7 Artisans 25mm f1.8, anyone has one?

[zuiko85]

Just acquired one of these lenses and although it seems nicely made and very smooth the flange to sensor appears to be from .008 to as much as .012 too close to the sensor. The net result is that you cannot trust the scale and infinity focus is at about where 20ft. (very approximate) would be on the focusing ring.
The micro 4:3 mount is attached with 3 screws and *looks* like it would be simple to remove so as to shim the mount out to infinity (or at least closer to that value).

So, does anyone else have this lens and what is your experience in this regard.

 

[nzeeman]

i have 25mm and 35mm 7artisans for my fuji-and yes their scales are not to be trusted much-but i was never using scale to focus anyway... my 35 for example have everything in focus (at least peaking help says that) from 30m to almost infinity when put to infinity on scale... but still you never shoot infinity at f1.2 but more often with small apertures so infinity is caught in focus anyway...

 

[nzeeman]

but also if it bothers you too much - one guy did it, but in opposite direction... https://www.dpreview.com/forums/thread/4364843

 

[zuiko85]

A little voice in my head says 'leave well enough alone', and the small, 4:3 sensor with required 2X enlarging factor to get the same size print as FF is not ideal for zone or scale focus anyway. (The DoF/CoC is one half of FF). But, that said, I'd still like to have it closer to infinity at full retraction. Standard weight copy paper is about .004 inch thick and would be easy to cut to size so, as an experiment I'll probably try two or three shims from that material.

The problem is, I just got the lens and the missus, if she sees a screwdriver in my hand will say, 'you just got that lens, why are you taking it apart?'

Then I'll just have to tell her, 'it would take too long to explain', and continue on.

 

[zuiko85]

Final follow up;
Yeah, paper shims can bring infinity focus out to the mark but....the rest of the rather sparse scale then goes to pot.
I think the infinity mark is just off on these lenses. And because it is fitted both to APS and 4:3 sensor cameras, different formats, just forget the DoF scale. At least on my 4:3 body it is next to useless.
Well, it was only $50 in as new condition so...it’ll be ‘good enough’.

 

[raid]

Enjoy the cheap lenses as they are.

 

[zuiko85]

Enjoy the cheap lenses as they are.

That’s my feeling. For $250 + $23 tax I can buy a 25 f1.8 AF from Olympus and maybe it’s worth the extra two bills for some folks but I really am on a limited budget.
I do find it interesting that, at least for resolution, my 1965 vintage, 25mm f4 Zuiko for the Pen F equals this ‘modern’ lens. And the Olympus lens is a 5E/5G retrofocus wide angle (on the half frame). Of course it only has to cover a 22mm diagonal, not the 30mm on the half frame. The Olympus lens does have more veiling glare with difficult lighting.