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

[Frank Filippone]

If anyone want to actually see for themselves the differences, I would 
be happy to email them directly 2 files...   But the RAW files are like 
80MB each.....and I will not send out jpg files, because it is the wrong 
way to see the differences....

Maybe I can try to do some cropping.... let me try... Will report back....


Frank Filippone BMWRed735i at gmail.com
On 5/25/2020 1:53 PM, Douglas Barry wrote:
> 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
>>
>
>
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