Nikon 50/1.4D Vs Zeiss 50/1.4ZE Shootout on Canon 5D3

Test Conditions: f/1.4 to f/11 in one f-stop stepping; Manual focus to Infinity according to focus indication in-body, until the green dot is lit up permanently. Photos were taken at closest time as possible and for the same scene. The weather was good but it was a bit hazy, though. Camera was mounted on tripod and was fired using 2-sec self-timer. Of course, all image settings were kept the same. Besides, no protective filter was put on either lens for the test.

All the test pictures are uploaded and posted in the following album:-

http://smg.photobucket.com/user/RiceHigh/library/5Ds/N5014D_Vs_CZ5014ZE?sort=9&page=1

Original full-size pictures are available for download per picture page. So, go measurebate yourself for what all the differences! As usual, you are encouraged to share your views for what you find!


Last Test:- 

40mm FF Shootout 2: EF40/2.8 Vs FA43/1.9LE Vs FA645 45/2.8 on 5D3

How Choice of Camera Brand Says About You

Read this somehow old article, that is interesting and funny!

http://shutterfinger.typepad.com/shutterfinger/2010/10/what-your-choice-of-camera-says-about-you.html

"Pentax owners
 
You’re the sort of person who would buy a $1500 DSLR body so your stash of thread-mount, K-mount and M-mount lenses from decades ago (collectively worth $75.00 at a flea market or yard sale) won’t go to waste; either that, or you’ve never heard of a Spotmatic, Pentax LX or Takumar, you just think you look cool sporting a day-glo red camera that takes real pictures. You think people are laughing with you, not at you."

Wow, it is well said, I think! ;-D

More K-50 Full Samples (Unofficial)

Here, at the Digital Camera Review:-

http://www.digitalcamerareview.com/default.asp?newsID=5346&news=pentax+k+50+image+quality

Click on the images and download the full original images, which were produced directly out of the K-50 without any modification.

As before, I don't like the colour response by the way. All Prime M bodies, including the K-01, K-30 and now the K-50/500 do have a strong magenta cast like that, making images look unnatural and skin tones look especially awful, which is just awkward enough after all! >:-(

Besides, all the images were underexposed somehow and they look a bit dark, which is not normal for those kinds of subjects that are already with a mid-tone reflectance, IMHO.

N.B. The official sample images of the K-50 are NOT yet available at Pentax.jp.


Last Related:- 

K-50 Samples

Sony RX100 II Announced

http://store.sony.com/p/20.2-megapixel%2C-RX100/en/p/DSCRX100M2/B

Will you consider this instead of the new Ricoh GR or Pentax Q7, or even over the old Pentax MX-1? Undoubtedly, the RX100 II is far more versatile and it compromises well for its features set, performance, sensor size, camera size, image quality and then the price! Well, it does support an EVF and has a flipped monitor, too!

In fact, as a current Q user, I do not consider the Q7 anymore, which is not a real upgrade for me. The RX100 II seems to be a much better combo than the Q7 with a 02 zoom lens. And, last time I inspected the Q7 samples, the corner performance of the Q7 images with the original 01 prime lens is actually not that good.

Updated Q Lens Roadmap to Show Effective AoV with Different Sensors

http://www.pentax.jp/japan/products/lens/images/Q_Mount_Lens.pdf

01 to 07 lenses on Q/Q10 against Q7 are shown. The crop factors / multiplying factors of the 3 toy lenses are complicated, as they are all different on the Q7!

Pentax Q7 Brief Hands-on at PF

http://www.pentaxforums.com/news/pentax-q7-first-impressions.html

I think the only useful information that is provided is the following:-

"The Pentax 03, 04, and 05 lenses do not support the Q7's larger sensor.  These lenses will automatically be used in a crop mode on the Q7.  With adapted DSLR lenses, the crop factor has changed to 4.5x, down from 5.6x."

A Set of K-5 Vs 6D Real-life Direct Comparisons

http://forum.xitek.com/thread-1138503-3-1-1.html
(in Simplified Chinese)

Two cameras were used at almost the same time to shoot almost the same thing. The Pentax lenses used were DA*16-50 and the FA77LE. Canon lens used was only the "cheap" EF24-105L kit zoom.

There are many sets of comparisons. As direct linking is not allowed by the Xitek server, please click on the small sample pictures in the above thread and open into a new tab/window one by one to compare them yourself! Simple EXIF data is provided underneath each picture.

So, after inspecting a few sets. My conclusion is easy, as the difference is obvious. The K-5 is helpless in IQ when it is compared to a Canon FF, even the Pentax glasses used are more expensive! That's also the simple conclusion that can be drawn from my own practical experience, too, which is for quite long now!

Yet Another Ricoh GR Review with Full Samples

http://www.dcfever.com/cameras/readreview.php?type=&id=8320

The review is in Chinese, but it doesn't matter if you can't read. The pictures speak for themselves. And just download the full sample pictures and measurbate! Do note that the Original pictures can be accessed via the links marked as "Ori".

Btw, I've seen moires and false colours in samples. Your take to find out where they are! :-)


Last Related:- 

New Ricoh GR Review at DPR

New Metz Firmware to Support HSS on K-30 and K-5II/s

After more than one year, the solution finally comes! :-o

http://www.metz.de/en/flash-units/firmware-download-flash-units/mecablitz-50-af-1-digital/pentax.html

This is for the Mecablitz model 50 AF-1 for instance. New firmwares for other current major metz models are also available, which is the solution to enable the High Speed Sync when using their flashes on the K-30 or a later Pentax DSLR body.

Update (6-23): Taiwan Pentax K-5 users have reported that after upgrading to the latest version 4.0 of the Metz firmware, their flashes (model 58 AF-2) have started not to fire in both A and M modes! So, if you are a K-5 user, do note the issue and should not upgrade! This story once has reminded us one thing, i.e., if you do not *really need* an upgrade of any firmware, just do not do that, as the latest is not always better. For instance, it is just a matter of compatibility after all! :-o

New Ricoh GR Review at DPR

Let's jump to the Conclusion before looking back at each section for details! ;-)

http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/ricoh-gr/17