SEL 55-210 f/4.5-6.3

[pakodominguez]

I kind of like this lens, even if the NEX5 AF is not it's best ally...

NEX-5 @ 1/80 f8 ISO 800

[pakodominguez]

Some Bokeh (for those that that is important)
NEX-5 @ 1/160 f8 ISO 200

[Dr. Harout]

Pako, how's the lens aberrations wise?
Is it on par with the SAL one?

[pakodominguez]

Pako, how's the lens aberrations wise?
Is it on par with the SAL one?

Hi Doc,

I can't tell since I never used the SAL/SAM lens. I guess both are similar, even if the SEL is OSS (that works pretty good BTW)

[agorabasta]

Pako,

Could you please check something about its OSS performance?

The OSS in the kit 18-55 is pretty good at stabilising the image, but really may ruin the image by introducing strong CA from the OSS floating element even into the image centre.
Then the OSS in the 18-200 is much better - no added CA in the centre. But it is quite capable of producing asymmetric blurring/defocusing in the image edges/corners, along with some irregular CA there as well.
And Sony SEL lenses are not the worst abusers there. Some pretty expensive Canon lenses do much worse.

So how's the 55-210 in that regard, could you check?

[pakodominguez]

The OSS in the kit 18-55 is pretty good at stabilising the image, but really may ruin the image by introducing strong CA from the OSS floating element even into the image centre...
So how's the 55-210 in that regard, could you check?

I think the OSS works pretty well, and I find the CA "normal"
I saw this big bird (I thought it was a young eagle, my brother, who worked with biologists, told me that it was probably a falcon, and someone else told me that it was definitely a hawk... ) a couple of weeks ago in Union Square and that's rare: you can see "big" animals in Central Park, but not south of 59th street...
First shot was back lighted, and you can easily see the CA.

100% crop

[pakodominguez]

The OSS in the kit 18-55 is pretty good at stabilising the image, but really may ruin the image by introducing strong CA from the OSS floating element even into the image centre...
So how's the 55-210 in that regard, could you check?

For this second shoot, the bird turn to the other side, having the light on his face. The CA almost disappear

100% crop

[pakodominguez]

About OSS performance itself, here is a sample shoot at 1/30 sec

100% crop


I think I have a good technique for this kind of shoots, so I guess that helps also. Anyways, OSS DO works.

[pakodominguez]

In general, i' happy with this lens, and the amount of detail it delivers on the NEX5 -I hope I'll be able to try it on the NEX7 in a couple of weeks...

100% crop

[Greg Beetham]

Pako if you’re interested, the hawk you photographed looks like it might be the Red Tailed Hawk, http://schmoker.org/BirdPics/RTHA.html widespread across the US with local variations of colour pattern, and apparently often thought to be an eagle due to its largish size.
The lens looks good btw.
Greg

[agorabasta]

Pako, thank you for those samples.

That abnormal CA in image centre actually seems to appear in that hawk pic. The dark feathers on the white chest have a yellow top/left edge and a blue lower/right edge. But its not too severe.

You could actually try some shots with OSS off, that would help to really notice the difference and check if it comes from the OSS or not.

[pakodominguez]

Pako if you’re interested, the hawk you photographed looks like it might be the Red Tailed Hawk, http://schmoker.org/BirdPics/RTHA.html widespread across the US with local variations of colour pattern, and apparently often thought to be an eagle due to its largish size.
The lens looks good btw.
Greg

Thanks!

[pakodominguez]

You could actually try some shots with OSS off, that would help to really notice the difference and check if it comes from the OSS or not.

I thought about it, but I didn't look int he menus where to turn the OSS off... next time