SLR Magic 35mm T1.4 rolling review part 3 the conclusion!

Overall thoughts:

I can find no fault worth mentioning with the build quality and finish of this lens, it's sturdy, reassuringly heavy and well finished with smooth and perfectly damped focus and aperture rings. I suppose if I was being really picky I would say the geared rings were a little hard on the fingers but let's not forget this lens is optimised for video use with a follow focus.

In terms of sharpness the lens delivers a surprisingly good performance wide open for the price with resolution remaining strong towards the edges of the frame. There is some visible purple fringing and contrast can very a lot depending on the lighting conditions but both of these can be countered quite easily with modern software.

The lens delivers smooth bokeh apart from point light sources that can have quite a solid outline, I think this is the best of both worlds and it reminds me a lot of the bokeh I see in movies where out of focus lights are used to stylistic effect whereas everything else is just a smooth blur. Thanks to the hefty aperture blade count out of focus highlights remain circular throughout the aperture range.

The lens can be coaxed into producing some extraordinary flare wide open which also reminds me of watching motion pictures and which will either be drool worthy or an eyesore depending on your tastes but as I said before you can literally turn this flare off by stopping down just a tiny amount. The lens becomes sharper and more contrasty as you stop down and already by T/2.8 the optical performance is very strong with crisp sharpness and a minimum of aberrations.

Overall the lens performs very well wide open considering it's price and fast aperture, there are some weaknesses but they can be countered quite easily with software. Once you stop the lens down to T2.8 and beyond the optical performance is very impressive indeed but be assured that the lens remains very much usable at it's maximum aperture.

The only other issue I noticed was some slight distortion but again it was simple to remedy with software when necessary.

Compared to other options:

Thanks to the generous trade in scheme a lot of people will be upgrading from the SLR magic 35mm f/1.7 lens and will be wondering how much of an improvement this lens really is, I can comfortably say that you will instantly see a huge improvement in all areas, the sharpness wide open is a lot better and on the T1.4 this applies to the entire image and not just a tiny little blob in the centre of the frame as with the f/1.7. The new cine lens has no field curvature in comparison so subjects can be sharp at the centre and the edge of the frame at the same time. You will also find the bokeh to be much smoother and that it will remain circular because the T1.4 has many more aperture blades.

The 35mm F/1.7 remains a great little lens for the money and gives very unique and often pleasing results but as a serious tool for still photography and filming alike it just isn't on the same level as the new T1.4 lens.

The same applies to users of the fujian 35mm f/1.7 CCTV lens with which the SLR Magic F/1.7 shares a common ancestry and is an improved version of, the T1.4 lens is superior in every way and can be considered a "real lens" whereas the CCTV lens while capable of producing great images is very much a toy in comparison.

You may also be considering the Jackar 34mm f/1.8 lens but despite it's elaborate finishing and packaging, this lens also found it's beginning in the Fujian 35mm CCTV lens and simply can't hope to come anywhere near to the SLR Magic 35mm T1.4 for optical performance or build quality, it's just in a different league!

In conclusion I found this lens to be very well made and capable of delivering a high level of performance. The image quality is obviously at it's weakest wide open but is still very good and very usable with decent sharpness and a perfect balance between smoothness and character when it comes to bokeh. The lens just gets better and better as you stop down and from T2.8 onwards it performs on a very high level comparable to lenses costing a lot more.

I quickly became accustomed to being pleased with what I saw on the computer screen after a shooting session and the lens constantly impressed me with it's performance/price ratio.

For the price there is really no significant weakness, the lens represents amazing value for money and would make a great choice for still photographers or film makers alike!

 


PROS:

Decent sharpness wide open that extends well into the edges of the frame.

Very high overall image quality in all areas when stopped down to T2.8 and smaller.

Bokeh that strikes a perfect balance between smoothness and character.

Highlight bokeh remains circular throughout the aperture range thanks to the hefty aperture blade count.

Very solid all metal build quality damped focus and aperture rings.

Warm and vibrant colours.

Very cool looking lens flare that can be used to great effect and which disappears quickly upon stopping down (Perhaps a con to some but not me!)

CONS:

Purple fringing can be strong in some circumstances but quickly dissipates upon stopping down.

Contrast can be quite weak wide open under certain lighting conditions.

Distortion. 


Bottom line:

To cut a long story short, the lens is excellent value for money and performs very well even wide open, it has character without being a novelty item like CCTV based lenses. You can absolutely use this lens as a serious tool for picture and film making. In this price point the pros outweigh the cons several times over.

I highly recommend this lens for anyone needing the best balance between price and performance!

The SLR Magic 35mm T1.4 is available in Sony E mount, Fuji X mount, Canon EF-M Mount and Micro four thirds mount. The lens is not yet available on the website or their ebay shop but you can get ahead of the queue by ordering direct, just send an email to support@slrmagic.com







You can find my Flickr photo set of sample images HERE

You can find Part one of the review HERE and Part two of the review HERE

SLR Magic 35mm T1.4 rolling review part 1

Let me start by apologising for the suspense! I have had some serious marriage problems recently and am currently separated so depression has been rearing it's head of late. It also doesn't help that I am currently sick as a dog fighting the terrible illness known as "man flu"! But alas, finally I have gotten my hands on a pre production copy of the SLR Magic 35mm T1.4 and this will be the first part of a rolling review!

Initial impressions:

I have to say I was immediately impressed as soon as I handled the lens, it's reassuringly heavy and solid, it's made of metal and it feels substantial and well made. The (stepless) aperture and focus rings are both smooth and well damped contributing to the impression of quality. Both the focus and aperture rings are geared for easy use with a follow focus, this is a nice touch for movie makers! One major bonus for those familiar with using old preset legacy lenses will be the fact that the number of aperture blades reaches into two figure territory, that means smooth circular highlight bokeh even when the lens is stopped down, that's a very unusual feature on new lenses nowadays but one that can be very useful creatively. Overall the construction and appearance of this lens are very much old school and that can only be a good thing because we all know they used to build lenses better back in the day!

In terms of image quality what I have seen so far impresses me, even wide open sharpness appears to be more than usable and that goes right to the edges of the frame, there seems to be a little less contrast at maximum aperture but this can very easily be restored in software and it can be beneficial when making video on lower end cameras as it can help to improve gradients when you're battling with a limited codec.

This lens is very much usable wide open and that's important because people tend to buy a fast aperture lens with the intention of using them wide open and so far the lens really does not disappoint in this department.

The bokeh I have seen so far appears to be very smooth for the most part with highlights being a bit more distinctive but not in a bad way, taste in bokeh is a subjective matter but for me this lens really delivers and gives a very cinematic look. I am looking forward to experimenting more.

Here are some shots I took today whilst I was familiarising myself with the lens, they are all taken with the lens wide open and I used the black and white mode built in to the Sony NEX-5n:








Click here for part two of the review!

Click here for part three of the review!

SLRmagic = How to get the same lenses for less.

I'm sure a lot of Micro 43 and even some NEX users out there have caught on to not only using manual lenses but also using manual C-Mount lenses made for motion capture such as movie and TV lenses. Some of you will also be aware that many CCTV lenses can be used as well, specifically most lenses with a focal lengh over 25mm should give usable coverage on m43 cameras and many 35mm and longer lenses will even cover the APS-C size sensor in Sony NEX cameras. These lenses are rarely designed to cover sensors this large but are "over engineered" or at least project an image circle large enough even if the image quality becomes "interesting" towards the image boarders!

One of the main perks for me with using adapted lenses is the potential for a bargain and usually this is never more true than with using a CCTV lens however there is a company out there that appears to be selling very cheap CCTV lenses that have been lightly breathed on cosmetically and then sold for an immense mark up. Admittedly these lenses do give very unique and interesting results but it seems somehow unfair to charge such a huge premium for no reason.

This is NOT the SLRmagic toy lens!

The first example is the Fujian 24mm F/1.4 which is a very cheap CCTV lens that offers great low light ability, shallow depth of field and a nice swirly bokeh effect to backgrounds when the lens is used for portraits. It's not a high tech lens but it is very fun and can delivery surprisingly good results and certainly encourages creativity! I purchased this lens last year for under £20 and was delighted. Subsequently SLRmagic released a "26mm" lens with some decorative rubber bands, the result was the "toy lens" coming in at a grossly inflated £80! despite claims to the contrary, extensive examination and image analysis seems to indicate that the lens is optically identical and gives exactly the same results! It's up to SLRmagic what they charge for their products but I just wanted to point out that you can get the exact same lens for a lot less money! In fact you can now buy the same lens complete with rubber bands for £16.62 with free delivery! (you'll have to buy an adapter but it will cost less than £10) Which one would you choose?

SLRmagic: http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Toy-Lens-26mm-f-1-4-lens-GF1-GF2-GH2-EP1-EP2-EPL1-/250752008080?pt=Camera_Lenses&hash=item3a61fbff90

Alternative: http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/25mm-F1-4-CCTV-Lens-Set-Olympus-Micro-4-3-M4-3-Sony-NEX-E-Mount-/390354310005?pt=Camera_Lenses&hash=item5ae2ee1375

PS: SLRmagic also sell a version with an extension tube for an additional £60!!!!!! Yes that's right, £60 for a C-mount extension tube!


The next release from SLRmagic was the 35mm f/1.7 which can be yours for £102.48 or for ONLY £51.15 extra you can have that amazing extension tube that.....well it's just an extension tube, seems a bit steep really doesn't it? Despite their best efforts to disguise the lens with a new name ring and a splash of silver it was obvious to many that a seemingly identical lens made by, you guessed it, Fujian was already available at a greatly reduced price! Once again after extensive testing it was found that the cheaper version performed exactly the same and gave the same results and can be found for prices as low as £18.50 including shipping! A quick search of alibaba confirms that if you order a sufficient amount of these lenses from the manufacturer you can pay £3 or less a piece!

SLRmagic: http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/SLR-Magic-35mm-f-1-7-MC-lens-EP1-EP2-EPL1-GF1-G1-G2-/250673066577?pt=Camera_Lenses&hash=item3a5d477251

Alternative: http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/35mm-f1-7-2-3-C-mount-CCTV-lens-Micro-4-3-M43-NEX-/350474061881?pt=UK_Lenses_Filters_Lenses&hash=item5199e1c839

Again, a tough choice I'm sure you'll agree!


Some of you might remember back at the beginning of the year that a company called Zhongyi Optics was on the verge of releasing a 28mm f/2.8 manual focus lens for m43 and NEX cameras. It was a simple but attractive lens with a cool rotating aperture mechanism instead of blades meaning that a round aperture could be used regardless of F stop. The lens was intended to go on sale for £50 but nothing came of it. Suddenly, a seemingly identical lens bearing the SLRmagic name has arrived on the scene costing £100 or even better you can have an extension tube for just an additional £60!

I'm sure I don't have to say this but for £160 you could buy a fantastic legacy 28mm lens, adapter and extension tube and have change to spare! The choices are endless with lenses from Olympus, Canon, Konica, Tamron and Tokina to name just a few! For £50 this lens would have been good value and interesting but again SLRmagic have spoiled the party!

There are more examples including the Noktor 50mm F/0.95 which sounds impressive but yet again, a seemingly similar CCTV lens is available for less money!

The latest endeavour from SLRmagic appears to be a CCTV lens with wide angle added to the front! Early reports suggest it is actually fairly good although I tend to be cautious of some reviewers who are all too eager to put their SEAL of approval on SLRmagic gear. You're thinking great!, they have made a fast 12mm lens with decent IQ and being derived from CCTV components it will offer fantastic value for money......well actually it's going to cost around £350.

UPDATE: The reviews are in and the lens is actually very good, kudos to SLRmagic for making a quality product, the build quality is high and the optical performance is impressive, they appear to have made a giant leap in quality and value with this lens, maybe they aren't so bad after all!

If I come across as bitter I apologise and I know companies exist to make profit but there's just something about SLRmagic that doesn't feel right. Maybe it's because they have turned something that was cheap and fun and fascinating into something that is overpriced and represents bad value for money. Some time in the past few years somebody tried these lenses and reported their findings online for all to see and if it wasn't for this nameless individual SLRmagic wouldn't have seen an opportunity to cash in and I think that goes against the very spirit of trying weird and wonderful lenses on modern cameras.