Photo Jottings

While testing the Sony FE 28-70mm F/3.5-5.6 kit lens, I thought I’d take out the Zeiss 24-70/4 and do a couple of comps.  I tested both at approximately 28mm, 35mm and 70mm; I say ‘approximately’ because I had to adjust the capture area to match each lens, and that might make a difference af about 1mm or so in the exif data.  The original files (RAW and converted to Jpeg) are available to download and scrutinize for yourself, or if you don’t have much time, the crops from F/8 should show you most of the differences.  In a nut-shell, the kit lens is about as sharp as the Zeiss in the centers at all focal lengths and apertures.  The mid-sections are a little soft at all focal lengths as compared to the more expensive Zeiss.  The corners match or better the Ziess at the wide end, but as you zoom out near the long end, they never look quite as sharp as the Zeiss.  As always, there are more differences than I mention at each focal length and aperture, and in each corner, that’s why I’m offering the full size images for you to check out.  For full images of the 28-70mm kit lens, go to the review.

First off, 28mm.

As I took these three sets, clouds were rolling through and caused some exposure differences from the time it took to run the set on each lens, the exposure settings were the same.  There isn’t much to complain about at the wide end with the kit lens; it shows a good amount of detail in the centers.  The mid-sections are not as sharp as the Zeiss, but the corner crop is sharper in the upper right, however, that doesn’t really carry through for other corners, see the full size images.

28mm.

To see the three full size images, click picture, then right click in window and download.

35mm.

At this focal length, the differences are about the same as they were at the wide end.

To see the four full size images, click picture, then right click in window and download.

70mm.

A very boring test shot, but it has great levels of detail present.  The kit lens looks sharp in a rather small central area, but as you move towards the sides, the Zeiss is the clear winner.  Note; although the Zeiss looks softer that the kit lens in the center, the Zeiss is sharper in the centers at F/5.6, check out the full size samples.

To see the four full size images, click picture, then right click in window and download.