7Artisans 35mm f/2 - Okay with Film?

[agentlossing]

I'm looking for a 35mm to put on my Bessa T, so far I'm leaning towards the Voigtlander Color-Skopar 35mm f2.5, which seems decent, but there's also the 7artisans lens that would be much quicker to get to me from US website with free 2-day shipping (coughcough) versus slow and expensive shipping from Japan.

Has anyone used the 7artisans lens with film, and does it have decent rendering? I like more characterful lenses, but not so much that I'm attached to any certain look. The Chinese lens seems like a decent but ho-hum lens on digital, wondering how its rendering and coatings, etc will turn out on film.

 

[Huss]

https://www.rangefinderforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=169144

https://www.rangefinderforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=167375

And also read this:

https://www.rangefinderforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=169487

 

[Huss]

The Chinese lens seems like a decent but ho-hum lens on digital..

And here I compared it to my Summicron 35 Asph on digital.

https://www.rangefinderforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=167382

 

[agentlossing]

Thanks! All sounds alright except for the possibility of having to adjust the focus calibration - since I only have a film M mount camera, it could be a bit of a pain to do that.

 

[maartenmoerman]

Shot the louvre in Abu Dhabi. 7artisans 35mm, LeicaM6, kodak ektrachome, scanned on hasselblad imacon.

images are 34mpixel, was a quick scan, might be some dust on it, quick conversion to jpeg with apple-preview from tiff format, no corrections done.

Sharpness is amazing, barrel distortion is present.

 

[davidnewtonguitars]

I have the same questions. This roll, (Eastman 5222 in HC110) are from last week. Does the lens have any "character"? It is being used on the M2 out of the box, without calibration, seems pretty good to me.

 

[ranger9]

Thanks! All sounds alright except for the possibility of having to adjust the focus calibration - since I only have a film M mount camera, it could be a bit of a pain to do that.

Normally you don't have to do that. I have both this and to 50/1.1, and they were perfect right out of the box. I think 7Artisans includes this capability mostly for people whose cameras are at (or just past) the edge of the tolerance range.

As long as I seem to be plugging my YouTube channel today, here's the video I did about it (no film examples, though...)

https://youtu.be/Q8JKV1TXk6A

 

[Huss]

Shot the louvre in Abu Dhabi. 7artisans 35mm, LeicaM6, kodak ektrachome, scanned on hasselblad imacon.

images are 34mpixel, was a quick scan, might be some dust on it, quick conversion to jpeg with apple-preview from tiff format, no corrections done.

Sharpness is amazing, barrel distortion is present.

If you look at the comparison I did with my Summicron Asph you will see that that lens also has some distortion.

 

[agentlossing]

Normally you don't have to do that. I have both this and to 50/1.1, and they were perfect right out of the box. I think 7Artisans includes this capability mostly for people whose cameras are at (or just past) the edge of the tolerance range.

As long as I seem to be plugging my YouTube channel today, here's the video I did about it (no film examples, though...)

https://youtu.be/Q8JKV1TXk6A

That's good, although the one 7artisans lens I do have (the 25mm f1.8 for M4/3) doesn't have the best quality control, the aperture ring drifts from where it's supposed to be. Although I do realize the quality of the 35mm f2 is likely much better than that of the $80 25mm.

 

[Huss]

Yeah I also had the 25 for my Oly M43, and these M lenses are very different.

 

[maartenmoerman]

Normally you don't have to do that. I have both this and to 50/1.1, and they were perfect right out of the box. I think 7Artisans includes this capability mostly for people whose cameras are at (or just past) the edge of the tolerance range.

As long as I seem to be plugging my YouTube channel today, here's the video I did about it (no film examples, though...)

https://youtu.be/Q8JKV1TXk6A

Mine definitely needed calibration. My M6 had a CLA just before i had the 7artisans calibrated, so that was perfect.

 

[agentlossing]

I could probably go the Amazon route and utilize their return policy if needed, but I'd have to shoot and develop a roll of film just to test the lens. This one seems like a viable option, but I have to admit... Looking through the Voigt 35mm 2.5 picture thread reminder me how much I like the output I'm seeing from that lens. There's just a pictorial, gentle look to it, the focus falloff just looks excellent and the edges between in-focus and blurred elements has a smooth, organic look to it that I can't quite put my finger on, but it's there. Gotta weigh my options, maybe make some best offers on a couple of them, and be patient. We'll see.

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[Ko.Fe.]

This lens is known for ugly barrel distortions, film and else.
But some have chosen to pretend it doesn't exist. Not sure about Crons to be the same junk, never had them, but my Color Skopars didn't have it, nor J-12 or Ultron 35 1.7, Summarit 35.

Are you smuggling w/o taxes?
Here is USA same day fee shipping for Color Skopar within USA.

https://shop.cameraquest.com/voigtl...er-35mm-35/2.5-pii-leica-m-color-skopar-lens/

https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/prod...der_45BA245C_Color_Skopar_Pan_35mm_f_2_5.html

 

[Huss]

This lens is known for ugly barrel distortions, film and else.
But some have chosen to pretend it doesn't exist. Not sure about Crons to be the same junk, never had them, but my Color Skopars didn't have it, nor J-12 or Ultron 35 1.7, Summarit 35.

Quoting what you have heard. Have you used one?

I use that, the Summicron Asph, the Voigltander 35 2.5 and 1.2 v2 and the Zeiss 35 1.4 ZM.

The Zeiss is by far the best, but also the largest.
The ugly barrel distortions that you claim, w/o having used one, is no less ugly than in the Summicron 35, and guess what? The Color Skopar has it too.

Here is another test by Brad Husick who lined up most of these lenses. Your (and mine) Color Skopar fared amongst the worst:

https://www.stevehuffphoto.com/2012/03/28/the-great-35mm-rangefinder-lens-shootout-by-brad-husick/

But guess what? I still have taken pics I really like and have sold with that lens because unless you are taking extreme architectural shots it doesn't matter. Content is what matters.

Here is a shot on film with the 7A 35mm. I don't notice any distortion (I'm sure there is some a with most all lenses) but you read someone mentioned ugly barrel distortion, so I'm sure it's there...

 

[Huss]

Fuji C200 (I think)



and 1:1 crop:

 

[Ko.Fe.]

Huss, I have seen enough bad examples from this lens with barrel distortion before buying it. Even in this thread. I didn't have this bad distortions with Skopars.
I'm not like you, I don't buy just every lens made. And I used my Color Skopars more than you have used all of your lenses, most likely🙂

Oh, and scans enlargements with nothing but grain, what they supposed to proof? 🙂

 

[agentlossing]

I've decided to go with a cheap Skopar, it will at least get me in the right direction.

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[Huss]

Huss, I have seen enough bad examples from this lens with barrel distortion before buying it. Even in this thread. I didn't have this bad distortions with Skopars.
I'm not like you, I don't buy just every lens made. And I used my Color Skopars more than you have used all of your lenses, most likely🙂

Oh, and scans enlargements with nothing but grain, what they supposed to proof? 🙂

Yes I'm sure the more you use the Skopar, the less it distorts.
😉

The 1:1 enlargement is a 100% crop of a 8300x5500 scan of the pic above it which, as you have mentioned, shows grain. But it also shows the detail that the 7A pulls - you can see their expression etc. Not bad for $200!

 

[Huss]

I've decided to go with a cheap Skopar, it will at least get me in the right direction.

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It's a very nice lens. You're not going to take better pics with more expensive lenses.

 

[agentlossing]

It's a very nice lens. You're not going to take better pics with more expensive lenses.

The description indicates "very light" haze, so I'll have to determine what effect is present in the photos, if any. I got it with a Bessa L, which I'll resell if I can find any buyers, making the net lens purchase fairly cheap.

But my usual method is B&W film developed in DF96 and scanned on an Epson flatbed, very quick and dirty way to get files which I can then fix contrast issues or the like, so I don't think haze (if truly light) will be a killer for me. If I like the lens enough and dislike the effects of haze, I'll find a better copy later on.

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