A Bad Case of CA

I've read some reviews about the Zeiss 24/1.8 having some CA (Chromatic Aberration) issues at wide open but mostly on the corners and not smack in the middle.  I've had some time to finally use the lens after having it since January and I am a bit disappointed specially for the price I paid for it.

Before writing this blog, I sent a copy of the photos to Sony AU for their technical support team to have a look at.  In fairness, they did say that until they can test it themselves. Anyway the lens has been sent to their Service Centre for testing.  UPDATE: I was informed that they will just replace the lens. I don't know why but it is another 2 week wait.

I must admit that the lighting conditions are tricky and I probably should not be shooting at wide open but I never expected this from a $1200 USD lens!

Here are the photos I am talking about and you be the judge.

100% crop on top right corner of image below

100% crop centre of image below

SLRMagic Bokehmorphic Lens for NEX

First, let me just say a BIG THANK YOU to SLR Magic for the very professional customer service experience. I did not receive the first delivery of my lens and upon informing them, they called me up (overseas call) and told me that they will be shipping a new one (express) to my hotel as I was in a work conference. This kind of service are rare these days so keep it up guys!

I've always been fascinated by those beautiful bokeh shapes that you see in photos. Most of them are achieved by simple DIY projects but since I really don't have the time to do those kind of projects (i'm just lazy!) because of family and work commitments. I pre-ordered once I've heard that SLR Magic is releasing this lens. Price is affordable and the build quality is excellent. I own the SLR Magic 35/1.7 lens and comparing the two, the 28mm Bokehmorphic lens is a better built compared to their 35/1.7.  It is thicker compared to the Sony SEL 16/2.8 lens. 

What's in the box?

NOTE: Missing rubber colour bands.  My copy didn't contain one but SLR Magic has sent one already so I should be receiving it soon.

Sample Photos using the Shapes Bokeh

It lacks a bit of contrast for my taste. I had to boost the contrast +15 on these pics on Lightroom 4.

Heart-shape Bokeh

Sun-shape Bokeh

Star-shape Bokeh

As a Normal Lens

One of the choices you have is a 'circle-shape' which should mimic the  bokeh shapes of normal lenses. Here's a couple of shots taken with it.  I must admit that centre portion of the image, sharpness is acceptable.  I actually like the 'character' that this lens produce especially when using it with the NEX-7 Rich B&W Picture style.  These two pics are unedited!

Rich B&W of the NEX-7

CONCLUSION

I enjoy using this lens. Price-wise it is affordable. Like previously mentioned, it can be used as a normal lens and with Sony NEX's Focus Peaking, it is easy to nail the focus.  Trying to get the bokeh to appear will teach you where to place the subject against the background.

This lens might even come in handy if you are shooting weddings, birthdays or any family event.  Would you use it for paid professional work, why not? I'm sure couples would love to see a background of 'heart-shape' lights during the reception or church shots.

If you are looking for a 28mm FL lens and at the same time you have an option to change the bokehshape (without adding anything in front of the lens) then this is for you.

Sony's By Pixel Super Resolution

One of the features that I like about the newly announced Sony A57 is the Clear Image Zoom.  Sony mentioned that they are using a new technology the called By Pixel Super Resolution being used on their Cybershot lines.  

"By analyzing images pixel-by-pixel (and the correlation between adjacent pixels), patterns are categorised via a Sony-developed database, with image processing optimised accordingly" - Sony

Here is a sample video showing how it works :

Sony announces A57

Sony just announced the upgrade to its Sony A55, the Sony A57.  This model uses the same sensor as the A65/A77 in a 16-megapixel size.  Looks very similar to the A65.  Differences are the EVF is better on the A55 but lesser pixel compared to the A65/A77. LCD is standard-tilt unlike the 3-way tilt LCD seen on the A77. No GPS and Top LCD display.  All in all this will be a better option if you cannot afford the A65/A77.

Main Features:

l  12 fps continuous shooting* with Full-time Continuous AF

l  15-point AF system with 3 cross sensors

l  AVCHD Ver. 2.0 (Progressive) Full HD Movie at 60p (50p)**

l  World’s first*** Auto Portrait Framing

l  Clear Image Zoom

l  ISO 100-16000 sensitivity

l  New Tru-Finder

* In Tele-zoom Continuous Advance Priority AE mode

** NTSC (PAL)

*** As of December 2011. Among interchangeable-lens digital cameras.

Video Presentation of the Sony A57

NEX-5N FW 1.01 AF Speed

Here is a video by (mirrorlessreviews) showing the AF speed improvement of the recently released firmware for the NEX-5N.  I think it has the same AF speed now as the NEX-7.  Kudos to Sony for continuing to improve on the NEX cameras. I just hope they will also release some firmware for the NEX-C3, NEX-3, NEX-5 cameras.

Hoping that a firmware is also in the works for the NEX-7.

More Zeiss 24/1.8 sample images

More pics taken with the Zeiss 24/1.8 on NEX-5.  I am working on the review of the NEX-7 and this lens. My next post will be mostly on the NEX-7 and the Zeiss 24/1.8

ISO 200 @ f/1.8

ISO 200 @ f/5.6

ISO 200 @ f/1.8

ISO 200 @ f/2.8

ISO 200 @ f/5.6

ISO 100 @ f/1.8

SILVER NEX-5 + Zeiss 24

NEX 24/1.8 Zeiss on NEX-5 Review

Got my new NEX lens, the NEX Zeiss 24/1.8. Technical specifications of the lens can be found here.

The thing that surprised me the most was the filter size was only 49mm.  That's good news for me, I can use my existing filters that I used on my NEX 16mm lens and NEX 18-55 kit lens.  This lens is not cheap because of the word 'Zeiss' but initial impression is that it's worth every penny.  At f/1.8, it is sharp and the bokeh is creamy much like the Sony 135/1.8 (A-Mount).

Here are some sample shots of the NEX 24/1.8 on the NEX-5

@ f/1.8

@ f/5.6

UPDATE : I got hold of my NEX-7 which I will do a full review with this lens. I will also be posting more sample shots of the Zeiss 24/1.8.

Just want to wish everyone a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. It's been a really busy December for me and now I'm on holiday and the internet is very unreliable where I am.

Next year will be a very busy year for Sony's NEX camera's with lens releases left-and-right if the rumoured 6-lens releases for 2012 is true. All I know is that there will be a G-lens.

I have also gotten my delivery of NEX-7 so when I come back from holiday, it will be put through it's phases.

Again, wishing you all the best this coming 2012 and keep shooting! Here's hoping to another Camera of the Year from Sony. Let's make it a hat-trick Sony!

Sony's 'Tough Year'

2011 is supposed to be the Year of the Alpha! Sony is the only camera manufacturer that launched more cameras than their competitors.

The A65/A77, NEX5N/NEX-7.  These cameras are a class on their own.  I am guessing that these aggressive approach of Sony is paying off.  I have never heard so much buzz (good and bad) on the internet forums that I follow.  Finally, Sony can take another chunk at the market share of Canon and Nikon and maybe even Pentax.

photo taken from Bangkok Post

BUT nature doesn't want to cooperate with Sony. First there was the Tsunami disaster.  I don't know if this has delayed the release of these cameras but I am certain it has an effect one way or another. Then the final blow, typhoons and monsoon rain.  Sony manufactures their NEX cameras from Thailand and the flooding crisis have basically wiped-out the whole Sony Factory.  We are not just talking about finished cameras, ready to be shipped out.  Even the machineries that makes them are basically gone.  Just look at the picture below;  I bet underneath all that water are billions of dollars worth of electronic equipment.   Especially when the holiday season is just a month away, imagine all the sales / promotions that Sony will miss because there are no confirmed delivery dates yet for the NEX-7.  

Sony's competitors on the other hand have now got time on their hand to manufacture/launch a rival product.  Competition is good for consumers and I for one would want fierce competition to drive prices below, but just this once, I was really hoping that Sony will be very close to Canon and Nikon when it comes to market share.

The most important thing for now is that we get those people back to work and hope that Thailand can recover from this disaster in the earliest time.  

2012 is just around the corner and hopefully this will be a good year for Sony and all of us.

Video 'Cropping' on NEX-5N

I have been doing a lot of googling to find out if someone has posted an approximate value on how much the video gets cropped on the NEX / SLT cameras.  Even emailed Sony Australia but because of the current situation (Thailand flooding) and an all-out marketing campaign on the current SLT/NEX cameras, no one has gotten back to me.  So I tried doing my own test using my NEX-5.  

I just saw this on the manual of the NEX-5N.  It is true then that what you see isn't what you get when you shoot videos using the NEX-5N.  Is this a bad feature? No, it is not.  I think one of the reason this is happening is to keep the aspect ration to 16:9.  In fact, NEX users has the advantage of actually seeing the grid where the video would fit compared to the SLT cameras.  I have friends who have tested it on their A55 and it does happen but it doesn't have any of the 'corner' markings compared to the NEX-5N.

NEX-5N User Manual

So, next time you are shooting videos with your NEX, be sure to check the grid first so you know that the scene you want to capture is all in the frame.

A77 Video Crop?

It has been reported that the video of the A77 is actually crop because of the Steady Shot System (Sony's In-Body Stablization System). 

There have been varying percentage of crop factor being reported ranging from 15% to 30%.  I have emailed Sony Australia asking what is the exact crop factor on the video and I should get an answer within the week.

LesNumerique (a French website) has reported almost 30% crop factor

The video capture uses only 10,9x19,4 mm of a sensor measuring 15,7x23,7 mm : with the kit lens 16-50 mm, set at 24 mm we get 31 mm in video.

How would this affect your video; since the FOV (field of view) does not get refreshed until you hit the 'Movie Record' button then what your seeing on your EVF is not exactly the scene being captured.

The A77 is still the best APS-C DSLR on the market for doing video because of its AF Speed and Sony's Peaking Level. 

NOTE: Apparently, the A33 does the same thing as stated on the Manual (page 81)

The angle of view of movies is narrower than that of still images. After you press the MOVIE button, the camera shows the actual range to be recorded (SLT-A33 only).

Looks like the Sony A55 is the only DSLT camera not doing any video crop...

NEX-5N Impressions - Part 2 (Sample Photos)

Sorry for the very late follow up on the NEX-5N impression.  I really need to find a way to manage my time properly.  Also, it was good timing since Adobe has updated Lightroom to be able to read the NEX-5N RAW file.

Follow the leader!

The week that I had the NEX-5N, we had a very cloudy/windy weather here in Melbourne.  My plan was to go on a photo walk with one of my friends but didn't manage to do so because of the '4 seasons in 1 day' weather.  Good thing we were invited to a party so I took the camera with me and started shooting. I can't post all the pictures here as much as I want to because I didn't tell them that I will be posting the photos on my blog.  Oh well, good thing the ducks were there :)

Picture Effect - HDR Painting (Heavy)

Picture Effect - HDR Painting (Light)

Quick Update: SONY NEX-5N clicking issue

Just want to share that Sony will provide adjustment to the Sony NEX-5N to reduce the clicking sound when you quickly pan the camera left-to-right or up-and-down while shooting video.

Personally, if you didn't know about this issue, you wouldn't 'complain' about it. Here is the link to the US Support Site.

Since the NEX-5N hasn't been officially released yet here in Australia maybe the next batch of NEX-5N can have this adjustment done beforehand.

Thanks to Sony for providing this free adjustment. Too bad that you can only do it while it is still under warranty. I was hoping that since this was a 'defect' of a brand new release they should just cover it irregardless.

Is the Nikon J1/V1 a threat to the NEX?

Sorry I haven't posted the pics and videos of the NEX-5N as scheduled. Work has been taking a lot of my time.

Anyway, I just want to share what I think of the new NIKON mirrorless cameras.  Kudos to Nikon for entering the mirrorless market.  Hopefully the more manufacturers get into this market segment the better the products will get.  I initially jumped to a conclusion that this camera is a 'joke' the minute after the announcement came out.  Why only 10MP? and a smaller sensor than micro 4/3rds? and a 2.7x crop factor? Sony has a 24MP APS-C sized sensor (NEX-7). Maybe Nikon doesn't believe that 'bigger is better'.

Nikon V1

Nikon J1

After all the emotions/excitements died down, I re-read dpreview's initial impression initial impression of these cameras that maybe Nikon really is protecting their DSLR line-up. I wonder if Sony is doing the same, the NEX has been outselling the ALPHA line since its introduction and if this trent continues, Sony's flagship interchangeable system will be the NEX!

NEX-5N Impressions - Part 1

I finally got the Sony NEX-5N Test Unit from Sony Australia. Too bad it came with the kit lens and not with the new Zeiss 24/1.8, SEL 30 Macro or  SEL 55–210. I was really hoping that at least the LA-EA2 adapter came with it so I can test the SONY SAL2470CZ lens. Anyway, the camera comes with Firmware v1.0.

To give you a bit of a background, I have been using the NEX since it came out. I have the 3 E-mount lenses that Sony has in the market at the moment and some old Minolta manual focus lenses, a Carl Zeiss 24–70 A-Mount lens that I use with the LA-EA1 adapter. I like the NEX because of it's Image Quality. I am not bothered that it is not pocketable. Personally, the NEX system is portable and suits my shooting style.

A77 - need for speed!

Here is a sample of the A77 in 12fps mode.  I didn't bother playing with the other settings as I just picked up the camera and basically just press the shutter because the excitement got the better of me that day.

I managed to get 18-20 shots in less than half-a-second.  I did intentionally stop shooting after that as I was just checking the EVF lag and to me it is just like a 'blink of an eye'.  The shutter sound is very muted as there are no slapping mirrors to add the extra noise.  

A77 12fps Mode - Flick Gallery

The 12fps mode in the A77 is a dial setting meaning you don't have to go the menu system.  I really need to test it again properly as I want to see what it does on the ISO, aperture and the AF-points it activates. I am assuming it is on Wide but I would definitely prefer if I can select the focus point during the 12fps mode.

NEX-5N Review Soon!

Hi everyone. Today I got an email confirming that Sony Australia will be sending me the NEX-5N with kit lens to use and write my own review about the NEX-5N.  I know that there's has been a lot of reviews already out but what I am planning to do is to actually use the NEX-5N in the real world.  I won't test it against test charts or on a controlled environment for this test.

Hopefully, the shipment arrives tomorrow (Sept. 9) as I have a weekend of parties / calisthenic competitions to test it on.

I am a bit disappointed though as they will only be sending the kit lens with it. At least I got some good glass (lens) to go with the it.   I am planning to use these other lenses SEL 18-200, 50/1.4, 100/2 and the CZ 24-70/2.8 on it.  Will be posting pictures / photos, both RAW and JPG files will be available (unedited of course) for you to make your own decision on the IQ / sharpness of the new SONY Sensor.

Here is the list of lens I will try on the SONY NEX-5N and also on the NEX-5 (firmware v4) to do a side-by-side comparison. I will try and highlight what I think is good about the NEX-5N and what's not.  If you are looking to use the SONY NEX-5N on a studio setup, then I can't test that as I only have limited time with the camera and I am more of a natural lighting kind of guy.  

Looking forward to the 5N but more excited on the NEX-7 which should be in my hands a few weeks after that.

Snow Trip

The whole family went up for a day-trip to the snow yesterday. It's a gruelling 3-4 hour bus ride all the way up.  But my daughter loves the snow so we made the trip anyway.

One thing that you need to consider when going up to the snow / ski fields is the kind of gloves you are going to wear. Especially with the NEX where everything is so small. I had to remove my gloves everytime I wanted to take a photo. I was planning to travel light as I know we will be riding chair-lifts and it is a bit hard trying to walk up in the snow. Anyway I ended up with 2 NEX-5 bodies, my old Minolta 12mm Spiratone Fisheye lens, Sony SEL18-55, Sony SEL 18-200, A700, Tamron 17-50. I should really look at the definition of traveling light :)

A NEX Panorama

One of the best features of the NEX camera is the ability to make panoramic picture.  If like me, you don't want to spend so much time trying to stich photos together in Photoshop or Microsoft ICE, then the NEX Sweep Panorama Feature is the answer to your needs.  You can also make 3D-Panoramas if you want and you can display your pictures on a spare 3D TV.

One thing that I wish Sony would fix is to allow us the ability to shoot in RAW format. I wouldn't mind having a 'leveler' to see if your panorama is straight.

Here are some tips for getting a good panorama picture:

1. Stand with your feet wide apart. You will act as the tripod .
2. Hold the camera straight out with both your hands.
3. Move with your waist and not with your hands. If you do, you will be in an awkward position when you reach the 'end' of the panorama.
4. Pan smoothly and follow the 'arrow' displayed on the back of the camera.
5. ALWAYS look at the display at the back of the camera and not the scene itself.

If you have a NEX, Cybershot or the Sony Alpha SLT's, try it out. It's a lot of fun!

Please post your panorama pictures here if you have one.

Thanks

Project, Reflect and Capture

Sony Australia's Facebook Page has launched a competition where they are giving away 5 (one a week) a brand new Sony Handycam HDR-PJ10E.  It's a handycam with a built-in projector.  I really wanted a new videocam as my Panasonic camera still uses a DV tape.

Contest rules are simple, you have to be imaginative on where you would project your movie. Others have submitted pictures of their baby's bum or a pregnant woman's tummy.  Time to get those sleeping brain cells at work..