Street Street photography (Image thread)

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Nice work Jonathan - first is my fav.

How was the AF w/ the Nikon lens via adapter?
The AF is decent with this Neewer adapter. It's basically a Commlite knock-off adapter, with slightly different internals (more sturdier) and custom firmware. Apparently Neewer discontinued making this adapter and I was able to find it cheap. Regarding the lens, this is the 3rd copy of the Sigma 50mm 1.4 EX in Nikon mount I've tried. It's the best corrected sample in regards to AF accuracy on a Nikon DSLRs, but I believe it's also running an older firmware, which causes intermittent quirks on my DSLR bodies. On a Sony body mounted onto the adapter, none of those issues arise and I'm able to utilize this lens at it's full optical potential. It's probably a notch below the Sigma 50mm f/1.4 Art, but it has it's own strengths mainly smaller size and smoother OOF rendering.

If you're interested in trying this lens out on a Sony body, I'd recommend finding either a Canon mount copy + Sigma MC-11 or getting the Sony A-mount version with the LA-EA3 adapter. The Nikon version is the least desirable, unless you also shoot Nikon DSLR bodies. I've read reports the Nikon version of this lens doesn't work with the Z bodies + FTZ adapter and I'm not sure if Sigma still does firmware upgrades for this lens, though I can't confirm that.
 
Thanks for the impression. As mentioned, the results look great.

For me however, I am done with AF adapters. I did have the MC-11 when I first transitioned to Sony as it allowed me to use my existing Canon glass (now all sold) and provided more options when Sony’s lens lineup wasn’t as mature. Now, there a way more options than I will ever need and the native lens performance leaves nothing to be desired.

The only adapters I’d use, would be for old MF glass, like my OM 135mm.
 
Thanks for the impression. As mentioned, the results look great.

For me however, I am done with AF adapters. I did have the MC-11 when I first transitioned to Sony as it allowed me to use my existing Canon glass (now all sold) and provided more options when Sony’s lens lineup wasn’t as mature. Now, there a way more options than I will ever need and the native lens performance leaves nothing to be desired.

The only adapters I’d use, would be for old MF glass, like my OM 135mm.
Totally agree about adapters! I have mostly all native lens options now, but there are only a few AF 50mm f/1.4 options for Sony and they all have their pros and cons. There's the Zeiss 50mm f/1.4, though used copies still sell over $1000 USD; the Sigma 50mm f/1.4 Art which is a bit more affordable on the used market, but it's huge since it's a DSLR lens bolted to an extension tube and last the Samyang 50mm f/1.4 FE, but that lens was the first Samyang AF lens and has the slowest/loudest of all their AF lenses (that lens would benefit from a new version). Sony has quite a few lenses in the 50mm f/1.8 range, but for portraits I still prefer f/1.4 lenses. I feel that slightly faster aperture makes a difference in regards to gradual OOF transitional blur.

I have the Samyang 45mm f/1.8 FE and it's sharpness is a bit better than the Sigma 50mm f/1.4 EX (though not by much), but for portrait uses I find that extreme sharpness to be a flaw, especially when shooting faces. I consider the Sam 45mm better suited for travel/street photography where it's size and critical sharpness work better. Also the Sigma 50mm 1.4 EX was considered the best 50mm option prior to the Art series and was originally designed to compete with Canon's 50mm f/1.2 L lens. For a lens you can find for less than $200 USD nowadays, if you get a good copy it's quite a bargain! ;)
 
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Agree that 1.4 offers that special difference vs 1.8 glass for portrait work.

If Sigma comes out with a DG DN version of their 35 and 50 1.4 lenses they reduces the sizing the same ratio as they did with their new 85 1.4, they will have two huge hits on their hands. I would definitely consider swapping out me FE 35 and 55 lenses for one of those, even with the size penalty, just to have 1.4 and a nice aperture ring. I’d keep my ZA 35mm 2.8 for compact carry, or perhaps swap it for the Sigma 45mm 2.8 to keep the aperture ring consistency.
 
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