M240 with 7Artisans 50mm 1.1

[raid]

My M9 is at Leica USA (NJ) for sensor replacement, so I got a loaner M 240 camera. Then, I got on same day the 7Artisans 50/1.1 from China. It was pouring rain on that same day, but I took out this camera and lens set to Joe Patti's Seafood in Pensacola to try out the lens (and camera).

link: https://raid.smugmug.com/7Artisans5011M240/i-jX6QjgP

It was challenging to correctly focus the lens wide open, but I gave it a try.

 

[raid]

The lens is heavy and so is the M 240. After one hour of using them both, one of my fingers started to hurt me. It may be the way that I was holding the camera as there is no camera strap. I know that I can focus better on Dana's eyes, so it may have been my focusing or the M240 or the lens or all.

The larger battery in the M240 allowed me quick back-to-back photos without any buffer time.
I have yet no clue how to set the M240 to get DNG files. Here, I got jpg files somehow. I have the camera set to NO for DNG compression. I will look it up.
edited: I tried out SET and it was there! I set it now to DNG+jpg fine.

 

[asimplefarmer]

Thanks for posting your experience Raid. Definitely seems tough to focus it right wide open

 

[raid]

I used this lens on the M8. It was three quick snapshot, and all turned out sharp, compared to using the the M240 and this lens.

 

[Michael Markey]

Looks good Raid.
During my brief time with the lens I found it tricky to focus wide open
I was using PF on an A7s

 

[raid]

I had also a camera that is new to me.

 

[Michael Markey]

Not easy .... I'd be happy with those .

 

[Rob-F]

So how did you rate a loaner M240? Did that come from Leica, or your local dealer? Wish I had one to try out. Of course, I have not yet been told if I'm getting a new sensor. That might have something to do with it.

 

[raid]

Rob: I was very lucky to get a loaner Leica. It seems to be not an everyday event that this happens.

 

[raid]

Not easy .... I'd be happy with those .

I am, Michael. I am appreciating the M8 more than I had before.

 

[Michael Markey]

Interesting .... the lens is never going to be very sharp,I suspect.
It is a Sonnar design or at least that is what I`ve understood it to be .

 

[raid]

Using the lens at 2.0-4.0 will result in sharp images, and therefore this is still a great bargain. The lens can be sharp at 1.1, I think. It may not happen every shot wide open (for me). The M240 is too big or too heavy for me for wide open shots. The M8 feels better somehow. The M9 is like the M8.

 

[raid]

Leica M240: 50/1.1

I will not give up on the M240. It is a great camera.

 

[Huss]

I would not confuse out of focus pictures with lack of lens sharpness.

 

[raid]

Of course. The lens has been evaluated by others to be a sharp lens. It is difficult for me to get the lens to focus correctly with the M240 when using ISO 200 indoors. There is a possibility that my lens and my M240 need to be adjusted for each other. The lens on the M240 may back-focus, Brian has told me.

 

[Ko.Fe.]

It is next to impossible to have person picture at close distance and f1.1. You both breath and it is enough to get it OOF.
I took it at f1.2 then I have f1.2 lens, but with AF and constant AF tracking.
Still, not breathing subject and you have it in focus while you hold your breath.

 

[raid]

It is next to impossible to have person picture at close distance and f1.1. You both breath and it is enough to get it OOF.
I took it at f1.2 then I have f1.2 lens, but with AF and constant AF tracking.
Still, not breathing subject and you have it in focus while you hold your breath.

Nice comment 🙂
I have the option to focus on eyelashes or side of nose or cheeks or ....

 

[Ko.Fe.]

Thank you, Raid.

Forgot, to mention, bokeh is strange once it is getting busy in the background and subject in focus is close, IMO.

 

[raid]

Thank you, Raid.

Forgot, to mention, bokeh is strange once it is getting busy in the background and subject in focus is close, IMO.

The optical design is very similar to that of the vintage Zunow 50 1.1. The bokeh can look crazy. I like it. I bought this lens to something different from I have. I want "crazy".

 

[ReeRay]

With regards to focusing and possible misalignment why not see if you can borrow an EVF. This will enable easier wide open focusing and determine whether focus issues are relevant.