The GetDPI Photography Forum

Great to see you here. Join our insightful photographic forum today and start tapping into a huge wealth of photographic knowledge. Completing our simple registration process will allow you to gain access to exclusive content, add your own topics and posts, share your work and connect with other members through your own private inbox! And don’t forget to say hi!

Sony A900 w/Zeiss vs ? - A Challenge

Greg Seitz

New member
Care for a little challenge?

Below you will find two shots of the same scene shot at F/8 shot using RAW and processed in Lightroom. One of them was shot with the Zeiss 24-70mm and the other with something else. See if you can identify which was the Zeiss and which was the other lens, and take a shot at identifying the mystery lens.

The lighting was really crappy so the differences may or may not hold up in better light but we haven't seen blue skies for a couple of days so I made due.

Lens A:



Lens A Crops:





The full sized JPG:

http://www.mediafire.com/file/zi0dhdn4yjj/181-Snips.jpg


Lens B:



Lens B Crops:





The full sized JPG:

http://www.mediafire.com/file/jmmkmquzr0k/698-Snips.jpg
 

ptomsu

Workshop Member
Really hard to say from these web samples, but I would give it a try:

Lens A was the Zeiss?

If not I will not sell my Zeiss lens now ;):D:D
 

Braeside

New member
Well Lens A looks better to me (more fine detail in the roof tiles and chimney), though there is more CA visible for example on the power lines. I wonder what focal length these were taken at?

At f/8 most reasonable lenses look about the same.
 

Greg Seitz

New member
Well Lens A looks better to me (more fine detail in the roof tiles and chimney), though there is more CA visible for example on the power lines. I wonder what focal length these were taken at?

At f/8 most reasonable lenses look about the same.

They were taken at 70mm. I'll see if I can post another focal length with the lens at 2.8 or 4.0 later today.


Anybody have any guesses as to what the mystery lens is?
 

Paratom

Well-known member
I guess hat B is the Zeiss since the midtones are somewhat bossted while the sky is still fine and it looks a little cooler to me (which I also think is Zeiss look).
 

Eoin

Member
Now you're making it really easy and I'm going to make a fool of my self.

In your first shots I thought A looked sharper but B had more contrast, I was inclined to think B was the Zeiss.

In these last 2 shots, I'm convinced B is the Zeiss, why, by what I call the "frame" around the bokeh.

Am I right?,
 

Greg Seitz

New member
Now you're making it really easy and I'm going to make a fool of my self.

In your first shots I thought A looked sharper but B had more contrast, I was inclined to think B was the Zeiss.

In these last 2 shots, I'm convinced B is the Zeiss, why, by what I call the "frame" around the bokeh.

Am I right?,
Which ones bokeh do you prefer, A or B?
 

Eoin

Member
B seems slightly harsher, but in saying that it looks like some of the I've been getting with the ZA 24-70 on occasions. Sort of like a halo effect with strong white lines. I see it in the chair back, the kitchen press next to the window and in the objects on the table through the white panel doors.

You can perhaps see what I'm talking about the outline halo in this photo shot at f:/2.8 @ 70mm. I get this sometimes other times it's buttery smooth, go figure that!.

Either way, it's really just a guess, I thought I saw something I recognised, they both look very close in the samples you've shown.
 

edwardkaraa

New member
There is also the black halo surrounding in focus areas. These seem to be Zeiss trade mark since Contax days and could be arguably one of the factors that produce the 3D effect.
 

Eoin

Member
But that black halo is stronger on A?. Now I'm really confuzzz'd:ROTFL:.
See what happens when you strain your eyesight on a rangefinder:bugeyes:
 

Greg Seitz

New member
Interesting and thoughtful analysis. I'll hold off a little bit longer before I reveal which was which but I'm curious that no one has taken a shot at identifying the mystery lens. I'll also add there is a bit of twist here as well.
 

carstenw

Active member
I also guess the first as being the 24-70. Perhaps the other one is an older Minolta lens, or a converted lens. Maybe the Leica 35-70/4? I would say that they are both very good.
 

jonoslack

Active member
Well, I was staying out of this thread, firstly because I couldn't make a decision, and secondly because it seemed like a hiding to nothing.

However, I've been 'whipped in', so I suppose I'll have to say something.

First shot - I thought that the contrast suggested that B was the Zeiss, whereas the resolution suggested A. So I'll say it was B, but that Greg's tripod isn't up to par :p

As for the second shot, the bokeh is clearly nicer on A, but the smile is much better on B, and as the Zeiss always makes me smile (with the occasional exception of the bokeh), I'll again say that the Zeiss is B.

As for the mystery lens . . well, if it isn't a modified contax (which it might be) then I'm up for good surprises, So I won't guess :)
 

Greg Seitz

New member
Well, I was staying out of this thread, firstly because I couldn't make a decision, and secondly because it seemed like a hiding to nothing.

However, I've been 'whipped in', so I suppose I'll have to say something.

First shot - I thought that the contrast suggested that B was the Zeiss, whereas the resolution suggested A. So I'll say it was B, but that Greg's tripod isn't up to par :p

As for the second shot, the bokeh is clearly nicer on A, but the smile is much better on B, and as the Zeiss always makes me smile (with the occasional exception of the bokeh), I'll again say that the Zeiss is B.

As for the mystery lens . . well, if it isn't a modified contax (which it might be) then I'm up for good surprises, So I won't guess :)
See I was right, entertaining, thought provoking and insightful. :D
 
Top