Sc's reviews

  • Sony FE 24-70mm f/4 ZA OSS Zeiss Vario-Tessar T* SEL2470Z

    5 out of 10 points and not recommended
    Well built, nice range and f4 keeps the weight down
    Optical quality is sub-par, especially for the price.

    There's a lot to like about this lens, build, range, weight, but unfortunately optical quality is not one of them. If you like centre sharp, then it's reasonable, but the corners are just plain soft at all focal lengths. I cannot recommend a lens that performs so poorly. Chromatic aberration is bad in the corners as well, not that it's difficult to fix, but for what I consider a premium lens, it's poor performance. Put this on an A7R or A7R II, and it's embarrassing. Unfortunately, I bought it based on the opinion of someone I thought knew what they were doing. Even though the range is nice, and Sony's lens lineup is sparse, I would avoid this lens. It's just not very good.

    reviewed September 22nd, 2015 (purchased for $980)

  • Canon EF 400mm f/4 DO IS II USM

    10 out of 10 points and recommended
    Size, weight, optical quality.
    Price

    This lens intrigued me ever since the first version came out, but I resisted the urge due to the cost and the fact the IQ was considerably lower than other super telephotos.
    I've used the 300f2.8 version II, and it was a nail biter when I decided to sell it for this lens. Thankfully, I couldn't be happier. The lens performs admirably with the 1.4x and 2x, easily yielding publishable images. Coupled with the 7D mark II, it is a fabulous combination with great reach and portability. Other than griping about the price, I can honestly say this is a great lens and I don't regret selling my 300.

    reviewed September 22nd, 2015 (purchased for $6,300)