p.25 #2 · Announced: RX1R II with 42MP sensor and EVF
One area where I feel the 28/2 really punches above its weight is with regards to color and contrast. Not the best lens on the market in that regard, but very pleasing color and saturation for a $449 lens. Makes a great family snapshot lens
p.25 #4 · Announced: RX1R II with 42MP sensor and EVF
TheEmrys wrote:
Fred, care to sum up your experience with rx1? Any people shots yet? Tried its close focus?
I was mainly curious about the sonnar 35/2 everyone raves about. The RX1R will be returned to lensrentals on Friday and by then I should decide if I will be getting the new RX1RII to complement my A7RII. I have more tests and comparisons to make.
The RX1RII is a small camera but I don't consider it pocketable like my GR. It's also not very light being about the same weight as my A7R+35/2.8 combo. I feel it's a bit front heavy. Because of its size, ergonomics suffer quite a bit and grip is non-existent. By the time one starts adding accessories like EVF, grip and hood to it, it starts to lose its size benefit.
AF was surprisingly better than I excepted even in low light. I would say it's adequate.
Small is good but coming from a Canon 5DIII and 1DC, the A7R/A7RII is plenty small for me.
I will post some more thoughts on Friday.
Best,
Fred
p.25 #5 · Announced: RX1R II with 42MP sensor and EVF
did you do any f/2.8 vs f/2.8 comparisons?
the 28/2 looks really nice. reminds me a lot of my plain MD 28/2 – nice colors, decent but not great bokeh, and sharp without heavy bite. the FE 28 has a ton of distortion though.
p.25 #6 · Announced: RX1R II with 42MP sensor and EVF
I agree that the 28/2 is such great value. I may just have to try one out.... I may be the minority but I like my bokeh with a bit of structure and therefore overall prefer the 35/2.8. Could also be that lens has a bit more micro-contrast Zeissness... PS - thanks Fred for posting!
p.25 #7 · Announced: RX1R II with 42MP sensor and EVF
The more I look at these the more I really like the 35mm FE lens. Which is unfortunate because I already have the sigma 35mm f1.4, the Contax G 35mm f2 (not great but small), the Contax 45mm f2 (great and small), and the sigma 30mm f2.8 (small, okay, and AF). I can't think of a lens I need less than this but wow it's appealing! The bokeh is not smooth but I like the bite, so much clarity
p.25 #8 · Announced: RX1R II with 42MP sensor and EVF
Question for RX1/R users:
1) Focus peaking only works with magnification. Is there a workaround for this?
2) Is there a way to activate peaking in video mode?
3) MF magnification can be assigned and triggered from a custom button but to actually get magnified one needs to press the center wheel button. It would make practical to press the custom button again for the 2-step magnification. Thoughts?
p.25 #9 · Announced: RX1R II with 42MP sensor and EVF
Fred Miranda wrote:
Question for RX1/R users:
1) Focus peaking only works with magnification. Is there a workaround for this?
no.
Fred Miranda wrote:
2) Is there a way to activate peaking in video mode?
don't think so.
Fred Miranda wrote:
3) MF magnification can be assigned and triggered from a custom button but to actually get magnified one needs to press the center wheel button. It would make practical to press the custom button again for the 2-step magnification. Thoughts?
that'd be nice.
i just put the magnify button next to the center button (left arrow) so it's easy to hit one then the other. lots of people seem to like having magnification come up automatically when you turn the focus ring, but that really irritates me when i am chasing something that moves.
p.25 #10 · Announced: RX1R II with 42MP sensor and EVF
Fred Miranda wrote:
The RX1RII is a small camera but I don't consider it pocketable like my GR. It's also not very light being about the same weight as my A7R+35/2.8 combo. I feel it's a bit front heavy. Because of its size, ergonomics suffer quite a bit and grip is non-existent. By the time one starts adding accessories like EVF, grip and hood to it, it starts to lose its size benefit.
AF was surprisingly better than I excepted even in low light. I would say it's adequate.
Small is good but coming from a Canon 5DIII and 1DC, the A7R/A7RII is plenty small for me.
I will post some more thoughts on Friday.
Best,
Fred ...Show more →
Fred - I agree the RX1 is not quite pocketable, but it is over 8 ounces lighter than the A7rII + FE 35/2.8 combo.
p.25 #11 · Announced: RX1R II with 42MP sensor and EVF
Fred Miranda wrote:
I feel it's a bit front heavy. Because of its size, ergonomics suffer quite a bit and grip is non-existent.
The first couple of times I tried the camera, I couldn't figure out how to hold it. The trick is: support it with your left hand like a tiny SLR.
The camera sits in my palm and fingers 4 and 5 of my left hand (where thumb = 1). Normally my thumb and index finger are on each side of the focussing ring. To change the aperture, I use my thumb and finger 3 on the knurled patches of the aperture ring. Most natural for me is to use the thumb to open up, and finger 3 to close down. My right hand can move freely to work the controls on the right of the camera (almost all the rest of the controls).
The only time my right hand takes any weight is when setting the AF mode, or shifting to a different grip for working the menus.
(I don't use or own the EVF, but I doubt that makes a difference to this.)
p.25 #12 · Announced: RX1R II with 42MP sensor and EVF
Honestly, ergonomics only really come into play with heavier cameras and lenses. This is a tiny camera with no possibility of attaching a Tamron 150-600.
p.25 #13 · Announced: RX1R II with 42MP sensor and EVF
I shot the RX1 for about a year--still miss it, but I don't like the FL, while I love 28mm. The Sony FE is quite a good lens, my one real complaint is typical Sony colors--it's pleasing, but not very nuanced, and I find the lens doesn't retain highlights the same way the RX1 or some other lenses do.
p.25 #14 · Announced: RX1R II with 42MP sensor and EVF
nehemiahphoto wrote:
I shot the RX1 for about a year--still miss it, but I don't like the FL, while I love 28mm. The Sony FE is quite a good lens, my one real complaint is typical Sony colors--it's pleasing, but not very nuanced, and I find the lens doesn't retain highlights the same way the RX1 or some other lenses do.
When I was looking at Fred's samples especially the Iron gate. To me the top image held the highlights the best with regards to the reflection. Fred hope you don't mind me reposting that. But from what i see the RX held that better than the other 2
p.25 #16 · Announced: RX1R II with 42MP sensor and EVF
the 35mm Zeiss on the Rx1 is the best 35mm I have ever shot with, now I haven't shot with them all, and I don't know that I need to, when I see the power that comes from this tiny camera, its all I need.
Its 'pop' just amazes me everytime, it's ability to make the simplest of shots have a wow factor, the Rx1 has ruined all other 35mm lenses for me.
p.25 #17 · Announced: RX1R II with 42MP sensor and EVF
GMPhotography wrote:
Fred's order
RX
35 2.8
28 F2
Interesting. To be honest, I didn't look at the test images, but yes, the RX1 does best here it seems. After shooting them in the field both quite a bit and processing the images, the contrast, subtlety, smoothness, and sharpness, and lack of distortion really make the RX1 files. Not that the FE 28 isn't a good lens and a great deal, but the RX1 sonnar is killer.
Despite it's not my favor FL, then lens is one of my absolute favorites.
p.25 #18 · Announced: RX1R II with 42MP sensor and EVF
nehemiahphoto wrote:
Interesting. To be honest, I didn't look at the test images, but yes, the RX1 does best here it seems. After shooting them in the field both quite a bit and processing the images, the contrast, subtlety, smoothness, and sharpness, and lack of distortion really make the RX1 files. Not that the FE 28 isn't a good lens and a great deal, but the RX1 sonnar is killer.
I have been pumping the 'Great 28' across various forums, Guy would attest to that, the 28 f/2 is a great bargain, and I agree that to me, it comes closer to the Rx1 rendering then the 35mm f/2.8 Zeiss, however, the Rx1 kills it. Easily. In my opinion and in the way of shooting I do. Ask me which is the better combo, a A7R mII with a 28mm f/2 or a Rx1, and I'll say the Rx1 in easy victory. But take it with a grain of salt I suppose, as I am probably the BIGGEST FANGURL there could be....of the tiny Rx1. But I am not a huge fan because I wanted to be, it is because the files in post from this tiny GEM got me that way.
p.25 #19 · Announced: RX1R II with 42MP sensor and EVF
Great shots Lucinda!
RX1 Zeiss 35/2 is indeed special and currently there is no compact FE native lens that matches it.
The lens is not 'perfect' though. I see some distortion/LoCA/CA and at infinity it's not as stellar at wider apertures. (I will post examples soon)
What makes it so special? IMO, the ability to isolate the main focal point with high contrast/sharpness in the focus area and low contrast + smoothness in the OOF region. In macro mode, the background just melts.
p.25 #20 · Announced: RX1R II with 42MP sensor and EVF
Fred Miranda wrote:
Great shots Lucinda!
RX1 Zeiss 35/2 is indeed special and currently there is no compact FE native lens that matches it.
The lens is not 'perfect' though. I see some distortion/LoCA/CA and at infinity it's not as stellar at wider apertures. (I will post examples soon)
What makes it so special? IMO, the ability to isolate the main focal point with high contrast/sharpness in the focus area and low contrast + smoothness in the OOF region. In macro mode, the background just melts.
Yes, I agree Fred. Sometimes the purple fringing is noticeable in high contrast areas as well. The Contax N 85 does the in focus ares but OOF smoothly without just feeling like the picture is one plane (subject) pasted on another (OOF area) despite the 1.4 aperture. The lenses remind me of each other.
edit: I also hear the term "medium format quality" with the RX1 (and most high res ff cameras when they first come out, straight with the a900), but I think in this case it more has to do with the smoothness of the files with the transition zones you discussed. I desperately wish Sony would make a wide angle adapter to 28mm that keeps the Sonnar's optical integrity, like Fuji did with the X100--it's just another area they could charge us for, and I don't think it would be cannabalizing.
