Archive 2015 · Sony A7 24mm F2.8 Lens Comparison/shootout
p.6 #1Sony A7 24mm F2.8 Lens Comparison/shootout
Definitely did make a noticeable improvement...even if it didn't 100% eliminate it.
timballic wrote:
This is the "stepping" I'm seeing in Lr5:
Almost 200% of a portion of the MC VFC shot on pg2, which shows it the most clearly. This is also from the mid-zone-dip area of the MC VFC. The sharper the edge, the less it appears to "step".
Ticking the "Remove CA" box certainly helps smooth it at the expense of some "clarity", but it's present from the first amount of sharpening (here 25:1.0:20) I don't want to remove CA anyway, as for a comparison I want to see how much each lens has of it.
Is this typical of Lr5 processor, or...Show more →
Feb 07, 2015 at 12:24 PM
p.6 #2Sony A7 24mm F2.8 Lens Comparison/shootout
Looking backwards and forwards through all the comparisons I've shot, my impressions and personal ratings are coming together.
If I had to rank the lenses, they would be:
1st. MD ø49mm Only by a whisker, and only if the sun is not in the lens!
2nd. OM It really is the "reference" 24mm
3rd. X-Fujinon The dark horse. If it weren't slightly less wide. Now reset it may even be =2nd!
4th. Nikkor Ai Let down by distant corners.
5th. FDn It may be evenly sharp, but I don't like the colour, clarity or the ergonomics
6th. MD ø55mm (Maybe I've just had 3 bad copies!) Mid-zone dip. Best ergonomics and colour!
Floating. ZS 25/2.8
I will post my full infinity series, and perhaps one or two more full series comparison.
I need to do some reshooting with the reset Fuji, probably in a comparison with just the OM, to see if there is any noticeable change.
Then I will do a final series with the ZS in comparison with the OM and MD ø49mm.
Edited on Feb 08, 2015 at 03:19 PM · View previous versions
If I had to rank the lenses, they would be:
1st. MD ø49mm Only by a whisker, and only if the sun is not in the lens!
2nd. OM It really is the "reference" 24mm
3rd. X-Fujinon The dark horse. If it weren't slightly less wide. Now reset it may even be =2nd!
4th. Nikkor Ai Let down by distant corners.
5th. FDn It may be evenly sharp, but I don't like the colour, clarity or the ergonomics
6th. MD ø55mm (Maybe I've just had 3 bad copies!) Mid-zone dip. Best ergonomics and colour!
Floating. ZS 25/2.8
I will post my full infinity series, and perhaps one or two more full series comparison.
I need to do some reshooting with the reset Fuji, probably in a comparison with just the OM, to see if there is any noticeable change.
Then I will do a final series with the ZS in comparison with the OM and MD ø49mm.
Edited on Feb 08, 2015 at 03:19 PM · View previous versions
Feb 08, 2015 at 12:20 PM
p.6 #3Sony A7 24mm F2.8 Lens Comparison/shootout
Flare patterns. All at F11
OM (I see a red ring ;o))
OM 24/2.8 F11 by timballic2, on Flickr
X-Fujinon Very restrained!
X-Fujinon EBC 24/2.8 F11 by timballic2, on Flickr
FDn
FDn 24/2.8 F11 by timballic2, on Flickr
MD ø55mm
MD ø55mm 24/2.8 F11 by timballic2, on Flickr
MD ø49mm
MD ø49mm 24/2.8 F11 by timballic2, on Flickr
Nikkor Ai
Nikkor Ai 24/2.8 F11 by timballic2, on Flickr
OM (I see a red ring ;o))
OM 24/2.8 F11 by timballic2, on FlickrX-Fujinon Very restrained!
X-Fujinon EBC 24/2.8 F11 by timballic2, on FlickrFDn
FDn 24/2.8 F11 by timballic2, on FlickrMD ø55mm
MD ø55mm 24/2.8 F11 by timballic2, on FlickrMD ø49mm
MD ø49mm 24/2.8 F11 by timballic2, on FlickrNikkor Ai
Nikkor Ai 24/2.8 F11 by timballic2, on FlickrFeb 08, 2015 at 01:39 PM
p.6 #4Sony A7 24mm F2.8 Lens Comparison/shootout
∞ focus. All lenses focussed at ∞ (Checked, and all correct ∞ focus)
All F11
OM
OM 24/2.8 F11 ∞ by timballic2, on Flickr
X-Fujijon
X-Fujinon 24/2.8 F11 ∞ by timballic2, on Flickr
FDn
FDn 24/2.8 F11 ∞ by timballic2, on Flickr
MD ø55mm Strong mid-zone dip
MD ø55mm 24/2.8 F11 ∞ by timballic2, on Flickr
MD ø49mm The only one that showed field curvature. I shot a second series refocussed on corner, but by F11 both looked identical.
MD ø49mm 24/2.8 F11 ∞ by timballic2, on Flickr
Nikkor Ai
Nikkor Ai 24/2.8 F11 ∞ by timballic2, on Flickr
All F11
OM
OM 24/2.8 F11 ∞ by timballic2, on FlickrX-Fujijon
X-Fujinon 24/2.8 F11 ∞ by timballic2, on FlickrFDn
FDn 24/2.8 F11 ∞ by timballic2, on FlickrMD ø55mm Strong mid-zone dip
MD ø55mm 24/2.8 F11 ∞ by timballic2, on FlickrMD ø49mm The only one that showed field curvature. I shot a second series refocussed on corner, but by F11 both looked identical.
MD ø49mm 24/2.8 F11 ∞ by timballic2, on FlickrNikkor Ai
Nikkor Ai 24/2.8 F11 ∞ by timballic2, on FlickrFeb 08, 2015 at 02:32 PM
p.6 #5Sony A7 24mm F2.8 Lens Comparison/shootout
Closer sequences. F11Focussed on "OF"
OM
OM 24/2.8 F11 by timballic2, on Flickr
X-Fujinon The best close up like this
X-Fujinon 24/2.8 F11 by timballic2, on Flickr
FDn
FDn 24/2.8 F11 by timballic2, on Flickr
MD ø55mm
MD ø55mm 24/2.8 F11 by timballic2, on Flickr
MD ø49mm
MD ø49mm 24/2.8 F11 by timballic2, on Flickr
Nikkor Ai
Nikkor Ai 24/2.8 F11 by timballic2, on Flickr
OM
OM 24/2.8 F11 by timballic2, on FlickrX-Fujinon The best close up like this
X-Fujinon 24/2.8 F11 by timballic2, on FlickrFDn
FDn 24/2.8 F11 by timballic2, on FlickrMD ø55mm
MD ø55mm 24/2.8 F11 by timballic2, on FlickrMD ø49mm
MD ø49mm 24/2.8 F11 by timballic2, on FlickrNikkor Ai
Nikkor Ai 24/2.8 F11 by timballic2, on FlickrFeb 08, 2015 at 03:26 PM
p.6 #6Sony A7 24mm F2.8 Lens Comparison/shootout
Final series of Pt 2.
This is the one that put me off the Nikkor Ai. All at F11 again. Focus on twig in path near shadow.
OM
OM 24/2.8 F11 by timballic2, on Flickr
X-Fujinon These will be putting the prices of this rare Fujinon up!
X-Fujinon EBC 24/2.8 F11 by timballic2, on Flickr
FDn
FDn 24/3.6 F11 by timballic2, on Flickr
MD ø55mm...and putting the prices of this one down!
MD ø55mm 24/2.8 F11 by timballic2, on Flickr
MD ø49mm
MD ø49mm 24/2.8 F11 by timballic2, on Flickr
Nikkor Ai See foliage along the top, the softest of all!
Nikkor Ai 24/2.8 F11 by timballic2, on Flickr
This is the one that put me off the Nikkor Ai. All at F11 again. Focus on twig in path near shadow.
OM
OM 24/2.8 F11 by timballic2, on FlickrX-Fujinon These will be putting the prices of this rare Fujinon up!
X-Fujinon EBC 24/2.8 F11 by timballic2, on FlickrFDn
FDn 24/3.6 F11 by timballic2, on FlickrMD ø55mm...and putting the prices of this one down!
MD ø55mm 24/2.8 F11 by timballic2, on FlickrMD ø49mm
MD ø49mm 24/2.8 F11 by timballic2, on FlickrNikkor Ai See foliage along the top, the softest of all!
Nikkor Ai 24/2.8 F11 by timballic2, on FlickrFeb 08, 2015 at 04:54 PM
p.6 #7Sony A7 24mm F2.8 Lens Comparison/shootout
All the series are now on Flickr at full size.
Next I'll check up on the X-Fujinon, now I've adjusted the adapter length and reset ∞ focus.
As the Stonyhurst College series was the only one that showed there might be a problem with it, I'll try to get there to reshoot that, and reshoot the OM, MD ø49mm and ZS 25/2.8 at the same time, on the same scene, for the final.
However, the forecast for at least the next 10 days does not look good, so it might not get done for a while.
Then I should be all done.......unless someone cares to donate a TS-E 24/3.5 MkII
I shot the full aperture series for all these,(except the flare series) so if another F stop is wanted to be seen, just ask.
Next I'll check up on the X-Fujinon, now I've adjusted the adapter length and reset ∞ focus.
As the Stonyhurst College series was the only one that showed there might be a problem with it, I'll try to get there to reshoot that, and reshoot the OM, MD ø49mm and ZS 25/2.8 at the same time, on the same scene, for the final.
However, the forecast for at least the next 10 days does not look good, so it might not get done for a while.
Then I should be all done.......unless someone cares to donate a TS-E 24/3.5 MkII
I shot the full aperture series for all these,(except the flare series) so if another F stop is wanted to be seen, just ask.
Feb 08, 2015 at 05:02 PM
p.6 #8Sony A7 24mm F2.8 Lens Comparison/shootout
This is what my sensor looked like after all those series changes....fibres from the cut edges of the flocking material I use in the adapters! Be warned!
Sensor dirt! (Fdn 24/2.8) by timballic2, on Flickr (only at 1600px)
Sensor dirt! (Fdn 24/2.8) by timballic2, on Flickr (only at 1600px)Feb 08, 2015 at 05:14 PM
p.6 #9Sony A7 24mm F2.8 Lens Comparison/shootout
Since the last comparisons, I have returned the MD ø55mm, put the FDn up for sale, sold the Nikkor Ai, bought and returned an AiS Nikkor (SIC), as badly decentred! ..... and had a disastrous morning of testing this morning!
Forecast for clear and still all morning, just what I'd been waiting for. I set off as the sun was rising , on the 1 hour drive to Stonyhurst.
Clear sun in my eyes all the way. As I got out of the car, the clouds raced in on a brisk wind! Useless! Even worse, the sun went in and out most of the morning, so no lens series of results were comparable.
I was hoping to compare the OM, MD ø49mm, X-Fujinon (after it's adjustment) and ZS.
What I did manage to ascertain was that the ZS has a "strong" top left quarter! Not come across that before
plenty of poor corners, but this one is definitely better than the other 3 quarters, which aren't at all bad either, but equalled by the MD ø49mm!
Here compared with the X-Fujinon top left.(100%) The scene is as on last page, over the lake towards the college. The Fujinon is the worst of the four here, (not altered by my adjustments, sadly), but the ZS shines. ZS clearly on the right. The MD would have been better than the Fujinon but no sun in that series makes it looks very flat.
NB. This is NOT an infinity focus test, but a dof test with the lenses focussed at about 10'
X-Fujinon 24/2.8 F11 cf ZS 25/2.8 F11 Top left by timballic2, on Flickr
If the difference was always as marked as this, I'd definitely always use the ZS, but mostly it is only fractionally better than the MD ø49mm, as below, and the top right quarter is possibly better on the MD. How can we ever tell what are adapter faults, when even the "best" adapters produce such variable results?
Closer, compared with the MD ø49mm, (100% top left again), the difference is less apparent, but still there. ZS again on the right. Difference of field of view as ZS is 25mm.
ScMD ø49mm 24/2.8 F11 cf. ZS 25/2.8 f11 Top left by timballic2, on Flickr
The top right 100% for comparison. I don't see the same ZS advantage here. (ZS on Kindai Rayqual Adapter)
MD cf ZS F11 top right by timballic2, on Flickr
Edited on Feb 17, 2015 at 06:26 PM · View previous versions
Forecast for clear and still all morning, just what I'd been waiting for. I set off as the sun was rising , on the 1 hour drive to Stonyhurst.
Clear sun in my eyes all the way. As I got out of the car, the clouds raced in on a brisk wind! Useless! Even worse, the sun went in and out most of the morning, so no lens series of results were comparable.
I was hoping to compare the OM, MD ø49mm, X-Fujinon (after it's adjustment) and ZS.
What I did manage to ascertain was that the ZS has a "strong" top left quarter! Not come across that before
plenty of poor corners, but this one is definitely better than the other 3 quarters, which aren't at all bad either, but equalled by the MD ø49mm!Here compared with the X-Fujinon top left.(100%) The scene is as on last page, over the lake towards the college. The Fujinon is the worst of the four here, (not altered by my adjustments, sadly), but the ZS shines. ZS clearly on the right. The MD would have been better than the Fujinon but no sun in that series makes it looks very flat.
NB. This is NOT an infinity focus test, but a dof test with the lenses focussed at about 10'
X-Fujinon 24/2.8 F11 cf ZS 25/2.8 F11 Top left by timballic2, on FlickrIf the difference was always as marked as this, I'd definitely always use the ZS, but mostly it is only fractionally better than the MD ø49mm, as below, and the top right quarter is possibly better on the MD. How can we ever tell what are adapter faults, when even the "best" adapters produce such variable results?
Closer, compared with the MD ø49mm, (100% top left again), the difference is less apparent, but still there. ZS again on the right. Difference of field of view as ZS is 25mm.
ScMD ø49mm 24/2.8 F11 cf. ZS 25/2.8 f11 Top left by timballic2, on FlickrThe top right 100% for comparison. I don't see the same ZS advantage here. (ZS on Kindai Rayqual Adapter)
MD cf ZS F11 top right by timballic2, on FlickrEdited on Feb 17, 2015 at 06:26 PM · View previous versions
Feb 17, 2015 at 10:33 AM
p.6 #10Sony A7 24mm F2.8 Lens Comparison/shootout
These are the only two comparisons that were any use. F11 (Full files on Flickr)
First MD ø49mm
MD ø49mm 24/2.8 F11 by timballic2, on Flickr
ZS
ZS 25/2.8 F11 by timballic2, on Flickr
OM
OM 24/2.8 F11 by timballic2, on Flickr
ZS
ZS 25/2.8 F11 by timballic2, on Flickr
Everything else I shot was meaningless because of the changing light.
Edited on Feb 17, 2015 at 11:49 AM · View previous versions
First MD ø49mm
MD ø49mm 24/2.8 F11 by timballic2, on FlickrZS
ZS 25/2.8 F11 by timballic2, on FlickrOM
OM 24/2.8 F11 by timballic2, on FlickrZS
ZS 25/2.8 F11 by timballic2, on FlickrEverything else I shot was meaningless because of the changing light.
Edited on Feb 17, 2015 at 11:49 AM · View previous versions
Feb 17, 2015 at 11:32 AM
p.6 #11Sony A7 24mm F2.8 Lens Comparison/shootout
Richer colours from the ZS, and that better quadrant I mentioned above.
However, apart from that the Zeiss isn't the "FAR better" lens that I was expecting it to be. Indeed the near corners are weak.
I think I have accomplished what I set out to do, which was to find out if there was a 24mm manual focus lens that I preferred to the OM 24/2.8. The MD ø49mm just accomplishes that for most situations, but not by a lot. I wish Minolta hadn't changed the colour signature of the ø49mm from the ø55mm, which was my favourite for colour along with the Zeiss.
The X-Fujinon EBC was a real dark horse. For close distances it was the best, once stopped down, but not for distant corners.
The ZS is just too big and heavy, (for my purposes) for the advantage in distant corners, (or at least one of them). The ZS excels wide open, where I don't use it, and for close-ups, where nothing else comes close. I also suspect that it would shine at ∞ focus, but the conditions today just weren't suitable to check that.
However, apart from that the Zeiss isn't the "FAR better" lens that I was expecting it to be. Indeed the near corners are weak.
I think I have accomplished what I set out to do, which was to find out if there was a 24mm manual focus lens that I preferred to the OM 24/2.8. The MD ø49mm just accomplishes that for most situations, but not by a lot. I wish Minolta hadn't changed the colour signature of the ø49mm from the ø55mm, which was my favourite for colour along with the Zeiss.
The X-Fujinon EBC was a real dark horse. For close distances it was the best, once stopped down, but not for distant corners.
The ZS is just too big and heavy, (for my purposes) for the advantage in distant corners, (or at least one of them). The ZS excels wide open, where I don't use it, and for close-ups, where nothing else comes close. I also suspect that it would shine at ∞ focus, but the conditions today just weren't suitable to check that.
Feb 17, 2015 at 11:42 AM