fredmiranda.com
Login

Moderated by: Fred Miranda
  New fredmiranda.com Mobile Site
  New Feature: SMS Notification alert
  New Feature: Buy & Sell Watchlist
  

FM Forums | Sony Forum | Join Upload & Sell

1       2       3       4              6       end
  

Archive 2024 · How Do I Select The Best Light/Small 24mm/25mm Travel Lens

  
 
tsdevine
Offline
• • • • •
Upload & Sell: On
p.5 #1 · How Do I Select The Best Light/Small 24mm/25mm Travel Lens



Thanks, while I have both the CV 15 (maybe an average, not great, copy) and the Laowa 15, I don't use them much anymore. The CV 15 is much smaller than the Laowa 15 FWIW.

bwcolor wrote:
#tsdevine#

I enjoyed looking at your Flickr images. Many great images.. including the 15mm images.. thanks..





Oct 12, 2024 at 07:53 PM
bwcolor
Offline
• • • •
Upload & Sell: Off
p.5 #2 · How Do I Select The Best Light/Small 24mm/25mm Travel Lens


tsdevine wrote:
Thanks, while I have both the CV 15 (maybe an average, not great, copy) and the Laowa 15, I don't use them much anymore. The CV 15 is much smaller than the Laowa 15 FWIW.



Do you think that the copy to copy variance is low enough that it is safe to buy the CV 15 used?



Oct 12, 2024 at 08:01 PM
tsdevine
Offline
• • • • •
Upload & Sell: On
p.5 #3 · How Do I Select The Best Light/Small 24mm/25mm Travel Lens



That I do not know, but I think Guy has bought and sold the CV 15 like 3 or 4 times minimum, many of them used I believe. Hopefully he'll chime in with his luck. (He tends to be lucky.)

bwcolor wrote:
Do you think that the copy to copy variance is low enough that it is safe to buy the CV 15 used?





Oct 12, 2024 at 08:06 PM
aCuria
Offline
• • •
Upload & Sell: Off
p.5 #4 · How Do I Select The Best Light/Small 24mm/25mm Travel Lens



bwcolor wrote:
Pre Covid I spent three weeks in France with an A9 and 24mm f/1.4GM. I was happy with the pairing. Since, I’ve sold most Sony gear. Now, I’m wanting to build a light weight Sony travel kit. Currently I own a new A7CR & 40mm G lens. The remaining old kit include Loxia 21,35 & 85mm.

I’m thinking of leaving the 35mm Loxia at home, but adding a 24/25mm. Looking at the MTF from both the 24mm G and the 25mm Loxia, it seems that the G bests Loxia centrally, but falls behind with regards to edge performance. How do I
...Show more

You already tried the best one (24GM) just get another one



Oct 12, 2024 at 08:13 PM
GMPhotography
Offline
• • • • • • •
Upload & Sell: Off
p.5 #5 · How Do I Select The Best Light/Small 24mm/25mm Travel Lens


I had 4 CV15 and luckily all very good copies but in the past there was some copy variation. Not sure that’s still a issue but I did buy maybe a 2 year old used one last month or so and it’s great

I also had the Laowa 15 f2 much bigger but I had a very nice copy. Buying new will give you return options. The CV 15 is not expensive and a lot of members here have them . I actually have a used CV 21 1.4 coming this week but I bought from a retail store where I can return



Oct 12, 2024 at 08:38 PM
bwcolor
Offline
• • • •
Upload & Sell: Off
p.5 #6 · How Do I Select The Best Light/Small 24mm/25mm Travel Lens


aCuria wrote:
You already tried the best one (24GM) just get another one


What I am looking for is the best small lens.. not the absolute best..which I think is either the Samyang f/1.8, or Sigma 2.0.



Oct 12, 2024 at 08:39 PM
bwcolor
Offline
• • • •
Upload & Sell: Off
p.5 #7 · How Do I Select The Best Light/Small 24mm/25mm Travel Lens


GMPhotography wrote:
I had 4 CV15 and luckily all very good copies but in the past there was some copy variation. Not sure that’s still a issue but I did buy maybe a 2 year old used one last month or so and it’s great

I also had the Laowa 15 f2 much bigger but I had a very nice copy. Buying new will give you return options. The CV 15 is not expensive and a lot of members here have them . I actually have a used CV 21 1.4 coming this week but I bought from a retail store where I
...Show more

True.. B&H have them heavily discounted. A fast 21mm.. that must be a unique use lens. I’ve mainly have used an f/4.5 ZM on an ‘M’ camera, so wide open is .. well.. stopped down. Have rarely used the 21mm Loxia..but will ..



Oct 12, 2024 at 11:01 PM
GMPhotography
Offline
• • • • • • •
Upload & Sell: Off
p.5 #8 · How Do I Select The Best Light/Small 24mm/25mm Travel Lens


Really I want at least one very fast lens and the 21 for me at least is a gem. I like wides a lot and use them often


Oct 12, 2024 at 11:16 PM
jaybr
Offline
• •
Upload & Sell: Off
p.5 #9 · How Do I Select The Best Light/Small 24mm/25mm Travel Lens


I tested the CV 21/1.4, but found it had terrible chromatic aberration at wider apertures, so it wasn’t for me. I ended up getting the CV 21/3.5 instead, which performs well wide open, and I love the sunstars from f4 onwards 😊

J



Oct 12, 2024 at 11:16 PM
aCuria
Offline
• • •
Upload & Sell: Off
p.5 #10 · How Do I Select The Best Light/Small 24mm/25mm Travel Lens


bwcolor wrote:
What I am looking for is the best small lens.. not the absolute best..which I think is either the Samyang f/1.8, or Sigma 2.0.


I think the 24-50G (440g) or 20-40/2.8 (365g) would be better options for a small kit compared to carrying 2 primes. Sigma 24/2 (360g) + 40G (173g) together are not really lighter than the zoom, and the zoom is very helpful in faster moving situations where there is no time to change lenses.

For low light you would want a f/1.4 prime anyway, not a f/2 or f/2.5



Oct 13, 2024 at 12:31 AM
jaybr
Offline
• •
Upload & Sell: Off
p.5 #11 · How Do I Select The Best Light/Small 24mm/25mm Travel Lens


“For low light you would want a f/1.4 prime anyway, not a f/2 or f/2.5”

I respectfully disagree.
I actually prefer f1.8 lenses for lowlight shooting, and have happily used up to f2.8 lenses for lowlight (hand held) as well.
IMO, modern denoising software (like DXO Photolab and Topaz…) has also reduced the necessity of using fast glass for lowlight shooting a lot of the time.

J



Oct 13, 2024 at 01:24 AM
bwcolor
Offline
• • • •
Upload & Sell: Off
p.5 #12 · How Do I Select The Best Light/Small 24mm/25mm Travel Lens




aCuria wrote:
I think the 24-50G (440g) or 20-40/2.8 (365g) would be better options for a small kit compared to carrying 2 primes. Sigma 24/2 (360g) + 40G (173g) together are not really lighter than the zoom, and the zoom is very helpful in faster moving situations where there is no time to change lenses.

For low light you would want a f/1.4 prime anyway, not a f/2 or f/2.5

All of your suggestions are well thought out. I believe that I have always missed shots due to overly slow lenses and restricted focal length. Also cropping is a reasonable alternative to a 2x zoom for when feet aren’t sufficient. I use my Monochrom for low light.



Oct 13, 2024 at 07:14 AM
Steve Spencer
Offline
• • • • • • •
Upload & Sell: On
p.5 #13 · How Do I Select The Best Light/Small 24mm/25mm Travel Lens


jaybr wrote:
I tested the CV 21/1.4, but found it had terrible chromatic aberration at wider apertures, so it wasn’t for me. I ended up getting the CV 21/3.5 instead, which performs well wide open, and I love the sunstars from f4 onwards 😊

J


I have had two copies of the lens and although it is not perfect in the control of CA it does quite well. It has 3 anamolous partial dispersion elements to control CA. I agree with Philip Reeve's review that can be read in full here:

https://phillipreeve.net/blog/review_voigtlander_21mm_f14_e/

In particular he says:

"Axial CA and bokeh fringing are controlled quite well. You see some but compared to other faster wide angles the Voigtlander turns in a very respectable performance."

Here are couple from a few weekends ago into bright light that could have shown CA, but I couldn't really see any.




  ILCE-7RM5    Voigtlander NOKTON 21mm F1.4 Aspherical lens    21mm    f/4.0    1/640s    100 ISO    0.0 EV  






  ILCE-7RM5    Voigtlander NOKTON 21mm F1.4 Aspherical lens    21mm    f/1.4    1/1600s    100 ISO    0.0 EV  




Oct 13, 2024 at 08:10 AM
GMPhotography
Offline
• • • • • • •
Upload & Sell: Off
p.5 #14 · How Do I Select The Best Light/Small 24mm/25mm Travel Lens


Here is a review Fred and others did a few years ago. I just bought one myself and get it this week. I had it before and its a great lens but its also a 1.4 and not sure I seen any 1.4 lens not have at least a touch of CA but usually it goes away quickly . I will do a Big Bronco test that would certainly have a CA potential problem in the tests as its metal straps on a building

https://www.fredmiranda.com/forum/topic/1603441/



Oct 13, 2024 at 08:17 AM
Steve Spencer
Offline
• • • • • • •
Upload & Sell: On
p.5 #15 · How Do I Select The Best Light/Small 24mm/25mm Travel Lens


GMPhotography wrote:
Here is a review Fred and others did a few years ago. I just bought one myself and get it this week. I had it before and its a great lens but its also a 1.4 and not sure I seen any 1.4 lens not have at least a touch of CA but usually it goes away quickly . I will do a Big Bronco test that would certainly have a CA potential problem in the tests as its metal straps on a building

https://www.fredmiranda.com/forum/topic/1603441/


Yes, as usual Fred's tests are excellent and capture my experience with CA with this lens. Thanks for digging up the thread.



Oct 13, 2024 at 08:30 AM
jaybr
Offline
• •
Upload & Sell: Off
p.5 #16 · How Do I Select The Best Light/Small 24mm/25mm Travel Lens


GMPhotography wrote:
Here is a review Fred and others did a few years ago. I just bought one myself and get it this week. I had it before and its a great lens but its also a 1.4 and not sure I seen any 1.4 lens not have at least a touch of CA but usually it goes away quickly . I will do a Big Bronco test that would certainly have a CA potential problem in the tests as its metal straps on a building

https://www.fredmiranda.com/forum/topic/1603441/


I will look forward to seeing how it performs in the Bronco test.

J



Oct 13, 2024 at 09:20 AM
bwcolor
Offline
• • • •
Upload & Sell: Off
p.5 #17 · How Do I Select The Best Light/Small 24mm/25mm Travel Lens


Every link that I click on, including the ones that are from this forum respond with this: “ The link you have opened does not appear to have originated from this site!”

Is this what happens with everyone?



Oct 13, 2024 at 09:27 AM
Steve Spencer
Offline
• • • • • • •
Upload & Sell: On
p.5 #18 · How Do I Select The Best Light/Small 24mm/25mm Travel Lens


bwcolor wrote:
Every link that I click on, including the ones that are from this forum respond with this: “ The link you have opened does not appear to have originated from this site!”

Is this what happens with everyone?


Weird, that doesn't happen to me.



Oct 13, 2024 at 09:30 AM
GMPhotography
Offline
• • • • • • •
Upload & Sell: Off
p.5 #19 · How Do I Select The Best Light/Small 24mm/25mm Travel Lens


jaybr wrote:
I will look forward to seeing how it performs in the Bronco test.

J


Here is Big Bronco with the CV 15mm I just got. I have no sun so nothing will show but you can clearly see the straps on building and they light up with CA. So ill get out there with the 21mm and give it a run in sun




  ILCE-7CR    Voigtländer 15mm/F4.5 Super Wide Heliar asph. III (Sony E) lens    15mm    f/4.5    1/1250s    100 ISO    0.0 EV  









Oct 13, 2024 at 09:39 AM
GMPhotography
Offline
• • • • • • •
Upload & Sell: Off
p.5 #20 · How Do I Select The Best Light/Small 24mm/25mm Travel Lens


If I remember correctly the 21mm distortion is very similar to the 15mm maybe less and cleans up very easily .. This is the 15mm corrected just to give you a idea
I will do this with the 21mm as well





  ILCE-7CR    Voigtländer 15mm/F4.5 Super Wide Heliar asph. III (Sony E) lens    15mm    f/4.5    1/1250s    100 ISO    0.0 EV  




Oct 13, 2024 at 09:52 AM
1       2       3       4              6       end




FM Forums | Sony Forum | Join Upload & Sell

1       2       3       4              6       end
    
 

Welcome back
Log in to your account