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2023-11-07 SHOOTOUT: Sony FE 16-35mm f/2.8 GM II vs Sony FE 12-24mm f/2.8 GM @ 16mm: End of Road, White Mountains

2022-04-05 Fujifilm GFX100/GFX100S: Optimizing Depth of Field Placement for Landscape Photography

2022-02-26 Autofocus Accuracy: Fujifilm GFX100S + Fujifilm GF 35-70mm f/4.5-5.6

2021-05-04 Reader Question: Testing for Focus Shift

2021-03-07 Longer “reach”: Micro Four Thirds vs Cropping Full-Frame or APS-C

2020-10-18 Analyzing Swing and Tilt of Sony A7R IV with Two Samples of Sony FE 12-24mm f/2.8 GM

2020-10-18 Swing and Tilt: Subject Distance vs Lens Focusing Offset

2019-12-09 Phase One IQ4 + Schneider Kreuznach LS 80mm f/2.8 Example: Last Change Wash (depth of field is nil on a 53.4 X 40 mm sensor!)

2019-11-22 On the Way for Testing: Phase One IQ4 150-Megapixel Medium Format System

2019-08-30 Landscape Photographers Looking for Superior Results and Lowest Effort and Fewest Problems Go with Fujifilm GFX100, not Sony A7R IV

2019-05-26 Focus Shift, a General Discussion

2018-10-26 Shootout @ 35mm, Nikon NIKKOR Z 24-70mm f/4 S vs 35mm f/1.8 S: Stand of Bare Aspen by Creek

2018-10-09 Nikon Z7: Image Sharpness vs Zone of Focus, Autofocus Error and Mitigation

2018-08-01 Is It the End of the Development Road for Leica M Cameras? (Updated with Reader Comments)

2018-06-24 Nikon 105mm f/2 DC: Comparing the Defocus Control (DC) Feature

2018-06-22 Bokeh Shootout: Leica 90mm f/2.2 Thambar-M vs Nikon 105mm f/2 DC: Bird of Paradise

2017-11-13 Depth of Field Akin to f/128: an Incredible Near-Far Focus Stack with the Zeiss Milvus 18mm f/2.8

2017-10-27 Nikon D850: 'Focus shift shooting' Feature Most Important Feature since Live View; Focus Stacking is the ONLY Solution to Full Resolution Images

2017-09-26 Sigma 14mm f/1.8 DG HSM Art Aperture Series: Dead and Live Aspen, Dusk

2017-08-10 Fujifilm GFX 50s Firmware Update Might Degrade Focusing by Stopping Down?

2017-08-09 Sony 16-35mm f/2.8 GM: Single Frame Performance at f/9 vs Focus Stacking at f/9 (Bristlecone Log Low View)

2017-04-13 Fujifilm GF 32-64mm f/4 @32mm Focus Stack: Barroom Interior

2017-02-24 Sigma Announces 14mm f/1.8 DG HSM Art for Nikon and Canon DSLRs and Sigma sa

2016-12-02 Want a Fast Lens for Micro Four Thirds? HandeVision IBELUX 40mm f/0.85 is 71% Off

2016-10-15 Reader Question: Focusing with Sony Mirrorless

2016-09-19 Olympus 25mm f/1.2 PRO

2016-09-04 Focus Stacking with Sony 85/1.4 GM: Getting that Impossible Depth of Field for Landscape Scenes

2016-09-01 Panasonic Leica DG Summilux 12mm f/1.4 ASPH

2016-08-28 Focus Stacking: Banishes Depth of Field Limitations for Many Field Images

2016-07-26 Perception and Imaging

Most recent pages at other diglloyd sites:

See also 7 pages at macperformanceguide.com

See also 3 pages at windinmyface.com

2023-11-29 “Your iCloud Storage Is Almost Full” — How To Backup Your iPhone To A Mac Instead Of Paying Rent

2023-02-01 Jonathan Turley: “Objectivity Has Got To Go”: News Leaders Call for the End of Objective Journalism

2022-11-01 ‘Speed of Science’ — A Scandal Beyond Your Wildest Nightmare

2016-04-27 What’s all the Fuss About iPhone Security Anyway?

2015-12-27 End of the Year: 3 Days Left for Small Business to Write off that new Computer, Camera, etc

2015-12-22 Recommended Computer Upgrades, B&H Free Overnight + Small Business Deduction Note

2015-12-14 End of the Year: Time for Small Business Owners to Consider Getting that new Computer Gear, etc

2015-04-03 External Iliac Artery Endofibrosis and Leg Pain in Cyclists

2011-12-01 End of Life for the Apple Mac Pro? Still no word from Apple

2011-11-01 End of Life for the Apple Mac Pro?

Sharpness and Blur by Optics

Blur from optical behavior or subject-related issue..

  1. Blur by Focus Shift
  2. Blur by Depth of Field

Digital Sensor Technology

Digital capture technology is discrete, and not the same as film..

  1. Resolving to the Sensor Resolution
  2. Future Cameras and Lenses

How To Get Peak Sharpness With Perfect Focus

Focusing is more complicated than it first appears..

  1. Focusing Overview
  2. Bracket Your Focus
  3. Focus Fast Lenses Stopped Down
  4. Hedge Your Bet By Stopping Down
  5. Case Study: Major Sharpness Gains via Ideal Focus with Lenses having Peripheral Forward Field Curvature (Pine Creek High Peaks)

Focusing Accuracy (Case Studies)

Focusing accuracy and errors..

  1. Focus Bracketing with a 15mm Lens on Nikon D800E

Depth of Field

Controlling the zone of sharp detail..

  1. Depth of Field As a Creative Tool
  2. Circle Of Confusion
  3. What are F-stop and T-stop?
  4. Format-Equivalent Depth of Field and F-Stop
  5. Case Study: Format-Equivalent F-Stop: Micro Four Thirds vs 35mm Full Frame (Pellegrino)
  6. Case Study: Format-Equivalent F-Stop: APS-C vs 35mm Full Frame (Pellegrino)
  7. Depth of Field at the Periphery
  8. Delay in Depth of Field by Double-Image Bokeh
  9. Delay in Depth of Field by Color Divergence
  10. What is Acceptably Sharp?
  11. Practical Tips
  12. Example: Sensor Size and Focal Length (Bottles)
  13. Depth of Field (Photo Techniques Nov/Dec 2009 PDF)

Depth of Field Mitigations

Increasing Depth of Field by means other than stopping down..

  1. Depth of Field: Bypassing the Limits Using a Tilt Lens
  2. Focusing for Optimal Tilt Placement
  3. Example: Using a Tilt Lens for Product/Tabletop Photography (D800E, Pellegrino)
  4. Example: Using a Tilt Lens to Isolate a Subject (D800E, Pellegrino)
  5. Example: Using a Tilt Lens for a Landscape Scene
  6. Example: Focus Stacking For Infinite DOF (Wagon)

Focus Stacking Overview

Bypass the limits on depth of field and diffraction..

  1. Overview of Focus Stacking
  2. Focus Stacking = ONLY Solution for Full Resolution with High-Res Digital
  3. Focus Stacking Gains in Sharpness vs Single Frame, File Size as a Proxy Measurement
  4. Automated Focus Stepping for Stacking (Nikon D850 in Particular)

Focus Stacking Shooting Tips

Best practices for shooting stacking frames..

  1. Tips for Focusing for Focus Stacking
  2. Why Lens Performance Matters for Focus Stacking

Focus Stacking Examples

Examples of Focus Stacking..

  1. Example: Near-Macro Focus Stacking (Shimano Cassette)
  2. Example: 3-Frame Stack (Warm and Cool Aspen, Nikon D810)
  3. Example: Medium-Far Range (Two Bristlecone Logs on Hillside)
  4. Example: Stacking at 135mm (Unicorn and Cathedral Peaks)
  5. Example: Near Far at 28mm (Hardy Pine View of Unicorn and Cathedral Peaks)
  6. Example: Vista at 85mm (View North in Blue Dusk from Pothole Dome)
  7. Example: Handheld (Dana Lake)
  8. Example: Close Range to Distance at 18mm (Backlit Boulders)
  9. Example: Subject Movement (9050 Pine Creek Rd Waterfall)
  10. Example: Extreme Range Perfection (Weathered Bristlecones)
  11. Example: Dual Not-Quite-Enough Examples (Bristlecones Near to Far)
  12. Example: Shallow Stack for Sharpness in Narrow Zone (Blue Engine on Green Machine)
  13. Example: Two-Frame Stack (Spuller Lake, Zeiss Loxia 35/2)
  14. Example: Two-Frame Stack (Huge Boulder, Sony 85/1.4 GM)
  15. Example: Getting Close to 50 Megapixels in Real Photography (Spotted Boulder, Canon 5Ds R)
  16. Example: Getting Close to 50 Megapixels in Real Photography (Lundy Beaver Pond, Canon 5Ds R)

Diffraction

Getting peak performance from your lens.

  1. Diffraction—Resolution Taxed to Its Limits
  2. Influence of Pixel Size
  3. Diffraction Limits for High Resolution DSLR (Dolls, Nikon D7100)

Field Curvature

Zone of focus, not plane of focus.

  1. The Zone of Sharp Focus

Field Curvature (Case Studies)

Actual example of field curvature..

  1. Field Curvature with Zeiss 15mm f/2.8 Distagon

Focus Shift (Case Studies)

Focus shift with a variety of lenses..

  1. Focus Shift Over the Frame, Nikon 14-24mm f/2.8G (Cabin)
  2. Dual-Focus Focus Shift : Nikon 45mm f/2.8P (Dolls, Canon 5DM3)

Spherical Aberration

Diffuse haze at wide apertures..

  1. Spherical Aberration

Longitudinal Chromatic Aberration

Understanding Longitudinal (Axial) chromatic aberration (LOCA)..

  1. Longitudinal Chromatic Aberration (LOCA / Violet Fringing)

Secondary Longitudinal Chromatic Aberration

Secondary Longitudinal Chromatic Aberration (SLOCA)..

  1. Case Study: Secondary Color Variance with Focus

How to Test A Lens

How to verify a good sample and assess all aspects of lens performance..

  1. Focusing Accuracy When Testing

Shooting Considerations

All about shooting in infrared..

  1. Backfocus and Aperture

Image Quality Issues

Unique challenges of digital infrared..

  1. Choice of Aperture / Depth of Field

Panasonic S1R Multi-Shot High-Res Mode

Evaluating Multi-Shot High-Res Mode..

  1. Panasonic S1R: Best Shooting Practices for Multi-Shot High-Res Mode

Panasonic Lumix S PRO 50mm f/1.4

Premium fast normal lens for L-Mount..

  1. Aperture Series: Pines by Creek (Panasonic S1R)
  2. Shootout: Leica 50mm f/1.4 SL vs Panasonic LUMIX S PRO 50mm f/1.4: Rotten Log

Sigma L-Mount

Sigma 28mm f/1.4 DG HSM Art.

  1. Shootout: Leica 28/2 APO-Summicron-SL vs Leica 28/1.4 Summilux-M, Leica 28/2 Summicron-M, Sigma 28/1.4 DG HSM Art: Popcorn and Pumpkins (Leica SL2)

Leica SL2

47 megapixel with Multi-Shot Hi-Res mode..

  1. Leica SL2 Multi-Shot High-Res Mode vs ACR Super Resolution Mode

Leica SL

24-Megapixel vs mirrorless..

  1. Leica SL: Focusing Errors in the Field

Leica 28mm f/2 APO-Summicron-SL ASPH

Fast short wide angle lens for L-Mount cameras..

  1. Examples: Tenaya Canyon (Leica SL2)
  2. Shootout: Leica 28/2 APO-Summicron-SL vs Leica 28/1.4 Summilux-M, Leica 28/2 Summicron-M, Sigma 28/1.4 DG HSM Art: Popcorn and Pumpkins (Leica SL2)
  3. Aperture Series: Dry Waterfall (Leica SL2)

Leica 50mm f/1.4 Summilux-SL ASPH

Fast apochromatic prime lens for L-Mount cameras..

  1. MTF for Leica 50mm f/1.4 Summilux-SL ASPH
  2. Shootout: Leica 50mm f/1.4 SL vs Panasonic LUMIX S PRO 50mm f/1.4: Rotten Log

Leica 50mm f/2 APO-Summicron-SL ASPH

Fast short normal lens for L-Mount cameras..

  1. Examples: Backyard (Leica SL2)
  2. Lens Skew, Optical Swing
  3. Aperture Series: View Through Trees towards Cloud’s Rest

Leica 75mm f/2 APO-Summicron-SL ASPH

Fast short telephoto lens for L-Mount cameras..

  1. Unstable Focus: Orange Pine Tree Trunk
  2. Aperture Series: Huge Pine Among Aspen
  3. Aperture Series: Decrepit Green Building at Ellery Lake
  4. Aperture Series: Natural Bonsai Above Beaver Pond

Leica 90mm f/2 APO-Summicron-SL ASPH

Fast short telephoto lens for L-Mount cameras..

  1. Aperture Series: Mosaic, Focus Shift Evaluation
  2. Aperture Series: Huge Pine Among Aspen

Leica 24-90mm f/2.8-4 Vario-Elmarit-SL ASPH OIS

All-arounder zoom with dubious optical compromises..

  1. Focus Shift and Autofocus Evaluation at 90mm

Sigma SD1 Merrill

Sigma/Foveon true-color sensor in a DSLR body..

  1. Aperture Series: 18-35mm f/1.8 @ 25mm (SD1M, Leaves on Still Water)

Nikon D850

The best becomes better..

  1. Sensor Resolution: Technical Challenges in Exploiting It

Nikon D810

Improvements on the workhorse D800E..

  1. D810 vs D800E: ISO 3200 Noise + White Balance + Sharpness (Decorated Bike)
  2. Nikon D810 + Zeiss Otus 55/1.4 APO vs Pentax 645Z (Pine Creek Sunflowers)

Nikon D800E

36 megapixels in a compact full-frame DSLR..

  1. Examples — Initial Miscellaneous
  2. Examples — Church Interior
  3. Optimal Aperture, Depth of Field

Nikon D850 Monochrome Conversion by MaxMax.com

D850 with the RGB Bayer matrix removed for a true monochrome sensor..

  1. Examples: Eastern Sierra Man-Made Structures

Nikon D600

Full-frame 24 megapixel DSLR..

  1. Field Comparison: D600 vs D800 (Pine Creek Tungsten Mine)

Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 70-200mm f/2.8E FL ED VR

Nikon’s finest 70-200 zoom as of 2017..

  1. Aperture Series @ 70mm: Tailings Piles (Nikon D810)

Nikon AF-S 70-200mm f/4 ED VR and 70-200mm f/2.8 ED VR II

Which speed zoom for the Nikon D800/D800E?.

  1. Comparison: Focus Shift at Close Range

Nikon AF-S 70-200mm f/2.8G ED VR II

Nikon’s bread and butter telephoto zoom.

  1. Examples: Backyard Frost
  2. Optimal Aperture on D3s

Nikon AF-S Nikkor 200mm f/2G ED VR II

Ultra fast 200mm with gorgeous bokeh and high resolving power..

  1. Focus Shift Assessment at ~10 Meters, Ruled Target (Nikon D810)
  2. Sharpness and Focus Shift at Close Range, Dolls (Nikon D810)

Nikon D3x 24.4-megapixel DSLR review

Includes: D3x resolution comparisons (res chart) with Nikon D3, Canon EOS 1Ds Mark III, resolution comparison on outdoor shot with Nikon D3, large examples, large wildlife examples, Nikon 200mm f/2 VR on D3x, long exposure noise ISO series, D3x sensitivity on diffraction, D3x dynamic range at ISO 100 vs ISO 50, D3x vs D3 color and noise..

  1. Examples

Nikon vs Canon: noise and sharpness

Nikon vs Canon: Noise and Sharpness.

  1. Sharpness—extensive comparison

Canon 14mm f/2.8L II

In-depth review of the Canon EF 14mm f/2.8L II including flare, distortion, field curvature, resolution charts, numerous field examples and comparison to the Nikon 14-24mm f/2.8G. The Canon EF 14/2.8L II is a superb lens, but with some peculiarities which may enhance or degrade its appeal for different uses. The review is as much a “user guide” as a review; even if you use this lens it’s well worth your time to read this review..

  1. Examples
  2. Resolution Chart on 21.1MP EOS 1Ds Mark III
  3. Focusing Tips

Voigtlander 40mm f/2.8 SL II Color-Skopar

Ultra compact normal lens..

  1. Examples—40/2 Ultron

Canon TS-E 90mm f/2.8

Medium telephoto tilt/shift lens.

  1. Aperture Series: Wyman Canyon Lower Cabin (5D Mark III)

Canon TS-E 135mm f/4L Macro

Medium-long telephoto tilt/shift lens.

  1. Aperture Series with Tilt: Sprinter Van at Sunrise, Reflected Peaks

Nikon 19mm f/4E ED PC-E

Ultra wide tilt/shift lens.

  1. Shifting for Stitching: Double the Camera Megapixels (Alpine Creek)
  2. Aperture Series: Focus Shift on Frosty Picnic Table (Nikon D810)

Nikon 85mm f/2.8D PC-E Micro-Nikkor

Medium telephoto tilt/shift macro focusing lens.

  1. Aperture Series: Wyman Canyon Lower Cabin (Nikon D800E)

Shift Lenses for Nikon and Canon

[Older material, but still relevant]. Shift lens performance of Nikon/Canon/Schneider/Olympus on various cameras..

  1. Nikon PC-E 24mm f/3.5D ED
  2. Nikon PC-E 45mm f/2.8D ED

Landscape Photography at Wide Apertures

Escape the banale postcard look by shooting landscapes at f/1.4 or f/0.95..

  1. Wide Aperture Landscapes, Introduction
  2. Examples with Leica 50mm f/0.95 Noctilux-M ASPH
  3. Examples with Nikon AF-S 24mm f/1.4G

Stimulating your photographic creativity

Approaches to making fresh new images..

  1. Isolate Your Subject

Pentax K-1

36-megapixel full-frame DSLR with SuperRes Pixel Shift Mode..

  1. Focus Stacking in SuperRes Mode (Pair of Pears)

Pentax HD DA 24-70mm f/2.8 SDM ED

Bread and butter zoom lens..

  1. Overview of Pentax HD DA 24-70mm f/2.8 SDM ED

Pentax smc Pentax-D FA 100mm f/2.8 WR Macro

Macro lens focusing to life size 1:1..

  1. Aperture Series: Burghers of Calais (Pentax K-1 SuperRes, Color and BW)

Pentax HD DA Limited 15mm f/4 ED

APS-C wide angle lens equivalent to 22mm on full-frame..

  1. Aperture Series: Ice on Beaver Pond at Sunrise (Pentax K3)

Pentax HD DA Limited 35mm f/2.8 Macro

APS-C normal lens equivalent to 53mm on full-frame..

  1. Aperture Series: Sidelit Barn (Pentax K3)

Pentax HD DA Limited 40mm f/2.8

APS-C slightly tele normal lens equivalent to 60mm on full-frame..

  1. Aperture Series: Sidelit Barn (Pentax K3)

Pentax HD DA Limited 70mm f/2.4

APS-C moderate telephoto equivalent to 105mm on full-frame..

  1. Aperture Series: Sidelit Barn (Pentax K3)

Canon 24mm f/2.8 IS USM

Canon’s compact high-performance 24mm prime..

  1. Aperture Series: Tioga Lake and Mt Dana
  2. Examples: 5D Mark III (White Mountains, Yosemite)

Canon 40mm f/2.8 STM

Canon’s tiny and lovely pancake lens..

  1. Aperture Series: Ancient Bristlecone Pine (with Focus Shift Analysis)
  2. Aperture Series: Green Machine, Oblique View (5DS R)

Canon 50mm Lenses

Is Canon’s f/1.2 lens really better than an inexpensive f/1.4 or f/1.8?.

  1. Aperture Series Canon 50/1.2L (5D Mark III, Wyman Cabin Table)

Canon 85mm f/1.4L IS USM

Canon’s best-ever medium telephoto and with image stabilization..

  1. Aperture Series: Hanging Dead Brown Needles Pine Branch

Canon 35mm f/1.4L II

Canon’s updated fast 35mm prime, evaluated on Canon 5DS R..

  1. Aperture Series: Wood at Base of Waterfall, Gold Glimmer

Canon 35mm f/2 IS

Canon’s image stabilized 35mm..

  1. Compared vs 35mm f/1.4L, 24-70/2.8L II (MTB, Canon 5DM3)
  2. Focus Shift, Close Range

Sigma 12-24mm f/4 DG HSM Art

Fast constant-aperture ultrawide zoom..

  1. Aperture Series @ 12mm: Sunlight on the Beaver Pond
  2. Aperture Series @20mm: Forest Stream

Sigma 14-24mm f/2.8 DG HSM Art

Superwide optimized zoom lens..

  1. Aperture Series @ 14mm: Checkerboard Mesa, Zion
  2. Aperture Series @ 14mm: Sand Dunes Junction, Mesquite Dunes, Death Valley
  3. Aperture Series @ 23mm: Sandy Wash in Side Canyon, Zion

Sigma 24-35mm f/2 DG HSM Art

Mid-range optimized groundbreaking f/2 zoom..

  1. Shootout: vs Sigma 24-105mm f/4A: Colorful Creek

Sigma 14mm f/1.8 DG HSM Art

A whopping 4/3 stop faster than other lenses in its range..

  1. Overview of Sigma 14mm f/1.8 DG HSM Art
  2. Aperture Series: Slush Ice on Shallow Pond
  3. Aperture Series + Focus Stack: Dead and Live Aspen, Dusk
  4. Focus Stack: Two Aspen at Beaver Pond, Sunset
  5. Aperture Series: View to High Peaks from Chickenfoot Lake, Sunset
  6. Aperture Series + Focus Stack: Boulder View to Sub-Peak of Mt Conness

Sigma 24mm f/1.4 DG HSM Art

Sigma’s fast high performance wide angle..

  1. Aperture Series: Bird of Paradise Flower (Canon 5DM3)
  2. Aperture Series: Water Wears Its Way (Nikon D810)
  3. Aperture Series: Collapsed Ranch House at Sunset (Nikon D810)

Sigma 35mm f/1.4 DG HSM Art

Sigma’s fast and affordable moderate excellent wide angle..

  1. Compared vs Canon 35mm f/1.4L (Dolls, Canon 5DM3)
  2. Examples (Alpine Creek, Canon 5DM3)
  3. Compared to Nikon AF-S 35mm f/1.4G (Summit Building, Nikon D800E)
  4. Aperture Series: White/Green Beater Bike (Nikon D800E)
  5. Aperture Series: Red Beater Bike (Nikon D800E)

Sigma 40mm f/1.4 DG HSM Art

Extraordinary optical efforts for outstanding performance..

  1. Aperture Series: Laws Railroad Museum Locomotive
  2. Examples: Laws Railroad Museum
  3. Examples: Lundy Canyon Portraits

Sigma 50mm f/1.4 DG HSM Art

Sigma’s fast high performance normal lens..

  1. Sigma 50/1.4A vs Nikon 50/1.4G, 50/1.8G (Nikon D810, Decorated Bike)
  2. Aperture Series: Backlit Bristlecones (5D Mark III)
  3. Aperture Series: Wyman Cabin (5D Mark III)
  4. Near/Far Focus Series: Tuolumne River Cascade (5D Mark III)

Sigma 85mm f/1.4 DG HSM Art

Sigma’s best portrait lens..

  1. Examples, Focus Stacking: Eastern Sierra (Nikon D850)

Sigma 105mm f/1.4 DG HSM Art

Extraordinary optical efforts for class-leading performance?.

  1. Examples: Portraits
  2. Assessing Focus Shift @ ~1.5m: Picnic Table Wooden Surface

Sigma 135mm f/1.8 DG HSM Art

Fastest 135mm lens yet, with ultra high performance..

  1. Aperture Series: Hotel Cerro Gordo, Deep Dusk (Nikon D810)

Sigma Telephoto APO Macro Lenses: 150mm, 180mm

Sigma’s fast telephoto APO macro lenses..

  1. Sigma 180/2.8 APO vs Leica 180/2.8 APO vs Voigtlander 180/4 APO (Mosaic)
  2. Examples (Various, D800E)

Schneider PC-TS Super-Angulon 28mm f/4.5 HM Aspheric

Wide angle tilt/shift lens at 28mm..

  1. Aperture Series: Maple Trees at Close Range, 12mm Fall (D810)
  2. Aperture Series: Drive Train and Chromatic Correction, 12mm Shift (D810)

Nikon 45mm f/2.8P

Ultra compact pancake lens with nice bokeh.

  1. Dual-Focus Aperture Series: Dolls (Canon 5DM3)

Nikon 50mm f/1.2 AIS

Nikon’s classic high speed normal lens.

  1. Aperture Series: Cottonwood Stump (D800E)

Nikon AF-S Nikkor 50mm f/1.8G

Nikon’s High Performance Moderately-Priced 50mm..

  1. Examples in Yosemite, Emphasis on f/1.8

Nikon AF-S Nikkor 58mm f/1.4G

Nikon’s High performance normal lens.

  1. Nikon 58/1.4G Introduction
  2. Close Range Comparison vs NOCT-Nikkor (D800E, Bathroom)
  3. Shootout: 58/1.4G vs 50/1.4G, 50/1.8G, 50/1.2 AIS (D800E, Beaver Dam)
  4. Aperture Series: Boulder Logjam (D800E)
  5. Aperture Series: DeChambeau Ranch 'Garage at Dusk' (D800E)
  6. Aperture Series: DeChambeau Ranch Cottonwood Rounds (D800E)
  7. Aperture Series: Flyers on Kiosk (D800E)

Nikon AF Micro Nikkor 200mm f/4.0D IF-ED

Nikon’s workhorse 200mm macro lens, and not just sharp at close-ups!.

  1. Examples

Nikon AF-S Nikkor 20mm f/1.8G

Nikon’s fast ultra wide angle..

  1. Shooting at Dusk: f/1.8 vs f/2.8 (D810, Egg Erratic)
  2. Aperture Series: Green and Orange Pumpkins (D810)
  3. Aperture Series: Glacial Erratics in Blue Skylight, Westering Sunstar (D810)
  4. Aperture Series: Glacial Erratic To Peak (D810)
  5. Aperture Series: Pine Creek Sun Wedge (D810)
  6. Aperture Series: Sparkling Lake (D810)

Nikon AF-S Nikkor 24-70mm f/2.8E ED VR

Versatile image-stabilized mid-range zoom..

  1. Nikon 24-70/2.8E VR vs 24/1.8G: Snowy White Mountain Road

Olympus Zuiko Auto-S 50mm f/1.2

An ultra-fast older design still offers appeal on modern digital..

  1. Aperture Series: Poppies and Pots (Sony A7R)
  2. Aperture Series: Teak Bench, Pots, Grasses (Sony A7R)

Nikon AF-S 60mm f/2.8G Macro

Comparing the new Nikon 60mm to its predecessors, and the Coastal Optics 60/4 APO..

  1. Product Photography (Bicycle)

Coastal Optics 60mm f/4 UV-VIS-IR APO Macro

A superlative multi-spectral lens with perfect color correction..

  1. Aperture Series: Poppies and Pots (Sony A7R)
  2. Aperture Series: Teak Bench, Pots, Grasses (Sony A7R)
  3. Aperture Series: Dense Stand of White Aspen (Nikon Z7)
  4. Aperture Series: Dense Stand of Aspen to Mountainside of Scrub Aspen (Nikon Z7)

Canon EF 11-24mm f/4L USM

Extreme wide angle zoom..

  1. Aperture Series @ 11mm: Defunct Mining Hotel Bar (5DM3)
  2. Aperture Series @ 11mm: Pescadero Creek Downstream (Canon 5DM3)
  3. Aperture Series @ 16mm: Pescadero Creek Downstream (Canon 5DM3)

Canon EF 16-35mm f/2.8L III

Is the 3rd time the charm?.

  1. Examples #3 of 3: Lundy Lake and Meadows

Canon EF 16-35mm f/4L IS

Canon’s compact image stabilized wide angle zoom..

  1. Aperture Series @ 16mm: Mosaic (Canon 5DM3)

Canon 24-70mm f/2.8L II and 24-70mm f/4L IS

Canon’s premium mid-range zooms..

  1. Aperture Series: Close Range at 70mm (Dolls)
  2. Aperture Series: Barcroft Gate Outhouse (@ 70mm)

Nikon AF-S 35mm f/1.4G

State of the art design in a fast 35mm lens..

  1. Autofocus Errors with Nikon D3x, D3s
  2. Examples
  3. Aperture Series f/1.4...f/11 — Creek
  4. Aperture Series f/1.4...f/11 — Tree Trunk

Nikon AF-S 35mm f/1.8G

Relatively inexpensive alternative to the pro 35/1.4G..

  1. vs 35/1.4G (D800E, Gray Bench)

Nikon AF-S 85mm f/1.4G

State of the art design in a fast 85mm lens..

  1. Examples in Yosemite and White Mountains
  2. Aperture Series f/1.4 - f/11 Lembert Dome

Nikon AF-S 105mm f/1.4E ED

Nikon’s best-ever f/1.4 lens?.

  1. Aperture Series: Orange Aspen by Towering Monolith (Nikon D810)
  2. Nikon 105/1.4E vs 105/2.8 Micro: Beaver-Gnawed Dead Aspen Trunk, Yellow Leaves

Nikon 105mm f/2 DC

Strong telephoto lens with special control over spherical aberration..

  1. Neutral, Rear Defocus, Front Defocus from f/2 through f/11 (Bird of Paradise)

Nikon AF-S 300mm f/4E PF ED VR

Compact and lightweight travel-friendly telephoto..

  1. Apertures Series: Looped Oil Pipes (Nikon D810)
  2. Apertures Series: Oak Tree at Dusk (Nikon D810)

Canon 200mm f/2L IS USM

A review of Canon’s 200mm f/2L mini super telephoto. Not just for sports, it makes a great landscape lens..

  1. Examples (Forest)
  2. Examples (Various)

Canon EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS II

A review of Canon’s new 100-400mm zoom.

  1. Examples Handheld, Beach Wildlife (Canon 5DM3)

Canon-Wide Angle Prime Lenses

Comparing the 16-35mm f/2.8L II to most of Canon’s wide angle prime lenses. Optical performance, ergonomics, focus, build quality..

  1. 35mm Comparison: White Mountains

Nikon AF 16mm f/2.8D Fisheye

Exploring the 16mm fisheye for landscape photography, and correcting fisheye distortion..

  1. Examples: Bristlecones, Yosemite, Creekside

Nikon AF-S 14-24mm f/2.8G ED

Nikon’s ultra wide angle zoom and the Nikon 14mm f/2.8, critical focus shift behavior..

  1. Focus Shift: Nikon 14-24 Across The Frame, Focus f/2.8 vs f/5.6 (Cabin)

Hartblei 40/80/120mm SuperRotators

Medium format Zeiss glass in Hartblei precision tilt/shift lens barrels!.

  1. Aperture Series 80/2.8: DeChambeau Outbuilding (Nikon D800E)
  2. Examples—120/4

Focus Shift In-Depth

Focus shift assesments of a wide variety of lenses of various brands. Shows a range of apertures for each lens and the mount of focus shift, discusses how to compensate for it..

  1. 50mm Lenses: Canon, Nikon, Zeiss, Olympus, Sony, Sigma

Medium Format Magazine

Articles written for MediumFormat.com..

  1. Maximize Image Quality with Shot Discipline, Part 1: Introduction, Focusing (November 2018)
  2. Maximize Image Quality with Shot Discipline, Part 2: Depth of Field and Diffraction, Focus Stacking (December 2018)
  3. Maximize Image Quality with Shot Discipline, Overview with Key Tips
  4. 100 Megapixel Medium Format: Perspectives from Field Use of the Hasselblad H6D-100C (April 2019)
  5. Fujifilm GF 50mm f/3.5: Awesome First Choice for Fujifilm Medium Format (May 2020)

Phase One XF and XT Full-Frame Medium Format

Phase One XF System, Phase One IQ4, Schneider Kreuznach Lenses.

  1. PhaseOne IQ4 Format Equivalent Focal Length, F-Stop, Depth of Field

Schneider Kreuznach LS 35mm f/3.5

Wide angle 24mm equivalent for Phase One XF system.

  1. Aperture Series: Mosaic (IQ4 150)

Schneider Kreuznach LS 40-80mm f/4-5.6

Mid range zoom 27-54mm equivalent for Phase One XF system.

  1. Aperture Series @ 80mm: Mosaic (IQ4 150)

Schneider Kreuznach LS 80mm f/2.8

Compact normal 54mm equivalent for Phase One XF system.

  1. Examples: Eastern Sierra (IQ4 150)

Schneider Kreuznach LS 150mm f/2.8 IF

Medium telephoto 100mm equivalent for Phase One XF system.

  1. Aperture Series: Plant Life on Silver Canyon Hillside (IQ4 150)
  2. Aperture Series: Clearing Snowstorm, Lundy Canyon View to Mono Lake (IQ4 150)

Fujifilm GFX, General

100 megapixels in a portable package!.

  1. Fujifilm Medium Format Equivalent Focal Length and Depth of Field
  2. Fujifilm GFX100/GFX100S: Optimizing Depth of Field Placement for Landscape Photography
  3. Fujifilm GFX100/GFX100S: Configuring and Using Stopped-Down Manual Focus
  4. Fujifilm GFX100/GFX100S: Diffraction Effects from f/5.6 through f/32

Fujifilm GFX100 II

Updated everything-better after 5 years..

  1. Fujifilm GFX100 II: Bugs and Issues

Fujifilm GFX100S/100 Comparisons

Is 100 better than 45/50/60 megapixels?.

  1. SHOOTOUT: Fujifilm GF 23mm f/4 on GFX100S vs Sony FE 12-24mm f/2.8 GM on Sony A1
  2. SHOOTOUT: Fujifilm GFX100S vs Sony A1: Deck and Roof
  3. SHOOTOUT @ 43mm/35mm: Fujifilm GFX100S vs Sony A7R V Pixel Shift: Huge Laurel at Bend in Alpine Creek
  4. SHOOTOUT @ 43mm/35mm: Fujifilm GFX100S vs Sony A7R V 16-shot Pixel Shift: Huge Laurel at Bend in Alpine Creek
  5. SHOOTOUT: Fujifilm GFX100S vs Nikon D850: Deck and Roof
  6. SHOOTOUT: Fujifilm GFX100S vs Leica SL2 + Leica SL 50/2 APO: Deck and Roof

Fujifilm GFX100

100 megapixels in a portable package!.

  1. Fujifilm GFX100: Bugs and Issues

Fujifilm GFX100 Focus Stacking and FOCUS BKT

100 megapixels in a portable package!.

  1. Fujifilm GFX100/GFX100S: Focus Stacking is All But Mandatory for Landscape and Similar
  2. Fujifilm GFX100: Focus Stacking for Selfies, or People

Fujifilm GFX 50s

Fujifilm skips full-frame to go from APS-C to to medium format..

  1. Fujifilm Medium Format Equivalent Focal Length and Depth of Field

Adapting Other Lenses to Fujifilm GFX

Adapting lenses delivers degraded results in most cases..

  1. Aperture Series: Mamiya 150mm f/4.5, Deck and House (GFX100S)

Fujifilm GF 20-35mm f/4 R WR

Compact wide angle.

  1. Examples: Record Snow in August, Dana Canyon (GFX100S)
  2. Examples: Focus Stacking
  3. Examples: Early Morning Ad-Hoc, Backyard
  4. Aperture Series @ 26mm: Huge Laurel at Alpine Creekbend

Fujifilm GF 30mm f/3.5 R LM WR

Compact wide angle.

  1. Examples: White Mountains
  2. Aperture Series: Bags of Soil
  3. Aperture Series: Bristlecone at Dawn
  4. Aperture Series: Mining Cabin Interior

Fujifilm GF 30mm f/5.6 TS

Wide angle tilt/shift lens.

  1. Overview of Fujifilm GF 30mm f/5.6 TS

Fujifilm GF 32-64mm f/4 R LM WR

Mid-range zoom lens equivalent to 26-53mm f/3.3..

  1. Focus Stack @ 32mm: Barroom Interior (GFX 50S)
  2. Shootout @ 50mm vs GF 35-70, GF 32-64/4: Huge Laurel Along Alpine Creek
  3. Shootout @ 63mm vs GF 35-70, GF 63/2.8: Huge Laurel Along Alpine Creek

Fujifilm GF 35-70mm f/4.5-5.6

Compact wide angle.

  1. Examples: Pine Creek
  2. Examples: White Mountains Snow
  3. SHOOTOUT @ 43/35mm: Fujifilm GFX100S vs Sony A7R V Pixel Shift: Huge Laurel at Bend in Alpine Creek
  4. Aperture Series @ 35mm: Lee Vining Creek
  5. Aperture Series @ 40mm: Flowering Trees along Alpine Creek
  6. Shootout @50mm vs GF 35-70, GF 32-64/4: Huge Laurel Along Alpine Creek
  7. Shootout @ 63mm vs GF 32-64/4, GF 63/2.8: Huge Laurel Along Alpine Creek
  8. SHOOTOUT: Fujifilm GFX100S vs Sony A1: Deck and Roof

Fujifilm GF 45mm f/2.8 R WR

Moderate wide angle equivalent to 37mm f/2.3..

  1. Focus Shift Evaluation (GFX 50S)
  2. Aperture Series with Focus Stack: Iced-Over Beaver Pond (GFX 50S)

Fujifilm GF 45-100mm f/4 R LM OIS WR

Slightly long zoom lens equivalent to 37-82mm f/3.3..

  1. Compared: Fujifilm GF 45-100mm f/4 vs GF 50mm f/3.5: View Towards Mt Whitney

Fujifilm GF 50mm f/3.5 R LM WR

Slightly wide compact normal lens equivalent to 41mm f/2.9..

  1. Examples: Alabama Hills, March
  2. Examples: Mt Whitney Foothills
  3. Aperture Series: Burned Pine Among Boulders
  4. Shootout @ 50mm vs GF 35-70, GF 32-64/4: Huge Laurel Along Alpine Creek
  5. Compared: Fujifilm GF 50mm f/3.5 vs GF 45-100mm f/4: View Towards Mt Whitney

Fujifilm GF 63mm f/2.8 R WR

Standard normal lens equivalent to 52mm f/2.3..

  1. Aperture Series: Aspen and Firs by Lee Vining Creek (GFX 50S, Focus Variability)
  2. Shootout @63mm vs GF 35-70, GF 32-64/4: Huge Laurel Along Alpine Creek

Fujifilm GF 80mm f/1.7 R WR

Standard normal lens equivalent to 66mm f/1.4..

  1. Aperture Series: Aspen Trunks, Dusk
  2. Aperture Series: Large Aspen Trunk, Close View
  3. Aperture Series: Backlit Bristlecones
  4. Aperture Series: Pine Creek Buildings and Machinery

Fujifilm GF 110mm f/2 R WR

Ultra high speed telephoto equivalent to 90mm f/1.6..

  1. Overview of Fujifilm GF 110mm f/2 R WR
  2. Focus Shift Evaluation and Mitigation: Deck and Roof (GFX100S)
  3. Shootout: Fujifilm GF 110mm f/2 R WR vs Fujifilm GF 100-200mm f/5.6: Mosaic with Unstable Lens Focus (GFX100)
  4. Aperture Series: Lone Pine, Waiting for the Sunrise (GFX 50S)

Fujifilm GF 110mm f/5.6 TS

Telephoto tilt/shift macro lens.

  1. Overview of Fujifilm GF 110mm f/5.6 TS

Fujifilm GF 120mm f/4 Macro R LM OIS WR

High performance macro photography on medium format, equivalent to 99mm f/3.3..

  1. Aperture Series @ 1:10: Dolls (GFX 50S)

Fujifilm GF 250mm f/4 OIS R WR

Telephoto equivalent to 200mm lens. .

  1. Overview of Fujifilm GF 250mm f/4 R WR
  2. Aperture Series: Painted Rock(GFX 50S)
  3. Aperture Series: Headlight Closeup (GFX 50R)

Hasselblad H6D-100C

How does the very best perform in the field?.

  1. Introduction to Hasselblad H6D-100C
  2. Conundrum: Depth of Field vs Diffraction

Hasselblad HC 50mm f/3.5 II

High performance moderate wide angle.

  1. Examples: Saddlebag Lake Area, Conness Lakes Area
  2. Examples: Twenty Lakes Basin
  3. Examples: White Tailed Ptarmigan at Dusk
  4. Aperture Series: Moots Mooto X YBB at Icy Lake

Hasselblad HC Macro 120mm f/4 II

High performance all-arounder macro lens.

  1. Examples: Lundy Canyon

Hasselblad X2D 100C

Mirrorless large format with leaf shutter lenses, 3rd generation..

  1. SHOOTOUT @ 26mm: Hasselblad X2D vs Sony A1: Windswept Bristlecone Pine

Hasselblad X1D

Mirrorless large format with leaf shutter lenses..

  1. Hasselblad X1D/X2D Format Equivalent Focal Length, Depth of Field

Hasselblad X1D Imaging Quality

Performance both in the field and controlled conditions..

  1. Shootout vs Nikon D810 (Flowers)

Hasselblad XCD 21mm f/4

18mm equivalent..

  1. Aperture Series: Dark Log in Alpine Creek at Dusk
  2. Aperture Series: Low View Up Alpine Creek
  3. Aperture Series: Rock Creek, S-Curve
  4. Aperture Series: Curvy Grade, Colorado National Monument
  5. Aperture Series: Sunrise, View East to Wyman Canyon
  6. SHOOTOUT @ 21mm: Hasselblad X2D vs Sony A1: Windswept Bristlecone Pine

Hasselblad XCD 30mm f/3.5

25mm equivalent..

  1. Aperture Series at MOD: Dolls, Focus Shift
  2. XCD 30/3.5 Sharpness and Color Correction vs XCD 45/3.5

Hasselblad XCD 55mm f/2.5 V

Normal lens equivqlent to 45mm..

  1. Aperture Series: Toolshed, Fresh Snow

Hasselblad XCD 65mm f/2.8

Normal lens equivqlent to 53mm..

  1. Aperture Series: Lichen-Covered Granite Slab, View to Owens Lake
  2. Aperture Series: Lichenized Rock Formations at Dusk, View to Lone Pine Peak
  3. Aperture Series: Sagebrush Nook, Alabama Hills

Hasselblad XCD 80mm f/1.9

Moderate telephoto..

  1. Aperture Series: Lichen-Covered Granite Slab, View to Owens Lake

Hasselblad XCD 90mm f/3.2

Medium format telephoto lens, 74mm equivalent..

  1. Aperture Series with Focus Shift Assessment: Dolls

Hasselblad XCD 120mm f/3.5

Telephoto macro lens, 99mm equivalent..

  1. Examples: Mules and Horses

Hasselblad XCD 135mm f/2.8

Moderate telephoto..

  1. Aperture Series with TC1.7x: Lichen-Covered Granite Slab

Pentax 645D 40-Megapixel Medium Format DSLR

A price/performance breakthrough?.

  1. Diffraction Effects at f/11 to f/16
  2. Examples with D FA 55/2.8
  3. Examples (UltraHD) in the Forest with D FA 55/2.8

Pentax 645Z Overall

50-Megapixel Medium Format DSLR with Live View.

  1. Medium Format vs Full Frame Considerations

Pentax 645Z Image Quality

High end image quality, but what about lenses?.

  1. Pentax 645Z: 50 vs 36 Megapixels (25mm / 21mm, Matched Size)

Pentax 645 Lenses (645D tests)

A variety of 645 lens tests on the 645D.

  1. Examples in the Rain with 75/2.8

Pentax SMC DA 645 25mm f/4 AL (IF) SDM AW

Ultra wide angle lens for Pentax 645..

  1. Aperture Series: Blue Beater Bike (645Z)

Pentax HD 35mm f/3.5 AL [IF]

Moderate wide angle lens for Pentax 645..

  1. Aperture Series: Pescadero Creek Upstream, Late Blue Dusk (645Z)
  2. Aperture Series: Dolls, Close Range (645Z)

Pentax 645 90mm f/2.8 D FA 645 Macro ED AW SR

Medium telephoto macro lens for Pentax 645 digital and film..

  1. Aperture Series @ 90mm (Dolls, 645Z)
  2. Aperture Series: Decorated Bike (645Z)
  3. Aperture Series: Pine Creek Thunderstorms (645Z)
  4. Aperture Series: Wet Aspen Trunk (645Z)
  5. Aperture Series: Still Life 'Atlas Permaguard' (645Z)

Hasselblad H4D 50 Megapixel Medium Format DSLR

How does Hasselblad’s 3rd generation medium format entry measure up?.

  1. Examples with HCD 28mm f/4 (Yosemite)

Rolleiflex Hy6 Mod 2 Medium Format System

Lens performance at 80 megapixels..

  1. Rolleiflex Hy6 Mod2 Medium Format Camera System
  2. Aperture Series: Water Worn Boulders (Schneider 50/2.8 Super Angulon PQS)
  3. Aperture Series: Creek Meanders Through Boulders (Schneider 50/2.8 Super Angulon PQS)
  4. Aperture Series: Up the Creek (Rolleiflex AFD 80mm f/2.8 Apogon PQS)
  5. Aperture Series: Glistening Rocks (Rollei APO-Symmar 90mm f/4 Makro PQS)
  6. Aperture Series: Down Creek (Zeiss 110/2 Planar PQ)

Leica S2 37.5 Megapixel Medium Format DSLR

How does Leica’s medium format entry measure up in ergonomics, image quality, etc?.

  1. Field Shooting the S2 in Yosemite
  2. Shooting Tips

Leica S Examples

Examples and comparison from the various lenses.

  1. Examples from Yosemite High Country
  2. Comparison: Leica S2 vs Nikon D3x (3D)
  3. Comparison: Leica S2 vs Nikon D3x (Mosaic)

Leica S Typ 006

The last CCD-sensor Leica S model..

  1. Error-Prone Autofocus Damages Sharpness (S006)

Leica 30-90mm f/3.5-5.6 Vario-Elmar-S ASPH

All-arounder zoom for Leica S.

  1. Aperture Series @ 30mm: Mossy Boulders in Pescadero Creek (S006)
  2. Aperture Series @ 90mm: Grass Clumps on Boulders (S006)

Leica 100mm f/2 Summicron-S ASPH

The fastest S lens..

  1. Overview of Leica 100mm f/2 Summicron-S ASPH
  2. Aperture Series: Forest Trees at Dusk (S006)

Milvus 15mm f/2.8

Milvus garb for the venerable 15/2.8 Distagon, with improved lens coating..

  1. Aperture Series vs Nikon 14/2.8D: Spring Leaves on Riparian Tree
  2. Aperture Series: Sprinter Van in Clearing Storm, White Mountain Road
  3. Aperture Series: Dead Pines in Defunct Beaver Pond (Multi-Shot HighRes mode)

Milvus 18mm f/2.8

An outstanding 18mm design..

  1. Examples: Eastern Sierra, Late Season

Milvus 21mm f/2.8

The classic 21/2.8 Distagon improved..

  1. Depth of Field Table for Milvus 21/2.8
  2. Aperture Series: Big Laurel at Bend in Alpine Creek (Canon 5DS R)

Milvus 35mm f/1.4

Highest performing 35mm from Zeiss ever..

  1. Examples: Eastern Sierra

Milvus 35mm f/2

Classic design in the latest Milvus build..

  1. Depth of Field Table for Milvus 35/2

Milvus 50mm f/1.4

Outstanding build and optical quality in a normal lens..

  1. Depth of Field Table for Milvus 50/1.4
  2. Aperture Series: Natural Bonsai over Beaver Pond, Late Dusk (Nikon D810)

Milvus 50mm f/2M

The classic 50/2 Makro-Planar improved..

  1. Depth of Field Table for Milvus 50/2M
  2. Examples: Frosty Morning Closeups

Milvus 85mm f/1.4

Outstanding build and optical quality in a medium tele..

  1. Depth of Field Table for Milvus 85/1.4
  2. Aperture Series: Yellow Flowers by Waterfall (Nikon D810)
  3. Aperture Series: Dead Tree in Dark Creek (Nikon D810)

Milvus 100mm f/2M

The classic 100/2 Makro-Planar improved..

  1. Depth of Field Table for Milvus 100/2
  2. Macro Examples: High Sierra Variety

Milvus 135mm f/2

An Otus, in effect. Milvus garb for the 135/2 APO, with improved lens coatings on one element. See the ZF.2/ZE 135/2 review pages..

  1. Aperture Series: Small Creek Amid Trees (Nikon D810)

Introduction

Start here to best utilize this guide..

  1. Focusing Tips (general)

Optical Performance

Sharpness and rendering..

  1. Modulation Transfer Function (MTF) Discussion

15mm f/2.8 Distagon

Ultra high performance in an extreme wild wide angle lens..

  1. Depth of Field Table
  2. Case Study: Focus Bracketing for Best Sharpness (Bristlecone)
  3. Optimizing Focus for Field Curvature and Subject (Campfire / SUV)
  4. Depth of Field with Steep Perspectives
  5. Field Curvature and MTF and Focus (Nikon D800E, Mosaic)
  6. Depth of Field Aperture Series (Mossy Log Over Creek)
  7. Vignetting/Depth of Field Aperture Series (Church Interior)
  8. Close-Range Aperture Series (Tioga Pine)
  9. Aperture Series: Backlit Bristlecone Pine (Leica M Typ 240)
  10. Aperture Series: Radio Towers (Nikon D800E)
  11. Aperture Series: Confluence of Branched Creek with Sedges and Boulders (Sony A7)
  12. Aperture Series: Pine Creek Stormy Light (Nikon D810)
  13. Examples (Ad-Hoc, Nikon D3x)
  14. Examples: Lundy Canyon, Early Winter
  15. Examples (Purissima Creek Redwoods, Nikon D3x)
  16. Examples (Yosemite, Nikon D800E)
  17. Examples (White Mountains, Canon 5D Mark III)
  18. Comparison to Nikon 14-24 (Aspen Cluster, Nikon D800E)
  19. Comparison to Nikon 14-24 (Cabin, Nikon D800E)

18mm f/3.5 Distagon

A brilliant, but also colorful character..

  1. Examples
  2. Examples ZE/Canon NYC
  3. Close-Range Aperture Series (Tioga Pine)
  4. Aperture Series: Creek Sedges, Water-Worn Boulders, Green Moss (Sony A7)
  5. Aperture Series: Wyman Canyon Lower Cabin Interior (Nikon D800E)

ZF.2/ZE 21mm f/2.8 Distagon

Brilliant imaging, even wide open, but with a few quirks. (Review in progress) .

  1. MTF Chart
  2. Examples ZE/Canon Landscape
  3. Examples Climbing Mt Dana in Yosemite
  4. Examples (close-up)
  5. Rendering Style at f/2.8, f/4, f/8: Aspen Thicket
  6. Examples: Lundy Canyon, Drowned Conifers at Dusk
  7. Examples: Lundy Canyon, Early Winter
  8. Examples: Lundy Canyon, Brilliance at the Big Beaver Pond
  9. Studying f/2.8, f/5.6, f/9: Blue Dusk Settles On Lundy Beaver Pond
  10. Aperture Series: Pine Creek Tungsten Mine Buildings / Waterfall (Nikon D800E)
  11. Aperture Series: Eroding Ancient Bristlecone Pine (Nikon D800E)
  12. Aperture Series: Wyman Cabin Trashed Interior (Canon 5DS R)
  13. Aperture Series: Big Laurel at Bend in Alpine Creek (Canon EOS R5)
  14. vs Nikon 14-24/2.8G and Nikon 16-35/4G VR
  15. vs Leica 21mm f/1.4 Summilux-M ASPH (Leica M Typ 240)

25mm f/2 Distagon

Ultra high performance with a fast aperture..

  1. Examples (Ad-Hoc)
  2. Examples (Yosemite, White Mountains)
  3. Examples (White Mountains Snowy Day)
  4. Field Curvature (Tioga Pass)
  5. Aperture Series: Backlit Bristlecone (Nikon D800E)
  6. Aperture Series: Bristlecone Trunks (Nikon D800E)
  7. Aperture Series: Banana Slug
  8. Aperture Series: Silver Canyon Cottonwood
  9. Aperture Series: Bristlecone Monolith Snowing
  10. Comparison: 25/2 Distagon vs Canon 24mm ƒ/1.4L II (Woods)
  11. Comparison: 25/2 Distagon vs Canon 24mm ƒ/1.4L II (Creek)

25mm f/2.8 Distagon

A gem with unusual close-focus..

  1. Examples In California’s White Mountains
  2. Aperture Series: Bristlecone Monolith Snowing
  3. Aperture Series: Dead Pines in Defunct Beaver Pond (Multi-Shot HighRes mode)

28mm f/2 Distagon

An artist’s drawing tool..

  1. Examples
  2. Examples — Close-up
  3. Examples — White Mountains
  4. Examples — Miscellaneous
  5. Examples — Environmental Portraits
  6. Aperture Series: Lundy Canyon Beaver Dam (Nikon D800E)
  7. Aperture Series: Creekside Yellow Flowers and Dark Rocks, Lundy Creek (Nikon D810)
  8. Aperture Series: Twisted Aspen (Nikon D810)

35mm f/1.4 Distagon

Strokes of a master..

  1. Examples Near Alpine Creek
  2. Examples In The Forest
  3. Examples, Nikon D3x in Yosemite
  4. Examples, Nikon D3x in Sierra and White Mountains
  5. Aperture Series: Pine Creek Tungsten Mine Buildings / Waterfall
  6. Aperture Series: Bristlecone Vista, Late Dusk (Canon 5DS R)
  7. vs Sigma 35/1.4 and Nikon 35/1.4G (Nikon D800E, Dolls)
  8. vs Sigma 35/1.4 and Nikon 35/1.4G (Nikon D800E, Wheel)

35mm f/2 Distagon

Balance and poise..

  1. Examples: Mountains
  2. Examples in White Mountains and Yosemite / D3x

50mm f/1.4 Planar

Brilliant imaging in a compact package..

  1. Examples in White Mountains, Death Valley
  2. Aperture Series: Church Interior (Nikon D3)

50/1.4 Planar vs 50/2 Makro-Planar

Comparing the two 50mm options near and far, more comparisons coming..

  1. 50/1.4 vs 50/2 At ~4 foot range

50mm f/2 Makro-Planar

Versatility in a “normal” lens and macro too!.

  1. 50/2 Examples
  2. 50/2 Examples in White Mountains, Death Valley, Yosemite
  3. Performance on 56-megapixel DSLR Pixel Density + MTF (Nikon D7100 + Sony NEX-7, Blue Doll)

Otus 28mm f/1.4 APO-Distagon

Fast high performance APO wide angle..

  1. Depth of Field table for Zeiss Otus 28/1.4 APO-Distagon
  2. Examples: Mountain Landscapes at f/1.4
  3. Aperture Series (night): Church At Night
  4. Aperture Series: Painted Rock (Panasonic S1R Multi-Shot High-Res Mode)

Otus 55mm f/1.4 APO-Distagon

Ultra high performance apochromatic normal lens, first in the Otus line..

  1. MTF Across Entire Aperture Range
  2. Depth of Field Table
  3. Field Curvature at Distance, Zone of Focus Placement (NYC Buildings)
  4. Examples - Initial Various
  5. Focus Shift at '56 Megapixels' (Nikon D7100, Dolls)
  6. Aperture Series: Edge to Edge Sharpness (Rulers on Table)

Otus 55mm f/1.4 APO-Distagon Rendering Style

Rendering style, bokeh and beauty..

  1. Focusing on the Eyes for Portraiture
  2. Examples: Snowstorm Lundy Canyon (Nikon D850)
  3. Aperture Series: Fruit Still Life (Leica M Typ 240)
  4. Aperture Series: Merlin MTB (Nikon D800E)
  5. Aperture Series: Bristlecone Beauty (Nikon D800E)
  6. Aperture Series: Lace-Curtained Cabin Window (Nikon D800E)
  7. Aperture Series: Glacial Blue, Winter’s Icy Hint (Nikon D810)
  8. Aperture Series: White Mountain Peak Summit Building (Canon 5DS R)
  9. Aperture Series: Moots at Barcroft (Canon 5DS R)

Otus 85mm f/1.4 APO-Planar

Ultra high performance apochromatic medium telephoto, overview and technical..

  1. Depth of Field for Otus 85/1.4 APO-Planar

Otus 85mm f/1.4 APO-Planar Rendering Style

Rendering style, bokeh and 'transparency' without peer..

  1. Portraits (Nikon D810)
  2. Aperture Series: Early Yellow Aspen (Nikon D810)
  3. Aperture Series: Beaver Dam View Across Lake (Nikon D810)
  4. Aperture Series: Huge Silver Mining Gears at Dusk (Nikon D810)
  5. Aperture Series: DeChambeau Yellow Wagon (Nikon D810)
  6. Aperture Series vs Nikon 85/1.4G: Boreal Skiing Slope at Night (Nikon D850)
  7. Aperture Series: Waterfall Amid Aspen (Nikon Z7)

85mm f/1.4 APO-Planar Night Vision

Peering into shadows at night with the very best..

  1. Aperture Series: Tree / Tiles / Tower Near-Far Stacking (Nikon D810)

Otus 100mm f/1.4 APO-Sonnar

Razor sharp with gorgeous bokeh..

  1. Focus Shift
  2. Examples: Campus, Late Day (Nikon D850)
  3. Aperture Series: Flowers Backlit by Window at MOD (Nikon D850)
  4. Aperture Series: 'The Claw' Fountain (Nikon D850)
  5. Aperture Series: Painted Rock (Panasonic S1R Multi-Shot High-Res Mode)

85mm f/1.4 Planar

True-to-life imagery..

  1. Focus Shift

100mm f/2 Makro-Planar

King of bokeh! Corner-to-corner sharpness, world class..

  1. Examples
  2. Examples, ZE for Canon EOS
  3. Examples in Yosemite with Nikon D3x
  4. Examples in White Mountains and Death Valley / D3x
  5. ZE 100/2 Makro-Planar aperture series
  6. Comparison to Leica 100/2.8 APO, Nikon 105/2.8G (Mining Mill)
  7. Aperture Series: Pine Creek Tungsten Mine Aerial

135mm f/2 APO-Sonnar

Beautiful bokeh, razor sharp, superb color correction..

  1. Making Close-Range Portraits
  2. Tulips at ƒ/2
  3. Aperture Series (D800E, Dolls)
  4. Bokeh Aperture Series: Tulips 10 (Nikon D800E)
  5. Using ƒ/4 vs ƒ/2 for Isolation: City Binoculars (Nikon D800E)
  6. Macro Quality at 1:4 (D800E, Doll Seated)
  7. Aperture Series: Blue Doll / Pellegrino (Nikon D800E)
  8. Aperture Series: Blue Doll / Pellegrino (Canon 5D Mark III)
  9. Aperture Series: Glacial Erratics in Tuolumne River (Nikon D800E)
  10. Aperture Series: MTB Gearing (D800 Monochrome)
  11. Aperture Series: Yellow Aspen at Meadow’s Edge, Blue Dawn (Canon 5DS R)
  12. Bokeh Examples (D800E, Golden Gate Bridge)
  13. Examples (D800E, Hakone Garden, Garden)
  14. Performance on 56-megapixel DSLR Pixel Density + MTF (Nikon D7100, Dolls)

Zeiss LensSpire Articles

Articles written for Lenspire.ZEISS.com..

  1. Focusing Zeiss DSLR Lenses For Peak Performance, PART ONE: The Challenges
  2. Focusing Zeiss DSLR Lenses For Peak Performance PART TWO: Tips and Best Practices for Sharply Focused Images
  3. Depth of Field Challenges: Bypass the Limits with Focus Stacking, Near or Far, Macro or Landscape
  4. Getting Started with Focus Stacking
  5. Harnessing Wide Angle Lenses: Perspective and Impact
  6. Macro and Close-up Shooting, Especially Outdoors
  7. Zoom Lens or Prime? Moderate Wide Angles (25mm, 28mm, 35mm)
  8. Zoom Lens or Prime? 50mm and 55mm
  9. Micro Contrast and the Zeiss 'Pop'
  10. Zeiss Fills Out the Milvus DSLR Lens Lineup with the 21/2.8, 35/2, 50/2M, 100/2M
  11. Zeiss Loxia 21mm f/2.8 Distagon: Class-Leading Performance in a Compact Package for Stills or Video on Sony Mirrorless
  12. Zeiss Otus 28mm f/1.4 APO-Distagon: the Reference Standard With a Gentle Grace

Recommended Photo Gear

Stuff I use..

  1. Leica X1 DSLR-quality Compact Camera

Depth of Field

[ARCHIVE, see Making Sharp Images]. Exploring depth of field..

  1. Depth of Field—D2X vs EOS 1Ds Mark II and Canon 5D
  2. Depth of field: the shorter focal-length advantage

Diffraction

The limits of resolution are governed by physics..

  1. Diffraction: A Technical Challenge
  2. Diffraction Example Using 10MP Canon 1D Mark III
  3. Diffraction Example Using 21MP Canon 1Ds Mark III

Subjective Lens Qualities

Also known as shading..

  1. Background Blur (Bokeh)—NOCT-Nikkor vs Canon 85/1.2L

Brand-new Blur

Blurry lenses right out of the box..

  1. How to Test a Lens for Issues

Ask Lloyd Chambers

Questions and answers on photography and computers and more..

  1. Ultra-wide Zeiss 21mm or 24mm Tilt/Shift lens?

Photo Tips

Photography Hints and Tips..

  1. Choosing a Lens by Focal Length
  2. Depth of Field Is Oh-So-Shallow
  3. Depth of Field—How Far To Stop Down
  4. Depth of Field and Megapixels
  5. A brief glossary of photographic terms

Zeiss ZF.2 and Zeiss ZE Lenses For Canon and Nikon

Zeiss ZF.2 and Zeiss ZE Lenses For Canon and Nikon.

  1. Zeiss Otus 55mm f/1.4 APO-Distagon

Hartblei 40/80/120mm SuperRotators

Medium format Zeiss glass in Hartblei precision tilt/shift lens barrels!.

  1. Examples—120/4

Lenses for Leica M8, Leica M9, M*

Lenses for Leica M cameras, especially the M9.

  1. Leica 75mm f/2 APO-Summicron-M ASPH

Nikon D200 vs D2x

Vintage 2006 comparative review of Nikon D200 vs Nikon D2x..

  1. Resolution
  2. Resolution-BurnedOutCar

Canon RF 24-70mm f/2.8L IS USM

Fast standard zoom lens..

  1. Aperture Series @ 43mm: Mt Whitney Fish Hatchery Building
  2. Aperture Series @ 56mm: Cottonwoods and Grazing Cattle

Canon RF 24-105mm f/4L IS USM

Bread and butter all-around zoom..

  1. Aperture Series @ 39mm: View Down Aspen-Lined Trail to Spire Lake Peak

Canon RF 28-70mm f/2L USM

Bread and butter all-around zoom..

  1. Aperture Series @ 31mm: Bird Bath Courtyard
  2. Aperture Series @ 40mm, 70mm: Night Lights
  3. Aperture Series @ 58mm: Architecture and Stars At Night

Canon RF 50mm f/1.2L USM

High speed normal lens optimized for Canon mirrorless..

  1. Introduction to Canon RF 50mm f/1.2L
  2. Examples: Lundy Canyon Evening

Nikon Z7 Overview, Setup, General

Setup, IBIS performance, focusing..

  1. Nikon Z7 Aperture/Lens Diaphragm Behavior While Viewing/Focusing

Nikon Z7 IBIS and Focusing

Setup, IBIS performance, focusing..

  1. Autofocus Accuracy: Zone of Focus Error, Example and Mitigation
  2. Handheld A/B Comparison With/Without IBIS (Vibration Reduction)

Nikon Z7 Image Quality

Image quality..

  1. SHOOTOUT: Nikon Z7 + Nikon NIKKOR Z 35mm f/1.8 S vs Sony A7R III + Zeiss Loxia 35mm f/2 (Lower Lundy Beaver Pond)

Nikon NIKKOR Z 20mm f/1.8 S

Fast ultra wide angle for Nikon Z..

  1. Aperture series: Pre-Sunrise Bristlecone Trunks
  2. Aperture series: Aspen After Rain
  3. Aperture series: White Clouds over Wind-Shaped Ancient Bristlecone Pine
  4. Shootout vs Nikon Z 14-30mm f/4S: Bonsai Above Beaver Pond

Nikon NIKKOR Z 24mm f/1.8 S

Fast wide angle for Nikon Z..

  1. Aperture series: Small Aspen Trunks, Frontlit
  2. Aperture series: Huge Ancient Bristlecone Pine
  3. Aperture series: Bleached Tree in Creek
  4. Shootout vs Nikon Z 14-30mm f/4S: Bonsai Above Beaver Pond

Nikon NIKKOR Z 14-30mm f/4 S

Ultra wide compact zoom for Nikon Z cameras..

  1. Aperture Series @ 14mm: Courtyard View to Tower
  2. Aperture Series @ 14mm: Huge Ancient Bristlecone Pine
  3. Aperture Series @ 15.5mm: Palm Tree Understory at Dusk
  4. Aperture Series @ 19.5mm: MemChu
  5. Shootout vs Nikon Z 20/1.8S: Bonsai Above Beaver Pond
  6. Shootout vs Nikon Z 24/1.8S: Bonsai Above Beaver Pond

Nikon NIKKOR Z 17-28mm f/2.8

Ultra-wide zoom lens..

  1. Examples: Upper Lundy Canyon (Z8)
  2. Aperture Series @ 26mm: Glowing Aspen (Z8)

Nikon NIKKOR Z 24-70mm f/2.8 S

Fast mid-range zoom expressly designed for Nikon Z cameras..

  1. Introduction to Nikon NIKKOR Z 24-70mm f/2.8 S
  2. Aperture Series @ 31mm: Huge Old Pine, Its Needles and Cones (Focus Shift)
  3. Aperture Series @ 32mm: Natural Bonsai Over Beaver Pond
  4. SHOOTOUT vs Nikon Z 24-70/2.8S: Beaver Pond, Aerial View

Nikon NIKKOR Z 24-70mm f/4 S

Mid-range zoom expressly designed for Nikon Z cameras..

  1. Shootout @ 35mm, Nikon Z 45-70/4S vs 35/1.8S: Stand of Bare Aspen by Creek
  2. Aperture Series @ 70mm: Lower Lundy Canyon Beaver Pond

Nikon NIKKOR Z 35mm f/1.8 S

Moderate wide angle expressly designed for Nikon Z cameras..

  1. Aperture Series: Twisted Aspen Trunks, Evaluating Focus Accuracy in Dim Light
  2. Examples Handheld: Bishop Creek (Validating Focus Accuracy of the Nikon Z7)

Nikon NIKKOR Z 50mm f/1.2 S

Ultra-wide fast zoom..

  1. Introduction to Nikon NIKKOR Z 50mm f/1.2 S

Nikon NIKKOR Z 58mm f/0.95 S Noct

Ultra high speed normal lens, flagship of the line..

  1. Introduction to Nikon NIKKOR Z 58mm f/0.95 S Noct

Nikon NIKKOR Z 70-200mm f/2.8 S

Fast portrait telephoto for Nikon Z..

  1. Aperture Series @ 70mm: Eastern Sierra Mixed Forest (Z8)

Sony A7R V

5th Generation standard-setting camera..

  1. Pixel Shift Performance Proofs: Alpine Creek

Sony A1

Technological tour de force..

  1. Examples: a Hike up Glacier Canyon, Mt Dana

Sony A1 Eye AF

Eye autofocus with humans, animals, birds..

  1. Eye AF for Portraits, Head Shots
  2. Animal Eye AF: Tigger on the Prowl, Spring Green (Sony FE 100-400mm f/4.5-6.3 GM)

Sony Alpha A7R II

Attention to details: a big upgrade over the A7R..

  1. Examples: Dana Lake, Dana Glacier Part 1, 'Approach' (Zeiss Batis)
  2. Examples: Dana Lake, Dana Glacier Part 3, 'Return' (Zeiss Batis)

Sony Alpha A7R

Full frame compact mirrorless with interchangeable lenses..

  1. Mitigating A7R Micro Contrast Diffraction Losses with Sharpening

Sony FE 14mm f/1.8 GM

Ultra high performance extreme wide angle..

  1. Examples: Backyard
  2. Examples: Pine Creek Forest
  3. Examples: White Mountains, Dusk
  4. Aperture Series: Mining Structures, View to Superstition Mountains
  5. Aperture Series: Bristlecone, Pre-Dawn Glow

Sony FE 20mm f/1.8 G

Compact ultra-wide angle lens..

  1. Examples: Alabama Hills

Sony FE 28mm f/2

Fast wide angle..

  1. Apertures Series: Dolls at Close Range (Sony A7R)
  2. Aperture Series: Knobby Boulder (A7R)

Sony FE 35mm f/1.4 GM

High performance mild wide-angle..

  1. Shootout vs Voigtlander FE 35/2 APO-Lanthar: Pine Creek Cliffs
  2. Aperture Series: Mining Cabin Interior

Sony FE 35mm f/1.4 Distagon ZA

Fast and gorgeous moderate wide angle Zeiss design..

  1. Aperture Series: Assessing Focus Shift and Color Correction (Dolls, A7R)
  2. Aperture Series: Cascading Creek (Pescadero Creek, A7R)

Sony Planar T* FE 50mm f/1.4 ZA

Fast high performance normal lens of Zeiss design..

  1. Field Examples: Hall Natural Area, Dusk (Sony A7R II)

Sony FE 35mm f/2.8 ZA Sonnar

Compact moderate wide angle for Sony mirrorless..

  1. Aperture Series: Agapanthus Berries (Sony A7R)
  2. Aperture Series: Grass in Pot by Bench (Sony A7R)
  3. Aperture Series: Redwood Stump Long Exposure (Sony A7R)

Sony FE 40mm f/2.5 G

High performance, high speed..

  1. Aperture Series: Backlit Deck and Backyard
  2. Aperture Series: Peach Tree Blossoms
  3. Aperture Series: Three Oaks

Sony FE 50mm f/1.2 GM

High performance, high speed..

  1. Design Challenges for Sony FE 50mm f/1.2 GM
  2. Focus Shift Evaluation: Ruler
  3. Examples: Old Talc Mine
  4. Aperture Series: Old Mining Cabin Interior
  5. SHOOTOUT vs Voigtlander 50/2 APO: View South over Patriarch Grove
  6. Shootout vs Sony FE 24-70mm f/2.8 GM II, Voigtlander FE 50/2 (Deck and Roof)

Sony FE 55mm f/1.8 ZA Sonnar

Compact normal lens for full-frame Sony mirrorless..

  1. Aperture Series: Grass Island (Sony A7R)
  2. Aperture Series: Colorful Leaves Closeup (Sony A7R)
  3. Aperture Series: Creek Wends its Way Through Boulders (Sony A7R)
  4. Aperture Series: Creekside Forest (Sony A7R)

Sony FE 85mm f/1.4 GM

Top-grade medium telephoto..

  1. Aperture Series: Dolls
  2. Aperture Series: Aspen at Edge of Beaver Pond Meadow, First Kiss of Sunlight

Sony FE 100mm f/2.8 STF GM

Razor sharp medium telephoto with apodization filter..

  1. Introduction to Sony FE 100mm f/2.8 STF GM
  2. Aperture Series: Dolls (A7R II)

Sony 90mm f/2.8 Macro G OSS

Native-mount macro length designed by Zeiss..

  1. Aperture Series: Yellow Flowers (A7R II)
  2. Aperture Series: Dolls (A7R II)

Sony FE 135mm f/1.4 GM

Top-grade telephoto..

  1. Examples: Portraits (Sony A7R III)
  2. Eye AF for Portraits, Head Shots

Sigma FE 14mm f/1.4 DG DN Art

Super-fast ultra-wide astrophotography lens..

  1. Aperture Series: Bristlecone View to White Mountain Peak

Sigma FE 14-24mm f/2.8 DG DN Art

Native-mount ultra wide angle high performance zoom for mirrorless..

  1. Examples: Twenty Lakes Basin (Sony A7R IV)
  2. Compared @ 14mm: Swing and Tilt, Optical Decentering — Sigma FE 14-24mm f/2.8 DG DN Art and Two Sony FE 12-24mm f/2.8 GM
  3. Conclusions and Recommendations on the Sigma 14-24mm f/2.8 DG DN Art

Sigma FE 24-70mm f/2.8 DG DN Art

Native-mount mid-range zoom for mirrorless..

  1. Overview of Sigma 24-70mm f/2.8 DG DN Art
  2. Aperture Series @30mm: Mining Cylinder
  3. Shootout @ 50mm: Sigma 24-70/2.8 DG DN Art vs Voigtlander 50/2 APO: Desert Wash

Sigma FE 35mm f/1.2 DG DN Art

Ultra high speed native-mount moderate wide angle..

  1. Overview of Sigma 35mm f/1.2 DG DN Art
  2. Examples: Eastern Sierra, Pine Creek (Sony A7R IV)
  3. Shootout: Sigma 35mm f/1.2 DG DN Art vs Zeiss Loxia 35mm f/2: Twenty Lakes Basin, View Towards Mt Conness Drainage (Sony A7R IV)

Sigma FE 35mm f/1.4 DG DN Art

Fast native-mount moderate wide angle..

  1. Examples: Tigger

Sigma FE 85mm f/1.4 DG DN Art

Ultra high performance medium telephoto..

  1. Aperture Series: Campito the Feral Stallion Grazing in Blue Dusk
  2. Aperture Series: Mining Hoist
  3. 3-Way Shootout: Crooked Creek Canyon View to White Mountain Peak

Sigma FE 105mm f/1.4 DG HSM Art

Highly corrected medium telephoto..

  1. Examples: Alabama Hills
  2. Examples at Wide Apertures: Flora at Sunrise
  3. Aperture Series: Aspen-Lined Road at Dusk
  4. Aperture Series: White Aspen Trunks, Wide View

Voigtlander Z 35mm f/2 APO-Lanthar Aspherical

High-grade manual focus wide-normal lens..

  1. Aperture Series: Aspen Grove Fallen Giants Across Vernal Creek

Voigtlander Z 50mm f/2 APO-Lanthar Aspherical

High-grade manual focus normal lens..

  1. SHOOTOUT vs Nikon Z 24-70/2.8S: Beaver Pond, Aerial View

Rokinon 12mm f/2.8 Fisheye

Fisheye lens for Sony mirrorless..

  1. Overview of Rokinon 12mm f/2.8 Fisheye

Voigtlander FE Heliar-Hyper 10mm f/5.6 Aspherical III

Anything wider would be a fisheye..

  1. Aperture Series: Wyman Canyon Lower Cabin Interior (Sony A7R II)

Voigtlander FE 21mm f/1.4 Aspherical

Fast high performance manual focus wide angle..

  1. Overview of Voigtlander FE 21mm f/1.4 Aspherical
  2. Shootout: Voigtlander FE Nokton 21mm f/1.4 Aspherical vs Zeiss Loxia 21mm f/2.8: Mosaic (Sony A7R IV)
  3. Shootout: Voigtlander FE Nokton 21mm f/1.4 Aspherical vs Zeiss Loxia 21mm f/2.8: Tenaya Creek and Lingering Ice
  4. Aperture Series: Creekside Sapling Pine Amid Boulders

Voigtlander FE 35mm f/1.2 Aspherical

Fast mild wide angle lens..

  1. Overview of Voigtlander FE 35mm f/1.2 Aspherical

Voigtlander FE Nokton Classic 35mm f/1.4

Fast lens speed with curious rendering..

  1. Overview of Voigtlander Classic 35mm f/1.4

Voigtlander FE 35mm f/2 APO-Lanthar Aspherical

High-grade manual focus wide-normal lens..

  1. Aperture Series: Mining Cabin Interior
  2. Focus Shift in Landscapes, Patriarch Grove
  3. Shootout vs Sony FE 35/1.4 GM, Sigma FE 35/2 DG DN: Pine Creek Cliffs
  4. Shootout @ 35mm vs Sony FE 24-70mm f/2.8 GM II (Outhouse at Dusk)

Voigtlander FE Nokton 40mm f/1.2 Aspherical

Fast lens speed for versatile rendering..

  1. Overview of Voigtlander Nokton 40mm f/1.2 Aspheric
  2. Aperture Series: Milling Lathe

Voigtlander FE 50mm f/2 APO-Lanthar Aspherical

High-grade manual focus normal lens..

  1. Examples: Alabama Hills and Mt Whitney Area
  2. Shootout: Voigtlander 50/2 APO vs Sigma 24-70/2.8 DG DN Art: Desert Wash
  3. Aperture Series: Painting of Idyllic Ocean on Burned-Out Van
  4. SHOOTOUT vs Sony 50/1.2GM: View South over Patriarch Grove
  5. Shootout vs Sony FE 24-70mm f/2.8 GM II (Deck and Roof)

Voigtlander FE 65mm f/2 Macro APO-Lanthar Aspherical

Ultra high grade macro all-arounder..

  1. Aperture Series: Old Mining Structures near Death Valley
  2. Aperture Series: Yellow Bike
  3. Aperture Series: Riparian Creek (A7R V)

Voigtlander Nokton 42.5mm f/0.95

Ultra fast medium telephoto manual focus lens..

  1. Voigtlander Nokton 42.5mm f/0.95
  2. Aperture Series: Magenta Flower on Green

Sony FE 12-24mm f/2.8 GM

Fast extreme wide angle zoom..

  1. Introduction to Sony FE 12-24mm f/2.8 GM
  2. Aperture Series @ 24mm: Blue Water among Orange Streambed, Tenaya Canyon
  3. Shootout @ 12mm: Sony FE 12-24mm f/2.8 GM vs Sony FE 12-24mm f/4 GM: Two Aspen, Lundy Canyon
  4. Shootout @ 12mm: Sony FE 12-24mm f/2.8 GM vs Sony FE 12-24mm f/4 GM: Brilliant Backlit Beaver Pond Meadow
  5. Aperture Series @ 13mm: House Under Construction
  6. Compared @ 14mm: Swing and Tilt, Optical Decentering —two Sony FE 12-24mm f/2.8 GM and Sigma FE 14-24mm f/2.8 DG DN Art
  7. Aperture Series @ 15mm: Backlit Aspen
  8. Aperture Series @ 17mm: Big Tree at Bend in Alpine Creek
  9. Aperture Series @ 21mm: Aspen Grove on Rocky Slope
  10. Shootout @ 21mm: Sony FE 12-24mm f/2.8 GM vs Zeiss Loxia 21mm: First Ice on Beaver Pond, Lundy Canyon
  11. Aperture Series @ 24mm: Late Day Sunlight on Desert Slope
  12. Aperture Series @ 19mm: Deck and House
  13. SHOOTOUT @ 16mm: Sony FE 16-35/2.8 GM II vs Sony FE 12-24/2.8 GM — End of the Road, White Mountains

Sony FE 12-24mm f/4 G

Extreme wide angle zoom..

  1. Examples: Dana Lakes and Glacier Canyon
  2. Aperture Series @ 12mm: Pescadero Creek, Upstream (with Focus Stack)
  3. Imaging Performance @ 12mm, Single Frame vs Stacked: Pine at Morgan Lake
  4. Shootout @ 12mm: Sony FE 12-24mm f/4 GM vs Sony FE 12-24mm f/2.8 GM: Two Aspen, Lundy Canyon
  5. Shootout @ 12mm: Sony FE 12-24mm f/4 GM vs Sony FE 12-24mm f/2.8 GM: Brilliant Backlit Beaver Pond Meadow

Sony FE 16-35mm f/2.8 GM II

Pro-grade f/2.8 wide angle zoom, updated..

  1. SHOOTOUT @ 16mm: Sony FE 16-35/2.8 GM II vs Sony FE 12-24/2.8 GM — End of the Road, White Mountains

Sony FE 16-35mm f/4 ZA OSS Vario-Tessar

Comapact ultra-wide zoom for Sony full frame mirrorless..

  1. Focusing and Focus Shift Mitigations
  2. Aperture Series @ 16mm: Mosaic (Sony A7R)
  3. Aperture Series @ 17mm: Persimmon Wagon (Sony A7R)
  4. Aperture Series @ 21mm: Yellow and Blue Bike, Focus Shift (Sony A7R)
  5. Aperture Series @ 35mm: Yellow and Blue Bike Close, Focus Shift (Sony A7R)
  6. Aperture Series @ 35mm: Pumpkin, Focus Shift (Sony A7R)

Sony FE 20-70mm f/4 G

Wide range zoom aimed at bloggers..

  1. Aperture Series @ 34mm: Riparian Spring Green, Alpine Creek

Sony FE 24-70mm f/2.8 GM II

Premiere mid-range zoom for Sony full frame mirrorless.

  1. Aperture Series @ 63mm: Cabin at Sunrise
  2. Shootout @ 35mm vs Voigtlander FE 35/2 APO (Outhouse at Dusk)
  3. Shootout @ 50mm vs Voigtlander FE 50/2 APO-Lanthar (Deck and Roof)

Sony FE 24-70mm f/2.8 GM

Premiere mid-range zoom for Sony full frame mirrorless.

  1. Aperture Series @43mm: Rising Redwoods
  2. Aperture Series @49mm: Pescadero Creek High Water, Downstream

Sony FE PZ 28-135mm f/4G OSS

Wide mid-range zoom targeted at video shooters..

  1. Focus Shift Aperture Series@ 38mm: Picnic Table (A7R II)
  2. Focus Shift @ 31mm: Olympic Bar (A7R II)
  3. Focus Shift Aperture Series @ 83mm: Dolls (A7R II)

Sony FE 70-200mm f/2.8 GM OSS

Barely good-enough telephoto zoom for Sony full frame mirrorless.

  1. Examples: Sharpness in the Field, Focusing, Lens Quality Issues

Sony FE 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6 GM OSS

Hand-holdable super telephoto zoom..

  1. Animal Eye AF: Tigger on the Prowl, Spring Green

Sony FE 600mm f/4 GM OSS

Hand-holdable super telephoto zoom..

  1. Introduction to Sony FE 600mm f/4 GM OSS

Venus Optics Laowa 15mm f/4 Macro

Extreme wide angle macro lens for Sony mirrorless..

  1. Examples: Backyard Closeups

Venus Optics Laowa 105mm f/2 STF

Manual focus apodized lens for ultra smooth focus..

  1. Venus Optics Laowa 105mm f/2 STF

Samyang FE 14mm f/2.8

Ultra wide angle lens adapted from DSLR, native E-mount, all manual..

  1. Aperture Series: Sedges and Pool(Sony A7)
  2. Aperture Series: Up the Creek (Sony A7)
  3. Aperture Series: Around the Mossy Boulder (Sony A7)

Samyang FE 24mm T/1.5

Wide angle lens adapted from DSLR, native E-mount, all manual..

  1. Aperture Series: Creek Greenery (Sony A7)
  2. Aperture Series: Water-Worn Boulders At Dusk (Sony A7)

ALLVIEW—Any Lens Live View Camera

Eliminating the camera body barrier— any kind of lens with Live View EVF and LCD.

  1. Diffraction with ALLVIEW Cameras

Leica M Lenses on Olympus OM-D E-M5

Does pricey M glass deliver on mirrorless?.

  1. 28mm: Olympus SHG 14-35/2 vs Leica 28/2 ASPH and 28/2.8 ASPH

Fujifilm Finepix X100

The best compact big-sensor digital camera yet?.

  1. Comparing X100 at f/2.8 to f/8

Ricoh GR

Razor sharp 28mm lens on APS-C sensor and outstanding usability and features..

  1. Examples: White Mountains (Barcroft)
  2. Examples: White Mountains (General)
  3. Macro Range: Coins
  4. Is the Ricoh GR a 28mm Leica Replacement?

Sony Cybershot RX1R II

Diminutive full-frame camera with 35mm f/2 fixed lens..

  1. Aperture Series: Creek Through Boulders, View from Above
  2. Aperture Series: Pescadero Creek Grasses and Polished Rocks, Upstream
  3. Aperture Series: Wet Rocks, Upstream

Sony Cybershot DSC-RX1 / RX1R

Full frame camera in an ultra-compact body with or without anti-aliasing filter..

  1. Aperture Series, Close Range (RX1, Dolls)
  2. Aperture Series (Sony RX1, Mountain Bike)
  3. Aperture Series: Sunset Bristlecone (RX1R)
  4. Aperture Series: Bristlecone in Blue Dusk (RX1R)
  5. Aperture Series: Plastic Tubing, Wire Mesh, Sheet Metal (RX1R)
  6. Examples: Pine Creek (RX1R)

Sony DSC-RX10 III

Stunningly high image quality in a 20MP point and wide range zoom..

  1. Introduction to Sony RX10 III

The Four Thirds and Micro Four Thirds Format

General things to know about Four Thirds and Micro Four Thirds..

  1. Depth of Field for 4/3 and Micro 4/3

Olympus Zuiko 12-40mm f/2.8 PRO Zoom

A high performance mid-range zoom..

  1. Shootout: 12-40/2.8 vs SHG 14-35/2 vs Panasonic 25/1.4 Summilux (EM1, Yellow Wagon)
  2. Aperture Series: Boulder Logjam in Lundy Canyon (12mm, EM1)

Olympus M.Zuiko Digital ED 45mm f/1.2 PRO

Fast portrait lens..

  1. Overview of Olympus M.Zuiko Digital ED 45mm f/1.2 PRO
  2. Aperture Series: LeFevre Overlook

Olympus M.ZUIKO DIGITAL 60mm f/2.8 ED Macro

Native Micro Four Thirds macro lens..

  1. Olympus M. Zuiko 60mm f/2.8 ED Macro
  2. Compared: 60/2.8 ED Macro vs SHG 35-100/2 ED (Dolls)

Olympus Zuiko 45mm f/1.8 ED

Olympus lenses for Micro Four Thirds cameras..

  1. Olympus Zuiko 45mm f/1.8 ED

Olympus Zuiko 75mm f/1.8 ED Telephoto

Beautiful bokeh, long reach fast speed, compact lens..

  1. Aperture Series: Wyman Cabin
  2. Aperture Series: Bristlecones Slope
  3. Aperture Series: Bristlecone Trunk
  4. Aperture Series: Bristlecone Stump

Olympus M.Zuiko Digital ED 300mm f/4 IS PRO

Super telephoto with superb bokeh and color correction..

  1. Examples: Flowers and More in Cottonwood Canyon, Death Valley

Panasonic Lumix G 8mm f/3.5 Fisheye

A fisheye with great contrast and high resolving power..

  1. Aperture Series: Wyman Cabin
  2. Aperture Series: Wyman Cabin Interior

Panasonic Leica DG Vario-Elmarit 8-18mm f/2.8-4 ASPH

Compact wide angle equivalent to 16-36mm..

  1. Examples: Trona / Panamint Area

Panasonic Leica DG Summilux 15mm f/1.7 ASPH Micro 4/3

A weak sibling covers the wide end.

  1. Focus Shift at Close Range (Olympus EM1, Dolls)

Panasonic Leica DG Summilux 25mm f/1.4 ASPH Micro 4/3

A fast and lovely 'normal' lens (50mm equiv) for Micro 4/3..

  1. Examples: White Mountains (Olympus E-M5, Panasonic 25/1.4 )
  2. Examples: De Chambeau Ranch (Olympus E-M5, Panasonic 25/1.4 )

Panasonic Leica DG Nocticron 42.5mm f/1.2 ASPH

Fast, bright and highly corrected medium telephoto..

  1. Panasonic Leica DG Nocticron 42.5mm f/1.2 ASPH
  2. Aperture Series: Picnic Table in Garden (EM1)

Panasonic Leica DG Elmarit 200mm f/2.8 POWER O.I.S.

High performance super telephoto..

  1. Overview of Panasonic Leica DG Elmarit 200mm f/2.8 POWER O.I.S.

Olympus OM-D E-M1

A worthy upddate to the E-M5 with pro-grade build quality..

  1. Olympus E-M1 Backfocus with 12-40mm f/2.8 PRO

Olympus OM-D E-M5

Superb ergonomic design in a compact camera..

  1. Aperture Series 12mm f/2 (Bicycle)
  2. Aperture Series and Comparison at 12mm f/2 (Dolls)
  3. 12mm Comparison: Olympus SHG 7-14mm f/4 — Olympus 12mm f/2 — Panasonic 7-14mm f/4 and 12-35mm f/2.8 (Garage Bikes)
  4. 20mm Comparison: Olympus SHG 14-35/2 — Panasonic 20/1.7 and 12-35/2.8 — Canon 40/2.8 STM (Garage Bikes)
  5. Compared: Olympus 50/2 Macro — Panasonic/Leica 45/2.8 Macro — Olympus 45/1.8 (Dolls)
  6. Diffraction with Panasonic/Leica 25mm f/1.4 ASPH

Olympus OM-D E-M5 Mark II

Updated model with HighRes sensor shift mode..

  1. HighRes Sensor Shift Mode vs Standard Resolution, RESOLUTION (Mining Museum)
  2. Examples with HighRes Sensor Shift Mode (Historical Items)

Comparisons across format.

Can smaller sensor cameras compete with larger ones on any basis?.

  1. Olympus E-M5 + 25/1.4 ASPH vs Canon 1D X + 50/1.8 II (Dolls)
  2. Shootout: E-M5 + 20mm vs Canon 5D Mark III + 40mm vs Sony RX100
  3. Shootout: Sigma DP2 Merrill vs Sony RX100 (Dolls)
  4. Shootout: Sony RX1 vs Sigma DP2 Merrill vs Fujifilm X-E1 (MTB)
  5. Shootout: Sony NEX-7 vs Nikon D7100 (Blue Doll, Pellegrino)
  6. Shootout: Sigma DP1 Merrill vs Ricoh GR vs Fujifilm X-E1 (Bristlecone Graveyard)

Panasonic G-1 micro-4/3 camera

Panasonic G-1 especially compared to the Olympus E-P1. Intriguing results with RAW vs in-camera JPEG. RAW file included for your own analysis..

  1. Examples—Stanford succulent garden

Fujifilm XF 10-24mm f/4 R OIS

Wide angle zoom equivalent to 15-36mm.

  1. Overview of Fujifilm XF 10-24mm f/4 R OIS

Fujifilm Fujinon XF 18-55mm f/2.8-4 R

Fujifilm’s kit zoom for the X-E1.

  1. Aperture Series: 55mm (Dolls, X-E1)

Fujifilm XF 23mm f/1.4 R

Compact moderate wide angle..

  1. Overview of Fujifilm XF 23mm f/1.4 R

Fujifilm Fujinon XF 35mm f/1.4 R

A fast normal lens..

  1. Aperture Series: Bristlecone at Dusk (Fujifilm X-E1)

Fujifilm XF 35mm f/2 R WR

Compact normal lens..

  1. Overview of Fujifilm XF 35mm f/2 R WR

Fujifilm Fujinon XF 56mm f/1.2

A bright short telephoto lens..

  1. Aperture Series: California Poppies Closeup (X-T1)
  2. Aperture Series: Picnic Table (X-T1)
  3. Aperture Series: Teak Bench, Grasses, Black Cat (X-T1)

Fujifilm XF 90mm f/2 R LM WR

Medium-long fast telephoto..

  1. Overview of Fujifilm XF 90mm f/2 R LM WR

Sony NEX-7 and NEX-5N

24 or 16 megapixels in a compact body with APS-C sensor..

  1. Diffraction

Sony Alpha A6000

Value camera: 24 megapixel APS-C sensor with EVF and vibration-free shutter..

  1. Aperture Series: Pellegrino Bottles

Metabones SpeedBooster for Sony NEX

Use DSLR lenses at ~native focal length, and gain a stop of speed..

  1. Metabones SpeedBooster for Sony NEX
  2. General Observations on SpeedBooster Optical Performance
  3. SpeedBooster + Zeiss 21/2.8 Distagon (NEX-6, MTB)
  4. SpeedBooster + Zeiss 35/1.4 Distagon (NEX-6, MTB)
  5. SpeedBooster + Canon 40/2.8 STM (NEX-6, MTB)
  6. SpeedBooster + Zeiss 50/2 Makro-Planar (NEX-6, MTB)
  7. SpeedBooster + Canon 85/1.2L II (NEX-6, MTB)
  8. SpeedBooster + Canon 85/1.8 (NEX-6, MTB)

Zeiss Loxia 21mm f/2.8 Distagon

Outstanding ultra wide angle performer..

  1. MTF for Zeiss Loxia 21/2.8 Distagon
  2. Examples: White Mountains Before Snowstorm (A7R II)
  3. Examples: White Mountains, First Snowstorm (A7R II)
  4. Examples: Close Range Shooting (A7R II)
  5. Examples: Down Low and Near-Macro (A7R II)
  6. Aperture Series: Through the Aspen (A7R II)
  7. Aperture Series: Orange Tree Trunks, Blue Wood (A7R II)
  8. Aperture Series: Bristlecone Sculpture on Slate Outcrop, Late Dusk (A7R II)
  9. Aperture Series (Night): Golf Carts (A7R II)
  10. Shootout: Zeiss Loxia 21mm f/2.8 vs Voigtlander FE Nokton 21mm f/1.4 Aspherical vs : Tenaya Creek and Lingering Ice
  11. Shootout: Zeiss Loxia 21mm f/2.8 vs Voigtlander FE Nokton 21mm f/1.4 Aspherical Mosaic (Sony A7R IV)
  12. Shootout: Zeiss Loxia 21mm vs Sony FE 12-24mm f/2.8 GM: First Ice on Beaver Pond

Zeiss Loxia 25mm f/2.4 Distagon

Outstanding wide angle, superb performer..

  1. Examples: Night Shots
  2. Aperture Series: Stand of White Aspen

Zeiss Loxia 35mm f/2 Biogon

Manual focus moderate wide angle for full-frame mirrorless..

  1. Depth of Field Table for Zeiss Loxia 35/2 Biogon
  2. Field Examples: Yosemite Area (Sony A7R II)
  3. Examples: Eastern Sierra Nevada, White Mountains (Sony A7R)
  4. Aperture Series: The Storm Blows In (Sony A7R)
  5. Aperture Series: Red Blueberry Scrub View to Mt Conness (Sony A7R)
  6. Aperture Series: Solo Bristlecone, Earth Shadow (Sony A7R)
  7. Shootout: Zeiss Loxia 35mm f/2 vs Sigma 35mm f/1.2 DG DN Art: Twenty Lakes Basin, View Towards Mt Conness Drainage (Sony A7R IV)

Zeiss Loxia 50mm f/2 Planar

Manual focus normal lens for full-frame mirrorless..

  1. Depth of Field Table for Zeiss Loxia 50/2 Planar
  2. Aperture Series: Pine Creek Sunlit Morning (Sony A7R)
  3. Aperture Series: Bristlecone, Earth Shadow Rises (Sony A7R)
  4. Aperture Series: Glaciated High Meadow (Sony A7R)
  5. Dual Aperture Series: Saddlebag Lake Pines (Sony A7R)
  6. Aperture Series: Sunstar through Green Aspen (Sony A7R II)
  7. Aperture Series: White Glacial Erratic (Sony A7R)

Zeiss Loxia 85mm f/2.4 Sonnar

Manual focus telephoto lens for full-frame mirrorless..

  1. Aperture Series: Clearing Storm, Lundy Canyon (Sony A7R II)
  2. Examples: Tenaya Lake Area (Sony A7R II)
  3. Examples: Lundy Canyon, Snow and Sun (Sony A7R II)

Zeiss Batis (Overview)

Zeiss autofocus lenses Sony full-frame mirrorless..

  1. OLED Depth of Field and Distance Display

Zeiss Batis 18mm f/2.8 Distagon

Autofocus extreme wide angle for Sony full-frame mirrorless..

  1. MTF for Zeiss Batis 18/2.8 Distagon
  2. Examples: Purissima Creek
  3. Examples: Eastern Sierra High Country Closeups (Sony A7R II)
  4. Examples: Eastern Sierra Hall Natural Area (Sony A7R II)
  5. Aperture Series: Waterworn Rocks, Downstream Low Viewpoint

Zeiss Batis 25mm f/2 Distagon

Autofocus wide angle for Sony full-frame mirrorless..

  1. Overview of Zeiss Batis 25mm f/2 Distagon
  2. Portrait Examples (Sony A7R)
  3. Examples: White Mountains (Sony A7R)
  4. Aperture Series: Water Through the Boulders (Sony A7R)
  5. Aperture Series: Yellow Flowers by Waterfall (Sony A7R II)

Zeiss Batis 40mm f/2

All-around slightly wide angle/normal with close focus..

  1. Aperture Series: View up Bishop Creek, Late Dusk
  2. Aperture Series: Bishop Creek Aspen

Zeiss Batis 85mm f/1.8 Sonnar

Autofocus portrait lens for Sony full-frame mirrorless..

  1. Overview of Zeiss Batis 85mm f/1.8 Sonnar
  2. Portrait Examples (Sony A7R)
  3. Examples: White Mountains (Sony A7R)
  4. Examples: Mary Lake, Mt Conness, Sierra (Sony A7R)
  5. On a Tripod With SteadyShot / Image Stabilization = Damaged Sharpness (Sony A7R, Through the Boulders)
  6. Aperture Series: Sculptured Elegance (Sony A7R)
  7. Aperture Series: Yellow Flowers by Waterfall (Sony A7R II)
  8. Aperture Series: Golden Reflection (Sony A7R II)

Zeiss Touit 12mm f/2.8 Distagon

Ultra wide angle lens for Sony NEX or Fujifilm X..

  1. Aperture Series: Sharpness and Bokeh (Picnic Table, NEX-7)
  2. Examples: Alpine Creek (Sony NEX-7)
  3. Compared to Fujifilm 14mm f/2.8 (Fujifilm X-E1, Cabin #9 Interior)
  4. Compared to Fujifilm 14mm f/2.8 (Fujifilm X-E1, Cabin #9 Bathroom)

Zeiss Touit 32mm f/1.8 Planar

Normal lens for Sony NEX or Fujifilm X..

  1. Aperture series: Sunflowers (Sony NEX-7)
  2. Compared to Fujifilm 35mm f/1.4 and 18-55 f/2.8-4 (Fujifilm X-E1, Green House)

Zeiss Touit 50mm f/2.8M

Moderate telephoto macro lens for Sony NEX or Fujifilm X. Useful on full frame too!.

  1. More than APS-C Coverage? (Sony A7R)
  2. Aperture Series: Old Coins at 1:1.5 (Sony A6000)
  3. Aperture Series: Glistening Rocks (Sony A7R)
  4. Aperture Series: Leaf Closeup at ~1:5 (Sony A7R)
  5. Aperture Series: Green Plants at 1:10 (Sony A7R)
  6. Aperture Series: Flowing Water, Wet Dark Rocks, Green Grass (Sony A7R, 4 X 5 Crop)
  7. Aperture Series: Forest Floor Debris (Sony A7R APS-C)
  8. Aperture Series: Green Grass (Sony A7R, 4 X 5 Crop)
  9. Aperture Series: Water-Worn Boulders (Sony A7R, 4 X 5 Crop)
  10. Aperture Series: Boulders Up Creek, Depth of Field (Sony A7R, APS-C)
  11. Aperture Series: Fern, Wide-Open vs ƒ/5.6 (Sony A7R, APS-C)

Leica X Vario

Leica’s 28-70mm APS-C compact camera..

  1. Autofocus Inconsistency, Backfocus, Manual Focus
  2. Aperture Series: Pine Creek Mine and Waterfall, Dusk (28mm)
  3. Aperture Series: Dynamic Range Outdoors (46mm)

Sigma dp0 Quattro

21mm f/5.6 equivalent FOV lens..

  1. Examples: Cottonwood Canyon Area, White Mountains (Part 1)
  2. Examples: Cottonwood Canyon Area, White Mountains (Part 2)
  3. Aperture Series: Lower Conness Lake, Late Day
  4. Aperture Series: Creek Enters Lake
  5. Aperture Series: Sunlit Glacial Erratic
  6. Aperture Series: Bristlecone Log

Sigma dp2 Quattro

45mm f/2.8 equivalent FOV lens..

  1. Aperture Series: Mosaic
  2. Aperture Series: Transit Bus

Sigma DP1 Merrill

28mm f/2.8 equivalent lens on APS-C sensor..

  1. Examples (White Mountains)
  2. Aperture: Summit Green-Brick Building

Sigma DP2 Merrill

45mm f/2.8 equivalent lens on APS-C sensor..

  1. Examples (DP2M, San Francisco)
  2. Aperture Series DP2 Merrill (Dolls)
  3. Aperture Series DP2 Merrill (Pellegrino Bottles)
  4. Aperture Series DP2 Merrill (Dead Aspen, Live Aspen)

Sigma DP3 Merrill

75mm f/2.8 equivalent lens on APS-C sensor..

  1. Examples (DP3M, Portraits)
  2. Examples (DP3M, Around The Neighborhood)
  3. Examples (DP3M, White Mountains)
  4. Aperture Series DP3 Merrill (Tulips)
  5. Aperture Series DP3 Merrill (DeChambeau Barn)
  6. Aperture Series DP3 Merrill (Boulder with Forked Stick)
  7. Aperture Series DP3 Merrill (Beaver Pond Rotting Trees)
  8. Aperture Series DP3 Merrill (Creek Enters Beaver Pond)

Leica M11 Monochrom

Leica M 60-megapixel monochrome sensor..

  1. SHOOTOUT in Monochrome: M11M vs Sony A7R V vs Fujifilm GFX100S

Leica M10

Leica M mount in slim body with SL-type sensor..

  1. Examples: Dana Lakes, Part 2: At the Dana Lakes

Leica M Typ 240 Compared To Full Frame Cameras

Relative sharpness and performance across cameras..

  1. M240 FF vs Sony A6000 APS-C (Pellegrino)

Leica M Typ 240 Compared To APS-C Cameras

Relative sharpness and performance vs APS-C cameras..

  1. M240 at 28mm vs Sigma DP1 Merrill: Native Resolution
  2. M240 + 50/2 APO ASPH vs Sigma DP2 Merrill
  3. M240 + 50/2 APO ASPH vs Sigma DP2 Merrill (Bottles)
  4. M240 + 50/2 APO ASPH vs Nikon D7100 + Sigma 35/1.4 DG HSM A

Leica M Monochrom Typ 246

24-megapixel CMOS monochrome sensor..

  1. Examples: Just How Sharp is the Leica M Monochrom Typ 246?

Leica M9: Focusing with the Rangefinder

Focusing issue.

  1. Focusing with a Rangefinder — Intro
  2. Focusing with a rangefinder — Digital Precision

Leica 16-18-21mm f/4 Tri-Elmar-M ASPH

Leica’s ultra wide angle zoom lens..

  1. Aperture Series, 16mm: Cattle Chute at Sunset (M240)
  2. Aperture Series, 18mm: California Poppies and Pots (Sony A7R)

Leica 18mm f/3.8 Super-Elmar-M ASPH

Leica’s widest prime lens..

  1. Examples: Neighborhood (M11 Monochrom)
  2. Examples: 18/3.8 Super-Elmar-M ASPH
  3. Aperture Series: Lundy Pond, Pre-Dawn (M240)
  4. Aperture Series: Sidelit Barn at DeChambeau Ranch (M240)
  5. Aperture Series: Beaver Pond Meadow, Lundy Canyon (M240)
  6. Aperture Series: Juniper Tree Sky View At Dusk (M240)
  7. Aperture Series: Setting Sunstar Over Snowy Beaver Pond (Leica M10-R)

Leica 21mm f/1.4 Summilux-M ASPH

Leica’s fastest and widest lens..

  1. Comparison: Leica 21/1.4 Summilux-M vs Zeiss 21/2.8 Distagon on D3x
  2. Examples: Leica 21/1.4 Summilux-M ASPH
  3. Examples: Leica 21/1.4 Summilux-M ASPH (Bristlecones)

Leica 21mm f/3.4 Super-Elmar-M ASPH

Leica’s best-performing 21mm..

  1. Aperture Series: Rancher’s Cabin Exterior (M9)
  2. Aperture Series: White Mountain Aspens in Deep Shade (M9)
  3. Examples: Snow Biking in Cottonwood Canyon (M9)
  4. Examples: White Mountains Snow Day (M9)

Leica 24mm f/1.4 Summilux-M ASPH

Leica’s fast wide angle..

  1. 24/1.4 vs 24/3.8 and Zeiss 25/2 Distagon (M240, Barcroft Green Machine)

Leica 24mm f/3.8 Elmar-M ASPH

Leica’s best-performing 24mm, and with a flat field..

  1. MTF: 24mm f/3.8 Elmar-M ASPH
  2. Aperture Series: Ancient Tree Trunk at Lone Pine Lake
  3. Aperture Series: Colorful Leaves on Still Pool (M240)
  4. Aperture Series: Pescadero Creek (Sony A7R)
  5. Aperture Series: Sunstar Over as yet Unfrozen Beaver Pond (Leica M10 Monochrom)

Leica 28mm f/1.4 Summilux-M ASPH

Leica’s fast 28mm..

  1. Aperture Series: Red Aspen at Dusk (M240)

Leica 28mm f/2 Summicron-M ASPH (pre-2016)

Leica’s widest lens utilizing built-in frame lines..

  1. Aperture Series: vs 28/2.8 Pescadero Creek (Sony A7R)

Leica 28mm f/2.8 Elmarit-M ASPH (pre-2016)

Leica’s smallest and lightest M lens with superlative performance..

  1. Aperture Series: Cell Towers at 10,600' (M240)

Leica 35mm f/1.4 Summilux-M ASPH (2010 FLE)

Leica’s superlative and most natural lens for the M..

  1. Aperture Series: 35/1.4 — Glacial Erratics (M240)
  2. Examples: Leica 35mm f/1.4 Summilux-M ASPH (Yosemite)
  3. Compared: 35mm f/1.4 Summilux vs 35/2 Summicron vs Zeiss 35/2 Biogon (M9P, Cabin Sink)

Leica M 50mm Lenses

Six models to choose from..

  1. 50mm 4-way Comparison (M240, Wagon)
  2. Compared: Noctilux, Summilux, APO-Summicron, Zeiss Planar (M240, Bristlecone)

Leica 50mm f/0.95 Noctilux-M ASPH

World’s fastest 50mm full-frame lens..

  1. Examples: 50/0.95 Noctilux (White Mountains Snowy)
  2. Examples: 50/0.95 Noctilux (Wide Aperture Landscapes)

50/0.95 Noctilux Rendering Style

Understanding the Rendering Style of the Noctilux..

  1. Aperture Series: Green Aspen Trunk (M240)
  2. Aperture Series: Yellow Willow Leaves in Aspen Grove (M240)
  3. Aperture Series: Pescadero Creek (M240)

Leica 50mm f/1.4 Summilux-M ASPH

Leica’s superlative normal lens..

  1. Examples: 50/1.4 Summilux-M (White Mountains)

Leica 50mm f/2 APO-Summicron-M ASPH

High performance but flawed 50mm normal lens..

  1. Focus Shift with the 50/2 APO ASPH (Pellegrino Bottles)
  2. Aperture Series: Sagging Barn near Pine Creek (M240)
  3. Aperture Series: Wyman Cabin Table (M240)
  4. Aperture Series: Bikes at Night (Sony A7R)
  5. Aperture Series: Bleached Bristlecone Logs at Blue Dusk (M240)

Leica 75mm f/1.25 Noctilux-M ASPH

Leica’s ultra high grade and ultra fast modern short telephoto..

  1. Leica 75mm f/1.25 Noctilux-M ASPH, Introduction

Leica 75mm f/2 APO-Summicron-M ASPH

Leica’s medium tele for Leica M..

  1. Examples: 75/2 APO (Portraits)
  2. Aperture Series: Two Aspen (M240)
  3. Aperture Series: DeChambeau Yellow Trailer (M240)
  4. Aperture Series: Pescadero Creek Redwoods (Sony A7R)

Leica 75mm f/2.4 (2.5) Summarit-M

Leica’s budget 75mm medium telephoto..

  1. Aperture Series: Mining Camp Bunkhouse (M240)
  2. Aperture Series: Mining Supplies Wagon (M240)

Leica 90mm f/2.2 Thambar-M

Leica’s retro telephoto..

  1. Compared: Thambar 90mm f/2.2 vs Nikon 105mm f/2 DC: Bird of Paradise

Shooting Leica R Lenses on Leica M

General discussion of R lenses on M..

  1. Shooting Procedure with R-Adapter M

Leica 90mm f/2 APO-Summicron-R ASPH

Compact lens for portraiture or similar..

  1. Aperture Series: Green Machine (M240)
  2. Aperture Series: Moots Moot X YBB 29er (M240)
  3. Aperture Series: Leaves on Rocks in Creek (Sony A7R)
  4. Aperture Series: Electrical Substation (M240)

Leica 100mm f/2.8 APO-Macro-Elmarit-R

Superb all-around macro and general-purpose lens..

  1. Aperture Series: Green Machine (M240)

Leica 180mm f/2.8 APO-Elmarit-R

World’s best mid-range telephoto lens..

  1. vs Sigma 180/2.8 APO (D800E, Mosaic)
  2. Aperture Series: Wyman Cabin (M240)

Leica 280mm f/4 APO-Telyt-R

Compact and ultra high performance long telephoto..

  1. Examples: White Mountains

Zeiss ZM 15mm f/2.8 Distagon

Notes and examples..

  1. Examples: Night, Creek, Buildings

Zeiss ZM 21mm f/2.8 Biogon

Moderate speed high contrast ultra-wide..

  1. Examples: Zeiss ZM 21/2.8 Biogon (Miscellaneous)

Zeiss ZM 35mm f/1.4 Distagon

Fast and ultra high performance moderate wide angle rangefinder lens..

  1. Depth of Field Table for Zeiss ZM 35/1.4 Distagon
  2. Examples at ƒ/1.4 in Eastern Sierra and White Mountains (M240)
  3. Aperture Series: Redwoods and Ferns (M240)
  4. Aperture Series: Granite Glacial Polish to Cloud’s Rest (M240)
  5. Aperture Series: Frosty Creek to Snowy Mountainside, Lundy Canyon (Leica M10-R)
  6. Aperture Series: Animal Tracks near Snowy Creek, Lundy Canyon (Leica M10-R)

Zeiss ZM 85mm f/4 Tele-Tessar

Compact high performance medium telephoto..

  1. Aperture Series: Teak Bench at Dusk with Grass (Sony A7R)

Voigtlander M Nokton 21mm f/1.4

Fast high performance wide angle..

  1. Voigtlander M Nokton 21mm f/1.4 Aspherical Overview

Voigtlander M 35mm f/2 APO-Lanthar Aspherical

World-class performer for Leica M..

  1. Aperture Series: Alpine Creek, Downstream (M11 Monochrom)

Voigtlander M 50mm f/2 APO-Lanthar Aspherical

World-class performer for Leica M..

  1. Aperture Series: Big Laurel by Alpine Creek (M11)
  2. Aperture Series: Pumpkins on Picnic Table (M11)
  3. Aperture Series: Bare Branches Riparian Tree (M11)

Voigtlander M 50mm f/1.1

A slightly slower, but smaller and lighter alternative to the Noctilux, at 1/10 the price..

  1. Voigtlander Nokton 50/1.1 Aperture Series: MTB

ALLVIEW— Any Lens Live View Camera

ARCHIVAL MATERIAL. Eliminating the camera body barrier— any kind of lens with Live View EVF and LCD, and especially Leica M-mount.
HISTORICAL, please see Guide to Mirrorless..

  1. Diffraction with ALLVIEW Cameras

Blog posts, reverse chronological

2023

2023-11-07 SHOOTOUT: Sony FE 16-35mm f/2.8 GM II vs Sony FE 12-24mm f/2.8 GM @ 16mm: End of Road, White Mountains

2022

2022-04-05 Fujifilm GFX100/GFX100S: Optimizing Depth of Field Placement for Landscape Photography

2022-02-26 Autofocus Accuracy: Fujifilm GFX100S + Fujifilm GF 35-70mm f/4.5-5.6

2021

2021-05-04 Reader Question: Testing for Focus Shift

2021-03-07 Longer “reach”: Micro Four Thirds vs Cropping Full-Frame or APS-C

2020

2020-10-18 Analyzing Swing and Tilt of Sony A7R IV with Two Samples of Sony FE 12-24mm f/2.8 GM

2020-10-18 Swing and Tilt: Subject Distance vs Lens Focusing Offset

2019

2019-12-09 Phase One IQ4 + Schneider Kreuznach LS 80mm f/2.8 Example: Last Change Wash (depth of field is nil on a 53.4 X 40 mm sensor!)

2019-11-22 On the Way for Testing: Phase One IQ4 150-Megapixel Medium Format System

2019-08-30 Landscape Photographers Looking for Superior Results and Lowest Effort and Fewest Problems Go with Fujifilm GFX100, not Sony A7R IV

2019-05-26 Focus Shift, a General Discussion

2018

2018-10-26 Shootout @ 35mm, Nikon NIKKOR Z 24-70mm f/4 S vs 35mm f/1.8 S: Stand of Bare Aspen by Creek

2018-10-09 Nikon Z7: Image Sharpness vs Zone of Focus, Autofocus Error and Mitigation

2018-08-01 Is It the End of the Development Road for Leica M Cameras? (Updated with Reader Comments)

2018-06-24 Nikon 105mm f/2 DC: Comparing the Defocus Control (DC) Feature

2018-06-22 Bokeh Shootout: Leica 90mm f/2.2 Thambar-M vs Nikon 105mm f/2 DC: Bird of Paradise

2017

2017-11-13 Depth of Field Akin to f/128: an Incredible Near-Far Focus Stack with the Zeiss Milvus 18mm f/2.8

2017-10-27 Nikon D850: 'Focus shift shooting' Feature Most Important Feature since Live View; Focus Stacking is the ONLY Solution to Full Resolution Images

2017-09-26 Sigma 14mm f/1.8 DG HSM Art Aperture Series: Dead and Live Aspen, Dusk

2017-08-10 Fujifilm GFX 50s Firmware Update Might Degrade Focusing by Stopping Down?

2017-08-09 Sony 16-35mm f/2.8 GM: Single Frame Performance at f/9 vs Focus Stacking at f/9 (Bristlecone Log Low View)

2017-04-13 Fujifilm GF 32-64mm f/4 @32mm Focus Stack: Barroom Interior

2017-02-24 Sigma Announces 14mm f/1.8 DG HSM Art for Nikon and Canon DSLRs and Sigma sa

2016

2016-12-02 Want a Fast Lens for Micro Four Thirds? HandeVision IBELUX 40mm f/0.85 is 71% Off

2016-10-15 Reader Question: Focusing with Sony Mirrorless

2016-09-19 Olympus 25mm f/1.2 PRO

2016-09-04 Focus Stacking with Sony 85/1.4 GM: Getting that Impossible Depth of Field for Landscape Scenes

2016-09-01 Panasonic Leica DG Summilux 12mm f/1.4 ASPH

2016-08-28 Focus Stacking: Banishes Depth of Field Limitations for Many Field Images

2016-07-26 Perception and Imaging

2016-07-19 An In-Depth Look at Focus Stacking in 'Making Sharp Images'

2016-07-16 Stacking Two Frames for Impossible Depth of Field

2016-07-15 Depth of field and Sharpness: Conventional Thinking is Unrealistic Going Forward, Focus Stacking is One Solution

2016-02-25 Reader Comment on Pentax K3 II Super Resolution Mode: “Museum Artifact Work”

2015

2015-12-28 End of the Year: 3 Days Left for Small Business to Write off that new Computer, Camera, etc

2015-12-22 Recommended Computer Upgrades, B&H Free Overnight + Small Business Deduction Note

2015-12-14 End of the Year: Time for Small Business Owners to Consider Getting that new Computer Gear, etc

2015-10-22 The Irrational Aim of f/1.4 Lenses

2015-07-16 Left/Right Zone of Focus Skew: Not Always the Lens, the Sensor and Lens Mount Might not be Plane-Parallel

2015-05-26 Zeiss Batis: Notes on OLED Display, Distance and Depth of Field Scales

2015-04-22 Zeiss Announces 'Batis' line: Zeiss Batis 25mm f/2 Distagon and Zeiss Batis 85mm f/1.8 Sonnar

2015-04-09 Table of f-stops: Full Stops, 1/2 Stops, 1/3 Stops (Depth of Field)

2015-03-26 Reviewed: Sigma 24mm f/1.4 DG HSM Art

2014

2014-05-25 Format Equivalent Depth of Field: APS-C vs Full Frame

2014-05-21 Increasing Depth of Field via Focus Stacking (Wagon, 280/4 APO)

2014-05-21 Bypassing Normal Depth of Field Limitations Using a Tilt/Shift Lens: Landscape Usage (Lembert Dome)

2014-05-19 Format Equivalent Depth of Field: a Non-Alcoholic Demonstration (Micro Four Thirds vs Full Frame)

2014-05-19 Tilt/Shift Lenses: Focusing for Optimal Tilt Placement + Focus Peaking Assist

2014-05-18 Using Tilt (Swing) to Isolate a Subject

2014-05-18 Bypassing Normal Depth of Field Limitations Using a Tilt/Shift Lens

2014-05-09 Format Equivalent Depth of Field, Depth of Field at the Periphery

2014-05-03 Depth of Field with Real Lenses

2013

2013-09-15 Fujifilm XF 23mm f/1.4 R

2013-08-10 New Features for Finding Stuff at diglloyd.com

2013-07-26 Leica 35mm f/1.4 Summilux-M ASPH: Glacial Erratics and Focus Placement (Leica M Typ 240)

2013-07-24 Micro Four Thirds vs APS-C: Summary

2013-07-24 Micro Four Thirds vs APS-C: Size and Weight Realities

2013-07-24 Micro Four Thirds vs APS-C: Lens Size

2013-07-24 Micro Four Thirds vs APS-C: Aspect Ratio

2013-07-12 Focus Bracketing for Peak Sharpness with a 15mm Lens

2013-07-11 A 15mm Lens has “Huge Depth of Field”, Right?

2013-04-26 APS-C Emerges as “the new full frame quality” + the Sagging Momentum of Micro Four Thirds (m4/3)

2013-04-17 Sigma DP2 Merrill Sharpness: Impressive Sharpness and Realized Depth of Field

2013-01-14 Metabones Speed Booster — Comments from the Designer

2012

2012-05-22 Exploiting the Sensor Resolution: Depth of Field on the Nikon D800E

2012-05-16 Reader Asks: Depth of Field

2012-04-26 Optimal Aperture for Nikon D800

2012-03-08 Thoughts on Canon EOS 5D Mark III, 22.3 Megapixels

2012-03-07 Diffraction, Sharpness and Nikon D800E

2012-02-09 What Does Depth of Field Mean on a 36 Megapixel Camera?

2010

2010-06-14 Landscape photography at f/0.95 in Patriarch Grove

2010-06-03 Depth of field with a fast lens in daylight

2010-04-12 Carl Zeiss on “Depth of Field and Bokeh”

2008

2008-11-11 Tip of the day: Depth of field

2008-10-21 Selective depth of field

2008-09-03 Question of the Day: 18mm, 25mm, 28mm?

2008-06-26 Depth of field, diffraction, and megapixels

2008-05-03 Depth of field

2007

2007-12-25 Zeiss ZF 28/2 Distagon—depth of field

2007-08-14 A herd of words

2007-02-17 Depth of field

2006

2006-10-15 How far to stop down for adequate depth of field?

2006-07-20 Depth of field and megapixels

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