Sony Lens Comp app from Sony (A7)

When I bought the Sony A7, I looked forward to using my Voigtlander 35mm f/1.4 and 50mm f/1.1 with the Metabones Leica M to E mount adapter. I have been quite disappointed though, there is visible vignetting with the 50mm and on the 35mm it is very obvious and distracting.

So I bought the Lens Comp app but have been even more disappointed because:

a) I can't zoom-focus when using the app.

b) I've just realised that I can't take raw photos when using the app. It switches to L fine JPGs. This makes the app practically useless to me.

c) The app compensates for vignetting adequately on the 50mm (barely) but it doesn't compensate enough on the 35mm.

Somebody please let me know if I'm missing something or doing it all wrong, or something.
 
Yep. It's useless. A total waste.

However the Lightroom flat field plugin is free and is fantastic. If you don't use Lightroom then Cornerfox works well, also.

Gordon
 
No worries. I use a single shot for each aperture for my 12mm, 21mm and 50mm CV lenses. Once that's done it's a doodle to make a corrected DNG file.

I'm having the opposite experience. I've now got three of them AND an a99 (I blame that squarely on the EM1 and its IBIS, plus I may have accidentally bought a 135 Ziess 1.8 and a 70-400G). The star of the show is the 55mm 1.8. If funds allow it's a must have. Even though I have a few manual 50's and most are faster, it is the lens to beat.

Gordon
 
Two A7s and an A7r. A7s for working cameras. A7r for play. Went to buy the 70-400 as I get the LAEA4 for free and I don't see Sony making a FE version and walked out with the 135 as well (to "replace" my Oly 75.) Then got a a99 to get IBIS.

See? Completely logical...... :eek:

Gordon
 
Can we have a discussion about this? I'm curious about why the A7 has taken over your other cameras.

Here's my garbled train of thought:

- The A7 has a full frame Sony sensor which can also be found in the Nikon DSLRs.

- The difference is it's in a smaller body. But Leica has been producing smaller bodies too.

- Some features that Leica doesn't have are autofocus and IS.

- On the other hand, I've been hearing that autofcusing with the A7 is not very fast.

- I prefer manual focusing which the A7 doesn't really excel at. Its focus peaking doesn't work very well which leaves zoom focusing as an aid. But zoom focusing really slows down the focusing process in my opinion, it adds a few steps which means I have to reframe a couple of times and missing the moment especially when I'm shooting with shallow depth of field.

- NB: I've just recently given up and switched off focus peaking completely BUT in the process I've discovered that I can focus far better without it (straight off the viewfinder, without having to defer to zoom focusing). This has actually made the A7 much more useable for me and I'm looking forward to using it this way.

- The shutter sound still doesn't fit well with me.

- Plus the other niggling issues I mentioned in the firmware thread.
 
I use the magnify zoom which takes time and couple of presses but the vf is much clearer than the Oly one on my M. The Oly barely produces any focus peaking at all at 1.2 or 1.4 but I tend to use both the rf and vf on the M so it's still a long process. I rf then chech the vf for composition and to confirm the focus! It seems also that the Voigtlander needs more spins of the focus to engage magnify in the Oly vf, this also takes extra time.
 
Can we have a discussion about this? I'm curious about why the A7 has taken over your other cameras.

Here's my garbled train of thought:

- The A7 has a full frame Sony sensor which can also be found in the Nikon DSLRs.

- The difference is it's in a smaller body. But Leica has been producing smaller bodies too.

- Some features that Leica doesn't have are autofocus and IS.

- On the other hand, I've been hearing that autofcusing with the A7 is not very fast.

- I prefer manual focusing which the A7 doesn't really excel at. Its focus peaking doesn't work very well which leaves zoom focusing as an aid. But zoom focusing really slows down the focusing process in my opinion, it adds a few steps which means I have to reframe a couple of times and missing the moment especially when I'm shooting with shallow depth of field.

- NB: I've just recently given up and switched off focus peaking completely BUT in the process I've discovered that I can focus far better without it (straight off the viewfinder, without having to defer to zoom focusing). This has actually made the A7 much more useable for me and I'm looking forward to using it this way.

- The shutter sound still doesn't fit well with me.

- Plus the other niggling issues I mentioned in the firmware thread.

I don't profess to be the perfect role model for camera selection. The A7s work for me.

1. I couldn't care less about the shutter. It's not as loud as an M9.

2. I've been carrying four cameras (2 M9s and 2 m43). Now I carry two. Both use the same batteries and flash system. Even the a99 means I'm not carrying two FL50s and a Metz for the Leica. I actually have less gear to carry.

3. I'm Ok with the manual focus. It's not as good as my M9s but for my use I can press the C1 button twice in about 1/5 of a second. I don't think I'll ever be as good as I a with a rangefinder but I'll be better than I am today.

4. The Sony lenses are awesome. They just are. And a couple of f4 zooms and a 55 1.8 is like my perfect base kit.

5. I use my cameras with the grips, most of the time. I dont think they're perfect but I'm used to them now. The wheels are in the wrong spot. I love having shutter, aperture and ISO always available. I wish Sony would make the 2nd wheel more useful in aperture priority. I'd like FEC to be able to utilise it, at least.

6. I like Sony flashes, a lot. I don't like that they overheat all the time, but I can swap them easily enough to let one cool down. They have the best bounce swivel in the business.

7. I like Zeiss lenses. Plus all my Leica lenses ae stellar on the A7. And dead accurate. I've had all my Leica gear sent in more than once because it's out of friggin calibration. No point being fast if your 135 isn't in spec. Doesn't matter on the A7 because every shot is perfect.

8. I aint buying a Nikon, ever. I have little interest in big cameras. I got the a99 purely because of the 135mm Zeiss. But I'll only use it out of a car. If I have a tripod with me I'll be using the A7. The D800 was one of the most uncomfortable cameras I've ever picked up. I'm not into the D4 or the D600 shutter fiasco.

9. I find the Af fast enough. m43 is faster by a ways. But I don't need it faster than the A7. And its deadly accurate unlike any DSLR (which I'm rediscovering with the a99, by the way). And I am comfortable with the manual focus of the A7 ( I mix peaking, magnification and just winging it and I'm OK, so far.

10 I don't like the ratio of the m43 cameras and I don't like xtrans. Sony has both the resolution and ratio I like.

It's possible you wont get the Sony to work for you. I couldn't get Fuji to work for me. There's no right or wrong. It's a developing system and I'm just lucky much of the initial stuff works for me. Plus I've had a go at alpha and NEX before and had to let ot go even though I really liked some things about it. Most of those issues are improved in the a7, for me. I don't *need* a camera to do a lot except handle well and Imlike how the a7 handles.

The A7 is like an EM5 and a M240 had a love child. So I'm just consolodating the cameras I've already owned into a smaller overall kit. Bizzarely, now I'm using the a7s a lot I find the EM1 a bit weird in the hand.And I really dislike the location of its power switch. I wish the A7 had a touch screen but on the other hand teh a7 has a better implementation of the electronic levels.

But damn, I miss the IBIS of the EM1.

And the way I change cameras I'm just as likely to be shooting something else next year, anyway.

Gordon
 
I use the magnify zoom which takes time and couple of presses but the vf is much clearer than the Oly one on my M. The Oly barely produces any focus peaking at all at 1.2 or 1.4 but I tend to use both the rf and vf on the M so it's still a long process. I rf then chech the vf for composition and to confirm the focus! It seems also that the Voigtlander needs more spins of the focus to engage magnify in the Oly vf, this also takes extra time.

Don't you find that after a couple of presses you have to zoom back out and reframe? If I'm working with very shallow depth of field on a moving subject, by the time I zoom back out to reframe, the subject is out of focus. I'm just curious how other people are managing this.
 
I don't profess to be the perfect role model for camera selection. The A7s work for me.

Thanks very much for that very long and thought out response. I wasn't looking for a generic role model for camera selection, I really wanted your personal perspective on this specific camera.

I do get the impression that the Sony lenses are good, my neighbour also bought an A7 and he's got the 55mm f/1.8. The images he's getting from that lens looks very good.

I only mentioned the Sony-Nikon sensor connection to illustrate that Leica's advantage here is really its own unique sensor (for better or worse), which may or may not have factored in your decision-making and preference for the A7.

That is a very good point about calibrations and Leica cameras. I have been extremely lucky with my M8.2, I've never had to calibrate it with the three lenses I bought for it.

When you said you didn't like the ratio of the m43 cameras, what do you mean by 'ratio'?

I have absolutely zero interest in DSLRs too. BUT ... I know I would love a Hasselblad, or a Leica S, or Phase One to death if I could ever afford one.

I am hoping that I can get the A7 to work for me. I was very annoyed with the crappy focus peaking and zoom focusing for a while. But since I've discovered in the past couple of days that I can focus far better without them using just my eye on the viewfinder, I am optimistic that I am able to make the A7 work better for me. That flip screen is also growing on me.

Having said that, I prefer the Leica because of the almost silent shutter (in the M240), I also prefer the sound of the M8/M9 over the A7. They both sound quieter to my ears.

I also really like the rangefinder focusing.

And I gotta say I really like the shape, size, and the classic look of the Leica. I have been using a tiny Lowepro camera bag in which I can fit the M8+Voigtlander 50mm f/1.1, plus the pocket for an ND filter and a spare battery. That's all I need for my standard go-everywhere setup in a tiny and very light bag.

When I've got the 50mm f/1.1 on the A7 body, it's actually too big to fit in that little bag anymore. With the Leica's simple shape without any humps on top or grips on the side, I find it really easy to fit it into small bags or in larger camera bags with more than enough space left for other lenses and accessories.
 
I think I just take pot luck and hope for the best, try not to move the camera at all! I do this with the M also....... I don't do moving subject, I give up if the dog gets lively!

I've seen you take some great action shots of Lil B! Although I don't know if it's with the Leica or A7r.

It's also far easier if I'm working with deep depth of field, so a little movement shouldn't affect the focus too much. But, I like shallow shots to a fault.
 
I use as shallow as possible whenever I can, just got the Voigtlander for that. This morning I took some in the sunlight and as soon as I increased the d of f, the red peaking ramped up on the M's eve big time!
 
I do like the M9 sensor and rangefinder focusing. So I don't know, yet, if I'll give them up completely. I may keep an M9 as a personal camera. Or I might sell both and get a 240. But aljough I'm sure about it being a better camera than the M9, I don't know if I'll like the look as much. It's a 10K gamble....

I'd ae thought the A7 would be good for the CV 1.1 because of the focus shift, unless you're wide open all the time. I got rid of mine becausevof it but I'm thinking of getting another one now for the A7.

I think that you shouldn't worry about it replacing your M8 (if you kept it). It's more of a compliment. I don't see me getting rid of both M9s.

Gordon
 
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