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Anyone use the A900 in the studio yet?

mwalker

Subscriber Member
Just curious if anyone shot the a900 with strobes yet? If so, do you have a favorite portrait lens? Please post some shots.
 
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Shelby Lewis

Guest
I too have wondered about this... I'm coming down to ground zero on a major camera purchase (medium format), but the a900 keeps nagging me. I'd love to see some professional studio and on-location fashion work to see how well it fairs.

I LOVE what I see here... it's just not what I usually shoot.
 

jonoslack

Active member
Sorry I can't help . . . .

Maybe Albert can chip in, I'm not sure he's done fashion, but he certainly does to studio with it (have a look at his group shots in the pictures thread).

All I can say is that after 6 months I like the camera better every day . . .and the files.
 

mwalker

Subscriber Member
I'm going to try some low key B&W 's this weekend..maybe.. if some equipment shows up... I'll post em if they're worth a sh*t.
 
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Shelby Lewis

Guest
Hey guys... I just bought an a-900 today. Should be here saturday. My canon stuff is all but gone. :D

I'm also lookin' at some MF stuff and just couldn't stomach the thought of shooting my 35mm stuff and having it look so inferior to the MF stuff. I see the a900 as kind of "MF Light". Love the image quality when you use it for what it was meant for.

So... expect to see some studio, wedding, and commercial stuff from me very soon with the new digs.

woohoo....
 
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Shelby Lewis

Guest
Oh... and if you had a limited budget to start on... what would be the one lens you'd get?

My feeling is the 24-70/2.8 (although not limited $$$)... but I'm mostly a prime shooter.

Also... how is the lowly sony 50/1.4?
 

douglasf13

New member
Awesome man, hope you enjoy the camera. Feel free to PM me if you have any questions on the ins and outs of the system.

I have the 24-70, and it is a great all purpose lens. For my stuff, that lens and the CZ85 are used for 90% of my shooting....although I've been getting the m42 bug lately, and that percentage may start to change. I've been using a CZ Jena 135, and I have bids on a Super Takumar 50 1.4 and a Schneider c-curtagon 35 2.8. Some of the m42 lenses are still unbeatable in IQ, and I think an addiction is forming! :LOL:

The Sony 50mm 1.4 is pretty good for the money, and is in the same ballpark as the equivalent Nikon and Canon. I use it as a walk around when going light. I really hope Sony brings an AF Zeiss 50mm someday, as I would buy that immediately. I'm considering the ZS 50mm......
 
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Shelby Lewis

Guest
Awesome man, hope you enjoy the camera. Feel free to PM me if you have any questions on the ins and outs of the system.
cool... much appreciated. I REALLY want to get some older mf lenses to try out. Which major systems can be adapted? M42, obviously...

Is there a version of the classic 110/2 (hasselblad or contax) that can be adapted to the alpha?

I see a similar lens addiction in my future :D
 

douglasf13

New member
There are chipped m42 adapters available or Sony. I use one from James Lao, and it allows focus confirmation and SSS. There are unchipped adapters for Hassie Zeiss and Mamiya 645. For leica R, it takes a mount swap that is reversible. The options arent as good as Canon, but not too shabby.
 

douglasf13

New member
Id consider it, but the tak is cheaper and doesnt need a special conversion. Ill probably get the ZS 50 when im ready to spend more. The tak is just for fun :)
 

jonoslack

Active member
Oh... and if you had a limited budget to start on... what would be the one lens you'd get?

My feeling is the 24-70/2.8 (although not limited $$$)... but I'm mostly a prime shooter.

Also... how is the lowly sony 50/1.4?
Congratulations Shelby
I hope you'll be very happy together!
I think the 24-70 is pretty much unavoidable for general stuff, and it's a fine lens. I use that and the 135 f1.8 for most of my stuff these days,the 70-300 makes a good cheap(ish) option for when you need that bit of extra length (Edward thinks it's not up to the job, but I reckon it's the best of this particular breed I've used - reliably sharp at all focal lengths and apertures).

The 50 f1.4 is a nice lens, I can't compare with the canon, but I think it has a better bokeh than the old Nikon version.
 

fotografz

Well-known member
Awesome man, hope you enjoy the camera. Feel free to PM me if you have any questions on the ins and outs of the system.

I have the 24-70, and it is a great all purpose lens. For my stuff, that lens and the CZ85 are used for 90% of my shooting....although I've been getting the m42 bug lately, and that percentage may start to change. I've been using a CZ Jena 135, and I have bids on a Super Takumar 50 1.4 and a Schneider c-curtagon 35 2.8. Some of the m42 lenses are still unbeatable in IQ, and I think an addiction is forming! :LOL:

The Sony 50mm 1.4 is pretty good for the money, and is in the same ballpark as the equivalent Nikon and Canon. I use it as a walk around when going light. I really hope Sony brings an AF Zeiss 50mm someday, as I would buy that immediately. I'm considering the ZS 50mm......
Have you ever used the Zeiss 50/1.4? The Contax version, the Contax N version, and the Zeiss ZF,ZS , etc., versions are all similar in character and have a commonality to them ... maybe the worst 50/1.4 I've ever used. Horrible wormy bokeh ... which is not a good characteristic for a f/1.4 lens.

While it could be built more substantially, the Sony 50/1.4 is a WAY better lens for use at f/1.4 IMHO. BTW, the new AFS Nikon D is the best of the f/1.4 AF lot right now ... at least my version of it is.

The newer Sigma 50/1.4 is also an interesting lens, and is getting rave reviews from users ... I had it for awhile in Nikon mount but sold it in favor of the new Nikon 50/1.4D. But I do have to admit that the Sigma was kind of unique in signature.

If Zeiss produces a 50mm for the Alpha mount let's hope it is the 50/2 macro formula like the ZF I have (only in AF) ... in contrast to the Zeiss 50/1.4, it is perhaps the best 50mm I've used to date rivaling recent Leica 50s.

Just because it has Zeiss stamped on it, doesn't always mean it's stellar. Be careful what you wish for ... you may get it :ROTFL:
 

fotografz

Well-known member
cool... much appreciated. I REALLY want to get some older mf lenses to try out. Which major systems can be adapted? M42, obviously...

Is there a version of the classic 110/2 (hasselblad or contax) that can be adapted to the alpha?

I see a similar lens addiction in my future :D
Yep, I'm currently using my vast collection of Hasselblad V lenses on the Alpha 900, and the in-camera IS makes a world of difference. A simple $79. Fodex adapter and off you go. The A900s big bright viewfinder does help in manually focusing, but there isn't any focus confirmation like with my Nikons. I wonder if there is a way to trick the camera and activate focus confirmation?

Also, my hope is that Bright Screen will eventually make a diagonal split microprism manual focusing screen for the A900 ... I use one in my Nikon F6 and it is very easy to MF the ZF lenses with that camera ... just got one for the D700 which I have yet to install. The diagonal split is the best for use in both landscape and portrait modes IMO.

I just posted a similar answer on a Hasselblad site and showed some quick shots done around the house using the Zeiss 110/2FE on the A900. Here they are for a quick reference. BTW, the close up of the Greek vase is @ ISO 1250 ... and there is very little noise :thumbup: For some reason, noise has become less of an issue at ISOs up to 1600 and I cannot figure out why :wtf:
The common element has been that all the clean shots were with the V lenses :wtf::wtf::wtf:
 

edwardkaraa

New member
Well, the Zeiss 50/1.4 are a controversial breed. Some love them, others really hate them. I happen to be in the first category. I have used the manual focus Contax for many years and it was my favourite lens. I agree that the bokeh is not always nice, but it also can be extremely nice, depending on the aperture used, the distance to subject, and subject distance to background. I personally prefer "harsh" bokeh for this kind of lens that I don't usually use for portraits. But I don't shoot weddings, so I understand your position.

Btw, someone at FM forums did a (blind) comparison between several 50s including the Sigma, and many members picked the image with worst bokeh as being that from the Contax, while in fact it was the second best after Sigma if I remember well (some also didn't like the Sigma bokeh), so there are definitely preconceived ideas among users.

Have you ever used the Zeiss 50/1.4? The Contax version, the Contax N version, and the Zeiss ZF,ZS , etc., versions are all similar in character and have a commonality to them ... maybe the worst 50/1.4 I've ever used. Horrible wormy bokeh ... which is not a good characteristic for a f/1.4 lens.

While it could be built more substantially, the Sony 50/1.4 is a WAY better lens for use at f/1.4 IMHO. BTW, the new AFS Nikon D is the best of the f/1.4 AF lot right now ... at least my version of it is.

The newer Sigma 50/1.4 is also an interesting lens, and is getting rave reviews from users ... I had it for awhile in Nikon mount but sold it in favor of the new Nikon 50/1.4D. But I do have to admit that the Sigma was kind of unique in signature.

If Zeiss produces a 50mm for the Alpha mount let's hope it is the 50/2 macro formula like the ZF I have (only in AF) ... in contrast to the Zeiss 50/1.4, it is perhaps the best 50mm I've used to date rivaling recent Leica 50s.

Just because it has Zeiss stamped on it, doesn't always mean it's stellar. Be careful what you wish for ... you may get it :ROTFL:
 

douglasf13

New member
I hear you, fotografz. Ive seen and heard a lot of conflicting reports on the Zeiss 50. It seems its similar to the 24-70 in that sometimes bokeh is awful, sometimes it's fine. What Id really like is a Leica 50 f2. There is a guy selling a Leica 35 f2 on ebay right now that is fully converted to alpha with chip! If he brings a 50, I may have to bite. Id go for the 35, but ive been told the schneider c-curtagon is great on A900, so im looking for one of those. Ill hold off on the Zeiss for now :)
 
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