A blog post w/ a side of self contradiction…again:
First the self contradiction. I recently wrote a post declaring that I will mention modern gear less. Well… you see it in the title. I am mentioning the gear used. Why? I am glad I imagined that you asked. Here, the focus is really on the lens.
Every time I use this lens it surprises me. I am largely drawn in by the aesthetics of the lens but if I am honest I still struggle with the spec. This lens keeps proving itself to me with wonderful results, but I am spec obsessive. F/2.5 does not sound exciting. It is the slowest lens in a 50mm-ish Sony lens summary. Still the other day I grabbed it and went out. I downloaded the images with low expectations. But then once again I really liked the images. Nothing amazing. But I like them. Here they are followed by some closing thoughts.
Closing thoughts.
Why do I like them? These were no effort, casual photos. The exact use case for a daily carry lens. But the cool part about this lens is that it can also pull off video as well as photos like this.
Brace yourself because I am about to make a rather bold admission to some. In camera speak anyway. This lens is a key reason why I do not own a Nikon Zf. I held a Nikon Zf in my hands at my local camera shop. The camera was fine. The Nikon NIKKOR 40mm f/2 lens, which I intended to get with it, was the let down for me. Not its performance or looks. I am sure it is an excellent performer and it very much looks the part of a vintage SLR lens. But I have owned a number of the Nikon SLR lenses this design was based on.
And compared to those humble SLR plastic lenses the mirrorless 40mm felt even more plastic-y in hand. So the digital camera in an SLR frock thing fell apart for me. Silly? Perhaps. It is a fine camera and lens. I do like the look better than the A7C and 40mm. But the metal everywhere your hand lands feel of the Sony pairing wins for me. Add in the larger size of the Zf when compared to the A7C and I decided to stick with what I already had. Who knows? Clean slate, starting a kit from scratch I might have chosen the Zf. The Nikon Z system is great. They even have what I consider a must have lens available for the mount. Pick up a used Z body as a second camera and maybe a portrait lens (But I got such a good deal on an amazing portrait lens.) and a wide zoom (Which is a Nikon branded rehoused version of a lens I already have I am told.) to flesh out my kit?… Hm… Yeah… I am good. I already have all of that, would need to give up some other tricks like weird adapters and the like, and I do not feel like starting over again.
Do I still want the Zf? Yes. No surprises here. Magic money tree in hand I would own the Zf… would still likely have the Olympus PEN F… would be on the waiting list for whatever Fujifilm X100 camera we are up to… Um… a Leica Q… you get the point. But every time I take this lens out for a walk I am reminded that I am good.
The 40mm f/2.5 G… As I have stated before. Humble spec, small size, solid build, and great results.
For me the, “If I were a sensible man…”, lens. As previously stated, combine this lens with the A7C for a wonderful combination that is capable of wonderful results made even better, as mentioned in an earlier post, with an aesthetically appropriate metal square hood and cap, thumbs up, both by Haoge, and a half case from Kaza.
It is a near perfect merging of all of my favorite lens attributes in a very small package.
Well done Sony.
Happy capturing.
-ELW
Eric L. Woods 