Lloyd Chambers: “I expect the RX1 Zeiss lens to outperform the Leica Summicron”.
Image courtesy: ThePhoBlographer.
When Sony announced the RX1 quite many said the price ($2800) was way too high. But read what Lloyd Chambers (Click here) says about the RX1 lens only: “It is my expectation that the Zeiss Sonnar 35/2 will outperform the Leica 35/2 Summicron-M. I am not basing this on the fantasy-land Sony MTF charts” And the Leica Lens alone costs over $3000 (just check the price here on eBay). And he also says: “I expect the Sony RX1 to be an exceptional performer in terms of sharpness and bokeh and dynamic range and color and noise.”
For the record, Lloyd is a well known and what’s more important also very honest reviewer. A good premise for Sony.
RX1 preorders at Amazon, Adorama, BHphoto, Wex UK ,Wex Germany and more links at Alphacameradeals.
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HoHo
9 months ago |Already pre-ordered RX1. Can’t wait…
Wayne Summers
9 months ago |Lucky you. I will have to wait for about a year before I can get it because I have to get the nex-6 and A99.
NEXfive
9 months ago |…outperform like the the A99 was supposed to do with Canon in Hollywood? Why can’t most Sony users simply enjoy their gear, instead of always trying to compete?
Tom
9 months ago |Well because most people (in the target market) are not “Sony” users but camera users or simply put, photographers. In this case, there shouldn’t be brand loyalty but a simple quantitative evaluation of the gear available and support in the form of purchasing dollars to the gear that gives the best absolute performance or price/performance ratio. The only brand loyalty should be exhibited in the decision to have to repurchase glass and accessories for any proprietary mounts or shoes, but not because one “loves Sony” or “loves Canon” and a corporate entity. In this context, comparison and competition is absolutely relevant.
NEXfive
9 months ago |Usually I’m expecting such a lens to be good in that price range and would wait for final tests before judging and comparing it. But if speculations about outperforming others are the only aspects to talk about, that’s quite ugly performance already, while I’m damn sure the camera is better than only for fanboy gossip.
John Thomas
9 months ago |Hollywood? nobody uses Canon cameras in Hollywood for major stuff (and PLEASE for goodness sake don’t mention the darn “house” episode)… indie stuff maybe. It’s panavision, Sony (F65, F35, 900) and Arri
NEXfive
9 months ago |Well, you’d got to use the term “major stuff” to hide the truth that usually there are several Canon EOS 5D Mark II on a set to get additional footage for post production plus a documentation about that Tsunami in Japan completely shot with that camera already got a nomination for Academy Award. That’s the market Sony claimed to take over from Canon with their A99. I would have loved to get that A99 in a NEX-VG900 case if Sony would have reached their goal, but all reports from photokina did not make much hope so far.
Milan
9 months ago |Comparing to the Leica is rather useless.
We’ll see how it compares with the Canon 22mm f/2 pancake for the EOS-M, which is about $200 (if not less as a kit). Then we can see if that Zeiss is really worth the ~$1700 that it adds to the price of the RX1.
IMHO, Sony made a mistake with such expensive lens in a cybershot camera. But time will tell if they were right or not.
Rick
9 months ago |Looking forward to playing with the RX1 when its in stock at the Sony store. I’m very tempted to get one to compliment my already ordered A99 as 35mm is my favorite focal length and Sony’s 35mm offerings are nothing great. The samples I’ve seen out of the RX1 are simply stunning.
en
9 months ago |DOES SAR – ADMIN or Anyone have any –
any credible cr3+ A77 update info?
A77 Firmware update info improved Functionality?
or
A77 Replacement Model Crop Sensor
Dates, Targets, Estimates, Etc
admin
9 months ago |nope
Dee
9 months ago |All I want is an affordable FF ALA D600. Any hope I will get that or should I go ahead and order D600? Then I would have to sell all my Sony lenses and I hate doing that. Andrea Should I wait or should I order?
crazydoctor
9 months ago |you should switch brand everytime a new camera comes out
Rick
9 months ago |Seriously? You’re going to switch over $700? You’ll lose far more than that selling lenses and replacing them with Nikon variants – and you won’t get a metal chassis, 60p, tilt LCD, headphone jack, peaking, AF-D and most importantly … Steadyshot so you’ll have IBIS with every lens that can be adapted to the A99.
On second thought I hope you and lots of other people are switching, I’ve ordered the A99 and I need FF lenses as I move up from Nex and my FS100 — more lenses on ebay means better deals. Please make the switch to the cheap plastic Nikon and help flood the market with your A-mount lenses.
Thanks.
emopunk
9 months ago |Those switching with a monster like A99 out there need to be cured, by a good doctor.
Rick
9 months ago |+1
What am I missing? With a slew of ~$2000 Zeiss and G Zoom lenses, why is the price difference between the D600 and the A99 such a big deal when the Nikon is such an inferior camera? Its not even in the same class as the A99, and I left out the fact that the Sony is weather sealed – in addition to Steadyshot, 60p, better tilt LCD and so on…
After seeing this review, I’m more enthusiastic than ever about the A99.
http://www.mobile01.com/newsdetail.php?id=12497
Open it in two tabs, one translated and one with all the images, genuinely impressive and it shows a number of features that aren’t obvious when looking at the spec sheet.
Ship my camera Sony!!!!!
Rooru S.
9 months ago |When a900 was released, how many months passed until we saw the cheaper a850? something around 12 months…
Hopefully Sony has plans to release a SLT-a85 as cheaper alternative to current a99 in less time, more photo oriented than video, and with the same price tag as a850.
Dirk
9 months ago |As I posted in one of the older threads:
If you watch Sony raising the past 4 years, they’re spending effort on becoming serious competitor for the two big ones.
Sony attempts to attack in every category. Meaning we have:
A37 vs. 1100D vs. D3200
A57 vs. 650D vs. D5100
A65 vs. 60D vs. D7000
A77 vs. 7D vs. D300s
A99 vs. 5DMK3 vs. D800
We have a partially trustable rumor for a A1 or what name ever
Meaning A1 vs. 1DX vs D4
So what’s left? (and keeping in mind the sales success of the a850)
An A85 vs. 6D vs. D600
As experienced in global technology competition (in telecoms equipment world) I am sure, that Sony MUST place a competitor to C/N.
nemeng
9 months ago |Thing is, I already own the Leica 35mm Summicon-M ASPH and a few other Leica M lenses, so all I’m looking for is a full-frame camera body to mount it onto… which doesn’t cost 5x what it should.
The 5N with add-on EVF works well enough for now. Would have got the 7N but it has massive issues with wide-angle M lenses.
PEEGlit
9 months ago |Canon L lens > zeiss & leica lenses. I think the Eos-m with a adapter and L lens will show who is still king of the cameras. People always get overly excited about cz and leica glass, give me an L an were talking
Marlon Richardson
9 months ago |I think you are the only one waiting for that combo. The EOS-M just looks kind of irrelevant to most.
Denis
9 months ago |It looks like a complete crap for most here
Morten
9 months ago |L lenses? Really? I used to shot 50 1.2, 85 1.2 vII and 135; Zeiss 85 1.4 before that. I now own a 75 Summilux, 50 summicron asph and a 35 summicron and they are all better than the L and Zeiss lenses. Read Steve Huff’s reviews of the various 35s from both Leica and Zeiss; even the Summarit is better than the Zeiss 35 f/2… The Zeiss lenses are nice and I like them a lot, but they can’t touch the Leicas for microcontrast and resolving power… And the colors? Have you seen the color and pop from the Leica files? That’s probably where the L lenses are truly lacking; actually bordering on dull, at least without an X rite sample to calibrate by…
PEEGlit
9 months ago |Those things can be fixed in lightroom. You fell for leicas marketing. Canon is the real deal and the eos-M w/ L will prove it. The leica look isnt a real thing, the lenses are fair at best and only look good on an m9. If your shooting leica on a nex your just sad
Zaph
9 months ago |“If your (sic) shooting leica on a nex your (sic) just sad”
And shooting L on an M is happy? Odd world you live in.
So you end up with worse ergonomics (and that’s hard to do), completely unbalanced, no EVF, easily double the size, on a worse sensor, less DR, slower focus speed (and no peaking), worse video, and worse performance. And that makes you happy?
Zaph
9 months ago |I suggest you try both for a few days, and then write up your experiences, with photos from both. If you still come to the same conclusion, I’ll personally be stunned.
DJsolo
9 months ago |Leica/Zeiss/Schneider > L lens > Nikkor – for overall image quality, performance, and build quality.
Ken
9 months ago |“you fell for the Leica marketing…” I think YOU fell for the Canon marketing. IMO when it comes to marketing Canon is the best… (but not necessarily their gear).
Morten
9 months ago |Haha! You’re funny! I’m shooting an M:-) About the lenses; if you had real world experience shooting thousands of images with all three systems you wouldn’t make a statement like that so I’ll refrain from further argument:-) Happy shooting!
Denis
9 months ago |I’m sure you didn’t try leica lenses. Otherwise you wouldn’t blab such a nonsense
PEEGlit
9 months ago |Leica lenses arent that great, you must never have try’d one
Denis
9 months ago |Sorry. Have 4 of them (superl elmar 18, luxes 50 and 35 asph, cron 90 aa). ALL japanese lenses seem like made from bottle glass in comparison: the clarity, the rendition, the colors of leica glass are truly outstanding. Japanese are just unable to catch this.
PEEGlit
9 months ago |You sound like a German elites. Besides some say the leica glass is based off of an old flawed soviet design. Ive dissected a faulty leica lens and im sorry to tell you that there was nothing magical about. The L lens on the other hand, Now thats magic. The bokeh is smooth and the subjects are rendered sharp. I guess if i put it lightroom i could give it that leica look and everyone would rave about it. Long live the L glass.
-Semi pro tog Kristy
Denis
9 months ago |Soviet lenses were based on CZ design russians got via reparation after the WW2. They made some their own designs, but it was basically WA. On the contrary japanese just stole german designs and doesn’t seem to ever improved that: their newest primes looks as soft as 40-50 years old german ones
Newest german primes (Leica, Schneider, germany made CZ) are totally superior.
rob
9 months ago |Aren’t “new German” lenses made by Cosina?
John Maverick
9 months ago |Canon L lenses are ok, but who would want to have to deal with all the silly Canon users and fanboys
PEEGlit
9 months ago |Canon is the truth
Gnator
9 months ago |The fact that you said Canon = truth makes me question how bias your answer is
Ken
9 months ago |…so, if Canon and their L lenses are so great, why are you trolling here?
Bengt Nyman
9 months ago |“It is my expectation that the Zeiss Sonnar 35/2 will outperform…”
Unfortunately I read a number of reviews of the Zeiss Sonnar 35/2. It is apparently a good lens above f/3.5, but not below. I have seen Sony’s own f/2 sample images confirming this. For low light I need a different lens, which means a different camera. Bummer! I thought I had found my next street and club camera.
John Maverick
9 months ago |The RX1 looks like a great camera for sure. But choice is a nice thing to have as well. If there was an ILS ff, then we could use that 35 summicron if we wanted.
jon
9 months ago |forget 1 major point…
leica summicron will last 50 years! but RX1 will only last 4 years at most until it is obsolete. do the math!
Hellven
9 months ago |obsolete? why? in 4 years will it stop shooting photos? is the zeiss 35/2 explode? or the FF sensor shrink?
one thing i’m sure, in 50 years the leica summicron will still be manual focus…
a900andanex5
9 months ago |It won’t be obsolete as such, but results are always a combination of lens+camera+sensor.
The lens will still be superb for maybe decades, but the overall quality is going to be exceeded within a few years at best as sensors and cameras continue to improve.
And I’d assume those willing to pay for the best now, will be wanting to pay for the best in a few years time too.
With the RX1 you’re not buying a lens with all the benefits of using it for years to come and that surely has to be factored into the decision.
Mike1
9 months ago |+++ exactly. It’s a comparison between a fixed lens camera and a lens, a pear and a apple.
Daemonius
9 months ago |Yea sure..
Its calculated MTF, not real MTF. And Sony Zeiss isnt “Zeiss”. Closest to true Zeiss are ZM lens, after that all other Cosina made Zeiss.
If (big IF) Sony decided to finaly scrap that AA filter, then it would have bit more of Zeiss look, but thanks to their AA, it doesnt have that much of it (too much fine detail including most of micro-contrast is gone). Kinda shame as those ZA lens are pretty good.
I think RX1 will be good, but unlike R1, which was quite flexibile (but slow to work with), this really isnt. One trick pony, which might be enough for some, but not enough for most.
If it was Leica M mount, then things would be very very different (and succes would be 101% guaranteed). In this case, few rich enough guys will buy it and it will be forgotten sooner or later.
Dirk
9 months ago |@Daemonius
“And Sony Zeiss isnt “Zeiss””
Do you have any idea of how Sony Zeiss lenses are manufactured?
Certainly not cos of writing this nonsens.
Design is by Zeiss, production machines are by Zeiss, glass is by Zeiss, quality check procedure and tolerance demands are by Zeiss, and the part Sony is doing on that is audited mtually with Zeiss.
Martin
9 months ago |..and economic decisions, dictating which technologies and materials out of the large set of Zeiss’ options are affordable as well as defining the tolerances accepted in the QA procedure, are by Sony. It’s just like PanaLeica is not Leica-M. PanaLeica and SonyZeiss are very good indeed, but produced for a different segment of the market than the Leica M niche. Which renders them much more reasonable choices for most applications.
ariliquin
9 months ago |If they offered a version with no AA filter I would be interested. Pity they don’t.