03/15/14

Sony Nex-5N - Nikon E-Series 50 f1.8

I suppose the images chosen for the composite above doesn't really show what this lens can do, but they're images that I like so that's why I selected them. It's a very sharp lens and is very useful on the Nex series of cameras offering a focal length equivalent to a 75mm lens. This is the focal length that I start to feel comfortable with and there's no end above that. Like I've mentioned before, the wider the focal length the more uncomfortable I get. I wish I did feel comfortable with these wider focal length lenses because you tend to get a lot more into the image; more documentary type images are possible, but I just don't see it when out on the streets. I have a lot of photography books and I love to look at these wide street photography images, but alas, when I get out and look through the viewfinder I still tend to see telescopically. I just can't seem to frame these wide angle images, they tend to be flat and boring.

The Nikon e-seies of lenses tend to be some of the sharpest out there and I would recommend these lenses to everyone who asks me which lens they should buy next. I also have the 100 f2.8 and that is very sharp too and is a focal length that I like using. I've tried the wider 28 f2.8 Nikon e-series lens but I lucked out on the quality plus my eye didn't really take to it. See my 28mm lens tests for further information on those lenses.

Any suggestions out there?

1271

unknown
Focal Length: unknown
Aperture: unknown
Exposure Time: unknown
ISO: unknown

Dil 03/15/14 19:00 comments (0)

Viewed 1271

• Sony • Nikon • Nex-5N • 50 f1.8

02/18/14

Lenses

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Sony Nex-5N - Olympus OM 50 f1.8

This last image from the 50 f1.8 was taken specifically to check corner sharpness. This has not been cropped in any way, and as you can see, corner sharpness isn't a major problem with this lens on the Nex system. However, having said that, I still see an increase in image quality when used on the m4/3 cameras. When I have the time I will test this lens again on the same subject using both systems and I'll post my findings here, with images of course.

1092

NEX-5N
Focal Length: unknown
Aperture: f/1.0
Exposure Time: 1/400 sec
ISO: 100

Dil 02/18/14 19:00 comments (0)

Viewed 1092

• Sony • Olympus • Nex-5N • 50 f1.8

02/17/14

Lenses

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Sony Nex-5N - Olympus OM 50 f1.8

Another from the 50 f1.8 which doesn't look too bad. Where you will notice soft or distorted corners is when photographing relatively distant object, and if landscapes etc are your forte then you had better test a lens very thoroughly at close and near infinity focus.

1124

NEX-5N
Focal Length: unknown
Aperture: f/1.0
Exposure Time: 1/125 sec
ISO: 100

Dil 02/17/14 19:00 comments (0)

Viewed 1124

• Sony • Olympus • Nex-5N • 50 f1.8

02/16/14

Lenses

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Sony Nex-5N - Olympus OM 50 f1.8

As you may have noticed from recent posts, I've been using a lot of legacy manual focus lenses recently. The reason for this is to slim down the number of lenses I have and to select the best lens in each focal length to use with my Sony Nex system.

The next few posts will be about these lenses because I believe there are quite a few photographers out there who are still using these lenses with modern digital cameras. Personally I'm using the Sony Nex system and all kinds of m4/3 cameras (especially the old Olympus E-PL1). And just to add an OT comment here, the Olympus E-PL1 is still going strong and delivers perfectly good images. It's still a great camera (although it's got the old 12MP sensor in it) and the one I find the easiest to focus on when a legacy lens is used.

One of the lenses I raved about some time ago was the Olympus OM 50 f1.8 albeit on a m4/3 camera. I find using these lenses easier on the Nex system because of focus peaking, I have come to the conclusion that I get better results when using these lenses on the m4/3 cameras. This is largely due to the smaller sensor where the edges of the image are not used. Because the Nex incorporates an APS-C sensor (i.e. larger sensor) if a lens is not optimal the edges of the image will be soft. This is exactly what I have been experiencing with the lenses I have used in last few weeks.

The above image was taken with the OM 50 f1.8 on a Nex-5N body and the results show a decrease in image quality, corner to corner. When using focal lengths of 75mm and greater there is hardly a difference between the two systems. Wide angle lenses are, however, a different kettle of fish, and the lens used has to be of very high quality.

1139

NEX-5N
Focal Length: unknown
Aperture: f/1.0
Exposure Time: 1/160 sec
ISO: 100

Dil 02/16/14 19:00 comments (0)

Viewed 1139

• Sony • Nex-5N • Olympus • 50 f1.8

07/14/13

Lenses

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Sony Nex-5N - Nikon 100 f2.8 Manual Focus Lens

Another shot of the fly. He posed for me for some time on this wooden railing. Some might think that the image is just a crop from the previous post but, in fact,it is a different exposure altogether. I really attempted to get this fly from as many angles as possible. It's what some people call working the subject. It really is amazing what moving half a step to either side can do to the composition. Even a few centimetres makes a bit difference. I must admit it's what I do too little of, I should practice what I preach, it seems I get too excited when I'm out there and I tend to rush around. The trick is to slow down and think about what you're doing. That's why I like to use manual lenses, it just slows you down automatically and gets you thinking about things.

Notice that this was taken in the square format (1:1 ratio on most cameras). When I started out many years ago it was the only format available, unless you went for medium and large format cameras. That just wasn't going to happen. I had too little time and resources for that type of photography. The 3:2 ratio was the 35mm format and it seemed like the most natural thing in the world to "see" in this format until the 4/3 sensor from Olympus came out. At first I didn't even bother to even think about the system, the price was simply too high, especially with SHG lenses Olympus were bringing out for the system. They were expensive and still are today. Then Panasonic brought out the GF1, which to me, was the perfect format body. But now I had to see in a totally different format and at first I just couldn't get around this change and I didn't use the camera as much as I thought I would. My Canon system seemed to be in my hands whenever I went out. Slowly though, I did use the camera more and somehow got used to the format and much preferred it to the 3:2 35mm format.

I bet your thinking "Where is all this going?". Well, for some time now I shoot a lot in the square format; it seems to suit my eye and my may I do things better. It seems much easier to compose the shot and I can see things in this format that I didn't see in any other format available. I also like to switch to the 16:9 format for a lot of shots but I now always seem to come back to the square format. What I'm trying to say here is that you get used to everything, and sometimes you get stuck in a certain way. This applies everything you do in life and a change is as good as a rest. Try different formats when out on a shoot, or just take one single prime lens with you and try that out for a few days. You never know, you might hit on a certain format or focal length that changes your photography totally.

For me, right now, it's the square format image.

1214

NEX-5N
Focal Length: unknown
Aperture: f/1.0
Exposure Time: 1/200 sec
ISO: 100

Dil 07/14/13 19:00 comments (0)

Viewed 1214

• Sony • Nex-5N • Nikon • 50 f1.8

07/13/13

Lenses

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Sony Nex-5N - Nikon 100 f2.8 Manual Focus Lens

This is what you can expect from the Nikon 100 f2.8 lens when mounted on a APS-C sensor. I don't think it would be this good on a m4/3 camera because of the sensor characteristics. I would love to try it out on a full frame sensor but I'm about to go out and buy a Nikon FF camera just to satisfy my curiosity.

On a Sony Nex body this lens is equivalent to 150mm lens (x1.5 crop factor) and comes close to my preferred focal length. Some of these longer focal length lenses produce some lovely background blur. The image above shows what this lens is capable of. Simply superb and the peaking function helped me get the fly in focus. This was shot wide open at f2.8.

On a m4/3rd camera it would be the equivalent of a 200mm lens and I find it pretty difficult to hand hold at those focal lengths. On an Olympus body it would be easier because of IBIS (In Body Image Stabilisation) than on a Panasonic body. I haven't used any legacy lenses on Panasonic bodies and I have no intention of doing so. The only reason I use them on Sony bodies, because they have the same problem as Panasonic, namely they use ILIS (In Lens Image Stabilisation) rather than IBIS. That is one great advantage of IBIS, it works with every lens you mount on the body. Don't discount this function as it really does help. Just try it out and see how low a shutter speed you can hand hold at longer focal lengths. I know for a fact that the older I get the more dependant I become on these functions.

979

NEX-5N
Focal Length: unknown
Aperture: f/1.0
Exposure Time: 1/200 sec
ISO: 100

Dil 07/13/13 19:00 comments (0)

Viewed 979

• Sony • Nex-5N • Nikon • 50 f1.8

07/12/13

Lenses

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Sony Nex-5N - Nikon 50 f1.8 Manual Focus Lens

As I mentioned in my last post about zipping by photo opportunities when riding my bike I had to go back for this one because I saw it too late. I haven't quite captured what I was after and that was the 3D effect the shadow was giving the scene. Now why I didn't capture that is not that easy to answer but one thing I' sure of, it does have something to do with the system I'm using. I have seen some images from Leica cameras when paired with a magical Leica lens and I could swear that I was looking at a 3D image. Not possible of course but that is the effect the eye transmits to the brain. Well, it does with me anyway your mileage may vary.

I think that the Leica brand has really become a luxury and a niche brand today simply because of the costs involved in acquiring a system. I don't know many who are satisfied with just a 50 or 35 lens. Different lenses have a different purpose and not everyone shoots the same things all the time so more than one lens is desirable for the system. Since photography is not my profession I won't even think about buying into Leica, that would be a waste of money for me personally. I'm just not that good a photographer that I could justify it. This is a fun hobby and I have to keep the costs reasonably down, and after all, life takes priority. There are more important things in life than hobbies.

Of course, I wouldn't have to buy Leica lenses, there are a number of other manufacturers that supply lenses for the Leica mount, such as Voigtländer, and they have some really gems in their lineup. One of these is the old 75 f2.5 Heliar which has been superceded by the 75 f1.8 Heliar. The 75 f2.5 is smaller and lighter than the new version and, more importantly for me, can but purchased for half the price on ebay or at a local dealer. Ok, it's f2.5 and the new model f1.8, but for my purposes and with the high ISO performance of today's cameras I'll stick with 75 f2.5.
That is by no means the only gem they have and I'll be talking about a couple more in the upcoming posts. However, there may be a few other random posts and images before I get to that.

1086

NEX-5N
Focal Length: unknown
Aperture: f/1.0
Exposure Time: 1/320 sec
ISO: 200

Dil 07/12/13 19:00 comments (0)

Viewed 1086

• Sony • Nex-5N • Nikon • 50 f1.8

07/11/13

Lenses

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Sony Nex-5N - Nikon 50 f1.8 Manual Focus Lens

Again taken with the Sony Nex-5N and the Nikon 50 f1.8 manual focus lens attached. As you can see, the lens is extremely sharp (and it's got nothing to do with my sharpening methods). I thought since I'm out on my bike quite a bit lately I'd take a shot and post it. It's been my taxi for quite a few outings lately. The advantage of a bike for me of course are that I get a lot of exercise and I get from place to place quicker that slogging it on foot. On the negative side, I may just pass a perfect photo opportunity because I'm concentrating too much on cycling. I wish there was a middle of the road solution but I can't think of one. It's either speed along on the bike, or it's a slow slog on foot.

At present I have 2 Nikon lenses in my possession, the 50 f1.8 and the 100 f2.8 manual focus lenses. To be perfectly honest I'm quite impressed with the image quality, colour and micro contrast that I am achieving. It's nothing to do with the camera I'm using, the results are the same independent of which camera I use be it an Olympus, Nex or even a Fuji. I've seen a post over at soundimageplus regarding the 28 f1.8G, the 50 f1.8G and the 85 f1.8G lenses and have been considering them for my arsenal. Too expensive for my taste at present. I had to set priorities and they do not come in at the top of the list.

I've just spent some money for the Fujifilm Fujinon 55-200 f3.5-4.8 zoom and that is enough for the present. I really wanted a zoom of this calibre for the Fuji X system as it was really lacking. The zoom looks very nice indeed and the images match those of the 18-55 f2.8-4 kit lens. Both those lenses make for a very nice system. I haven't gone for the primes on this system as my m4/3 systems have enough of those and covers everything I need. I'm really impressed with the image quality from the X-Trans sensor though and I will keep the X-E1 and the X100S for some time to come.

1159

NEX-5N
Focal Length: unknown
Aperture: f/1.0
Exposure Time: 1/100 sec
ISO: 100

Dil 07/11/13 19:00 comments (0)

Viewed 1159

• Sony • Nex-5N • Nikon • 50 f1.8

07/10/13

Lenses

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Sony Nex-5N - Nikon 50 f1.8 Manual Focus Lens

The image above was taken with the Sony Nex-5N with an old Nikon 50 f1.8 manual focus lens attached. If the lens alone was attached the system would have been well balanced but with the adapter attached too, it is a little front heavy. Having said that, and if you haven't handled a Nex-5N before, well, let's just say it's not really a big camera. people with largish hands must have problems with this camera and I can understand it if they purchased something bigger. A Panasonic G5 or G6 comes to mind (or even the GH3 which is even larger) with a "real" grip.

Being small has it's advantages however, in being more portable. If I'm going out these days with my Sony kit I only need a smallish shoulder bag and that carries 2 x Nex-5N and one Nex-7 cameras. I don't like changing lenses and I use the Nex series primarily as my prime lens kit. Two reasons for this, as I'm sure you can guess, firstly the Nex lenses aren't really all that good and secondly I use the peaking function (or is it spelled peeking?) all the time. I think it's a great feature and all future cameras will come out with something very similar incorporated into them. It's an invaluable feature, especially when using very wide or telephoto lenses. The reason I say that is because when using prime lenses on my Olympus E-PL1 I don't have any problems when a 50ish lens is attached (100 = 35mm) but When I mount a 135mm lens (270mm = 35mm) that I do tend to struggle somewhat. Furthermore, since using the Sony Nex cameras with the peaking function I have notice that I have more difficulty using the Olympus models. Maybe I'm becoming lazy or my eyes aren't what they used to be (probably both).

As to the image above, I'd seen quite a few of these recently and I like the artsy effect they archived with just moving the camera during the exposure. Well I tried quite a few things on the outing with this combination, just to get the effect I was looking for. I was hand-holding the camera, it was stopped down quite a bit and the ISO was set to it's lowest value.

I didn't quite achieve what I wanted but I did learns quite a few things.

One: A tripod is invaluable when taking these type of photographs. You just have to touch the front of the lens and this effect can be achieved.

Two: It's better to do these when the sun isn't shining or during the middle of the day. The shutter speed will invariably be too high.
Three: It's better to get the camera parallel to the trees or forest or whatever you're shooting. The image then "looks" and "feels" right.

My settings for this image was as follows:

ISO set to it's lowest value.
Lens stopped down to it's smallest aperture (high number).

Even at these settings the shutter speed was 0.6sec. Not really what I wanted but it did the job. A pol filter would have helped here as it can slow the shutter speed down by up to 2 stops. That would have made for a 2 second exposure. That would have been much better.

I'm still pleased with the image though and I'm sure I'll be trying these type of images again soon.

1132

NEX-5N
Focal Length: unknown
Aperture: f/1.0
Exposure Time: 6/10 sec
ISO: 100

Dil 07/10/13 19:00 comments (0)

Viewed 1132

• Sony • Nex-5N • Nikon • 50 f1.8

08/20/12

Lenses

full image

Sony SEL 50 f1.8

This will be the last image from the SEL 50 f1.8 for now. I hope that I have shown what this lens can do in different situations. I think I'll be keeping this lens as it is quite sharp and contrasty. Another reason of course if that Sony lenses for the Nex system aren't really in abundance out there. Nice to see that Sigma brought out the 19 and 30 f2.8 lenses, for those are real gems. I have the 55-210 on order and I'm really hoping that this lens will cover my long end for the system. I have seen some nice images with it but I've also heard some complaints about it. If it doesn't deliver then it looks like an 18-200 lens will have to be purchased. I'm not really looking forward to be doing that.

Any requests or comments to these posts will be highly appreciated.

1486

NEX-5N
Focal Length: 50 mm
Aperture: f/2.8
Exposure Time: 1/2500 sec
ISO: 200

Dil 08/20/12 19:01 comments (0)

Viewed 1486

• Sony • SEL 50 f1.8 • Nex-5N

PhotoBlog of Random Images

Sony Nex-5N - Nikon E-Series 50 f1.8

Sony Nex-5N - Olympus OM 50 f1.8

Sony Nex-5N - Olympus OM 50 f1.8

Sony Nex-5N - Olympus OM 50 f1.8

Sony Nex-5N - Nikon 100 f2.8 Manual Focus Lens

Sony Nex-5N - Nikon 100 f2.8 Manual Focus Lens

Sony Nex-5N - Nikon 50 f1.8 Manual Focus Lens

Sony Nex-5N - Nikon 50 f1.8 Manual Focus Lens

Sony Nex-5N - Nikon 50 f1.8 Manual Focus Lens

Sony SEL 50 f1.8

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