The Amazing Sony A1/A7/A9/APS-C & Anything else welcome Mega Thread!

Be careful guys... start thinking that really good lenses (just about perfect really except for maybe some focus breathing and some CA and we'll nit pick the bokeh when there's trees and bushes in the background) are boring and one day you might find yourself Googling something like "Minolta Rokkor 55mm f1.7" and then pretty soon you've got 6 biscuit tins full of characterful interesting lenses and adapters :D
 
I've said before, when I need fast AF and sharp reliable results, like photographing the village jubilee celebrations, then it's one of the lenses I reach for. When I shoot something for me and I want an emotional connection then it stays at home.
 
robj20 said:
Its a thing a lens can be perfect but rubbish because it has no "character".
And character usually means flaws.
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Bobbin i see you have the 28-200 do u like it, i did watch a few vids on it today a few downsides, but some nice upsides too... i suppose i should ask if u didnt have that what else did you consider
 
gman said:
Aye, it was a cheap ploy because I had previously mentioned that my 24-105 will be going up for sale soon.

PS. All the other lenses mentioned are also junk.. :D
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Your 35mm would be nice, if only xmas wasnt so close... Its on my list... Do you do Inteest free ? :)
 
littleted said:
Bobbin i see you have the 28-200 do u like it, i did watch a few vids on it today a few downsides, but some nice upsides too... i suppose i should ask if u didnt have that what else did you consider
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Its fine if you like the range. I have discovered I don't, 28mm just isn't wide enough.
If I was doing it again I'd get the 24-105.
I'm going to keep the 28-200 as my telephoto lens. But it doesn't get used much.

I want to add the Tamron 20-40 as my all purpose lens, then I'd still like the 35GM for night time stuff.
Probably sell my 20mmG lens, and sell our give away the 50f1.8.
 
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littleted said:
Bobbin i see you have the 28-200 do u like it, i did watch a few vids on it today a few downsides, but some nice upsides too... i suppose i should ask if u didnt have that what else did you consider
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I have the 28-200 practically bolted permanently to my a7c.
Love it!!
Yes, it could be wider like the Nikon 24-200 but if I need to shoot wider then I have the 17-28 to fall back on.
Have a look at my Flickr photostream for examples ;)

www.flickr.com

Mike Stephen

Explore Mike Stephen’s 4,459 photos on Flickr!
www.flickr.com www.flickr.com
 
As I've been home all day I've been processing old pictures.

A7 and Minolta Rokkor 50mm f1.4, stopped down.

tuHEYkP.jpg


A7 and Sony 85mm f1.8 at f1.8.

jXfXFoA.jpg
 
LeeRatters said:
Then you'll hanker f/2
Then f/1.8
Then f/1.4
And then you'll buy the 50GM :)
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Crystal ball readings for the future are pretty easy as far as photographers are concerned!

I bought the 55mm f1.8 a while ago, as much as I enjoy it, I do now understand people’s comments about it being a bit ‘clinical’. Maybe a sigma 1.4 is what I need, keep the 24-105 for its versatility?
 
I don't really understand the criticism of the 55mm f1.8 being clinical. It's pretty sharp across the frame from wide open, the bokeh is ok and indeed gets praise from some reviewers although I think from what I remember it can get a bit cats eye and onion ring and there's some CA at wider apertures with high contrast/backlit scenes but these things will only affect in certain instances and mostly it is IMO a good lens.

f8.

omvOAi5.jpg


f5.

L3brT8V.jpg


f4.

2tPdVeu.jpg
 
chphoto said:
Crystal ball readings for the future are pretty easy as far as photographers are concerned!

I bought the 55mm f1.8 a while ago, as much as I enjoy it, I do now understand people’s comments about it being a bit ‘clinical’. Maybe a sigma 1.4 is what I need, keep the 24-105 for its versatility?
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See, I didn't really get on with the FE55 either. I think it was more the focal length rather than actual files because it was certainly sharp enough with decent AF from what I remember.

I can't really comment on 50mm lenses though as I've not owned a Sony FE mount 50mm
 
The 24-105 is almost perfect for travel - if it would go to 120 then it would be even better. Again it's not a lens that creates emotional images, but it's a good tool for general use.
 
I’m on the fence with the 24-105mm, optically it’s very good, AF wise it’s very good, I just think it’s a bit too big and heavy for a travel lens. I actually preferred the 24-70mm f4 and sometimes regret getting rid of it. No doubt the 24-105mm is optically better but it’s not exactly night and day.
 
robj20 said:
Its fine if you like the range. I have discovered I don't, 28mm just isn't wide enough.
If I was doing it again I'd get the 24-105.
I'm going to keep the 28-200 as my telephoto lens. But it doesn't get used much.

I want to add the Tamron 20-40 as my all purpose lens, then I'd still like the 35GM for night time stuff.
Probably sell my 20mmG lens, and sell our give away the 50f1.8.
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Well isn't this a coincidence... :D


chphoto said:
Crystal ball readings for the future are pretty easy as far as photographers are concerned!

I bought the 55mm f1.8 a while ago, as much as I enjoy it, I do now understand people’s comments about it being a bit ‘clinical’. Maybe a sigma 1.4 is what I need, keep the 24-105 for its versatility?
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You mean Sony?... :D




Ok, I'll stop now and get my coat.
 
snerkler said:
I’m on the fence with the 24-105mm, optically it’s very good, AF wise it’s very good, I just think it’s a bit too big and heavy for a travel lens. I actually preferred the 24-70mm f4 and sometimes regret getting rid of it. No doubt the 24-105mm is optically better but it’s not exactly night and day.
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I feel exactly the same I regret getting rid of my 24-70f4.
 
I've just traded in my 24-105...for the second time. It should be perfect for me on paper, but I just don't click with it. I currently have my finger hovering over the buy button for a 24-70 GM II from Panamoz but cor blummy it's still pricey, and will leave me hankering for something longer to complement it.
 
LongLensPhotography said:
Between Sigma 24-70 DN and Sony 24-105 I would clearly pick sigma https://www.the-digital-picture.com...eraComp=1175&SampleComp=0&FLIComp=2&APIComp=0
And perhaps some f1.4 ART primes. I don't see any stellar qualities about 24-105, but perhaps it is a little better than canon ones.
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Well the 24-105 doesn’t suck dust like Henry the hoover unlike the Sigma and no they haven’t fixed that issue. I love Sigma lenses in general but that’s a real issue that can’t be ignored.
 
LongLensPhotography said:
Between Sigma 24-70 DN and Sony 24-105 I would clearly pick sigma https://www.the-digital-picture.com...eraComp=1175&SampleComp=0&FLIComp=2&APIComp=0
And perhaps some f1.4 ART primes. I don't see any stellar qualities about 24-105, but perhaps it is a little better than canon ones.
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The downside of the sigma for me is weight. Obviously you expect weight with f2.8 but I’ve never gelled with 24-70mm f2.8’s. At the focal length f2.8 isn’t giving great subject isolation or bokeh, and stopped down the sharpness difference isn’t enough to justify the extra weight for me.
 
imattersuk said:
Well the 24-105 doesn’t suck dust like Henry the hoover unlike the Sigma and no they haven’t fixed that issue. I love Sigma lenses in general but that’s a real issue that can’t be ignored.
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I assume this is just zooms as I’ve never had dust issue with Sigma primes?
 
Cupotea said:
I've just traded in my 24-105...for the second time. It should be perfect for me on paper, but I just don't click with it. I currently have my finger hovering over the buy button for a 24-70 GM II from Panamoz but cor blummy it's still pricey, and will leave me hankering for something longer to complement it.
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I went for the Tamron 28-75 G2 and many have said it’s as sharp if not sharper than the 24-70 GM II. I added the new 20mm Sigma 1.4 DG DN for wider stuff as I’m finding the extra 5mm at the long end has removed the need for an 85mm.
 
snerkler said:
I assume this is just zooms as I’ve never had dust issue with Sigma primes?
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Yeah that zoom in particular but plenty of reports on the 100-400 also sucking in dust quite easily but that can be forgiven because it’s not built to the same standard and priced accordingly.
 
snerkler said:
The downside of the sigma for me is weight. Obviously you expect weight with f2.8 but I’ve never gelled with 24-70mm f2.8’s. At the focal length f2.8 isn’t giving great subject isolation or bokeh, and stopped down the sharpness difference isn’t enough to justify the extra weight for me.
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The Tamron is remarkably light. I expected I’d hate it and return it but it’s fantastic.
 
imattersuk said:
The Tamron is remarkably light. I expected I’d hate it and return it but it’s fantastic.
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28mm’s not wide enough for me unfortunately.
 
woof woof said:
I don't really understand the criticism of the 55mm f1.8 being clinical. It's pretty sharp across the frame from wide open, the bokeh is ok and indeed gets praise from some reviewers
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LeeRatters said:
See, I didn't really get on with the FE55 either. I think it was more the focal length rather than actual files because it was certainly sharp enough with decent AF from what I remember.
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Yeah that's one thing, the bokeh is just 'ok'. Can't complain at all about the sharpness and AF, it is plenty quick and quiet!

gman said:
You mean Sony?... :D
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In no position to buy right now sadly ;) However I am gonna treat myself and hire the 35GM over Christmas I think, for use while I'm around family etc.
 
chphoto said:
Yeah that's one thing, the bokeh is just 'ok'. Can't complain at all about the sharpness and AF, it is plenty quick and quiet!



In no position to buy right now sadly ;) However I am gonna treat myself and hire the 35GM over Christmas I think, for use while I'm around family etc.
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Now you are talking more sense!! ;)
 
Bobsyeruncle said:
Surely it's the photographer that creates the emotional images?
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Photos operate on several levels. There's composition certainly, but rendering also plays a part. I can recreate that to a degree in post, but it's hard to add the something that's missing - a soft smoothness, a glow, something that reaches out.

Bobsyeruncle said:
If the images are uninteresting, then how's that a fault of the lens?
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A picture is more than subject and composition, and 'literal' pictures are uninteresting photographically *to me*. Or maybe I need to start doing CGI. ;)
 
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chphoto said:
Yeah that's one thing, the bokeh is just 'ok'. Can't complain at all about the sharpness and AF, it is plenty quick and quiet!
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Well, it's a f1.8 and not only that it's a f1.8 which is sharp across the frame from wide open. It's not a f1.4 or a f1.2 and it doesn't have rapid fall off away from the centre and AFAIK it isn't under corrected SA / coma to give a soft look and glow. I have the Voigtlander 40mm f1.2 which I think has these things built in as AFAIK does the similar 50mm f1.2. I do think the 55mm f1.8 bokeh is quite nice but with the possibility of cats eye and onion rings.

Maybe people looking for a softer diffused look and glow could fit a filter of some sort to the 55mm when they want that look? I don't know, maybe that could be possible, I think I have one somewhere for my square Kood system.
 
chphoto said:
Yeah that's one thing, the bokeh is just 'ok'. Can't complain at all about the sharpness and AF, it is plenty quick and quiet!



In no position to buy right now sadly ;) However I am gonna treat myself and hire the 35GM over Christmas I think, for use while I'm around family etc.
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Never thought of renting lenses, where do you rent them from?
 
robj20 said:
Never thought of renting lenses, where do you rent them from?
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There’s a member on here that owns a company, lensesforhire I think it is, then there’s hireacamera and lenspimp. Depending on which lens and how long you hire it can be cheaper to buy and then sell a used one.
 
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