My transition from Nikon to Sony

Introduction

transition from nikon to sony a7rii d800

As many of you may have noticed when reading my reviews I am a former Nikon DSLR-user. In the past I had a D40, D5000, D300, D700 and still have a D800 (which is also for sale right now).
I was never unhappy with the results I got from these cameras and I think the Nikon engineers are the best at getting the most out of the Sony sensors. Still I ended up selling most of my Nikon gear. In case you are interested to find out more about this story be welcome to read on!

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Review: Jupiter-12 35mm 2.8

Introduction

Sony A7s with Jupiter-12 35mm 2.8 and VM-E close focus adapter (Helicoid)
Sony A7s with Jupiter-12 35mm 2.8 and VM-E close focus adapter (Helicoid)

The Jupiter-12 35mm 2.8 is a copy of the Zeiss Biogon 35mm 2.8 and was produced in the UDSSR after WWII. The Jupiter lenses belong to the very few “lowcost” rangefinder lenses, but what do they have in store in terms of optical quality? Read on to find out.

Sample Images

jupiter-12 35mm 2.8 sony a7s sony-e mount stuttgart blue hour opera oper
Sony A7s | Jupiter-12 35mm 2.8 | f/11 | full resolution
jupiter-12 35mm 2.8 sony a7s sony-e mount schwarzwald black forest long exposure nd filter
Sony A7s | Jupiter-12 35mm 2.8 | f/11 | full resolution
jupiter-12 35mm 2.8 sony a7s sony-e mount stuttgart
Sony A7s | Jupiter-12 35mm 2.8 | f/2.8 | full resolution

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Filters for digital Photography

Introduction

filter title hitech lee cokin system slot in screw polarzier nd gnd
Sony A7s with Loxia 21mm 2.8 and Hitech 67mm Filter System

In the film era a vast amount of filters was needed to alter the colours, the temperature or to add certain effects to the photos. In digital photography many of these filters have become pretty much useless as they can be recreated in post processing with the added bonus of more control over the effect without any disadvantages.
But there are also some useful filters which can’t be fully recreated in post processing and still have a place in digital photography and these are the ones I’m going to talk about.
Update 09/27/2016: at Photokina 2016 in Cologne I checked out all the big filter manufacturers and have updated some sections accordingly. I am also working closely with NiSi filters now – not just because I think their filters offer the best quality – but because they listen to their customers and I hope to be able to help them develope the first holder I find nothing to complain about 🙂

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Review: Zeiss Batis 18mm 2.8

Introduction

Sony A7s with Zeiss 18mm 2.8 E Batis
Sony A7s with Zeiss 18mm 2.8 E Batis

The Zeiss Batis 18mm 2.8 is the latest addition to Zeiss’ line up of modern autofocus lenses and also the widest AF prime lens to date for Sony E-Mount. As many people (include me here) are now engaged in landscape astrophotography I am especially interested how the new Batis fares in this regard.
Last Update: Review finised, conclusion added, sample images added  (05/30/16)

Sample Images

carl zeiss batis 18mm 2.8 sony a7s astro astrophotography astroscape coma milkyway milky way star stars
Sony A7s | Batis 18mm 2.8 | f/2.8 | ISO6400 | 20s | panorama from 4 shots | higher resolution
santa cruz tenerife canary island zeiss batis 18mm 2.8 e mount sony a7s panorama blue hour sunstars reflection
Sony A7s | Batis 18mm 2.8 | f/8.0 | panorama from 4 shots
batis 18mm 2.8 sony e zeiss a7 distortion stuttgart ludwigsburg castle monrepos favorite barock
Sony A7s | Batis 18mm 2.8 | f/11 | full resolution

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Review: Sony FE 1.8/50 (SEL50F18F)

Sony_FE_50mmf1p8-6

The new Sony FE 1.8/50 is the second more affordable lens after the FE 2/28 which I liked a lot. Has Sony created another winner?

Sample Images

Sony FE 1.8/50 | f/11 | Sony a7 | full resolution
Sony FE 1.8/50 | f/11 | Sony a7 | full resolution
Sony FE 1.8/50 | f/1.8 | Sony a7 | full resolution
Sony FE 1.8/50 | f/1.8 | Sony a7 | full resolution
Sony FE 1.8/50
Sony FE 1.8/50 | f/1.8 | Sony a7 | full resolution
Sony_FE_50mmf1.8-17
Sony FE 1.8/50 | f/1.8 | Sony a7 | full resolution

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