Agreed Joe. Despite Guy's heartfelt evangelism for the Zeiss 135/2, I today ordered a Leica M 135/3.4 to complement my Leica M 90/2 apo. It was a hard call,but small size coupled with excellent optical quality to me trumps very slightly more excellent optics at double the weight and size. I also wonder what tricks Zeiss has up its sleeve for FE mount primes down the road. For now, I will stick with the Leica. I will also probably get the Sony FE 70-200/4 when it comes out for the range and OSS tho that Leica R 180/3.4 is tempting.....
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A7/r lens recommendations 90-135mm
- Thread starter biglouis
- Start date
Guy Mancuso
Administrator, Instructor
Hey I totally get it. My issue is need at that focal length coupled with a fast lens. Now just wait till you see the 135 with the Sigma 1.4 on it. You'll cry. ROTFLMAO
jlindstrom
Member
Supposedly a zeiss 135 for fe-mount is in the works, but even the predicted roadmap shows that for 2015 -> that's a long wait!
As for 70-200/4, I was thinking that also since it's just around the corner.. but size & weight are in Guy's 135/2 zeiss class. So actually the zeiss + sigma 1.4 combo would then be more tempting quality wise. Naturally Sony has the AF + OSS edge here, but speed is on Guy's side so you can get part of that OSS advantage back via shutter speed.
No easy ways out of this one! Somebody need to build LA-EA4 kind of adapter for nikon mount with OSS built in ;-)
//Juha
As for 70-200/4, I was thinking that also since it's just around the corner.. but size & weight are in Guy's 135/2 zeiss class. So actually the zeiss + sigma 1.4 combo would then be more tempting quality wise. Naturally Sony has the AF + OSS edge here, but speed is on Guy's side so you can get part of that OSS advantage back via shutter speed.
No easy ways out of this one! Somebody need to build LA-EA4 kind of adapter for nikon mount with OSS built in ;-)
//Juha
Well, weight of Nikon mount lens is 2.03 lbs if memory serves, added to adapter (2.1 ounces) plus teleconverter (5 ounces) is significantly heavier (and longer) than the 1.85 lb Sony 70-200/4 G OSS. Still, point taken. The reasons for the Sony are OSS and, primarily, focal range flexibility. For travel, I take the Sony. For deliberate tripod work, Zeiss. Horses for courses. The Zeiss is amazing, and I hope to get it some day.
jlindstrom
Member
That 70-200 is surprisingly "light". Seems to have about 400 grams or 14 ounces? advantage over the zeiss + sigma combo. Wasn't expecting that.. I stand corrected.
//Juha
//Juha
dchew
Well-known member
I’m afraid comparing the Zeiss 100 f/2 with the Leica 90 Summicron turned out to be a big boring no surprise for all of you. For me however, it was a very engaging experience.
Zeiss Makro-Planar T* 2/100
As you can see in my previous post, it is big and burly. I have other wide angle Zeiss ZE lenses, so I new exactly what to expect. But attaching it to the A7r via Metabones III makes one carry the lens, not the camera. They probably made the camera with plenty of stiffness and structure, but I just don’t feel comfortable walking with my hand on the grip. Instead I wrap my hand around the barrel with my thumb and forefinger against the flange.
The wonderful thing about the Zeiss is its close focus ability, down to 0.44m / 1:2. Subjects just beg for you to get close. It’s like the grasses are whispering to you, “Over here… Come closer.” It made me notice and seek out nature’s little details.
As we all know, sharpness is this lens’ strength. At f/2 the MTF is dead flat out to 17mm and the S/T lines walk on top of each other. F/4 is the same, just all the way out beyond 20mm. I have some boring rock veneer and bookcase images, but I will spare you that. There is absolutely nothing to see.
Comparing to the Leica, I give the sharpness edge to Zeiss until f/4, where the Leica’s “something” takes over and looks preferable, be it draw, micro-contrast, sharpness, whatever…?
The Zeiss did have slightly more CA and fringe. It’s impossible to for me to quantify that, other than in identical shots on a tripod specular highlights were cleaner with the Leica, and the observed purple / green color noted in the image below.
LEICA APO-SUMMICRON-M 90 mm f/2 ASPH
This has been a great learning experience. I have very little history with rangefinders, limited to an old Contax from my Grandfather that was stolen when I was in Grade 9. So I have never shot with a Leica, let alone a Leica lens. Never the less, I mounted the 90 Summicron on the A7r via our friend Novoflex and instantly bonded. Size, weight, position of the aperture ring, feel of the focus ring; all felt just right.
I did initially fumble trying to find the focus ring because most DSLR rings are much further out. After an hour or so it became natural. On the A7r this lens handles beautifully. I could wax on forever about this lens, but you all would just here blah blah blah. I’ll put it this way: Wherever the Zeiss shouts, the Leica just blends in and becomes part of you. Instead of feeling I was out photographing in the woods as with the Zeiss, the Leica felt like I was enjoying the woods and happened to have an inconspicuous camera with me. Marvelous. [Blah blah blah…]
One interesting thing I noticed about the A7r and metering. In almost all cases the Leica images were darker. Sometimes the camera would choose identical shutter speeds, and sometimes it would choose a faster shutter speed when the Leica was mounted. In either case though, the Leica images were consistently darker. I’m not sure if this is due to vignetting effects or color or something else. The Zeiss has more vignetting, while the Leica is warmer. The difference did not diminish at higher f-stops, so I doubt it was only vignetting. Here are two images shot at f/4. No exposure bias in either case, yet the camera chose 1/10” with the Leica and 1/5” with the Zeiss.
As you can probably tell, I fell in love with the 90 Summicron. I don’t know if I can wait for Sony to release an 85…
Oops, I mean
Dave
PS: Some of the Leica f-stops while outside are guesses on my part. Apparently I need to take better notes!
Zeiss Makro-Planar T* 2/100
As you can see in my previous post, it is big and burly. I have other wide angle Zeiss ZE lenses, so I new exactly what to expect. But attaching it to the A7r via Metabones III makes one carry the lens, not the camera. They probably made the camera with plenty of stiffness and structure, but I just don’t feel comfortable walking with my hand on the grip. Instead I wrap my hand around the barrel with my thumb and forefinger against the flange.
The wonderful thing about the Zeiss is its close focus ability, down to 0.44m / 1:2. Subjects just beg for you to get close. It’s like the grasses are whispering to you, “Over here… Come closer.” It made me notice and seek out nature’s little details.
As we all know, sharpness is this lens’ strength. At f/2 the MTF is dead flat out to 17mm and the S/T lines walk on top of each other. F/4 is the same, just all the way out beyond 20mm. I have some boring rock veneer and bookcase images, but I will spare you that. There is absolutely nothing to see.
Comparing to the Leica, I give the sharpness edge to Zeiss until f/4, where the Leica’s “something” takes over and looks preferable, be it draw, micro-contrast, sharpness, whatever…?
The Zeiss did have slightly more CA and fringe. It’s impossible to for me to quantify that, other than in identical shots on a tripod specular highlights were cleaner with the Leica, and the observed purple / green color noted in the image below.
LEICA APO-SUMMICRON-M 90 mm f/2 ASPH
This has been a great learning experience. I have very little history with rangefinders, limited to an old Contax from my Grandfather that was stolen when I was in Grade 9. So I have never shot with a Leica, let alone a Leica lens. Never the less, I mounted the 90 Summicron on the A7r via our friend Novoflex and instantly bonded. Size, weight, position of the aperture ring, feel of the focus ring; all felt just right.
I did initially fumble trying to find the focus ring because most DSLR rings are much further out. After an hour or so it became natural. On the A7r this lens handles beautifully. I could wax on forever about this lens, but you all would just here blah blah blah. I’ll put it this way: Wherever the Zeiss shouts, the Leica just blends in and becomes part of you. Instead of feeling I was out photographing in the woods as with the Zeiss, the Leica felt like I was enjoying the woods and happened to have an inconspicuous camera with me. Marvelous. [Blah blah blah…]
One interesting thing I noticed about the A7r and metering. In almost all cases the Leica images were darker. Sometimes the camera would choose identical shutter speeds, and sometimes it would choose a faster shutter speed when the Leica was mounted. In either case though, the Leica images were consistently darker. I’m not sure if this is due to vignetting effects or color or something else. The Zeiss has more vignetting, while the Leica is warmer. The difference did not diminish at higher f-stops, so I doubt it was only vignetting. Here are two images shot at f/4. No exposure bias in either case, yet the camera chose 1/10” with the Leica and 1/5” with the Zeiss.
As you can probably tell, I fell in love with the 90 Summicron. I don’t know if I can wait for Sony to release an 85…
Oops, I mean
Dave
PS: Some of the Leica f-stops while outside are guesses on my part. Apparently I need to take better notes!
Godfrey
Well-known member
Sounds like much the same experience with the Leica APO M lens as I feel with the Summicron-R 90. It just fits the camera very nicely, although the aperture and focus rings are typical SLR positions and it's a fair bit fatter than the M lenses.
I'm going to try my old favorite teensy little 90, the M-Rokkor 90/4 (aka Elmar-C 90/4 with Leica branding) as soon as the adapter arrives.
G
I'm going to try my old favorite teensy little 90, the M-Rokkor 90/4 (aka Elmar-C 90/4 with Leica branding) as soon as the adapter arrives.
G
I think the Leica 135mm 3.4 is a great travel landscape lens… At this point I have the Leica and Zeiss 135mm. I have to agree with dchew on his assessment comparing the two lenses. IN terms of minimum focusing distance-- I just received a voigt close up adapter. The one note i made in another thread is that the voigt adapter -- both the routine and close up--- give dark corners --- aperture independent on the 135mm lens
nostatic
New member
ok, so for someone who has yet to buy an adapter, would the 90mm of choice for an A7r be Contax 90/2.8 or Elmarit M 90/2.8? Looks like the Leicas are more $ so perhaps the Contax is a better value. That said, I've always lusted after those damn red dots...
Or am I missing another candidate? Small and light is appreciated, hence my not going too far down the Zeiss road. I figure there won't be an FE around that focal length for some time.
Or am I missing another candidate? Small and light is appreciated, hence my not going too far down the Zeiss road. I figure there won't be an FE around that focal length for some time.
jlindstrom
Member
From what I've gathered a Leica Elmart-R 90 would be quite viable option also and is not too big either. And also Hexanon-M 90/2.8 would be a great choice, almost identical to Elmarit-M 90 but half the price.
//Juha
//Juha
There are few options for 90mm, Leica Elmarit-M, Elmarit-R, Contax G, Konica Hexanon-M, and CV 90 APO. Optically, they are all excellent. Elmarit-M and R have identical optical designs but R version is cheaper than (more than 50%) M version. Contax G and Hexanon-M have very similar optical formulas (different than Elmarit-90). For CV 90 APO, it's a bit slower, f3.5, but it has an APO designation. There are LTM and Nikon Ais mounts (and other SLR mounts) to choose from for CV 90 APO.
I use the Elmarit-R 90 on the A7/r as the lens/body balances the best.
I use the Elmarit-R 90 on the A7/r as the lens/body balances the best.
Godfrey
Well-known member
I've used the Summicron-R 90/2 quite a bit now on the A7 ... absolutely love how it images. A trifle heavy but eh?
Haven't had time to do more than a test shot or three with the Elmarit-R 135/2.8, but what I see from that looks excellent too.
Just received the Novoflex M to NEX adapter, so I'll try out the petite M-Rokkor 90/4 and the long but thin and light Hektor 135/4.5 soon .. I bet the latter has a rather different look to its images than the Elmarit-R 135.
The A7 may turn out to be my most used Leica. ]'-)
G
Haven't had time to do more than a test shot or three with the Elmarit-R 135/2.8, but what I see from that looks excellent too.
Just received the Novoflex M to NEX adapter, so I'll try out the petite M-Rokkor 90/4 and the long but thin and light Hektor 135/4.5 soon .. I bet the latter has a rather different look to its images than the Elmarit-R 135.
The A7 may turn out to be my most used Leica. ]'-)
G
Guy Mancuso
Administrator, Instructor
ROTFLMAO. Lens is far better than I thought and have not put it on a tripod yet. It's SMOOTH as silk the images
Guy:
I love that lens too. I know it's an enormous lump of glass but if Sony ever makes an FE version (with SSM focus of course) I'd leave it on my A7R half the time. Of course it weighs twice as much as the camera but it is a fantastic optic.
Regards,
John
I have the Elmarit 90MM (last produced version) and it is superb. I won't call it small or light though (compared to DSLR lenses, maybe).
There is another option that may be quite good - Contax Zeiss 100mm F3.5 if you don't mind the "slow" max aperture. Small & light too. I got it recently from eBay for $300 shipped. It is a C/Y mount, I am getting an adapter for it soon and will post results. And here is the data sheet directly from Zeiss who I trust to actually measure lens performance (and not just print computed figures): http://www.zeiss.de/C12567A8003B8B6F/EmbedTitelIntern/Sonnar3.5_100mm_d/$File/Sonnar3.5_100mm_d.pdf
There is another option that may be quite good - Contax Zeiss 100mm F3.5 if you don't mind the "slow" max aperture. Small & light too. I got it recently from eBay for $300 shipped. It is a C/Y mount, I am getting an adapter for it soon and will post results. And here is the data sheet directly from Zeiss who I trust to actually measure lens performance (and not just print computed figures): http://www.zeiss.de/C12567A8003B8B6F/EmbedTitelIntern/Sonnar3.5_100mm_d/$File/Sonnar3.5_100mm_d.pdf
Guy Mancuso
Administrator, Instructor
John hold shutter half way down and hit center punch button. I'm grabbing mine now.
Guy Mancuso
Administrator, Instructor
John go in DMF focusing