Leica Showcase 7Artisans 75mm F1.25

[Brian]

On the M9, quick tests right out of the Box. No adjustments required, I use a 1.25x magnifier for focus.

First impressions- this lens is FAST, and compact. Much smaller than my 50/1.1 Nokton. Click stops for the aperture mechanisms. Focus very smooth after a brief workout of turning from 0.8m to infinity a couple of times. Close-focus of 0.8m, focus is accurate on my M9 across range. The lens is optimized for wide-open use, this lens has a good bit of focus shift. If you plan to stop down, might be best to optimize for F2. Again- first impression. Edit- I fine-tuned the adjustable cam for my M9. This lens pushes the RF to the limits. Page 2 has many pictures with the lens after adjusting the cam.

Page 1- images with the Cam as set by the factory. Maybe a fraction of an inch off, but made a real difference shooting wide-open.

Wide-Open, close-focus.

Join to see EXIF info for this image (if available)

F1.4,

Join to see EXIF info for this image (if available)

F2,

Join to see EXIF info for this image (if available)

F2.8

Join to see EXIF info for this image (if available)

And at F4:

Join to see EXIF info for this image (if available)

 

[Brian]

Wide-Open, fence test. This lens has good corner-to-corner performance, better than I hoped for.

Join to see EXIF info for this image (if available)

 

[Brian]

Focus takes some care, thin DOF. Wide-Open.

Join to see EXIF info for this image (if available)

Join to see EXIF info for this image (if available)

 

[rayvonn]

Many thanks Brian, appreciated

 

[Brian]

The sun came out, some fall flowers in blossom. Leaves are green- but Fall is around the corner.

You need to nail the focus with this lens. Do not focus past RF coincidence, which is a natural tendency with me. I've nailed focus enough to know the lens is accurate.


Wide-Open

Join to see EXIF info for this image (if available)

100% crop:

Join to see EXIF info for this image (if available)

Focus was on the edge of the blossom. Spot-On.

Midrange, wide-open:

Join to see EXIF info for this image (if available)

100% crop:

Join to see EXIF info for this image (if available)

 

[Brian]

Some more shots, wide-open. I'll eventually stop it down...

Join to see EXIF info for this image (if available)

Join to see EXIF info for this image (if available)

Join to see EXIF info for this image (if available)

100% crop

Join to see EXIF info for this image (if available)

 

[Brian]

Join to see EXIF info for this image (if available)

100% crop-

the image- Spider was blowing in the breeze.

Join to see EXIF info for this image (if available)

 

[M. Valdemar]

What did you pay for it? Where did you get it?

 

[Brian]

I picked this up on Ebay, from "ROXSEN". The lens is selling for $450. That's a bargain, considering the focal length and speed. I picked up a Canon 85/1.5 for about the same price. Next chance I get for a local trip, plan to compare the two.

 

[TraamisVOS]

The 7Artisan lenses come with tools to calibrate it out of the box, is that right?

 

[Brian]

Yes, that is correct- the tool is included. There is a video on the procedure. The focus is perfect across range on my M9. IF I use it with a deep filter (Y3 or Orange) on the M Monochrom, I will most likely need to calibrate it. Focus shifts towards infinity with deep contrast filters on the M Monochrom.

 

[TraamisVOS]

I was discussing in the other thread that I don't think I will ever experience focus shift problems because of the way I shoot.

There isn't any other fast telephoto for Leicas right? I think the only other fastest one is the 90mm summicron and that only goes to f/2.

 

[Brian]

There are several fast short-telephoto lenses for Leica, going back the the 8.5cm F1.5 Summarex. Nikon made the 8.5cm F1.5 Nikkor in Leica mount in the 1950s, and Canon made the 85/1.5 Leica mount lens into the 1960s.

Leica Showcase - Canon 85mm F1.5, Super-Speed Telephoto

This lens is the Canon answer to the Summarex 85 1.5 and the Nikkor-SC 8.5cm F1.5. Canon made about 2350 (Peter Kitchingman) of these lenses, Leica made about 4000 Summarex's, and Nikon made about 2000 8.5cm F1.5 lenses total, about 500 in Leica mount. The Canon sells for a fraction of the price...

cameraderie.org

The Canon lens goes for a fraction of the price of the Leica and Nikon lenses. The latter run easily in the $2000 range.

Voigtlander/Cosina has just brought put the 75/1.5, runs under $1000.

Reviewed here:

Review: Voigtländer VM 75mm 1.5 Nokton - phillipreeve.net

Comprehensive review of the Voigtlander 75mm F1.5 which covers real world experience as well as in-depth testing with many full resolution samples.

phillipreeve.net

There is also the Leica 75/1.4 and Leica 75/1.25, the latter at ~$12,000.

SO: Fast/reasonably priced (under $500), the 7Artisans 75/1.25 and Canon 85/1.5. Next up, Voigtlander 75/1.5 at $1000. After that- several $1000 and way up from there.

My 7Artisans 75/1.25 and the Canon 85/1.5 lenses cost me less than the Voigtlander 75/1.5. I'd still like the latter, but will wait.

The Voigtlander 75/1.8 should also be considered as a fast/short lens, reasonable price.

Random Example.

[MINT++]Voigtlander HELIAR classic 75mm F/1.8 VM Lens For Leica M Mount w/Box | eBay

[MINT++]Voigtlander HELIAR classic 75mm F/1.8 VM Lens For Leica M Mount w/Box . Condition is Used. Shipped with USPS Priority Mail.

www.ebay.com

I bet a lot of people are selling their lightly used Heliars for the new lens.

 

[rayvonn]

90mm summicron and that only goes to f/2

F2 when used on a 90mm lens is quite fast I'd have thought, no?

 

[MoonMind]

I bet a lot of people are selling their lightly used Heliars for the new lens.

That's what I think, too. But in all honesty, even then, the 7Artisans looks like a much better deal - the Heliar isn't that sharp and contrasty even stopped down, and it's an unwieldy lens, too.

I love my Summarit 75mm f/2.4 (did the SiJy with it), but the 7Artisans and the new 75mm Nokton both look very interesting; the Nokton is even smaller than the Heliar and clearly outperforms it (see Phillip's review). However, I'll probably abstain because I'm simply not using the focal length enough (and have a great lens already).

M.

 

[TraamisVOS]

I just looked up the Canon lens and it's $2000+ on eBay. 🙁

 

[TraamisVOS]

F2 when used on a 90mm lens is quite fast I'd have thought, no?

It's not bad but the lighting is even worse in some wedding circumstances I shoot in. Any f/stop advantage I can have would be a great help.

 

[Brian]

The Canon lens often comes up for much less than $2000, with some patience you can get it for much less. The availability of the new 7artisans and 75/1.5 Nokton will drive the price of other lenses in this range down. I've seen several on Ebay in the last year under $650. I had a lot of patience, picked up one described as "shows use" but perfect glass.

On the "Completed Auctions", several went for under $700. Some Ebay sellers are delusional with their overpricing.

【EXC+++++】 Canon 85mm F/1.5 L LTM L39 Leica Screw Mount Rangefinder JAPAN #202 | eBay

Optics: EXC+5. Appearance is beautiful. I send a product by EMS.

www.ebay.com

https://www.ebay.com/itm/NEAR-MINT-...034?hash=item41fd852a6a:g:eek:h4AAOSw8~hcWAEd

 

[TraamisVOS]

On the "Completed Auctions", several went for under $700. Some Ebay sellers are delusional with their overpricing.

It's probably the film camera and vintage lens revival. Hasselblad Xpans used to go for $2000 or less, but now they're going for $4500 for the Xpan I to over $7000-$8000 for the Xpan II.

 

[Brian]

Went to Old Town Manassas today, found a Car Show going on. These are Wide-Open. This lens is at my limits of focusing using the RF.

Join to see EXIF info for this image (if available)

Join to see EXIF info for this image (if available)

Join to see EXIF info for this image (if available)

Join to see EXIF info for this image (if available)