About a year after the release of the Zeiss Otus 28mm 1.4 Distagon – to the surprise of many – Zeiss released this Zeiss Milvus 25mm 1.4 Distagon. Almost as complex optical design, almost as big, almost as heavy, but “only” half the price – making it the most expensive lens of the Milvus lineup. What are you giving up in terms of performance compared to the 28mm Otus? Let’s try to find out in this review.
From 2004 to 2018 Nikon produced 14 different AF-S primes from 20 to 200mm for fullframe with maximum apertures ranging from f/1.4 to f/2.0. Among those the “Gold Ring” primes were the highlight of the F-mount lens lineup, mostly aimed at professional photographers, who were not satisfied by the light gathering capabilities of the f/2.8 zooms. The f/1.8 primes on the other hand were aimed at consumers looking for more affordable options. Some of these lenses can be found at very attractive prices on the used market today, so after having used all of them personally, I thought it was time to give you this overview.
Continue reading The Rated list of the fast Nikon AF-S f/1.4 | f/1.8 | f/2.0 F-mount Primes
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.
I tested this lens on a Nikon Zfc.
You can see this review as a YouTube video here!
Sample images in high resolution here.
In 2023 there are plenty of lens manufacturers originating from China speaking to various different target audiences. While some are the Primark of the lens industry – simply trying to offer cheaper alternatives to the reknown manufacturers of lower quality – others have become the actual innovators in the photography lens business.
Having used more than 80 of those lenses from 15 different manufacturers I thought it is a good time to highlight the best ones I came across.
Update November 2025: many new lenses added, many of the lenses listed here are currently discounted thanks to Black Friday Promotions, currently discounted prices are marked in red
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.
