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Loxia 25mm f/2.4 Distagon Tests and Comparisons

Fred Miranda
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p.2 #1 · p.2 #1 · Loxia 25mm f/2.4 Distagon Tests and Comparisons

Can't seem to find onion ring pattern in specular highlights:

Apr 12, 2018 at 11:20 PM

DavidBM
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p.2 #2 · p.2 #2 · Loxia 25mm f/2.4 Distagon Tests and Comparisons

Fred Miranda wrote:
Can seem to find onion ring pattern in specular highlights:

You say can, is that a typo for can’t? I can’t see the onion rings, though admittedly I’m on a pixel dense tablet right now...

Apr 13, 2018 at 12:06 AM

nandadevieast
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p.2 #3 · p.2 #3 · Loxia 25mm f/2.4 Distagon Tests and Comparisons

Thanks for the comparison.
I wonder how 21 croppes with 24 for sharpness. If that interests you, you can do it Fred.
Thanks.

Edited on Apr 13, 2018 at 12:38 AM · View previous versions

Apr 13, 2018 at 12:11 AM

ysultan
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p.2 #4 · p.2 #4 · Loxia 25mm f/2.4 Distagon Tests and Comparisons

Fantastic Fred.. Thank you so much for the comparison. I have the 21mm, and I find this focal length nore appealing.

Apr 13, 2018 at 12:34 AM

sebbe
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p.2 #5 · p.2 #5 · Loxia 25mm f/2.4 Distagon Tests and Comparisons

Thanks Fred. It looks like I am a happy owner of a Lox21 and will be one in the future.

They are too close in all terms for a guy like me that shoots rather between FL40-90 and I go for less CA, wider FOV than slightly sharper corners.

These threads/tests are so usefull. Not only the pictures but also all the comments and additional informations from others. Otherwise I would have to rent and test it by my own. And I'm quite sure I would do a much less professional approach then.

Apr 13, 2018 at 01:45 AM

nandadevieast
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p.2 #6 · p.2 #6 · Loxia 25mm f/2.4 Distagon Tests and Comparisons

I am surprised to see so little difference between these two in framing.
thinking for someone like ne who owns a7R3, even 21mm will give what?? 35 megapixels after cropping, to match 24mm AOV.
Scratching my head over Zeiss’ decision of bringing out a 24 when everyone is asking for something else.

Apr 13, 2018 at 04:54 AM

GMPhotography
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p.2 #7 · p.2 #7 · Loxia 25mm f/2.4 Distagon Tests and Comparisons

Yea most would want a 28 so I do question the decision by Zeiss. But it may have more to do with targeting video shooters. Personally I’m all over it. Mine should be here Monday. I do like what I’m seeing from it. Maybe a touch with CA but that’s a easy fix. Distortion I can’t tell yet. Something I have to test but it maybe really great for 3 shot vertical panos for interior work too outside landscape type images .

Apr 13, 2018 at 05:13 AM

chez
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p.2 #8 · p.2 #8 · Loxia 25mm f/2.4 Distagon Tests and Comparisons

davewolfs wrote:
I’ve always found 24mm boring. Perhaps slightly less so when shot at f/1.4. So for me 21mm wins by default. But the tests are cool!

Yeh, for landscape 21 is much preferred. I use the Batis 25 for street / travel which is really a sweet spot for this type of photography for me.

Apr 13, 2018 at 08:14 AM

Fred Miranda
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p.2 #9 · p.2 #9 · Loxia 25mm f/2.4 Distagon Tests and Comparisons

DavidBM wrote:
You say can, is that a typo for can’t? I can’t see the onion rings, though admittedly I’m on a pixel dense tablet right now...

Meant 'can't'.

Apr 13, 2018 at 08:45 AM

smpetty
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p.2 #10 · p.2 #10 · Loxia 25mm f/2.4 Distagon Tests and Comparisons

chez wrote:
Yeh, for landscape 21 is much preferred. I use the Batis 25 for street / travel which is really a sweet spot for this type of photography for me.

Chez - just curious why you feel that 21 is "much preferred" than 25 for landscapes. I'm struggling to decide whether to keep the Loxia 21 or the Loxia 25. I have and will never part with a Batis 25.

Apr 13, 2018 at 09:13 AM

Fred Miranda
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p.2 #11 · p.2 #11 · Loxia 25mm f/2.4 Distagon Tests and Comparisons

I would think choosing between 21mm or 25mm for landscapes would be dependent on the scene foreground, background and overall composition. However one can always crop the 21mm image to 25mm and still get ~30MP when shooting with the A7R3. That's an advantage for owning the 21mm.

The 25mm could be a great choice for many applications, being a great landscape lens but also a nice general wide angle choice for street and environment portraits. It competes with the Batis but its FOV is slightly narrower.

Apr 13, 2018 at 09:27 AM

GMPhotography
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p.2 #12 · p.2 #12 · Loxia 25mm f/2.4 Distagon Tests and Comparisons

For me 21 was just not in the cards doing landscape. I either go super wide like a 15mm or go to 25,35. One thing I got the 25 for is 3 shot vertical panos both for landscape but also interior less perspective usage on the look. Obviously we all have our preferences here. I like my gapping now 15,25,40,85 and 135 when I need

Apr 13, 2018 at 09:41 AM

richpjr
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p.2 #13 · p.2 #13 · Loxia 25mm f/2.4 Distagon Tests and Comparisons

I am in the process of switching over to Sony after years with Canon, so I'm just getting up to speed on Sony primes and trying to educate myself a bit before splurging. How would the Loxia 25 compare with the Batis 25? I get they are different designs and AF vs MF, but how do they compare optically?

Apr 13, 2018 at 09:56 AM

Rob L
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p.2 #14 · p.2 #14 · Loxia 25mm f/2.4 Distagon Tests and Comparisons

For general use, I find the difference in rendering between 21 and 25 pretty dramatic. Same with 28 vs 35. And 35 vs 50. That's not to say I would own them all though!

Apr 13, 2018 at 10:06 AM

chez
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p.2 #15 · p.2 #15 · Loxia 25mm f/2.4 Distagon Tests and Comparisons

smpetty wrote:
Chez - just curious why you feel that 21 is "much preferred" than 25 for landscapes. I'm struggling to decide whether to keep the Loxia 21 or the Loxia 25. I have and will never part with a Batis 25.

It's a personal choice. I shoot a lot of seascapes and mountains and find the 21mm focal length really frames what I want with some foreground feature present along with not to marginalized background like the mountains. Going wider for me is a specialty lens where the prominent feature in the image would be the foreground as the features in the background tend to fade away in size. Going to 25mm starts to bring in the background too much making getting a nice foreground subject more difficult.

When I shoot with the 16-35 zoom I'm finding most of my landscape shots are either around the 20mm focal length or are at the 35mm focal length. Very few at the very wide end and very few in the middle focal lengths.

But that's just my style. You need to determine what suites your style.

I use my Batis 25 for street where it really shines if you want to include the subject within their environments.

Apr 13, 2018 at 10:34 AM

davewolfs
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p.2 #16 · p.2 #16 · Loxia 25mm f/2.4 Distagon Tests and Comparisons

Very interesting too see how superior the 25mm is the the 28mm. I can’t say that I’m surprised but it’s nice to have these tests which put context around it.

Always appreciate these threads Fred!

Apr 13, 2018 at 11:32 AM

nandadevieast
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p.2 #17 · p.2 #17 · Loxia 25mm f/2.4 Distagon Tests and Comparisons

After seeing Fred’s framing comparison, i will go to the extent of saying that they are more similar than different. Even the perspective looks similar more or less, not a dramatic change like 18mm...
If i am chosing a 24 for General purpose/people shots then Batis 25 could be a stronger choice because of AF. Will i buy a L25 for people? I don’t know.
However, if i have to choose between the two for landscapes, then AF goes out of the picture. In that case i will perhaps go for L21, i can crop to 24 and its a bit wider but not much.
I have a soft spot for 24mm FL but now i think L21 should be fine for me.

Apr 13, 2018 at 11:54 AM

Gunzorro
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p.2 #18 · p.2 #18 · Loxia 25mm f/2.4 Distagon Tests and Comparisons

smpetty wrote:
I set aside money for the 24-105 a while back, but have been backordered for many weeks. The more I use just primes, the more I doubt my need for the 24-105. But if I stick that money back in the checking account, it will go for "necessary" things like food and shelter and gasoline and toilet paper. Where's the fun in that?

I would buy the 24-105G if you have the money for it. Great lens with wide range. Certainly no manual focus Loxia, but still, an excellent one-lens solution for many activities and travels.

Personally, I like to take the 24-105 with the Loxia 21 on many occasions (usually two bodies). That's a great combo for nature walks and remote areas.

(I also like taking the 12-24G with Loxia 35 (or 50) for times I encounter BIG subjects, along with more intimate details or settings.)

Apr 13, 2018 at 11:54 AM

Gunzorro
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p.2 #19 · p.2 #19 · Loxia 25mm f/2.4 Distagon Tests and Comparisons

Fred -- Thanks so much for these comparisons! Really great to see real world use.

I'm happy staying with my L21, even though the L25 is appealing. As you say, the 21 can be cropped slightly to get closer to 24/25.

If I were to get a 24/25, it would have to produce results not obtainable from another lens I have on hand. Personally, I was not impressed with the Batis 25, borrowed from a friend -- certainly a very good lens, but not really better than my Canon 24/2.8 IS, not for my use anyway. The L25 is even more specialized (though I am liking the IQ in your tests better than the Batis).

If anything, I think I would be in the market for an AF lens with wider aperture, such as Canon EF 24/1.4L II, to give me the option of wide open shooting of central subjects. Being as impressed as I am with Canon's 50L, and now the 35L, the 24L II seems a natural fit for me when I don't want the rendering of the L21 or the 24 TSE II, my two best prime lenses in this focal area. The L25 definitely can't do what the TSE does!

Still hoping for the Loxia 28/2 to come along!

BTW -- My copy of the Sony 28/2 seems quite a bit better than yours, especially in the corners. I had excellent results shooting it a while back at Universal Studios at f/2 and f2.8, and then later at a metal-thrash house show, right on top of the band and audience in dim, dim light at f/2 (cracked my lens hood there amidst the surging throng -- came back next day to find it under a sofa).

Apr 13, 2018 at 12:17 PM

WestTexas Sky
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p.2 #20 · p.2 #20 · Loxia 25mm f/2.4 Distagon Tests and Comparisons

Looks like another winner in the Loxia line! Looks like people cannot go wrong.

Sticking with my Loxia 21. But if I did not have the 21 this would be tempting to pair with my Voigtlander 15.

Apr 13, 2018 at 12:55 PM

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