One of my first rangefinder lenses was the 50mm f0.95 Noctilux, which offers one of the most extreme light gathering apertures available to commercial photographers. I used this...
When I first looked at the 7Artisans 5mm f/1.1 specs I asked myself if this could be a kind of 'everyman’s Noctilux'. But hand in hand with this question comes the scepticism. I...
10 December, 2017
Leica 50mm f/2 Summicron v3 – Cameraworks Restoration Review
A few years ago a mate of mine bought a v3 50mm Leica Summicron that could be best described as a bit of a dog. Optically, it was spot on, but mechanically it looked and felt a ...
30 September, 2017
7Artisans 50mm f/1.1 – First Roll – by Barnaby Nutt
At some point last week, I saw Hamish’s tantalising pictures on social media of ten boxes containing the new 7Artisans, 50mm lenses that he had for sale. It’s a lens that’s been...
16 September, 2017
Voigtlander 50mm 3.5 VM Heliar – a review of two halves
The Voigtlander f/3.5 50mm VM Heliar is a unusual lens that appears to me to have a fairly quiet, but almost invariably positive reputation. There isn’t a huge amount writ...
29 July, 2017
7Artisans 50mm f/1.1 (ongoing) Review
It's fair to say that DJ-Optical 7Artisans 50mm f/1.1 has caused a bit of a stir in the world of rangefinder photographers. The forums are alive with speculation and commentary,...
20 February, 2017
Fed4 & Industar И-61 lens review – Back in the USSR – by Howard Hurd
Early experiences with Soviet cameras left a lasting impression. I have always wondered what I would think if I used these cameras again today, after more years of experience in...
29 December, 2016
Voigtlander f/1.5 50mm Nokton LTM – Review by Hern Tan
The Voigtlander Nokton f/1.5 50mm is a lens that has long been compared to, unfairly, as the lesser of the two 50mm f/1.5 lenses offered in M mount (or in this case LTM), being ...