SEM 21 vs Loxia 21 shootout

[CheshireCat]

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Cheshire, thanks for posting this but the lighting in your two sample photos is different. The first one was shot in sunlight (you can see the long shadows on the ground including of yourself), but the second in shade. Do you think this has affected your interoperation of the colour differences?

 

Only in the areas directly lit by the sun. Most of the scene is in the shade.

Sky was overcast, and the SEM 21 shot was lit by a thinner layer of clouds (moving fast !).

 

Will post another "color matched" example without this anomaly

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[CheshireCat]

In this post and the next a color comparison.

Both shots use Adobe Standard color profile, and have been manually white-balanced and gamma-matched then converted to sRGB (still ok for comparison).

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Edited January 26, 2016 by CheshireCat

[CheshireCat]

And the M240 + SEM21.

 

 

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[Guest JonathanP]

Thanks, the corners look much better on the Loxia, but I could almost convince myself that the central distance appears sharper on the SEM. I'm getting the feeling the plane of focus is flatter on the Loxia. What aperture at those at and where was the point of focus?

 

Jonathan

[Peter Kilmister]

In the first picture there is nobody in the café except a chap in a red shirt and what looks like a barista.

In the second shot a large group of people have arrived.

These are hardly consecutive shots.

[Guest JonathanP]

In the first picture there is nobody in the café except a chap in a red shirt and what looks like a barista.

In the second shot a large group of people have arrived.

These are hardly consecutive shots.

 

I don't think the trees will have grown that much in the interval   so from my perspective the comparisons are useful and help reveal info about the corner performance of the 2 lenses, and I'm thankful to CC for taking the time to do the tests and post the results (although I expect I may be drummed out of the club for not arguing with Mr Cat!). 

[MarkP]

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In the first picture there is nobody in the café except a chap in a red shirt and what looks like a barista.

In the second shot a large group of people have arrived.

These are hardly consecutive shots.

 

I think they're queuing up to go on a boat ride or something, not to get slow table service from a barista. So I think these are consecutive.

[Hannes Lummes]

That SEM shot is so soft in the corners that you got to have a faulty one. In a proper condition there is not a change to notice any softness in the corners in this size. Mine is sharp as hell.

[MarkP]

I agree. I have noticed no such corner softness with my 21 SEM.

 

However, despite it being such a wide lens, close foreground may still be a little out of focus on pixel peeping if shot at wider aperture but focused at or near infinity.

[jdlaing]

I agree. I have noticed no such corner softness with my 21 SEM.

 

However, despite it being such a wide lens, close foreground may still be a little out of focus on pixel peeping if shot at wider aperture but focused at or near infinity.

 

I would expect that from this lens

[CheshireCat]

In the first picture there is nobody in the café except a chap in a red shirt and what looks like a barista.

In the second shot a large group of people have arrived.

These are hardly consecutive shots.

 

These are consecutive shots made about 30 seconds apart from each other.

That is not a cafe, but a mini boat-ride. In one shot, people are leaving the boats (end of the ride) while in the other shot they are already gone.

[jdlaing]

These are consecutive shots made about 30 seconds apart from each other.

That is not a cafe, but a mini boat-ride. In one shot, people are leaving the boats (end of the ride) while in the other shot they are already gone.

 

Imagine, if you will, having to explain that after viewing the two images. 

[CheshireCat]

Thanks, the corners look much better on the Loxia, but I could almost convince myself that the central distance appears sharper on the SEM. I'm getting the feeling the plane of focus is flatter on the Loxia. What aperture at those at and where was the point of focus?

 

f/3.5, focus on the black animal.

The SEM shot was focused with the EVF, and double-checking the original shots, it is clear that it is focused further than the Loxia. I should have used the RF, as the M240 EVF is a joke.

Nothing conclusive can be said about the focus field using these shots... sorry about that

[Peter Kilmister]

Forensic science depends on validity of evidence. No extraction of urine or any other bodily fluid in this case.

The facts are presented. Pic 1, nobody there. Pic 2, loads of people.

Non-consecutive. QED.

 

It is a "spot the difference" puzzle.

[MarkP]

 Yes, and how long does it take for a few people to queue for a ride, not a coffee from a barista - examine the evidence before you.

 

.

Cheshire, please post the times on the EXIF data of the two photos and put this pedantic argument to rest.

Edited January 27, 2016 by MarkP

[CheshireCat]

Yes, and how long does it take for a few people to queue for a ride, not a coffee from a barista - examine the evidence before you.

 

It takes just a few seconds to queue (not a busy day), and takes even less to move out of the ride when it's over (as in this case).

The A7R2 shot (boat arriving) has been taken before the M240 shot (boat arrived and people leaving).

 

Cheshire, please post the times on the EXIF data of the two photos and put this pedantic argument to rest.

 

Unfortunately, neither the base M240 nor the A7R2 embed a GPS.

This means the time is not synchronized, as I set the camera clocks with a +/- 1 minute precision.

Also, camera clocks do drift sensibly.

Edited January 27, 2016 by CheshireCat

[Peter Kilmister]

The case for the prosecution is flawed. I rest my case, m'lud.

[MarkP]

The case for the prosecution is flawed. I rest my case, m'lud.

 

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Edited January 27, 2016 by MarkP

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Hallo,

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[jmahto]

banghead.gif

Thanks for sharing the gif. It is way more useful than smileys. Btw, EXIF data won't prove anything. You need witnesses who can be cross examined.

[jmahto]

RE: Coma test

 

The sun is too big a light source to be useful (even with a 21). (Good for flare tests, though)

 

Look for some decorative "fairy lights" in the evening - someone may have failed to take down their Xmas lights, or your town may have some year-round, on trees/pillars in public areas.

 

Shoot them in various parts of the picture at various apertures. Coma (sometimes combined with astigmatism and CA) will show up as consistent "moth wings" or other odd shapes around the point light sources.

 

http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-VaJDcEcHYAI/USeMN1rSCgI/AAAAAAAADKM/4cRbKXIWpMM/s1600/24mm-coma-test_800px.jpg

 

http://3zgehi1uaxi23dphbrgqa50r6z.wpengine.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/abellucco_coma.jpg

 

I wouldn't expect slowish 21s to show much - it is more of a problem with fast wides. The Leica 35 Summilux ASPH is notable for having virtually none. My 35 Summicron pre-ASPH has tons of it @ f/2.

My 35 lux fle has tons of coma in the corner at 1.4 for stars. In comparison 28 cron Asph at f/2 has none.