hellomikmik
Well-known
keep what you have for low light and add to it c-bio 35/2,8 zeiss. you have mentioned two cameras anyway.
best 35mm RF on the A7?
- Thread starter taemo
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MaxElmar
Well-known
Has anyone tried the W-Nikkor 3.5cm/1.8 on the A7? I have looked around but no examples to be had. There's a a nice s-mount adapter available from the Head Bartender.... I would be over the moon to use my Nikon RF lenses on a FF digital body...
honozooloo
Established
Taemo, that's quite a list of requirements you've got compiled there!
Generally speaking, performance, small size, and cheapness are NOT things that go hand-in-hand, especially not in the realm of RF lenses.
Personally, I've quite enjoyed the results I get from my 35mm f/1.4 Nokton MC. It vignettes like crazy and isn't the sharpest thing out there but it's got a nice signature and a unique "look". And I actually prefer it's output to (gasp!) the Summilux Pre-ASPH.
Other RF lenses that may meet your "cheap, fast, small(ish), good" requirements:
- VC Color Skopar (mentioned by someone before me)
- Canon 35mm f/2 LTM
- Zeiss Biogon 35mm f/2
- VC 35mm f/1.2 Nokton (version I or II, I personally can't really tell the difference between the two, can be found used for under $1k)
- Leica R-Mount lenses; 35mm Summicron or Summilux?
I am omitting suggestions like modern ASPH Leica anything, as those do not come close to meeting your sub-1k price tag.
If you were willing to ditch the "small" requirement, I've heard good things about the Samyang/Rokinon 35mm f/1.4, however it's SLR-sized. On the other hand it's a more "modern" design so if you aren't happy with the more "classic" performance of your Nokton I'm guessing you are looking for a more modern lens? The affordable vintage RF glass (like the Canon 35mm LTM) will be more prone to vignetting, CA, flare, and will generally produce lower contrast and less saturation in output; not necessarily a bad thing, but maybe not what you would want if the Nokton 1.4 is already not to your liking?
Personally, I've been extremely pleased with how the Nokton 35mm f/1.2 has been working with my A7R. It's a beast!
Here's a moonlit nightscape at f/2.8:
Wide open at night, illuminated only by a movie screen's glow:
Portraiture (F/2ish if I recall)
Group portrait at f/5.6:
Sure, the Nokton's a little heavy and big for an RF lens...but the A7/r/s isn't exactly tiny or light to begin with. I find the Nokton balances nicely on my A7R, and compared to comparable DSLR camera/lens combos (which don't even have f/1.2 lenses available!), the Nokton 1.2 + A7 is still relatively compact.
Generally speaking, performance, small size, and cheapness are NOT things that go hand-in-hand, especially not in the realm of RF lenses.
Personally, I've quite enjoyed the results I get from my 35mm f/1.4 Nokton MC. It vignettes like crazy and isn't the sharpest thing out there but it's got a nice signature and a unique "look". And I actually prefer it's output to (gasp!) the Summilux Pre-ASPH.
Other RF lenses that may meet your "cheap, fast, small(ish), good" requirements:
- VC Color Skopar (mentioned by someone before me)
- Canon 35mm f/2 LTM
- Zeiss Biogon 35mm f/2
- VC 35mm f/1.2 Nokton (version I or II, I personally can't really tell the difference between the two, can be found used for under $1k)
- Leica R-Mount lenses; 35mm Summicron or Summilux?
I am omitting suggestions like modern ASPH Leica anything, as those do not come close to meeting your sub-1k price tag.
If you were willing to ditch the "small" requirement, I've heard good things about the Samyang/Rokinon 35mm f/1.4, however it's SLR-sized. On the other hand it's a more "modern" design so if you aren't happy with the more "classic" performance of your Nokton I'm guessing you are looking for a more modern lens? The affordable vintage RF glass (like the Canon 35mm LTM) will be more prone to vignetting, CA, flare, and will generally produce lower contrast and less saturation in output; not necessarily a bad thing, but maybe not what you would want if the Nokton 1.4 is already not to your liking?
Personally, I've been extremely pleased with how the Nokton 35mm f/1.2 has been working with my A7R. It's a beast!
Here's a moonlit nightscape at f/2.8:
Wide open at night, illuminated only by a movie screen's glow:
Portraiture (F/2ish if I recall)
Group portrait at f/5.6:
Sure, the Nokton's a little heavy and big for an RF lens...but the A7/r/s isn't exactly tiny or light to begin with. I find the Nokton balances nicely on my A7R, and compared to comparable DSLR camera/lens combos (which don't even have f/1.2 lenses available!), the Nokton 1.2 + A7 is still relatively compact.
gsgary
Well-known
Ive just picked up a VC 35F2.5 color skopar, not had much chance to use it yet but it seem very nice
uhoh7
Veteran
The CV 35/2.5 is OK in central frame and gets better as you focus closer, but for infinity landscapes I found the lens unusable on either A7 or R, because of the edges.
the 1.4 is much better, I found.
the 1.4 is much better, I found.
gsgary
Well-known
It will be perfect for me then, don't shoot landscapes
Bille
Well-known
rjschell
Established
As much as we want to venerate magnificent film-based lenses, they simply don't shine in the digital domain. The flatness of the sensor and it's desire for perpendicular light rays demands 'tele-centric' designs. Based on the NEX6, my best results have been with Sigma 2.8/19, 30, & 60mm (28, 45, & 90) lenses (affordable). The CV 25/4 Snapshot-Skopar works well, albeit slow. Wide angle RF/LTM lenses, while having the simplest adapter interface, are especially problematic. I have gotten best results with the Fotodiox Pro adapter (a block of aluminum). The adjustable set screw adapters compromise parallelism. We're talking about miniscule dimensions (for example, the thickness of film is up to 30 microns, while the 'thickness' of the sensor is zero microns). Such a harsh lens/sensor interface leaves little leeway for lens 'signatures'.
semilog
curmudgeonly optimist
True. but it's not just the sensor. The cover glass imposes a major limitation on the performance of many RF lenses on digital sensors.
http://www.lensrentals.com/blog/2014/06/the-glass-in-the-path-sensor-stacks-and-adapted-lenses
http://www.lensrentals.com/blog/2014/06/sensor-stack-thickness-when-does-it-matter
http://www.lensrentals.com/blog/2014/07/sensor-stack-thickness-part-iii-the-summary
Note that these measurements explain why the Leica 28/2.8 ASPH is a terrible performer on the A7 line, while the CV 40 acquits itself pretty well, and the Lux ASPH and CV 35/1.2 fall somewhere in-between…
Duane Pandorf
Well-known
Or....., you could buy a camera that the lenses you're interested in using were designed for.
Then you could actually use a fast wide angle "Wide" open without worry. Rather than having to "Stop" down to make it work.
Then you could actually use a fast wide angle "Wide" open without worry. Rather than having to "Stop" down to make it work.
semilog
curmudgeonly optimist
Or not.
Used EOL'd bodies that start at $3000 aren't for everyone.
But you already knew that before you posted, I assume.
Used EOL'd bodies that start at $3000 aren't for everyone.
But you already knew that before you posted, I assume.
Jamie Pillers
Skeptic
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
Super sharpness is highly overrated in my opinion. These images you've posted are beautiful. Save yourself some $$ and stick with the Voigtlanders. I always thought the 35/1.4 Nokton and the 35/2.5 Color Skopar were truly excellent lenses for making beautiful images.
cpc
Established
Anyone shot the 35mm Summarit-M on any of the A7 series bodies?
