p.5 #1 · Issue with the Sony Zeiss 55/1.8 FE or A7
twoeye wrote:
I have never tested the performance of my FE55 until now, but two weeks ago I noticed that infinity shots at the wider aperture were noticeably unsharp on the left side. Some testing shows that the plane of focus is tilted, focused at infinity the image is in focus at about 20m on the left side while it is sharp at infinity in the centre and right side. (My FE 35 is fine.)
Sending it off for adjustment/ replacement, hoping Sonys turnaround is faster now than when my RX1 was serviced.
Short update: My FE 55 was replaced by a second copy which had the exact same issue, it is going back for replacement again. No other lenses shows this tilted plane of focus on my A7r. ...Show more →
Final update: My second decentered copy was, according to Sony, within specifcations and they claimed that " It is true that this lens model have tendency to be a bit less sharp at left side, this is visible on all lenses. " (!)
Luckily my retailer, Fotovideo in Oslo, stood up for me and accepted a return and full refund.
Some tests/ samples:
Decentering test shot done by Sony´s Norwegian Service Partner on an A6000:
(Decentering tests of this lens should, according to Sony, be done on an Aps-C A6000, not an A7 (!))
p.5 #2 · Issue with the Sony Zeiss 55/1.8 FE or A7
twoeye wrote:
Final update: My second decentered copy was, according to Sony, within specifcations and they claimed that " It is true that this lens model have tendency to be a bit less sharp at left side, this is visible on all lenses. " (!)
Luckily my retailer, Fotovideo, in Oslo stood up for me and accepted a return and full refund.
p.5 #3 · Issue with the Sony Zeiss 55/1.8 FE or A7
Sorry to revive an old thread, but I thought I was going insane until I found this thread. For about a month I've been struggling with the exact same issue. My 55/1.8 is noticeably softer on the left side than the right when focused at infinity and the focus plane appears to be tilted. It is Ok-ish wide open but it really goes wonky at f/2.8, where the foreground on the left side will be sharp, the background will be soft and the centre and the right will be sharp as a tack.
I've tested a number of other lenses which also appear to be softer on the left, though nowhere near what my 55/1.8 is. So, has anyone else found any resolution, either by multiple copies or different cameras? I sent my camera to Sony for repair and they essentially did nothing and when I got it back, it was exactly the same. I've got a Tough E-mount and will try mount replacement when I get a set of JIS screwdrivers.
p.5 #4 · Issue with the Sony Zeiss 55/1.8 FE or A7
A tilted sensor or mount could of course also explain the tilted plane of focus, and I did a quick test of my FE35 which had no signs of the tilted plane of focus. The service technician of my Sony repair centre agreed with me that the lens was decentered and that the problem was not caused by the camera. The decentered lenses showed similar performance on the Service Centre´s camera.
p.5 #5 · Issue with the Sony Zeiss 55/1.8 FE or A7
Thanks for the reply. I think I also need to get my lens on a second camera...the problem I have is that, in Canada, the only Sony service centre is in Toronto, far away from me here on the Left Coast in Vancouver. I'll replace my mount and then, if the problem persists, send my 55 away for servicing. A bummer, man!
p.5 #6 · Issue with the Sony Zeiss 55/1.8 FE or A7
Those examples look exactly the same as my first two FE55 lenses Twoeye. Luckily the store refunded you.
I'm sorry to hear your copy has the same issue Dave. Yet another one.
So many copies with all the same problem... there must be something off in the production line.
p.5 #7 · Issue with the Sony Zeiss 55/1.8 FE or A7
The internet is a clearing house of squeaky wheels looking for some oil.
No one wastes time complaining on FM about how good their FE55 is, lol. Reliable statistical data rather than anecdotal reports are thin on the ground, we can only guess at the real scale of problems in any lens.
p.5 #8 · Issue with the Sony Zeiss 55/1.8 FE or A7
philip_pj wrote:
The internet is a clearing house of squeaky wheels looking for some oil.
Largely, yes. But it has also been enormously useful for holding manufacturers to task when they release cameras with obvious faults, like the Canon 1D C-AF issues, D800 AF issues, the D600 oil issues, etc.
philip_pj wrote:
No one wastes time complaining on FM about how good their FE55 is, lol. Reliable statistical data rather than anecdotal reports are thin on the ground, we can only guess at the real scale of problems in any lens.
Yes, statistics are actually non-existent, not just thin. But the nature of the issue and the fact that at least a few of us are seeing the exact same very odd issue would suggest a production run that went amiss or something of the like. Maybe some odd mount/lens combos? Who knows. But my 55 isn't right.
p.5 #9 · Issue with the Sony Zeiss 55/1.8 FE or A7
No suggestion to the contrary, Dave. It would be good if we could obtain lens data of that kind from Roger Cicala, but it might not be ah, politically correct for him to write about. It might have been a crook early batch, I imagine makers can get on top of this kind of thing fast if they need to, or feel the need to, might be a better way of saying it. ;-
p.5 #10 · Issue with the Sony Zeiss 55/1.8 FE or A7
philip_pj wrote:
No suggestion to the contrary, Dave. It would be good if we could obtain lens data of that kind from Roger Cicala, but it might not be ah, politically correct for him to write about.
Hahaha I suspect you're right about that. It would be fascinating to see numbers on lens defects, especially since the newer sensors are so unforgiving.
philip_pj wrote:
It might have been a crook early batch, I imagine makers can get on top of this kind of thing fast if they need to, or feel the need to, might be a better way of saying it. ;-
Yeah, I wonder if there wasn't a problem in the production line for a bit because the defects appear to be too consistent to be random. That said, I'm wondering if it's not my lens mount, as all my lenses appear a bit softer on the left and my FE35 even vignettes more on the left. It's baffling.
Anyways, I hope I get it sorted soon. Despite this, I still really enjoy shooting with my A7 and doubt I'll be going back to a Canon or Nikon DSLR anytime soon.
p.5 #11 · Issue with the Sony Zeiss 55/1.8 FE or A7
Third time lucky?
I did not want to give up on the lens, and bought a third used copy. Same issue, plane of focus closer on the left side than the right side. So is my camera out of whack?
Some testing:
- Other lenses show a very slight similar tendency of a tilted plane of focus, but not nearly as much as the FE55.
- Mounting the FE 55 with a piece of paper between lens mount and camera on the left side (tilting the lens slightly) gives much better sharpness across the whole image when focused at infinity. Plane of focus at closer distances is not tilted any more....
All this seems to indicate that my sensor/ mount might be tilted, but what boggles me is the fact that the first two lenses were tested by the Sony Service centre who found the same issue, and also the fact that others report the same issue on the left side with this lens.
If my sensor/ mount is tilted it seems to me that the FE55 is much more affected by this than other lenses (FE35, Contax G90, Tokina 90/2.5)
p.5 #12 · Issue with the Sony Zeiss 55/1.8 FE or A7
twoeye wrote:
Any suggestions?
If you could, test the lens with other camera. A7 II or A7s would be ideal since the mount was reinforced on those models, they should be less prone to mount issues.
If you can't, then send the lens and body together to be looked at.
p.5 #13 · Issue with the Sony Zeiss 55/1.8 FE or A7
Wait... Isn't the lens release on the right? Maybe it's pushing against the lens, tilting it left enough to create this problem and placing the paper on the left straightens it back out...
p.5 #14 · Issue with the Sony Zeiss 55/1.8 FE or A7
matthewm wrote:
Wait... Isn't the lens release on the right? Maybe it's pushing against the lens, tilting it left enough to create this problem and placing the paper on the left straightens it back out...
Such a random thought, I know. Just curious.
Tested that. Pressing the lens release while shooting did not improve matters. But examining the lens mount by holding camera with lens mounted up against the light revealed a very thin space between lens and mount on the right side: Lens is in other words slightly tilted to the left when mounted. The FE35 does not show this space and seems to be mounted straight. So, I am beginning to think that the problem is mount related, and also that the FE55 is very sensitive to misalignments. I guess I will end up shimming the FE55 slightly on the left side to straighten things up.
I am not at all ready to raise the issue with Sony...
Mar 07, 2015 at 06:26 AM
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p.5 #15 · Issue with the Sony Zeiss 55/1.8 FE or A7
twoeye that's a very interesting observation. Maybe "Tough E-mount" upgrade will solve the skew issue?
(although I'm somewhat sceptical because I also had a decentered FE 35 which was replaced with a flawless lens (turned out to be an optical issue). It made me think that the camera itself isn't defective, unless the same exact issue in FE 35 and FE 55 is cause by different factors. If the problem for FE 55 is in its mount, what are the chances that the camera mount modification will help?)
Another piece of info: I had my camera tested by Sony SC with a LA-EA3 adapter and a reference A-mount 50/f1.4 SSM. No tilt was detected. A replacement FE 55 lens also showed less focus plane skew than my original lens (but not much better)
p.5 #16 · Issue with the Sony Zeiss 55/1.8 FE or A7
Apologies if this isn't helpful. I am on my phone and only read the first page.
Here are some articles from Roger Cicala at Lens Rentals on checking for defects in lenses.
I'll post the most recent first. He has some specific tests if you suspect a decentered lens, etc. Then some older articles that may be "superseded" by the newer info?
You can read the title at the end of the link if I didn't post it:
p.5 #17 · Issue with the Sony Zeiss 55/1.8 FE or A7
An update on my situation:
I got a killer deal on a used A7R here in Vancouver and found that my 55 exhibited the same behaviour so I sent my A7 and 55 in to Sony's repair here in Vancouver. Gary at Fusion Cine was spectacular in his efforts to right the situation and Sony decided to send me a new lens, full stop. I'll pick it up on Monday and do further testing on both of my A7s. It's been a baffling and frustrating issue!
p.5 #18 · Issue with the Sony Zeiss 55/1.8 FE or A7
Interesting thread! After reading through the various posts here I took a test series with my A7II and FE55.
My findings:
Infinity: tack sharp from 1.8 – excellent! No sign of odd behavior in the focus line.
Focus at about 3m/10feet: same as infinity, excellent and no odd behavior.
Focus at object about30m/100feet away: Well, this is interesting. I had to examine the picture closely, but it’s clear that the line of focus was not straight here. The focus line went against infinity at the right side of the picture. There is also a part in the middle section of the picture – at about infinity, that is more out of focus than the left and right side (the latter almost in focus). Stopping down to f5.6 straightens the picture.
Lenses are complex beasts…. I regard my sample of the FE55 to be mint and within spec. Maybe the more sophisticated lens mount on the A7II plays a role here?
p.5 #19 · Issue with the Sony Zeiss 55/1.8 FE or A7
Twoeye, as you know our issue was exactly the same. I tried two copies of the 55 on my first A7. Without any luck, just like you. The third copy finally was fine, but I got it together with a new body. So maybe I got lucky with the third copy or it was the first body to blame.
p.5 #20 · Issue with the Sony Zeiss 55/1.8 FE or A7
Part of the problem may be the sloppy focussing systems on AF lenses, I had a Nikon 35/2 AF that was softer on the left side too, and you could see the lens 'swing' as it focussed.
That's why I try to stick to manual focus lenses for critical stuff.
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