All posts by BastianK

My name is Bastian and I am your expert here when it comes to ultra wide angle lenses, super fast portrait lenses (ranging from a 50mm f/0.95 to a 200mm f/1.8) and I also have reviewed way too many 35mm lenses. Don't ask me anything about macro or wildlife shooting though.

Mr. Ding Studio, Nikon, Nikon Z

Review: Mr. Ding Optics 50mm 1.2 Noxlux Z

November 23, 2025 BastianK 8 Comments

Introduction

mr. ding optics studio 50mm 1.2 nikon z review m10 42mp 24mp sony a7rii contrast resolution bokeh coma noxlux — Mr. Ding 50mm 1.2 Z on Nikon Zf

The Mr. Ding Studio 50mm 1.1 Noxlux M has sadly been out of stock for quite some time, but in the meantime the manufacturer updated its design and the lens is now available as this Mr. Ding 50mm 1.2 Noxlux Z for Z-mount – with electronic contacts, still something rare to see among the manual focus lenses from China. Let’s have a look together.

This lens is in many aspects identical to the Mr. Ding 50mm 1.1 M and Syoptic 50mm 1.1, so I will reuse a few sections of my reviews of those lenses.

Sample Images

Continue reading Review: Mr. Ding Optics 50mm 1.2 Noxlux Z →

Analogue

Analogue Adventures – Part 46: Fujichrome Provia 400F (expired)

November 19, 2025 BastianK 2 Comments

I already had a look at Fujichrome Provia 400x and this time we will have a look at its predecessor, Provia 400F, another “half-Tungsten” higher ISO slide film.
Processing (E-6) was done at ProLab in Stuttgart, scanning was done by one of our readers via a DSLR. The pictures you see in this article are from one roll.

fuji fujifilm fujichrome slide film provia 400f wasen wiesen kirmes frühlingsfest review nikon f analogue film hamburg germany f80 nikon af-s 20mm 1.8G — Nikon F80 | Provia 400F | Nikon AF-S 20mm 1.8G

Continue reading Analogue Adventures – Part 46: Fujichrome Provia 400F (expired) →

Canon EF-Mount, Irix, Review

Review: Irix 45mm 1.4 Dragonfly

November 15, 2025 BastianK 10 Comments

Introduction

irix 45mm 1.4 dragonfly firefly blackstone south korea 42mp 61mp 24mp z6 z7 z8 z9 a7iv a7v a7riv a7riii a7r2 a7 a9 a1 review contrast resolution bokeh vignetting coma ca loca sunstars distortion — Irix 45mm 1.4 Dragonfly via metabones adapter on Sony A7rII

At the end of the DSLR era, Irix set out to compete with Samyang (with their XP series) and Zeiss (with their Otus and Milvus series) in the segment of higher end manual focus lenses. Somehow I didn’t come across reviewing any of those Irix lenses yet, but that is about to change now. Will this Irix 45mm 1.4 Dragonfly be a pleasant surprise? Let’s find out in this review.

Sample Images

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Nikon, Nikon, Review

Review: Nikon 50mm 1.8 Series E

November 12, 2025 BastianK 5 Comments

Introduction

nikon 50mm 1.8 serie series e cheap affordable nikkor review 42mp sony nikon z 61mp z6 z7 z8 z9 a7riv a7rv contrast sharpness bokeh vignetting — Nikon 50mm 1.8 Series E on Nikon FM2

In 1979 Nikon released a lineup of cheaper manual focus lenses called “Series E” instead of “Nikkor”. Today we will have a closer look at the Nikon 50mm 1.8 Series E, probably the most popular lens of that series and definitely the smallest.

Sample Images

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Nikon, Nikon, Review

Review: Nikon AF-S 28mm 1.4 E

November 5, 2025 BastianK 3 Comments

Introduction

nikon af-s 28mm 1.4 e n ed sony 42mp 61mp a7rii a7riv a7riii a1 a9iii a7rv review resolution sharpness contrast bokeh vignetting coma z6 z7 z8 z9 — Nikon AF-S 28mm 1.4E via FTZ II on Nikon Zf

Interestingly out of the big camera manufacturers of the (D)SLR era only Nikon ever produced a 28mm 1.4 fullframe lens. They started in 1993 with the world’s first lens with these specifications, the Nikon AF 28mm 1.4D, and then released an updated version in 2017, this Nikon AF-S 28mm 1.4E. It was one of their last f/1.4 primes still designed for DSLRs, so let us find out what it is capable of in this review.