35LII vs. 35L samples

J A C S wrote:

LaszloBencze wrote:

sure would be nice if you labeled each shot with the lens that took it.

I expected to be in the EXIF. I usually link from flickr, and then you can see in in the EXIF but this time, I uploaded them to my gallery. Anyway, the slightly longer FL is the 35LII, the other is the 35L.

Not sure what you mean as all the pictures have the focal length listed as 35 mm.

LaszloBencze wrote:

J A C S wrote:

LaszloBencze wrote:

sure would be nice if you labeled each shot with the lens that took it.

I expected to be in the EXIF. I usually link from flickr, and then you can see in in the EXIF but this time, I uploaded them to my gallery. Anyway, the slightly longer FL is the 35LII, the other is the 35L.

Not sure what you mean as all the pictures have the focal length listed as 35 mm.

I expected the lens (EF 35 II, etc.) to be in the EXIF. I see now that the lens is not in the EXIF even in my OP. I should have indicated the lens, indeed.

In response to the request for skin tones: a few eye crops I took in a restaurant at lunch time. The light was coming from the window. The top 4 are with the II. The bottom II with the I. The eyes looking down crop was processed with LR, the rest with DPP with "sharpness" instead of "USM". I was focusing on the closest eye, with f&r with my 5D2, whatever AF point happened to be the closest one. The 1st shot is slightly backfocused - as one can expect with F&R, or maybe there is some motion blur. The speed was around 1/80. All shots were keepers, with both lenses.

I sold my 35L and cannot post comparisons anymore.

I used my 35LII a few days ago in a night club. I was amazed at the flare resistance and the contrast in harsh lighting conditions. Here is a shot directly from LR, with default settings (except for vignetting=50, not 100). This is NOT the way I would process it at all. The lights on the top were very bright. I expected some flare/loss of contrast but not this. Actually, I would have preferred some flare for this shot.

thank you for posting these samples. the "II" is visibly  better.

J A C S wrote:

I sold my 35L and cannot post comparisons anymore.

I used my 35LII a few days ago in a night club. I was amazed at the flare resistance and the contrast in harsh lighting conditions. Here is a shot directly from LR, with default settings (except for vignetting=50, not 100). This is NOT the way I would process it at all. The lights on the top were very bright. I expected some flare/loss of contrast but not this. Actually, I would have preferred some flare for this shot.

it's great indeed. very, very nice lens.

Ryanide wrote:

Yes, indeed the version II appears sharper and better overall. Great colors in that last shot. I imagine that lens on the new 1DXII with it's improved ISO performance will produce even better results.

The nice thing about the 35mm focal length, as you can see in the last shot, is that shooting a subject a bit further away at F1.4 does not entirely wipeout the background, like you would have with a 50mm or longer lens. So, you are able to get a shot like this and still see the subject with some background elements, just slightly OOF. Of course, if you were shooting the subject at a closer distance, then the background would definitely blur.

Actually, this is what I love about 35mm - not a completely obliterated background. I own the 50L as well, and enjoy them both.

Ryanide wrote:

J A C S wrote:

I sold my 35L and cannot post comparisons anymore.

I used my 35LII a few days ago in a night club. I was amazed at the flare resistance and the contrast in harsh lighting conditions. Here is a shot directly from LR, with default settings (except for vignetting=50, not 100). This is NOT the way I would process it at all. The lights on the top were very bright. I expected some flare/loss of contrast but not this. Actually, I would have preferred some flare for this shot.

Curious as to how much you cropped this image? How close were you?

It is not cropped. It is 35mm FOV, so you get an idea. I was on the dance floor, very close.

When I processed it for me, I cropped a bit from the bottom and a bit on the left. I had to keep the guy in the center because my AF points (5D2) are very few and not spread enough.

One more shot from that night. Processed lightly, no crop. The horizontal streak of light on the top is probably a reflection from the mirror box (the AF module), I have seen it before.

And this is wide open, handheld. Any softness is DOF related and still the DOF is deep enough for such a scene.