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A55, 24-120 & ZA24

fotografz

Well-known member
Bored and stuck in the house today ... so I brought the little tike into the big boy's studio and ran some fun tests ;)

I like to do this with all new gear because it pretty much eliminates as many variables as possible ... like coffee jitters, sway from imbibing the night before :eek: ... etc.

A55 mounted on tripod. Tried the little lens that could ... a Minolta 24-120/3.5-4.5 ... and the new ZA 24/2 ... both at minimum focusing distance wide open and @ f/14 (about the max without to much diffraction). IMO, both these lenses are the right size for this camera. Manual focus using the magnified LCD feature ... which works like a charm. Mostly focused on the L in Bailey's.

Two different lighting scenarios: Profoto strobes, and just ambient from the modeling lights so I could shoot wide open.

Exif info in box top right corner of each pic. Cropped magnifications included. I had to shoot the zoom at 26mm because it doesn't focus quite as closely.

Note: after reading about the ZA 16-80 softness, I included a shot with the focus point in the far top left corner just to see how it was on the zoom. No comparison of course, the ZA is much wider ... but the 24-120 is a pretty useful range on this camera IMO. What is probably needed is a super wide that is small. like an 18mm D lens. I didn't do a corner test of the 24 ... I'll do that on the A900 FF.

Just goofing off ... but I think i shows the nice focus fall off of the 24 and proves just about anything looks good stopped down and using strobes in the studio ... :ROTFL::ROTFL:

Not bad for a little guy just barely out of diapers, sporting a doddering old Grandpa zoom. :LOL:

-Marc
 

jonoslack

Active member
Great stuff Marc
I'm going to try and do some proper testing with the 16-80 - looking back at shots I've already taken does suggest soft corners, but mostly in situations where I would more normally be using the A900 anyway.


I have the little 24-105, and I've always liked it, so small and neat. I think it might also be the cheapest lens I've bought in recent years (£100 secondhand!).

Try the 135 f1.8 on the A55 if you're bored - I loved it!
 
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