I'm not sure why the original Sony 135 STF is not popular here. In my opinion, it's one of the most unique lenses that you can buy for money and a dedicated image thread could show this uniqueness.
Apart from the crazy great Bokeh, it is an excellent lens - very sharp, zero vignetting, gentle colors. The biggest weakness that I've found is some purple fringing in bright light.
Since there are rumors about a new STF lens, this could help to make your mouthes water
Other STF lenses (I know only the Laowa) are of course welcome too.
Please feel free to contribute!
So let's start with some poppy and cornflowers here:
I like your examples...I do have a suggestion that this thread should be in the alt. forum (it automatically gets posted to this forum). Fuji also has a stf. It is probably my favorite lens. I am contemplating the Loawa (not sure if it is A mount yet) Sony is supposed to be bringing out a AF version though not a 135.
Fuji's is sort of an STF. I love the Minolta/Sony STF look. The Fuji's APD only issue for me is the lack of adjustment on it. The STF's adjustability make it amazing.
Also, while I understand your point, it is hard to put a native lens in the alt forum. I can envisage some pushback.
I'm not sure why the original Sony 135 STF is not popular here. In my opinion, it's one of the most unique lenses that you can buy for money and a dedicated image thread could show this uniqueness.
Apart from the crazy great Bokeh, it is an excellent lens - very sharp, zero vignetting, gentle colors. The biggest weakness that I've found is some purple fringing in bright light.
Since there are rumors about a new STF lens, this could help to make your mouthes water
Other STF lenses (I know only the Laowa) are of course welcome too.
Please feel free to contribute!
So let's start with some poppy and cornflowers here:
I like different bokeh styles, so I love to own some apodization lenses too :-)
At the moment I only own homemade apodization lenses, for example here a Helios 44 58mm f/2 with homemade apodization film filter:
I just looked up the 135mm STF and the cheapest one I found was $830 plus shipping (eBay). For that kind of money wouldn't it wiser to just bite the bullet on the new 100 FE?
Etherton wrote:
I just looked up the 135mm STF and the cheapest one I found was $830 plus shipping (eBay). For that kind of money wouldn't it wiser to just bite the bullet on the new 100 FE?
$830 is almost half of what the 135mm STF costs. That's a significant difference in price.
If you want a native lens and/or 100mm more than an adapted 135mm lens, get the new 100mm STF. Beyond that, I don't see why it'd be wise to get the new 100mm STF instead of the 135mm.
If you just want us to justify your GAS, then sure, it would be like 64% wiser to get the new 100mm STF. :P
notherenow wrote:
Anyone tried an apodizing filter? Front end or in a filter drawer?
Yes I made some DIY apodizing filters and implemented those in the lenses.
Near or at the iris position is a good place for the filter. On tele lenses it could probably be used at the front filter with near the same result.
On a retrofocs wideangle lenses a front apodization filter would give you vignetting in the image itself, not on the bokeh..
Excellent idea Jannik, 135 STF is one of its kind, and I'm pretty sure the new GM will be in the same boat.
I own the 135 STF since 2010 and I considered the best portrait lens (I also own the Zeiss 135 1.8) for his character until the 85 GM came out, the only down side of the 135 STF was the lack of AF, but with A99 and now the A7 series is just so easy to aim focus with focus peaking and focus magnification.
As I already own 85GM, 90G Macro and the 135STF, I'm not so sure to buy the 100GM. I'll be holding for a couple of months after release and read all real world reviews and side by side pictures with the 135 to take a decision.
Some more STF stuff. I own it beside a 85GM too. In terms of smoothness, the 85mm can never reach the STF, but it surpasses it in terms of max amount of blur. But really, no lens has a clean background like the Sony/Minolta STF (new and old). The 135mm is tack sharp wide open.
Jannik Peters wrote:
Some more STF stuff. I own it beside a 85GM too. In terms of smoothness, the 85mm can never reach the STF, but it surpasses it in terms of max amount of blur. But really, no lens has a clean background like the Sony/Minolta STF (new and old). The 135mm is tack sharp wide open.
ZoneV wrote:
Yes I made some DIY apodizing filters and implemented those in the lenses.
Near or at the iris position is a good place for the filter. On tele lenses it could probably be used at the front filter with near the same result.
On a retrofocs wideangle lenses a front apodization filter would give you vignetting in the image itself, not on the bokeh..
Thanks.
I didn't think front filters would work that well but I was thinking maybe a lens like my old 300 2.8 Tamron adaptall with rear filter drawer might work.
The lens is already a nice enough portrait lens but one of these might make it better still.
I would not make one myself but have to buy one and from my limited search, they might be pretty pricey and especially since the ones I found are not made in the size of my lens filter drawer so would need to be custom made.
