RoseandCharles wrote:
We tried out the 50mm f1.4 ZA last night, and while the bokeh is good for indoor purposes, I feel like it does have harsh outlines for outdoor foliage. The effect is almost Trioplan lens like, but not as strong. I understand some people really love the effect, but it's not my taste.
Does somebody of you experienced some focus inconsistency with the 50mm ZA? It was my main lens in Nepal two weeks ago and I went back with a lot defocused landscape shoots (f5.6 - f8). On the other side the people shoots (f1.8 - f2.8) are all fine and tack sharp. AF was on AF-A. Somebody with the same Problem?
Well have to admit I love 50mm focal length since for the first 5 years with my film camera since it was really all I could afford and because I was so happy with it I never really tried to see what else was out their that would provide a different look. I currently own the three lenses Fred started this thread with. Really only use the 50mm f/1.4 ZA these days unless I am trying to travel real light and then I will take 55mm if I need AF or the Loxia if I have the time to go manual. They are all great in there own way.
DrShouter wrote:
Does somebody of you experienced some focus inconsistency with the 50mm ZA? It was my main lens in Nepal two weeks ago and I went back with a lot defocused landscape shoots (f5.6 - f8). On the other side the people shoots (f1.8 - f2.8) are all fine and tack sharp. AF was on AF-A. Somebody with the same Problem?
You shouldn't use AF to take any landscape since at time I found the AF system tends to latch on some foreground objects instead of infinity. Try MF next time, and you can optimize DOF better with MF as well.
swldstn wrote:
Well have to admit I love 50mm focal length since for the first 5 years with my film camera since it was really all I could afford and because I was so happy with it I never really tried to see what else was out their that would provide a different look. I currently own the three lenses Fred started this thread with. Really only use the 50mm f/1.4 ZA these days unless I am trying to travel real light and then I will take 55mm if I need AF or the Loxia if I have the time to go manual. They are all great in there own way....Show more →
Totally agree. In addition to those three that Fred tested, I like the Planar ZE 50/1.4 and the Makro-Planar 50/2. And I'm looking forward to the eventual release of the VE 50/1.2. If I could have only one, it would have to be the 50mm f/1.4 ZA.
DrShouter wrote:
Does somebody of you experienced some focus inconsistency with the 50mm ZA? It was my main lens in Nepal two weeks ago and I went back with a lot defocused landscape shoots (f5.6 - f8). On the other side the people shoots (f1.8 - f2.8) are all fine and tack sharp. AF was on AF-A. Somebody with the same Problem?
I always use the small select-able points with my A7iii (AFC/AFS), works fine most of the time on f/1.7 and up, lower keepers at wide open though..
The 50mm ZA is the only AF lens I own, all others are MF Zeiss und CV lenses. So i was really surprised about the missed shoots, never had the problem with my 5D and the Canon AF lenses before. Can it be the AF-A mode? haze? dirt on the front element?
Some Sony 50mm f1.4 lenses have been recalled by Sony for a "fogging"
Check if your copy is affected.
DrShouter wrote:
The 50mm ZA is the only AF lens I own, all others are MF Zeiss und CV lenses. So i was really surprised about the missed shoots, never had the problem with my 5D and the Canon AF lenses before. Can it be the AF-A mode? haze? dirt on the front element?
DrShouter wrote:
The 50mm ZA is the only AF lens I own, all others are MF Zeiss und CV lenses. So i was really surprised about the missed shoots, never had the problem with my 5D and the Canon AF lenses before. Can it be the AF-A mode? haze? dirt on the front element?
I have the same issue with the lens. My 1.4/50 tends to front focus with eye-AF, especially at close distance. I think it is lens related, my 1.4/24 GM works fine.
Jannik Peters wrote:
I have the same issue with the lens. My 1.4/50 tends to front focus with eye-AF, especially at close distance. I think it is lens related, my 1.4/24 GM works fine.
Just shoot as a hobby, but I wouldn't say that my 50/1.4 is doing anything worse than other Sony lenses I used, maybe one of the slower though. I've had 35/1.4, 35/2.8, 55/1.8, 85/1.4 and currently have 50/1.4 + GM zooms and it's not my experience.
I have however only used them on a 24MP body (A9) and I would think that pixelpeeping a 42 MP 1:1 is a big difference.
Also it's probably a big difference between depth of field when your'e shooting with the 24 1.4 compared to the 50 1.4, which makes the eyeAF considerably trickier.
Jannik Peters wrote:
I have the same issue with the lens. My 1.4/50 tends to front focus with eye-AF, especially at close distance. I think it is lens related, my 1.4/24 GM works fine.
Could this some how be related to the front focusing owners of the new Batis 40/2 are seeing with Eye-AF? It maybe the lens or related to the focal length range since the field of view of the 50/1.4 and the 40/2 are not that different?
swldstn wrote:
Could this some how be related to the front focusing owners of the new Batis 40/2 are seeing with Eye-AF? It maybe the lens or related to the focal length range since the field of view of the 50/1.4 and the 40/2 are not that different?
Could be but my 50/1.4 doesn't show this behaviour whereas I've yet to hear of a 40/2 that does correctly work with Eye AF.
I've never noticed a strange behavior with my 50 1.4 and eye-af on my A9. But I just have it since a few weeks.
I like this lens a lot, I would say that it delivers what it should. It's sharp already wide open, the bokeh is pleasant, flare resistance seems ok. I haven't done any side by side comparison looking for flare or ghosting but based on a few weeks of use, it seems better to me than the 35 1.4 and the 85 1.8 in this area.
Here are two pictures as an example.
Focus right in the middle of the big mountain.
One is sharp one is blurry because of the focus plane in the foreground.
Focus Mode: AF-A
f8
1/640
It looks like the Lens is focusing at something in the foreground...
I will try it in AF-S, maybe that the camera thought the 7000m+ peaks were in motion
Any other suggestions?
I shoot very carefully and normally I have a keeper rate of 99% (at an technical standpoint, not artistic). With the 50 i had 10% out of focus pictures...
Jannik Peters wrote:
I have the same issue with the lens. My 1.4/50 tends to front focus with eye-AF, especially at close distance. I think it is lens related, my 1.4/24 GM works fine.
Jannik
I am experiencing front focusing with a7r3 and a 24 GM (AF-C, flex point, 1/250th, f1.4, iso auto up to 8,000). I’ve been using it to take pictures of my son running around in a walker but it front focuses 2-6” at 6-10’. I updated to new Sony firmware too. I just sent it in for an exchange with BH. I posted a thread and was given advice to increase shutter speed, but that did not work even when the little guy is reasonably stationary. It focuses with face detect spot on and otherwise on AF-C too.
Is your 50/1.4 better or worse than the 55/1.8 or 35/1.4 in your experience? I’m looking to add the 35/1.4 or 55/1.8 to grab some shots of my son running around. Also of note: the Tamron 28-75 nails it majority of time with these shots, also the 85 GM is accurate and precise.
Remember the 50 1.4 is a little slow to focus so you may need to give it a touch more time before it’s accurate. The 55 is quite fast to focus. I’m probably going to sell mine at the end of the week. I’m going to get the Batis 40, so need to sell my 55 I bought here on the board. Models the 50 1.4 , kids get faster is my theory.
Jannik Peters wrote:
I have the same issue with the lens. My 1.4/50 tends to front focus with eye-AF, especially at close distance. I think it is lens related, my 1.4/24 GM works fine.
Same issue with my 50mm and Eye-AF. I have not this problem with my 35mm Zeiss and my 85mm GM.
Apologies if this is the wrong place for the question, but are the old thread archives pretty much gone? I clicked on "View Older Replies" (https://www.fredmiranda.com/forum/topic/1443700/0?year=2016) on the first page of the thread but it only comes up with 3 pages of results, all from 2017. The tests, EFCS discussion, etc, are all gone. Am I missing something obvious?
Sarpedon wrote:
Apologies if this is the wrong place for the question, but are the old thread archives pretty much gone? I clicked on "View Older Replies" (https://www.fredmiranda.com/forum/topic/1443700/0?year=2016) on the first page of the thread but it only comes up with 3 pages of results, all from 2017. The tests, EFCS discussion, etc, are all gone. Am I missing something obvious?
