|
| Accept Cookies | Customize | Refuse Cookies |
Riccarbi www.juzaphoto.com/p/Riccarbi  |
The following opinions have been automatically translated with Microsoft Translator. | Sony FE 12-24mm f/4 G Pros: Addictive focal range, average optical quality, weight and footprint Cons: Ortically it gives its best after 15mm, a little flare, if it reached 28 it would be even better Opinion: It's a lens that I love, the kind you always want to have with you. A zoom that drops to 12 mm is seriously addictive. However, it is a difficult lens and not without defects, but this also makes it its personality. The merits (many) are the exceptional focal range on FF with such a low weight: there are less extreme APS-C zooms that weigh one and a half times, just to say. Optically it is really good from 15 upwards, below it is very good in the center, in the extreme corners it is slightly less bright but nothing that you cannot use professionally. Given the bulbous lens it suffers a bit from flare, again nothing serious. Distortion and vignetting in the norm, perhaps a little less than other comparable lenses. Obviously such an extreme UWA must be used carefully, perspective distortion is around the corner at the slightest inclination. Arriving a little longer would be ideal, but you would probably pay in size. In my opinion it is a must have for those who do architecture photography on Sony; I also prefer it to the GM, which is optically superior, due to its greater lightness and compactness. sent on October 09, 2024 |
 | Sony 100mm f/2.8 Macro Pros: Image quality, cost used Cons: Suffers from a bit of sensor reflection Opinion: Sony-branded reissue of one of Minolta's best film lenses. I use it manually on A7ii with the La-ea3 both for macro and for other things. It produces razor-sharp images from corner to corner even on digital. Excellent micro-contrast and typical Minolta colors. Good, not great, bokeh. "Old school" metal construction. The only flaws are a certain tendency to sensor reflection with white backgrounds and a weight balance in my opinion not ideal on A7 with adapter. Rating 9.5. sent on August 30, 2024 |
 | Sony SLT A58 Pros: Cost, electronic viewfinder, AF, battery life Cons: produces somewhat weak images, plasticky body, so-so ISO tightness Opinion: Taken to replace my trusty A290, it has never fascinated me. I kept it a couple of years before moving to the A7 (another world). I'm not saying that the images it produces are bad, but compared to the A290 they seem to lack "energy", I don't know how to put it better. Probably a lack of contrast and saturation that makes them appear "rubbery" to me. For the rest it is a decent machine, even if clearly cheap (the plastic filler neck is just a fall in style). In its favor (at least for me) the electronic viewfinder, which provides a series of useful functions including focus peaking very useful for those who like to shoot in all manual. The battery life is excellent and the AF is good. The ISO seal, bah. A little better than the A290 but not by much, let's say that you shoot quietly up to 400 ISO, then the noise becomes intrusive especially in the shadowy areas where there is also a lot of chromatic noise. Generally it didn't impress me, even if with the right lenses some good photos could always come out. Today it can be found used for just over 100 euros, certainly at that price it could also be considered as the first camera to practice photography. sent on August 16, 2024 |
 | Sony A290 Pros: Price, image quality at ISO 100, weight and size Cons: Yield over 200 ISO, battery life, small viewfinder, sensor easy to get dirty Opinion: My first digital reflex, bought because it cost much less than an equivalent Nikon or Canon. Its strong point is the image quality that its CCD churns out if there is good light; detailed images full of contrast and color that the next series of SLTs dreams of. Outdoors he took photos of me that ended up in the NY Times, just to say. Defects: well it's easy. It is a very plasticky super-cheap and with very few controls, the viewfinder is tiny. The noise is already abundant at 400 ISO making the photos effectively unusable above 200 ISO. The battery does not last long. The sensor looks like a magnet attracts dirt when changing lenses. The AF only works well in bright light. Nevertheless... even now when I look at the images taken with the A290 and the lenses that I combined the most (the Sigma 10-20 F4-5.6 and the SAL 55-200, nothing exceptional) I still like them very much, I think it is the particular engraving and clarity of the image that it returned that still make them very enjoyable after almost fifteen years. sent on August 16, 2024 |
 | Sigma 10-20mm f/4-5.6 EX DC HSM Pros: Cost of used, focal range, sharpness in the center Cons: sharpness at the edges Opinion: I used it successfully for a long time on various Sony APS-C with A mount, until one day it stopped working properly (an "autopsy" revealed that one of the gears of the focusing system had broken, unfortunately made of pure plastic evidently of not excellent quality). What can I say, it has a focal range for me perfect for architectural photos (equivalent to 15-30 on FF) with excellent sharpness in the center. Less positive but acceptable distortion, quite present and vignetting. On the other hand, the sharpness at the edges is poor, even if the diaphragm is very much, but these are things that are only seen on the monitor, printing at reasonable sizes is more than acceptable. Recommended nowadays if you find it used at a good price. sent on March 14, 2023 |
 | Minolta AF 100-300mm f/4.5-5.6 Apo Pros: Lightness and small size, image quality Cons: Difficult manual focus over 200mm Opinion: I have the APO version (not D) that I use on a7II with the LA-EA3 adapter (so manual). Small and very light, it fits in any bag, even the most "crowded". The image quality is excellent, especially up to 200/250 then drops slightly but still remaining more than acceptable; very sharp lens, although not at the level of the Minolta 100 2.8 macro that on this is a sample. In manual and with focus peaking + zoom EF it is easy to pull out good photos up to 200 mm, also thanks to the stabilization of the A7 II; after things get more complicated because, even at F11, the depth of field at 300mm is poor and the MAF ring is dune and with little excursion and does not always make it easy to focus properly. sent on September 30, 2022 |
 | Sony A7 II Pros: Price, image quality, IBIS Cons: dust-friendly, high ISO performance, price targets Opinion: Bought in 2019 used but practically new and still under warranty. Coming from Sony A290 and A58, the image quality of an FF, even the "old" A7 II is really of another level. The pros: excellent image quality at low ISO, impressive shadow recovery capacity, the 5-axis IBIS stabilizes any lens including the old Minolta and Sony for A mount, compact and quality body, I really like the electronic viewfinder also because it allows functions (focus peaking, preview magnification, etc ..) that the optical viewfinder can not have. The cons: performance at high ISO lower than the competition (compared to Nikon d610 which also has the same sensor but also with the a7III), horrendous automatic color balance on jpg (turned to yellow in a reckless way, but so much is machine that for me it makes sense only using RAW files), old generation AF, the sensor gets dirty with nothing (just change the lens outdoors, even with all the possible precautions, and you immediately find new stains on the image), the battery lasts a little (for a whole day of photos a second battery is indispensable). Speech apart from the absurd price of Sony FE lenses, fortunately you can make a starting kit with some excellent A-attack lenses and with the Samyang. In summary: the Sony A7 II is a machine not free from defects and now in many ways obsolete but, at a cost (new or used) shredded, you take home a proper FF with which you can even take professional photos. Obviously as long as you combine it with quality lenses and maybe a good tripod. PS: remember also to invest about twenty euros in a kit for cleaning the sensor ... sent on September 29, 2022 |
 | Samyang AF 14mm f/2.8 FE Pros: Price, construction, weight, optical performance in the center and at the edges at closed apertures Cons: sharpness at the edges with open frames (read below), fixed focal length, firmware update only with docking station Opinion: For me it is a surprising lens, particularly if you consider the price, which although not very low in absolute is the cheapest solution for a supergrandagolo FE with autofocus. I use it with an A7II for architecture and exhibition reportage, in the end I am putting it to the test in a hard way only now (I bought it just before the pandemic) and I must say that I am satisfied, once I understand the limits and peculiarities. First of all it is said that there is a lot of variability on the copies, mine seems to me, however, good, I do not notice obvious optical defects. Autofocus: the AF I found accurate even in conditions of very little light, I generally prefer to set the AF on central spot or flexible spot, and even more use it manually (see below) even if the "by wire" ring is a bit 'too sensitive for my taste. Distortion: there is, nothing to say but with a 14 you have to expect it, you can not shoot with a similar focal length as if it were a 28. Optical quality: The Sammy 14 AF is very sharp in the center, apparently less at the edges but still acceptable as long as you close the aperture a little. In the center it is more than acceptable already at F/3.2, which seems to me to be a remarkable performance in absolute. Actually, working on it a bit, I realized that this lens suffers from a slight curvature of the focal plane. This translates into seemingly soft edges, but the thing is surmountable by manually focusing at the appropriate distance and closing the aperture (at F11/F13 and focusing around 1.5/2 meters, maybe getting up a little, the whole picture is in focus to infinity and the extreme angles are perfectly sharp, try it to believe) For me, this lens gives its best to F/ 11, where there is also relatively little vignetting (which instead is felt at the open apertures) but is still usable even with open aperture, from F13 you begin to see a bit of diffraction. In short, you have to practice framing and focusing with such an extreme and "nervous" goal, once you have done a little practice the Sammy gives considerable satisfaction. The images it produces are generally well contrasted, three-dimensional and with excellent colors; the ability to get usable photos up to F/2.8 sometimes saves you a service, especially if you move freehand. Of course, having another budget (and a sturdy neck) it is better to throw yourself on the Sony 12-24 GM or the Sigma 14-24 which perhaps have slightly higher octane performance and are zoom (which is often a holy hand). But at the price of the Samyang (which is semi-new under 400 euros), if you stumble upon a good copy it is difficult to find better. PS. A flaw of this lens is that it is not possible to update its firmware through the camera but you have to get an expensive and difficult to find proprietary docking station. sent on April 30, 2022 |
 | Minolta 100mm f/2.8 Macro D AF Pros: Sharpness, colors, build quality, used price Cons: Weight, subject to sensor reflection on digital Opinion: I use it (in non-D version) on Sony A7 II with LE-EA3 adapter obviously in manual focus. For me it's a great lens, if you consider that I paid a little more than a hundred euros, it's a real bargain. It is good both for macro (of flowers and plants in my case) and for architecture and landscape "of detail". Very clear on the whole picture even on today's digital FF, at least at the closed diaphragms that I usually use, and with the classic colors of the old Minolta. Obviously nothing I can say about the autofocus. The possibility of going down to 2.8 (which remains more than acceptably sharp) also allows you to play with a bokeh to my taste very pleasant. Small defects: it weighs a lot and unbalances a little a light and compact machine like the A7 II, this also creates some problems with the spherical head of my Manfrotto stand when I put the machine in the most "daring" positions, for example pointed downwards. If the background is very bright, it sometimes suffers from sensor reflection (i.e. a lighter area appears right in the center of the frame that does not go away even diaphragming to the maximum). There is also a more expensive Sony version that I understand is in fact almost the same as the Minolta. Highly recommended. sent on April 03, 2022 |
 | Minolta AF 35-70mm f/4 Pros: Size, weight, price, sharpness, colors typically Minolta Cons: Macros only 1:2 Opinion: Great lens beyond the ridiculous cost at which it is located (I paid it well... 17 euros). At f11, my copy is awkwardly sharp and crumbles the much more famous Minolta/Sony 100 macro. I use it intensively in manual for botanical photos on the A7 ii and have not yet found its limit. The only flaw is the macro not 1:1. sent on January 31, 2021 |
| Minolta AF 35-70mm f/4 Pros: Size, weight, price, sharpness, colors typically Minolta Cons: Macros only 2:1 Opinion: Great lens beyond the ridiculous cost at which it is located (I paid it well... 17 euros). At f11, my copy is awkwardly sharp and crumbles the much more famous Minolta/Sony 100 macro. I use it intensively in manual for botanical photos on the A7 ii and have not yet found its limit. The only flaw is the macro not 1:1. sent on January 31, 2021 |
 | Samyang AF 14mm f/2.8 Pros: Construction, sharpness, autofocus Cons: Very sensitive manual focus ring, docking station for firmware update Opinion: Bought to replace the Sigma 10-20 in the switch from Sony a58 to A7II. Used for architecture photos. What I like: solid construction, weight and reasonable size, great sharpness (even at the edges, closing a little), colors. What I like less: in manual focus, the focus ring is very sensitive and moves too easily, the firmware update is only possible with an expensive and difficult-to-find proprietary docking station, difficult to mount filters. The distortion is there but it is quite moderate, much much better than the manual version 2.8 but a little more than the Voigtlander 15 and the Laowa 15, however more than acceptable and totally correctable in Lightroom. Pretty content vignetting (much better than the Voigtlander). Always sharp in the middle, drops slightly at the edges, but stopping a little you always get incomparably better results than the Sigma 10-20. I had doubts about the "variable" quality of the Samyangs, but my copy is great. In general I am very satisfied, For the price paid (390 euros half-new) is a great goal. I don't use autofocus often, but having it at the time is still a great convenience. sent on January 31, 2020 |
JuzaPhoto contains affiliate links from Amazon and Ebay and JuzaPhoto earn a commission in case of purchase through affiliate links.May Beauty Be Everywhere Around Me
