Leica Showcase 7Artisans 50mm F1.1 M-Mount lens

[Brian]

Closest Focus, wide-open.

Test: 7Artisans 50/1.1 on M9 by fiftyonepointsix, on Flickr

At F1.5,

Test: 7Artisans 50/1.1 on M9 by fiftyonepointsix, on Flickr

Close focus, wide-open.

Test: 7Artisans 50/1.1 on M9 by fiftyonepointsix, on Flickr

At F1.5,

Test: 7Artisans 50/1.1 on M9 by fiftyonepointsix, on Flickr

 

[Brian]

Nothing-but-a-test for distance, wide-open. Wanted to see if there was color smearing of the white clouds in the corner. The cloud edge looks good.

Test: 7Artisans 50/1.1 on M9 by fiftyonepointsix, on Flickr

At F1.5.

Test: 7Artisans 50/1.1 on M9 by fiftyonepointsix, on Flickr

That's not vignetting in the upper left corner, that's an out of focus portion of a tree against the cloud.

Will be doing better tests this week, then replace this shot.

Overall: This lens does great on the M9. I use the IR cut filter as I do on the 50/1.1 Nokton. But- this lens will be getting most use on the M Monochrom with the Y2 filter and the Nokton will mostly go on the M9.

 

[Raid]

Have you adjusted anything yet on your lens, Brian, or is this directly from the lens as it arrived to you?

 

[Brian]

This is all out of the Box for the lens, I did not adjust anything. They nailed it! On my 50/1.1 Nokton: I added one layer of Copper tape to the RF Cam to focus this accurately on the M9.

 

[M. Valdemar]

I thought I was going to have to adjust mine, but after making about 100 exposures on my M9, I concluded that the focus was about as good as it could get.

 

[Raid]

Maybe the Chinese company has QC "under control"? This is great.

 

[M. Valdemar]

I would not denigrate Chinese companies. I'm happy I bought early and I'm satisfied with my lens. I should have bought two or three. I'll bet in a year I could have sold them for a good profit.

I may go to the Canton Trade Fair in October, courtesy of my company. If I go I'll see what else is floating around.

At any rate, these lenses are generating a lot of buzz on the various photo forums.

 

[Brian]

A lot of companies need to get QC under control, from many countries. Undertaking the production of an RF coupled Sonnar formula F1.1 lens: I'm amazed and pleased with my lens. I've read some accounts of lenses that cannot be calibrated for both close-up and distance, meaning the focal length is off. I would expect these issues from a new production line, or from one that is a victim of their own success. The alternative is to raise prices. I'm glad to have this lens, and if they are all as good as mine at this price: I expect and WANT to see a line of RF coupled M-Mount lenses from this company.

But for now: this lens is a real winner.

We went to the Marine Museum in Quantico, VA today. As Leicaplace members know, one of my favorite places to visit and do comparison shots with many lenses.

I brought the M9 with the 7Artisans 50/1.1 and an IR/UV cut filter. I shot wide-open, and stopped down to F1.5.

7Artisans 50/1.1 Test, Wide-Open by fiftyonepointsix, on Flickr

7Artisans 50/1.1, at F1.5 by fiftyonepointsix, on Flickr

 

[Brian]

Wide-Open,

7Artisans 50/1.1 Wide-Open by fiftyonepointsix, on Flickr

F1.5,

7Artisans 50/1.1 Test, F1.5 by fiftyonepointsix, on Flickr

I donated the graphical firing table for this display- the original was stolen.

 

[Brian]

Wide-Open, ISO 2500.

7Artisans 50/1.1 Wide-Open by fiftyonepointsix, on Flickr

Wide-Open, ISO640.

7Artisans 50/1.1 Test, Wide-Open by fiftyonepointsix, on Flickr

 

[Brian]

Wide-Open, Close-up

7Artisans 50/1.1 Wide-Open by fiftyonepointsix, on Flickr

At F1.5,

7Artisans 50/1.1 Test, F1.5 by fiftyonepointsix, on Flickr

 

[Brian]

Wide-Open, ever feel like this at work?

7Artisans 50/1.1 Wide-Open by fiftyonepointsix, on Flickr

At F1.5,

7Artisans 50/1.1 Test, F1.5 by fiftyonepointsix, on Flickr

 

[Brian]

Wide-Open, or feel like this at work...

7Artisans 50/1.1 Wide-Open by fiftyonepointsix, on Flickr

7Artisans 50/1.1 Test, F1.5 by fiftyonepointsix, on Flickr

 

[Brian]

Wide-Open, focus on the Pilot's Site.

7Artisans 50/1.1 Wide-Open by fiftyonepointsix, on Flickr

At F1.5,

7Artisans 50/1.1 Test, F1.5 by fiftyonepointsix, on Flickr

 

[Brian]

Wide-Open, close-up.

7Artisans 50/1.1 Wide-Open by fiftyonepointsix, on Flickr

Any complaints about this lens, please speak into the Microphone.

 

[Brian]

Wide-Open,

7Artisans 50/1.1 Wide-Open by fiftyonepointsix, on Flickr

At F1.5,

7Artisans 50/1.1 Test, F1.5 by fiftyonepointsix, on Flickr

Our trained operators will be happy to speak with you.

 

[Brian]

I will keep a watch for when REV2 of this lens comes out, and the issues with customs clears up. I will probably buy a second one in Black. But, if it "disappears", will be very happy to have a very special Cult lens: A 50/1.1 Sonnar the likes not seen since the Zunow 5cm F1.1. Funny thing: this new lens sells for what the Zunow went for almost 60 years ago.

Wide-Open,

7Artisans 50/1.1 Wide-Open by fiftyonepointsix, on Flickr

At F1.5,

7Artisans 50/1.1 Test, F1.5 by fiftyonepointsix, on Flickr

This lens appears to have very good flatness of field over most of the image. There was an 8-element Zeiss Sonnar prototype made in the 1940s that added a field-correction lens as the last element. I believe this design, and the Zunow, incorporated such a correction into their design. I can focus on the eyes with the RF, recompose the shot, and not have to add the "mental fudge factor" for field-curvature as I do with the Nikkors and pre-war Sonnars.

 

[Hamish Gill]

Hi all, I hope it's ok to post this here - I have just posted my first part of an ongoing review - DJ-Optical / 7Artisans 50mm f/1.1 (ongoing) Review - 35mmc

 

[Brian]

Excellent and Fair evaluation. On the aperture ring action, mine is very smooth. Some sample-to-sample variation will occur, especially with the first lenses out of any production line. I used to wait before buying a new product, but of late- probably have the first Jupiter-3+ in the country, and one of the first 7Artisans lens. M. Valdemar has me beat, had the seller ship using DHL...

Your setup on the M Monochrom with Chrome 50/1.1 7Artisans lens and magnifier looks just like my own.
I've been using a 55->58 step up ring and Y2 filter with vented hood on the Monochrom and a UV/IR cut on the M9. I hope 7Artisans gets the supply of these lenses rolling again soon.

 

[Brian]

Well- I ordered one in Black, seller states it will be here late September. Same price as before, but most sellers are raising prices from $30 to $100.

I'll be interested to see if it is the revised version, I suspect that has caused a delay in production. I'll test on the M3DS.

I got tired of changing filters on the lens to use on the M9 and M Monochrom. I'm selling one of my converted 5cm F1.5 Sonnars. Somehow I've collected 10 5cm F1.5 Sonnars in LTM, either converted or original. I can get by with 9. That is not counting the J-3's...