Author Topic: Yannick Khong: "The Problem with modern Optics"  (Read 40933 times)

Jakov Minić

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Re: Yannick Khong: "The Problem with modern Optics"
« Reply #15 on: February 29, 2016, 23:33:27 »
Akira, any tool in your hands will be handled by a master :)
Nevertheless, I would like to hear your experiences and why you got yourself a D750 :)
Free your mind and your ass will follow. - George Clinton
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Jan Anne

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Re: Yannick Khong: "The Problem with modern Optics"
« Reply #16 on: February 29, 2016, 23:34:44 »
Now that I came back to Nikon FX by replacing my m4/3 system with D750 and 50/1.8G, I think I'm standing on a nice starting point.   :o :o :o
Did I mis anything or is this your first public mentioning your return to Nikon?

As you might have guessed, very curious what made you decide to do so :)
Cheers,
Jan Anne

John Geerts

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Re: Yannick Khong: "The Problem with modern Optics"
« Reply #17 on: February 29, 2016, 23:56:13 »
Well, I agree with the writer, good to see the Voigtlander 58/1.4 there ;)

Akira

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Re: Yannick Khong: "The Problem with modern Optics"
« Reply #18 on: March 01, 2016, 00:04:46 »
Akira, any tool in your hands will be handled by a master :)
Nevertheless, I would like to hear your experiences and why you got yourself a D750 :)

Did I mis anything or is this your first public mentioning your return to Nikon?

As you might have guessed, very curious what made you decide to do so :)

My comment above was indeed my first announcement of returning to Nikon, and FX.

The biggest reason for my return is almost exactly described in the articles Andy linked.  So, this thread is very timely for me.

I've been using m4/3 system on and off for nearly seven years.  I still like them for what they offer.  But maybe I become tired of the images created by stuffing much resolution into a tiny sensor.  I didn't get any 3-D feel I always cherish, even with the images with the shallowest DOF I could achieve.

The resolution of an FX format 24MP sensor corresponds to that of a DX format 10MP sensor which is almost the same as that of D200.  I haven't owned or used D200, but after seeing many excellent images taken with the camera and revisiting some of the favorite images of mine taken with the cameras of even lower resolution (D2H and D40), I realized their smooth, round and 3-D renditions.  D200, D40 and D2H are cameras of very low resolution by today's standard, but their resolution was actually high enough for most purposes.  I still remember Bjørn's review of D1 whose 2.7MP sensor (don't miss the decimal point!) outperformed 135 format Fuji Velvia.

An FX camera with the 16MP sensor would make more sense in this context, but neither Df or D4s was within my budget.  I remember I really loved the rendition of the 24MP sensor of D610, but didn't like the fact that the customization of the buttons (especially the OK button) was limited and its AF performance is not satisfactory to me.  That's why I setteled on D750.  I love this newly designed grip, too!

There are other important reasons, but these are the main ones for my return to FX that relate to the articles.
"The eye is blind if the mind is absent." - Confucius

"Limitation is inspiration." - Akira

Andy

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Re: Yannick Khong: "The Problem with modern Optics"
« Reply #19 on: March 01, 2016, 00:14:02 »
The biggest reason for my return is almost exactly described in the articles Andy linked.  So, this thread is very timely for me.
Akira,
wrt to your D750 decision and what you described with your m43 experience,
you might also be interested in his "Best and Worst of 2015" post:
http://yannickkhong.com/blog/2015/12/26/best-and-worst-gear-of-2015

rgds, Andy

Akira

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Re: Yannick Khong: "The Problem with modern Optics"
« Reply #20 on: March 01, 2016, 00:28:19 »
Akira,
wrt to your D750 decision and what you described with your m43 experience,
you might also be interested in his "Best and Worst of 2015" post:
http://yannickkhong.com/blog/2015/12/26/best-and-worst-gear-of-2015

rgds, Andy

Andy, thanks for the additional link.  I wouldn't be as harsh as Yannick in criticizing what I don't prefer personally, but, so far as the positive comments are concerned, I feel as if he is my alter ego.  :D
"The eye is blind if the mind is absent." - Confucius

"Limitation is inspiration." - Akira

stenrasmussen

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Re: Yannick Khong: "The Problem with modern Optics"
« Reply #21 on: March 01, 2016, 00:39:10 »
The articles adds to the "not so fast there matey" that I've come to appreciate after having tested/tried out various modern lenses. But as always, horses for courses.
Akira; the only thing I don't like about my D750 is the sound of the mirror/shutter. The Df is in another league there.

Akira

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Re: Yannick Khong: "The Problem with modern Optics"
« Reply #22 on: March 01, 2016, 00:51:32 »
Akira; the only thing I don't like about my D750 is the sound of the mirror/shutter. The Df is in another league there.

Sten, maybe I would have to agree, but it is tolerable enough.  Also I feel that the shutter noise of D750 contains less amount of high frequency portions comparing to that of D7x00 cameras, which I like.
"The eye is blind if the mind is absent." - Confucius

"Limitation is inspiration." - Akira

Andy

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Re: Yannick Khong: "The Problem with modern Optics"
« Reply #23 on: March 01, 2016, 01:03:01 »
Akira; the only thing I don't like about my D750 is the sound of the mirror/shutter.
Sten, it looks like you have not used an AFS 300mm/4D lens with the D750.

Tristin

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Re: Yannick Khong: "The Problem with modern Optics"
« Reply #24 on: March 01, 2016, 06:54:01 »
Simone and Airy, I agree that the lighting is a massive contributer and that those examples are hardly fair.  I have, however, seen plenty of Sigma "art" images and they all tend to look flat to me.  It's not a dof/bokeh issue, it's that the areas in focus just don't pop.  It looks like everything in the plane of focus got squashed into a really sharp flat picture.  I don't feel like I can reach in and touch it.
-Tristin

Airy

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Re: Yannick Khong: "The Problem with modern Optics"
« Reply #25 on: March 01, 2016, 08:19:12 »
Understood. These are subtle effects, maybe explaining why I much prefer the Zeiss 35/2 over the Sigma 35/1.4. Beware of other possible factors though (e.g. the high vignetting common to Zeiss 35/2, 50/2...) that also may contribute to such impressions.
Airy Magnien

stenrasmussen

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Re: Yannick Khong: "The Problem with modern Optics"
« Reply #26 on: March 01, 2016, 08:34:46 »
Sten, it looks like you have not used an AFS 300mm/4D lens with the D750.

That's correct, I haven't. Reading between the lines here I assume there is an issue..?

Fons Baerken

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Re: Yannick Khong: "The Problem with modern Optics"
« Reply #27 on: March 01, 2016, 08:46:53 »
i missed this thread, very interesting, all these modern lenses too many elements it seems to come down to.

Tristin

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Re: Yannick Khong: "The Problem with modern Optics"
« Reply #28 on: March 01, 2016, 09:17:57 »
Airy, I do not feel they are subtle differences.  Check out this comparison; http://yannickkhong.com/blog/2016/2/12/extra-credits-applying-the-micro-contrast-test-onto-an-otus-lens

The differences in pop are quite clear, but really pronounced on the woman's scarf.  That is the same issue I see with the "art" lenses.  Things just get flattened.
-Tristin

stenrasmussen

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Re: Yannick Khong: "The Problem with modern Optics"
« Reply #29 on: March 01, 2016, 10:00:26 »
It may be interesting to draw the similarities to modern TV's. I have several TV's at home and most of them have display modes for dynamic, standard, movie and pictures (and some others I can't remember). Movie and pictures have a rendering which is softer, more pleasing to the eye whereas dynamic and standard for instance is sharper, contrastier and more vivid. Pretty much artistic vs. clinical.