Leica Showcase 7Artisans 35mm f/2

Location
Switzerland
Name
Matt
I had a blast today checking out my latest M mount lens, the 7Artisans 35mm f/2.

I must say I'm impressed; while it's of course no equal to more expensive lenses, it's a pretty good lens - and I enjoy the results. I also shot with two of my other 35mm M mount lenses, the Voigtländer 35mm f/1.4 Nokton Classic M.C. and the Zeiss Biogon C 35mm f/2.8. The 7Artisans beats the Voigtländer in terms of sharpness and correction at equivalent apertures (except for distortion; there is CA and soap bubble bokeh, but it's nowhere near as rampant and wild as with the Voigtländer). The Zeiss is superior, with great sharpness, contrast and colour, but it's also a smidgen bigger and one stop slower. All in all, the little 7Artisans is a pleasant surprise.

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For comparison's sake, here's one from the Zeiss.
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PP with darktable, more or less identical (same workflow, some slightly different values).

M.
 
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Oops. I will post with images from this 7a lens on this thread from now on. My last posts with the 7a 35/2 ended up on the showcase thread I started for the XF mount 25mm f1.8. Sorry, Matt. I forgot you started this thread for the lens.
Both are excellent lenses. ;-)
. . . David
 
Oops. I will post with images from this 7a lens on this thread from now on. My last posts with the 7a 35/2 ended up on the showcase thread I started for the XF mount 25mm f1.8. Sorry, Matt. I forgot you started this thread for the lens.
Both are excellent lenses. ;-)
. . . David
No worries, David - I'm happy for you to join it! For X mount, the 25mm f/1.8 is quite an interesting near equivalent, I guess ...

M.
 
Thread necromancy, but ...

Do you still have this lens? If so, how has it held up for you over time both in image and in build? I'm pondering getting a Voigtlander 35/2.8 LTM or older Canon 35/2.8 and recently became aware of this lens. It seems like it might be an interesting one to get instead.
 
Thread necromancy, but ...

Do you still have this lens? If so, how has it held up for you over time both in image and in build? I'm pondering getting a Voigtlander 35/2.8 LTM or older Canon 35/2.8 and recently became aware of this lens. It seems like it might be an interesting one to get instead.
I'm just having a little trouble with it, to tell the truth - it's out of alignment, and even though you can adjust it yourself, I can't seem to get it to work well again. My M10 was re-adjusted recently; now the lens front-focuses; irritatingly, this wasn't the case before ...

I actually quite like that lens - it's (well, was) sharp enough and renders very pleasingly. It's built well enough and feels very nice in use. And, even if it can be fickle, you can adjust any focus problems you may run into yourself - at least in theory (I will have another go at it - I just need some spare time to do it). Those problems are not an issue on mirrorless cameras, anyway - only RF bodies can create them.

So, if you can get it to work (and most people manage that - it may just be me), it's a fine lens to own, and one I actually really love to shoot with.

M.
 
Thread necromancy, but ...

Do you still have this lens? If so, how has it held up for you over time both in image and in build? I'm pondering getting a Voigtlander 35/2.8 LTM or older Canon 35/2.8 and recently became aware of this lens. It seems like it might be an interesting one to get instead.
If you're thinking of the Voïgtlander 35mm f2.5 Color Skopar, I wholeheartedly endorse it. I have the LTM version in silver, and it's a terrific tiny lens with pleasing rendition. Quick and easy to focus with smooth focus transitions in images and nice colors.
 
If you're thinking of the Voïgtlander 35mm f2.5 Color Skopar, I wholeheartedly endorse it. I have the LTM version in silver, and it's a terrific tiny lens with pleasing rendition. Quick and easy to focus with smooth focus transitions in images and nice colors.
Another very convincing alternative is the new Voigtländer Ultron 35mm f/2 - tiny and optically very, very nice. Not quite as smooth when it comes to bokeh, but very crisp and well worth its price; the "type 2" version is pleasantly understated and has a focusing tab - so you'd get a much more reliable lens than the 7Artisans, minus a bit of charme, but with a lot of added value in general terms. I own the "type 1", btw. - and I certainly don't dislike its appearance or handling, but "understated" is my thing, and I do prefer a big, concave tab, so my current recommendation would be the "type 2" over the "Classic" style ... (I won't switch, though).

M.
 
@William Lewis As usual when something's brought up I actually have something to contribute, you made me look into the 7Artisans lens again - and since it was (and is) a potential easy fix, I tried again ...

Well, here's an image from it on the M10, wide open - I'm pretty pleased (again): Almost there, and I know what way to go now.

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Yes, the Voigtländer Ultron I mentioned is certainly technically superior, but it's almost three times the price, and while it has its own unique signature, I really like the smoother, warmer look I get from the 7Artisans. For this kind of shot, I definitely prefer it over the Ultron - as well as over the otherwise "infallible" Biogon C, another favourite lens of mine, which is especially well suited for travel and reportage, but less of a "brush".

M.
 
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