A BOKEH SNOB’S DREAM! Sony 100mm f/2.8 STF Review

FAQ: What is a Flash Diffuser and How Do You Use It? (Adorama Learning Center).
The Short Sheet on Memory Card Naming Conventions (Explora).
Photographing Interiors – A7R2 with Tilt / shift 17mm Canon lens (SonyAlphaForum).
What is a ‘bokeh pano’? (Bokehpano.com)
Sony 85mm f/1.8 FE (ThePhoBlographer).

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Eak: “2 things:
– Apple has released iOS 10.3 and Mac OS 10.12.4 with raw support for Sony A6500.
– I did a ISO video comparing Sony A6500 and my previous camera Canon 550D with same kind of objective. https://youtu.be/z_JIdvuO6ic“

Matt from Alpine Labs sent me this:

I thought you might be interested in learning more about Spark from Alpine Labs for your news section as the remote is compatible with Sony cameras.
Spark is the world’s most versatile, adaptable and affordable camera remote currently available. The compact unit was designed to be flexible to the demands of each individual photographer by offering three distinct modes of shooting:

1) Infrared trigger from 30’ away
2) Tethered trigger
3) App based wireless controller

Each mode has a distinct set of features for varying shooting needs and Spark can last for up to 2,000 hrs of continuous use on the same replaceable coin cell battery. You’d have to purchase 2 or 3 separate accessories to achieve what only one Spark unit can do.

Your audience is able to pick up Spark for the pre-sale price of $44 right now on Kickstarter and then will retail for $56. This makes Spark the most affordable upgrade to any camera kit.

Lens Stars are WEAKSAUCE on Sony 90 Macro and G Master 24-70

Kipon EF-E speedbooster review at Thebrotographer.
Sony demonstrates 4K RGB laser projector prototype at CinemaCon
Travel Photography with the Sony a6300 in Buenos Aires (Brendan van Son).
Does your SEL55f18z make sound when shaken? (SonyAlphaForum).
Atomos Shogun Inferno Updates Software to 8.11 (Explora).
How To Achieve Sharper Images (Adorama Learning Center).

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To get news from our Forum subscribe that RSS feed.
To write a guest post on SAR follow the instruction on that page

Sam: “Hey… i follow ur website and was wondering if u could feature my video on ur site? I think its a pretty awesome solution that would be of benefit to alot of sony camera users… let me know. Cheers! https://youtu.be/FUbMKQDPBKk“

With all that A9 buzz we had no time to cover another good news:

Brian Smith reports that Sony expanded their Sony Pro Support network with a new 24/7 phone support in the USA! There are also new walk-in locations in New York and Los Angeles where Pro Support members can speak face-to-face to a tech who knows the cameras. Sony is also also expanding their network with Sony Pro Support for Canada.

• 24/7 Phone Support in USA
• Try-Before-You-Buy Loans
• Walk-in Locations in New York & Los Angeles

More info at AlphaUniverse.

I hope this will be extended to other countries too!

Preorders:
Zeiss Batis 135mm f/2.8 lens at Adorama, Amazon, Bhphoto, PhotoPorstNeuwied and ParkCameras.
Zeiss Batis 135mm lens shade at Adorama and Bhphoto.
Full coverage and reviews on SAR (Click here).

Few thoughts on the new Zeiss Batis 135mm f/2.8 lens

From the images and reviews I have seen so far it appears that this is really a high quality lens (Read Amateur Photographer and VeryBigLobo). I don’t mind the fact the lens has “only” f/2.8 aperture. It’s fast enough for 99% of my use and this also allows the lens to be much more compact than the competition despite having in lens stabilization and weather sealing.

But there is one big “BUT”. I don’t mind Zeiss making us pay a bit more for their quality and history. But with a $1,999 price tag the lens costs $200 more than the Zeiss 135mm f/1.8 A-mount lens and $600 more than the superb Sigma 135mm f/1.8 lens. So here is the question for SAR readers:

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And here are new Batis 135mm tests: In the Field with the Just Announced Zeiss Batis 135mm f/2.8 at Explora. Dustin Abbott (and video on youtube), Portraits samples by Imaging Resource, PCmag, Lensrentals. The full PDF spec sheet with MTF graph is now available here: zeiss.com/datasheet-zeiss-batis-28135.pdf

Diglloyd is also testing the lens and writes:

As for image quality, the Batis 135/2.8 is the most even-tempered 135mm lens I have yet used, with a gorgeous flat-field (no field curvature) ‘cut’ through the scene—better than the DSLR lens for sure in that regard. At f/2.8 it is nearly a match the best lens for Leica M at f/5.6 and wildly outperforms the Leica 135/3.4 APO-Telyt-M—crazy good. There is nothing to gripe about even by my picky standards. And if things like contrast and flare are included, it’s astonishing in its abilility to deal with any challenge with optical aplomb.

Photographyblog reviewed the lens and writes:

There are very few drawbacks to the Zeiss Batis 135mm f/2.8 lens in terms of peformance – the major stumbling block is really the asking price of £1749 / $1999, an awful lot of money to pay for such a specialist lens. If you earn your living from portraiture, though, the Zeiss Batis 135mm f/2.8 makes a fantastic addition to your lens collection.

The new Sony GP-X1EM Grip Extension will cost you $130 at Adorama, BHphoto, Amazon. But there is an alternative. Our reader Alex Gee just sent me this message:

I’ve just made a 3D printable grip for the A7ii and A9 cameras. I’ve put it on shapeways for $40, so it’s quite a lot cheaper than Sony’s one.
shapeways.com/product/2676H4F7B/sony-a7ii-a7rii-and-a9-grip-extension

Cool :)