Clouded Yellow Butterfly; Photographed near Villa Ndio ; 26 September 2025; Sony A7R3a ; Zeiss Batis 135mm f2.8; f/2.8, 1/8000 sec., ISO-400, 135mm
Code: A7R3250926
Clouded Yellow Butterfly
Sony Carl Zeiss 135mm F1.8 ZA Sonnar T*
This is a great lens but it’s a bit of a clunker. It is large and heavy. However it is one of the best ever made for Sony a-mount cameras. I use it on my Sony SLT A77V camera, as well as my Sony A7R cameras with an adaptor.
More forthcoming
Reviews
Zeiss Batis 135mm f2.8
This is my American Express card (I don’t leave home without it!). It is almost always on one of my A7R cameras and/or in my camera bag. And for good reason. It handles well and gives very sharp photos with nice smooth bokeh.
Professional reviews:
Sample images:
Painted Lady Butterfly
Painted Lady Butterfly; 23 August 2025 by a traffic circle near Villa Ndio, Sony A7RM2 — ILCE-7RM2, Tamron 70-180mm F/2.8 Di III VC VXD; f/5.6, 1/2000 sec., ISO-500, 180mm
Code: A7250823
Grizzled Skipper
Grizzle Skipper; Photographed by the traffic circle near Villa Ndio; 30 August 2025; Sony A7M3A — ILCE-7RM3A; Tamron 70-180mm F/2.8 Di III VC VXD; f/4.5, 1/6400 sec., ISO-800, 180mm
Code: R73250830
Vanessa Atalanta Red Admiral in Cabris
Vanessa Atalanta Red Admiral in Cabris; 22 April 2025; DSC-RX10M3; f/4, 1/8000sec., ISO-640, 220mm
Code: RX10250422
TT Artisans 50mm f0.95
TT Artisans 50mm f0.95
Details forthcoming
Helios 44-2 58mm f2
Helios 44-2 58mm f2
Having heard a lot about this popular collectors item I decided to get one for myself. It is an old (1976) Russian made lens with a great reputation. I found a good copy at a good price on ebay.
Professional reviews:
Scabieuse Blossom
Scabieuse Blossom, also called pincushion; 9 September 2025 by the Villa Ndio pool; Sony A7R2 — ILCE-7RM2; Tair 11a f2.8; f/4, 1/400 sec., ISO-800, 135mm
Code: a7250909
Tair 11A 135mm f2.8
Tair 11A 135mm f2.8
I read about this unique lens with some remarkable characteristics: made in the former USSR; known as a “bokeh monster”; small for a 135mm f2.8 (though still relatively heavy). It’s a novelty lens popular with photo enthusiasts and collectors. Intrigued, I checked it out on ebay and found a good quality copy for a good low price. So I bought it, and I bought an adaptor to marry the m42 screw mount to my Sony A7R cameras. From the serial number I understand it was made in 1988.
I have taken it down off the shelf several times for the fun of it. I would do it more often but the lens is clumsy and not so easy to use. It is manual focus only and the aperture adjustment is complicated by a limiter that has to be adjusted to move freely about the settings. There is no electronic transfer of information from the lens to the camera. I got use to these characteristics in time, and had some pleasant experiences testing out the capabilities and enjoying its features.
Here are some professional reviews:
And here are some sample photos taken by me.
