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Archive 2016 · First Sighting: A7rii Thin filter in action

  
 
mdemeyer
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p.12 #1 · First Sighting: A7rii Thin filter in action


I find the AWB in the A7 to be somehow sensitive to aperture, for reasons I can not come up with a theory for. This is true unmodified and with the v1,2, and 3 thin filter mods. Any ideas why?

Also, after a better technical brief from Ilija at Kolari I will have a camera switched to the UT mod and share some comparisons.

Michael

uhoh7 wrote:
PS I was looking at the "hot" shots from the UT. At AWB they almost all were coming in with temps higher than the more normal looking shots, and in most simply bringing the temp down from say 5500 to 4200, gave a similar look. Still I had a few outliers, which seem to have grabbed something besides just a hotter temp.

Here is an example:

AWB comes in at 5k:
https://c1.staticflickr.com/4/3842/33377990872_68658bc781_b.jpg
DSC01375-3 by unoh7, on Flickr

Simply bringing that down still left a "washed" look, but really blue. It was responsive to editing, though I could not fully recover it to what the same
...Show more


Edited on Mar 20, 2017 at 09:37 AM · View previous versions



Mar 20, 2017 at 01:18 AM
sebboh
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p.12 #2 · First Sighting: A7rii Thin filter in action


i tried to test charlie's theory on slr wides improving with the thin filter today on the only suitable lens i had lying around. not sure that i see an obvious conclusion from these... caveat is the lens has a floating element and i have to use different adapters for each camera.

rokkor plain MD 24/2.8:
http://c2.staticflickr.com/4/3759/33417056531_c24aa2b41d_o.jpg
full sized



Mar 20, 2017 at 02:31 AM
Steve Spencer
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p.12 #3 · First Sighting: A7rii Thin filter in action


sebboh wrote:
i tried to test charlie's theory on slr wides improving with the thin filter today on the only suitable lens i had lying around. not sure that i see an obvious conclusion from these... caveat is the lens has a floating element and i have to use different adapters for each camera.

rokkor plain MD 24/2.8:
http://c2.staticflickr.com/4/3759/33417056531_c24aa2b41d_o.jpg
full sized


I don't see a difference here and I thought we might. If you still have your 58 f/1.2 Rokkor I would be very interested to see if the thin filter mod improves its performance wide open even in the centre. I believe it should. If you get a chance to do that test it would be very interesting to see.



Mar 20, 2017 at 03:25 AM
hiepphotog
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p.12 #4 · First Sighting: A7rii Thin filter in action


sebboh wrote:
i tried to test charlie's theory on slr wides improving with the thin filter today on the only suitable lens i had lying around. not sure that i see an obvious conclusion from these... caveat is the lens has a floating element and i have to use different adapters for each camera.

rokkor plain MD 24/2.8:
http://c2.staticflickr.com/4/3759/33417056531_c24aa2b41d_o.jpg
full sized


From my limited test with old SLR lenses, I found similar result. True that a floating element might affect the sharpness, but the effect is quite minor. It could just be that f/2.8 is too slow to see it . I highly doubt the result would be different with lenses like Sigma 20/1.4 and 24/1.4. It would be nice to see that, but I think you don't have them.
---------------------------------------------

Steve Spencer wrote:
I don't see a difference here and I thought we might. If you still have your 58 f/1.2 Rokkor I would be very interested to see if the thin filter mod improves its performance wide open even in the centre. I believe it should. If you get a chance to do that test it would be very interesting to see.


On the contrary, I doubt you would see much improvement with the 58, especially in the center. My old test with the Jahre 55 showed slight improvement off-center. It's interesting to see if there is less PF.



Mar 20, 2017 at 06:07 AM
Steve Spencer
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p.12 #5 · First Sighting: A7rii Thin filter in action


hiepphotog wrote:
From my limited test with old SLR lenses, I found similar result. True that a floating element might affect the sharpness, but the effect is quite minor. It could just be that f/2.8 is too slow to see it . I highly doubt the result would be different with lenses like Sigma 20/1.4 and 24/1.4. It would be nice to see that, but I think you don't have them.
---------------------------------------------

On the contrary, I doubt you would see much improvement with the 58, especially in the center. My old test with the Jahre 55 showed slight improvement off-center. It's interesting to see
...Show more

That is why I would love to see tests with such a thin filter The last lens rentals blog post on the thin filter stack argued that there was a negative effect of a thicker filter even in the centre on very fast lenses and even 1mm extra but especially 2mm could have a strong effect on f/1.2 lenses in microcontrast when shot wide open. I know my impression is that my Rokkor 58 f/1.2 was a bit worse on my Sony A7 II wide open than on my 5D MKII that I had previously, but I could have been wrong. So, if Derek still has the lens, which I think he does, then I would love to see the test.



Mar 20, 2017 at 08:01 AM
artur5
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p.12 #6 · First Sighting: A7rii Thin filter in action


Do we know for a fact that Canon DSLRs have a thinner sensor stack than Sony A7 series ?.. If not, there's no reason why a Rokkor 58 should perform better on your Canon 5DII, given that both cameras have similar Mpix count.
When ( if ) I send my A7II to Kolari for the UT mod, one of the things I'm really interested to test is if the performances of my current Canon EF lenses are visibly worse on a moded A7II than on the stock camera. I assume ( might be wrong) that Canon/NIkon have been releasing, already for a number of years, all their new glass optimized for digital sensors and not for film. Even taking into account the long exit pupil distance of SLR glass, the corner sharpness of a modern EF lens should be a bit worse with a Sony-Kolari camera.



Mar 20, 2017 at 10:30 AM
hiepphotog
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p.12 #7 · First Sighting: A7rii Thin filter in action


artur5 wrote:
Do we know for a fact that Canon DSLRs have a thinner sensor stack than Sony A7 series ?.. If not, there's no reason why a Rokkor 58 should perform better on your Canon 5DII, given that both cameras have similar Mpix count.
When ( if ) I send my A7II to Kolari for the UT mod, one of the things I'm really interested to test is if the performances of my current Canon EF lenses are visibly worse on a moded A7II than on the stock camera. I assume ( might be wrong) that Canon/NIkon have been releasing, already
...Show more

It's really all over the place with Canikon from what I have seen on Lensrental and elsewhere. Some of the more modern Canikon lenses actually like 2mm better. Most of the time, they're quite insensitive to the thickness difference. Some of the users' A-B comparisons I have seen (most notably the Canon 16-35 II), there are actually some visible degradation. So I don't think it can be generalized.

IMO, if the lens was really optimized for corner sharpness (especially at close to WO), they would have to design the lens with whatever optical refractive index distortion in front of the capturing plane (mainly for digital). These designs would be more sensitive to the thickness.



Mar 20, 2017 at 11:03 AM
Steve Spencer
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p.12 #8 · First Sighting: A7rii Thin filter in action


artur5 wrote:
Do we know for a fact that Canon DSLRs have a thinner sensor stack than Sony A7 series ?.. If not, there's no reason why a Rokkor 58 should perform better on your Canon 5DII, given that both cameras have similar Mpix count.
When ( if ) I send my A7II to Kolari for the UT mod, one of the things I'm really interested to test is if the performances of my current Canon EF lenses are visibly worse on a moded A7II than on the stock camera. I assume ( might be wrong) that Canon/NIkon have been releasing, already
...Show more

It is very hard to know the exact filter stack thickness for any camera. What I think we have learned is that there are different ways to arrange the filter stack. Sony seems t have in effect three pieces of glass. An IR deducing piece, a low pass filter, and a plain piece of glass directly over the sensor. The ultra thin mod replaces the first two with a single piece just .2mm thick. How does Canon set things up? I don't know. They make their own sensors, so maybe they put the plain glass over the sensor too, maybe they don't. Maybe it isn't plain glass but an IR reducing piece. Canon does typically have a low pass filter. Is this separate? I don't know these things. I do know my Rokkor seemed to do a bit better wide open (and only wide open) on my Canon 5D MII than on my Sony A7 II. I could just be wrong about that or perhaps something else about the Canon setup was better. Anyway, I would love to see the comparison if Derek has time and the still has the lens.



Mar 20, 2017 at 12:16 PM
sebboh
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p.12 #9 · First Sighting: A7rii Thin filter in action


Steve Spencer wrote:
It is very hard to know the exact filter stack thickness for any camera. What I think we have learned is that there are different ways to arrange the filter stack. Sony seems t have in effect three pieces of glass. An IR deducing piece, a low pass filter, and a plain piece of glass directly over the sensor. The ultra thin mod replaces the first two with a single piece just .2mm thick. How does Canon set things up? I don't know. They make their own sensors, so maybe they put the plain glass over the sensor too,
...Show more

i'm not parting with my rokkor any time soon. i can probably compare it with the pentax 50/1.2 and canon FL 55/1.2 on stock and kolari when i get time (probably not till april ). where do you see the difference wide open on the rokkor between sony and canon? in the corners, across the frame? is it less SA/more contrast or what?




Mar 20, 2017 at 12:44 PM
Steve Spencer
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p.12 #10 · First Sighting: A7rii Thin filter in action


sebboh wrote:
i'm not parting with my rokkor any time soon. i can probably compare it with the pentax 50/1.2 and canon FL 55/1.2 on stock and kolari when i get time (probably not till april ). where do you see the difference wide open on the rokkor between sony and canon? in the corners, across the frame? is it less SA/more contrast or what?



Hi Derek,

I saw the difference across the frame, but noticed it most in the centre. What I would say is the images on the Canon just had a bit more "bite." So, I guess a bit more microcontrast (even though it isn't that high on the Canon; it was just very low on the A7 II) or perhaps a bit less SA, or maybe it was the adapter and flare issues, which is what I thought initially even though I had a good flocked adapter. It would be cool to test all three f/1.2 lenses and if that last blog from lens rentals is right all of them should do better on the ultra thin Kolari modified A7 than on a stock A7. Did you notice anything with your Oly Pen 42 f/1.2? Given that you shoot a couple f/1.2 lenses fairly often, it might be an important advantage of the UT mod.



Mar 21, 2017 at 07:35 AM
sebboh
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p.12 #11 · First Sighting: A7rii Thin filter in action


Steve Spencer wrote:
Hi Derek,

I saw the difference across the frame, but noticed it most in the centre. What I would say is the images on the Canon just had a bit more "bite." So, I guess a bit more microcontrast (even though it isn't that high on the Canon; it was just very low on the A7 II) or perhaps a bit less SA, or maybe it was the adapter and flare issues, which is what I thought initially even though I had a good flocked adapter. It would be cool to test all three f/1.2 lenses and if that last
...Show more

there is definitely more micro contrast and definition across the frame with the pen 42/1.2:
https://www.fredmiranda.com/forum/topic/1465200/10#13962244

not sure how much of the contrast difference in the center is due to the lack of an AA filter and how much is due to the thinner stack. i would say that all my super fast lenses seem to have a little less SA wide open (you can see it in the zm shots too), but i haven't done an a/b comparison that shows it well yet.

some of the difference you're seeing might be due to differences in dynamic range and tone curves between canon and sony too. files from the m9 seem look a lot more contrasty than the a7.UT but they don't have any more detail or microcontrast when i normalize global contrast across shots.



Mar 21, 2017 at 11:05 AM
Steve Spencer
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p.12 #12 · First Sighting: A7rii Thin filter in action


sebboh wrote:
there is definitely more micro contrast and definition across the frame with the pen 42/1.2:
https://www.fredmiranda.com/forum/topic/1465200/10#13962244

not sure how much of the contrast difference in the center is due to the lack of an AA filter and how much is due to the thinner stack. i would say that all my super fast lenses seem to have a little less SA wide open (you can see it in the zm shots too), but i haven't done an a/b comparison that shows it well yet.

some of the difference you're seeing might be due to differences in dynamic range and tone curves between canon
...Show more

The difference in the AA filter between the two cameras does make it difficult to know what is caused by the thicker sensor stack and what is caused by the AA filter, but I think your examples are consistent with what is argued in the lens rental blog. The difference in micro contrast is greatest at f/1.2, less at f/1.4, and much smaller at f/2. The remaining difference at f/2 would be what the AA filter gets you, but the differences at wider apertures (even in the centre) are likely due to the thicker filter stack. If the same pattern holds for several f/1.2 lenses, then that would seem to be some pretty good evidence for the idea put forward in that blog. Even if one is not convinced by that evidence, the practical point becomes pretty clear--if you want to shoot f/1.2 lenses designed for film you are considerably better off with the Ultra Thin (UT) mod.



Mar 21, 2017 at 04:02 PM
hiepphotog
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p.12 #13 · First Sighting: A7rii Thin filter in action


Steve Spencer wrote:
The difference in the AA filter between the two cameras does make it difficult to know what is caused by the thicker sensor stack and what is caused by the AA filter, but I think your examples are consistent with what is argued in the lens rental blog. The difference in micro contrast is greatest at f/1.2, less at f/1.4, and much smaller at f/2. The remaining difference at f/2 would be what the AA filter gets you, but the differences at wider apertures (even in the centre) are likely due to the thicker filter stack. If the same
...Show more

Steve, may you provide the Lensrerntal link to what you're saying? From what I remember, the thicker stack actually induces higher resolution (though minimal ) in the center with MTF measurement. This is something I don't expect. Thank you.



Mar 21, 2017 at 07:37 PM
MAubrey
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p.12 #14 · First Sighting: A7rii Thin filter in action


hiepphotog wrote:
Steve, may you provide the Lensrerntal link to what you're saying? From what I remember, the thicker stack actually induces higher resolution (though minimal ) in the center with MTF measurement. This is something I don't expect. Thank you.

Here's the post in question: the effect of the sensor stack is as much affected by relative aperture as it is by the thickness of the stack (relative to the stack that lens was designed for):
https://wordpress.lensrentals.com/blog/2014/07/sensor-stack-thickness-part-iii-the-summary/

Other posts:
https://www.lensrentals.com/blog/2014/06/the-glass-in-the-path-sensor-stacks-and-adapted-lenses/



Mar 21, 2017 at 11:38 PM
sebboh
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p.12 #15 · First Sighting: A7rii Thin filter in action


ok, so there is definitely some improvement. it's more noticeable in the midzones, but it's there in the center too. it may also effect focus shift (i did not refocus on stopping down for this test). here's the rokkor 58/1.2 and canon FL 55/1.2 (my pentax adapter won't reach infinity on the stock a7, so no pentax 50/1.2 in the infinity comparison ):
http://c1.staticflickr.com/3/2885/33541832086_6477feaef3_o.jpg
full size comparison here.




Mar 22, 2017 at 12:09 AM
Steve Spencer
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p.12 #16 · First Sighting: A7rii Thin filter in action


sebboh wrote:
ok, so there is definitely some improvement. it's more noticeable in the midzones, but it's there in the center too. it may also effect focus shift (i did not refocus on stopping down for this test). here's the rokkor 58/1.2 and canon FL 55/1.2 (my pentax adapter won't reach infinity on the stock a7, so no pentax 50/1.2 in the infinity comparison ):
http://c1.staticflickr.com/3/2885/33541832086_6477feaef3_o.jpg
full size comparison here.



The wide open microcontrast to my eyes looks like a pretty big difference even in the centre. Sol it looks to me like the lens rentals blog definitely had a point and the ultra thin mod will be nice improvement for wide open shooting with these very fast film lenses.



Mar 22, 2017 at 06:53 AM
uhoh7
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p.12 #17 · First Sighting: A7rii Thin filter in action


Steve Spencer wrote:
It is very hard to know the exact filter stack thickness for any camera.


You sound like Putin I hope at some point you revise this misconception, Steve. We know quite well how the Sony relates to Canikon FF, and have for years.

All of the major cameras, like 5D, D810, etc, are measured. The only thing that's hard is tracking down the techs and getting the info. Right now, what is perhaps not known is the thickness of the base coverglass, glued to the sensor below the filter stack on the Sony cameras, which Illija has alternately described as .7mm and .5mm. But NK in Taiwan almost certainly knows that for r2 and other sony flavors. If not he could easily measure.

That base cover glass has been pulled by techs on all the other sensors, and continues to be done for all sorts of technical applications. I have had long conversations with those who do it and have sensors in orbit as we speak, with special coverglass, and sometimes special gas filling the cavity under it. The sony is about only camera he had not done yet, and he had a photo of twenty different coverglasses in a pile which had been pulled. (not the Filter Stack which is very easy to remove and measure)

The astro community people are pulling the coverglass and filter stacks DIY frequently on many cameras, including Sonys. Many of those guys are equipped to measure as well. The only excuse for not knowing is not asking people who are taking the cameras apart and pulling/ or modding the filterstacks, which has been done commonly since digital cameras have been available by the astro community and the techs who serve them. Lensrentals is great in many ways, but this is something they do not do, nor would we expect them to. So that is not the place to look for the info.

Excluding the coverglass, the Sony Filter Stacks are about 1.9mm and the 5D/810 Canikons about 1.1mm. There are very small variations between the 5D and D810. The more expensive big DSLRs are thinner, or at least they have been. That is certainly information (the current models) which is known by independent techs, or which could be easily measured.

It's extremely unlikely the FF Canikon Models will go thicker than 1.2mm (+base coverglass). The whole lens system is optimized for the thicknesses in place, as is the Sony now for it's thick stack.

I looked extensively into "optical thickness". If anything this exaggerates the thickness of the Sony in relation to Canikon.



Mar 22, 2017 at 05:10 PM
realVivek
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p.12 #18 · First Sighting: A7rii Thin filter in action


I have measured the thickness of the A7 sensor's glass. 0.5 mm for the cover glass +2mm for the AA/UV-IR cut/Dust shaker combo. Total = 2.5mm.


Mar 22, 2017 at 07:24 PM
MAubrey
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p.12 #19 · First Sighting: A7rii Thin filter in action


I would expect that Steve is talking about the optical measurement of the glass. Physically measuring it is one thing, optically measuring its thickness is another thing.

From Roger at Lensrentals:
Our database for sensor-stack thickness remains incomplete (although I’m hoping for more contributions soon). Also remember that physical measurement of thickness and optical thickness may be different. If the glass used has a high index of refraction, it would have an optical effect greater than what is measured physically. For example, we might measure a physical thickness of 2mm on two different cameras, but if one has low-refractile glass and the other high-refractile glass, the optical measurement made might be 2mm and 2.5mm.
https://www.lensrentals.com/blog/2014/07/sensor-stack-thickness-part-iii-the-summary/



Mar 22, 2017 at 08:51 PM
uhoh7
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p.12 #20 · First Sighting: A7rii Thin filter in action


MAubrey wrote:
I would expect that Steve is talking about the optical measurement of the glass. Physically measuring it is one thing, optically measuring its thickness is another thing.

From Roger at Lensrentals:

https://www.lensrentals.com/blog/2014/07/sensor-stack-thickness-part-iii-the-summary/


The variables are small. If you can identify the glass the numbers for calculating the precise optical depth fro any given thickness are right there. What is the biggest factor in optical depth? The thickness of the glass.

If you don't know the glass, you can easily determine the lowest probable Refractive Index. If the Sony had a hugely lower RI than Canikon it would be a big consideration. It's probably worse than Canikon. But even with the benefit of the doubt and a superior RI the thickness difference is overwhelming. So the whole "it's really the optical thickness and we can't know that" thing belies the facts on the ground which are obvious: we very likely already know all we need to know, and if somebody suspects otherwise, they should find out and report.

The deeply curious can pull the filter stack and use a refractometer. In fact I'm sure there are astro people who would have access to one. Or you could send out the filter stack. We might be too lazy to do so as it's a lot of work to verify the highly likely, but if somebody thinks it's telling a secret story, have at it. I'd love to see the Canikon and Sony filter stacks tested. I know where I'd put my money.

I don't say that to bash Sony. I just know how cost conscious Sony is; and for that matter, Leica, who choose a very cheap IR cut for the M8, while Canikon had spent more, especially on the big top of the line DSLRs, which are reputed to have very thin and expensive IR cuts, but of course not on the cover glass, as Leica does, alone. The young designers of the A7 were very honest about their confidence in processor corrections related to the thickness of the filter stack, let alone the cover glass. The same would hold true for RI. No need to spend a fortune on super low RI if the processor is going to do alot of work, or so the thinking goes.

The RI for the UT is lower than I expected, less than v2 or M9 either IR cut, if I am not mistaken, and combined with it's thinness....well it would be very fun to just see one as a coverglass The Optical depth is of greater difference than the physical thickness vs either the V2, or a Stock camera, simply by the nature of the math.

For optical depth there are only two factors: RI and thickness.

But again:
There is alot of independant study on the glass over sensors

So if somebody feels this is a factor which somehow trumps the physical thickness with typical RI around 1.5, there are many people to correspond with, and contirbute something more than vague questions as a way to cast doubt on the meaning of physical thickness in this context. The actual results point to what is the simplest explanation: Sony is not using some secret glass with ultra low RI to reach a thin optical depth in comparison to Canikon. If anything their RI is very likely higher. It's not in their interest to be otherwise.

All of the Sony's and all of the Leicas (A7 and M) have their flavors, and the same for the mods we have seen. I shoot alot with the 75 Lux. A more bland room I can't imagine. But I almost wonder if the thinner glass lets in a bit more light.

I post this one just a bit bigger


Reflecting by unoh7, on Flickr

Like the A7s the A7.UT has a certain flavor. Which will be different on the ii, S, R and R2 And here the 75 Lux is doing it's job as a reportage lens. I only have to lug it to the room, at least

F2 it's a totally sober recorder.


DSC01429 by unoh7, on Flickr

I'm very wary of "falling for" such a radically thin IR cut. But in faces it's starting to seduce me.

M-Rokkor 40 in daylight, F/4:


DSC01226 by Charlie Webster, on Flickr

I think maybe the UT is a real character. Some quirks, but a certain uniqueness which is starting to grow on me.

I reviewed the whole shoot where I took the last shot. M9/V2/UT As I noted above the UT can go hot and cold as light varies, but just in terms of the tactile aspects of skin, the UT seems clearly superior to the other cameras. I love the M9, and it remains my frontline single body. But I'm impressed by the UT faces, honestly. Not anticipated by me.

Luckily nobody has to rely on my view, as the shots are there for anyone, and once your are in the stream you can see the other bodys too.

Derek is a master with faces, so we will have to see if he notices anything. Sure M9 is 18mp, but I am shooting with V2 also.

Edited on Mar 22, 2017 at 11:25 PM · View previous versions



Mar 22, 2017 at 10:06 PM
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