Two Very Different 35mm Equivalent Combos - A7R Summilux and E-M1 Nokton

It is. I shot it back to back for a few weeks with an X100s and it's absolutely notably wider than the X100s. And I've now done a few comparisons with the Olympus 17mm, and its definitely wider there to, which is partly due to the aspect ratio but slightly counteracted by the Olympus being 34 rather than 35. I'd noticed all of this without giving it too much thought. And then I saw an article (it was linked somewhere here but I'll be damned if I can recall where) where a guy was comparing the RX1 to some piece of high end Leica 35mm glass. And part of the analysis got into the field of view. He did some calculations and came up with something in the 31-32 range, which sounds about right to me. And very likely has something to do with my easier than anticipated adaptation to the RX1... I can't vouch for the exact numbers, it's clearly wider - not a figment of my imagination...

-Ray

I think in camera jpegs are closer to 35mm after the barrel distortion correction applied.
 
Here is CV 35mm 1.2 II mfd w/ Hawk's M helicoid adapter on A7R focused on CV 35mm 1.4:
original.jpg
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Regarding the image circle and field of view (or angle of view, depending what terminology is being used), the diagonal is usually what determined the angle. As was pointed out by other posters, with different aspect ratios, the FOV looks different for horizontal or vertical directions. However, the lens design itself is rotationally symmetric about the optical axis, so the calculated FOV would not actually be any different for sensors with different aspect ratios because the circle is the determining factor.
 
Amin, thanks for the interesting comparison. I just got my A7r, which is sitting next to my E-M1 right at the moment with the native 35/2.8 mounted. I need to sell off the Canon 35 to raise some funds, and I suspect I'll get the Nokton 35/1.2 for my low light 35 fix, and a Hawk's helicoid looks like a good add-on for that based on serhan's post :)
 
There are 2 CV 35mm 1.2's, ver II (the one that I used above) focuses closer and has less onion bokeh...

Amin, thanks for the interesting comparison. I just got my A7r, which is sitting next to my E-M1 right at the moment with the native 35/2.8 mounted. I need to sell off the Canon 35 to raise some funds, and I suspect I'll get the Nokton 35/1.2 for my low light 35 fix, and a Hawk's helicoid looks like a good add-on for that based on serhan's post :)
 
Hi Amin i Have a Leica Summilux M 35mm f/1.4 ASPH ( and few leica Lens from my Dads collections) wants to get a digital camera to use it but the leica cameras are too $$$ for me. i was thinking between panasonic and sony, Out of any brands which would you think best use of the 35mm? and Love to see more test photos of the 35mm if your have .. thx ! Love the Sony x 35mm combo!
 
Hi Amin,

As a relatively new owner of the A7r I have been searching for information about the performance of the 35mm Summilux FLE. The few references I have managed to find seem to give contradictory opinions.

I am a Leica M9 user (though I have not picked it up since getting my A7r and will have to decide sometime soon whether to keep or sell it on!) with a few Leica lenses which I have 'migrated' over to the Sony. However, two of my well used focal lengths on the M9 have now proved less than stellar on the A7r.

These are the 24mm Elmait-M ASPH and the 35mm Summicron ASPH. I find that the corner softness, blur and vignetting at the larger apertures disappointing. The 24mm seems a bit better than the 35mm, and is not quite an issue as I can use my WATE when I need better corner performance.

However, on the 35mm front I am finding myself thinking of trading in the Summicron for the Summilux FLE, and having found you owning both, thought I would ask how you are finding this lens on your A7r. I am interested in the wide open performance across the frame, especially how the corners are regarding to vignetting, colour casts and blurring, plus what aperture to get good image right across the frame. I apologise if you have already posted more details and photos elsewhere (have just looked through 21 pages of the A7 and A7r Image thread), and if you have, please direct me there.

Due to the high cost of the Summilux FLE I appreciate any comments/advice you can give before I take the plunge!

By the way, I am enjoying using (and struggling sometimes too!) the A7r and am often astounded by the image quality - sufficient to forgive the minor issues, mainly noisy shutter, resetting of focus box to centre point on switch off/on, jello effect at maximum magnification.

Many thanks in anticipation.
 
May I add guys that i had serious problems with the a7 and the 50 lux up the point im currently selling the lens, but now my 35 asph lux works without any problem on the a7, no smearing, no magenta tints, some obvious vignette when wide open but what is more important, tack sharp across the frame when stopped down.



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Hi Amin and Chrismn.

First thanks Amin for the link - I think.

Hmmm . . . the corner performance at f8 on the 35 FLE is disappointing, worse than I would have anticipated especially stopped down this far, and probably not too dissimilar to the 35 ASPH. It seems I could be spending a princely sum and not get the best performance from this lens on the A7r. Amin, does this mean that you do not use the 35 FLE much on your A7r now? Do you have a better alternative 35mm lens?

I haven't done any 'proper' tests yet but I should get down to trying out an aperture series on the 35mm and 24mm lenses to see exactly how each performs.

Chrismn, I use the 50 LUX FLE a huge amount on the Sony and surprisingly haven't noticed any serious problems with this combination. What issues have you encountered? I do appreciate that you are using the A7, and that I have seen others comment that better performance is obtained from some Leica lenses which are problematic on the A7r, hence I guess your comment about the 35 ASPH LUX (FLE or pre-?). If I didn't already own this 50 LUX FLE I would be tempted by the FE 55mm f1.8.

I am actually on my locai Leica dealer's list for the M Typ240, though I now have to consider seriously if I should be spending the even higher cost for one. I took a demo one on a test drive and was very pleased with the files it produced, hence then putting down my name on the waiting list. Plus, as I mentioned previously, I still have my M9, and each time I open up and work on one of its files I am bowled over by its quality. Except for the high ISO ones that is - just about acceptable at 1250, though the 12800 ones from the A7r seem to look and work out better!

I guess I am at a nowhere place at present, my original plans of swapping my 35 ASPH for the 35 LUX FLE (plus cancelling the M Typ240 and selling the M9) and running with just the A7r thrown into uncertainty. I like the A7r too much to even think of taking it out of the equation. Much more contemplation to be done.
 
Hi Serhan,

Thanks for the link. Ron has done good work putting together his write-ups on the subject of A7/A7r lens compatibility.

I found the article interesting but it does not quite cover my broader interest of people photography at mid and close distances. I have not, so far at least, done much distant landscape work, though it is something I have thought of occasionally.

I have looked at the CV 35mm f1.2 but preferred the Summilux-M 35mm FLE size wise, plus having had a test run with one on a M240 a while back, found its performance absolutely stellar. Confusingly I found a brief mention by Mike Evans on Macfilos that he uses the FLE extensively on his A7r with 'few noticeable problems'. There was someone else I came across a while back (I forget who now) who was very pleased with the combination.

Any other forum members out there with experience and comments either way?

With regards to the 50/55 focal length, I have seen the superb write-ups on the FE 55mm f1.8. Although I may well succumb to one yet, it is difficult to justify as I already have the Summilux-M 50mm f1.5 ASPH, which produces super pictures with the A7r, for me anyway.

As much as it is tempting to get the M240 to get the best performances from my Leica lenses (OK, I have to admit to being a bit of a fan-boy), it is a lot of money to lay out for it, especially as I wonder if Leica is likely to upgrade it soon or perhaps even bring out the 'mini-M' everyone hopes for.

My original thoughts were perhaps it is more logical to spend less, get the 35mm FLE (lenses are always good investments, but bodies not - I dread to think what my M9 is worth now) and wait to see what Leica does body-wise next, meanwhile using the A7r as a temporary, interim but albeit a very good, stopgap.
 
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