REVIEW: Meike 85mm f/1.4 FF STM

January 18, 2026 Martin 8 Comments

Introduction

Meike is stepping up its autofocus game with a bold new lens: an 85mm f/1.4. While it’s not their first AF lens, it’s a pro favourite for portraits and shots that really make the subject pop, with that classic strong subject separation. Meike even claims it’s China’s first 85mm f/1.4 portrait flagship lens—a pretty bold statement. Naturally, I was curious to see it for myself when they offered a copy for review. Let’s find out how good it really is.

camera-icon2 I tested this lens on a 46 Mp Nikon Z7ii (Sample images were taken with a Nikon Zf)
You can see this review as a YouTube video here!
Sample images in high resolution here.

Sample Images

Continue reading REVIEW: Meike 85mm f/1.4 FF STM →

Leica M, Review, Thypoch

Review: Thypoch 21mm 3.5 Ksana Epoch

January 13, 2026 BastianK 5 Comments

Introduction

thypoch ksana epoch 73 coating 21mm 3.5 compact leica m10 m11 m9 m8 m10r review 42mp 24mp 61mp contrast sharpness bokeh vignetting limited — Thypoch 21mm 3.5 Ksana on Leica M10

After Simera and Eureka Thypoch’s next lens lineup is called Ksana. The first lens of this series is the Thypoch 21mm 3.5 Ksana. A modern optical design with aspherical element but coatings reminiscent of Canon’s FD lenses from 1973. An interesting combination on paper, so let’s have a closer look!
Lens is being tested on 24mp Leica M10 and 42mp Sony A7rII

Sample Images

Continue reading Review: Thypoch 21mm 3.5 Ksana Epoch →

Review, Vintage, Zeiss

REVIEW: Carl Zeiss Jena Pancolar 50mm f/1.8 MC

January 11, 2026 Martin 8 Comments

Introduction

Zeiss Jena designed the first Pancolar 50mm with a maximum aperture of f/2 in 1960, partly to offer a faster and better-performing alternative to the Tessar 50mm f/2.8. As competitors began designing and releasing standard 50mm lenses with f/1.8 apertures, Zeiss found it necessary to respond with a lens of similar specification. The result was the Pancolar 50mm f/1.8, which was designed and produced starting in 1964. It was considered one of the best lenses of its era and remains quite popular today. When this lens was around, I was using Japanese cameras and lenses, so I’ve often wondered whether it was better than what I had. Let’s see how it actually performs by modern standards.

camera-icon2 I tested this lens on a 46 Mp Nikon Z7ii (Sample images were taken with a Nikon Zf)
You can see this review as a YouTube video here!
Sample images in high resolution here.

Sample Images

Nikon Zf | CZJ Pancolar 50mm F/1.8 | f/1.8

Nikon Zf | CZJ Pancolar 50mm F/1.8 | f/4.5

Continue reading REVIEW: Carl Zeiss Jena Pancolar 50mm f/1.8 MC →

Analogue, Color Negative, Review

Analogue Photography: Part 5 – Kodak ColorPlus 200 at Nostalgic Car Show

January 7, 2026 Martin 16 Comments

Update January 12, 2026:
After the first publication, several people noted that the colours were off, so I reworked the colour conversion for all the images.
This time I used the Negative Lab Pro software for conversion.
What you see now are the updated versions.

Introduction

In my previous articles, I explored two of the most classic and iconic black-and-white films: Kodak Tri-X and Ilford HP5 Plus. Now I turn my eye to a classic colour negative stock — Kodak ColorPlus 200.

This film is said to be based on an older emulsion technology, one tracing back to the 1970s and 1980s (Kodacolor II / Kodacolor VR). That actually makes it older than Kodak Gold, which many already consider to have a vintage look. So this one should offer an even more vintage feel. Let’s have a look at the images.

Continue reading Analogue Photography: Part 5 – Kodak ColorPlus 200 at Nostalgic Car Show →

7Artisans, lenses, Review

REVIEW: 7Artisans AF 24mm f/1.8

January 4, 2026 Martin 14 Comments

Introduction

In this review, I’m looking at the 7Artisans AF 24mm f/1.8. This focal length works well for landscapes, travel, and street photography. It’s wide enough to capture broad scenes without making compositions overly difficult, and with an f/1.8 maximum aperture, it still allows for pleasing background blur and subject separation at practical shooting distances. Let’s see how it performs.

camera-icon2 I tested this lens on a 46 Mp Nikon Z7ii (Sample images were taken with a Nikon Zf )
You can see this review as a YouTube video here!
Sample images in high resolution here.