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2022-01-12 Sony FE 50mm f/1.2 GM Aperture Series: Last Season’s Plant Spikes in Spring Meadow

2021-05-04 With Newer-Model Cameras, Adobe Camera Raw Allows Distortion Correction, Color Fringing, Vignetting Corrections to be Controlled

2021-04-02 Reader Comment: Zeiss Milvus 25mm f/1.4 or 18/2.8 or 21/2.8 for Astrophotography?

2020-10-20 Sony’s Shading Compensation (Vignetting Correction) Whacks Raw Files Hard—Turn it Off When Shooting RAW

2020-09-02 Reader Comment: Voigtlander FE 50mm f/2 APO-Lanthar Aspherical Vignetting and Color Symmetry

2018-09-30 Sony 85mm f/1.4 GM Aperture Series for Bokeh / Visual Impact: Aspen Trunks at Rock Creek

2018-07-06 Reader Question on Vignetting for Zeiss Loxia 50mm f/2 Planar

2017-10-18 Zeiss Milvus 25mm f/1.4: MTF, Distortion, Vignetting

2017-05-14 Photoshop ACR Behavior: Uses Wrong Lens Profile

2016-04-14 REVIEWED in Depth: the NEW Zeiss Batis 18mm f/2.8 Distagon

Bokeh and Blur

How a lens blurs when out of focus is a Big Deal..

  1. Aperture Blades

Ray Angle, Vignetting, Color Shading on a Digital Sensor

Evenness of illumination, color shading, digital sensor effects, ray angle..

  1. Ray Angle and Digital Sensors
  2. Filter Stack Thickness vs Digital Sensors
  3. Color Shading on a Digital Sensor
  4. Loss of Lens Brightness at Fast Apertures on a Digital Sensor
  5. Ray Angles for Zeiss DSLR Lenses
  6. Ray Angles for Rangefinder Lenses

How To Get Peak Sharpness With Perfect Focus

Focusing is more complicated than it first appears..

  1. Hedge Your Bet By Stopping Down

Depth of Field

Controlling the zone of sharp detail..

  1. What are F-stop and T-stop?
  2. Depth of Field at the Periphery

Optical Aberrations and Behaviors

Understanding the various optical aberrations and behaviors..

  1. Optical Aberrations (General)

Vignetting (Field Illumination)

Evenness of illumination across the frame and related effects..

  1. Vignetting
  2. Cat’s Eye Effect

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. Know Your Goals

Image Quality Issues

Unique challenges of digital infrared..

  1. Hot Spots

Leica SL2

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

  1. SHOOTOUT: Leica SL2 vs Panasonic S1R Sharpness with Zeiss ZM 35/1.4 Distagon: Piper Mountain Wilderness

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

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

  1. Aperture Series: Oily Blue Water among Orange Streambed Rocks (Leica SL2)

Leica 35mm f/2 APO-Summicron-SL ASPH

Fast apochromatic prime/wide lens for L-Mount cameras..

  1. Shootout: Leica 35mm f/2 APO-Summicron-SL vs Zeiss ZM 35mm f/1.4: Popcorn and Pumpkins (Leica SL2)

Canon EOS 5D Mark II review

Canon 5D Mark II impressions.

  1. Live View Vignetting

Nikon vs Canon: noise and sharpness

Nikon vs Canon: Noise and Sharpness.

  1. Noise

Voigtlander 20mm f/3.5 Color-Skopar

Very compact ultra wide angle..

  1. Main—20/3.5 Color Skopar ASPH
  2. Examples—20/3.5 Color Skopar

Voigtlander Nokton 58mm f/1.4

Normal lens..

  1. Examples—58/1.4 Nokton

Canon TS-E 17/4L

Ultra wide angle tilt shift with tremendous versatility.

  1. Canon 17/4L: Vignetting

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 24mm f/3.5D ED on Nikon D3x
  3. 28mm PC Super Angulon vs Nikon 28mm f/4
  4. Nikon 35mm f/2.8 PC-Nikkor
  5. 35mm Shift Lenses: Olympus 35mm f/2.8 Sinaron Digital
  6. 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. Shooting Tips
  3. Vignetting As a Tool
  4. Examples with Leica 50mm f/0.95 Noctilux-M ASPH
  5. Examples with Nikon AF-S 24mm f/1.4G

Pentax HD DA Limited 35mm f/2.8 Macro

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

  1. Aperture Series: Mosaic (K-1 Full Frame, SuperRes, Shade Retracted)

Canon 40mm f/2.8 STM

Canon’s tiny and lovely pancake lens..

  1. 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. Canon 50mm Lenses: Field Illumination

Canon 100mm f/2.8L Macro IS

Canon 100mm f/2.8L Macro IS .

  1. Canon 100mm f/2.8L: Vignetting

Canon 35mm f/1.4L II

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

  1. Aperture Series: Lundy Canyon
  2. Aperture Series: Streamside Tetrahedron Boulder Amid Brush

Sigma 14mm f/1.8 DG HSM Art

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

  1. Aperture Series + Focus Stack: Boulder View to Sub-Peak of Mt Conness

Sigma 20mm f/1.4 DG HSM Art

The fastest extreme wide angle yet..

  1. Vignetting for Sigma 20mm f/1.4 DG HSM Art

Sigma 24mm f/1.4 DG HSM Art

Sigma’s fast high performance wide angle..

  1. Vignetting for Sigma 24mm f/1.4 DG HSM Art
  2. Aperture Series: Magenta Flower (Canon 5DM3)

Sigma 28mm f/1.4 DG HSM Art

Extraordinary optical efforts for outstanding performance..

  1. Vignetting

Sigma 35mm f/1.4 DG HSM Art

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

  1. Examples (Alpine Creek, Canon 5DM3)

Sigma 40mm f/1.4 DG HSM Art

Extraordinary optical efforts for outstanding performance..

  1. Vignetting

Sigma 50mm f/1.4 DG HSM Art

Sigma’s fast high performance normal lens..

  1. Sigma 50/1.4A vs Canon 50/1.2L and 50/1.4 (5D Mark III, Decorated Bike)

Sigma 50mm f/1.4 EX DG HSM on Canon EOS 1Ds Mark III

The Sigma 50mm f/1.4 is a worthy contender in the crowded 50mm area. See how it performs compared to the Canon EF 50/1.4 and EF 50/1.2L..

  1. Field illumination (vignetting)

Nikon AF-S Nikkor 50mm f/1.4G

Nikon’s latest 50mm lens compared with the Zeiss ZF 50/1.4, Nikon 50/1.4D and Sigma 50/1.4..

  1. Vignetting and Brightness

Nikon AF-S Nikkor 50mm f/1.8G

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

  1. Vignetting and Brightness
  2. Detailed Comparison 50/1.8G vs 50/1.4G (Mosaic)

Canon 24mm f/1.4L II

State of the art design in a fast ultra wide angle lens..

  1. Overview: ergonomics and optical qualities

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: Multi-Stem Sunflower and Blue Sky (D810)

Nikon AF-S Nikkor 24mm f/1.8G

Versatile autofocus wide angle..

  1. Vignetting for Nikon 24mm f/1.8G

Nikon AF-S 24mm f/1.4G ED

State of the art design in a fast 24mm lens. Includes full-resolution images at f/1.4..

  1. Autofocus Examples At Night
  2. Vignetting from f/1.4 - f/8

Olympus Zuiko Auto-S 50mm f/1.2

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

  1. Examples at Close Range, Backyard Stuff (Fujifilm GFX)

Nikon AF-S 60mm f/2.8G Macro

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

  1. Comparison with Nikon 60/2.8D and Coastal 60/4 APO

Nikon AF-S 35mm f/1.4G

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

  1. Aperture Series f/1.4...f/11 — Silver Canyon Pine

Nikon AF-S 85mm f/1.4G

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

  1. Vignetting from f/1.4 - f/8

Nikon AF-S 105mm f/1.4E ED

Nikon’s best-ever f/1.4 lens?.

  1. Vignetting Examples

Nikon Ultra Wide Zooms

Comparing Nikon 16-35mm f/4 VR, 17-35mm f/2.8, 14-24mm f/2.8, 18-35mm, 24-70mm f/2.8 along with Nikon 20mm f/3.5, 24mm f/2, 28mm f/2, 35mm f/1.4 AIS, and more..

  1. Vignetting at 16mm
  2. Vignetting at 17mm
  3. Vignetting at 21mm
  4. Vignetting at 24mm
  5. Vignetting at 28mm
  6. Vignetting at 35mm
  7. Vignetting of Nikon 18-35mm f/3.5-5.6 vs Nikon 16-35 f/4 VR

Canon Ultra-wide Zoom Lenses: 17-40 and 16-35

Comparing the Canon 17-40mm f/4L and 16-35mm f/2.L II..

  1. Vignetting at 17mm
  2. Vignetting at 21mm
  3. Vignetting at 24mm
  4. Vignetting at 35mm

Samyang 14mm f/2.8

Ultra wide angle lens for Canon and Nikon..

  1. Aperture Series: Wyman Cabin

Medium Format Magazine

Articles written for MediumFormat.com..

  1. Introduction to Adapting Lenses to Fujifilm GFX: Overview and Experience with Zeiss DSLR Lenses (July 2019)

Adapting Other Lenses to Fujifilm GFX

Adapting lenses delivers degraded results in most cases..

  1. Introduction to Adapting Lenses to Fujifilm GFX: Overview and Experience with Zeiss DSLR Lenses (July 2019)

Hasselblad XCD 30mm f/3.5

25mm equivalent..

  1. Vignetting

Hasselblad XCD 35-75mm f3.5-4.5

Normal lens equivqlent to 53mm..

  1. Vignetting for Hasselblad XCD 35-75mm f3.5-4.5

Hasselblad XCD 38mm f/2.5 V

Normal lens equivqlent to 32mm..

  1. Vignetting for Hasselblad XCD 38mm f/2.5 V

Hasselblad XCD 45mm f/3.5

37mm equivalent..

  1. Vignetting

Hasselblad XCD 45mm f/4 P

Moderate wide angle..

  1. Vignetting for Hasselblad XCD 45mm f/4 P

Hasselblad XCD 55mm f/2.5 V

Normal lens equivqlent to 45mm..

  1. Vignetting for Hasselblad XCD 55mm f/2.5 V
  2. Aperture Series: Memorial Shed

Hasselblad XCD 65mm f/2.8

Normal lens equivqlent to 53mm..

  1. Vignetting for Hasselblad XCD 65mm f/2.8

Hasselblad XCD 80mm f/1.9

Moderate telephoto..

  1. Vignetting for Hasselblad XCD 80mm f/1.9

Hasselblad XCD 90mm f/2.5 V

Normal lens equivqlent to 45mm..

  1. Vignetting for Hasselblad XCD 90mm f/2.5 V

Hasselblad XCD 90mm f/3.2

Medium format telephoto lens, 74mm equivalent..

  1. Vignetting
  2. Bokeh: Out-of-Focus Lights at Night

Hasselblad XCD 120mm f/3.5

Telephoto macro lens, 99mm equivalent..

  1. Vignetting

Hasselblad XCD 135mm f/2.8

Moderate telephoto..

  1. Vignetting for Hasselblad XCD 135mm f/2.8

Leica 24mm f/3.5 Super-Elmar-S ASPH

Extreme wide angle with ultra high performance..

  1. Vignetting for Leica 24mm f/3.5 Super-Elmar-S ASPH

Leica 45mm f/2.8 Elmarit-S ASPH

Moderate wide angle with low distortion..

  1. Vignetting for Leica 45mm f/2.8 Elmarit-S ASPH

Leica 100mm f/2 Summicron-S ASPH

The fastest S lens..

  1. Vignetting for Leica 100mm f/2 Summicron-S ASPH

Milvus 15mm f/2.8

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

  1. Vignetting for Milvus 15/2.8

Milvus 18mm f/2.8

An outstanding 18mm design..

  1. Vignetting for Milvus 18/2.8

Milvus 21mm f/2.8

The classic 21/2.8 Distagon improved..

  1. Vignetting for Milvus 21/2.8

Milvus 25mm f/1.4

Highest performing 25mm from Zeiss ever..

  1. Vignetting for Milvus 25/1.4
  2. Aperture Series + Focus Stack: Healthy BristleconeBark

Milvus 35mm f/1.4

Highest performing 35mm from Zeiss ever..

  1. Vignetting for Milvus 35/1.4

Milvus 35mm f/2

Classic design in the latest Milvus build..

  1. Vignetting for Milvus 35/2
  2. Examples: White Mountains and Sierra Snow, Late November

Milvus 50mm f/1.4

Outstanding build and optical quality in a normal lens..

  1. Vignetting 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. Vignetting for Milvus 50/2M

Milvus 85mm f/1.4

Outstanding build and optical quality in a medium tele..

  1. Vignetting for Milvus 85/1.4
  2. Aperture Series: Dead Tree in Dark Creek (Nikon D810)
  3. Aperture Series: Diagonal Tree At Waterfall Cliff (Nikon D810)

Milvus 100mm f/2M

The classic 100/2 Makro-Planar improved..

  1. Vignetting for Milvus 100/2M
  2. Bokeh Aperture Series: Wild Onion and Shining Lake
  3. Macro Examples: Shape of Out of Focus Specular Bokeh

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. Vignetting for Milvus 135/2

Introduction

Start here to best utilize this guide..

  1. Introduction to the Zeiss ZF/ZE Lenses

15mm f/2.8 Distagon

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

  1. 15/2.8 Vignetting
  2. Vignetting/Depth of Field Aperture Series (Church Interior)
  3. Aperture Series: Confluence of Branched Creek with Sedges and Boulders (Sony A7)
  4. Aperture Series: Surreal Bristlecones at High Altitude, Generations (Nikon D810)
  5. Examples: Lundy Canyon, Early Winter

18mm f/3.5 Distagon

A brilliant, but also colorful character..

  1. 18/3.5 Distagon Main Page
  2. Vignetting
  3. Vignetting and Color Shading vs Nikon 14-24mm
  4. Examples
  5. Examples (White Mountains, Nikon D800E)
  6. Close-Range Aperture Series (Tioga Pine)
  7. Aperture Series: Creek Sedges, Water-Worn Boulders, Green Moss (Sony A7)
  8. Comparisons Overview
  9. Compared with Nikon 14-24/2.8G - Mosaic
  10. Compared with Nikon 14-24/2.8G - Arcades
  11. Compared with Nikon 14-24/2.8G - Church Interior
  12. Compared with Canon EF 16-35mm f/2.8L II - Mosaic
  13. Resolution Chart

ZF.2/ZE 21mm f/2.8 Distagon

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

  1. 21/2.8 Distagon Main Page
  2. Field Illumination (Vignetting) and Off-Center Color Balance
  3. Examples
  4. Rendering Style at f/2.8, f/4, f/8: Aspen Thicket
  5. vs Nikon 20mm f/1.8G: Mt Conness Glacier Remnants (Nikon D810)
  6. vs Nikon 14-24/2.8G, et al
  7. vs Canon 16-35/2.8L II
  8. vs Nikon 14-24/2.8G
  9. vs Nikon 14-24/2.8G and Nikon 16-35/4G VR
  10. Comparison: 21/2.8 and 25/2.8 Distagon vs Nikon 24/1.4G

25mm f/2 Distagon

Ultra high performance with a fast aperture..

  1. 25mm f/2 vs 25mm f/2.8 Discussion
  2. 25/2 Vignetting
  3. Examples (Yosemite, White Mountains)
  4. Examples (White Mountains Snowy Day)
  5. Aperture Series: Backlit Bristlecone (Nikon D800E)
  6. Aperture Series: Bristlecone Trunks (Nikon D800E)
  7. Compared: 25/2 vs 25/2.8 (Bristlecone View of White Mountain Peak, Nikon D800E)
  8. Aperture Series: Silver Canyon Cottonwood
  9. Comparison: 25/2 Distagon vs Canon 24mm ƒ/1.4L II (Woods)

25mm f/2.8 Distagon

A gem with unusual close-focus..

  1. 25/2.8 Vignetting
  2. Examples
  3. Aperture Series: Pescadero Creek Confluence (Sony A7)
  4. Aperture Series: Bristlecone Monolith Snowing

28mm f/2 Distagon

An artist’s drawing tool..

  1. Vignetting
  2. Examples — Miscellaneous
  3. Examples — Environmental Portraits
  4. Examples — Outdoor Portraits (Yosemite)
  5. Comparison—Nikon D3
  6. 28/2 Distagon vs Nikon 24-70/2.8G, Nikon 16-35/4G VR, Nikon 28/2
  7. Aperture Series: Creekside Yellow Flowers and Dark Rocks, Lundy Creek (Nikon D810)

35mm f/1.4 Distagon

Strokes of a master..

  1. Discussion of 35/1.4 vs Alternatives
  2. Comparison — Zeiss ZE 35 f/2 (Mosaic)

35mm f/2 Distagon

Balance and poise..

  1. vs Nikon 24-70/2.8G, Nikon 16-35/4G VR, Nikon 35/1.4

50mm f/1.4 Planar

Brilliant imaging in a compact package..

  1. 50/1.4 Planar Vignetting

50mm f/2 Makro-Planar

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

  1. 50/2 Makro Planar Vignetting

Otus 28mm f/1.4 APO-Distagon

Fast high performance APO wide angle..

  1. Vignetting for Zeiss Otus 28/1.4

Otus 55mm f/1.4 APO-Distagon

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

  1. Vignetting

Otus 85mm f/1.4 APO-Planar

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

  1. Vignetting for Otus 85/1.4 APO-Planar

Otus 85mm f/1.4 APO-Planar Rendering Style

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

  1. Aperture Series: Solo Aspen at Dusk (Nikon D810)
  2. Aperture Series: Early Yellow Aspen (Nikon D810)

Otus 100mm f/1.4 APO-Sonnar

Razor sharp with gorgeous bokeh..

  1. Vignetting for Zeiss Otus 100mm f/1.4 APO-Sonnar
  2. Vignetting on the 44 X 33mm Sensor of the Fujifilm GFX100
  3. Examples: Flowers, Plants, Ad-Hoc (Nikon D850)
  4. Examples: Campus, Late Day (Nikon D850)
  5. Aperture Series: Mosaic (Nikon D850)
  6. Aperture Series: Flowers Backlit by Window at MOD (Nikon D850)

85mm f/1.4 Planar

True-to-life imagery..

  1. Vignetting

100mm f/2 Makro-Planar

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

  1. Vignetting / Relative Illuminance
  2. In-depth Comparison to Nikon AF-S 105mm f/2.8 VR ED-IF

135mm f/2 APO-Sonnar

Beautiful bokeh, razor sharp, superb color correction..

  1. Vignetting

Zeiss LensSpire Articles

Articles written for Lenspire.ZEISS.com..

  1. Zoom Lens or Prime? 50mm and 55mm
  2. Micro Contrast and the Zeiss 'Pop'
  3. Zeiss Fills Out the Milvus DSLR Lens Lineup with the 21/2.8, 35/2, 50/2M, 100/2M
  4. Astrophotography Tips, Especially with Zeiss Otus 28mm f/1.4 APO-Distagon

Subjective Lens Qualities

Also known as shading..

  1. Vignetting—Drawback or Artistic Feature?

15mm f/2.8 Distagon Zeiss Interview

Q&A on the 15/2.8 Distagon with Dr. Hubert Nasse.

  1. Zeiss 15/2.8 Distagon Q&A — Vignetting

Nikon lenses

Overview and assessments of Nikon lenses.

  1. Nikon AF-S Nikkor 58mm f/1.4G

Lenses for Leica M8, Leica M9, M*

Lenses for Leica M cameras, especially the M9.

  1. Leica 18mm f/3.8 Super-Elmar-M ASPH
  2. Leica 21mm f/1.4 Summilux-M ASPH
  3. Leica 24mm f/1.4 Summilux-M ASPH

Canon RF 28-70mm f/2L USM

Bread and butter all-around zoom..

  1. Aperture Series @ 70mm: Beater Bikes Near Puddle

Sony Alpha A7R

Full frame compact mirrorless with interchangeable lenses..

  1. Automatic Correction for Lateral Chromatic Aberration in Adobe Camera Raw
  2. Sony A7R: Vignetting and Lens Comp
  3. Sony A7R: 'Shading Comp' Bug?

Sony FE 20mm f/1.8 G

Compact ultra-wide angle lens..

  1. Aperture Series: View Over Dry Wash to Early Sun on Mt Whitney Range

Sony FE 24mm f/1.4 GM

High performance wide angle..

  1. Shootout: Sony 24/1.4 GM vs Zeiss Loxia 25/2.4: Beaver-Gnawed Log by Lichenized Boulder (Sony A7R III)

Sony FE 28mm f/2

Fast wide angle..

  1. Aperture Series: Snowstorm Rolls in Over Saddlebag Lake (A7R)

Sony FE 50mm f/1.2 GM

High performance, high speed..

  1. Examples: Old Talc Mine
  2. Examples: Dreamy Drawing (Backyard)
  3. Aperture Series: Last Season’s Plant Spikes in Spring Meadow

Sony FE 85mm f/1.4 GM

Top-grade medium telephoto..

  1. Aperture Series: Aspen Trunks at Rock Creek
  2. Shootout vs Zeiss Batis 85mm f/1.8 (Dolls, A7R II)
  3. Compared: Sony 85mm f/1.4 GM vs Zeiss Loxia 85mm f/2.4: Portraits at Tenaya Pool

Sigma FE 14mm f/1.8 DG HSM Art

Outstanding fast wide angle, DSLR optical design..

  1. Aperture Series: Ancient Downed Pine Tree, Dana Meadow
  2. Aperture Series: Water Polished Granite

Sigma FE 28mm f/1.4 DG HSM Art

Outstanding wide angle, watch out for lens skew..

  1. Vignetting

Sigma 65mm f/2 DG DN Contemporary

Compact native-mount wide angle..

  1. Overview of Sigma 65mm f/2 DG DN Contemporary

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

Anything wider would be a fisheye..

  1. Aperture Series: Deck Chair (Sony A7R II)
  2. Aperture Series: Yellow Flower Yard (Sony A7R II)
  3. Aperture Series: Snowy Road (Sony A7R II)

Voigtlander FE Nokton Classic 35mm f/1.4

Fast lens speed with curious rendering..

  1. Aperture Series: Sprinter Van at Sunrise

Voigtlander FE 50mm f/2 APO-Lanthar Aspherical

High-grade manual focus normal lens..

  1. Vignetting for Voigtlander 50mm f/2 APO-Lanthar Aspherical
  2. Aperture Series: Rodin Burghers, Dusk

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

Ultra high grade performer at a modest price..

  1. Aperture Series: Dolls
  2. Aperture Series: Blue Bike in Blue Light
  3. Aperture Series: Mosaic (Sony A7R II)

Sony FE 12-24mm f/2.8 GM

Fast extreme wide angle zoom..

  1. Shootout @ 12mm: Sony FE 12-24mm f/2.8 GM vs Sony FE 12-24mm f/4 GM: Two Aspen, Lundy Canyon

Sony FE 12-24mm f/4 G

Extreme wide angle zoom..

  1. Shootout @ 12mm: Sony FE 12-24mm f/4 GM vs Sony FE 12-24mm f/2.8 GM: Two Aspen, Lundy Canyon

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

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

  1. vs Sony FE 35/2.8: Mosaic (Sony A7R)

Venus Optics Laowa 12mm f/2.8 Zero-D

Extreme wide angle with 'zero distortion'..

  1. Aperture Series: Train Boxcar and Blue Sky at Dusk

Sony Cybershot DSC-RX1 / RX1R

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

  1. Color Shading / Vignetting (RX1)

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)

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

Sony NEX-7 and NEX-5N

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

  1. Table of Ray Angles for Zeiss ZM Lenses

Metabones SpeedBooster for Sony NEX

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

  1. SpeedBooster + Canon 135/2L (NEX-6, MTB)

Zeiss Loxia 21mm f/2.8 Distagon

Outstanding ultra wide angle performer..

  1. Vignetting for Zeiss Loxia 21/2.8 Distagon
  2. Aperture Series (Night): Construction Perimeter Fence (A7R II)

Zeiss Loxia 25mm f/2.4 Distagon

Outstanding wide angle, superb performer..

  1. Vignetting for Zeiss Loxia 25mm f/2.4 Distagon
  2. Shootout: Zeiss Loxia 25/2.4 vs Sony 24/1.4 GM: Beaver-Gnawed Log by Lichenized Boulder (Sony A7R III)

Zeiss Loxia 35mm f/2 Biogon

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

  1. Vignetting for Zeiss Loxia 35/2 Biogon

Zeiss Loxia 50mm f/2 Planar

Manual focus normal lens for full-frame mirrorless..

  1. Vignetting for Zeiss Loxia 50/2 Planar
  2. Dual Aperture Series: Saddlebag Lake Pines (Sony A7R)

Zeiss Loxia 85mm f/2.4 Sonnar

Manual focus telephoto lens for full-frame mirrorless..

  1. Vignetting for Zeiss Loxia 85mm f/2.4 Sonnar

Zeiss Batis 18mm f/2.8 Distagon

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

  1. Vignetting for Zeiss Batis 18/2.8 Distagon

Zeiss Batis 25mm f/2 Distagon

Autofocus wide angle for Sony full-frame mirrorless..

  1. Vignetting for Zeiss Batis 25/2 Distagon

Zeiss Batis 85mm f/1.8 Sonnar

Autofocus portrait lens for Sony full-frame mirrorless..

  1. Vignetting for Zeiss Batis 85/1.8 Sonnar

Zeiss Batis 135mm f/2.8 APO-Sonnar

Apochromatic pin-sharp medium telephoto for Sony full-frame mirrorless..

  1. Vignetting for Zeiss Batis 135/2.8 APO-Sonnar

Zeiss Touit 12mm f/2.8 Distagon

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

  1. Vignetting on Sony NEX, Fujifilm X
  2. Examples: Portraiture (NYC Model, Sony NEX-7)

Zeiss Touit 32mm f/1.8 Planar

Normal lens for Sony NEX or Fujifilm X..

  1. Vignetting on Sony NEX, Fujifilm X

Zeiss Touit 50mm f/2.8M

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

  1. Aperture Series: Fern, Wide-Open vs ƒ/5.6 (Sony A7R, APS-C)

Sigma dp2 Quattro

45mm f/2.8 equivalent FOV lens..

  1. dp2 Quattro Vignetting

Leica M11

Leica M 60 Megapixels..

  1. Lens Detection: Uncoded Lenses Hang Camera
  2. Examples: Alpine Creek, High ISO (M11)

Leica M10-R

Leica M 40 Megapixels..

  1. Leica M10-R/M10m Causes Irreversible Damage to Raw Files with Uncoded or Coded Lenses

Leica M10 Monochrom

Leica M 40 megapixel monochrome sensor..

  1. Leica M10-R/M10m Causes Irreversible Damage to Raw Files with Uncoded Lenses

Leica M Monochrom In the Field

Field shooting the Leica MM, and comparisons..

  1. Noise Behavior with 'Push' of ISO 320 (Dolls)

Ray angle and Color Shading With M Lenses

Off-center color casts, off-center sharpness..

  1. Ray Angle From Lens Exit Pupil (Table of Ray Angles for Zeiss ZM Lenses)
  2. Lens Correction Examples (mostly for Zeiss)

Considerations in choosing a lens.

Focal lengths, color, weight and travel considerations. [relevant, but dated/old material].

  1. Lens Coding for Lenses Without 6-bit Code
  2. Analysis of 35mm Lens Choices

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

Leica’s ultra wide angle zoom lens..

  1. Vignetting: 16-18-21/4 Tri-Elmar-M ASPH

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

Leica’s widest prime lens..

  1. Notes: 18/3.8 Super-Elmar-M ASPH
  2. Vignetting: 18/3.8 Super-Elmar-M ASPH
  3. Examples: 18/3.8 Super-Elmar-M ASPH
  4. Aperture Series: Juniper Tree Sky View At Dusk (M240)

Leica 21mm f/1.4 Summilux-M ASPH

Leica’s fastest and widest lens..

  1. Notes: 21/1.4 Summilux-M ASPH
  2. Vignetting: 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. Vignetting: 21mm f/3.4 Super-Elmar-M ASPH
  2. Aperture Series: Pescadero Creek (Sony A7R)

Leica 24mm f/1.4 Summilux-M ASPH

Leica’s fast wide angle..

  1. Notes: 24mm f/1.4 Summilux-M ASPH
  2. Vignetting: 24mm f/1.4 Summilux-M ASPH

Leica 24mm f/3.8 Elmar-M ASPH

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

  1. Vignetting: 24mm f/3.8 Elmar-M ASPH
  2. Aperture Series: Pescadero Creek (Sony A7R)

Leica 28mm f/1.4 Summilux-M ASPH

Leica’s fast 28mm..

  1. Introduction to Leica 28mm f/1.4 Summilux-M ASPH
  2. Vignetting for Leica 28mm f/1.4 Summilux-M ASPH

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

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

  1. Vignetting: 28mm f/2 Summicron-M ASPH
  2. Aperture Series: vs 28/2.8 Pescadero Creek (Sony A7R)

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

Tweaked 2016 redesign..

  1. Vignetting

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

Tweaked 2016 redesign of Leica’s petite performer..

  1. Vignetting

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

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

  1. Vignetting: 28mm f/2.8 Elmarit-M ASPH

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

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

  1. Vignetting: 35mm f/1.4 Summilux-M ASPH
  2. Compared: vs Zeiss ZM 35/2 and Sony 35/2.8 (Sony A7R, Red Barn)

Leica 35mm f/2 APO-Summicron-M ASPH

High performance moderate wide angle..

  1. Vignetting for Leica 35mm f/2 APO-Summicron-M ASPH

Leica 35mm f/2 Summicron-M ASPH

Leica’s f/2 35mm for the M..

  1. Vignetting: 35mm f/2 Summicron-M ASPH

Leica 35mm f/2.5 Summarit-M

Leica’s Budget 35mm lens..

  1. Vignetting: 35mm f/2.5 Summarit-M

Leica M 50mm Lenses

Six models to choose from..

  1. 50/2 APO vs Noctilux (M240, Dana Meadow / Kuna Peaks)
  2. 50/2 APO vs Noctilux (M240, Orange-Bark Pine Tree)

Leica 50mm f/0.95 Noctilux-M ASPH

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

  1. Vignetting: 50/0.95 Noctilux-M ASPH
  2. Leica 50/2 Summicron vs Leica 50/0.95 Noctilux
  3. Examples: 50/0.95 Noctilux (Wide Aperture Landscapes)

Leica 50mm f/1.4 Summilux-M ASPH

Leica’s superlative normal lens..

  1. Vignetting: 50/1.4 Summilux-M ASPH

Leica 50mm f/1.2 Noctilux-M ASPH

Modern iteration of a classic design..

  1. Vignetting for Leica 50mm f/1.2 Noctilux-M ASPH

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

High performance but flawed 50mm normal lens..

  1. Vignetting: 50mm f/2 APO-Summicron-M ASPH

Leica 50mm f/2 Summicron-M

Leica’s compact low-distortion normal lens..

  1. Vignetting: 50/2 Summicron-M
  2. Examples: 50/2 Summicron-M (Variety)

Leica 50mm f/2.5 Summarit-M

Leica’s Budget 50mm lens..

  1. Vignetting: 50mm f/2.5 Summarit-M

Leica 75mm f/1.25 Noctilux-M ASPH

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

  1. Vignetting

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

Leica’s medium tele for Leica M..

  1. Vignetting: 75/2 APO-Summicron-M ASPH
  2. Aperture Series: DeChambeau Yellow Trailer (M240)

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

Leica’s budget 75mm medium telephoto..

  1. Vignetting: 75mm f/2.4 (2.5) Summarit-M

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

Leica’s longer tele for Leica M..

  1. Vignetting: 90/2 APO-Summicron-M ASPH

Leica 90mm f/2.2 Thambar-M

Leica’s retro telephoto..

  1. Vignetting

Leica 90mm f/2.4 (2.5) Summarit-M

Leica’s compact 90mm for the M..

  1. Vignetting: 90mm f/2.4 (2.5) Summarit-M

Leica 90mm f/4 Macro-Elmar-M

Diminutive telephoto and macro lens..

  1. Vignetting

Leica 135mm f/3.4 APO-Telyt-M

Leica’s longest M lens..

  1. Vignetting: 135mm f/3.4 APO-Telyt-M

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

Compact lens for portraiture or similar..

  1. Vignetting: 90/2 APO-Summicron-R ASPH

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

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

  1. Vignetting: 100/2.8 APO-Macro-Elmarit-R

Leica 180mm f/2.8 APO-Elmarit-R

World’s best mid-range telephoto lens..

  1. Vignetting: 180mm f/2.8 APO-Elmarit-R

Leica 280mm f/4 APO-Telyt-R

Compact and ultra high performance long telephoto..

  1. Vignetting: 280/4 APO-Telyt-R

Zeiss ZM 15mm f/2.8 Distagon

Notes and examples..

  1. Vignetting: 15mm f/2.8 Distagon

Zeiss ZM 18mm f/4 Distagon

Compact high performance, ultra low distortion..

  1. Vignetting: Zeiss ZM 18/4 Distagon
  2. Examples: Zeiss ZM 18/4 Distagon (Misc)

Zeiss ZM 21mm f/2.8 Biogon

Moderate speed high contrast ultra-wide..

  1. Vignetting: Zeiss ZM 21/2.8 Biogon

Zeiss ZM 21mm f/4.5 C-Biogon

Zero distortion ultra-wide..

  1. Vignetting: Zeiss ZM 21mm f/4.5 C-Biogon

Zeiss ZM 25mm f/2.8 Biogon

Compact wide angle with brilliant contrast..

  1. Vignetting: Zeiss ZM 25mm f/2.8 Biogon

Zeiss ZM 28mm f/2.8 C-Biogon

Compact wide angle..

  1. Vignetting: Zeiss ZM 28mm f/2.8 C-Biogon

Zeiss ZM 35mm f/1.4 Distagon

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

  1. Vignetting for Zeiss ZM 35/1.4 Distagon
  2. Vignetting vs Effective Aperture at Periphery
  3. Examples: Alpine Creek, High ISO (M11)

Zeiss ZM 35mm f/2 Biogon

All around razor sharp performer..

  1. Vignetting: ZM 35mm f/2 Biogon

Zeiss ZM 50mm f/2 Planar

Pleasing and relatively inexpensive normal lens.

  1. Vignetting: ZM 50mm f/2 Planar

Zeiss ZM 85mm f/2 Sonnar

Ultra high performance (discontinued).

  1. Vignetting for ZM 85/2 Sonnar

Zeiss ZM 85mm f/4 Tele-Tessar

Compact high performance medium telephoto..

  1. Vignetting for ZM 85/4 Tele-Tessar

Blog posts, reverse chronological

2022

2022-01-12 Sony FE 50mm f/1.2 GM Aperture Series: Last Season’s Plant Spikes in Spring Meadow

2021

2021-05-04 With Newer-Model Cameras, Adobe Camera Raw Allows Distortion Correction, Color Fringing, Vignetting Corrections to be Controlled

2021-04-02 Reader Comment: Zeiss Milvus 25mm f/1.4 or 18/2.8 or 21/2.8 for Astrophotography?

2020

2020-10-20 Sony’s Shading Compensation (Vignetting Correction) Whacks Raw Files Hard—Turn it Off When Shooting RAW

2020-09-02 Reader Comment: Voigtlander FE 50mm f/2 APO-Lanthar Aspherical Vignetting and Color Symmetry

2018

2018-09-30 Sony 85mm f/1.4 GM Aperture Series for Bokeh / Visual Impact: Aspen Trunks at Rock Creek

2018-07-06 Reader Question on Vignetting for Zeiss Loxia 50mm f/2 Planar

2017

2017-10-18 Zeiss Milvus 25mm f/1.4: MTF, Distortion, Vignetting

2017-05-14 Photoshop ACR Behavior: Uses Wrong Lens Profile

2016

2016-04-14 REVIEWED in Depth: the NEW Zeiss Batis 18mm f/2.8 Distagon

2015

2015-06-13 Reader Inquiry: Banding, Posterization, Color Shifts (and the right workflow)

2015-05-27 Sony: Which Lens Corrections are Baked Into the Raw ARW File?

2015-05-22 Leica 28mm f/1.4 Summilux-M ASPH Initial Coverage and Comments

2015-03-27 Sigma 24mm f/1.4 DG HSM Art: Vignetting and Distortion

2014

2014-09-08 Image Circle Size for 55/1.4 APO-Distagon and 135mm f/2 APO-Sonnar

2014-08-13 Reader Question: Image Brightness at Full Aperture vs Stopped Down

2014-04-09 Why Is an f/1.2 Lens so Dark on Digital?

2014-04-09 Color Shading (Vignetting by Color) on Digital Sensors

2014-02-23 Ricoh GR: Circular Ring Artifacts (“Ring Shadow Effect”) Followup

2014-02-23 Does the Sony A7R have Circular Ring Artifacts?

2013

2013-12-06 Sony A7R: Shading, Color Shading and Lens Compensation

2013-12-06 Sony A7R: Aperture Series (Grass Bench) and Apparent Bug in Lens Comp

2013-08-12 Leica M Typ 240 Lens Coding Failures

2013-06-03 Zeiss 15mm f/2.8 Distagon vs Nikon 14-24/2.8 Under Difficult Lighting (Flare)

2013-05-18 Zeiss Touit 32mm f/1.8 Planar: MTF and Distortion and Vignetting Charts (for Sony NEX + Fuji X)

2013-05-17 Zeiss Touit 12mm f/2.8 Distagon: MTF and Distortion and Vignetting Charts (for Sony NEX + Fuji X)

2013-02-23 On the Way: Zeiss 135mm f/2 APO Sonnar

2012

2012-09-27 Zeiss 135mm f/2 APO Sonnar for Nikon and Canon — Superlative Performer

2012-09-13 Zeiss 135mm f/2 APO Sonnar MTF from f/2 - f/16

2012-09-07 Zeiss ZF.2 / ZE 135mm f/2 APO Sonnar for Canon or Nikon

2012-03-16 Reader Comments: Zeiss 15/2.8 Distagon

2012-01-23 Sony NEX-7 Color Shading & Vignetting vs Sony 24mm f/1.8 Sonnar

2012-01-23 Color Shading & Vignetting for Leica 28mm f/2.8 Elmarit-M ASPH and 50mm f/0.95 Noctilux-M ASPH

2011

2011-11-11 Adobe ACR Lens Profile for Zeiss 35mm f/1. 4 Distagon?

2011-09-09 Canon 8-15mm f/4L Fisheye

2011-01-14 Zeiss 35mm f/1.4 Distagon MTF, distortion, vignetting

2010

2010-07-24 Aperture shape — is it circular? Does it matter for bokeh?

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

2009

2009-02-15 Canon 5D Mark II Live View vignetting

2008

2008-08-14 Vignetting Control in Nikon Capture NX 2 (24-70)

2008-06-14 New article on vignetting

2007

2007-09-17 Zeiss ZF 28mm f/2 Distagon announced

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