Moderator: E.J. Peiker

All times are UTC-05:00

  
« Previous topic | Next topic »  
Reply to topic  
 First unread post  | 4 posts | 
by Charlie Woodrich on Fri Feb 17, 2017 8:04 pm
Charlie Woodrich
Forum Contributor
Posts: 877
Joined: 22 Jan 2004
Location: Glen Allen, VA
I just picked up a used copy of this lens and I'm a bit confused about how it should perform with the Sony a7r2. I performed a test using a tripod and cable release; the steady shot settings were off, and I took shots at all apertures; focus was set to infinity.  I only experienced acceptable sharpness starting at f11.  From f2.8 to f8 the first one third (closes to me) of the shot were very soft.  My Zeiss Distagon 21mm and my Canon 24-70 II are very sharp wide open.  Any thoughts on what is going on here?
 

by E.J. Peiker on Sat Feb 18, 2017 7:40 am
User avatar
E.J. Peiker
Senior Technical Editor
Posts: 86761
Joined: 16 Aug 2003
Location: Arizona
Member #:00002
Maybe that's why it was sold.  But you say the first 1/3 closest to you is not sharp.  There is only one perfectly sharp focus plane and that is where you focused, the rest is just degrees of sharpness as you get away from that.  So if you are focusing very close, the DOF becomes very shallow, especially at larger apertures.  But if you are saying that if you take the same photo at the same aperture between the Loxia and the Distagon, there is a major difference in sharpness then there is clearly something wrong assuming it was properly focused.  The Loxia 21mm, in every test, is sharper than the Distagon.
 

by Danny Burk on Sat Feb 18, 2017 9:46 am
User avatar
Danny Burk
Forum Contributor
Posts: 259
Joined: 21 Aug 2003
Location: South Bend, IN
I replaced my Distagon 21 with the Loxia too - besides the size/weight advantages, the Loxia is sharper toward the ends of the frame. Unless you're having a DOF issue, I agree with E.J. that something's wrong with it.
Danny Burk
http://www.dannyburk.com
Fine print and imaging sales, drum scanning service, field and Photoshop technique workshops
 

by Neilyb on Sat Feb 18, 2017 11:21 am
User avatar
Neilyb
Forum Contributor
Posts: 2763
Joined: 7 Feb 2008
Location: Munich
Have to agree the Loxia is one sharp lens but buying used can be a lottery, if it was dropped and became de-centred does not mean the body will be marked if it fell onto carpet or something non abbraisive.
 

Display posts from previous:  Sort by:  
4 posts | 
  

Powered by phpBB® Forum Software © phpBB Group