rscheffler Offline Upload & Sell: Off
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Emacs: looking forward to your controlled test with a properly shimmed adapter (if it turns out the 50 Lux ASPH does not correctly infinity focus with your a7/7R), preferably with samples from several copies of cameras and lenses to rule out variables. I think the only one on the forum possibly equipped to do so is Roger at Lens Rentals. Not that he'll do it, considering how busy he is..
#2 assumes infinity focus was simply setting the lens at the infinity hard stop and leaving it there. In the tests I did, I refocused each lens at maximum EVF magnification at a specific distant target. In the Shanghai skyline series on Flickr that many are questioning, the photographer states in his blog that he did the same (though his results do look strange at wider aperture on the faster lenses).
'Infinity' was chosen for the reason you point out about the angle of incidence, intending to show the 'worst case' scenario for a given lens... whether or not it's relevant to real world applications depends on each photographer.
In your proposition, do you mean to shoot at the infinity hard stop, then several series backing off infinity slightly each time? I don't see the point in using the hard stop if it focuses past infinity, unless the lens has severe field curvature back towards the camera at the edges. Backing off correct infinity focus could make sense with a lens with the opposite kind of field curvature, which many RF lenses have. By doing so, the averaged result once stopped down a bit to compensate for the loss of central sharpness, might be an overall improvement - testing will need to be done.
#3: 'Real world scenario is photographer owns one or two adapters for a number of lenses. It's a compromise. Not all combinations (or any) will have correct infinity focus at the hard stop. Not everyone will dedicate an adapter to each lens and shim it accordingly. But, if tests (which we're waiting for someone to do) prove that the floating element lenses require critical shimming and alignment for infinity focus, then that will be the only solution if one wants the best results... one more consideration when debating the merits of adapting lenses vs. buying the native offerings.
Since I feel these comments were somewhat directed at my results and methodology, I would like to reiterate that given the time and weather constraints at the time of testing, I did my best to be as consistent as possible to establish a 'first look' impression of what the camera and lens combinations promised to offer. I'm looking forward to the fine-tuned results from others now that the cameras are shipping...
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