p.3 #1 · SIRUI AURORA 85mm F1.4 lens THOUGHTS/Lens Test
We may have to increase clarity and sharpness in our Raw software when processing images at 1.4 that maybe worth trying out once you're out there testing it.
Hood looks nice. I have a whole box of hoods I will go through. I usually do aftermarket hoods and keep the new ones in the box and save for resale plus they always seem to make hoods to dang big.
p.3 #2 · SIRUI AURORA 85mm F1.4 lens THOUGHTS/Lens Test
Aurora 85
I got my copy today.
Somebody at Amazon Germany was nice and threw in two Sirui nano filters in the box, UV and Black mist. Thank you (I thought that promotion period ended long ago)!
In the lens box is a good pouch which should be able to actually protect the lens and a lens hood. As usual I found the hood too big and bulky for my taste and I replaced it with a standard metal screw in hood.
Checking the lens before mounting it showed that it came with firmware 1.0.4 so there was nothing for me to do before starting to use the lens.
It was fun starting to learn the Aurora 85; it behaves as an old classic lens thinking about rendering. At the same time it is a modern lens that is weather shielded, has nano coating, auto-focus and so on. The focus lock button needs a hard press to react. The AF/MF sliding button is better than Sony's; I guess it will be usable also when wearing gloves. The aperture ring could have been more distinct clicking but it works as is and the 15 blades close and open nicely keeping the aperture opening round.
All that was good. But, the images didn't look any good. A decentering and alignment test showed severe swing. I have mailed Sirui EU and asked if I can send the lens back and in exchange get a checked and good copy - or if a common return is the way to go.
p.3 #3 · SIRUI AURORA 85mm F1.4 lens THOUGHTS/Lens Test
I got mine as well. Played with it a little. Agree on hood it’s just too big. Mine looks good image wise but need to test it out for sure. I like it size/weight and functionally wise
p.3 #4 · SIRUI AURORA 85mm F1.4 lens THOUGHTS/Lens Test
Jonas B wrote:
Aurora 85
I got my copy today.
Somebody at Amazon Germany was nice and threw in two Sirui nano filters in the box, UV and Black mist. Thank you (I thought that promotion period ended long ago)!
In the lens box is a good pouch which should be able to actually protect the lens and a lens hood. As usual I found the hood too big and bulky for my taste and I replaced it with a standard metal screw in hood.
Checking the lens before mounting it showed that it came with firmware 1.0.4 so there was nothing for me to do before starting to use the lens.
It was fun starting to learn the Aurora 85; it behaves as an old classic lens thinking about rendering. At the same time it is a modern lens that is weather shielded, has nano coating, auto-focus and so on. The focus lock button needs a hard press to react. The AF/MF sliding button is better than Sony's; I guess it will be usable also when wearing gloves. The aperture ring could have been more distinct clicking but it works as is and the 15 blades close and open nicely keeping the aperture opening round.
All that was good. But, the images didn't look any good. A decentering and alignment test showed severe swing. I have mailed Sirui EU and asked if I can send the lens back and in exchange get a checked and good copy - or if a common return is the way to go.
Oh well. I hope Sirui can make the exchange!...Show more →
I'm not impressed either. I am not even taking the lens on a trip to Provence this weekend, but shipping it back for a return. Life is a bit too short to keep hunting a good copy, worry about the quality over time, etc. Back to finding a good copy of Batis 85 used.
p.3 #7 · SIRUI AURORA 85mm F1.4 lens THOUGHTS/Lens Test
Cool and I hope you like it.
Here is a result from my tests before packing the lens for return: https://photos.imageevent.com/jonas_b/fotoforum2022andfw/g422_AU85_f_2.0_swing-demo.jpg
As the normal set of test images didn't look right when checking them I performed a short series of more formal lens test shots. The above is from testing decentering and focal plane and taken at f/2.
p.3 #8 · SIRUI AURORA 85mm F1.4 lens THOUGHTS/Lens Test
Okay I look like I got a winner here and actually pretty surprised that 1.4 is very good on center. Here is Big Bronco Test which is a building in which I may have tested at least a 100 lenses on and on center 1.4/1.6 and 1.8 looks really really close . Now these first ones are of maybe 3/4 of the building and it's obvious the corners take a little to get to optimum . Trust me the Sony 85mm 1.4 did as well and frankly to be expected as it's going to be pretty rare you need sharp corners at 1.4 but at F2 it's really good. To me nice balance for sure
Here is the full image at 1.4 > I till show upper left corners at 100 percent. As you can see also it has some slight pincushion which again would be normal for a 85mm
p.3 #12 · SIRUI AURORA 85mm F1.4 lens THOUGHTS/Lens Test
Looks like LoCal off that alumium ?
Not really what we use a 85mm for is corners but certainly want to know where it gets good so maybe even a landscape image at least get to F2.8 to pick up that sharpness . No surprise here the old Sony 85 1.4 was just like this
p.3 #16 · SIRUI AURORA 85mm F1.4 lens THOUGHTS/Lens Test
Im thinking at 1.6 looks like it may hit it but F2 looks killer too. Tough call but this is not going in for a return. For comparison I remember the Sony at 1.8 on this test.
Frankly im a little shocked its damn good copy and we have reports of not good so this copy variance shit comes back at us. Buy with full return in mind. Don't buy this used as these tests are very critical and not many people test this hard
I will get on to some other images soon here but so far it's very nice. Now all these on a tripod all in manual focus with the A7RV. I use focus peaking to to test with and all on center section
p.3 #17 · SIRUI AURORA 85mm F1.4 lens THOUGHTS/Lens Test
This test I did just for distance reasons and im focused on that aluminum roof and im a little surprised how good 1.4 really is. Sure when I stop down the DOF increases but that roof looks tack sharp on every image.
