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7artisans 50mm F1.1 Leica M Mount


AntonioF

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Pub Portrait.

M8.2, 7a, 1/10th f1.1, ISO 160.

 

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Pip.

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I'm still just getting the hang of the 7a but I'm enjoying the experience very much.

So much so, in fact, that I bought a second example in the satin-chrome finish.

 

Cue Gratuitous Snapshot;

D-lux 4, 1/25 f2.8, ISO 400.

 

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Pip.

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Oh I just posted my opinion about the 7Artisans on our blog

German ( https://www.qimago.de/7artisans-dj-optical-50mm-f1-1-das-lichtwunder-fuer-leica-m/)

and for the ones who prefer english thsi way please:

https://www.35mmc.com/17/12/2017/7artisans-50mm-f1-1-everymans-noctilux/

 

 

I just left a comment on the blog, but I agree with your takeaways. Here's my gallery of mostly film shots with the 50mm 1.1 : 

 

https://www.flickr.com/photos/bicyclelad/albums/72157686177874124

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I'm still just getting the hang of the 7a but I'm enjoying the experience very much.

So much so, in fact, that I bought a second example in the satin-chrome finish.

 

Cue Gratuitous Snapshot;

D-lux 4, 1/25 f2.8, ISO 400.

 

attachicon.gifL1110047 lo-res.jpg

 

Pip.

 

Did you notice any sample to sample variations of the two lenses? Or are they performing pretty much the same?

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Did you notice any sample to sample variations of the two lenses? Or are they performing pretty much the same?

 

From my limited time spent testing them back-to-back (near-focus; mid-focus; infinity) once calibrated they seem to perform in an identical fashion.

I also took the opportunity to test them against my Summicron and Elmar 50's. The results were Very Interesting Indeed! But that's a whole other topic...

 

For the near-focus fine-tune calibration / tests I used an engineer's steel rule as my datum. Some minor adjustment was necessary with both lenses using the small screwdriver which is included in the box and following the instructions supplied. This is quite straightforward with a digital body.

 

Pip.

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.......I also took the opportunity to test them against my Summicron and Elmar 50's. The results were Very Interesting Indeed! But that's a whole other topic... .......

 

Are you going to write about those results? I would be very interested...

The results from this little 400 Euro lens look very pleasing and it seems that this lens is more than worth it.

 

I really think I will order one after christmas is over.

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Are you going to write about those results? I would be very interested...

 

To go into the whole story would take more time than I have got at the minute but I'll try to give the edited highlights if that will do for the interim?

 

Sharpness;

As you would expect the Summicron is the winner in all measurable areas with the greatest definition, least distortion and most neutral colour rendering.

The 7a's when used at f1.1 and f1.4 had the expected optical abberations but by f2 the sharpness had improved to be almost on a par with the Summicron. The latter, of course, is wide-open at this aperture and hence performing at its worst but the fact that the 7a is almost as good came as a big surprise. At f2.8 the Summicron starts to pull away but there's not that much of a difference. By f8 I'd be hard-pressed to tell the two apart solely in terms of absolute sharpness on a computer screen.

 

Distortion;

The Summicron has no barrel / pincushion distortion. Neither does the Elmar. The 7a have slight barrel distortion. This could be dialled-out by using a 1.5 adjustment in Photoshop's 'Lens Correction' panel.

 

Colour balance;

Checked with a colour-checker and body set to 5,500k (my light source was the sun) the Summicron was neutral. The 7a's were slightly warm and with more saturation. Contrast was similar to the Summicron.

The Elmar, on the other hand was colder, had less saturation and less contrast.

 

Conclusions in brief;

The Elmar was the least satisfying but, although I've never noticed it under-performing before, it's quite an old example and may well benefit from a CLA.

The Summicron was the 'best' overall - as you might expect.

The 7a's performances, however, were MUCH closer to those of the Summicron than I would have believed before the test (*). As such a lens which I fully expected to be a 'One Trick Pony'; i.e. only likely to be of use for 'character' portraiture shots wide open (as in my two examples in post #285 & #286) can, in reality, be used in all real-world situations and be able to produce results similar enough to the Summicron to satisfy 99% of my snapping needs.

 

And as far as a 'character' lens goes this has more character than pretty much any lens I've ever used in my 40-odd years as a snapper.

 

I know none of this was carried out under 'true' lab conditions but the conditions were standardised enough to make such comparisons as have been made justifiable.

 

IMO, of course.

 

Pip.

 

(*) I've also done a quick check with them pitted against my Canon DSLR's 50mm prime and, from f4 down, the 7a outperforms the Canon lens.

Edited by pippy
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Thank you very much for this advanced insight, Pip!

I struggled with the idea of buying the latest pre asph Summilux 50 and also was tempted of owning a F1 Noctilux....

But for 400 Euro and the beautiful results this lens can produce, this looks like a no brainer to me!

 

I am planning to use this lens at f1.1-f1.4 and for all the other things to do with a 50mm lens I have a Summicron V...

Edited by BerkMillers
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I......was tempted of owning a F1 Noctilux....But for 400 Euro and the beautiful results this lens can produce, this looks like a no brainer to me!......I am planning to use this lens at f1.1-f1.4 and for all the other things to do with a 50mm lens I have a Summicron V...

 

Glad to see that my musings might have been of some interest, Berk.

I doubt the 7a is in the same league as a Noctilux but for the asking price it is, as you say, a no-brainer.

 

I, too, was expecting to use it only at f1.1 and f1.4 purely for the unique rendering it has - hence my surprisee at the performance stopped-down and like you I will still be using my Summicron for most work due to size and weight but if, by any chance, the 7a is 'on' and needs to be stopped down it's reassuring to know that the results will be more than acceptable.

 

It would help if those with a commercial interest in flogging this lens would say so.

 

I, for one, have no connection to the 7a group whatsoever.

 

Pip.

Edited by pippy
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It would help if those with a commercial interest in flogging this lens would say do.

 

 

I do not have any commercial interest in this glass. I do not earn a penny if someone buys this lens. Neither from Hamish nor from anywhere else.

I just let the world know what I think of gear I use.

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Has anyone compared this lens with the 50mm f/1.5 Sonnar ZM?

 

I haven't seen any direct back-to-back comparisons between the two but Hamish Gill has posted quite in-depth reviews of both on the 35mmc site.

The 7a one has been posted here a few pages back but just to make things easier for you here are both of the relevant links;

 

https://www.35mmc.com/22/11/2015/zeiss-zm-f1-5-50mm-c-sonnar/

 

https://www.35mmc.com/29/07/2017/dj-optical-7artisans-50mm-f1-1-review/

 

As you might expect they share many of the same qualities and characteristics.

 

Pip.

Edited by pippy
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I haven't seen any direct back-to-back comparisons between the two but Hamish Gill has posted quite in-depth reviews of both on the 35mmc site.

The 7a one has been posted here a few pages back but just to make things easier for you here are both of the relevant links;

 

https://www.35mmc.com/22/11/2015/zeiss-zm-f1-5-50mm-c-sonnar/

 

https://www.35mmc.com/29/07/2017/dj-optical-7artisans-50mm-f1-1-review/

 

As you might expect they share many of the same qualities and characteristics.

 

Pip.

 

Many thanks.

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I haven't seen any direct back-to-back comparisons between the two but Hamish Gill has posted quite in-depth reviews of both on the 35mmc site.

The 7a one has been posted here a few pages back but just to make things easier for you here are both of the relevant links;

 

https://www.35mmc.com/22/11/2015/zeiss-zm-f1-5-50mm-c-sonnar/

 

https://www.35mmc.com/29/07/2017/dj-optical-7artisans-50mm-f1-1-review/

 

As you might expect they share many of the same qualities and characteristics.

 

Pip.

 

That's an excellent review and confirms my own findings about the Zeiss Sonnar.

 

I don't think there's room for the Sonnar and the 7a in my life. I'll stick with the Sonnar.

 

Thanks again.

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  • 2 weeks later...

And now I received mine. Much better built than I had expected. Honestly I had to do a little adjusting since it was backfocusing quite a bit. That got better. Now we just need some better weather here in Denmark so that I can outside to try it out. It sure looks promising to me - and then for the tenth of the prize for my Summilux 50.

Kind greetings from wet, grey and cold Dk.

 

Klaus

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And now I received mine. Much better built than I had expected. Honestly I had to do a little adjusting since it was backfocusing quite a bit. That got better. Now we just need some better weather here in Denmark so that I can outside to try it out. It sure looks promising to me - and then for the tenth of the prize for my Summilux 50.

Kind greetings from wet, grey and cold Dk.

 

Klaus

Congrats and enjoy! [emoji16]

 

 

 

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