Sigma 24mm f/1.8 EX DG Macro tested (better than the Zeiss 24mm f/2.0 lens???)

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[shoplink 7067][/shoplink] Two days ago Photoscala tested the Zeiss 24mm f/2.0 lens and was pretty disappointed. They compared the lens with the Nikon and Canon 24mm f/1.4 lenses. The Nikon an Canon lenses were both sharper than the Zeiss. But whcih is the best 24mm lens? Surprise, it’s the cheapest of all of them, the Sigma 24mm f/1.8 EX DG Macro!!! (Click here to read the full test at Photoscala). The user reviews on Amazon (Click here) and BHphoto (Click here) are quite positive. And also SLRgear (Click here) gave the lens a high rating! You can also take a look at a set of image samples on Flickr (Click here). So is the Sigma $549 lens really better than the Zeiss $1,249 lens? What do you think?

Check the Sigma 24mm availability and price by clicking those direct links: [shopcountry 7067].
And here are the links to the Zeiss 24mm f/2.0: [shopcountry 3037].

 

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Sony US deals (Only one A850 left at Amazon, new Sony Flash discounted).

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Soon the A850 will be impossible to find in other places than eBay. The biggest online US online stores like Adorama and Bhphoto already don’t have the camera in Stock anymore. You can find one single unit only at Amazon (Click here). As you see it’s cold via Samy’s camera. The same reseller is offering the Sony A55 in bundle with the 18-250mm lens (Click here).

If you are in business for a Flash you might take a look at the new Sony HVL-F43AM which saw a consistent price drop at Amazon (Click here). It is in Stock for $279.90.

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(SR5) Noktor 50mm f/0.95 for NEX coming soon!

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SLRmagic announced that the Noktor 50mm f/0.95 will be available for E-mount soon! Read the message on Twitter (Click here). The lens will be made in Japan (and with a new design). So we should expect a higher quality version compared to the Micro Four Thirds version. Do not confuse the Noktor with the [shoplink 6619 ebay]Nokton f/0.95[/shoplink] lens. The Nokton is made by Voigtländer!

P.S.: SLRmagic already made the [shoplink 3514 ebay]35mm f/1.7 lens for NEX on (Click here to see it on eBay)[/shoplink].

The website: http://www.noktor.com/

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Zeiss 24mm tested at Photoscala (terrible lens or bad copy?) +Sigma 30mm test.

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[shoplink 3037][/shoplink]

We love measurebation or not? Than take a seat and read the full detailed and überwissenschaftliche review made by the from Photoscala (or click here to read the google english translation). Those german guys used three different software to analyze the lens: DxO Analyzer, IE Analyzer and Imatest! And now let’s drop the bomb. Photoscala says the lens is a not as good as they have expected from a Zeiss lens. The resolution of the other tested lenses, the [shoplink 7046]Canon 24mm f/1.4[/shoplink] and [shoplink 7047]Nikkor 24mm f/1.4[/shoplink] is much higher even wide open…at f/1.4! Only at medium apertures you get good results. There are also bigger issues with color aberrations. I have to say that I am very surprised to see such bad results. They might got a lens with production issues because the conclusion are quite the opposite we have seen at Photozone (Click here) where the lens gets Highly Recommended!!!
Check the lens price and availability at [shopcountry 3037].

There is also a new Sigma 30mm f/1.4 EX DC review at Jhpvideotutorials (Click here). He used the lens on the Sony a55: “As you might have guessed this Sigma 30mm f/1.4 EX DC lens is a little bit soft wide open at f/1.4, but still totally usable. The edges suffer the most from the softness, but the center of the frame is not to bad.”
Check the lens price and availability at [shopcountry 7044].

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Dpreview tests the Sony A580 (there will be no other models with OVF).

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[shoplink 5509][/shoplink] You can read the full Sony A580 review at DPreview (Click here). It earns a very high score of 75% and a “Silver Award”. The Sony A55 sister got 76%. That’s a short excerpt of the conclusion: “The Sony DSLR-A580 is an excellent all-round performer that gets all the important stuff – image quality, metering, focus – right most of the time. Whether you like its slightly live-view centered design and user interface is pretty much a question of taste and shooting style.”

At that point I want to remind you that the Sony A580 is probably the last Sony camera having an optical viewfinder. The future is SLT (translucent technology with electronic viewfinder). The A77 and next fullframe cameras will be SLT models. As long as Sony can improve the electronic viewfinder technology that shouldn’t be a problem for any of us!

You can check the Sony A580 price and availability by clicking those direct links: [shopcountry 5509].
And here are the links for the SLT version, the A55: [shopcountry 3617].

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a bit about the future of Fullframe…

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After yesterdays news about the discontinued [shoplink 3028]Sony A850[/shoplink] I got many mails from readers that asked me what will happen with Sony’s full-frame line. So here is the summary of what I know!

First of all Sony will not only keep but also reinforce the full-frame system. Until know we had the A850 and A900 which shared the same sensor and had only minor differences. We heard Sony is developing two full-frame sensors with two different resolutions. So there could be two new (and very different) full-frame cameras! Both will be announced in 2012.

I am also certain that all future FF cameras will use the translucent technology. I don’t believe Sony will use the hybrid technology from the [shoplink 6075]Fuji X100[/shoplink]. Would be amazing but technologically (and economically) almost impossible to realize.

And I also get many mails confirming to me that Zeiss is working very clsoe with Sony to develop new FF lenses.

Now let’s see how good the A77 will be. It will certainly be a good indication how terrific good the next FF cameras will be!

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