Friday, February 28, 2014

HDR Efex Pro 2 vs (Photomatix 4.2.3, Photoshop CS6, Canon 5D Mark III In-Camera HDR and HDR Efex Pro 1)

Use coupon code RonMartBlog to save 15% off Photomatix products. See more offer details at the bottom of this article.

Test System Information

All tests were done on 64-bit Windows 7 with the 64-bit version of Photoshop CS6 (13.0). Here are more details and the Windows Experience Index Score (0 – 7.9 scale):

Test Machine

All of my plugins run on a standalone SSD drive and my caches are on dedicated SSD drives. My slowest drive is my primary hard disk which is a 7200 RPM SSD and Mechanical Hybrid SATA drive.

Original Images

Visit my HDR Efex Pro 2 review and see the Original Images section to see which images were used for this test. They were three CR2 RAW files taken with a Canon 5D Mark III at -3, 0, and +3 exposure values (EV). The total size of these three exposures was 83.9 megabytes.

Canon 5D Mark III In-Camera HDR Processing


Canon 5D Mark III In-Camera HDR processing of all three exposures

In my May 16, 2012 article I declared that Canon 5D Mark III HDR is good, but Photomatix Pro 4.2 is still the king of HDR. At that point in time the HDR Efex Pro 2 beta was still pretty rough around the edges, so Photomatix really was still the king.

Speedwise, the Canon 5D Mark III wins because only takes a few seconds for it to create an in-camera JPEG of your bracketed shots. For the HDR Mode feature of this camera, I use the following settings:

  • Adjust dyn range: +/- 3 EV
  • Effect: Natural (I’d rather do my post processing on the computer)
  • Continuous HDR: Every shot
  • Auto Image Align: Enable (never, ever disable this – even with at tripod)
  • Save source imgs: All Images

The final JPEG is impacted by the cameras picture style (I use standard) as well as other settings, but this shot was most hurt by my using the auto white balance (AWB) instead of warmer white balance like cloudy.

I really like the in-camera results and use them often, but the limitation is that it doesn’t to ghosting well (and you can’t control manually) and it tends to crop the image even when it seems that it isn’t necessary (i.e., a tripod was used).

I think the value of tone mapping and tone compression still favors the computer over the in-camera HDR, but it does a damn good job that might be “good enough” for some of your non-business critical work. I should also note that Canon point and shoots do terrible for this unless you are shooting a static subject using a tripod, but the DSLR’s really seem to do HDR very well.

For what it’s worth, I’ve processed the images used in the 5D Mark III HDR article in both Photomatix and HDR Efex Pro 2. Each time I process a photo start to end, I do different things with it, but it’s interesting to see how well both products did here in a head-to-head comparison:

Mouse over to see before, mouse out to see after
Mouse over for the Photomatix 4.2 version
Mouse out for the HDR Efex Pro 2 version

Both final results feature some post-processing using other Nik Software and Imagenomic products.

Performance Comparison

This section discusses the time it took to render the bracketed raw test images using default processing.

Photomatix Pro 4.2.3 (Review) – 56.8 seconds max

Mouse over to see before, mouse out to see after
Photomatix 4.2.3 Edited Version (mouse over to see default version)

Click here to see the large size edited version, and click here to see the full-size default processed version.

Image Merge Time (47.9 seconds MAX)

Here is the amount time it took from the moment the OK button was clicked in the Preprocessing Options dialog:

47.9 sec with everything checked like this:

Photomatix Prerocessing Options Dialog

42.9 sec with no noise reduction as follows:

Photomatix Prerocessing Options Dialog (No noise reduction)
26.0 sec only ghosting high as follows:

Photomatix Prerocessing Options Dialog (Only ghosting support)
and 12.2 sec with no options checked.

Tone Mapping Processing (5.7 seconds)

HDRSoft Photomatix 4.2.3 Tone Mapping UI

After your images are merged, you end up in the tone mapping user-interface where you do the real work. Once you are ready to have an image to edit in Photoshop, you click on the Process button. To get this image ready for editing elsewhere took only 5.7 seconds.

Ready in Photoshop CS6 (3.2 seconds)

Since the merge processing has to occur in the stand alone app, a true fair comparison should include the time it takes to save the intermediate file in Photomatix 4.2.3 and load that file in Photoshop (to have parity with the other tested apps). While Photomatix does offer a tone mapping Photoshop plug-in, the real work is done in the stand-alone app. Fortunately Photomatix makes this process easy using the “Open saved images with” option in its Save As dialog, so this process only took 3.2 seconds.

Photomatix Save As Dialog

The maximum total time it took from start to finish in HDRSoft Photomatix 4.2.3 was 56.8 seconds.

HDR Efex Pro 2 (RC1) (Review) – 79 seconds max

DISCLAIMER: I was using pre-released software so final times may be faster

Mouse over to see before, mouse out to see after
HDR Efex Pro 2 Processing
(with some Content Aware Fill on the ceiling)
Mouse over to see the 0EV exposure and mouse out to see the processed version

Visit my HDR Efex Pro 2 full review for more info about this product, but the bottom line is that the image selection dialog took 24.6 seconds to load the images into the merge dialog. This was really the process of doing a batch processing of the raw files and getting them created as TIFF images that are then used for the merge dialog. RAW files or going straight from Lightroom 4.x speeds this up, but this is definitely one of the bottle necks.

Once you have the merge dialog up you make your adjustments and then hit the create HDR. This is much like the pre-processing options for Photomatix and HDR Efex Pro 1. To do this it took 24.1 seconds after hitting Create HDR button (with all options checked). If I only did ghosting control then it only 16.1 seconds after hitting Create HDR button.

The real pain point is that once you are done you have to send the file to Photoshop for further editing (or back to Lightroom). This is took a staggering 30.3 seconds after hitting OK.

At first this all sounds really slow, but the all important “time before you can start tone mapping” was 48.7 seconds. This puts it on par with Photomatix, but it feels faster because of the interruption of the merge dialog.

You still have to pay the tax at the end, but the good news is that even with that it’s faster than its predecessor.

HDR Efex Pro 1.203 – 96.1 seconds max

HDR Efex Pro 1

The number one thing I hated about this product was its horrible performance, and doing this testing reminded me why. It took 65.8 seconds after hitting Create HDR button (all options checked) (or 9.0 seconds after hitting Create HDR button with just ghosting checked). Of course, the ghosting support in this product was as bad as the in-camera result, so some probably found it better to run it with no options. 

Once you are done tone mapping then it took 30.3 seconds after hitting OK before you were ready to work in Photoshop.

This app is just a slow turd that is a headache to use, so I’m glad to bid it farewell in favor of its faster and much better replacement.

Adobe Photoshop CS6 Merge to HDR Pro Feature – 31.3 seconds max

Mouse over to see before, mouse out to see after
Photoshop CS6 Photorealistic Edited Version (mouse over to see default version)

Click here to see the large size edited version, and click here to see the full-size default processed version.

Adobe Photoshop CS6 Merge to HDR Pro Dialog

It took about 19.6 seconds to get from the dialog above to the Merge to HDR Pro tone mapping UI (which has to be the worst ever user-interface in my opinion).


Ghost reference image feature exists here too (notice the green box around 0 EV)

After clicking OK here it took another 11.7 seconds before I could work on the image in Photoshop. This makes Photoshop the fastest thing outside of the camera processor to make an HDR image. Its feature set and usability suck, but if you are tight on cash then it can get the job done in a hurry. Personally I never use it though.

Conclusion

After spending time with all of these products, I still respect what Photomatix brings to the table but HDR Efex Pro 2 isn’t terrible anymore. This is a big statement too because I didn’t care for HDR Efex Pro 1 due to its complex UI and sluggish performance. Those issues have been addressed such that it’s now my go to product. Photomatix still does a great job and its ghost selection mode feature shown below is something I really wish Nik would have added to HDR Efex Pro using U-Point controls:

Photomatix_4_2_3_SelectionMode
Photomatix_4_2_3_SelectionModeMenu

I’m finding myself doing more HDR’s now thanks to the Canon 5D Mark III’s built-in HDR feature which keeps the bracketed exposures (in JPEG + RAW if you want) in addition to the file it creates. The in-camera file gives me an idea of issues I might run into at home using software, so I can identify issues in the field that I’d normally miss (i.e., gross alignment issues like the one below):


In-camera HDR is no gimmick – it can help you spot alignment issues in the field

Photoshop CS6’s speed makes it an option for those who are on a tight budget or who enjoy its nasty sliders, but realistically it’s just not for me. It may be fast, but I just take longer to get the results I want with it which negates its performance benefit and I’m rarely happy with the final result.

Special Offer (15% Discount)

Visit my discount coupon code page for the latest code and offer details.

HDRSoft, the makers of Photomatix HDR tone mapping software have extended an offer to readers of this blog for a 15% discount when you use the coupon code RonMartBlog when you checkout on their web site (see picture above). Don’t forget to click the recalculate button after you enter the code to get the discount.

Disclaimer

If you make a purchase using links in this blog then you support this blog and I may earn a commission. Thanks for your support!

NOTE: This site requires cookies and uses affiliate linking to sites that use cookies.

If you enjoyed this article, please support future articles like this by making a donation or saving money by using my discount coupon codes. Either way, your support is greatly appreciated!

This blog is intended for freelance writing and sharing of opinions and is not a representative of any of the companies whose links are provided on this site.

The opinions provided are of Ron Martinsen alone and do not reflect the view of any other entity

Thursday, February 27, 2014

Topaz Labs Simplify for only $19.99 until Feb 28, 2014


Put a whole new spin on your favorite images


Simplify can really transform your landscape shots into art


Pastel effect can remove branding and give a stylized look for ads


From blah to exciting in as little as two clicks


Make everyday snapshots become more exciting

(Saturation can be adjusted to suit your personal taste)


Create pencil art in less than a minute

Conclusion

Every time I find myself needing to do a review of this product I remember how much I love it and what an idiot I am for not experimenting with it more often.

Now’s a great time to get a fun tool to add to your artistic toolkit for not much more than the cost of a family size pizza – you can’t beat that!

Click here to read my full review of Simplify.

Where to order

Get Simplify for only $19.99 when you CLICK HERE and then use the coupon code febsimplify, or use my coupon code RONMART to save 15% off any or all Topaz Labs products.

**** THIS OFFER EXPIRES on February 28, 2014 ****

Other articles you may enjoy

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Disclosure

If you make a purchase using links found in this article, I may make a commission. It doesn’t cost you a penny more, but it does help to support future articles like this.

NOTE: This site requires cookies and uses affiliate linking to sites that use cookies.

If you enjoyed this article, please support future articles like this by making a donation or saving money by using my discount coupon codes. Either way, your support is greatly appreciated!

This blog is intended for freelance writing and sharing of opinions and is not a representative of any of the companies whose links are provided on this site.

The opinions provided are of Ron Martinsen alone and do not reflect the view of any other entity

Wednesday, February 26, 2014

Limelite Mosaic And Studiolite–Constant Lighting Without The Heat

Limelite Mosaic LED Panel
Limelite Mosaic LED Panel

Earlier this year my friends at MacGroup US sent me some of their new constant lighting products to check out – the Limelite Mosaic LED Panel and the SL255DMX version of their Studiolite Fluorescent fixtures. These are both extremely well made products that both say “by Bowens” on the units. Bowens is a respected name in the lighting business, so these aren’t some cheap no-name products for sure.

Now I’m not a huge fan of constant lighting and I despise doing video, so I won’t bore you with an ugly video that highlights my lack of video skills. However, I will offer some insight on the quality of these products based on my basic testing of them.

I liked the Mosaic with 576 super bright powered LED’s because even after being on for an hour it was cool to the touch. It also didn’t heat up the room so this is really what you want if you are doing constant lighting. I probably would have been happier if I had the Chimera LED Lightbank that goes with it, but I only had the Limelite Barn-Door Set. The barn doors were great, but as a photographer I’m a big fan of light boxes so my testing was hampered by not having the light bank!

The Mosaic comes in various color balanced versions, but I had the bicolor which allows you to switch between daylight (5600k) and tungsten (2800k). I hadn’t seen any light panels that did this before so I really liked this feature!

I also loved that I could adjust the light intensity from 1 to 255 so I could use wider apertures (smaller f-stop numbers) than I typically can with traditional studio lights or strobes (without the aid of ND filters).

Limelite Studiolite SL255DMX 2-Tube DMX Fluorescent Fixture
Limelite Studiolite SL255DMX 2-Tube DMX Fluorescent Fixture

(also available in 4 & 8 tube variants)

The Limelite Studiolite SL255DMX 2-Tube DMX Fluorescent Fixture was less impressive to me because I’m not a fan of fluorescent lights. While it’s true that these are daylight balanced, I was wishing for a gel to warm them up and I didn’t have one this large handy. What’s more I couldn’t get these in daylight balanced mode to match the Mosaic in the same mode. While it was probably user error, it left me frustrated trying to get these two different light systems to work together. If I was going to invest in this system I’d definitely do either the fluorescent on the LED system, but not mix and match them both.

My test unit came with the Limelite Studiolite Honeycomb Grid for SL255DMX which was excellent and very well built. The accessory slot it slides in to was well designed and thought out too. This is basically a strip light while its shown in landscape orientation, I found myself either using it like a hair light or in portrait orientation as a vertical strip light.

While these lights also featured adjustable light output levels just like the Mosaic, I found they ran hotter than LED’s – but not super hot like tungsten. The also were painful to have pointing at a human subject (unlike the Mosaic) so I found them less useful for people unless they were used as hair lights or for environmental lighting in the background.

Mosaic for your DSLR

Limelite Mosaic Solo On-Camera LED Light (Daylight Balanced)
Limelite Mosaic Solo On-Camera LED Light (Daylight Balanced)

I didn’t get a chance to test one of these, but this looks great for on-camera lighting. Based on the quality and performance of the bigger Mosaic, and the wealth of really bad LED light products I’ve seen, I’d expect a solid performance from this product. If you get one then be sure to share your thoughts in the comments!

Conclusion

These are very well made products that deliver on all of their promises featured online. They run cool and are reasonably priced compared to what I’ve seen for some competing products of similar build quality. If you know you need LED or Fluorescent lighting, I’d recommend these. If you are unsure which you should go with, my advice would be to go with all LED and be sure to get the bi-color variant and accessories (like the lightbank).

Maybe I’m old school, but I much prefer studio strobes for my photography needs and tungsten lighting (like this) for my video needs. While they didn’t meet my needs, it’s not because there was anything wrong with these products. In fact, when they first arrived I was so excited I was considering buying them. In the end I just didn’t care for the subjective feel of the light temperature from these and the lack of accessories I’m used to as a photographer turned me off to this class of lights (by any manufacturer).

If you are unsure what your needs are then I’d encourage you to call B&H at 877-679-0736 or 212-444-6772 to discuss your needs and which units are right for you. However, please come back and load your cart after using my links if you found this article to be helpful.

Where to order

Click the photos or links in the article to go to B&H to learn more about or purchase these products.

Other articles you may enjoy

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Disclosure

If you make a purchase using links found in this article, I may make a commission. It doesn’t cost you a penny more, but it does help to support future articles like this.

NOTE: This site requires cookies and uses affiliate linking to sites that use cookies.

If you enjoyed this article, please support future articles like this by making a donation or saving money by using my discount coupon codes. Either way, your support is greatly appreciated!

This blog is intended for freelance writing and sharing of opinions and is not a representative of any of the companies whose links are provided on this site.

The opinions provided are of Ron Martinsen alone and do not reflect the view of any other entity

Tuesday, February 25, 2014

Nikon D4s–The Canon 1D X Killer?

Nikon D4S
Nikon D4S

Featuring the latest EXPEED 4 image processor, the new D4s is 30% faster than its predecessor and takes the top spot in Nikon’s professional DSLR lineup. Working with an updated full-frame 16.2-megapixel CMOS sensor, it can shoot with a native ISO up to 25,600, or up to 409,600 with ISO expansion, resulting in crisp, clean imagery in low light conditions as well as improved overall quality and a variety of feature updates, including full HD video at 60 fps.

Shoot 200 full-size JPEGs at 11 fps, and offload them via a speedy 1000BASE-T Ethernet port. The new RAW SIZE S file type provides a new smaller RAW option for streamlining the workflow while maintaining excellent post-production editing possibilities.

Fast autofocus is possible with Group Area AF, which uses 5 sensors for optimized focusing within an area. Additionally, time lapse and interval shooting has been revamped with the ability to record up to 9,999 shots as well as use exposure smoothing to eliminate flicker from your final product — you can even set it for up to one week later. The D4s has also received a new EN-EL18a lithium-ion battery for up to 3,020 shots on a single charge.

Video shooting can implement Auto ISO Control during manual exposure as well as simultaneous recording to both the memory card and an external recorder, while also maintaining live view. And, FX, DX, and 2.7x crop modes can be chosen while in live view. Audio can sound even better with a selectable frequency range between wide and voice, and the new ability to change settings while recording.

Nikon D4s Rear View
Nikon D4s Rear View

Conclusion

I reviewed the Nikon D4 and while it was a nice camera, it didn’t impress me much. As a Canon 1D X owner, I see this camera as the first real threat to my camera. I’m very happy to see that Nikon stuck with the 16.2MP and focused on the things that matter like a huge buffer to hold its 11fps machine gun mode, and proper video support. The improved high ISO performance is huge for sports photographers too, so I’m sure this is going to be a great upgrade for existing D3s & D4 owners. This version also finally catches up to Canon on AF point groups, and offers a battery that promises to blow Canon’s away.

I’m eager to try this one out to see how it compares to my 1D X to see if this might tempt me to switch!

Where to order

Click here to learn more or order on the B&H web site. My friends at Amazon have it available here with an excellent write up from Nikon. Adorama is taking orders as well – click here to learn more.

Other articles you may enjoy

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Disclosure

If you make a purchase using links found in this article, I may make a commission. It doesn’t cost you a penny more, but it does help to support future articles like this.

NOTE: This site requires cookies and uses affiliate linking to sites that use cookies.

If you enjoyed this article, please support future articles like this by making a donation or saving money by using my discount coupon codes. Either way, your support is greatly appreciated!

This blog is intended for freelance writing and sharing of opinions and is not a representative of any of the companies whose links are provided on this site.

The opinions provided are of Ron Martinsen alone and do not reflect the view of any other entity

Monday, February 24, 2014

2014 Training & Workshop Opportunities


Ron teaching a student at a hands on workshop in Seattle

(Photo courtesy of Mike Wiebe – a former student)

2013 was a busy year so I had to limit my training opportunities to private 1-on-1 training only, but I’m considering adding the following training options in 2014 based on your feedback:

  1. One Day Seattle Workshops – Photography hands on from 9:00 AM til Sunset with myself and at least one assistant like I’ve done before . Here’s some examples of past workshops: Location: Seattle, WA
    Cost: $395 (limit 8 students)
  2. Weekend Workshop with a Famous Pro – This would be in New York or San Francisco with a top pro photographer with over 30 years experience shooting celebrities, magazine covers, and more.
    Location: New York or San Francisco
    Cost: TBD/Very expensive (limit 5 students)
  3. Understanding Your Camera Course – This would be a 90 minute course each week for 4 weeks where we go over the basics of metering, exposure, focus modes, shooting modes, lens selection, flash basics, and more.
    Location: Bellevue, WA
    Cost: $250 (limit 10 students)
  4. Lightroom Workflow Course – This would be a 90 minute course each week for 4 weeks where we cover importing photos into the Library module, mastering the Library module (i.e., keywording, collections, etc…), using the Develop Module, Plug-ins/Photoshop interaction and Exporting. Time permitting it may touch on the basics of Printing as well.
    Location: Bellevue, WA
    Cost: $250 (limit 10 students)
  5. Photoshop Basics - This would be a 90 minute course each week for 4 weeks where we literally start from square #1 with selections, layers, layer mask, brush techniques, etc… This would be designed for those who are at a complete loss in Photoshop and who find all the resources to be too advanced. By the end of the course you will know how to do basic photo editing techniques.
    Location: Bellevue, WA
    Cost: $250 (limit 10 students)
  6. Asia Travel Photography Photo Walk – This would be tailored to the needs & desires of the students, but this would be a scaled back version of my Seattle workshop so that part of the day could be with the group and part of the day the students would be free to enjoy their vacation as they see fit. We would meet at the location and travel arrangements would be up to the student. We would gather for one or more tourist attractions and discuss shooting options, camera settings, I’d offer real-time feedback and recommendations.
    Location: Kyoto, Japan; Tokyo, Japan; Seoul, Korea; or Hong Kong
    Cost: TBD (limit 5 students)
  7. Online Training – Online version of my Understanding Your Camera, Lightroom Workflow, or Photoshop Basics courses. This would be live via GoToMeeting with live video and screen sharing for up to 20 students. In addition to the 90 minute course, there would be a 30 minute open Q&A session. Recording would be prohibited.Location: Online – evenings
    Cost: $195 (limit 20 students)

Contact me if you are interested in any of these opportunities, private one on one training, a simple portfolio review, or if there is an offering you would like that is not listed.

NOTE: This site requires cookies and uses affiliate linking to sites that use cookies.

If you enjoyed this article, please support future articles like this by making a donation or saving money by using my discount coupon codes. Either way, your support is greatly appreciated!

This blog is intended for freelance writing and sharing of opinions and is not a representative of any of the companies whose links are provided on this site.

The opinions provided are of Ron Martinsen alone and do not reflect the view of any other entity

Friday, February 21, 2014

REVIEW: Sony Alpha a7–Cheaper and More Practical than the a7R

Sony Alpha a7 Mirrorless Digital Camera
Sony Alpha a7 Mirrorless Digital Camera

The Sony a7R that I reviewed impressed the hell out of me. It’s a very, very good camera that will blow peoples minds when its paired with great lenses. However, it had some shortcomings in terms of everyday usability that had me wondering if the Sony a7 was the better choice for those who can only see more than just megapixel statistics.

Body wise the a7 is identical to the a7R which is a good thing, because this is a very good camera body. The menu system usability leaves a lot to be desired, but the wealth of buttons, knobs and feature all result in pleasant shooting experience. What’s more, features like focus peaking are super handy when manually focusing.

The burst mode of this camera and its AF performance are sufficient enough that I feel good recommending this camera for parents – with one caveat – shoot in shutter priority or manual mode. However, one huge limitation of this camera is the lack of a built in flash so save money for an external flash – which sadly takes away some of the portability of this camera.

This camera is a little hefty as compared to other mirrorless cameras, but it feels well enough built that it should hopefully stand up to wear and tear well.

As I mentioned in my a7R review (which I suggestion you read), the electronic viewfinder (EVF) is brilliant. What’s more the rear screen is very good and this camera will even display images at a full 4k (3840×2160 pixels / 8.3MP) if you hook it up to a 4k TV.

Which is better, the Sony a7 vs a7R?

Now before the Sony fan boys get their panties in a bunch, YES I do agree that the image quality of the a7R is indeed superior to the a7. However, it’s a bit like saying a Bugatti Veyron Super Sport is faster than a Bugatti Veyron original – both the a7R and a7 are excellent, so you aren’t getting a bad camera with either one. What’s more in typical web posting and print sizes your spouse won’t likely see the advantage of the a7R over the a7 – when you are using a tripod.

Like all super megapixel cameras, the a7R requires higher shutterspeeds to get a crisp shot than its lesser megapixel sibling, so if you are shooting handheld the odds of getting a blurry shot with the a7R go up. This is why I strongly believe that if you handheld shoot under normal lighting conditions more than you use your tripod or studio lights then the a7 is the better camera in terms of usability. Of course the inverse is true too – if you are primarily a studio shooter or landscape photographer who always uses a tripod then by all means go for the a7R. In the real world that’s a small number of people, so if you are new to cameras of this caliber then you’ll be much happier with the a7. What’s more, if you have kids the superior burst mode performance and hand holding friendliness of the a7 will serve you much better than those blurry and out of focus extra megapixels on the a7R you thought you had to have because it has more megapixels.

Here’s a good video from DigitalRev TV that definitely mirrors many of my observations of these two cameras (well, except for the last part about the colors <g>):

Bookshelf Test

The following shots are done on a tripod with all camera default settings except I also enable RAW. The full gallery of bookshelf images can be found HERE, but I’ve included a noteworthy images below. Please keep in mind that the images are not crooked – the camera is level, but the bookshelf has sagged over time due to weight so I use camera level instead of adjusting the camera for a level shot of the bookshelf.


f/2.8 @ 35 mm, 3.2s, ISO 100, No Flash

Like the a7R, the image quality and color is fantastic. Yes, the a7R has an advantage (comparable image) but this is pretty freakin spectacular. All bookshelf testing was done using the same camera settings and environment with the Sony Sonnar T* FE 35mm f/2.8 ZA lens.

If you want to fault this camera, fault it for its price, but not its image quality. High ISO performance is pretty impressive too – especially when you turn in-camera noise reduction OFF and use Noiseware (Tutorial) as I discussed in my a7R article.

Please read my a7R article bookshelf test results as the only difference here is that the a7 seems to be just a little softer and ironically (and perhaps counter intuitively) exhibits a little more bokeh in the test images.

Lenses Tested

In addition to the FE 28-70mm f/3.5-5.6 OSS Kit Lens, I also used these lenses during my review:

Samyang 85mm f/1.4 Aspherical IF Lens for APS-C Sony E-Mount Cameras
Samyang 85mm f/1.4 Aspherical IF Lens for APS-C Sony E-Mount Cameras

B&H tells me this is a hot selling lens so they encouraged me to try it out for this review, but in retrospect I probably should have tested out the Samyang 14mm f/2.8 ED AS IF UMC Lens for Sony E Mount. The reason why is that I wasn’t super impressed with the 85mm. It’s a cheap lens and it performs like a cheap lens which I think diminishes the quality that possible from this sensor, so if you are the type of person who would put no-name generic tires on a luxury sports car then this lens is for you.

In the photo gallery, photos from this lens do not have aperture information and the lens is simply shown as --- in the metadata. In my testing I felt like f/5.6 and f/8 gave the best results, but it had the most chromatic aberrations that I’ve seen from a lens in a long time.

Honestly, if you’ve really gotta go cheap on the lenses I’d suggest choosing from Sigma’s selection of Sony E-Mount lenses.

Sony Sonnar T* FE 35mm f/2.8 ZA Lens
Sony Sonnar T* FE 35mm f/2.8 ZA Lens

I tested this lens with the a7R, so I had to test it with this camera (especially for the bookshelf shots where I knew people would want to do comparisons between the two cameras). This is a very good lens that will satisfy you more than the more flexible kit zoom lens, but the range is hard to work with. Personally, I’d still buy the zoom for its practical use and pick up the Sony 55mm over the 35mm.

I will be testing the Sony A-Mount to E-Mount Lens Adapter with Translucent Mirror Technology adaptor, but I didn’t have any test images at the time I wrote this article.

Real World Sample Images

The following images come from in-camera JPEG’s using the camera default noise reduction settings. Most camera settings are the default with the exception of RAW+JPEG, a desired White Balance, a desired focus point, and occasionally a desired creative style being used.

I’ve included the designations Kit and Samyang to denote when I used the kit lens versus the Samyang for 85mm images. If no designation and 35mm, then the 35mm prime was used.

All images are copyright Ron Martinsen – ALL RIGHTS RESERVED


f/5.6 @ 70 mm, 1/100, ISO 6400, No Flash

Gorgeous color and sharpness even with the kit lens and high ISO


f/4.5 @ 28 mm, 1/100, ISO 5000, No Flash, Manual Focus, Handheld

Using focus peaking I was able to easily dial manual focus to emphasize inside the flower


f/4.5 @ 42 mm, 1/100, ISO 2000, No Flash

The kit lens does a decent job


f/? @ 85 mm (Samyang), 1/100, ISO 640, No Flash, Manual Focus

This shot made me get excited about the Samyang lens, but it would often disappointed.
Having to shoot manual focus also means a higher number of blurry shots when handheld


f/4 @ 35 mm, 1/80, ISO 1000, No Flash

The 35mm is a pretty sweet lens


f/4 @ 40 mm, 1/125, ISO 1600, No Flash

Kids are best shot using M mode with AF on, but even with the kit the results are great
Be sure to look at the eyes if you open the original


f/4.5 @ 43 mm, 1/60, ISO 3200, No Flash

This is almost D600 good, and it’s good enough if you ask me


f/9 @ 35 mm, 1/40, ISO 6400, No Flash

Great dynamic range and metering under tough conditions


f/5.6 @ 35 mm, 1/60, ISO 5000, No Flash
, Shade WB
The ultimate camera torture test, but it did well (except for horrible internal noise reduction)


f/3.5 @ 28 mm, 1/60, ISO 6400, No Flash

Unless I used flexible spot focus points, I’d often get blurry shots like this


f/3.2 @ 35 mm, 1/60, ISO 320, No Flash

The spot AF is good and the 35mm is razor sharp


f/3.5 @ 28 mm, 1/125, ISO 6400, No Flash

Tough conditions, but I felt the a7 handled it well

 
f/2.8 @ 85 mm (Samyang), 1/60, ISO 2500, No Flash
, Manual Focus, Handheld
This camera will get the most out of any lens. Notice how sharp
the eyes look with no editing. Now listen for my wife beating me for sharing this no makeup photo with you!


Samyang chromatic aberrations on the handle are easy to see here

NOTE: Green here is a reflection from a green object in the background

Conclusion

f/4 @ 40 mm, 1/60, ISO 6400, No Flash, Heavily Edited
This camera will have you taking pictures of everything again
f/4 @ 40 mm, 1/60, ISO 6400, No Flash, Heavily Edited (Original)

This is the kind of camera that gets you excited about photography and its compact size makes you want to take it everywhere. From an excellent electronic viewfinder (this and the a7R are the only ones I’d really use) to outstanding image quality, this is a camera that will delight most users.

With my only gripes being the lack of a built-in flash and the same gripes I have about every Sony camera, I can easily give this camera my HIGHEST RECOMMENDATION. What’s more, if I had to choose a camera that was released in 2013 that impressed me the most, this would definitely be the one that stole the show. In fact, if I were going to buy a mirrorless camera, this would be the one (and yes, even more so than the Fujifilm X-E2).

Now, if it could just catch up to Fujifilm in terms of high quality lens offerings I think it would definitely give Fujifilm cause for concern. In fact, from a image quality standpoint Canon and Nikon should be worried as well!

Where to order

Click here to learn more or order this camera on the B&H web site. My friends at Amazon have it available here.

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