I know that you're all dying to see more cat pics Sorry, it's cold out and I need to shoot something, so it's either cats or... well, I dunno. C/Y 50/1.7 -
Season of Photographic Eye - Picture 17 Week 1, Wednesday - The End
"The end has come. Some could say a little too early while I might say finally. The thing is, I have photographed quite a bit during this year. Not only have I photographed for this project, but I’ve also done family photographs and other random things along the year. The shutter counter of my Nex-5N shows 79871 actuations, which means, if my math is correct, that I’ve shot something like 50 000 frames during this year (there’s a lot of chaff in there and my keeper rate is about 10%). It’s a big number for me and while I have enjoyed this project a lot, it takes quite a bit of endurance to keep on photographing week after week, to write blog entries and to worry about the next picture. And to be honest there has been a bit of combat fatigue [...]"
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.
The majestic 35-70/3.4 Contax zoom rarely puts a foot wrong. The young monk and I gaze southwards towards Bhutan. This is what ISO50 delivers on the a99.
Sorry, it's cold out and I need to shoot something, so it's either cats or... well, I dunno. C/Y 50/1.7 - 
