Review: Carl Zeiss Jena Visionar 168mm 1.9

Introduction

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Carl Zeiss Jena Visionar 168mm 1.9 on Sony A7rII

After I tried the Visionar 109mm 1.6 I became quite interested in this line of projector lenses as they offer quite a lot of glass for the money. The 168mm 1.9 is the third longest of the line. It is quite a bit ligther than the two longer ones, so is it a good compromise?

Sample Images

carl zeiss jena visionar 168mm 1.9 projector lens cinema sony a7rii a7rm2 review sharpness bokeh supertele fast cheap
Sony A7rII | Carl Zeiss Jena Visionar 168mm 1.9 | f/1.9
carl zeiss jena visionar 168mm 1.9 projector lens cinema sony a7rii a7rm2 review sharpness bokeh supertele fast cheap
Sony A7rII | Carl Zeiss Jena Visionar 168mm 1.9 | f/1.9
carl zeiss jena visionar 168mm 1.9 projector lens cinema sony a7rii a7rm2 review sharpness bokeh supertele fast cheap
Sony A7rII | Carl Zeiss Jena Visionar 168mm 1.9 | f/1.9

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Review: PocketPano Vario XL panorama adapter

Introduction

Sony A7s | Sony FE 55mm 1.8 ZA | f/1.8 | ISO6400 | 13s | panorama from 14 shots

A panorama adapter can be a great addition to your kit, as it allows you to create shots with a wider field of view (up to 360° panoramas) and also vastly improves the image quality in any of your shots (e.g. in astrophotography). Unfortunately most pano adapters are either bulky and heavy, very expensive or cheaply made junk. A compact yet affordable and at the same time sturdy pano adapter was missing so far and pocketPANO tries to fill this gap. Let us find out if they managed to succeed!

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Review: Sony FE 85mm 1.4 GM

Introduction

Sony FE 85mm 1.4 GM gmaster portrait bokeh sharpness a7rII a7rm3 a7riii 42mp review
Sony FE 85mm 1.4 GM on Sony A7rII

Jannik already performed a thorough comparison between this lens and Sony’s cheaper FE 85mm 1.8, but a single review was somewhat missing so far. Here it finally is!

Sample Images

Sony FE 85mm 1.4 GM gmaster portrait bokeh sharpness a7rII a7rm3 a7riii 42mp review
Sony A7rII | Sony FE 85mm 1.4 GM | f/5.6
Sony FE 85mm 1.4 GM gmaster portrait bokeh sharpness a7rII a7rm3 a7riii 42mp review flare gegenlicht contralight backlit backlight
Sony A7rII | Sony FE 85mm 1.4 GM | f/1.4
Sony FE 85mm 1.4 GM gmaster portrait bokeh sharpness a7rII a7rm3 a7riii 42mp review
Sony A7rII | Sony FE 85mm 1.4 GM | f/1.4
Sony FE 85mm 1.4 GM gmaster portrait bokeh sharpness a7rII a7rm3 a7riii 42mp review flare gegenlicht contralight backlit backlight uv light ultraviolet
Sony A7rII | Sony FE 85mm 1.4 GM | f/1.4

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The best lenses for Brenizer / Bokehpanoramas

Introduction

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Sony A7s | Canon EF 135mm 2.0L | 55m f/0.81 equivalent

Brenizer or Bokehpanorama is a panorama technique to get a wide angle shot with the much better bokeh of a longer tele lens. In this article I will show you what it is all about and which lenses work best.

What is a Brenizer/Bokehpanorama?

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4×9 single shots before stitching in Microsoft Image Composite Editor

By using longer lenses and taking a panorama you can simulate the look of fictional, wider, very fast lenses that are not even technically possible to build.

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Review: Sony FE 100 f/2.8 STF GM OSS Lens

Introduction:

The Sony FE 100 f/2.8 STF GM OSS lens is a lens that I purchased some time ago not really knowing what to expect. I had read about the lens, of course, but frankly I found that it took me some time to get an understanding of how best to use this lens. I think it is a very fine optic with excellent sharpness and anextraordinarily smooth quality of bokeh, however, it is also a lens that imposes a steeper than normal learning curve.  It has a distinctive look in some situations that seems to be polarizing in the photo community.  With use, I have come to like this lens very much and don’t plan on parting with mine anytime soon.  In this review, I will attempt to explain why I like it and also some of its quirks so that prospective buyers might have a better idea about what to expect.

A few samples:

F2.8
F2.8
F2.8

 

F2.8

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