taemo
eat sleep shoot
I have a Nokton 35mm f/1.4 MC right now and for the most part I'm very happy with it but I would like a sharp and distortion free RF 35mm as I find it the ideal focal length for travel.
Here's what I would like:
-small, light, compact
-f/1.4 or f/2
-ideally sharp wide open
-inexpensive (around $1000)
-will work on both A7 and M6
some of the lenses I have in mind
-35mm Summicron IV (150% my budget but I've always wanted one for the M6 and A7)
-ZM Biogon 35mm f/2
-Canon 35mm f/2 LTM
I wouldn't mind going with 40mm Summicron-C either or even Nokton 40mm 1.4 if they are great
Here's what I would like:
-small, light, compact
-f/1.4 or f/2
-ideally sharp wide open
-inexpensive (around $1000)
-will work on both A7 and M6
some of the lenses I have in mind
-35mm Summicron IV (150% my budget but I've always wanted one for the M6 and A7)
-ZM Biogon 35mm f/2
-Canon 35mm f/2 LTM
I wouldn't mind going with 40mm Summicron-C either or even Nokton 40mm 1.4 if they are great
Juan Valdenebro
Truth is beauty
For that budget and what you want optically, it seems the Biogon f2 is your only option, but it's not really compact. If not that, you can reconsider what you really need... Two other directions: go compact with the Biogon-C f2.8 or go faster and spend more on a fine 1.4, but everything together, optically speaking, and compact, and for a low price is just impossible...
Cheers,
Juan
Cheers,
Juan
YYV_146
Well-known
The voigtlander 35mm F1.4 is cheap, small but not really sharp wide open.
The Zeiss 35mm F2 is relatively cheap, sharp but not really small.
For the price I suppose you could also consider the 35mm Summicron ASPH (which should be around $1600-1800 if you aren't looking for like new copies), which is small, sharp, nicely built and Leica, but not cheap...
The Zeiss 35mm F2 is relatively cheap, sharp but not really small.
For the price I suppose you could also consider the 35mm Summicron ASPH (which should be around $1600-1800 if you aren't looking for like new copies), which is small, sharp, nicely built and Leica, but not cheap...
taemo
eat sleep shoot
thanks for the suggestions, how does the summicron ASPH perform on the A7?
my concern with the Biogon and Summicron is that from what I've read, they don't perform as great as on a RF camera with smearing in the corners but then it might just be the internet over-exaggerating things.
I would love to get a Summicron IV, one of my dream lens for the M6 and A7 but would like to see more examples of it on the A7.
Might stop by the Camera Store one of these days and play with the 35 biogon and summicron.
here's the softness of the CV 35 1.4 at 1.4
DSC01813 by earl.dieta, on Flickr
which I don't really mind since my 1.4 shots are only for small prints.
but a little disheartening seeing the distortions, even at f/8 or f/11
Bora Bora colors by earl.dieta, on Flickr
my concern with the Biogon and Summicron is that from what I've read, they don't perform as great as on a RF camera with smearing in the corners but then it might just be the internet over-exaggerating things.
I would love to get a Summicron IV, one of my dream lens for the M6 and A7 but would like to see more examples of it on the A7.
Might stop by the Camera Store one of these days and play with the 35 biogon and summicron.
here's the softness of the CV 35 1.4 at 1.4
DSC01813 by earl.dieta, on Flickr
which I don't really mind since my 1.4 shots are only for small prints.
but a little disheartening seeing the distortions, even at f/8 or f/11
Bora Bora colors by earl.dieta, on Flickr
YYV_146
Well-known
I haven't noticed any 35mm Cron ASPH performance issues on the A7 - it's the A7r that performs generally horribly with those wides.
The Cron ASPH also has ~1% distortion, but that can be corrected in post. The CV lacks a dedicated profile, but I suppose you can tweak things around a bit and make one. For what it's worth I think that looks like about 1-2% barrel with a bit of moustache towards the edges....
uhoh7
Veteran
Nearly all RF 35's are flawed at wide apertures, outside central frame, the only true exception being the Leica ASPH FLE.
It's worse with the "R", but the 7 also has these troubles.
At least with the cosina, you can stop down to f/8 and get pretty decent edges.
The other exception of course, is the nokton F1.2
It's the only RF 35 I have personally tried on either seven which is decent on the edges at F/4
It's worse with the "R", but the 7 also has these troubles.
At least with the cosina, you can stop down to f/8 and get pretty decent edges.
The other exception of course, is the nokton F1.2
It's the only RF 35 I have personally tried on either seven which is decent on the edges at F/4
zuikologist
.........................
Probably a little off topic, but if the viewing angle suits, the CV 40/1.4 is better than the 35/1.4 and really compact.
You may want to consider the color skopar even though it is about 1/2 stop slower than you want.
taemo
eat sleep shoot
It's just a great lens for the cash ($400) ... and fits all of your requirements other than speed. I haven't tried it on the Sony, but the rear element doesn't extend out too far, so it should be good. Outside of it, you're only upgrade in your price range vs. the Nokton is the Biogon.
Dez
Bodger Extraordinaire
The only 35 I am using on anything at the moment is the CV Ultron f1.7. It is very small (39mm filters), and scary sharp. I have detected no distortion or focus shift. I have seen people on RFF complain that it was too sharp and contrasty for their tastes. I decided I could live with such problems.
Cheers,
Dez
Cheers,
Dez
Dirk
Privatier
Why not go with the Sony Sonnar FE 35mm 2.8? It's auto focus, made specifically for the A7/R and the images look superb. Unless you insist on manual focus, you'd be hard pressed to do better.
gsgary
Well-known
I was playing with the Jupiter 12 today just to see what it could do and i think for certain subjects could be quite good
wide open @ F2.8
wide open @ F2.8
taemo
eat sleep shoot
went to The Camera Store last friday, brought the A7 and played with the 35 2 Biogon, a 35 Lux canada version and FE 35mm.
funny thing, I didn't even know how to turn AF on the A7, I'm sure that the FE35 has amazing IQ but not having an aperture ring and focus scale turns me off it.
i think i'll be sticking with the CV35 1.4 for now but keep an eye open for a 35 cron I or IV
Godfrey
somewhat colored
I prefer the slightly longer 40mm, and luckily the Summicron-C 40mm f/2 (and its Minolta twins, the M-Rokkor 40mm f/2 versions I and II) work very nicely on the A7 as well as the M4-2, CL, and M9. The Nokton 40mm f/1.4 MC works well on the RF cameras, but not quite as well on the A7—I get a little bit of corner smearing with it.
The one I use the most is the M-Rokkor 40mm f/2 version II. On the CL and on the A7 mostly.
G
Ansel
Well-known
The 35 Summarit is a lovely little lens.
taemo
eat sleep shoot
a local RFF was selling his 35mm Color-Skopar so I immediately snagged it off him.
Very happy, way better than the Nokton 1.4 although I'll still keep the Nokton for low light situations
at f/2.8
DSC02177 by earl.dieta, on Flickr
cheers!
Very happy, way better than the Nokton 1.4 although I'll still keep the Nokton for low light situations
at f/2.8
DSC02177 by earl.dieta, on Flickrcheers!
albertospa
Established
I do not understand how you can say such a thing. With the Sony A7 35 cron asph is really poor at the edges. Much better functioning 35 cron IV. I wonder if the people here to what he personally tried or only what he has heard.
mszargar
Established
The first time I went to Sony shop, after 4 months of using a7, to test the new lenses I fount out that the autofocus chip was faulty on my camera, and I hadn't noticed that for all this time (because I only had manual lenses)...
But don't let the lack of aperture ring fool you. Manual operation with Sony-Zeiss lenses is quite OK. Actually, I find that using the native lens a7 lends itself better to manual photography. Here is a big fan of rangefinders and rangfinder lenses saying that. a7 just does not match very well with rangefinder lenses, IMHO. It plays much nicer with its own lenses.
thompsonks
Well-known
Godfrey is right (as usual, on everything A7): the 40 Cron is your best bet. I checked lots of options ,incl. 35 Cron v 3 & 4 & FLE, and almost everything else in the 35mm range will have compromised corners at large apertures, except for the humungous Nokton f1.2.
Kirk
Kirk