p.2 #1 · Which current e-mount lenses are best for Low Light captures?
Outstanding wrote:
This lens is not sharp wide open, even in the centre, out of all Sigma Art F1.4 primes this one is least sharp. It's acceptably sharp at F2 in the centre and F2.8 in the corners.
You must be confusing the dslr version of the Sigma 24mm Art with the Sigma 28mm Art. Just look at Lens Rentals MTF averages.
p.2 #2 · Which current e-mount lenses are best for Low Light captures?
I rarely remove all vignetting from wide images unless I'm shooting panos. Stopping down from f1.4 to f2 may make sense if transmission gained is greater than 1 stop and the extreme corners matter a lot. If it isn't, then there isn’t any reason to do so for vignetting reasons alone due to ISO invariance. You can shoot at the 2nd base ISO and push in post. Most of the frame will end up cleaner with the lower fstop.
p.2 #3 · Which current e-mount lenses are best for Low Light captures?
I‘m aware that astro is a special case, where vignetting is quite relevant (and detrimental).
In the situations I had in mind (event photography, night time street photography, indoor photography) I actually have to confess that I‘m rather tolerant concerning vignetting:
I usually place the object of interest in in the center of the image and the periphery contains details that give context. In these cases vignetting can even be advantageous: It draws the attention to the central object of interest and deaccentuates the periphery.
p.2 #4 · Which current e-mount lenses are best for Low Light captures?
That definitely helps narrow the options.
The next things I would consider are:
1) Does AF matter, or are you okay with Mf?
2) Does size matter?
3) Do you have a max F stop in mind?
For example if size matters and your okay with f2 and MF the Voightlander 50mm f2 APO and 35mm f2 APO lenses are extremely sharp wide open. If size does not matter and you prefer AF I would take a look into the Sigma 40mm f1.4. I have the DSLR version of the lens and it's extremely sharp wide open.
p.2 #5 · Which current e-mount lenses are best for Low Light captures?
You have brought up some very good points:
-actually I would rule out some very good Sigma lenses due to their huge size and relevant weight ( f1.4/14; 1,4/15; 1,2/35; 1,4/40; 1,4/105 come to mind: extraordinary lenses but very difficult to carry as a set. All Otuses fall into the same unwieldy category).
- I have the f2/35 and f2/65 Voigtländer Apo as well as the Batis 135. These fit my requirements to date.
I‘m not sure about the AF lenses: Sony 1.4/35 and Sony 1.4/50 appear to be good at f2.
The Sigma DG DN 1.4/85 as well (and in comparison rather light).
I find it difficult to make a decission in the wide angle range:
- the Viltrox 1.8/17 is great, but slightly heavy.
- Sony 1.8/20: Most reviewers do not comment on this, but I do not like the colour ( too blue). I know, this a personal impression, many love this lens (somehow I would always prefer the colour of the Batis 18).
- Voigtländer 1.4/21: I have found no data how good this lens is at f2.0. This is the apperture I would take a decission on.
- Focal lengths between 24 and 28mm: There are several lenses in this range (Batis, Loxia, Sony…) Not quite sure which is best at f2.
This discussion cristalizes that
1) best f2 performance is what I‘m actually after and
2) the wide angle range between 18 and 28mm is really the range I still have not identified a really high performer at f2 to f2.8.
p.2 #7 · Which current e-mount lenses are best for Low Light captures?
The Sigma 20mm 1.4, stop it down to f2 and it is hard to be beat by anything, if you don’t like the Sony. The batis 18 will be inferior to both these lenses and 2.8, but it is very light.
Knut. wrote:
You have brought up some very good points:
-actually I would rule out some very good Sigma lenses due to their huge size and relevant weight ( f1.4/14; 1,4/15; 1,2/35; 1,4/40; 1,4/105 come to mind: extraordinary lenses but very difficult to carry as a set. All Otuses fall into the same unwieldy category).
- I have the f2/35 and f2/65 Voigtländer Apo as well as the Batis 135. These fit my requirements to date.
I‘m not sure about the AF lenses: Sony 1.4/35 and Sony 1.4/50 appear to be good at f2.
The Sigma DG DN 1.4/85 as well (and in comparison rather light).
I find it difficult to make a decission in the wide angle range:
- the Viltrox 1.8/17 is great, but slightly heavy.
- Sony 1.8/20: Most reviewers do not comment on this, but I do not like the colour ( too blue). I know, this a personal impression, many love this lens (somehow I would always prefer the colour of the Batis 18).
- Voigtländer 1.4/21: I have found no data how good this lens is at f2.0. This is the apperture I would take a decission on.
- Focal lengths between 24 and 28mm: There are several lenses in this range (Batis, Loxia, Sony…) Not quite sure which is best at f2.
This discussion cristalizes that
1) best f2 performance is what I‘m actually after and
2) the wide angle range between 18 and 28mm is really the range I still have not identified a really high performer at f2 to f2.8....Show more →
p.2 #9 · Which current e-mount lenses are best for Low Light captures?
Re OPs question: This is a largely unnecessary requirement IMO today. Most fast lens requirements are for blur/bokeh stuff. Really fast lenses >f2 to 2.8 are just not needed for most shooting when it gets dark. That’s what higher ISOs are for.
p.2 #10 · Which current e-mount lenses are best for Low Light captures?
Robin Smith wrote:
Re OPs question: This is a largely unnecessary requirement IMO today. Most fast lens requirements are for blur/bokeh stuff. Really fast lenses >f2 to 2.8 are just not needed for most shooting when it gets dark. That’s what higher ISOs are for.
I find ISOs higher than 12000 problematic at night in any case. But even then, I usually try to stay below 6400.
Night scapes are usually characterized by high contrast (bright lights, pitch black shadows). This requires high dynamic range which gets lost first first is you raise ISO too much. There is no real alternative to really sharp lenses at f1.4 (rare) or f2 (some very few availlable).
p.2 #11 · Which current e-mount lenses are best for Low Light captures?
My only thought is that when something is pitch black, it should stay pitch black. I never shoot at 12800 in normal streets at night, rarely at 6400. Most of my night shooting is done at 3200 or less. I was shooting in NY with the 15mm Heliar at ISO 1600 f4.5 - easy. The pools of light make extreme apertures not really needed in my experience.
