WEEK14
Read MoreWEEK14
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lenses
Vienna with A7R - Pt 1
in photo-journal, Blog
After 4 days back in the UK following on from my visit to Amsterdam, I was back at an airport. This time, I decided that being as I was on a work trip, alone, I could carry a bag of camera gear and it wouldn't get in the way of a holiday vibe. With my A7R and an assortment of focal lengths, I was ready to go.
Read MoreAnother 50mm...
in Blog
Another 50mm lens joins the stable, but I am thinking wide-angle zoom for the long-term...
Read MoreWith A Whisky #4
in Blog, with a whisky
Written whilst enjoying a single malt, "With a Whisky" brings you the latest ramblings from my side of the world. I can't promise prominent prose, or impressive imagery, but I'll do my best to keep you entertained.
Read MoreMade for each other
in Blog
It is easy to take a bad photograph, even with the best cameras in the world. A truly powerful image remains powerful, independent of lens, exif info, settings, format, and other quantifiers. It transcends to another dimension, able to stand alone, independent of such trivia.
But, it's nice to by a shiny new toy every once in a while, isn't it?
Read MoreGoing Wide in Ebisu
in Blog
I've been fortunate enough to borrow the Voigtländer Ultra Wide Heliar 15/4 (Leica L-mount) lens for a week, and started my journey with ultra-wides in Ebisu with my NEX-7.
Read MoreSonnar 2/35
in Blog
It's raining a lot here in Tokyo (and Kyoto, apparently - you know who you are!), and so I decided to take a quick macro shot of my DSC-RX1.
The Zeiss Sonnar is a photographic lens originally designed by Dr. Ludwig Bertele in 1929 and patented by Zeiss Ikon. It was notable for its relatively light weight, simple design and fast aperture.
It's an amazing lens, and sensor, and I am not sure why I would ever part with it. As point and shoot cameras go, I don't think there is a better one than this. It's arguably Sony's best ever camera.
NEX-7 & SEL55F18Z | 1/100s f/1.8 ISO250 55mm
Blend is Beautiful
in Blog
I agree with the above coffee advert - blend is beautiful. This sentiment is valid for certain aspects of photography, too. Often, it is desirable to have a very smooth blend of background blur, or bokeh (the Japanese word for blur).
Making sure that the building site isn't too loud
In the pursuit of the perfect blend, I've acquired Sony's latest FE-mount lens, the SEL55F18Z. As pointed out by friend and fellow photoblographer Björn Utpott (his blog is a source of daily inspiration), I have a lens with a similar focal length and aperture already - the Canon nFD 50mm F1.4.
Even though the weather today was completely overcast, I took both lenses with me on the way to the shops and performed something of a comparison.
This isn't a scientific test by any interpretation, but one thing is clear - the new FE 55/1,8 is very sharp wide open, and does not have any purple fringing, or suffer from chromatic aberration (CA). When the nFD lens is stopped down to f/4, the image is very sharp. The new Sony FE lens is sharper, but this may not matter to some. I would still recommend the nFD lens to those on a budget, or wanting to use manual focus glass... but I would recommend the new Sony FE 55/1,8 Zeiss lens over it... every time.
Incidentally, you may (or more likely, may not) have noticed a change to the homepage of this site. I hope you like it! I've also changed the "reviews and gear" section, listing my ramblings in reverse chronological order.
I hope that you enjoyed the photos, and found the (non-scientific) comparison interesting.