[Leica] 7 Artisans 50mm F1.1 Lens

[jayanand at gmail.com (Jayanand Govindaraj)]

The new Nikon 58mm f1.4, based on the legendary ?Noct Nikkor?, is quite deliberately designed for creamy bokeh and smooth fall off and not pure sharpness. Seems a lot like what you describe.

I was quite intrigued by this lens, so Nikon India, at my request, are sending me a demo to try out next week. 

Cheers
Jayanand

Sent from my iPad

> On 05-Jan-2018, at 00:14, Frank Filippone <red735i at verizon.net> wrote:
> 
> I bought one of these from Amazon last year ($369).  Only over Christmas did
> I get to really try it out..
> 
> 
> 
> I own a Noctilux, 3rd version. Not the new F0.95 version, but the 1.0
> version.  I thought that maybe I could buy this cheapie, and sell off the
> Nocti..   Put several thousand dollars back into the coffers...
> 
> I also own a 50mm F1.4 Summilux ASPH, the sharpest lens I have ever run
> across. 
> 
> My Monochrom is back from its stay in Allendale.. So it was the right time
> to try the lens on the Monochrom body and run it against the Summilux.
> 
> 
> 
> The focus seems right on.  There is the possibility to adjust the RF cam,
> but I did not have to do the adjustment, everything worked just fine.
> 
> 
> 
> I shot wide open. why else buy this lens?
> 
> 
> 
> There is a creamy edge to all of the images taken, from F1.1 to about F2.8
> After that, the creaminess disappears.  It is a pleasant effect.  Soft
> renditions of an earlier time and place.  But if you think this is in the
> less well focused areas, you are wrong.  It is creamy all over.  Focused
> areas or not...  May will love this for portraiture.  Maybe for some
> landscapes.
> 
> 
> 
> But it you LOVE sharpness, and pursue tit with lenses like the 50 ASPH Lux,
> this lens is so different it takes some time to comprehend.  I am not there
> yet.
> 
> 
> 
> Do I like what I shot?  Depends, as a shot of my Son worked out real well.
> But a shot of my future DIL was way more interesting ( technically?) but it
> showed every pore on her face...   The shot of her with the 7 artisans, was
> much smoother.  Of course, it also means there was nothing sharp.  So I like
> everything smooth or everything sharp?
> 
> Not so sure yet..
> 
> 
> 
> Next thing to try out is the 7 Artisans against my Nocti.
> 
> 
> 
> Maybe this week...
> 
> 
> 
> BTW, the Techart Leica M to Sony A7II (and other) AF adapter worked real
> well..   That was a real win.
> 
> 
> 
> Frank Filippone
> 
> 
> 
> Red735i at verizon.net
> 
> 
> 
> 
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