So i just picked up this lens (Juha, your sample pics sold me), but my copy has some build issues that I'm not happy about regarding the aperture ring. Basically, at f1.4 and f16, the clicks are not firm (as compared to e.g. f5.6). I often knock the aperture ring from 1.4 to f1.5/1.6, and there are no third-stop clicks between f11 and f16 (as compared to f4, 4.5, 5, 5.6). For current Otus ML owners, is this the case too?
Edit: just read the 50 Otus ML has no third stop clicks between f11 and f16. So I just need confirmation as to whether the indents for f1.4 and f16 are as light on other lenses as mine.
Thanks in advance!
chasdfg wrote:
So i just picked up this lens (Juha, your sample pics sold me), but my copy has some build issues that I'm not happy about regarding the aperture ring. Basically, at f1.4 and f16, the clicks are not firm (as compared to e.g. f5.6). I often knock the aperture ring from 1.4 to f1.5/1.6, and there are no third-stop clicks between f11 and f16 (as compared to f4, 4.5, 5, 5.6). For current Otus ML owners, is this the case too?
Edit: just read the 50 Otus ML has no third stop clicks between f11 and f16. So I just need confirmation as to whether the indents for f1.4 and f16 are as light on other lenses as mine.
Thanks in advance!...Show more →
Thanks very much! Yes, the aperture clicks are pretty light and aperture ring is easy to turn unintentionally on both of my Otus MLs (50/1.4 and 35/1.4) and I think it's a common feature with these lenses. I don't notice any difference with the click firmness at different apertures like f1.4 or f5.6 though, the lightness seems even through the whole range on both of my lenses and indeed there are no click-stops between f11 and f16.
I also tend to knock the aperture ring off from f1.4 to f1.6 or so and also from f4 to f4.5 or f3.5 or thereabouts from time to time. I usually intend to shoot either at f1.4 or at f4 with both lenses and rarely in-between, but sometimes I notice that the aperture has moved a bit when I didn't intend to change it. Due to the size of the lenses and my A7CII, I tend to support the lenses with hand all the time when shooting and since the aperture rings are at the base, it's also quite easy to touch them a little bit and to move them without intent while focusing.
Ted Forbes also mentioned the lightness of the aperture ring (of 50/1.4 ML) at around 11m 30s into this video. Funnily he mentioned that he often finds himself at f1.6, f1.8 or maybe f1.2 (!?) when he intended to shoot wide open:
Hi Juha, thank you for your reply! I missed the Ted Forbes 50ML video (non-initial impressions video). Will do more shooting with the 35ML today - I suppose my impression of the firmness at e.g. f5.6 vs f1.4 is because middle aperture settings are less crucial for me, so being at f5 or f4.5 or f5.6 doesn't really matter and it can wriggle left or right without bothering me too much, thus giving me the impression of more firmness there. At f1.4 it is so easy to hit away from f1.4 because like you i balance the lens due to the weight, or carry the lens and body setup via the lens when not shooting. Sometimes i end up carrying the lens and resting my fingers at the focus distance scale, which is also annoying but just something to get used to.
Now i can go about shooting without wondering if i need to fix or exchange the lens out. It is a phenomenal lens in the sense it does everything i like in a modern optic, with a lot of bite in my favourite focal length and the way it flares is to my taste too.
