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 A7r and the WATE

mark1958

Member
I have a WATE and find it is an incredible lens with the A7r. I loved it so much I bought a MATE and that one was not a good choice
 

Georg Baumann

Subscriber Member


One taken tonight
What the Heck is that Raymond? I am puzzled what the brown flat surface and structure going from top to bottom on the right in the picture might be.

Sorry for ranting, but there is something seriously worng with humanity if people need to live that way. Looks like a nightmare straight from the Matrix Trilogy.

Great and very disturbing shot!
 

CharlesK

New member
Wonderful images Raymond!!

I have been loaned a WATE to try out with the A7r, and I have to say this is the best WA setup have had. It is light, ergonomic, and I was about to buy the Leica T to compliment my M, but I have decided to invest in the WATE, and keep the A7r's. This lens is very complimentary with Sony's sensor. I have tried all the other Leica M WA's, and I was not happy. It seems the WATE, just works!!

Some shots from this mornings walk at Elephant rock, Currumbin beach.

A7r and WATE :)









 

philip_pj

New member
These are corkers, Charles! Sony should have done something similar instead of a 'bound to disappoint' WA zoom.

A stack of smart guys are already deploying their favourite high end wide angles with the a7r for landscapes - Sony dropped the ball for this key market demographic for all of 2014, most likely. For impact, WAs need to assault the viewer with micro-contrast tightly handled across the tone range.

If Zeiss cannot aim up with a light and handy manual focus wide as good as the WATE - even at $2000 or so - I must consider trading a bunch off to get one of these as a 'final solution' to the WA dilemma. A great example of a fabulous older lens of the highest order waiting for the space age of Sony sensors to arrive! thank you again.
 

jonoslack

Active member
Charles - Raymond
I guess you've just doubled the price of secondhand WATEs.
It makes no difference to me, as you couldn't prise mine out of my cold dead hands.

Raymond - I just love the Waves and Sky shots next to each other excellent.
 

philip_pj

New member
Took a look at the data sheets for the WATE; it's terrific with a little midframe wave - but covers right to the edge at a very high level of resolution indeed, good vignette control too for an M lens. Exc centres from f4 with a gentle fall-off, and has the typical Distagon distortion pattern at the wide end, but the kicker is that at 21mm distortion is down to a nice flat curve, max of just 1.5%.

Other big A7r user advantages: Leica M adapter, so in length only an extra 10mm not 26mm like the typical DSLR adapters; and weight of just 335 grams. Overall, maybe half the weight and size of an adapted Zeiss Distagon. It must feel like a part of the camera...

No one reads nerdy forums, jono, lol. (I hope)

PS the folks at 3D Kraft like it too:

UPDATED: Ultra Wide Angle M-Mount Lenses THAT WORK On Sony A7R (Leica "WATE" Tri Elmar 16-18-21mm f/4 ASPH and Voigtlander Ultron 21mm f/1.8 ASPH)
 

dwood

Well-known member
I keep coming back to look at these images from Raymond and Charles. So impressive, and they're just JPEG's on a monitor. I'd love to see prints. I bet they're special. It appears that the WATE and A7R may be THE pairing for WA. Now would be a good time to win the lottery.
 

Guy Mancuso

Administrator, Instructor
Love to have one but another great choice a little longer and I'm really thinking of just breaking down and getting it again is the R 21-35 3.5 I think it is. Had that one too and just pisses me off I sold some of these gems in the past.
 

CharlesK

New member
Thank you everyone for the kind words :)

I must thank you Raymond for posting your images and perspective, as this is the reason I decided to try out the WATE!

Phillip, I agree that Sony has dropped the ball on decent WA primes, and also for other primes. I am not in the market for zooms, but I know a lot are. Nevertheless, nothing really stands outs, other than the FE 55 and lesser extent the FE 35. Awesome Sony sensor, but they need more lenses!!!

I never thought I would opt for the WATE, as I already have the 21 SEM with the M240. But, I was close to pulling the pin on the A7r's, but having the WATE, completely changed my mind. It is better than I expected, and some ways better than the 21 SEM in rendering and color, on the M240.

Like yourself Jono, I don't think I will part with the WATE !!
 
Last edited:

k-hawinkler

Well-known member
The A7r and WATE is one of my favorite combinations. Of course, the WATE also works well on my M9, NEX-5N, NEX-7, EM-5, and EM-1. For some images I found it necessary to apply a Lens Cast Correction (LCC). When shooting the correction image one has to tape up the spared out corner of the lens hood though to avoid reflected light from the translucent piece of plastic infront.
 

jonoslack

Active member
Love to have one but another great choice a little longer and I'm really thinking of just breaking down and getting it again is the R 21-35 3.5 I think it is. Had that one too and just pisses me off I sold some of these gems in the past.
Disappointing I thought Guy. I had one for a bit and it was fine in the middle, but not in the corners (on the m240 this was) they aren't cheap either.
 

biglouis

Well-known member
Ummm.... just a thought but for those of us not willing to pay upwards of 3 grand on a WATE you can still get some pretty good usage out of a CV Heliar 15/4.5 - which is a very small and light lens.

A7 + CV15/4.5



 

mjm6

Member
You guys kill me... just when I think I'm going to sell all my M gear, I read something like this thread and it causes me to pause...

I have the Leica R 19mm II lens... does anyone have that and the WATE? I'd love to see a comparison of the two on the a7R.

Maybe I should sell off all the M gear and buy the WATE, then sell the 19 and 28 and... well, hell, I can't figure out what to do. I do know the M9 is going, though. Just need to take some snaps and get an ad placed for it on the B&S forum.

---Michael
 

Guy Mancuso

Administrator, Instructor
Not sure I would sell the Leica 19 for the WATE. The Leica 19 is a special lens. I had it twice and if it was not for money need of other stuff i would never had sold it twice. But if you are thinking about it place a ad. I need to sell my freaking printer. Im thinking of selling my new Zeiss 25mm F2 and Metabones III adapter that goes with it and get the 24mm F2 Sony Zeiss as I am almost all A lenses right now except for the 55 and Im on my way to go buy the damn 28-70 right now. I still need a zoom and the 24-70 is nice but its a 27mm -65 zoom and its not for high quality shooting but PR crap and it will sit on the A7 or A6000. I just rented the A6000 and with the Sony 4 adapter like the A7 and A7r it is limited to AF points in the middle but the FE lenses are AF heaven as the AF points go right to all the edges and it tracks nice too.
 
Top