Reviewing Lenses isn’t really worth it

Excuse me for the usage of such a clickbait title. As you may have noticed, lately some big photography related websites went out of business. Others are so loaded with advertising these days, it is barely possible to spot the actual content anymore. Some also opted for membership programs like Patreon. We on the other hand always financed this blog exclusively through unobtrusive affiliate links. This is only possible because it is a passion project by people with actual jobs that just happen to love photography.

Don’t worry: we have no intention to add annoying adverts or introducing a membership/Patreon/Onlyfans system, as I have always been an advocate of free internet and freely accessible information. I also don’t want to push junk software with high margins that I would never want to use myself.

That being said there are many articles here that generate zero income: for example the Analogue Adventures and everything from the Technical Knowledge category, as these are not really about a product that could be bought by you. Same is also true for the reviews of simply bad lenses. Why would you buy them through affiliate links if I told you they suck?

Affiliate links also don’t work for everyone and every item. If you are not from Canada or the US, B&H is surely less attractive. Many people from Germany don’t like ordering directly from Asia because of import duties and some items may also not be available through our affiliate partners at all.

If you find yourself in one of these categories – or if you simply want to support us without using affiliate links – you can do that now by using this Paypal donate button under our articles:

via Paypal

The money you donate will go directly to the author of that article.

PS: In my case any money would be used to track down and review further exotic lenses that you cannot find really useful information on elsewhere (like e.g. the Zeiss Hologon 16mm 8.0 or the Olympus OM 180mm 2.0).

Analogue Adventures – Part 21: Kodak Portra 400

kodak portra 400 analogue leica m6 contax canon fd olympus om
Kodak Portra 400

The Kodak Portra 400 is Kodak’s midspeed film from the Portra series sitting inbetween the Portra 160 and Portra 800. It is also the more expensive ISO 400 color negative film in the Kodak lineup, the cheapter alternative being the Ultramax 400.
Processing (C-41) and scanning was done at urbanfilmlab in Germany.

kodak portra 400 analogue leica m6 contax canon fd olympus om
Leica M6 | MS-Optics 35mm 1.4 | f/2.0 | Kodak Portra 400
kodak portra 400 analogue leica m6 contax canon fd olympus om
Leica M6 | MS-Optics 50mm 1.0 ISM | f/1.4 | Kodak Portra 400
kodak portra 400 analogue leica m6 contax canon fd olympus om
Leica M6 | MS-Optics 35mm 1.4 | f/4.0 | Kodak Portra 400
kodak portra 400 analogue leica m6 contax canon fd olympus om
Leica M6 | MS-Optics 35mm 1.4 | f/8.0 | Kodak Portra 400

Continue reading Analogue Adventures – Part 21: Kodak Portra 400

Review: Meike 50mm 1.2

Introduction

meike 50mm 1.2 e fe review 42mp 61mp sony a7riv coma bokeh fast resolution vignetting ca lateral
Meike 50mm 1.2 on Sony A7rII

It is astonishing how many lens manufacturers there are in China these days. Meike is one of them and around since roughly 2017, but just lately they started producing fullframe lenses and this 50mm 1.2 is one of their first, so let’s have a closer look!

Sample Images

meike 50mm 1.2 e fe review 42mp 61mp sony a7riv coma bokeh fast resolution vignetting ca lateral
Sony A7III | Meike 50mm 1.2 | f/1.2
meike 50mm 1.2 e fe review 42mp 61mp sony a7riv coma bokeh fast resolution vignetting ca lateral
Sony A7III | Meike 50mm 1.2 | f/1.2
meike 50mm 1.2 e fe review 42mp 61mp sony a7riv coma bokeh fast resolution vignetting ca lateral
Sony A7III | Meike 50mm 1.2 | f/1.2
meike 50mm 1.2 e fe review 42mp 61mp sony a7riv coma bokeh fast resolution vignetting ca lateral
Sony A7III | Meike 50mm 1.2 | f/1.2

Continue reading Review: Meike 50mm 1.2

The Best Fullframe Lenses from China

Introduction

Sony A7rII | 7artisans 28mm 1.4 | f/8.0

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 60 of those lenses from 14 different manufacturers I thought it is a good time to highlight the best ones I came across.

Continue reading The Best Fullframe Lenses from China

Review: Carl Zeiss Jena Tessar 50mm F/2.8

Introduction

The Tessar is a very old design (1902), actually one of the oldest optical designs of all consumer lenses. It was produced before WWII for the first Contax rangefinder cameras and early Exakta cameras and post-war both in East and West Germany for several other camera brands.

Fun Fact 1: In 1932, when Leica II by Leitz of Wetzlar was the king of 35mm cameras, Zeiss Ikon of Dresden decided to produce a competitor that would be superior in every way. Thus the first Contax camera was born; the “Contax I”, which was designed to outperform the Leica in every aspect including the optics; thus the first Tessar 50/2.8 for 35mm format was born (a redesigned Tessar to cover 24x36mm negative), from Zeiss Jena.

Fun Fact 2: This lens was famous during its era and was called “Adlerauge” in German, which means “Eagle’s eye” because it was considered super sharp. Let’s see about that further down!

Sample Images

Nikon Z6 | Carl Zeiss Jena Tessar 2.8/50 | 2.8

Nikon Z6 | Carl Zeiss Jena Tessar 2.8/50 | 4

Nikon Z6 | Carl Zeiss Jena Tessar 2.8/50 | f/5.6

Continue reading Review: Carl Zeiss Jena Tessar 50mm F/2.8

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