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Archive 2011 · NEX 5N Sensor Behaviour with Rangefinder Wides

ayler
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p.1 #1 · p.1 #1 · NEX 5N Sensor Behaviour with Rangefinder Wides

I don't post very often here, but have decided to start this thread to gauge how the sensor in the 5N handles the Voigt, Zeiss, Leica et al WAs, designed for the M system or other short registration mounts. I'm interested in the performance of NEX 5N + WA XXX without the extra steps of going through Cornerfix and other forms of additional processing - how it performs through normal RAW development.

I know there are already quite a number of NEX threads, but AFAIK none that serves as a gathering point for the collection of thoughts and images from those who use both the NEX 5N and a concoction of one to many WA rangefinder lenses.

There's been some discussion about the merits of opening new threads versus using existing ones, and I don't feel my Spartan contribution is enough to entitle me to a view on the issue; so if this thread dies a natural death, so be it.

The interest for me is to find out how the NEX 5N performs with a wealth of small rangefinder WAs in terms of vignetting, colour casts, corner smearing, resolution, etc. My view is that this is potentially very close to the perfect combination of small form factor, high sensor quality and a return to the 'sensorial' days of manual focus (with focus peaking and the rest), if the NEX 5N's supposed offset microlens architecture does indeed fulfill the promise of having dealt with the problem of protruding rear elements and angles of incidence.

I know some threads have already dealt with this a bit, but my view is that it'd be useful to have this discussed in a single thread.

BTW, I don't own a NEX 5N, but have owned a NEX 5, which I sold I while ago; but I'm quite interested in picking up one if it can be used without restrictions with some of the wides from the rangefinder world, particularly the cheaper Voigts and some ZMs.

Sep 20, 2011 at 03:19 PM

tomrock
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p.1 #2 · p.1 #2 · NEX 5N Sensor Behaviour with Rangefinder Wides

There is this thread https://www.fredmiranda.com/forum/topic/1044527

Zeiss 18/3.5 I think.

Sep 20, 2011 at 03:30 PM

ayler
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p.1 #3 · p.1 #3 · NEX 5N Sensor Behaviour with Rangefinder Wides

tomrock wrote:
There is this thread https://www.fredmiranda.com/forum/topic/1044527

Zeiss 18/3.5 I think.

That's a thread about the 18mm ZK, which is a K mount, SLR Zeiss, not a rangefinder ZM Zeiss.

Most if not all SLR lenses will work fine on the NEX 5N, as they did on the original NEX 5, because they are retrofocus designs with rear elements that will be quite distant from the NEX's sensor - hence angles of incidence are not a problem. That's not what I'm interested in, as retrofocus WAs are usually bulkier and to that you have to add the bulk of the lens adaptor.

Sep 20, 2011 at 03:38 PM

licorisher
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p.1 #4 · p.1 #4 · NEX 5N Sensor Behaviour with Rangefinder Wides

I might get to borrow a NEX 5N and later on possibly the NEX 7. I haven't got the adapters yet for the ZM lenses but I plant to try it out with the ZM25 and the ZM18 on the NEX.

At least one FM member is using a NEX with ZM18mm already. Which NEX, I don't know.

Here is one link (not the FM member I was thinking about though):

https://www.fredmiranda.com/forum/topic/965325

Sep 20, 2011 at 03:41 PM

licorisher
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p.1 #5 · p.1 #5 · NEX 5N Sensor Behaviour with Rangefinder Wides

I can only hope the ZM18/4 will do as well on the GXR-M as on the NEX in the link above. Impressive performance from the ZM 18mm.

Sep 20, 2011 at 03:47 PM

inglis
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p.1 #6 · p.1 #6 · NEX 5N Sensor Behaviour with Rangefinder Wides

Thanks for this thread.
I would like to know about corner sharpness as well as darkness/color shift on rangefinder WA lenses like the Contax G 28mm and Contax G 21mm. If the 5n is better with corner color shift or darkness how does it do with corner sharpness? I realize that the E lenses have improved corner sharpness but wonder about wide angle rangefinder lenses.

Sep 20, 2011 at 04:09 PM

ken.vs.ryu
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p.1 #7 · p.1 #7 · NEX 5N Sensor Behaviour with Rangefinder Wides

Please don't let the Forum Police scare you in posting.

Sep 20, 2011 at 05:41 PM

Gary Clennan
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p.1 #8 · p.1 #8 · NEX 5N Sensor Behaviour with Rangefinder Wides

Phillippe - can't you just use UV/IR cut filters to avoid the color cast? Not sure if this would help your situation or not...

Sep 20, 2011 at 06:44 PM

inglis
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p.1 #9 · p.1 #9 · NEX 5N Sensor Behaviour with Rangefinder Wides

Thanks much Philber
A discussion is starting over at getdpi with a link to some nice comparison shots at pbase from Contax G 28mm, CV 15mm SW 4.5 Color Heliar, and CV 21mm f4 Skopar
http://forum.getdpi.com/forum/showthread.php?t=30414
Do people think that the corner sharpness issue has to do with lack of micro lenses?

Sep 20, 2011 at 09:02 PM

SKumar25
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p.1 #10 · p.1 #10 · NEX 5N Sensor Behaviour with Rangefinder Wides

Philippe, what are the G 28 and G 21? Are they the ZM 28 / 21?

Sep 20, 2011 at 10:00 PM

SKumar25
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p.1 #11 · p.1 #11 · NEX 5N Sensor Behaviour with Rangefinder Wides

ayler - great post, I was wondering the same thing!

Sep 20, 2011 at 10:01 PM

philber
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p.1 #12 · p.1 #12 · NEX 5N Sensor Behaviour with Rangefinder Wides

They are Contax G 21mm and G 28mm. Small lenses made for the Zeiss line of Contax G film cameras, now extinct. They are generally considered some of the best glass Zeiss ever made.

Sep 21, 2011 at 12:36 AM

AhamB
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p.1 #13 · p.1 #13 · NEX 5N Sensor Behaviour with Rangefinder Wides

Gary Clennan wrote:
Phillippe - can't you just use UV/IR cut filters to avoid the color cast? Not sure if this would help your situation or not...

I thought that was only relevant to the Leica M8 sensor because it used a very thin IR filter (too thin to block all IR)?

Sep 21, 2011 at 02:13 AM

Gary Clennan
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p.1 #14 · p.1 #14 · NEX 5N Sensor Behaviour with Rangefinder Wides

AhamB wrote:
I thought that was only relevant to the Leica M8 sensor because it used a very thin IR filter (too thin to block all IR)?

Yeah - could very well be, I'm not sure though.

Sep 21, 2011 at 02:15 AM

AhamB
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p.1 #15 · p.1 #15 · NEX 5N Sensor Behaviour with Rangefinder Wides

@Gary: This thread resurfaced where Boris is using an IR cut filter with the ZM18 on his NEX-5 (not the N) and M8: https://www.fredmiranda.com/forum/topic/965325/0#9141384
Looks like it does help a bit with the NEX-5 but actually makes things worse with the M8.

Sep 21, 2011 at 03:10 AM

you2
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p.1 #16 · p.1 #16 · NEX 5N Sensor Behaviour with Rangefinder Wides

Bit confused; philber have you tried the contax c/y 28 or 25 on the nex-5n? I.e, is this issue exist with retro focus design or only with non-retro focus wide angle lenses ?

Sep 21, 2011 at 07:26 AM

philber
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p.1 #17 · p.1 #17 · NEX 5N Sensor Behaviour with Rangefinder Wides

I own a C/Y25, and it never displayed any colour shift/corner sharpness problem even on my early NEX 5, so there will most definitely not be any on a C3 or 5N.

Sep 21, 2011 at 07:29 AM

licorisher
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p.1 #18 · p.1 #18 · NEX 5N Sensor Behaviour with Rangefinder Wides

I think the retrofocus lenses will all be fine regardless of which NEX you use and any sharpness fall off towards the corners would be that of the lens itself.

Sep 21, 2011 at 08:12 AM

FlyPenFly
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p.1 #19 · p.1 #19 · NEX 5N Sensor Behaviour with Rangefinder Wides

This seems to be an issue of the rear element being very close to the sensor and the angle at which the light hits the sensor edges.

I wonder perhaps if this is related to the very weak AA filters on the NEX-5N and the C3. If that is the case, things are looking good for the NEX-7 which also has very weak AA filters from early samples.

Sep 21, 2011 at 09:12 AM

mike_hk2ksk
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p.1 #20 · p.1 #20 · NEX 5N Sensor Behaviour with Rangefinder Wides

Here are a few shots with CV21/4 which I neglected on my NEX5 - was to lazy to deal with cornerfix. Lens to me looks much better on NEX5n. Corners are much better. Maybe there is some purple cast on the right side, maybe not. All shots are taken at 5.6, some are stright JPEGs some are HDRs. Let me know what you think.

What I really like is the articulated EVF. Amazing gadget.

http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6152/6169308869_cbae454e7d_b.jpg

http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6173/6169310093_1f9b9f8d3e_b.jpg

http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6180/6169309733_91edd5f70b_b.jpg

http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6162/6169308483_c300ccf17b_b.jpg

http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6169/6169308109_a2ddb7274f_b.jpg

Sep 21, 2011 at 11:52 AM

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