A brief moment with Carl Zeiss Sonnar T* 135 f/1.8

Here in Kota Kinabalu, we do not have outlets that offered lenses or even bodies for us Alpha users to try out before buying. We normally just wait for friends to buy those lenses then we can 'poisoned' ourselves with it. Luckily, those good guys from Mega Avit in Wisma Merdeka organised a mini studio and model portraiture shooting yesterday afternoon and ended today. The best part about the event is that we get to try those fine expensive Carl Zeiss lenses and the A850.

My friends and I came early. Actually we were the first few people who came. But then, I was there the earliest! Haha. I reached there around 10 am no thanks to the excitement hormones in me.


The mini studio.


250W strobes.




A very big umbrella.


The Alpha system and some lenses ready to be 'molested'. Wish all the lenses especially the 70-200mm f2.8 was made available.


The Zeiss glasses. From left to right, 16-35 f2.8, 24-70 f2.8, 85 f1.4, 135 f1.8


Close up on the Carl Zeiss 16-35 f2.8


I want that waist/sling bag! Sadly it only comes with new purchases.


Recommended retail prices. Street prices are cheaper though. :D


A550 package.


Hey, it's the new TX-7 with AVCHD movie that's going to be incorporated into Sony's new dslr soon.

As the event still hasn't started, we did a short street shooting outside Wisma Merdeka building.


Mahayuddin with idol.

Then the event started with the four of us 'officiating' the strobes. I used the Minolta 50mm f1.7. Strobes were triggered using F42 and F58 on our camera bodies.


We still have a long way to go with studio shooting.

Finally, my chance came to try out one of the Zeiss lenses, the Sonnar T* 135 f/1.8. The other 135mm lens in Sony's lineup is the STF (Smooth Trans Focus). The STF provides exceptional, high quality bokeh but no autofocus.


Looks really good when mounted.

Did some shots with the lens wide open(f1.8).


1/40, iso 400 f1.8


Cropped!


1/40, iso 400 f1.8


1/60, iso 400, f4


1/40, iso 400 f1.8


Cropped!


1/40, iso 400 f1.8


1/40, iso 400 f1.8


1/40, iso 400 f1.8

At the end of the day, only one word can express how we felt about the 135mm. DAMN!