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Thankyou for a fair and complete review of this lens. It is a Sonnar, the formula is similar to the Zunow 5cm F1.1 V2 lens of the 1950s. That lens will cost some $5,000 in Leica mount - or more. I bought the 7Artisans when it first came out, optimized mine for the M9 and then bought a second one to optimize for a Yellow filter for the M Monochrom. The Yellow filter cuts out CA, and the lens is even sharper on that camera. Hints: use a 55mm to 58mm step-up ring and vented 58mm hood, OR stick with the 55mm filter and use a clamp on hood. I made my own clamp-on hoods for this lens. This is a fun lens. Now that it is discontinued, readers should grab one fast before it becomes the next cult classic. Like the Canon 50/0.95. Remember when those went for $200? I bought two of those as well.

The best photos come when you don't buy something you can't afford so you can leave the UK weather behind

I own a copy of this lens and use it on my M8, which I shoot in monochrome jpegs mainly. The 50mm is 66mm on the M8, and it is a really great portrait lens on the M8, but also for my streetphotography it did give me stunning results! I really like this lens! The built quality is great, and the results are so pleasing for the eye! It is totally underrated!

Well done,Matt.Thanks No longer I need not be ashamed mounting this made in China lens on my Western Germany M3 and M6. A fat Spring Roll tinkered to a Jerry Can.

6 bit coded? What lens-profile does it bring up?

I got mine off amazon due to a mispricing error, for ...135 $ ! it is indeed massively characterful!

This was one of my first M lenses and I've loved it ever since. Above all, I can so easily recognize its character that for me is so attractive!

Another great video! I also got myself a used copy on mpb a while ago, it is a no-brainer for the money. One thing worth mentioning is, that I can`t focus beyond 5m on my Lumix S5 (using 2 different adapters) but it works perfectly on the Nikon ZF. Also, I find it interesting that it gives you kind of 2 different characters in 1 lens: It is very soft at 1.1 with a lot of flare (if used right, can lead to very dreamy looking pictures), but really improves sharpness and contrast at slightly above f1.4, but maintaining that beautiful bokeh

Great video, Matt, as always! So happy to have shared with you some photography moments in Valencia!!

Just picked up a nokton 50mm 1.2. loving it on my m240. Have you seen the voigtlander 28mm nokton 1.5 that's coming out? Hoping to pick one up in January if they release then

Thanks for such an enthusiastic video, Matt. This lens ended up being my first non-Leica lens. I've got it on an M3 (seems like it should be easier to get critical focus with the greater magnification) and I'm puting a roll of Velvia 50 through it now, slow enough to let me shoot wide open most of the time. I'm really looking forward to seeing the results! 🤩 I also got a great deal second-hand for it at a local camera shop. Interestingly, my copy isn't six bit coded. I think that means that it's an early release.

I just picked up one of these off MPB and am really impressed with it! Mine wasn’t 6-bit coded interestingly enough but it has a lovely rendering, thanks for the suggestion Matt!

How does it compare to the ttartisan 50mm 1.4? Size, weight and image quality. I was thinking of getting the ttarisan 1.4, i already have the 7a 1.1 and the tt 0.95, but thinking of getting a smaller, lighter and more ‘clinical’ lens.

Great review! Yeah, I got this lens in my kit. 35mm/1,4 Distagon and a 85mm/4.0 Tele-Tessar and the big baby Sonnar 7Artisan 50mm/1.1 It covers my Leica/Zeiss needs 😊 I also got a nice Jupiter Sonnar 50mm/1.5 for the vintage look. I only shoot analog with my M6 but are very happy to see your results with the M240 and the 7Artisan 50mm/1.1. Inspiring indeed!

nice street shots! I generally shoot more stopped down because I am shooting more than one person in the frame, or musicians where I need somore of the instrument showing, but I am waiting on the delivery of a Voightlander 50mm 1.2, so I may be heading for more bokeh.

Well. These Chinese companies are getting really good at these lenses. That’s not an easy one to get right especially no issue with calibration. Would be interesting to do a shootout of all these super fast lenses and include the Voigtlander 50f1.0. A chunky f1.0 lens is not a bad lens to own. Won’t be an every day lens, but for that special look it’s definitely worth it. Taking photos outside is hard. In my photos you can see for the most part people aren’t aware that I’m taking their picture, unless I go to a touristy spot. Also the most difficult part is to consider the whole frame. Put all the elements together because one can get tunnel vision. I find if you have the space to move a small 50mm is the best. At least for me. You can keep things tidy in the frame and you’re not too close or too far away. And think of layers. It’s hard at the beginning but then you get used to it. I shoot mostly f8 in the sun. The way I isolate the subject is by making the frames simple. Minimal. And have good figure to ground.

Was looking forward to this review since mentioning this lens to you! I figured it’s insane art forward look would suit you!

I like this lens a lot. Wacky Sonnar rendering wide open, warm color. It’s useless for anything needing corner-to-corner sharpness, though. ☺️ My copy is an early one, and due to rear element protrusion it doesn’t mount (via adapter) on my SL2. It mounts fine on Sony cameras, though, and I’ve even used it in autofocus mode via a Techart adapter. On M cameras I’ve found it tricky to hit focus wide open due to the short throw. So I take duplicate shots when I can…one of ‘em is usually good or at least good enough.

Lovely photos. ❤

If you could only choose one 50 mm lens out of all the lenses you've reviewed or used which one would it be? I recall in a very early video you were extremely enthusiastic about the 50 mm 1.2 Voigtlander.

Yes, side by side of those two would be nice. The street shots are great! You have an untapped resource there. Your past ones have been good, too, but I like the color of these. This lens does color nicely. And you have convinced me to use the M240 more. Thanks for another professional, concise informative review. The street shots on color are just great.

That looks really good, especially for the price. LLL 1966 looks interesting, too, but of course that’s much more expensive, if nowhere neer the used prices of the original. I like your street photos, though I’m glad I’m not the only one who thinks shooting pictures of people I don’t know and I’ll never see again is a bit strange. Though I really enjoy looking at street photography, so who knows?

I would appreciate a side by side comparison between the 7artisans and the ttartisans fast 50’s. And congratulations on a very positive video about a less than loved lens.

1. Love the "natural evening lighting" re-realization. I know it is dinner/relaxing time for most people, but my most satisfying exterior photos are late afternoons. 2. I have never owned anything bigger than f1.4, so I can't speak to anything below that. But, I am so pleased to live in my old film lens world where I can read the history of the people and processes...and feel a human connection.

Would love to see a review on MR.Ding 50/1.1 lens and how it compares to this one (as this one seems to be discontinued and impossible to get a new one) or a review on any other 50mm F.95 to F1.2 alternatives out there that is still in production and available

Note: the bottom right of a thumbnail is always covered by the time on youtube, so the 50mm f/1.1 text was obscured.

Nice lens Matt ... Very nice Bokeh ; I love it.

oh well, another lens to buy :) luckily I can get this used for pretty cheap

Yes please. Would like to see a comparison between the TTArtisan and the 7Artisans lens.

This is my favorite 50mm on my Leica 240

It isn’t your gear Matt, it is you and your beautiful models (love your street photography as well btw, beautiful city). Maybe you feel your creative juices flowing with a Leica,but you’d be just as productive with any good camera and lens combination, old and new.

I have two genuine Noctilux lenses and maybe two dozen 50mm lenses for the Leica cameras, but I'd still want to try one of these some day. If I remember correctly, it was supposed to be a Sonnar adaptation. I don't care about 100% zoom sharpness, but the overall image. What the reviews say is "bad" is very often very good, if the time and subject is right.

one of the first m mount lens I bought a few years ago, best £160 I ever paid

bonjour c'est quoi votre Viewfinder est ce qu'il va sur un M11 ? MERCI Yves

I have a 7artisans 50mm f1.05 for my Nikon Z6, same feeling.

Did you ever test the Elmarit 50? Should fit your taste: small, light and has a nice rendering. The only downside is the minimal focus distance of 80 cm

You should try the Mr Ding 50mm 1.1. It's 399 and I love the renderings.

Thanks for this very interesting video. Your photos look excellent. I would be interested in a comparison with the TTartisan 50mm 0.95

are you converting to bw in post raw?

Thank you for this video. Your photos are very nice. I have the Leica 50mm f/0.95 Noctilux which is relatively heavy, but its lens elements are glass, not plastic. My guess is that my Leica lens would do well against the Artisan lens in larger photographs - but I don't KNOW that. Also, I have found that if I use a low ISO and shoot at 1/4000 sec I may not need an ND filter even in bright sunlight. Having such a filter on your lens is awkward if you're walking in and out of sunlit areas.

literally just got in from shooting with this lens all day on my M8 in Toronto

Great review, it would be interesting to see how it compares with a Voigtlander 50 f1.2 for those of us with a wife who is also the financial controller

(I guessed right;) A specialized portrait lens, so an obvious try for you, wild character @1.1, gentle @1.4. Not versatile at all (borders). My quest for fast 50mm prime has ended with Mr/Dr DING (perhaps;), thanks to Bastian @PhilipReeve, creamy bokeh and versatile. The optical formula is close to the CV Nokton 50/1.1 I told you about last time (and so, close to the Noct 50/1.0), but with a diametrically opposed rendering. (This unloved lens is a keeper for me).

Yes, side by side video please, thx.

In the Bokeh comparison the 7Artisan had a smoother rounder bokeh. Where the Summilux shows facets in the Bokeh balls

Yes side by side ttA f0.95 to f1.1 please 🙏 ❤

[sigh] Watching this video gives me "seller's remorse" -- I owned a 7Artisans 50/1.1 six years ago (back before there were so many interesting Chinese-OEM lenses on the market) and eventually got rid of it! Reason: I also had (and still have) an M-converted Canon 50mm f/0.95 lens which gives rather similar-looking images, and I didn't feel I could justify owning two "exotic" 50s. Now I wish I'd hung onto it, if only because it's so much smaller and lighter than the Canon, which as you know is quite a chunky beast. Of course, I could try to find the 7Artisans lens on eBay, but top-condition used ones have gotten expensive-ish... and probably will get a lot more expensive as more people watch your video!

😊

Got this lens and sold it again very soon. This lens was the biggest disappointment I had with a lens ever. Way too soft wide open and outside the center terrible soft. Usable from F4 up only. Sorry Matt can not agree at all. Tried the lens on the M10 and the M9. Lens calibration was not the issue to add

Hi Matt, I do not know whether you shot everything at f 1.1 with the 7artisans. If not it would be useful for us viewers to know. As you may have noticed the lens is soft at f 1.1 and viewers be warned it does not always come aligned with range-finder (calibration) straight out of the box (fortunately 7artisans provides screw driver, scale and instructions). By the way, it is the artist that produces the art, not the tool-otherwise anyone using the same tool would suddenly become an artist... hmmm somewhat problematic. Flare, bokeh, shallow depth of field do not suddenly turn any photograph into art, it is the way we use them... and by the way, sharpness, absence of vignetting and flare are also the ingredients of many art photographs. Now regarding the street photography vs portrait debate you understand that the former embraces life and humanity at large, one that does not need to be paid or exhibit itself out of vanity ;o). You are also less likely to be accused of voyeurism, as a white male photographing busty young women, photographing street life than with the type of portait photography you specialise in ;o) ... just a thought. I agree with you though street photography, just like any other type of photography, requires practice both in technique and in human relationships, and it is somewhat harder to organise all the information available in a meaningful and aesthetic photograph than dealing with any close-up portrait, especially a posed one. Cheers and all the best for 2024 Matt.

Sold out.😢

Don’t really understand what this lens offers. 🤷🏻‍♂️

I think it is safe to say that you buy this lens to utilize its flaws in an ' artistic ' manner. Soft under corrected lenses do better for women portraiture than anything else, and one more proof that shooting a beautiful model with a modern APO-ASPH lens is not the best practice. Come to think of it, I am not quite sure if I like super sharp clinical lenses for landscape photography either, when a digital camera is used. The results are just too sharp and digitally, for my taste. With film is another story.

Well Matt you couldn't be more wrong cause this lens is a DOG and the worst in an overall 50mm lens test for Leica lenses. Now this is an in depth test of a quality you will never seer on the internet anymore. It's not shooting a girl with fake boobs and than tamper with the raws by a preset so that the real quality of the lens (or lack of) is obfuscated but a serie of subject shots that will proof quality in every task . Here are the verdicts of this lens: *PROS* Speed Really reasonable price Ehr…oh, dear! *CONS* De-clicked aperture Handling cumbersome in changing lenses Horrible performance at infinity Dramatic focus shift Coma and astigmatism intrusive until F2 Chromatic aberrations can be intrusive till F2 Bad flare handling Distortion is noticeable and complex All to be seen with excellent images without tampering. You probably know where to find it

Well done,Matt.Thanks No longer I need not be ashamed mounting this made in China lens on my Western Germany M3 and M6. A fat Spring Roll tinkered to a Jerry Can.

😊