Question for NEX-7 users re M-wide lenses

[MarkP]

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My nephew has a NEX-7 with Leica R 35 & 50 Summicrons but wants to go wider.

 

Does anyone have experience with the latest firmware upgrade for the Nex-7 and does it resolve/improve the red-edge problem with Leica/Zeiss/CV wideangles?

[peter_n]

No, the upgrade only works on native E-mount lenses. I may not bother to upgrade as I only use M lenses on my NEX-7. FYI my 24/2.8 Elmarit M lens shows no issues on the NEX, the only lens that exhibits purple color-shift is the CV 15.

 

It's only the rangefinder lenses that have issues on the NEX, your nephew has R-mount so should have no problems at all. The R 16mm looks like an excellent lens for that body at 24mm equivalent FL.

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[jdlaing]

The NEX-7 is becoming famous for red edges with wide lenses.

I don't think Sony had that in mind.........

[MarkP]

No, the upgrade only works on native E-mount lenses. I may not bother to upgrade as I only use M lenses on my NEX-7. FYI my 24/2.8 Elmarit M lens shows no issues on the NEX, the only lens that exhibits purple color-shift is the CV 15.

 

It's only the rangefinder lenses that have issues on the NEX, your nephew has R-mount so should have no problems at all. The R 16mm looks like an excellent lens for that body at 24mm equivalent FL.

 

Thanks Peter, I should have known the R wides would be OK.

 

We tested all of my M-mount wide angle lenses on his NEX-7 from 21 through to 35mm, all causing red edgeing - a shame really as I have a number of CV or ZM lenses he could have had.

 

He picked up two older 35 and 50 R-Summicrons with a Novoflex adapter. The results are spectacular, especially the 35 Summicron with it's very close focusing. I'll start looking for an R-16 to 21.

 

 

Mark

Edited October 29, 2012 by MarkP

[k-hawinkler]

My WATE 16-18-21 doesn't show a red edge on my NEX-7.

However my 21/2.8, 28/2, and 28/2.8 do show a red edge.

I didn't test carefully my 35/1.4 or 35/2 and take your word for it.

Edited October 30, 2012 by k-hawinkler

[MarkP]

Hi K-H,

 

I don't have a WATE but noted that you had earlier posted it was OK.

The 1.4/35 FLE does show red edging on the NEX-7, not terrible but enough that I'd avoid using a 35mm M-mount lens.

 

Mark

[Guest]

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My WATE 16-18-21 doesn't show a red edge on my NEX-7.

However my 21/2.8, 28/2, and 28/2.8 do show a red edge.

I didn't test carefully my 35/1.4 or 35/2 and take your word for it.

 

A second opinion or useful links regarding 35mm M or ZM lenses on a NEX camera would be very much apprreciated.

[peter_n]

To repeat what I posted in #2, my Leica 24/2.8 Elmarit M lens shows no color shift on the NEX-7. My Leica 35/2 ASPH has no issues either. Both are on the Novoflex adapter. The pic below is from the 35 Summicron ASPH and is full frame.

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[k-hawinkler]

A second opinion or useful links regarding 35mm M or ZM lenses on a NEX camera would be very much apprreciated.

 

 

I have posted red edge test images before.

 

Here http://www.l-camera-forum.com/leica-forum/2032652-post46.html both the Leica 28/2 and 28/2.8 exhibit some color cast.

Here http://www.l-camera-forum.com/leica-forum/2033391-post51.html the WATE at 16 mm doesn't, but the 21/2.8 does show a color cast.

 

Further down in that thread http://www.l-camera-forum.com/leica-forum/2084202-post103.html ravinj shows two WATE images without a red edge. He also shows three more equally unaffected images here Nex-7 + Leica WATE: Sony NEX Talk Forum: Digital Photography Review.

 

Also, now quoting from Luminous Landscape Sony NEX-7 Rolling Review :

 

"Leica Wide Tri-Elmar 16-18-21mm

 

One other type of lens is worth analysing; the retrofocus non-DSLR wide angle. The example that I have available is the Leica 16mm-18mm-21mm Tri-Elmar. Below are shots taken a few seconds apart on the NEX-7. These make it clear that there is no lens cast visible with this type of lens."

 

 

So, I updated my NEX-7 to Firmware v1.01.

One of the improvements listed Sony firmware for E-mount lenses, NEX-7, SLT-A37, A57, A65 and A77: Digital Photography Review is:

 

• Improvement of image quality when using a wide angle lens.

 

Unfortunately that doesn't seem to apply to my Leica WA lenses.

 

Following are some tests I did with my NEX-7 and Firmware v1.01.

For my lenses I took images from wide open to f/5.6 and picked that image that to my eyes showed the most red edge.

I show results for 35, 28, 21, 18, and 16 mm, but not 24 mm, as I don't own a Leica 24 mm lens.

Here goes:

 

35/1.4 Summilux-M ASPH

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35/2 Summicron-M ASPH

 

 

28/2 Summicron-M ASPH

 

 

28/2.8 Elmarit-M ASPH

 

 

21/2.8 Elmarit-M ASPH

 

 

21/4 Wide Angle Tri-Elmar-M ASPH (WATE)

 

 

18/4 Wide Angle Tri-Elmar-M ASPH (WATE)

 

 

16/4 Wide Angle Tri-Elmar-M ASPH (WATE)

 

You be the judge.

[jaapv]

I cannot find that dramatic. If any corrections are needed, C1 provides an exceedingly simple solution.

[k-hawinkler]

I cannot find that dramatic. If any corrections are needed, C1 provides an exceedingly simple solution.

 

Exactly.

[LucisPictor]

Or CornerFix or a a quick'n'dirty action programmed for Photoshop.

 

It might be a nuisance for somebody who shoots loads of pictures with one of those lenses that produce the violet corners on the NEX-7. It's not that much of a problem when you only occasionally shoot a superwide M-lens.

 

Some basic facts have to be kept in mind:

 

- SLR-lenses do not produce a colour-shift.

- (Most) rangefinder lenses with 35mm FL or longer do not produce a colour-shift.

- Some rangefinder lenses with 28mm or 24mm FL do produce a colour-shift. Others don't.

- Most rangefinder lenses below 24mm FL do produce a colour-shift. Only some don't.

 

It has not only to do with the focal length, but also with the lens design and the format the lens was calculated for.

[gyoung]

Does the NEX 7 provide sharp images in the corners with Leica wides? Such as the 21/2.8 asph, and 35/2 asph. ?

I thought only the Ricoh GXR could do that with its microleneses, the micro 4/3 Panasonic I had wouldn't do it with anything less than 50mm if you are critical

 

Gerry

[jaapv]

That 24 Elmarit shot does indeed look a bit dodgy in the corners, but then who cares on a typical wideangle shot?

[gyoung]

Depends on whats typical for you I suppose

 

In my case the top corners are usually sky so not much of a problem, but the bottom corners might well have some marigolds or a bit of rock, and I'd like them sharp

 

Otherwise I could have stuck with the 20mm Flektogon I once tried on a Pentax, where the corners never got sharp before diffraction set in

 

Gerry

[jaapv]

OK, OK a bit of a hyperbole...

[peter_n]

Does the NEX 7 provide sharp images in the corners with Leica wides? Such as the 21/2.8 asph, and 35/2 asph. ?

I don't really look at corner sharpness but I haven't noticed anything untoward with my 24 or 35 ASPH lenses with the NEX-7. The pic of Holder Hall in post #8 above is full frame and the corners look OK to me.

[Carduelis]

Depends on whats typical for you I suppose

 

In my case the top corners are usually sky so not much of a problem, but the bottom corners might well have some marigolds or a bit of rock, and I'd like them sharp

 

Gerry

 

All corners are important to me. I have found that the Ricoh GXR with CV 15 mm and 24 Elmar lenses can produce sharp corners without any obvious signs of colour artifacts. I would still take its ability to get the best out of wide angle lenses to be more of a determining factor than the fact that its sensor is dated in comparison to the NEX-7.