DXO mark released its review of the Sony a7SIII calling it the “Low-light specialist”. You can read the full review here, but there are a few interesting excerpts below. To begin with, it is interesting how the new Sony a7SIII sensor compares to its predecessor:
Against its predecessor, it’s almost identical in overall sensitivity, with the two having practically the same DXOMARK rating. While color sensitivity is similar at base, there’s a useful increase between ISO 1600 and 6400. However, mid-tone noise levels are slightly higher at all ISOs in our SNR 18% tests.
Another benefit is the Sony A7S III sensor has a useful 2/3rds of stop (+0.7 EV) extra dynamic range (DR) at base, as well as a dramatic increase in DR of 1.5 stops (+1.5 EV) at ISO 1600. That’s not without some downsides, however, the most significant being that the rate at which DR decreases in between is higher than on the A7S II, meaning that DR is actually lower in the A7S III between ISO 200-400, and there’s no advantage beyond ISO 12,800.
Even though I largely take photographs the Sony a7SIII has been on my shortlist of cameras to own just for doing astrophotography or even trying some astrovideography, but it looks like the Sony a7SII might be a better value for me and most. Below is an exhirpt from DXO’s conclusion and I think myself like others hoped Sony would up the megapixel count some even though the current sensor maps pixels well for 4k video.
The Sony A7S III leverages a lot of tech from the A7 and A7R models, and its stills credentials are impressive. However, 12 MP is considered a bit on the low side for stills nowadays, and it is principally as a video camera that the Sony A7S III appeals. The lower pixel count means the sensor’s pixel dimensions on the long edge deliver essentially native 4K without cropping, and those large pixels should have benefits when working with less than ideal lighting.
Although it puts in a strong performance at its lowest ISO settings, with a relatively high maximum dynamic range and maximum color sensitivity, evidently some concessions were made in that regard, as it is at high ISOs where it’s class-leading. In particular, the Sony A7S III sensor has an impressive response between ISO 1600 and ISO 6400, even outperforming rivals using 24 MP BSI CMOS sensors.
DPR published its review of the Sigma 35mm f/2 DG DN and the lens performs quite well for its price. You can read the full review here or you can see the conclusion below:
In a nutshell, the Sigma 35mm F2 DG DN is a really solid lens for a reasonable price. You get exceptional build quality, sharpness that holds up well even on a 61MP sensor, and smooth bokeh.
Conclusion
What we like
What we don’t
Good overall sharpness
Excellent build quality and feel
Smooth bokeh
Decent sunstars
“Just right” size
Color fringing could be better controlled
Vignetting and distortion may be a tad much, even with corrections
Samyang updated 4 lenses with improved face/eye AF and overall autofocus performance and you can get the updates here. Also, Most Samyang lenses are still on sale with some savings close to 50% off, which you can see here.
Sony Alpha Blog posted its review of the 7artisans Photoelectric 50mm f/1.05 and once again it looks like 7artisans has released another good value for money lens that allows photographers to work around f/1 without breaking the bank. I really enjoy fast Chinese glass when it is well designed, but most of the best lenses have been for APS-C with the Photoelectric 50mm f/1.05 being the first I have seen for Full Frame that interests me. Below you can see the pro/cons and part of the conclusion, but if you want to read the full article visit Sony Alpha Blog for samples and more.
The 7 Artisans 50mm F1.05 (486$) full frame manual lens has vocation to be an affordable ultra fast aperture lens. It deliver very beautiful portraits with a very nice and dreamy atmosphere. Strong points are the background blur, bokeh balls , very good and natural color rendering & good contrast. Sharpness is only average on a 61Mpix but will be perfectly ok on a 24Mpix camera.
Pros
Very Smooth background blur giving unique portraits and atmosphere for objects details
Very good color rendition
Excellent Bokeh Balls even when closed down
Very good centre sharpness as of F2.8
Reasonable price (486$) for a F1.05 lens
Good to very good contrast even wide open
Some Vignetting at F1.05 but gone at F2
Low Distorsion
Very good rendering in video
Excellent build quality
Smoothly dampened focusing ring and clickless aperture ring
Compact lens
Average
Only average sharpness wide open and good at F1.4
Chromatic Aberrations quite visible
Weight
Cons
Long minimum focusing distance of 57cm not allowing to have big bokeh balls
Average resistance to flare, subject to ghosting wide open
Focus breathing quite strong
Corners are weak wide open and only become good as of F11
The Sirui 24mm f/2.8 1.33x anamorphic APS-C lens is now available on Indiegogo for Micro Four Thirds, Sony E, Canon EF-M, Fuji X, and Nikon Z mounts. Here are the technical specifications:
SIRUI Launch 24mm F2.8 1.33x Anamorphic Lens in Micro Four Thirds, Sony E, Canon EF-M, Nikon Z and Fujifilm X Mounts NEW YORK, January 4, 2021 – SIRUI has today introduced a groundbreaking new 24mm F2.8 1.33x lens that redefines what is possible from a wide-angle anamorphic optic. It features the beautiful stretched oval bokeh and streaked lens flares that Sirui‘s affordable anamorphic lenses have become known for, combined with a new wider field of view.
Options for affordable wide anamorphic shooting have been very limited until now. Traditional wide-angle anamorphic cinema lenses have cost tens of thousands of dollars, while DIY anamorphic adapters based on optics designed for projection don‘t cover wider angles. In addition, most of these solutions have limited close focus.
The SIRUI 24mm F2.8 is designed from the ground up to address these needs. The lens features a 1.33x squeeze factor and has an imaging circle that covers APS-C sized sensors. It is available in native mounts for Micro Four Thirds, Sony E, Canon EF-M, Nikon Z, and Fujifilm X cameras and is sturdily built with an all-metal body. Front filter size is 77mm and the lens barrel is non-rotating, which allows for easy use of variable ND and other filters. With persistent efforts, the SIRUI R&D team resolved key technical problems to deliver a previously impossible 0.6m minimum focusing distance – all without the need for additional diopters.
The fast F2.8 aperture of the 24mm lens allows foreground objects to stand out against smoothly blurred backgrounds and night scenes to be perfectly captured. Combining the fast aperture with the 0.6m close focus also makes for interesting close-up options.
The new 24mm joins the company‘s existing 50mm and 35mm 1.33x anamorphic lenses to form a set of lenses that share common aesthetics and handling. Cinematographers can now use the lens trio to tell complete cinematic stories with SIRUI‘s signature look, switching freely between scenes while maintaining common background rendering.
Sirui lenses truly enhancethe artisticappealofyour footage and immerse your audience in an anamorphic world.
Specifications
Model: SIRUI 24mm F2.8 Anamorphic 1.33X
Focal Length: 24mm
Maximum Aperture: F2.8
Minimum Aperture: F16
Lens Structure:13 Elements in 10 Groups
Aperture Blades: 8
Maximum Support Frame: APS-C
Shooting Distance: 0.6m(2f) – infinity
Focus Method: Manual Focusing
Maximum Magnification: 1:21.99(V),1:29.07 (H)
Filter Spec: M72 x 0.75
Rotation Angle of the Focus Ring: 189.6°
Max. Diameter: 74mm/2.91inches
The diameter of the Focus Ring: 64.6mm/2.54inches
Weight(g/lbs): MFT Mount: 770/1.70; E Mount: 780/1.72; X Mount: 780/1.72; EF-M Mount: 780/1.72; Z Mount: 810/1.79
Total Length (Lens Cap Not Included) (mm/inch): MFT Mount: 124.9/4,92; E Mount: 126.1/4.96; X Mount: 126.4/4.98; EF-M Mount: 126.1/4.96; Z Mount: 128.1/5.04
Price and Availability SIRUI 24mm F2.8 1.33x Anamorphic Lens is available for Super early bird price on the Indiegogo crowdfunding project at USD 749. Super early bird Orders are estimated to ship by January.
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