p.6 #1 · Infinity test: CV 50/3.5 vs CV 40/1.2 vs FE 50/1.4 ZA
I like Fred's portrait shots with the 50/3.5, but Guy's flat-field comparisons are selling me on the virtues of the Sony 50/1.4 (and possibly the Sigma 50 Art as an alternative).
In these examples, the corners of both the CV 50 and 40 are off-putting to me for their reverse field curvature (sharper distance than focal plane). Vignetting seems strong on the Big Bronco CV 50 wide open, at least for a prime lens at f/3.5.
p.6 #2 · Infinity test: CV 50/3.5 vs CV 40/1.2 vs FE 50/1.4 ZA
Your welcome. I have the infinity shots to put up today as well. I’ll load those Raws up. The CV 40 corners do bother me as well. Honestly I’d buy the Sony 50 1.4 all day long. I honestly think it’s the best 50 around as far as optical quality and more important it just renders so nicely. Besides that having the AF/MF switch is nice to have on the lens the declick as well. Plus you can go A for aperture or do it yourself. But the big key for a AF lens it focuses very nicely on manual. Which I like a lot. It’s not cheap or lightweight but I feel it’s worth it. The nice thing on the CV 50 is it’s really small so if you hike,travel and are on a budget for 550 dollars new it’s hard to beat. I’m certainly keeping both 50s.
The CV 40 is my second one as I sold my first one and I’m still in debate on it. Right now it just gaps better with my 21/75. So I’m torn on what to do. I think I will just rotate it and the CV 50 for diffrent shooting. The Sony is more for work and people, CV 50 more for landscape and travel. I’m still trying to define what the 40 is for in a way. So I’m a little undecided.i guess I could call the CV 40 a lenscap lens, always on camera.
I’m going to try today using a diffrent bag as I just out grew my PD 5. I’m thinking of taking a old Think Tank Sling 10 , I’ll buy a new one if it works but taking the dividers out of the PD 5 and using them in the TT. That way I think I can get 5 lenses in. I have very small lenses in my MF kit . CV 12,21,40,50 and a Leica 75 summarit . The Cv 40 is the biggest
p.6 #6 · Infinity test: CV 50/3.5 vs CV 40/1.2 vs FE 50/1.4 ZA
As I said yesterday at F6.3 it hits all the resolution. I did not shoot F6.3 but F8 which lets just call it the safe bet and its really nice across the screen
p.6 #12 · Infinity test: CV 50/3.5 vs CV 40/1.2 vs FE 50/1.4 ZA
Thanks GMP for the raws, correct me if I am wrong but the Sony 50mm 1.4 includes a built in profile for sharpening and distortion correction does it not?
The CV 50 results could be further improved by applying similar techniques.
p.6 #14 · Infinity test: CV 50/3.5 vs CV 40/1.2 vs FE 50/1.4 ZA
Yea i just put a very small base sharpening on all my tests but if you go for it than its pretty nice looking. On tests i dont do much at all as i dont want to add any doubts
p.6 #15 · Infinity test: CV 50/3.5 vs CV 40/1.2 vs FE 50/1.4 ZA
CWPhotography wrote:
Thanks GMP for the raws, correct me if I am wrong but the Sony 50mm 1.4 includes a built in profile for sharpening and distortion correction does it not?
The CV 50 results could be further improved by applying similar techniques.
Yes the Sony 501.4 does have profile corrections in both LR from what I understand and certainly C1. For posting I turned them off so you can see the distortion out of camera.
The CV50 could certainly use a profile. I dont have that one in C1..
I need to look into PT lens align again. The owner used to make profiles. He made one for me years ago but not sure he is still around
p.6 #16 · Infinity test: CV 50/3.5 vs CV 40/1.2 vs FE 50/1.4 ZA
I am pretty sure Zony lenses all have pre-cooked sharpening in the raws, the give away is the stair stepping on the silver car door in the Sony 50 images.
p.6 #17 · Infinity test: CV 50/3.5 vs CV 40/1.2 vs FE 50/1.4 ZA
I have just ordered the CV50 lens with Voigtlander VM II adaptor for my A7III , thanks Guy & Fred!
A couple of questions, this is my first manual focus lens:-
1. Should I always focus at the shooting aperture for best results?
2. What is the best way to set infinity focus, for example if I want to shoot @ F5.6 I presume I just set that aperture and then set the the lens to its ∞ hard stop?
p.6 #18 · Infinity test: CV 50/3.5 vs CV 40/1.2 vs FE 50/1.4 ZA
CWPhotography wrote:
I have just ordered the CV50 lens with Voigtlander VM II adaptor for my A7III , thanks Guy & Fred!
A couple of questions, this is my first manual focus lens:-
1. Should I always focus at the shooting aperture for best results?
2. What is the best way to set infinity focus, for example if I want to shoot @ F5.6 I presume I just set that aperture and then set the the lens to its ∞ hard stop?
Thanks for any advice.
Depending on your adapter, lens and even on your camera (there is some variation depending on cameras too), best inifinity might not be at the hard stop, but often it is a bit before that. Voigtländer adapters are usually slightly thinner than spec (allowing some headroom and making sure you can reach infinity in all conditions) so usually with those you’d get best results by not going all the way to hard stop. You can try this out e.g. by utilizing magnified view combined with focus peaking and observing where you need to focus to get best sharpness for center, midframe, edges, corners. You can also use normal view (not magnified) and try to observe where you get the most intense focus peaking across the frame.
Personally I always focus at shooting aperture but there are other people who like to do it differently. With the CV 50/3.5 IV it's somewhat difficult to change the aperture without affecting focus so it also supports the idea of focusing at shooting aperture (especially with that lens).
p.6 #19 · Infinity test: CV 50/3.5 vs CV 40/1.2 vs FE 50/1.4 ZA
On the Big Bronco test I’m on a tripod so focusing wide open than stopping down was okay because I’m not in a hurry and it’s more controlled but I think you maybe better off when handheld that focusing at working aperture maybe the better option as Juhu said. The good news is even at f5.6 this lens is wonderful. On infinity agree depending on adapter you will have to find your infinity spot. Than you know where that is and can just go to it once you have it figured out. Mine is before the hard stop with at least this adapter which is a cheap one. I’m probably going to buy a better one for it now I’m keeping it.
p.6 #20 · Infinity test: CV 50/3.5 vs CV 40/1.2 vs FE 50/1.4 ZA
Given the results both Fred and I came up with on these tests and for 550 dollars new. Be hard pressed to find this quality and such a low cost. Sure there is no EXIF data and a little hard to work with but for travel,landscape and general photographer not to mention it’s small size this could be a great lens to have in your bag. I’m certainly keeping mine as my Sony 50 1.4 has other uses. I’m even planning at least till I decide what to do with my CV 40 is just carry both of them. Making a new custom bag as we speak. Which I’ll post once I have the parts. I merged two bags/dividers into one. This way I can carry 5 lenses instead of 4 and still maintain a small bag.
