[pinholecam] A week with ...... (random ramblings of a lens junkie) - 2015

[pinholecam]

A week with the Voigtlander 12mm f5.6 Heliar


Missed updating this thread for a while.
Been busy with preparing for a trip to Bangkok and time just flies.

IMHO, nothing is as 'real' a test of lenses and cameras than using it and doing so on a photo trip.
Day to night, Sunrise and Sunsets (with flare causing conditions ), people shots (to understand more on working distance; bokeh; sharpness wide open, etc), landscapes/cityscapes (to know a len's performance in field curvature; overall sharpness; etc).
This is often a lot of 'lens mileage' that is seldom clocked if in the local environment.


So the following few weeks, I'd just like to share some shots and thoughts about the lenses I used over the course of the 4day trip to Bangkok.


From a room with a view (Bangkok) by jenkwang, on Flickr
As wide as it gets within on frame.

 

[pinholecam]

10 elements, 8 groups, 1 asph element
This lens is available in both Leica M and ltm mounts.
Mine is the M mount version.

The ltm version is smaller as it does not come with a built in hood.
It needs a separate filter holder to attach any filters.
Since I am usually lazy to handle the separate holder and will most likely have it on most of the time for my uses, I opted to get the M mount version.

Construction wise, this lens is very well made.
Its also a wonder of a lens for a 12mm FF.
So small.
Really incredible IMHO.



Sunrise at Benjakiti Park by jenkwang, on Flickr

 

[pinholecam]

DSC00406 by jenkwang, on Flickr


So I'd just make fun of it and myself here and proclaim the CV12/5.6 the "Vignette King" of lenses.
On my own sample of an all white image (used for vignette correction), it takes +3.5ev to clear the vignette off the extreme corners and about +2.5ev to generally clear the image of vignetting.
This is already at a f11 aperture, so thats how extreme the vignette is.
Certainly, this is the price to pay for the symmetrical design with recessed rear elements for the small size and extreme wideness of 12mm fov on FF.

 

[pinholecam]

The implications of the vignette (and color cast on the edges) is that a file has to be pushed rather hard on the off center by 'corner fix' programs.
So imagine having a photo pushed 2.5 stops.
Yes, it tends to start showing up noise, or at the least, the pushed areas will not be able to take up much post processing anymore.


All that said, in real use, its not as bad as it seems.

Firstly, camera RAW nowadays can take quite a bit of such exposure corrections.
The other is that in real use, there is often little need to correct as much as 2.5ev.
Very often, correcting about 1.5ev tends to reduce the vignette enough such that it is no longer too obvious.
Thirdly, in many cases, a little vignette can emphasis on the center of the frame.
Furthermore, often enough, pictures are cropped to more appropriate aspect ratios and that chops off the vignetted areas.
Lastly, often, the corners and far edges are not as important elements of the photos like darkened foreground, dark waters in the early morning, etc.



20150328-DSC00487-2400 by jenkwang, on Flickr


To add to this, there are many work arounds.

To correct for it, I am using 3 ways (interchangeably and sometimes a mix of them).

Method 1
=======
1. Just use the CV12 profile in LR

Pros : Fast
Cons : Can be a tad too aggressive in the corrections causing the file to be brittle to further PP.

Method 2
=======
1. Shoot a white wall on long exposure and jiggle the camera about (so that its only a blur of the wall with only the vignette and color cast)
2. In LR, use a combination of CV12 profile and adjustment brush to correct the vignette and color cast.
3. Leave this 'correction template' in a folder in LR.
4. When correcting a CV12 photo, simply click on this 'correction template', click back to the shot to be corrected and click 'Prev'.
This will apply all the adjustments onto the photo.
5. Instead of #4, one can also 'Copy' the settings of that template including the brushed corrections and just click 'Paste' on the target pict.

The advantage of this is that I can usually leave a bit of 'under correction' which is often not too obvious but leaving the file with some mileage for other PP.

Method #3.
========
1. Create a Template as #2
2. Shoot a normal exposure shot and one that is 1.5, 2ev over exposure.
3. Use the template to create a mask in Photoshop
4. Use the mask on the over exposed shot
(I save this as an action so its really easy to apply)

There are 'corner fix' plugins and programs like CornerFix and Adobe Flat Field correction, but I have tried the latter and did not like it.
It was clunky to pre-select those files shot using the CV12 (out of a folder that would have other files too) and it generated too many files.
I also found the correction too aggressive to my liking.

 

[pinholecam]

Framing the lion by jenkwang, on Flickr

Now all, the good stuff.....
This lens is wide.
Until the coming of the new Canon 11-16mm, this was together with the Sigma 12-24 the widest rectilinear FF lens.
12mm is wide indeed, I almost get a feeling that its fisheye like in wideness (or course its not).
Unlike the other options though, its small in comparison.


This FOV, lends itself to a lot of unique composition opportunities.
It almost 'looks to the side'.

However, its large perspective distortion can push elements too far in many situations too.

 

[hjbyeo]

CV12mm is my single most used lens in my 'arsenal'. Great imagery, JK. And keep this thread going !!

 

[pinholecam]

CV12mm is my single most used lens in my 'arsenal'. Great imagery, JK. And keep this thread going !!

I can see why.

Thanks for the encouragement.
Frankly, I think traffic has die down a lot since 3yrs ago on CS.
Sometimes, I feel like I am talking to a wall.


I try to keep going.

 

[pinholecam]

20150329-DSC01177-2400 by jenkwang, on Flickr

There aren't many 12mm FF lenses out there to reference against.
But to my eyes, the IQ and usability and unique FOV of the CV12 is certainly good enough to stand up to reliable usage.
I always feel surprised that this thing is so small for a 12mm, and sharpness is good in most respects all the way.
On print, on screen, there just isn't anything apparently lacking in IQ.

Perhaps the only times I feel that it can be hindered is in low light with a ND filter (6 or 10 stops).
Light falloff on the off center seems to be exponential rather than linear, making multi-exposure methods of correcting this vignette much harder.
The other instance is as described, that it can push elements in the backgroud too far due to the 12mm perspective distortion.
But what it takes away, it gives with a very exaggerated perspective and wide FOV, unmatched by other lenses.

 

[Zig Ziggler]

I can see why. Thanks for the encouragement. Frankly, I think traffic has die down a lot since 3yrs ago on CS. Sometimes, I feel like I am talking to a wall. I try to keep going.

JK,

Pls keep this great thread going. I am pretty sure there are many silent readers out there thanking you for yr efforts in penning down yr experience with these lenses.
And not forgetting the accompanying images of what these lenses can do. I too feel like talking to a wall in threads I started but I still share my thoughts/experience in the hope that in future, someone can learn or benefit from my 5 cts contribution.

Keep the faith !

 

[Octarine]

Thanks for the encouragement.
Frankly, I think traffic has die down a lot since 3yrs ago on CS.
Sometimes, I feel like I am talking to a wall.

Indeed, traffic has changed. The more I enjoy your thread. Please keep it going.
(Just got myself a Takumar 55/1.8 )

 

[jwlarry]

Thanks. Though I do not understand all your sharing, I feel there are lots of wisdom and knowledge in your posts. And. I enjoy the photos 😄👍👍👍

 

[Nikonzen]

I want to make :thumbsup: every snap posted but I am trying to restrain myself.

 

[pinholecam]

JK,

Pls keep this great thread going. I am pretty sure there are many silent readers out there thanking you for yr efforts in penning down yr experience with these lenses.
And not forgetting the accompanying images of what these lenses can do. I too feel like talking to a wall in threads I started but I still share my thoughts/experience in the hope that in future, someone can learn or benefit from my 5 cts contribution.

Keep the faith !

Thanks!
Yes, I will certainly keep going.

Indeed, traffic has changed. The more I enjoy your thread. Please keep it going.
(Just got myself a Takumar 55/1.8 )

Thanks for the encouragement.
I guess nowadays its all on Facebook.

Takumar 55/1.8 is a real nice one for the money.

Thanks. Though I do not understand all your sharing, I feel there are lots of wisdom and knowledge in your posts. And. I enjoy the photos ��������

Very much appreciated.
Its a 'random rambling', so yeah... sometimes I go on w/o explaining myself too well.
Do feel free to ask if there is anything you need to clarify.

I want to make :thumbsup: every snap posted but I am trying to restrain myself.

Ha..ha.. thanks

 

[pinholecam]

20150330-DSC01219-2400 by jenkwang, on Flickr


Last pict from the CV12 from the trip and a few closing thoughts.

I barely touched the surface with this lens even if I used it for 4 intensive days on a photo trip.
The lens options in my bag certainly did not help, since that did not force me to exploring more angles and possibilities with the 12mm FOV.
I am left wondering if I can totally cope if 12mm is my widest lens and the next focal length is a 28mm or 35mm. (in a 12mm; 35mm; 85mm combi for example)
Still lots to explore, so little time.....

Lens wise, I think the Voigtlander 12/5.6 is a gem.
A lens designed with a purpose.
No macho f2; f2.8 f-stop that makes the lens big and heavy.
A travel companion, certainly.
Perhaps its no wonder that such a lens has to come from a smaller player like Voigtlander.
The big boys of the industry are too busy with more mainstream stuff.
f5.6 on a lens can be suicidal these days when buyers pull out the spec sheets and marks down the lens without even really trying it.

I'm just glad that there are still lens makers out there who give us some variety like this 12/5.6.

 

[pinholecam]

A week with Zony


20150328-DSC00614-2400 by jenkwang, on Flickr


Sony (Zeiss) FE55/1.8, for the rest of us.
Zony for some on the internet forums with I'd suspect slightly snobbish undertones. (that its not a 'pure' Zeiss)

Little introduction need actually if one follows camera stuff.
This is often considered the best native lens yet for the Sony FE mount.

7 elements/ 5 groups
50mm min focus distance
9 aperture blades
49mm filter thread

So let this lens junky run it thru its paces.

 

[pinholecam]

20150328-DSC00615-2400 by jenkwang, on Flickr

This was the only AF lens I brought with me for the trip.
For one, the lens was seldom used in SGP as I prefered the engaging and fun factor of manual lenses, so it needed a write up and some exercise.
For another, I had the suspicion at the back of my head planning for the trip that I'd need AF.

So indeed, it was when I found myself at the Bangkok Motor Show, flash on one hand and camera on the other.
The combi of off camera flash worked well certainly for me in this case.

Not much to complain about in terms of wide open and little bit stopped down sharpness.
Especially so off center (like for example if the subject is placed in the rules of thirds area), something some old lenses and that A7 sensor stack + RF lens issue can have.
This is after all a costly $1k+ modern lens that has benefited from the latest of designs, processes and materials.
I'd have to say though that it does not mean that other 50mm (especially a bit slower f1.7, f1.8, f2 designs ) are slouches.
In fact, most 50mm are generally not lacking (in sharpness) from wide open taking a picture as a whole (and not pixel peeping)

 

[pinholecam]

20150328-DSC00871-BW-2400 by jenkwang, on Flickr

The lens is certainly very versatile in that its optically very good (CA resistance, sharpness wide open and stopped down, no vignette, no distortion).
Certainly with Zeiss like qualities of high contrast and a very bold drawing style on high contrast edges (the latter which I tend to find almost 'outlines' the subject to make it stand out in a shallow DOF type shot).



20150329-DSC01056-2400 by jenkwang, on Flickr

I do find that AF is not too responsive on the A7 though.
By this, I mean there is always that hesitant lag where contrast detect AF hunts back and forth (probably a sort of binary search algo), before focus is locked.
Add to this, I tend to feel that the EVF is more jittery with an AF lens on than a 'dumb' MF lens.
Perhaps a lot more goes about in the background as the camera tries to compute more stuff with an AF lens attached (ie. settings; lens corrections; PDAF+CDAF; more intelligent zone metering, etc)
It might be that I am too used to MF on this camera, too.

Simply put, I do find many situations where the lack of decisiveness of the AF or that hesitant lag can mean missed photos.
Seems to me that "If that thing moves" in any sort of way, be it gently swaying, walking at a relaxed pace, etc, AF may not bag the shot too well.
In fact, often with MF, I can release the shutter more decisively.
Just to be clear, AF is certainly accurate and not slow in good conditions, just that for slightly moving subjects, its more of a challenge imo.

 

[pinholecam]

20150328-DSC00650-2400 by jenkwang, on Flick

Bokeh is overall nice for the lens imo.
As with any 50mm, it will have situations/bkgnds that it can fail, but these are certainly the exceptions and not the norm.

One little bit of nag from me is that there is optical vignetting on the periphery as can be seen in this image. (showing as 'cat eye' OOF highlights )
Not that its overly bad nor does it distract too much from the image.
Just that I keep thinking that this is not a cheap, old lens, nor is it a f1.4, f1.2 one,so this characteristic comes off as a bit of a surprise to me whenever I think about it.
Of course, thats just my musing over it, since its very common on old lenses and in fact very characterful.
Like I said, just surprised that a modern design, not cheap lens will still have it.

 

[hjbyeo]

JK, great shots with the FE55!

 

[pinholecam]

JK, great shots with the FE55!

Bernard, thanks.
This is a nice lens.