p.21 #1 · Pre-order: Sony FE 14mm f/1.8 GM ($1,598)
Fred Miranda wrote:
So far, I've only compared it to the Sigma 14-24 DG DN and the Sony 14 is not as sharp as the Sigma at the very corners at f/2.8 and f/4. It could be copy variation but my loan is well centered. It's not absurd to think that's not possible since the Sigma is optimal @14mm@ and performs similarly to the 12-24 GM at this FL.
Thanks, Fred.
According to your tests, do the corners of the GM 14mm catch up at f/5.6 (at infinity) compared to the Sigma DN 14-24mm or the Sony GM 12-24mm?
p.21 #2 · Pre-order: Sony FE 14mm f/1.8 GM ($1,598)
Maximilian wrote:
Thanks, Fred.
According to your tests, do the corners of the GM 14mm catch up at f/5.6 (at infinity) compared to the Sigma DN 14-24mm or the Sony GM 12-24mm?
I will post a full aperture series soon. I'm just waiting for a second copy to make sure that's how it really performs. My current copy is well centered on my A7R IV but I'm not super happy with the extreme corners.
I tested it against the Voigtlander 15/4.5 III as well.
p.21 #3 · Pre-order: Sony FE 14mm f/1.8 GM ($1,598)
Because waiting for the new version of the haida rear filter (It's just that the printed words are different from the old version), I have to wait until the weekend to get it, I will try my best to make a complete comparison.
new version:
Fred Miranda wrote:
This is puzzling to me but I take comfort that you are testing it properly. Could you run a test showing the subject at infinity distance? It would be hard to believe the extreme corners will look OK (or better) at f/1.8 when focusing at center.
With the Kase (0.3m), extreme corners are almost unusable at f/1.8.
p.21 #4 · Pre-order: Sony FE 14mm f/1.8 GM ($1,598)
I’d certainly try more copies; mine matched and bested my 12-24GM corners at equal or faster apertures. Or maybe my 12-24 is bad 😂😂. Actually I’m quite confident in my 12-24, it is really solid across the frame and all apertures. Original post below
Fred Miranda wrote:
I will post a full aperture series soon. I'm just waiting for a second copy to make sure that's how it really performs. My current copy is well centered on my A7R IV but I'm not super happy with the extreme corners.
I tested it against the Voigtlander 15/4.5 III as well.
p.21 #5 · Pre-order: Sony FE 14mm f/1.8 GM ($1,598)
To me, personal assessment is highly subjective without any pictures. With that said, I really appreciate all the reports so far. If it's true that the GM 14 is worse than the Sigma 14-24 in the corners at f/2.8, it should not matter much (slightly disappointing though). The question remains is if it will be comparable with the zoom at f/4 or f/5.6.
You're trading size and weight for zoom versatility and slight IQ advantage. I might hold off till the Sigma 14/1.8 DG DN if so to decide what I want to do at this focal length. The Sigma zoom is very good for my purpose.
p.21 #6 · Pre-order: Sony FE 14mm f/1.8 GM ($1,598)
NatDeroxL7 wrote:
I’d certainly try more copies; mine matched and bested my 12-24GM corners at equal or faster apertures. Or maybe my 12-24 is bad 😂😂. Actually I’m quite confident in my 12-24, it is really solid across the frame and all apertures. Original post below
My findings are similar to yours here. My 12-24 GM is a superb copy, centering is almost perfect at all focal lengths, wide open. My top 2 corners on the 14mm GM are weaker than the bottom 2, but centre-top is fine.
Of the 3 lenses, my 14-24 DG DN gives the best corners at f2.8 if I corner focus, but centre sharpness suffers more. Corner focusing on my 14mm GM and 12-24 GM keeps the centre pretty sharp. For astro specifically there's little to choose between the 3 at 14mm and f2.8 in terms of 'star quality', but the 14mm GM is still remarkably good corner to corner at f1.8 if focused very carefully.
p.21 #8 · Pre-order: Sony FE 14mm f/1.8 GM ($1,598)
hiepphotog wrote:
To me, personal assessment is highly subjective without any pictures. With that said, I really appreciate all the reports so far. If it's true that the GM 14 is worse than the Sigma 14-24 in the corners at f/2.8, it should not matter much (slightly disappointing though). The question remains is if it will be comparable with the zoom at f/4 or f/5.6.
You're trading size and weight for zoom versatility and slight IQ advantage. I might hold off till the Sigma 14/1.8 DG DN if so to decide what I want to do at this focal length. The Sigma zoom is very good for my purpose....Show more →
Here are some additional pictures to confirm my subjective assessment.
I don't see any real difference between these images (besides a different color temperature). Both lenses were wide open and focused at near infinity (100-200m).
p.21 #9 · Pre-order: Sony FE 14mm f/1.8 GM ($1,598)
Bobu wrote:
Here are some additional pictures to confirm my subjective assessment.
I don't see any real difference between these images (besides a different color temperature). Both lenses were wide open and focused at near infinity (100-200m).
p.21 #11 · Pre-order: Sony FE 14mm f/1.8 GM ($1,598)
Bobu wrote:
Here are some additional pictures to confirm my subjective assessment.
I don't see any real difference between these images (besides a different color temperature). Both lenses were wide open and focused at near infinity (100-200m).
Thanks. That is illuminating and a real world example.
What you are calling corner, I call "mid-field" when evaluating resolution across the image field. For an extreme corner comparison, where differences will be more noticeable, one would need to show a subject at the very corner of the frame (like shooting a landscape diagonally just to test it). It would be best not to refocus at the corner to evaluate the effects of field curvature as well. If you could do a diagonal infinity test with and without the Haida as well, always focusing at center, that would clarify the effects of a 0.5m rear filter on this lens.
My Sigma is noticeably sharper than the GM (at f/2.8) but I will get a second copy on Thursday to confirm this. They are more of less equivalent at f/5.6 and smaller apertures so both great for landscapes.
p.21 #13 · Pre-order: Sony FE 14mm f/1.8 GM ($1,598)
Fred Miranda wrote:
Thanks. That is illuminating and a real world example.
What you are calling corner, I call "mid-field" when evaluating resolution across the image field. For an extreme corner comparison, where differences will be more noticeable, one would need to show a subject at the very corner of the frame (like shooting a landscape diagonally just to test it). It would be best not to refocus at the corner to evaluate the effects of field curvature as well. If you could do a diagonal infinity test with and without the Haida as well, always focusing at center, that would clarify the effects of a 0.5m rear filter on this lens.
My Sigma is noticeably sharper than the GM (at f/2.8) but I will get a second copy on Thursday to confirm this. They are more of less equivalent at f/5.6 and smaller apertures so both great for landscapes....Show more →
I would definitely not call this mid-field. Here is the whole image to illustrate what I mean. I will do the test with the rear filters at infinity on the weekend.
p.21 #14 · Pre-order: Sony FE 14mm f/1.8 GM ($1,598)
Bobu wrote:
I would definitely not call this mid-field. Here is the whole image to illustrate what I mean. I will do the test with the rear filters at infinity on the weekend.
My apologies. I thought the subject was in the middle instead of the top.
p.21 #15 · Pre-order: Sony FE 14mm f/1.8 GM ($1,598)
Bobu wrote:
Sony 14GM at f/2.8:
Thanks for the comparison.
To me the corner of the Sigma 14-24mm at f/2.8 still looks sharper than the GM 14mm at f/2.8 although the difference is not large.
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field curvature comparison：
manual focus, based on electronic scale in camera display
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field curvature comparison：
manual focus, based on electronic scale in camera display
Perfect!!! These are expected results from the 0.5m Haida rear filter. It's a bit worse than what I'm seeing with the 0.3m Kase.
With the latter at f/5.6, the filtered crops matches the unfiltered one which is not quite the case when compared to the Haida. There is a big induced field curvature, which is very noticeable at wide apertures.
This shows that rear filters + fast ultra wide lenses is not a good idea unless one is shooting at f/8 or smaller apertures. With the big zooms (Sigma and Sony), the Kase's induced field curvature gets masked by ~ f/4 where they are optimal, so imo, a great combination.
p.21 #18 · Pre-order: Sony FE 14mm f/1.8 GM ($1,598)
Thank you Fred
Yes, the test result is only marginally acceptable，however, I will still insist on using Haida, because I prefer the operation mode of Haida to Kase, and I updated ghost comparison.
Fred Miranda wrote:
Perfect!!! These are expected results from the 0.5m Haida rear filter. It's a bit worse than what I'm seeing with the 0.3m Kase.
With the latter at f/5.6, the filtered crops matches the unfiltered one which is not quite the case when compared to the Haida. There is a big induced field curvature, which is very noticeable at wide apertures.
This shows that rear filters + fast ultra wide lenses is not a good idea unless one is shooting at f/8 or smaller apertures. With the big zooms (Sigma and Sony), the Kase's induced field curvature gets masked by ~ f/4 where they are optimal....Show more →
p.21 #19 · Pre-order: Sony FE 14mm f/1.8 GM ($1,598)
Too bad. I don't want to have to worry about wanting to use a lens wider than the acceptable results of using the a filter. May as well save money and buy a slower lens. I already have a 10mm that is excellent but much slower. I would use the Kase on other lenses where I want the ND etc.. but to me, the 14 does not lend itself to the use of the rear filters from Haida and in my case, Kase, which I have here an have tested. But for longer lenses, very good results. Money well spent on the Kase.,? I don't know yet. But I don't make much money off of photography any longer. Most of my work was visual anthropology and that is what I love doing anyway and my critical care nursing made up the different in income needs.
