BSPhotog wrote:
craigjohn wrote
BSPhotog wrote
Below are some of my initial tests indoors with the 1.4 when it arrived. You can see the detail up close is night and day from the 1.8S wide open, viewed 1:1 or even full size. I've got a couple of other shots from the 1.4 added here as well. Need to spend more time with this lens before if I decide if I keep it around or catch and release.
The balloon image? Meh. The portrait just sings.
Any verdict yet? I am keeping mine for one reason. It is a fine in-door run and gun in low light without flash. A perfect lens for chasing kids indoors. On Christmas morning in low, natural light, I ran some tests of the 40 2, 50 1.8S, 50 1.4, 35 1.4 on a Zf of the family opening presents. The 50 1.4 with the extra 2/3 stop light gathering led to better AF results in many situations even over the 50 1.8S which at lower light would not nail eye focus in some situations where the 50 1.4 did. Not a huge surprise though. The 50 1.8S is a great low light lens. But the issues with low light AF on the Z cameras is well documented. I find the 1.4 wide open to be very usable and reliable. I use it at 1.4 most of the time. If I was doing outside walkabouts, yes then the 50 1.8S is preferred. That is a narrow use case but that was enough for me. YMMV.
I pair this lens with the 58 1.4 which is not reliable below F2 for adequate subject resolution in many situations depending on distance and light levels. But the looks out of that lens on a Zf are stunning, even with a kiss of flash. The 50 1.4 compliments that lens quite well when I need a bit more light gathering. It is my go to low light lens. I see the S line better suited for the higher res sensors. The Zf brings out the best of the more vintage oriented lenses, which now includes the 50 1.4. If I was still using my old Z7II, or a Z8 I would probably want the 1.8 as the slight extra resolution and contrast is stunning in its own right. Sharpness is not everything though. The Zf camera has really shown me that fact. But thankfully the 50 1.4 catches up well to the 1.8 albeit about a stop behind.