All posts by Martin

Martin M.H. lives outside Stockholm, Sweden. He is a M.Sc. in Computer Technology but he has been a passionate photographer for over 50 years. He started his photographic adventures when he was thirteen with an Agfamatic pocket camera, which he soon replaced with a Canon rangefinder camera that his mom gave him in his teenages. After that he has been using Canon SLR, Nikon SLR manual focus and Autofocus, Sony mirrorless crop sensor, Nikon DSLR and Nikon Mirrorless. He has photographed any genre he could throughout the years and you can see all kind of images in his portfolio. During the later years though it has been mostly landscape, nature, travel and some street/documentary photography.
Review, Vintage, Zeiss

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

6 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-icon2I 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/1.8
Nikon Zf | CZJ Pancolar 50mm F/1.8 | f/1.8
Nikon Zf | CZJ Pancolar 50mm F/1.8 | f/4.5
Nikon Zf | CZJ Pancolar 50mm F/1.8 | f/1.8

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

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

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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-icon2I 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 | 7Artisans AF 24mm F/1.8 | f/8
Nikon Zf | 7Artisans AF 24mm F/1.8 | f/1.8
Nikon Zf | 7Artisans AF 24mm F/1.8 | f/1.8
Nikon Zf | 7Artisans AF 24mm F/1.8 | f/1.8
Nikon Zf | 7Artisans AF 24mm F/1.8 | f/8
Nikon Zf | 7Artisans AF 24mm F/1.8 | f/1.8

Continue reading REVIEW: 7Artisans AF 24mm f/1.8 →

Analogue, B&W Negative

Analogue Photography: Part 4 – Ilford HP5 Plus at a Historical Engine Factory

21 Comments

Introduction

After getting back into film and starting the Analogue Photography series with the iconic Kodak Tri-X, I turned to its European counterpart for this round — the equally legendary Ilford HP5 Plus. Long favored by press photographers, photojournalists, and enthusiasts who needed a reliable workhorse, HP5 Plus has earned its reputation as a versatile and forgiving black-and-white film.

For this installment, I chose a location much older than the film stock itself — a historic engine factory that felt like the perfect match: the Pythagoras Hot-Bulb Engine Factory.

Engine operator Kent-Peder Stiggel
Machine details A
Drilling tool and the factory

Continue reading Analogue Photography: Part 4 – Ilford HP5 Plus at a Historical Engine Factory →

7Artisans, lenses, Review

REVIEW: 7Artisans AF 10mm f/2.8 (APS-C)

2 Comments

Introduction

Just two years ago, finding a true ultra wide-angle prime for APS-C cameras felt like chasing a unicorn. But that’s changed fast. A wave of new releases—many from Chinese lens makers—has opened up a lot of new options for APS-C shooters. Now, 7Artisans joins the mix with its 10mm f/2.8, a lens that promises a lot for its price. Can it really stand out in this crowded new field? Let’s find out.

camera-icon2I tested this lens on a Nikon Zfc.
You can see this review as a YouTube video here!
Sample images in high resolution here.

Sample Images

Nikon Zf | 7Artisans AF 24mm F/1.8 | f/5
Nikon Zf | 7Artisans AF 24mm F/1.8 | f/4Nikon Zfc | 7Artisans AF 10mm F/2.8 | f/13
Nikon Zfc | 7Artisans AF 10mm F/2.8 | f/5
Nikon Zfc | 7Artisans AF 10mm F/2.8 | f/11
Nikon Zfc | 7Artisans AF 10mm F/2.8 | f/11
Nikon Zfc | 7Artisans AF 10mm F/2.8 | f/8

Continue reading REVIEW: 7Artisans AF 10mm f/2.8 (APS-C) →