At first look, I cherished the brand new 7Artisans 35mm f/1.4 Mark II handbook focus lens. It’s out there for the L-mount, Sony, Canon, and Nikon mirrorless methods. This lens completely seems to be the half on my Leica SL (601). It’s a very strong 286 grams (10.1 oz.), feeling prefer it was hewn from a strong block of metal and glass. Focus and aperture rings rotate easily with the latter having strong detents and the previous being properly damped. The DOF scales are painted purple and white (not engraved). There are 52mm threads on the entrance for filters or an aftermarket hood.
Scope of Supply
The 7Artisans 35mm f/1.4 Mark II was delivered in a well-padded field with an outer sleeve. There was an attachable Leica-esque focus tab, a 7Artisans branded plastic pinch-style entrance lens cap, a rear lens cap, and a gentle drawstring bag. A small instruction pamphlet and guarantee data had been additionally included.
Comparisons
The 7Artisans 35mm f/1.4 Mark II, is constructed for mirrorless methods. It options 7 components in 5 teams and weighs 284 grams (confirmed). Their unique M35mm f/1.4 lens was designed for the Leica M-mount and has 10 components in 9 teams, weighing a said 404 grams. Each have a 10-bladed iris. The M35 retails for $429 USD. This new mirrorless model retails for simply $185! Fairly the worth enchancment.
One of many greatest attracts for me was the scale of this little gem. It has a really related type issue to my first two Sigma DG DN AF lenses, the 45mm f/2.8 Modern and 24mm f/3.5. After all, if one has baggage of cash and is actually attempting to impress their pals, nothing will do however an tailored Leica 35mm Summilx-M for a staggering $5395 USD.
Efficiency
Upon preliminary testing, my love soured a bit. However just for a second. The primary photographs I shot had been of a brick wall on a sunny day. I mounted my trusty 24 MP Leica SL to a Gitzo tripod and headed outdoors. From roughly 3 meters, I leveled the digicam and commenced. I manually centered the primary picture within the sequence (using the 100% magnification function of the SL’s wonderful EVF) then manually adjusted the publicity for every subsequent shot, taking photographs at a number of apertures from wide-open to f/8. The ISO was fastened at 100, AWB was disabled, and I used the DNG RAW file format. Since that is an f/1.4 lens, I didn’t really feel the necessity to check previous f/8 for diffraction.
Apart from the anticipated vignetting, there was a really noticeable softness within the corners of the 7Artisans photographs when shot wide-open. The middle, nonetheless, was sharp throughout the board! With out 6-bit coding, I manually selected the Leica 35mm Summilux pre-ASPH lens profile for the 7Artisans lens. My processing software program, ON1 Photograph Uncooked 2022, didn’t acknowledge, nor appropriate, that lens profile. Your outcomes might range in Adobe Lightroom or Seize One. Additionally, there was a really noticeable distinction within the shade rendering because of lens coatings. Once more, I had fastened the white stability to “Daylight” and there have been no clouds current. The second picture beneath, from the Sigma lens, did profit from computerized distortion correction. The primary variations had been edge softness and a greenish shade solid with the 7Artisans lens. However don’t quit on this lens fairly but!
Actual World Photos
These photographs had been produced in a extra regular vogue utilizing Aperture precedence, Auto ISO and AWB. They had been shot handheld and at numerous distances. I mounted an previous Nikon HR-1 shade (designed for 50mm lenses) to guard the filter threads and will see no added vignetting even when prolonged. I didn’t check for sunstars, flaring, and so forth. After reviewing the DNG photographs, I used to be more than happy with the sharpness and colours. Photos shot at f/8 had been crisp all through. Shut-up photographs, shot extensive open, have a gentle and dreamy look (granted I used to be handholding and attempting to not range my distance to the topic). The DOF at f/1.4 is razor-thin. I think this may be of nice profit to the environmental portraitist.
Conclusions
The manual-focus 7Artisans 35mm f/1.4 Mark II is a pleasure to make use of. It feels premium, with out the premium worth. The construct high quality is kind of exceptional. It may well render the mundane in an inventive vogue, or present a extra medical picture when stopped down. If you’re on the lookout for a compact and distinctive lens to your mirrorless digicam, this quick 35mm is perhaps only for you!
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