peterm1
Veteran
I have been roaming the interwebs (just gotta love that expression - I wonder who thunk it up?)
Let me start again. I have been roaming the internet and found that in recent months (in fact in some cases over the past few years)) that we have had a veritable flood of new lenses designed mainly for Leica, M43 and Sony cameras and mainly coming out of China and some out of Korea. And some lenses are being released too for full frame and APS SLR cameras. Some of these lenses are very cheap (less than $200) and some of them somewhat more expensive but still a pretty good price by comparison with Leica kit. Or even by comparison with Cosina Voigtlander offerings. This post does not deal with Zeiss etc lenses as I am looking more at newish offerings especially by new companies.
OK I realize you get what you pay for - I know there will be those posts which say that anyway so lets get it out there at the beginning. But some actually look quite interesting. Lenses that have come to my attention include the following (I am sure I have missed some - the list changes almost daily) :
- Zhongyi Mitakon have made various lenses including a 25mm f0.95 and an 85mm f2 plus several others including 42.5 f 1.2
- Handevision Iberit have released a range of M mount lenses including 24mm, 35mm, 50mm 75mm and 90mm all with max aperture of f2.4 (bucking the trend to super fast lenses). The prices here vary but most in the $600 range though the quality looks very sound. These look more interesting than many others now being made for M cameras at the lower end of the price range. I noticed too, a short review from 2014 at Steve Huffs site for a 40mm f0.85 by this company - but at a very high price - over $2000. Given that it's been around for a few years and relatively little is heard of it recently, I wonder if it did not fly. Its a big lens at a big price so it would not surprise me.
- DJ Optical / 7Artisans have famously released a 50mm f1.1 in M mount in the $300-$400 range and I think in other mounts as well (or to follow). This seems to be getting good reviews.
- Sainsonic Kamlan have released a very cheap 50mm f1.1 at around $150. It is a simple lens with performance to match (sharp in the centre) though not apparently terrible so long as you accept this. But there have been several annoying QA issues reported with this one and that is of potentially greater concern.
- Sainsonic Kamlan have or are also releasing a 55mm f1.2 in various DSLR mounts. This one is somewhat more expensive than the above one at over $500. And I have also noted what appears to be a lens for Sony mount which seems to be based on the above offering - with the addition of built in adapter. Not much info here and I am a little confused with the proliferation of lenses with similar focal lengths and apertures.
- Yongnuo have also continued their practice of releasing copies of Nikon and Canon DSLR lenses - e.g. it recently released a 100mm f2.0 in both mounts with AF. It is priced at around $150 and being a copy of Canon lens the optical quality is reported as good based on what I have read but with some obvious compromises in build quality and most likely QA. The lens have the appearance of being a little cheaply made in terms of the types of plastics used - but not unduly so given their price. The Canon original of the one mentioned above is around $400-$500 so there is quite a saving for someone who may want a lens for occasional use.
- And of course Voigtlander has not let up either with new lenses (e.g. 40mm f1.2 announced recently) being released on top of their older range which includes 17.5mm and 42.5mm f 0.95 lenses. Speaking personally I am still a fan of this company's offerings and now have a small selection of their lenses in M mount. I am a bit tempted by the 17.5mm f0.95.....hmmmm gotta think about that one. I also missed seeing until recently the 10.5mm f0.95 lens for M43. Holy crap I don't know about you but to me that's impressive.
- Chinese lens company Venus Optics Laowa also seems to be doing great work in the rectilinear wide angle department (these lenses being touted as "zero distortion") with some very nice looking lenses (apparently with performance to match) from 7.5 to 15mm plus some standard and an interesting 105mm f2 smooth transfocus lens (essentially like Nikon's 105 and 135mm lenses offerings of this sort.) Its offerings seem to be in the upper end of the rpice range of the group listed here: $600 -$900
- Some of these companies are also offering a separate range of lenses optimized for video work and these look stunning too - though pricey. For example Samyang Rokinon has a range of video cine lenses, some under the name of Samyang and some labeled Rokinon and it looks as if these have been around for a year or two. These look very like pro lenses and seem to be priced more or less accordingly though still much cheaper than those established lenses names targeting big name film makers. I do not make videos, myself but these lenses look so good I felt I wanted to list them especially as they are for amateurs using DSLR cameras for video and hence target this part of the video making market. There seems little doubt you could use these for stills photography (they seem to have a lot of character) with some compromises in handling (they include gearing for focus pulling rather than normal focus rings and apertures are de clicked) and such things as use of T stops instead of F stops.
-Samyang Rokinon has released a 50mm f1.2 for Sony APS cameras (Looks like about 18 months ago) which has some very strongly positive reviews. And last but not least they have also released some rocking MF ultra wide angle lenses that get excellent reviews, including some very nice rectilinear lenses. These seem to be well priced (a few hundred $ for the most part) and though a little lightly built the reviews seem to suggest QA and performance are excellent.
This reminds me of old magazines I have read from the 1960s when small camera and lens makers flooded the market with new offerings. Some good, some bad and some diabolical.
To re quote a phrase used in a favourite comical movie of mine "Hows that for a sliced of fried gold?" (P.S. the movie is British satire "Shaun of the Dead'" which is still funny ten years on.)
I am especially interested in the views of people who have tried any of the above (or others I have missed).
Let me start again. I have been roaming the internet and found that in recent months (in fact in some cases over the past few years)) that we have had a veritable flood of new lenses designed mainly for Leica, M43 and Sony cameras and mainly coming out of China and some out of Korea. And some lenses are being released too for full frame and APS SLR cameras. Some of these lenses are very cheap (less than $200) and some of them somewhat more expensive but still a pretty good price by comparison with Leica kit. Or even by comparison with Cosina Voigtlander offerings. This post does not deal with Zeiss etc lenses as I am looking more at newish offerings especially by new companies.
OK I realize you get what you pay for - I know there will be those posts which say that anyway so lets get it out there at the beginning. But some actually look quite interesting. Lenses that have come to my attention include the following (I am sure I have missed some - the list changes almost daily) :
- Zhongyi Mitakon have made various lenses including a 25mm f0.95 and an 85mm f2 plus several others including 42.5 f 1.2
- Handevision Iberit have released a range of M mount lenses including 24mm, 35mm, 50mm 75mm and 90mm all with max aperture of f2.4 (bucking the trend to super fast lenses). The prices here vary but most in the $600 range though the quality looks very sound. These look more interesting than many others now being made for M cameras at the lower end of the price range. I noticed too, a short review from 2014 at Steve Huffs site for a 40mm f0.85 by this company - but at a very high price - over $2000. Given that it's been around for a few years and relatively little is heard of it recently, I wonder if it did not fly. Its a big lens at a big price so it would not surprise me.
- DJ Optical / 7Artisans have famously released a 50mm f1.1 in M mount in the $300-$400 range and I think in other mounts as well (or to follow). This seems to be getting good reviews.
- Sainsonic Kamlan have released a very cheap 50mm f1.1 at around $150. It is a simple lens with performance to match (sharp in the centre) though not apparently terrible so long as you accept this. But there have been several annoying QA issues reported with this one and that is of potentially greater concern.
- Sainsonic Kamlan have or are also releasing a 55mm f1.2 in various DSLR mounts. This one is somewhat more expensive than the above one at over $500. And I have also noted what appears to be a lens for Sony mount which seems to be based on the above offering - with the addition of built in adapter. Not much info here and I am a little confused with the proliferation of lenses with similar focal lengths and apertures.
- Yongnuo have also continued their practice of releasing copies of Nikon and Canon DSLR lenses - e.g. it recently released a 100mm f2.0 in both mounts with AF. It is priced at around $150 and being a copy of Canon lens the optical quality is reported as good based on what I have read but with some obvious compromises in build quality and most likely QA. The lens have the appearance of being a little cheaply made in terms of the types of plastics used - but not unduly so given their price. The Canon original of the one mentioned above is around $400-$500 so there is quite a saving for someone who may want a lens for occasional use.
- And of course Voigtlander has not let up either with new lenses (e.g. 40mm f1.2 announced recently) being released on top of their older range which includes 17.5mm and 42.5mm f 0.95 lenses. Speaking personally I am still a fan of this company's offerings and now have a small selection of their lenses in M mount. I am a bit tempted by the 17.5mm f0.95.....hmmmm gotta think about that one. I also missed seeing until recently the 10.5mm f0.95 lens for M43. Holy crap I don't know about you but to me that's impressive.
- Chinese lens company Venus Optics Laowa also seems to be doing great work in the rectilinear wide angle department (these lenses being touted as "zero distortion") with some very nice looking lenses (apparently with performance to match) from 7.5 to 15mm plus some standard and an interesting 105mm f2 smooth transfocus lens (essentially like Nikon's 105 and 135mm lenses offerings of this sort.) Its offerings seem to be in the upper end of the rpice range of the group listed here: $600 -$900
- Some of these companies are also offering a separate range of lenses optimized for video work and these look stunning too - though pricey. For example Samyang Rokinon has a range of video cine lenses, some under the name of Samyang and some labeled Rokinon and it looks as if these have been around for a year or two. These look very like pro lenses and seem to be priced more or less accordingly though still much cheaper than those established lenses names targeting big name film makers. I do not make videos, myself but these lenses look so good I felt I wanted to list them especially as they are for amateurs using DSLR cameras for video and hence target this part of the video making market. There seems little doubt you could use these for stills photography (they seem to have a lot of character) with some compromises in handling (they include gearing for focus pulling rather than normal focus rings and apertures are de clicked) and such things as use of T stops instead of F stops.
-Samyang Rokinon has released a 50mm f1.2 for Sony APS cameras (Looks like about 18 months ago) which has some very strongly positive reviews. And last but not least they have also released some rocking MF ultra wide angle lenses that get excellent reviews, including some very nice rectilinear lenses. These seem to be well priced (a few hundred $ for the most part) and though a little lightly built the reviews seem to suggest QA and performance are excellent.
This reminds me of old magazines I have read from the 1960s when small camera and lens makers flooded the market with new offerings. Some good, some bad and some diabolical.
To re quote a phrase used in a favourite comical movie of mine "Hows that for a sliced of fried gold?" (P.S. the movie is British satire "Shaun of the Dead'" which is still funny ten years on.)
I am especially interested in the views of people who have tried any of the above (or others I have missed).
raid
Dad Photographer
Thank you for this interesting overview, Peter. I haven't heard of most companies that you have listed here.
peterm1
Veteran
Glad you enjoyed it Raid. Give my apologies in advance to your wife for introducing you to yet more lenses. :^) I had not heard of many of these companies either till I stumbled on them in a bout of internet fever.
charjohncarter
Veteran
Thanks, Peter, I'm not quite sure why a lot of the lenses are so super fast. Especially, as they will be on cameras that have 26,000 ISO. I'm not big on equipment but is seems to me that these companies that are trying to sell to digital photographers, so why aren't they making lenses that are higher optical quality (so less unnecessary speed) albeit with slightly lower build quality. I know that horsepower is big in the East and here in California. So is it just marketing?
Thanks for posting this.
Thanks for posting this.
peterm1
Veteran
John cheers. I am not sure myself but I expect that they have worked out that people are into bokeh and "character" these days so providing it becomes a key selling point for them. Also a lens designed for a small sensor camera is itself scaled down, so f2 (say) on one of these lenses is "only" the equivalent of a full frame lens with aperture of f2.8 in terms of its ability to throw the background out of focus since the physical size of the aperture is smaller and that's what is important.
So I reckon they are simply chasing what they think the market wants - lots of blur plus of course something that sounds cool like f0.95 so people can go "wow - I must have one". It works for me as I find myself wanting one too even though the logical part of me knows its pointless as I have quite enough lenses that do the job. Still it keeps the hurdy gurdy revolving and money coming in for the companies to stay alive.
Brian Legge
Veteran
The world flooded with smart phone photos - good ones - that are limited to bokeh that resembles f/11 with a full frame camera. That makes bokeh an interesting appealing tool for people who want to differentiate photos from the average cellphone snapshot. Sub-35mm sensor sizes mean fast apertures for wider lenses.
Alternatively, super-speed lenses are a good way for lens manufactures to offer something in a market flooded with legacy lenses and cameras with all sorts of compatibility.
Many amateurs who are using cameras and not phones are holding on to bodies longer. That means many still are using gear that doesn't have great low light performance.
Throw in the ability to make these lenses more efficiently than in the past and you have a recipe for a slew of super speed lenses.
Alternatively, super-speed lenses are a good way for lens manufactures to offer something in a market flooded with legacy lenses and cameras with all sorts of compatibility.
Many amateurs who are using cameras and not phones are holding on to bodies longer. That means many still are using gear that doesn't have great low light performance.
Throw in the ability to make these lenses more efficiently than in the past and you have a recipe for a slew of super speed lenses.
michaelwj
----------------
In my opinion, it's more forgivable to make an imperfect fast lens compared to an imperfect slow lens. Photographers are used to giving up quality for speed, these lenses are really pushing the limits of how much quality are we willing to sacrifice for super speed and bokeh? On the other hand, a 50 f/2 better be perfect because there are plenty of "perfect" ones on the market already.
Huss
Veteran
peterm1
Veteran
A further lens I just noticed (from late 2015 / early 2016) is an SLR magic 50mm f1.1 for Sony E mount configured for video and sold as a specialized lens for this purpose though of course it could be used for stills.
Of course SLR magic had previously also released various other lenses including a 35mm T 0.95, 23mm T1.7 and 17mm T 1.6. Plus of course a fast 50 T0.95 for M43 and one for Leica M as well. I had forgotten about SLR Magic in my original post though I was aware of them previously.
The 50mm f1.1 bears similarities to the Kamlan and makes me wonder if Kamlan is a rebadged version. Both have 6 elements and even their pricing was more or less similar.
http://briansmith.com/slr-magic-cine-50mm-f1-1-sony-e-mount-lens/
Of course SLR magic had previously also released various other lenses including a 35mm T 0.95, 23mm T1.7 and 17mm T 1.6. Plus of course a fast 50 T0.95 for M43 and one for Leica M as well. I had forgotten about SLR Magic in my original post though I was aware of them previously.
The 50mm f1.1 bears similarities to the Kamlan and makes me wonder if Kamlan is a rebadged version. Both have 6 elements and even their pricing was more or less similar.
http://briansmith.com/slr-magic-cine-50mm-f1-1-sony-e-mount-lens/
kuuan
loves old lenses
dreamy images with very narrow dof seem particularily loved by a good number of Asian photographers. Selling fast but not expensive lenses in their home market or around Asia only could already be profitable for Chinese producers, luckily we get most of the choice too.
JoeV
Thin Air, Bright Sun
I can say that I've acquired the 7artisans 25mm f/1.8 in micro-4/3 mount, for the pricey sum of less than $80us. 50mm equivalent angle of view. Manual focus, step-less aperture ring, 9 or 11-bladed curved aperture (can't remember which). Good build quality. Wow! What a value lens.
Not the sharpest wide open, but the diminutive size and handling are great. Pretty darned good bokeh, for what that's worth. Stopped down a bit, I see little keeping me from being creative with it. Best of all I think is its use as a video lens, being able to manually pull focus and adjusted exposure via the aperture while recording. An unheard of value proposition.
I'm no longer seeing the need to use my 24mm Minolta mount lens with MD-m43 adapter on my m43 bodies; the 7artisans lens is better in almost every respect.
~Joe
Not the sharpest wide open, but the diminutive size and handling are great. Pretty darned good bokeh, for what that's worth. Stopped down a bit, I see little keeping me from being creative with it. Best of all I think is its use as a video lens, being able to manually pull focus and adjusted exposure via the aperture while recording. An unheard of value proposition.
I'm no longer seeing the need to use my 24mm Minolta mount lens with MD-m43 adapter on my m43 bodies; the 7artisans lens is better in almost every respect.
~Joe
squirrel$$$bandit
Veteran
I'd been wondering about this lens for Fuji—thanks for the mini-review!
raid
Dad Photographer
I have been eying this lens for a while now, but I already have the wonderful 25/1.4 "Lux" AF by Panasonic. Is the 7artisans lens AF too?
Michael Markey
Veteran
I had another play with the 7 Artisan 50/1.1 this weekend ...in not ideal conditions ... but its growing on me.
peterm1
Veteran
And yet more lenses................... The Meike Digital Technology company, which I know for its production of photographic accessories like camera flashes and after-market battery grips (pretty good quality here at least), is also trying its hand at digital camera lenses - though I have no idea if they just market them under their own name or actually produce and assemble them. And I have no idea about their quality. Lenses including 12mm, 25mm, 28mm, 35mm, 50mm are all in their lineup. Their list also includes a 25mm f0.95. Lenses capable of f0.95 seem to be the latest fashionable photographic "must-have" for photographers - it seems that everyone and their dog is producing, or at least marketing them. In the 1950's fashionable women wanted a diamond necklace to hang around their neck (or so the old Hollywood movies tell us). Today for photographers it is a camera bearing a super fast and frequently a super wide lens. :^)
peterm1
Veteran
I have actually continued to use the older Panasonic / Leica 25mm f1,4 made for the original 4/3 cameras, with of course, an AF adapter for 4/3 to M43. It is very big of course when mounted on M43 cameras but I do not mind this. Of slightly greater concern is that the lens hunts a little when focusing but this is not a major issue. The IQ is so nice I feel no need to upgrade - if indeed it is an upgrade as a number of reports suggest this lens is as good if not slightly better than the native M43 equivalent. In any event I tend to favour character lenses and this has character in "trumps".
raid
Dad Photographer
The m4/3 25/1.4 is really a very fine performer overall. I get many beautiful images with it.
peterm1
Veteran
That is good to hear Raid. One day I may get one of these but for now I am happy with mine. Besides I have a fetish for big lenses (oh my aching back!).
peterm1
Veteran
Good grief more and more of these things keep leaping out at me unbidden courtesy of how Google presents similar stuff. A Kerlee 35mm f12. for Sony is the next lens I have never heard of that is never the less available. This one looks to be a high spec lens in build and its optics perform quite well from what I can see though apparently softish wide open. All metal with 11 elements and weighing 1 lb 10 oz and modern appearance in the style of Zeiss lenses. It sells in the high $600 range.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QN-EJjd9LBw
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QN-EJjd9LBw
raid
Dad Photographer
I know what you mean, Peter. For local photography, I enjoy using a Zeiss Planar 85/1.4 and 50/1.4 on m4/3 cameras. Cool stuff!