Reviews

A wide view of the world – The Sony Vario-Tessar T* FE 16-35mm f/4 ZA OSS Review

09/04/2015 By Mathieu

In the first six months following the release of the Sony A7 and A7r, many users were complaining about the lack of native lenses for the system. One year and three months later, I must praise Sony for the effort it has put into releasing more lenses for the system. At the present day, there are ten full-frame E-mount lenses excluding the two Zeiss Loxia manual focus lenses. To me, that is not bad at all for a system that is less than two years old.

The Tale of Two Touits – Part I – Zeiss Touit 12mm Review

08/04/2015 By Heather

While Mathieu has been testing the Sony A7 II and Leica M 240, I’ve been spending my days in the company of two lenses I’ve long wanted to test, the Zeiss Touit 12mm and 32mm. The pair arrived just in time for the Easter weekend, which was by coincidence also one of the warmest and sunniest weekends we’ve experienced since moving here, so there was much to photograph!

What the original A7 should have been – The Sony A7 Mark II Review

07/04/2015 By Mathieu

It is hard to believe that two weeks have passed since I was walking around Photography Show in Birmingham. One of the most interesting aspects of this show in comparison to others like Photokina is that product sales are allowed. All the deals were amazing but the ones that surprised me the most were at Camera World for the Sony A7 series. The original A7 was £699, the A7r was £999 and there was also a £350 discount on the new A7 Mark II. The A7 was less than 50% of its original price, and the camera was released just over a mere year ago. This got me thinking about how quickly the series has depreciated despite being labelled as “revolutionary” when it first hit the shelves. In the case of the A7, one of the triggers behind this massive price drop was the arrival of its direct successor, the A7 Mark II, which was launched exactly one year later with various improvements.

Better late than never! – The Sony Zeiss FE 55mm f/1.8 review

01/04/2015 By Mathieu

The Sony FE 55mm f/1.8 is the lens I’ve used the most with the A7 series yet I’d never published a dedicated article about it. As such, I thought it was about time I gave it some attention, especially since this lens is considered by many to be one of the best autofocus prime lenses ever designed.

So, is this lens just another fad or is it really all it’s cracked up to be?

Two weeks with the Leica T system – A Leica T Review

26/03/2015 By Mathieu

When we hear the name Leica, it usually conjures up the image of one camera: the “M”. It is an important photographic icon not only due to its rich history but also because of the famous photographers who have used it. Despite the transition to digital sensors, M cameras continue to embody the manual approach to photography that their users love so much.

The new “T” camera is in a way Leica’s first 100% digital system not just from a “specs” point of view but also from a philosophical perspective. Announced one year ago, the camera was indeed an unexpected surprise, packed with modern technology and a new approach to usability. It was also a system that was prepared to go up against a competitive mirrorless market that was, and still is, flourishing and vibrant.