[Leica] More Nerdy stuff.... Sony A7 with Leica lenses.

[Douglas Barry]

Sample images???

On 25/05/2020 21:18, Frank Filippone via LUG wrote:
> If you own or have contemplated the purchase of a Sony A7 series body 
> to use with your Leica M lenses, you have heard that Leica WA lenses 
> show smeared corners due to the closeness of the lens to the sensor.. 
> the image ray's angle causes problems.
>
> A company, KolariVision, has a modification to the A7 series that 
> replaces the standard cover plate ( the one that fell OFF my M9) with 
> a very thin glass cover plate ( I think it is 0.2mm thick. the Leica 
> OEM plate is approx 2mm thick).  This improves the image quality in 
> the corners of the frame.... So the question is, if I read all the 
> literature, is any or all of it true?  Is it just marketing BS?
>
> I went testing ( yes, again).
>
> One of the most awful lenses for this problem used on the Sony A7 
> bodies that Leica has made is the 28 Summicron ASPH.  V1.
>
> One of the best lenses on the Sony bodies is the WATE... 16/18/21mm 
> F4  Wide Angle TriElmar  I tried both.  I also tested a 21mm SEM, 
> because I was asked to.
>
> The cameras were setup identically. The only thing that changed in 
> this test was the body.( Tripod, same shutter speed, same apertures, 
> same lens.... )
>
> ::::SPOILER ALERT::::::
>
> The Kolari modified body FAR exceeded the IQ of the unmodified body in 
> the corners...
>
> A7rii vs A7rii Kolari
>
> With 21mm SEM and 28mm Summicron ( notoriously bad on Sony bodies)
>
> At ISO50
>
> At Fwide open, F4 and F8
>
> Distance from camera to center of image was about 15 feet. Tripod of 
> course.
>
> The camera body was place at an angle, allowing for easy access to the 
> corners ( the horizon line was set corner to corner) ...... 
> Essentially stressing the lens corner quality as much as possible.....
>
> Focusing was done by x10 focus enlargement in MF mode in the center of 
> the image......  I did not focus in the corners.... I use a ground 
> glass kind of focusing, no high tech stuff.  When it LOOKS sharp it IS 
> sharp.
>
> Focus was not done at each F stop... it was done wide open only. Care 
> was taken to not move the focus ring when changing aperture.
>
> In the center of the frame, there was little to no difference in the 
> images.  The cameras produced very similar images.... see comment 
> below about the color shift.....
>
> There was NO condition where the Kolari modified body did not beat, by 
> a large amount, the corner sharpness of unmodified A7rii.  NONE.  21 
> SEM, WATE, 28 Summicron V1.... All the same result.
>
> I also added on the M240/28mm Summicron as a test vehicle against the 
> Sony body.... The Kolari body BESTED the Leica body.  Not by as much 
> as the Kolari bested the unmodified body, but it was pretty obvious.
>
> There is no question in my mind, that the Kolari Modified thin glass 
> cover plate was a BIG improvement to the lenses tested, and I am 
> willing to bet, it is a big improvement to ALL WA lenses......
>
> Further note:  There is a color difference between the Kolari body and 
> the Leica or Sony unmodified bodies.  The color shift is expressed as 
> a purple tint in the Kolari modified body. Especially in the gray 
> areas....
>
> I should have shot a white card and color corrected on that..... maybe 
> another day.....
>
> I am pretty anal when I do these tests.  I am careful, I look at the 
> images 1:1 in comparison mode in LR.  The results are correct.
>
> If you want to up your Leica IQ game in the corners.... send a Sony A7 
> family body and $400 to Kolarivision, and get it done.  It is cheaper 
> than buying a M-60MP body will be.....
>
> I did not test native lenses on the modified body.  Maybe another 
> day......
>
> Paul Roark ( who found this out for himself several years ago and got 
> me thinking down this path) ... want to add anything?
>
>
> PS: If you type in only Kolari to your Google search, I think you get 
> a porn site.... You will figure that out pretty easily.  It needs to 
> be www.KolariVision.com
>