7 Artisans 35mm f/2.0 M Lens

[xayraa33]

This lens seems like a good bargain for a new out the box lens.

It is certainly a very useful focal length and speed and not too bulky.



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=reWiN54Pd4c

 

[Ko.Fe.]

Interesting details about this lens in this video.


Reports are all over the range for this lens. From good to bad.
https://www.rangefinderforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=164855
https://www.l-camera-forum.com/topic/283856-first-7artisans-35mm-f2-lens-review/

 

[Bike Tourist]

I wonder if the current administration's tariffs will cause Chinese lenses to increase in price in the US?

 

[xayraa33]

I wonder if the current administration's tariffs will cause Chinese lenses to increase in price in the US?

I would not chance it and get the lens soon, it is a bargoon for a new lens.

President will go full hog on tariffs with China.

 

[presspass]

Could we get back to the lens?

 

[xayraa33]

Could we get back to the lens?

Ok, The lens is reputed to be of a "Sonnar" design or lens element grouping.. very unusual for a 35mm focal length these days.

Might be worth the price of admission for that alone, remember, the low volume Japanese lenses like the Zunow of the mid 1950s are very collectable now and bring in a good price when found.

 

[thafred]

I have used the 7Artisans for almost a month now on my M9P as well as M6. Have to say that it is one of my most favorite lenses! My focus ring is butter smooth, focus tab is perfect and the aperture has very nice clickstops, I like the handling better than my Zeiss ZM lenses.

Initialy the lens had back focus that would not allways show in the pictures (be it digital or film) but that is to be expected of a Sonnar! slightly out of focus still has a lot of detail, some do not like the bokeh because of it but I love the signature and the bokeh looks very nice to my (Sonnar loving) eyes. I guess the reviews reflect that you can get a lens that is very good but not 100% spot on.

I adjusted the lens using the supplied adjustment tools (easy on the digital M) and now it is freaking amazing. The center sharpness is just a hair less sharp than my Summicron-C 40mm (again, as expected when you compare Sonnar with Double Gauss lenses) but after 2.8 the lenses are equaly good with a slight edge in 3D effect on the Sonnar IMHO. Micro contrast and resolution are top notch (equal to my ZM lenses)

Only fault I can see it the barrel distortion which doesn't bother me a lot (only really visible on the edges). Even less so on Digital since the Summilux 35mm ASPH profile corrects the distortion to a minimum. It is most visible when focusing close but I never had a portrait ruined because of barrel distortion in the OOF background ;-)

I will write a review here when I have the time and attach a bunch of test shots, have uploaded some film and digital Street shots on Flickr if you are interested: https://www.flickr.com/search/?user_id=57493810@N00&sort=date-taken-desc&text=7artisans&view_all=1

cheers!

 

[davidnewtonguitars]

I got this lens for the M2, and have shot it for exactly 2 rolls. How would I go about testing it to see if the focus needs to be adjusted? What would be a procedure to use?

 

[Huss]

There are some guides online - both as videos and as articles. The lens should also have come with a chart and instructions.

 

[davidnewtonguitars]

It came with the chart and sort of instructions for digital camera use. I am pretty dense. The only vids I found were for digital also.
Thanks, I will try searching again.

 

[Ko.Fe.]

If you could get ground glass (small to be in the film chanel) and magnifying loupe you could check on infinity and at close distance (with light on the target, like black cross on white paper).
I used homemade ground glass. And even "frosted" plastic will works.

 

[davidnewtonguitars]

Thank you Ko.Fe. I have some drafting Mylar film that I think may work.
So I watched the official 7artsians lens adjustment video and it said to focus the rangefinder on an object at infinity and compare it with the lens marking, and the same for minimum focus. Going by that method, my lens is good out of the box.
I think the chart and instructions have a different, more precise method, but will require me to shoot some film and compare it with the lens settings that I used when shooting it.