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Color Shift When Stopping Down (Sony NEX-7)
The Sony NEX-7 sensor has one major drawback, at least when using “fast” lenses: the color balance shifts strongly from magenta to green as the lens is stopped down.
More precisely, if one white-balances for neutral at f/5.6, then the wider apertures f/4, f/2.8, f/2, f/1.4, f/1.1 become increasingly magenta, though most of the effect is gone by f/2.
The most severe effects are at faster (brighter) apertures up to f/2.8.
Note that under artificial light with oddball spectral distribution, this effect seems absent (I tested LED and fluorescent), so I suspect it is related to the spectral balance of the light source.
The effect seems to occur with the fast lenses I have tested, but since it affects mainly fast apertures up through f/2, it is mainly an issue with f/2 or faster lenses, and even f/2 lenses show less effect. My tests show that it affects both close-focus and infinity focus.
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Diglloyd Guide to LEICA contains in-depth coverage of Leica M system cameras and lenses, with additional coverage of Leica M Monochrom, Leica Q.
Special emphasis is placed on Leica M lenses and certain Zeiss ZM lenses.
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- Aperture series from wide open through stopped down, showing the full range of lens performance and bokeh.
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