Ahhh crap! Here we go again. Just when I convinced myself to just go all AF lens. That has now lasted about 3 months. I have the 24 GM, I don't need this lens. But I Just picked up the CV50 a week ago and now it looks like I'll have to get the CV21mm 1.4 to pair with it. Thanks Fred
Oh man, like others said, I'm eagerly awaiting the comparison to the 24 1.4 GM. I have the 24 coming in soon, and while I doubt this one is as good for astro, it's looking very tempting right now.
nhsonyshooter wrote:
Ahhh crap! Here we go again. Just when I convinced myself to just go all AF lens. That has now lasted about 3 months. I have the 24 GM, I don't need this lens. But I Just picked up the CV50 a week ago and now it looks like I'll have to get the CV21mm 1.4 to pair with it. Thanks Fred
I need help! What kind of justification did you make to have this one together with the GM 24? . I have been talking myself into using only Sony GM for most of my needs.
hiepphotog wrote:
I need help! What kind of justification did you make to have this one together with the GM 24? . I have been talking myself into using only Sony GM for most of my needs.
I use keep a manual kit and AF kit. I do enjoy manual focusing (especially these CV lenses) but the AF is so good now a days you can hold the camera with one hand in crazy positions and get exactly what you want in focus. You just can't do that and manual focus in alot of instances (especially with these fast lenses, which I love) so i talked my self into just going with an AF kit and sold off my manual stuff. Like I said that lasted about 3 months until I bought the 50mm CV as my small "look" lens (thanks to Fred and Guy's testing). Obviously I can't just have the 50 now by it self What if I want to go out without family and just have a small 2 lens kit. I knew when I bought the dam CV 50 it would lead to another CV and I suspected it was this 21 but now thanks to Fred again it is basically a done deal
hiepphotog wrote:
I need help! What kind of justification did you make to have this one together with the GM 24? . I have been talking myself into using only Sony GM for most of my needs.
Screw the justification, just enjoy yourself . But the best one is one is manual focus the other is not. Simply
Now from your spouse I’ll send over the baseball helmet. I kinda got caught today. I went to Adorama this morning. Spent a little more than I thought I would
jahro wrote:
Oh man, like others said, I'm eagerly awaiting the comparison to the 24 1.4 GM. I have the 24 coming in soon, and while I doubt this one is as good for astro, it's looking very tempting right now.
I just checked the comparison to the FE 24/1.4 GM. (One of my favorite lenses)
At f/1.4, the Voigtlander is noticeably sharper at center while the Sony GM does better outside the center area (off-axis). Coma is noticeable on the CV 21/1.4 while almost non-existent for the GM. The Voigtlander 21/1.4 wins on contrast and color rendering compared to the 24/1.4 GM.
I will post some crops soon.
Fred Miranda wrote:
I just checked the comparison to the FE 24/1.4 GM. (One of my favorite lenses)
At f/1.4, the Voigtlander is noticeably sharper at center while the Sony GM does better outside the center area (off-axis). Coma is noticeable on the CV 21/1.4 while almost non-existent for the GM. The Voigtlander 21/1.4 wins on contrast and color rendering compared to the 24/1.4 GM.
I will post some crops soon.
Mid-Field Infinity Resolution/contrast comparison between CV 21/1.4 Nokton vs Sony FE 24/1.4 GM
PS: For these crops, I focused on the center area for both lenses
Optimum aperture for the Mid-Field:
CV 21/1.4: f/4
Loxia 21/2.8: f/4
Mid-field at f/1.4: The Sony GM performs better since it is flat field. The Voigtlander 21mm f/1.4's wavy field curvature has the mid-field area slightly OOF when focusing at center
Mid-field at f/2: The Voigtlander comes alive at mid-field and gets closer to the GM's performance
Mid-field at f/2.8: It looks like the Voigtlander pulls ahead
Mid-field at f/4: Seems to be the optimal aperture for both lenses. They are similar for the Voigtlander is show higher micro-contrast
So about equal to the GM 24 at WO (sharper center but softer corners) and better than the GM 24 overall? This has very much similar rendition like the Loxia as well.... What not to like? Probably 1,200 reasons
EXCELLENT performance for both lenses. As much as I would love to own this new 21mm, my Loxia 21 will remain in my bag since I use it almost exclusively at f5.6 - f11. And the 24 GM? That’s a lens I’ll never sell! Thanks for the great tests, Fred.
The GM is so much better at 1.4 and much better at 2.0 in the extreme corners. I don't care that much about that little extra sharpness in the center the CV is able to deliver. But the CV is 3mm wider, which is quite a bit. I don't know
Looks like you can take landscape pictures with the sony 24 at 1.4 because the corners are crazy good wide open (at least in my opinion).
Thanks Fred for the test. This CV is now the new best wide angle for landscapes no doubts.
I may however get the AF GM 24 instead to pair with the CV21/3.5 and still eagerly looking for a future smallish CV/Loxia 15mm f/2.8 with astro & landscape performance and filter thread.
The p1 comparison image fully illustrates the difference between a company that makes lenses for human hands to use, and one that makes life harder than it need be.
Some of Zeiss Loxia's visible ergo shortcomings, as compared here include:
Same diameter low rise aperture/focus rings; placement of fine knurled aperture ring too close to body (millimetres close) impeding functionality; fine knurling attracts dirt; waste of unused front barrel while jamming controls at the rear with overly busy design; focus ring incorporates distance scale on knurling within finger access section; hard to read index for chosen aperture (one of many lines vs clear dot in CV); narrow DOF scale index ring; weak purchase on focus ring knurling (no finger indents); no 10f/3m or 0.7m marking on focus ring distance scale; poor separation of metric/imperial focus distances (CV uses color); compressed distance marks in focus ring (too large font); poor hand grip for mount/demounting, which easily moves aperture and focus rings; narrow hood mount with weak index mark (CV uses aperture index to assist); tallest ring is DOF scale index ring. CV's work method logic is from front to back: choose aperture (front ring), then focus (middle ring) then check focus distance and DOF (if needed).
Does it all matter?
Depends on whether you ever need to quickly and efficiently; work wearing gloves; work directly from the EVF and need certainty of your finger moves. Industrial product design is serious business because it is the direct interface between the product and your body, so it's all the more surprising Zeiss have not done a better job of it. Sound interface design = 'don't make me think'.
Not sure I’m going to get past the next few hours. Walking to a B&H now. Think there is a bank handing out money along the way. I went to Adorama yesterday and that was trouble and my wife caught me.
. I have been talking myself into using only Sony GM for most of my needs.
What if I want to go out without family and just have a small 2 lens kit. I knew when I bought the dam CV 50 it would lead to another CV and I suspected it was this 21 but now thanks to Fred again it is basically a done deal 
