• Sigma Art 50mm f/1.4 DG HSM (Nikon mount version)
  
• Zeiss FE Sonnar T* 55mm f/1.8
• Leica Summilux-M 50mm f/1.4 ASPH
• Zeiss Otus Apo Distagon T* 55mm f/1.4

As pricewise the Sigma Art 50/1.4 and the Zeiss FE 1.8/55 are closest to each other, this test focuses mainly on a direct comparison between these lenses but some aspects are compared in similar settings with the Summilux and the Otus as well.

Although the Sigma Art was designed for DSLR cameras, there are options to use the Canon EF-mount version with autofocus and aperture control also on the mirrorless A7 / A7R using a Metabones Mk III or IV or the A-mount version using a LA-EA4 adapter. The A-mount version is expected to come later this year. The Sigma Art 50/1.4 DG HSM is a complex optical construction with 13 lenses, the aperture has 9 blades and it weighs about 815g.

Sigma Art 50mm f/1.4 DG HSM with lens hood and quiver

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Fitness-Model: Yasmin

Camera: Sony A7R
Lenses for video:
- Leica Wide Angle Tri Elmar 16-21/4 ASPH
- Voigtlander Nokton 1.2/35 ASPH
- Zeiss FE 1.8/55

For the stills:
- Voigtlander Ultron 1.8/21 ASPH
- Zeiss FE 2.8/35
- Zeiss FE 1.8/55
- Nikon AF-S Nikkor 1.8/85 G
- Sony STF 2.8/135

Enjoy "Rotkäppchen und der Wolf" performed by Caro and Kathleen from "Duo Flammenspuk" in Wildpark Schwarze Berge:

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Unfortunately there was heavy rain during the prformance. The video was recorded using Sony A7R with Voigtlander Ultron 1.8/21 and Zeiss FE 1.8/55 with SLR Magic Anamorphot.

For more information about "Flammenspuk", please visit http://www.flammenspuk.de

Just some spring shots that proof: Merry month of May has begun!

Flowers start blooming everywhere, weeds as well...

March 2014 - Enjoy the mystic and colorful world of fairies, ice dragons, venetian masquerade and costumes. Follow them to the place of fire artists and dancers (filmed anamorphic, stretched to wide screen):

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The video was recorded using Sony A7R with Zeiss Sonnar T* FE 1.8/55 and SLR Magic Anamorphot 1.33x 50 described in more detail in this article: http://www.3d-kraft.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=152&catid=40&Itemid=2

Another challenging application for the Anamorphot was using it on the Masked Ball 2014 in Hamburg:

(1080p version: https://vimeo.com/88542696)

(Video available in 3K and 4K (1440p and 2160p) as well here: http://youtu.be/TlB-MIRYqRo)

If you ever thought about travelling to "the end of the world", this article may give you an impression, how I saw this terrific part of South America through my eyes (ok, to be more precise: through the Sony A7R with some lenses mentioned at the end). On this journey from Punta Arenas, the southernmost city on the South American mainland we crossed Patagonian snow capped mountains "Torres Del Paine", volcanos, fjords, exotic flora and fauna, chilled on Chiloe and roamed the narrow alleys of the Unesco world heritage Valparaiso.

For a better orientation about the locations shown here, you may use this interactive map:

09. Feb. 2013 - Part 1 & 2, testing the wide screen effect and image quality of the final SLR Magic Anamorphot 1.33x 50:

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This wide screen (21:9) sample video was recorded in Full HD (1920x1080p) using the Sony A7R with Zeiss FE 2.8/35 and Zeiss FE 1.8/55 combined with the new SLR Magic Anamorphot 1.33x - 50 anamorphic ancillary lens. Subsequent horizontal stretching in postprocessing was applied in order to save more information from the original sensor resolution than simple letterboxing. Sorry for the sometimes a bit jittery pan shots but on that beautyful day I did not have a fluid tripod head available at my fingertips. There may be some additional jitter due to the uncommon video format that forces many decoders to switch from hardware to software decoding. Further test videos will focus more on creating flare and bokeh effects.

Here you see the diopter set and the Anamorphot used for the video attached to a Sony A7R with Zeiss FE 2.8/35mm lens and some additional step up adapter rings.

Looking through the lens shows the 1.33x squeeze: