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Sigma 30mm F/1.4 DC DN Review

Sigma's website claims this lens 'cannot be bad, because it is the latest lens,' well, that's an odd way to put it, but they were right, at least in this case!

The Sigma 30mm F/1.4 DC DN is a fast 'normal' lens for your APS-C and micro four thirds cameras.  It's slightly on the wide side of 'normal' for APS-C users, about 45mm in 135 film format, and on the long side for MFT users, with an 'equivalent' focal length of 60mm in 135 (full frame) format.

The technical image quality is very high; F/1.4 is totally usable even for landscape photography in low light, and there is no noticeable coma in the far corners!  Other positives include low axial color fringing, (but not lateral), and a simple distortion pattern which is easy to correct in post processing when shooting RAW.  I should also mention the very reasonable price, especially for this kind of performance.

There are a couple of negatives for pixel peepers...

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Zeiss Batis 25mm F/2 Review

I reviewed the Zeiss Touit lenses for Sony APS-C sensor cameras a few years ago, and they were excellent in quality and design, although the focusing motors were rather loud with questionable accuracy and speed. Thankfully, the Zeiss Batis series uses a very quiet and fast linear focusing system (just like better Sony lenses), so you video shooters will not be bothered by focus motor noise. So does that make the Zeiss Batis 25mm F/2 a better performer?

For landscape users the Zeiss 25mm F/2 is almost perfect; technical image quality at F/2 is about as good as it gets, unless

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Sony Fisheye converter review

Check out the full review of Sony's 16mm F/3.5 fisheye converter.  This can be a fun lens, or an awful lens, it all depends on your level of creativity.  My level is pretty low at the moment, confirm this by going to the middle of the review and looking at dumb pictures, like inside a washing machine, oven, or the fridge.

The fisheye is actually pretty good, and certainly worth the money if you have 28/2 already.  Buying both is  pricey, and a long and heavy combo, read the review to see if it's right for you.

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Sony FE 28mm F/2 Review

The Sony FE 28mm F/2 (B&H Photo) is the first wide angle fast lens for use with Sony's full frame 'E' system, formerly called NEX that used only APS-C sized sensors.

This is a hobbyist grade lens as far as build quality is concerned, and is missing OSS, or Optical Steady Shot, so you'll need a camera body with sensor based image stabilization if you're shaky like me and need help at slow shutter speeds.  The good news is the optics appear to be first rate, which is the most important quality in my opinion, and what we really want, right?  

Funny side note; Sony's US website lists the focal length in inches, so it's a 1-1/8" lens, and I don't know about you, but I can't wait for that new 3-1/2" portrait lens!  Apparently they figure the metric system is on the way out.

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Sony FE 90mm F/2.8 G Macro Review

I've finally completed the Sony FE 90mm F/2.8 Macro G OSS review. I may add a few pics later as I use it more.  This lens is spectacular for medium telephoto work, and I purchased my copy since I like it so much!  As far as macro work is concerned, it's very good, but honestly, I notice no difference in close focus performance from the other nine or so macro lenses I've tested; you still need a tripod and perfect focus for sharp shots.

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