p.19 #1 · Pre-order: Sony FE 14mm f/1.8 GM ($1,598)
jamato8 wrote:
Most of the testing was done with the UV and smaller apertures didn't help.
It's interesting. The FE 14/1.8 GM with the clip-on Kase filter (ND 6-stop) performs worse than the Sigma 14-24@14mm at the corners at similar apertures. I will test this more today if the weather cooperates.
Here is a comparison showing f/5.6 (both focused at center) where the Sigma looks very good with the Kase filter while the Sony not so much. I also prefer the colors coming out from the Sigma. (same WB and LR settings for both)
shutter speed 1/3s (6-stop ND)
Just for reference here is the Sony image at f/5.6 (WITHOUT the filter). From what I've seen so far, the Sigma performs better than the Sony at the very corners but I still have to test this further.
p.19 #2 · Pre-order: Sony FE 14mm f/1.8 GM ($1,598)
For those with this lens, can you do me a favor? Take the lens off your camera, remove the rear cap, and then tilt the lens back and forth (front lens pointing to the ground and then pointing up). Does the rear element move on your copy? I am guessing it’s the linear focusing system. But I would have expected the elements to be locked in place when powered off but I am finding it’s not locked. If I mount the lens and power on the camera, it’s locked. But once I power off the camera, and tilt the lens I can hear and feel it moving.
The lens has no issues and focuses perfectly and is sharp.
Wondering if anyone else is seeing this or if it’s my copy?
I haven’t felt this on my other linear focus lenses like my 135GM, 35GM, or 50GM.
p.19 #3 · Pre-order: Sony FE 14mm f/1.8 GM ($1,598)
I guess I answered my own question.
As a side note, when the camera is off it is normal for the lens to have a moving piece inside of it. This is the focusing element sliding back and forth with no power to hold it in place. With the 14mm GM and the way it’s designed with the focusing groups at the very back, you can watch it moving when the lens is detached. I get a lot of people asking me if their new Sony lenses came damaged and this is always the culprit for that fear.
p.19 #4 · Pre-order: Sony FE 14mm f/1.8 GM ($1,598)
Did the Sigma improve further without the filter and is the color rendering similar? .. While I prefer the color from the Sigma.. the Sigma plus filter vs 14mm prime without the filter seem to perform more similarly in the corners.
Fred Miranda wrote:
It's interesting. The FE 14/1.8 GM with the clip-on Kase filter (ND 6-stop) performs worse than the Sigma 14-24@14mm at the corners at similar apertures. I will test this more today if the weather cooperates.
Here is a comparison showing f/5.6 (both focused at center) where the Sigma looks very good with the Kase filter while the Sony not so much. I also prefer the colors coming out from the Sigma. (same WB and LR settings for both)
p.19 #5 · Pre-order: Sony FE 14mm f/1.8 GM ($1,598)
jc75 wrote:
For those with this lens, can you do me a favor? Take the lens off your camera, remove the rear cap, and then tilt the lens back and forth (front lens pointing to the ground and then pointing up). Does the rear element move on your copy? I am guessing it’s the linear focusing system. But I would have expected the elements to be locked in place when powered off but I am finding it’s not locked. If I mount the lens and power on the camera, it’s locked. But once I power off the camera, and tilt the lens I can hear and feel it moving.
The lens has no issues and focuses perfectly and is sharp.
Wondering if anyone else is seeing this or if it’s my copy?
I haven’t felt this on my other linear focus lenses like my 135GM, 35GM, or 50GM....Show more →
That's funny, I posted the same question in the 50 GM thread. It is a characteristic of all XD motor lenses. After it was confirmed to me there, I do now notice it in all my GM lenses. It's more noticeable on the 50 GM for me, then the 135. I don't have the 14 yet.
p.19 #8 · Pre-order: Sony FE 14mm f/1.8 GM ($1,598)
Full photo from an a7c and an 800px crop from the absolute corner. Shutter speed at 13 seconds, shot at f1.8. Stars are pinpoint at center, only very slightly deterioration in the absolute corners. Pretty impressive. No processing done except slight alteration of the WB. You can see it larger at my flickr if you're curious.
Full photo resized to 15MP with default LR export settings and no lens corrections:
800px crop of 15mp file from absolute (red) corner:
p.19 #9 · Pre-order: Sony FE 14mm f/1.8 GM ($1,598)
I was going to take some test shots of the 14GM with the Kase 3-stop clip in filter and could immediately tell it was degrading the image just from what I saw in the viewfinder. I didn't even take them since there was no need to pixel peep.
I think the lens being so compact with fewer elements is achieved by having a very off-axis light angle from rear element to the sensor....anything in between is causing more noticeable refraction/distortion and degrading the image more than larger lenses with more elements that have the light going more straight-on to the sensor.......just my uninformed hypothesis.
Fred Miranda wrote:
It's interesting. The FE 14/1.8 GM with the clip-on Kase filter (ND 6-stop) performs worse than the Sigma 14-24@14mm at the corners at similar apertures. I will test this more today if the weather cooperates.
Here is a comparison showing f/5.6 (both focused at center) where the Sigma looks very good with the Kase filter while the Sony not so much. I also prefer the colors coming out from the Sigma. (same WB and LR settings for both)
p.19 #10 · Pre-order: Sony FE 14mm f/1.8 GM ($1,598)
First chance to take a sunset shot with my Alpha 1 + 14mm f/1.8 GM lens. It was a gorgeous display of colors staying lit for a good 15-20 minutes. I love this lens for being so distortion-free and light on the camera. No profile available yet but I found that careful leveling of the camera produces very nice results. A manual adjustment for corner vignetting is easy to do in LR.
p.19 #11 · Pre-order: Sony FE 14mm f/1.8 GM ($1,598)
I received my 1.8/14GM today and did a quick comparison with the Sigma 14-24 DG DN. Regarding resolution, sharpness, contrast at f/2.8 there is zero difference between the two lenses (tested at 200m and 10m @50MP with the A1). The main difference is that the Sigma has a bit warmer color rendition and the Sony a bit cooler. But this can be easily adjusted in LR and color resolution is very good with both lenses (and much better than for example with the Sony 12-24 f/4).
Die Sigma is a bit more flat field while the Sony has a slightly stronger FC. Focusing in the center is often not sufficient with the Sony, you need to focus on the corners or halfway between center and corner to get the best overall sharpness. This is often not necessary with the Sigma.
My 14GM is at f/1.8 practically as sharp as at f/2.8, even in the extreme corners (if focused on the corners). My sample is also perfectly centered. Compared to the Sigma you gain about one stop of light which can be useful for nightscapes, aurora, bioluminescence, glow worms etc., and reduce the size and weight but lose the zoom range. I will keep both lenses for different use cases.
In addition, I bought and installed the Haida rear filter kit for the Sony. Luckily the reduction in sharpness is absolutely minimal with these filters, despite they are 0,5mm thick. I would use them even for very critical work without any hesitation.
But as a side effect, they have a really interesting and strange influence on DOF and FC.
By using the rear filter the FC is reduced and changes its direction.
In addition, the DOF with rear filters installed extends from the focus point mainly to the foreground while without rear filters it extends mainly to the background. If you focus for example at 10m. Without the filter, the first couple of meters are unsharp while everything beyond 10m is sharp. With the rear filter installed and again focused at 10m, nearly everything in the foreground is sharp but objects at 20m are already getting unsharp.
Strangely this changed FC/DOF behavior often helps and the images shot with the filter often look better than without, especially shot wide open.
Maybe someone else with this lens and the Haida kit can try to reproduce the behavior.
AF is also very fast and completely silent.
Altogether I can really recommend the lens and the Haida kit (although the installation of the Haida adapter is a bit nerve-wracking). My new lightweight travel kit is now 14GM, 20G, 35GM (+200-600 if I expect to see wildlife).
p.19 #13 · Pre-order: Sony FE 14mm f/1.8 GM ($1,598)
Bobu wrote:
I received my 1.8/14GM today and did a quick comparison with the Sigma 14-24 DG DN. Regarding resolution, sharpness, contrast at f/2.8 there is zero difference between the two lenses (tested at 200m and 10m @50MP with the A1). The main difference is that the Sigma has a bit warmer color rendition and the Sony a bit cooler. But this can be easily adjusted in LR and color resolution is very good with both lenses (and much better than for example with the Sony 12-24 f/4).
Die Sigma is a bit more flat field while the Sony has a slightly stronger FC. Focusing in the center is often not sufficient with the Sony, you need to focus on the corners or halfway between center and corner to get the best overall sharpness. This is often not necessary with the Sigma.
My 14GM is at f/1.8 practically as sharp as at f/2.8, even in the extreme corners (if focused on the corners). My sample is also perfectly centered. Compared to the Sigma you gain about one stop of light which can be useful for nightscapes, aurora, bioluminescence, glow worms etc., and reduce the size and weight but lose the zoom range. I will keep both lenses for different use cases.
In addition, I bought and installed the Haida rear filter kit for the Sony. Luckily the reduction in sharpness is absolutely minimal with these filters, despite they are 0,5mm thick. I would use them even for very critical work without any hesitation.
But as a side effect, they have a really interesting and strange influence on DOF and FC.
By using the rear filter the FC is reduced and changes its direction.
In addition, the DOF with rear filters installed extends from the focus point mainly to the foreground while without rear filters it extends mainly to the background. If you focus for example at 10m. Without the filter, the first couple of meters are unsharp while everything beyond 10m is sharp. With the rear filter installed and again focused at 10m, nearly everything in the foreground is sharp but objects at 20m are already getting unsharp.
Strangely this changed FC/DOF behavior often helps and the images shot with the filter often look better than without, especially shot wide open.
Maybe someone else with this lens and the Haida kit can try to reproduce the behavior.
AF is also very fast and completely silent.
Altogether I can really recommend the lens and the Haida kit (although the installation of the Haida adapter is a bit nerve-wracking). My new lightweight travel kit is now 14GM, 20G, 35GM (+200-600 if I expect to see wildlife). ...Show more →
Bobu, my initial findings are very similar to yours so far for this lens. I also have the Sony 12-24 f2.8 GM and will be trying to decide what to do with that lens with this fine14mm faster and more compact prime option available. It will now be part of my travel/landscape kit with 14GM, 20G, 35GM, Sigma 65DGDN, and 100-400GM (or 200-600G if wildlife is expected).
I have not tried it yet with the Kase Camera Filter ND's I purchased last week. I'm hoping that they have similar results as the Haida kit you mentioned. Although I do have the NiSi Filter system for my 12-24 GM and I will likely pickup a filter holder for the 14GM as well.
p.19 #14 · Pre-order: Sony FE 14mm f/1.8 GM ($1,598)
Shot with the 14GM and Sony A1. This shot (4x5 crop) was taken less than 5 minutes from my shot posted yesterday. I was so intent on framing the @mohonkmountainhouse in the composition that I almost missed the main show just to my left side coming across the middle of Lake Mohonk. I quickly stepped 10 feet back and less than 20 yards to my right to frame up this two-seat wooden hut with the brightly lit clouds coming right at me. The prime colors were just beginning to fade shortly after composing and capturing this shot. Glad I looked up and around when I did.
p.19 #15 · Pre-order: Sony FE 14mm f/1.8 GM ($1,598)
Just received my 14mm and it's quite interesting. Top corners at f1.8 are a fair bit softer than the bottom corners, so slightly decentered or tilted. Those bottom corners are sharp though, comparable at f1.8 to my Sigma 14-24 DG DN at f2.8. The top corners clean up by stopping down, but at f4 are still softer than the bottom corners at f1.8.
I was more curious on how to do this while taking the shots without having to tap to focus and press the shutter button each time. Thanks for sharing the post processing side of things.
p.19 #19 · Pre-order: Sony FE 14mm f/1.8 GM ($1,598)
Bobu wrote:
I received my 1.8/14GM today and did a quick comparison with the Sigma 14-24 DG DN. Regarding resolution, sharpness, contrast at f/2.8 there is zero difference between the two lenses (tested at 200m and 10m @50MP with the A1). The main difference is that the Sigma has a bit warmer color rendition and the Sony a bit cooler. But this can be easily adjusted in LR and color resolution is very good with both lenses (and much better than for example with the Sony 12-24 f/4).
Die Sigma is a bit more flat field while the Sony has a slightly stronger FC. Focusing in the center is often not sufficient with the Sony, you need to focus on the corners or halfway between center and corner to get the best overall sharpness. This is often not necessary with the Sigma.
My 14GM is at f/1.8 practically as sharp as at f/2.8, even in the extreme corners (if focused on the corners). My sample is also perfectly centered. Compared to the Sigma you gain about one stop of light which can be useful for nightscapes, aurora, bioluminescence, glow worms etc., and reduce the size and weight but lose the zoom range. I will keep both lenses for different use cases.
In addition, I bought and installed the Haida rear filter kit for the Sony. Luckily the reduction in sharpness is absolutely minimal with these filters, despite they are 0,5mm thick. I would use them even for very critical work without any hesitation.
But as a side effect, they have a really interesting and strange influence on DOF and FC.
By using the rear filter the FC is reduced and changes its direction.
In addition, the DOF with rear filters installed extends from the focus point mainly to the foreground while without rear filters it extends mainly to the background. If you focus for example at 10m. Without the filter, the first couple of meters are unsharp while everything beyond 10m is sharp. With the rear filter installed and again focused at 10m, nearly everything in the foreground is sharp but objects at 20m are already getting unsharp.
Strangely this changed FC/DOF behavior often helps and the images shot with the filter often look better than without, especially shot wide open.
Maybe someone else with this lens and the Haida kit can try to reproduce the behavior.
AF is also very fast and completely silent.
Altogether I can really recommend the lens and the Haida kit (although the installation of the Haida adapter is a bit nerve-wracking). My new lightweight travel kit is now 14GM, 20G, 35GM (+200-600 if I expect to see wildlife). ...Show more →
That's interesting since the Kase is already causing a lot of FC and astigmatism issues when used with the FE 14/1.8 and it's way thinner than the Haida.
p.19 #20 · Pre-order: Sony FE 14mm f/1.8 GM ($1,598)
Step 1: AF to infinity, switch to MF (lens button or camera custom button)
Step 2: Compose the photo, take the first picture at infinity, then rotate the focusing ring, take 2M, 1M.....etc, according to the electronic scale displayed by the camera
P90Puma wrote:
I was more curious on how to do this while taking the shots without having to tap to focus and press the shutter button each time. Thanks for sharing the post processing side of things.
