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Brick Wall Lens Tests with the NEX

Jim DE

New member
The same site ..... Seller info breguetcamera

Excellent service and really fast delivery but they IMO were wrong on the 21. When I wrote them on the issue they said yes it doesn't mount right with the 21mm. No biggy in my case as I had plenty other G lenses to use. You only having the one???? Another story altogether....... It does work with the 28 (with slight smearing), 45, and 90, I can't find my 35 yet.
 

roweraay

New member
You only having the one???? Another story altogether....... It does work with the 28 (with slight smearing), 45, and 90, I can't find my 35 yet.
Due to the APS-C crop of the NEX, the 35mm FL is borderline as far as I am concerned, for what I am looking for. The 45 and 90 are too long. The 21mm gets really close to my ideal (approximately 35mm FOV in 35mm terms) but if it has fitment issues, then I might have to re-think this RF lens thing altogether and just stick with the NEX5 kit lens and/or wait for those inevitable primes from Sony themselves.

PS: I already procured a 35mm pre-ASPH Summicron and awaiting the NEX-M-adapter. Hopefully that will work out okay and if so, then I might just stick with it, assuming there are fitment issues with the 21 Contax G Biogon.
 

roweraay

New member
Okay, some "brick wall" tests from me....pretty excruciating, I can tell you that ! :(

All pictures from our backyard.

Camera: NEX5
Lens: Leica 35/2 Pre-ASPH Summicron
EXIF: Should be intact and the Apertures are mentioned both on the Filenames and also in the brief descriptions below.

NEX5 and 35/2 Pre-ASPH Summicron at f/2.0
http://i1026.photobucket.com/albums...5 Pre ASPH Summicron testing/_DSC0054-f20.jpg
NEX5 and 35/2 Pre-ASPH Summicron at f/2.8
http://i1026.photobucket.com/albums...5 Pre ASPH Summicron testing/_DSC0055-f28.jpg
NEX5 and 35/2 Pre-ASPH Summicron at f/4.0
http://i1026.photobucket.com/albums...5 Pre ASPH Summicron testing/_DSC0056-f40.jpg
NEX5 and 35/2 Pre-ASPH Summicron at f/5.6
http://i1026.photobucket.com/albums...5 Pre ASPH Summicron testing/_DSC0057-f56.jpg
NEX5 and 35/2 Pre-ASPH Summicron at f/8.0
http://i1026.photobucket.com/albums...5 Pre ASPH Summicron testing/_DSC0058-f80.jpg
 

roweraay

New member
Full-size images are viewable by clicking on the below links:

Set One (the “brickwalls”):

NEX5 and 35/2 Pre-ASPH Summicron at f/2.0
http://s1026.photobucket.com/albums...testing/?action=view&current=_DSC0054-f20.jpg
NEX5 and 35/2 Pre-ASPH Summicron at f/2.8
http://s1026.photobucket.com/albums...testing/?action=view&current=_DSC0055-f28.jpg
NEX5 and 35/2 Pre-ASPH Summicron at f/4.0
http://s1026.photobucket.com/albums...testing/?action=view&current=_DSC0056-f40.jpg
NEX5 and 35/2 Pre-ASPH Summicron at f/5.6
http://s1026.photobucket.com/albums...testing/?action=view&current=_DSC0057-f56.jpg
NEX5 and 35/2 Pre-ASPH Summicron at f/8.0
http://s1026.photobucket.com/albums...testing/?action=view&current=_DSC0058-f80.jpg

SET2:
NEX5 and 35/2 Pre-ASPH Summicron at f/2.0
http://s1026.photobucket.com/albums...testing/?action=view&current=_DSC0059-f20.jpg
NEX5 and 35/2 Pre-ASPH Summicron at f/2.8
http://s1026.photobucket.com/albums...testing/?action=view&current=_DSC0060-f28.jpg
NEX5 and 35/2 Pre-ASPH Summicron at f/4.0
http://s1026.photobucket.com/albums...testing/?action=view&current=_DSC0061-f40.jpg
NEX5 and 35/2 Pre-ASPH Summicron at f/5.6
http://s1026.photobucket.com/albums...testing/?action=view&current=_DSC0062-f56.jpg
NEX5 and 35/2 Pre-ASPH Summicron at f/8.0
http://s1026.photobucket.com/albums...testing/?action=view&current=_DSC0063-f80.jpg
NEX5 and 35/2 Pre-ASPH Summicron at f/11
http://s1026.photobucket.com/albums...esting/?action=view&current=_DSC0064-f110.jpg
NEX5 and 35/2 Pre-ASPH Summicron at f/16
http://s1026.photobucket.com/albums...esting/?action=view&current=_DSC0065-f160.jpg

SET3:
NEX5 and 35/2 Pre-ASPH Summicron at f/2.0
http://s1026.photobucket.com/albums...testing/?action=view&current=_DSC0066-f20.jpg
NEX5 and 35/2 Pre-ASPH Summicron at f/2.8
http://s1026.photobucket.com/albums...testing/?action=view&current=_DSC0067-f28.jpg
NEX5 and 35/2 Pre-ASPH Summicron at f/4.0
http://s1026.photobucket.com/albums...testing/?action=view&current=_DSC0068-f40.jpg
NEX5 and 35/2 Pre-ASPH Summicron at f/5.6
http://s1026.photobucket.com/albums...testing/?action=view&current=_DSC0069-f56.jpg
NEX5 and 35/2 Pre-ASPH Summicron at f/8.0
http://s1026.photobucket.com/albums...testing/?action=view&current=_DSC0070-f80.jpg
NEX5 and 35/2 Pre-ASPH Summicron at f/11
http://s1026.photobucket.com/albums...esting/?action=view&current=_DSC0071-f110.jpg
NEX5 and 35/2 Pre-ASPH Summicron at f/16
http://s1026.photobucket.com/albums...esting/?action=view&current=_DSC0072-f160.jpg
 
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roweraay

New member
Now what did I conclude from all of the "brickwall" and other testing ? I am now leaning towards selling off the 35/2 Summicron, even though it is a decent performer on the NEX (f/2 is great as long as subjects are in the center, f/2.8 is very usable for general shooting, and f/4 is good enough for pretty much anything).

When (it is only a matter of time) Sony adds a 21-24mm prime (maybe a Zeiss Biogon model), I will pick it up. Until then, the kit lenses will have to hold the fort, and overall they seem to be doing a decent enough job for the most part.

So I might be listing my 35/2 pre-ASPH German-built black Summicron for sale shortly. It of course comes with the box, case, front/rear caps and is otherwise in excellent condition. We'll see !
 

Cindy Flood

Super Moderator
Now what did I conclude from all of the "brickwall" and other testing ? I am now leaning towards selling off the 35/2 Summicron, even though it is a decent performer on the NEX (f/2 is great as long as subjects are in the center, f/2.8 is very usable for general shooting, and f/4 is good enough for pretty much anything).

When (it is only a matter of time) Sony adds a 21-24mm prime (maybe a Zeiss Biogon model), I will pick it up. Until then, the kit lenses will have to hold the fort, and overall they seem to be doing a decent enough job for the most part.

So I might be listing my 35/2 pre-ASPH German-built black Summicron for sale shortly. It of course comes with the box, case, front/rear caps and is otherwise in excellent condition. We'll see !
I'm using my 35 summicron ASPH right now on my NEX because my Contax to NEX adapter had to be sent back to China. When the adapter comes back, I will go back to the Contax G 35 f/2. I like the ergonomics and IQ better on the NEX. My advice (if you don't have a Leica to put the cron on) is to sell the cron, buy the Contax G and bank $1000+ toward future purchases.;)
 

roweraay

New member
My advice (if you don't have a Leica to put the cron on) is to sell the cron, buy the Contax G and bank $1000+ toward future purchases.;)
Exactly what I am thinking. The Cron gets the job done (overall great performance and excellent drawing style with well saturated colors, even though not very flare resistant), but my thinking is, if it is not sharp corner-to-corner at f/2, then why pay the big bucks for it ?

I am perfectly fine with stopping down as needed, but for a $1400 used lens, I expected much more. Since similar (or better) performance can be obtained from other alternatives (including used versions of the 35/2 ZM and 35/2.8 ZM and the Contax 35/2), for a fraction of the pre-ASPH Cron's cost, the Cron has got to go.
 

douglasf13

New member
I'm gonna have to find some time to show some good CV 35 1.4 test shots. I'm not sure I'd trade for any of the other 35s...well, except the 35 asph lux. It's small, has f1.4, and its slight barrel distortion is easily fixable. It is surprisingly sharp at f1.4. Granted, the edges need at least f4. If I didn't care about size or f1.4, I'd probably go for the ZM f2. I may still buy the ZM, but I want to see what Sony does with native glass. If they bring a Zeiss 35mm, I'll be happy as can be.
 

roweraay

New member
I'm gonna have to find some time to show some good CV 35 1.4 test shots. .
So what did you think about the full-size images I posted (the "grape hedge(pseudo brickwall)" pictures from our garden or the "landscape/pond" ones from our backyard) ? How does it compare to your CV 35 1.4 at comparable apertures ?

In the pond pictures, I tried to position some solid detail at the extreme edges/corners to see how that turns out.
 

douglasf13

New member
I haven't been able to look at them appropriately, yet. I've been posting on the mobile phone all weekend. I'll try to find time today to look at them on my monitor. I haven't done "proper" tests with the CV that I can show, yet. I've mostly been taking shots and comparing quickly. In that rough test, f5.6 seems acceptable in the farthest corners, and that's fine with me for an f1.4 lens. I can actually sharpen them up by focusing PAST infinity, with the obvious side affect being a less sharp center. Field curvature, apparently. My Sony 50 on the A900 never really sharpens up in the corners until f5.6 or so, either. Asking for sharp corners on a fast 50mm equivalent below f4 is a lot to ask on any system.
 

sebboh

New member
I'm gonna have to find some time to show some good CV 35 1.4 test shots. I'm not sure I'd trade for any of the other 35s...well, except the 35 asph lux. It's small, has f1.4, and its slight barrel distortion is easily fixable. It is surprisingly sharp at f1.4. Granted, the edges need at least f4. If I didn't care about size or f1.4, I'd probably go for the ZM f2. I may still buy the ZM, but I want to see what Sony does with native glass. If they bring a Zeiss 35mm, I'll be happy as can be.
sounds good, how bad is the coma and loCA/purple fringing shooting f/1.4 for night shots? i talking about portrait distance focusing not infinity - i don't really care how a lens performs at infinity below f/5.6.
 

douglasf13

New member
Well, I'm having a hard time distinguishing which shots are wide open or slightly stopped down, but here are some throw-away examples with light sources to look at of the CV 35/1.4 at night. I believe some were slightly stopped down to f1.7, judging by the shape of the aperture in the highlights.

I think this may be f1.7:


This one has a bit of flare at the bottom, but not too bad, considering the scene and its a single coated lens without a hood:


Purple around the street lamp:




Like in Steve Huff's review, I will occasionally get a ton of purple on highly overexposed, white point light sources:


The above images were all ISO 1600-3200, and each had relatively minor LR3 corrections. I did use a slight distortion correction of +6 for each. There's really nothing to pretty to look at here, but it should give a slight idea as to how the lens performs at night. I'll have to go out and shoot f1.4 only, so that I can remember what my settings were! :banghead:
 
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sebboh

New member
Well, I'm having a hard time distinguishing which shots are wide open or slightly stopped down, but here are some throw-away examples with light sources to look at of the CV 35/1.4 at night. I believe some were slightly stopped down to f1.7, judging by the shape of the aperture in the highlights.

The above images were all ISO 1600-3200, and each had relatively minor LR3 corrections. I did use a slight distortion correction of +6 for each. There's really nothing to pretty to look at here, but it should give a slight idea as to how the lens performs at night. I'll have to go out and shoot f1.4 only, so that I can remember what my settings were! :banghead:
thanks a bunch :thumbs:, purple fringing doesn't look as bad as i expected - though still fairly noticeable. can it be easily eliminated by just desaturating the purple color slider or is it broader spectrum? for actual shooting who cares what aperture you use as long as you get the shots. don't waste time shooting pictures just to help me justify buying another lens.
 

douglasf13

New member
I really haven't spent much time trying to remove the purple fringing yet, so I'm not sure how hard it is to clean up. I do occasionally get some purple in daylight scenes if highlights are blown behind a dark subject. All in all, this lens seems to perform a bit like the more exotic f1.0-f1.2 lenses in regards to the fringing, which I've been ok with, considering the size of this little lens. From what I understand, the new 35 'lux has occasional purple fringing issues as well, so no one is perfect. :) Roweraay's 35 Summicron is probably a better option in regards to fringing.
 
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douglasf13

New member
I went ahead and just yanked the purple channel all the way down in LR3 so you could see the color difference with this pic:

no purple:


original:


When I individually select the affected area, it seems that it is a mix of blue and purple, so it isn't completely isolated. Still, for night shots, I'm betting a reasonably acceptable compromise can be made...or shoot B&W :)
 
V

Vivek

Guest
Douglas, I think you have a sub standard match for the NEX sensor. Even if you discount the color fringing, the corner OOF highlights looks quite out of shape. The flare isn't great either.
 

roweraay

New member
The 35/2 Summicron has been listed in the "For Sale" forum. I guess it might as well go to the home of a person shooting Leica M, than be "wasted" on a NEX5. :cool:
 
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