[Wheatfield]

How is the bokeh wide open with specular lights? This is one aspect where the old FA 50/1.4 is truly horrible, impossible to use for urban night photography not even at f/2.8. Not sure I would take the weight penalty just for that though...

I'll let you decide for yourself. Four images, in order: wide open, f/2.8, f/5.6 and f/11.

F/1.4 is very clean, nice round speculars in the center, but it appears there is very slight vignetting off center. This is surprising, actually.


At f/2.8, highlights are still round, but we are already seeing starbursts. The apparent vignetting is also gone.


Still a very clean rendering, but very prevalent starbursts by 5.6


At f/11, the starbursts are very pronounced, but also very attractive.

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Last edited by Wheatfield; 08-09-2018 at 12:15 AM.

[torashi]

I'll let you decide for yourself. Four images, in order: wide open, f/2.8, f/5.6 and f/11.

F/1.4 is very clean, nice round speculars in the center, but it appears there is very slight vignetting off center. This is surprising, actually.


At f/2.8, highlights are still round, but we are already seeing starbursts. The apparent vignetting is also gone.


Still a very clean rendering, but very prevalent starbursts by 5.6


At f/11, the starbursts are very pronounced, but also very attractive.

Wow, I like the starbursts. It must be still rounded somehow at this small aperture since you don't get full 18 rays. Just nine plus nine smaller ones. I wonder how busy a night cityscape can get with this lens.

[beholder3]

Here is a test shot wide open (sadly pretty much against the sun):


Here is the 36 Mpx version: All sizes | Düsseldorf Altstadt 07 | Flickr - Photo Sharing!

I think it shows well, how wide open sharpness really extends all over the frame (older lenses have much weaker edges).

[MJKoski]

Wide open has lower contrast but first crops are otherwise quite similar.