Third Party Lenses, your thoughts

Ton14

Great examples on Photo-A-Day Donald. For a few years now, I've been seeing the difference between "perfect" and "good enough" getting smaller and smaller. Actually, that started when I saw the first photos roll out of my Nikon Z6, I had never seen that IQ. Clearly, the new techniques in the Z cameras help a lot.

We are not the only ones, who are discovering the third-party lenses at the moment. On https://photographylife.com there are 4 articles today:
- Viltrox AF 24mm f/1.8 vs Viltrox AF 35mm f/1.8
- Viltrox AF 24mm f/1.8 vs Nikon Z 28mm f/2.8
- Viltrox AF 24mm f/1.8 vs Nikon Z 24mm f/1.8 S
- Viltrox AF 24mm f/1.8 Review

I am curious about all the findings, so I started this thread.

Pistnbroke

I have two Tamron 100-400 and use on D7200 .This has given me the sharpest bird photos I ever had .Better than D850/200-500/tam 150-600

donaldejose

In a few days I go to spend time with my 99 year old mother. I am taking some very fast and very cheap third party MF lenses. I figure wrinkled old skin may be a great subject for less than super sharp Nikon S level lenses. I will post some photos in about two weeks.

donaldejose

So here is a "real portrait" with that $146.00 7Artisans 55mm f1.4 MF lens shot at f2 or f2.8 (not sure which) on a Nikon Z50 making it an 82.5mm equivalent lens. I like the character of this lens. It has sufficient sharpness and pleasing background blur. Moreover it is fun to relive MF days (a much improved experience with colored focus confirmation). While MF is slower shooting than AF that is part of the "old school" shooting experience. This will be used on a Christmas Card.

donaldejose

This is the Brightin Star 50 mm f0.95 MF lens shot at f2on a Z50 (for a 75mm equivalency). I think both of these MF lenses work best at f2 for portraits since at that f-stop they provide sufficient sharpness still with a nice background blur. Individual taste may vary of course as photography likes and dislikes can be subjective. My preference for use with the smaller Z50 body is the smaller 7Artisans lens above. This Brightin Star lens works will enough, it is just bigger and heaver than necessary. The size of the 7Artisan lens is more harmonious with the size of the Z50 body. I don't think I would be using either wide open much, if at all. A good argument can be made to just get a cheap AF f2 lens. I don't have one to test. Maybe I will get one and see.

Ton14

Great examples, I wish a small DX (z50 like) with IBIS. MF works fine, but I'am spoiled by the many AF possibilities

Pistnbroke

Not for the christmas card she has a strange hat

donaldejose

Good criticism about the "strange hat." However, that is where she always sits to watch TV and to visit with people and people always sit where I am taking the photo from. Thus, this is the "normal view" people have of her these days. She is 99 and won't be with us long. When she is gone family and friends will like seeing her just as she was when they spent time with her in her later years. Some photo's value is in evoking "family remembrances" rather than in "professional portraits." What the viewer used to see will evoke memories of her, "strange hat" and all. It will not be on a Christmas Card but inserted into one as a remembrance to have. I can add a criticism about the other photo also. I should have moved her a bit to the left so there wouldn't be wood growing out of the top of her head. I was just looking at the shadows on her face and forgot to evaluate the background. My bad. That one could easily have been changed.