What is a Wonder Lens?

The very definition of the Wonder Lens is very simple. As we all know by reading my previous blogs that lens design is a trade-off. To make lens sharp, you need to compromise on several items and on several levels. A sharp lens may or may not able to produce good bokeh. If you design a lens with great bokeh, then it may not render the image well. If it renders the image well then it may be not a sharp lens and list goes on and on. So, in short, Wonder Lens are those lenses, which are sharp, able to render image beautiful, have ability to produce micro-contrast, produces images rich with color and contrast and having great creamy Bokeh.

Due to modern day lens design, which is basically over correction, new lenses are not able to exhibit above mentioned parameters in one shot. They are missing many elements one at a time. But there are lenses (both new and old) which are filling the criteria of a Wonder Lens. Below is the list of few commonly known ones,

·      Fujifilm 16mm f/1.4 (for APS-C camera)

·      Tamron 15-30mm f/2.8 (G1 & G2 both)

·      Tamron 35mm f/1.4 (newly announced)

·      Fujifilm 45mm f/2.8 (For GFX Medium Format series)

·      Voigtlander 50mm f/1.2

·      Voigtlander 58mm f/1.4 SL II

·      Fujifilm 80mm f/2.8 (Macro Lens)

·      Nikon 70-200mm f/2.8E FL

·      Canon 135mm f/2 L

·      Nikon 300mm f/2.8 (All versions)

If you own any of the lens from above lens, you are one lucky person. Keep these lenses with your selves as they will last for the life time if you care them properly.


Happy Learning Guys …

Babar Swaleheen

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Facts about newly announced Sony A7R4.

The Megs Pixel was announced few years back when Canon announced 120 & 250MP full frame inhouse manufactured sensors and its reaching to its peak now. Ultimately, we are going to be the casualties you agree or not. Actually, we already are causalities. But this mega pixel war is going to be cold soon due to the physical limitation of the silicon wafer lithography. Soon Full Frame will be reaching maximum of 80MP and crop sensor which makes APS-C goes tops between 32-35MP only. Canon is already working on its 32MP APS-C sensor camera, is a proof of it. You won’t be able to cramped in more pixel on small sensor area and still expect to have awesome Dynamic Range and ISO ….. that won’t be possible. Even if you could, performance of the Dynamic Range and ISO will be extremely horrible. So yes the they are hitting the ceiling when it comes of pushing more pixels into per square millimeter digital sensor.

Now let’s talk about elephant in the room. Yes, the recently announced new full frame camera from Sony.  Sony announced the new A7R4 with 60MP sensor in it, it’s nothing new (I know some people will be smiling and saying Damn you Babar, You Sony Hater) ..... well I am just stating the FACTS. Nothing more and nothing less. What Sony is trying to dump on us by saying medium format class image quality and first of its kind in full frame and bla bla ….. This is something that we already experienced before from Fujifilm, check out this link. Now certainly you going to ask how come? Answer is, the pixel density per square millimeter. Number of pixels of the Fujifilm X-T3 and GFX 100 is equal to Sony A7R4 and both were announced and released by Fujifilm WELL before Sony. Now APS-C, Full Frame and Smaller end of the Medium Format are all THE SAME when it comes to deliver image details.

X-T3 = A7R4 = GFX 100

So, in short, when you take the shot from above 4 cameras, and zoom at 100% you will be having exact same detail. Crop sensor, Full Frame and Medium Format are all line in the same category NOW when it comes to providing DETAILS. All will give you the same "image quality", And I know some of you will jump as usual and going to counter argue about the word images quality. Hold your horses. Details are yet to comes down.

All 3 sensor in the above cameras are BSI sensor. All 3 having same pixel density. The only difference which you can FIGHT upon is the SNR firmware because this is. And all SONY users will try to FIGHT over IBIS, Pixel Shift technology (in general as a Full Frame User. Price is no more fighting factor in general. Here is what I think pros and cons of all three cameras.

X-T3

Pros

·       Highest FPS

·       Top-class ISO performance and Dynamic Range consider it an APS-C camera.

·       Most compact and light weight camera over all from the provided list.

Cons:

·       Missing IBIS.

A7R4

Pros

·       Having the best Eye-AF from the provided list.

·       Better video capability.

·       Pixel Shift Technology is embedded. Great feature for architecture photography.

·       Having most AF points.

Cons

·       Missing more FPS unlike X-T3.

·       IBIS is no more attractive feature as GFX 100 provides better IBIS.

·       Still able to provide the same level of details like X-T3 which was announced last year so there is nothing new in it.

·       That 5.7 Million pixels view finder is already launched by Panasonic in their S1 line up.

·       To process the pixel shift 247MP files you need to upgrade your computer as the current resources in your computer suck the life out from it.

GFX 100

Pros:

·       Best IBIS from the list (considering huge sensor size in it).

·       Gives you best Bokeh & subject separation due to its sensor size IF you try to keep the same angle of view.

Cons:

·       Having least FPS.

·       Lenses are expensive to afford (unless you get lucky to find some crazy super cheap deals. Or go manual focus by buying Pentax 6x7 or 645 format lenses and uses the adapters like I did).

I am sure you guys certainly going to compare more points between these 3 machines. But the only difference maker here is the SNR firmware which defines ISO and Dynamic Range. This is true that Sony announced world first full frame 60M camera. But when it comes to provide the same level of details which A7R4 is going to give, Fujifilm already throw their product in the market last year in the form of X-T3/X-T30. Then this year they launched GFX 100 with IBIS. World first fastest medium format with super amazing IBIS. Medium Format shooter are stunned that they are seeing tek-sharp images at 1/13 of a shutter speed using the GFX 100 IBIS which is un-heard when we talk about Medium Format. Fujifilm thrown not one but 2 products (actually 3) which gives you EXACTLY same level of details, ISO performance and Dynamic Range which Sony A7R4 is going to give. So my statement is still VALID. What Sony is trying to dump on us, world already seen it before J. The only feature which makes Sony stand out is Pixel Shift tech, which I am sure Fujifilm will able to provide either by software upgrade or in next GFX release.

And this post is written by Hardcore Nikon User.

Happy Learning Guys …..

Babar Swaleheen

Flickr 500px Instagram Youpic

#Babar-Photography #Sony #MediumFormat #Fujifilm