gm g master oss mark ii mk 2 sony 42mp 61mp a7rii a7riv a7riii a1 a9iii a7rv review resolution sharpness contrast bokeh vignetting coma z6 z7 z8 z9 — Sony FE 70-200mm 2.8 GM OSS II on Sony A7rII

Having a state of the art 70-200mm 2.8 zoom is something very important for the camera manufacturers, as these are extremely popular lenses – especially among the professional customers. Sadly, Sony’s first generation for the FE system wasn’t exactly a stellar performer and fell noticeably behind Nikon’s and Canon’s offerings. I said it before: Sony is very much aware of what the duds in the lineup are, so also here they released an improved version, the Sony FE 70-200mm 2.8 GM OSS II. Is this finally the 70-200mm 2.8 telezoom Sony customers deserve? Let’s find out in this review.

Sample Images

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Nikon, Nikon, Review

Review: Nikon AF-S 85mm 1.8G

March 6, 2025 BastianK 9 Comments

Introduction

nikon af-s 85mm 1.8 g n ed sony 42mp 61mp a7rii a7riv a7riii a1 a9iii a7rv review resolution sharpness contrast bokeh vignetting coma z6 z7 z8 z9 — Nikon AF-S 85mm 1.8G via Monster LA-FE1 on Sony A7rII

One-and-a-half years after the faster – and significantly more expensive – Nikon AF-S 85mm 1.4G, this Nikon AF-S 85mm 1.8G had been released. Two thirds of a stop slower, about half the weight and less than a third of the price – but with very similar imaging characteristics. At the end of the DSLR era this was a very popular lens and Nikon made a whole lot of them, but is it still an interesting option today? Let’s try to find out in this review.

Sample Images

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Canon, Leica M, Review

Review: Canon 50mm 0.95 – The original f/0.95 Dream Lens

March 3, 2025 BastianK 22 Comments

Introduction

review canon leica m 50mm 0.95 tv dream lens lens contrast resolution m10 42mp 24mp 61mp m6 analogue contrast bokeh vignetting — Canon 50mm 0.95 on Leica M10

While only lately f/0.95 fullframe lenses have become somewhat wider available and affordable, the first one that was commercially produced was the Canon 50mm 0.95 for the Canon 7 rangefinder cameras and that was in 1961. To put things into perspective, that was 47 years before Leica’s first f/0.95 lens, the Leica 50mm 0.95 Noctilux-M Asph, and 58 years before Nikon’s first, the Nikon Z 58mm 0.95 S Noct-Nikkor. Canon themselves called this the “Dream Lens”, so after already having reviewed most of these f/0.95 fullframe lenses, let’s get back to their roots and have a look at the original!
Big thanks to Camera Obscura Elburg for sending me the lens for this review!