freaklikeme Offline Upload & Sell: Off
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After spending a week with the Loxia 50, I have to say, I'm impressed. Not so much by the draw. I was already a fan of the ZM Planar, and this is just that lens in an e-mount friendly shell, and the results do not disappoint (I'll post some photos when I get back home from Phoenix). It is, on the a7II, anyway, sensitive to strong light sources outside of the frame, so I've found the best results come in using it with the hood at all times. I have the same issue with my Summicron-M 50, though it has the advantage of a built-in hood.
From a design perspective, I like the lens. I do wish the tension on the focus ring were a little tighter, but the quick action does make it easier to follow-focus, so it's not all bad. At least it focuses in the "right" direction. The aperture ring turns in the "wrong" direction, but since the aperture setting appears in the info display as you turn it, you get a clear indication when you're turning it the wrong way. The action on both rings is good- smooth on the focus with nice hard-stops that don't feel jarring, good clicks on the aperture with the ability to go to a very smooth click-less operation. The blades give a mostly circular shape even at intermediate positions, so de-clicking for stills is without penalty. The native .45M MFD is nice to have, but something I doubt I'll use much. I rarely use the Hawks adapter with my Summicron, and have yet to find a reason to use the Loxia that closely.
The rear of the lens is baffled (which, I assume, means it would be even more sensitive to stray light without it) and the blue ring around the base is a nice rubber gasket to seal the mount against the camera. The hood is deep. When reverse mounted, it's nearly down to the mount, but it doesn't add any significant weight or bulk to the lens. And the lens cap is a Nikon-style center-pinch that stays on quite well. It's chipped, of course, so no need to program the focal length for SteadyShot use.
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