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User Report: 24/1.4 ASPH: Disappointing.

fotografz

Well-known member
Seems I just can't win lately. A 75/2 ASPH I got a few weeks ago (and immediately returned) was back focusing by 1" to 1.5" @ 4 ft distance.

Now this:

Received my brand new M 24/1.4 ASPH yesterday and immediately tested it in the type of conditions where you would use a f/1.4 lens.

For me it is for lower light work ... with f/1.4 being important on the M8 because it can either increase the hand held shutter speed, or lower the ISO compared to the 24/2.8 ASPH.

The very first shots I took exhibited fairly aggressive color fringing on a back-lit subject. My heart sank.

I then methodically ran a side-by-side test of the 24 Lux against the M 24/2.8 ASPH, Nikon 24-70/2.8 @ 32mm (for the same field of view), and Sony/Zeiss 24-70/2.8 @ 32mm.

The M 24/2.8 ASPH and Zeiss zoom showed little to no color fringing. The Nikon was minimal and acceptable ... with the 24 LUX clearly the worst of the lot with an unacceptable level of image degradation due to fringing IMHO. I then tried the lens at f/2, 2.8 and 4, with f/4 still showing CA.

Not what I was expecting from an M ASPH lenses in this stratospheric price range.

Pictures in broad daylight are one thing ... but that isn't what I would buy a f/1.4 lens for. Contrasty lighting and back-lit subjects are inevitable when shooting available light in dimmer ambient conditions.

Caveat: it could well be it is just this copy of the 24/1.4 ASPH ... however, my question would be how the heck could such an expensive lens make it out the door with this sort of CA?

You be the judge. Buyer Beware!

Marc
 

glenerrolrd

Workshop Member
Marc

Sean Reid reported this behavior in the 24 1.4 in his recent review. He found ,in his tests for CA, that at 1.4 the levels would bother some photographers but that at 2.0 it was greatly improved. At 2.8 the lux had barely distinguishable CA and was better than the elmarit at 2.8. Is that what you found as well?

I understand why you expect and require better performance wide open...but am equally concerned about the possibility for sample variation.

Roger
 

monza

Active member
To achieve such fast aperture must be a serious engineering challenge, appears to be one of those pesky compromise situations. Seems to be reduced as it is stopped down. What magnification are these?
 

Bob

Administrator
Staff member
I would be interested in seeing what happens if a raw file is processed in C1 with its lens fixes enabled.
thanks
-bob
 

jaapv

Subscriber Member
In C1 (4.8) not a trace.... 100% crop of a 1.4 shot

I must admit I noticed some purple fringing in an earlier shot, which I developed in an older version of C4. I just redeveloped it in 4.8 and it had totally disappeared. It seems to be a question of the RAW developer. This lens needs C1 4.8 it seems.
 
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fotografz

Well-known member
In C1 (4.8) not a trace.... 100% crop of a 1.4 shot

I must admit I noticed some purple fringing in an earlier shot, which I developed in an older version of C4. I just redeveloped it in 4.8 and it had totally disappeared. It seems to be a question of the RAW developer. This lens needs C1 4.8 it seems.
Sorry, even this image looks soft to me. But, it's definitely better.

How is C1 fixing the issue? I mean, what is employed to correct it? Is this lens already mapped by Phase One?

That it is sensor blooming is speculative ... wouldn't we have to shoot some film shots with medium to low contrast emulsions to see if that's true?

Also, my very first back-lit shots with the lens were far worse than those I posted here. I deleted them because I had not shot the same scene with a different lens as a control. In all honesty, I cannot imagine software fixing such severe fringing.

My experience to date is that a lens prone to color fringing can be generally corrected with software, but never really produces the same edge definition as a lens that doesn't exhibit it. The examples I showed are at the focus point, not out of focus areas which are less worrisome since software color corrections are okay on soft edges IMO.

I haven't updated my C1 version for some time now, and only have v 4.1.3 on my machine ... with one update left I think ... so I'd have to pay yet more money to even see if I can make this lens acceptable for my applications ... which include a lot of lower light, back-lit and rim lit subjects.

Like many wedding shooters, I use Lightroom for speed of workflow reasons and to integrate different cameras into one working file. LR has advanced to point that I need resort to PS only for extreme retouching needs. I could never get C1 to work that fast with that many files.

I do dearly wish I could make this lens work for me. I need the speed because ISO 640 is the stopping point for wedding work with the M8. It's a lens I saw as making up for the shortcomings of the M8 compared to other non-cropped frame, higher ISO capable cameras.

I guess I'll really look the fool if I decide to keep it and re-list my 24/2.8 ASPH :ROTFL:
 

jaapv

Subscriber Member
If you <yousendit> send me a DNG, I can load it into C4.8 and mail you the result. Let me know. You can use info#jaapvphotography^eu. I may be able to get it in late tonight. (Guests tomorrow and I have to do the Tiramisu and the Asperagus Mousse and some other things...:() Yes it is slightly soft, a quicky handheld shot of my desklamp... No tripod etc and at 100%... It was about the CA ;)
I can understand that you are not keen to use the evaluation version of C4.8, those kind of things tend to upset your current version.
 
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fotografz

Well-known member
If you <yousendit> send me a DNG, I can load it into C4.8 and mail you the result. Let me know. You can use info#jaapvphotography^eu. I may be able to get it in late tonight. (Guests tomorrow and I have to do the Tiramisu and the Asperagus Mousse and some other things...:() Yes it is slightly soft, a quicky handheld shot of my desklamp... No tripod etc and at 100%... It was about the CA ;)
I can understand that you are not keen to use the evaluation version of C4.8, those kind of things tend to upset your current version.
Jaapv you are a gem ... and the type of person that makes this forum worth visiting on a daily basis.

I occurred to me that if indeed the new version of C1 handles the issue, there is no need to do EVERY shot in that program. I can do my usual work flow in Lightroom which handles most of the M 24/1.4 ASPH shots just fine. Then when there is the occasional shot with strong back lighting or rim lighting, and it's a keeper ... then bring C1 to bear on it.

F/1.4 is something I need very much for my available light work ... which is why I sacrificed a lot of other gear to get this lens. I really want it to work for me. Your help is very much appreciated.

Let me play with the lens longer, and shoot with it in more diverse conditions where a lens like this is needed. My dealer has given me permission to do so, so I can take my time. Afterwards, I may have something to send you to see if C1 handles it before I incur more costs upgrading my older version.

Thank you so much,

Marc
 

jaapv

Subscriber Member
Jaapv you are a gem ... and the type of person that makes this forum worth visiting on a daily basis.

I occurred to me that if indeed the new version of C1 handles the issue, there is no need to do EVERY shot in that program. I can do my usual work flow in Lightroom which handles most of the M 24/1.4 ASPH shots just fine. Then when there is the occasional shot with strong back lighting or rim lighting, and it's a keeper ... then bring C1 to bear on it.

F/1.4 is something I need very much for my available light work ... which is why I sacrificed a lot of other gear to get this lens. I really want it to work for me. Your help is very much appreciated.

Let me play with the lens longer, and shoot with it in more diverse conditions where a lens like this is needed. My dealer has given me permission to do so, so I can take my time. Afterwards, I may have something to send you to see if C1 handles it before I incur more costs upgrading my older version.

Thank you so much,

Marc
No problem, I hope it works out for you. Just give me a shout.
Btw, given your profession and your interest, there is a nice article in LFI on Brett, which you might find relevant
 

cam

Active member
Marc -- just an FYI. i'm getting a 35 Lux Asph from a wedding photographer who is reluctantly letting it go after he picked up the 24/1.4 and found it met his needs much better. i'd seriously look at your lens you closer. it may be a PITA to put some images through C1, but i think it will ultimately serve your needs better.

i don't normally do events (how do you do it?), but just shot my nephews bar-mitzvah. i would have died without f/1 - f/1.4!

no need to be embarrassed if you put the Elmarit back for sale. i am honestly amazed at how quickly you all adjust to new lenses. i typically will only shoot with that one lens for a couple of weeks to get a handle on one -- whereas many here seem to know immediately.... perhaps, sometimes, taking a little more time is necessary?
 

jonoslack

Active member
Marc -- just an FYI. i'm getting a 35 Lux Asph from a wedding photographer who is reluctantly letting it go after he picked up the 24/1.4 and found it met his needs much better.
Congratulations Cam - I know it is what you really wanted :clap::clap:

Marc - good luck with the further testing . I know only too well how easy it is to reject something out of initial disappointment . . . and then fall in love with it's good qualities later.
 

cam

Active member
Really? It's my favorite. What time will you be serving?
LOL! i controlled myself myself from commenting (i side-track far too many threads), but i happen to love it as well as the mousse. Jaap -- can you PM the recipes?

and, Jono, thank you. it's a beaut! just received it and i think i'm seriously in love!!! indeed all i wanted :D
 

Riccis

New member
Cam - Did you buy Jason's 35 lux? FYI, that was my first lux lens which I used to make many beautiful images all over the world... Enjoy!
 
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