All lenses with large aperture are specialty lenses with narrow usage, and this Z21 is no exception.
Today, a lens with large aperture isn't what it used to be. You are no longer at the mercy of the film speed, a digital camera would give you such high ISO it's ridiculous to say it out loud. But most importantly, digital camera's maximum shutter speed is higher than a film camera. So in theory, it's reasonable to say a digital camera is a large aperture lens' best friend.
And you should shoot it at wide open. I mean , if it didn't work out, there's always a delete button.
The Z21's bokeh is gorgeous and has a very light pinch of swirling. Mind you though, all four corners are soft, only the centre is concretely sharp. I've tried mounting the lens on the Sony Fx30, even on the APSC , all 4 corners are soft. I suspect this is the characteristic of this lens, and I do love a lens rich in character.
Build quality wise, it's solid yet it isn't heavy and clumsy. I was expecting the lens to be on a larger side for street, but to my surprise, the length is well-balanced and is suitable for doing street photography. And because the front glass is recessed into the lens barrel, you don't really need a lens hood to protect the glass, or having unwanted light entering the lens.
For official detail about the lens, please visit Light Lens Lab
Though corners are soft, they are not distorted or lack of resolution. This is what makes the lens so attractive, but at the same time, this is a specialty lens. I did stop down to f4, the rendering i
