Closing Thoughts:
The Neewer (Meike) 35mm f/1.7 is a great value lens for hobby photographers looking to add a midrange prime to their camera bag. The Sony 35mm is another great option, but costs $300 more than the Neewer. Having used the Neewer extensively, I’m not sure I can argue that the Sony is worth the extra money. The image stabilization and autofocus would be very nice to have, but not $300 nice. For landscapes and outdoor activities, this lens doesn’t make the cut. For portraits, indoor photography, travel, and low light settings, the Neewer 35mm is a great option.
Likes:
- Price
- Size
- Build quality
- Low light performance
- Bokeh
Dislikes:
- Manual focus
- Aperture ring without clicks
Markings
The markings on the lens are shown in both feet and meters, which although a little unusual, is quite common on more budget-priced cine lenses. I suppose this saves on making multiple versions and it helps to keep the cost down.
As this lens is very much being targeted at solo shooters and owner/operators you will notice that the markings will appear upside down on the non-operators side of the lens. I don’t personally see this as any kind of problem, but it is with mentioning, and something you need to be aware of.
- 135mm
- 35mm
On the 135mm I did find that the infinity markings in both feet and meter scales did line up. I only mention this, because when I reviewed the 35mm T2.1 the infinity marking in meters and feet didn’t line up. With affordable cine lenses, it is often the case where the consistency of the quality control from lens to lens may vary. In saying that, all of the lenses from Meike I have reviewed have been solidly made and it was only the 35mm that had the markings issue.
Sony FE 85mm f / 1.4 GM — Сборка и управление
Одна из критических замечаний, высказанных в отношении системы Sony A7, заключается в том, что объективы имеют размер, равный размеру обычной оптики DSLR, если сравнивать их по типу «подобный». Хотя это, безусловно, верно для 85-мм объектива, который имеет размеры 89,5 x 107,5 мм и весит 820 г, мы также должны помнить, что разные фотографы будут покупать камеры по разным причинам, и что размер и вес — это не все для всех. В связи с этим у меня не было проблем с обработкой и использованием 85-мм объектива с Sony A7R II. Комбинация была удобной, и я был рад, что сэкономил несколько грамм по сравнению с дополнительным весом DSLR. Чувствовала ли комбинация дисбаланс? Нет. Это комбинация, которую вы всегда будете поддерживать двумя руками: одна находится на камере, а другая — на элементах управления на объективе, которые расположены в точках, которые кажутся естественными и знакомыми. Опять же, размер и вес не могут быть преимуществом по сравнению с DSLR, но это также не является недостатком.
Sony FE 85mm f / 1.4 GM — большая оптика, но она чувствует себя как дома, установлена на камеры серии Alpha 7
В целом качество сборки отличное, и кажется, что вы используете продукт премиум-класса.
The Bokeh
And what bokeh. There might be a wealth of mysteriously unpredictable vignette coupled with some corner softness that maintains a reluctance to offer any degree of sharpness all the way from f/1.4 through to f/8, but this truly doesn’t matter. That softness only makes the bokeh more enjoyable. This is a lens of character, and pixel peepers should have stopped reading a long time ago.
Click for bigger, slightly less squashed images. 100% crop on right.
I had relatively low expectations when 7artisans sent me this lens. It took some getting used to but the faux-vintage feel has inspired a looseness in my image-making that took me back to my early days of shooting on incredibly cheap film on a woefully cheap camera. Out of focus? Doesn’t matter. Throw on a heavy edit, embrace the vignette, and open up a world of fun.
-
The greatest of all time?
Instagram brought us faux-vintage filters and the last couple of years has seen the emergence of the faux-vintage lens, with many of them now emerging from China. (It’s worth noting that 7artisans and TTartisans are two separate and unrelated companies, though you’d be forgiven for being confused.)
For many photographers, there won’t be a solid reason to choose faux-vintage over vintage, but for others, the option to indulge in some manual focus, bokeh-heavy fun without having to hunt for stuff on eBay or faff around with an adapter will be appealing.
The Specs
- Focal Length: 35mm
- Maximum Aperture: f/1.4
- Minimum Aperture: f/16
- Format Compatibility: Full-Frame
- Angle of View: 63°
- Minimum Focus Distance: 1.31’ / 40 cm
- Optical Design: 10 Elements in 9 Groups
- Diaphragm Blades: 11
- Focus Type: Manual Focus
- Image Stabilization: No
- Filter Size: 46 mm (Front)
- Diameter: 1.97 “ (50 mm)
- Length: 1.97 “ (50 mm)
- Weight: 10.51 oz (298 g)
- Compatibility: Sony E, with Nikon Z arriving soon
- Price: $199
A few things on this list should leap out. Firstly, this lens is less than 2” in both length and width, while weighing in at 10.5 ounces. It definitely has some heft to it given its size, quickly explained by the fact that even the lens cap is metal.
The other thing worth noting is the presence of 11 aperture blades. All three massive, expensive, autofocus alternatives for Sony full-frame cameras have a mere 9 blades, a variable that will affect the quality of bokeh. Even the $800 Voigtlander Nokton Classic 35mm f/1.4 Lens for Sony E can only muster ten.
Real World Thoughts
The Meike 35mm T2.1 Full Frame Cine Lens is an impressive offering, especially given its relatively low entry cost. The lens isn’t going to look as good as more expensive offerings, but none the less it is still impressive given its sub $1000 USD price. While it is far from optically perfect it strikes a good balance of price and performance.
Despite only having a T2.1 maximum aperture, the lens is still capable of creating good separation from your background and the bokeh is pleasing.
The build quality and mechanics are good, especially at this price point. The iris and focus are reasonably well-weighted, but they don’t seem to have even tension throughout their whole range.
With the industry pushing forward with larger sized sensors, investing in full-frame and larger glass is a pretty solid investment. Regardless of whether you are using cameras with S35 sized, or full-frame sensors, investing in glass that can cover both is a good idea.
The Build
In terms of build quality, it’s a bit of a mixture. The focusing ring is beautifully smooth and while there’s no rangefinder-style tab, it feels like a cine lens with its metal ridges. The throw from its minimum focusing distance of 1.31 feet (40 cm) to infinity is a quarter turn, making it easy to maneuver, perhaps at the compromise of some accuracy. However, as discussed, accurate focusing is not a massive concern here, for reasons to be discussed below.
In stark contrast to the focusing ring, the aperture ring has a little bit of play. And while there are no stops between f/1.4 and f/2, you can happily leave the ring halfway between the two, should you wish, inventing your own personal f-stop.
The lens fits tightly when mounted, and it’s so slim that the base of the lens leaves some of my Sony a7 III’s mount exposed. Most budget lenses don’t offer weather sealing, but this is definitely one to keep out of the rain. Aside from its simple build and quirky optics, another reason for its low price is the lack of any electronics. The only EXIF data you’ll get is from the settings on your camera; even the name of the lens will be missing.
Focusing with a manual lens comes with practice, and mirrorless cameras certainly make this a lot easier thanks to things like focus peaking and the focus magnifier. Typically with this lens, if I want to guarantee that a shot will be sharp, I’ll opt for f/2. Otherwise, I let it all hang out at f/1.4. Set your camera to Auto ISO with a minimum shutter speed and go nuts.
A selection of images straight out of camera.
Будущее Красногорского завода
Завод присоединён к холдингу АО «Швабе». Концерн включает в себя многие производства, в том числе заводы по производству оптического стекла. Есть и планы по дальнейшему развитию производства. Планируется разработка и запуск в производство новых широкоугольных объективов. Планируются новые объективы для беззеркальных камер. Будет внедрятся автофокусировка. Я не верил, что концерн планирует разработку цифровой камеры «Зенит». Но, оказалось, что и такие планы есть.
На Красногорском заводе сейчас работают увлечённые своим делом молодые инженеры и я надеюсь, что у них всё отлично получится. В таком замечательном деле, как производство фотокамер и фотооптики, я желаю заводу только успеха!
Для эффективной работы необходимо предвидение того, какая продукция будет востребована на рынке завтра, чтобы сегодня её воплотить в жизнь, тогда она будет интересна покупателю, продаваться и приносить доход.
Информация взята из разных источников, часть её подтвердилась показанными на выставках предсерийными образцами объективов. Одним из основных источников информации о заводе, старой и новой продукции, является сайт zenitcamera.com
Цифровая камера «Зенит».
Объективы для цифровых зеркальных камер:
Зенитар 2,8/20Зенитар-винтаж 2,5/32 (видимо, в стиле ретро)Зенитар 1,2/50 — показан на «Фотофоруме-2016»Зенитар 2,8/60 macroЗенитар 1,2/85 — представлен на «Фотофоруме-2016»
Ведётся разработка оправ с поддержкой автофокусировки для существующих и разрабатываемых объективов.
Объективы для беззеркальных и дальномерных камер:
Зенитар 1/35 — если на кадр 24х36, то проект будет рекордным! Зенитар-12 2/35 (светосильный вариант объектива Юпитер-12)Зенитар 0,95/50 — экземпляр из опытной серии демонстрировали на «Фотофоруме-2016»Зенитар-8 2/50 (на Фотофоруме-2015 показывали объектив Юпитер-8 для Ломографического общества с введением многослойного просветления)Зенитар-9 2/85 (на Фотофоруме-2015 показывали объектив Юпитер-9 для Ломографического общества с введением многослойного просветления)
В случае с объективами Зенитар 8 и Зенитар 9, на мой взгляд, есть смысл в перерасчёте оптической схемы с целью её усовершенствования. Зенитар-9 может быть изготовлен и в оправе для зеркальных камер. Красивый рисунок объективов, спроектированных по схеме «Зоннар» многим очень нравится и будет востребован.
Денис Гаврилов
Разрешено копирование статей, только при наличии активной (кликабельной) ссылки на страницу-источник сайта Дениса Гаврилова gavrilovart.ru. Ссылка должна находиться непосредственно рядом с материалом, должна быть видимой и прямой (без использования java-скриптов).Запрещено каким-либо образом изменять, затирать, отрезать копирайты на копируемых с моего сайта фотографиях или иллюстрациях.
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Conclusion
| What we like | What we don’t |
|---|---|
|
|
The Sony FE 35mm F1.4 GM is a lens that, so long as you get along with the 35mm field of view, is easy to love. It provides the kind of sharpness wide-open that we just wouldn’t have expected to see in fast primes up until the last few years. Build quality is pretty much without fault, but the size and weight remain reasonable.
This is all the more impressive considering that the Sony 35mm F1.4 GM optically outperforms the older and larger Zeiss Distagon 35mm F1.4 ZA in nearly every way, while coming in at a lower price and smaller size. On the other hand, we were a little surprised to find that the Sigma 35mm F1.2 DG DN focuses faster. In real-world shooting though, it’s unlikely to be an issue.
| ISO 100 | 1/200 sec | F1.4 | Sony a7R IVPhoto by Dan Bracaglia |
Really, the only aspect of the FE 35mm F1.4 GM that might be a major issue for stills shooters is its LoCA performance. Thankfully, it only shows up on especially high-contrast edges and at the widest apertures (you can rid yourself of it even in challenging scenes by F2 or so). And though it’s something to be aware of, this is still the best performance for 35mm lenses that you’ll find for Sony E-mount in this regard.
Beyond the LoCA, we can’t complain about the bokeh, sunstars, flare resistance nor close-focus distance. So in short, this lens really is the long-overdue choice for professionals and advanced amateurs that are in the market for a fast E-mount 35mm prime for portraits, travel, landscape, journalism, or what-have-you. That makes it easily worthy of a strong recommendation and our highest award.
Check out what the DPReview TV crew makes of the Sony FE 35mm F1.4 GM.
Image Quality
It is not to say that this lens is not sharp. When it nails focus and wants to behave, you’ll get some crisp shots. It’s just that this doesn’t happen with any great consistency, though much of this might be my abilities rather than that of the lens. If sharpness is what you’re after, 7artisans also makes a 35mm f/2 lens (but not for Nikon) that’s slightly cheaper, has fewer idiosyncrasies, and better image quality, but where’s the fun in that?
100% crop on right.
Vignetting can be intense, though it’s yet to have ruined any photos that I’ve been particularly precious about. It’s certainly more pronounced when focusing at infinity, but not much is crisp at that distance anyway. This is a lens that you’ll want to use for subjects that are in the center of your frame and only a few feet away.
f/1.4. Minimum focusing distance on the left, infinity on the right.
It’s worth noting that vignetting is particularly pronounced when shooting when the electronic front curtain shutter is switched on. Switching it off largely reduces the vignetting, and using shutter speeds of less than 1/1000th of a second also offers some improvements.
Crikey. I love a vignette but this might be a bit too much.
1/8000, f/1.4, ISO 100. Electronic Front Curtain Shutter active on right, switched off on left. Vignetting is reduced further when the shutter speed is less than 1/1000.
Flaring is not well controlled, making it an element that you want to embrace rather than fight.
Introduction
The Sony FE 35mm F1.4 GM is a high-end, medium-wide prime lens for Sony’s E-mount cameras. While there have been high-end 35mm F1.4 primes in the lineup for some time – including Sony’s own Zeiss-branded Distagon 35mm F1.4 – this new lens looks to be an impressive performer despite its relatively small size (and it’s less expensive than the Zeiss, to boot).
Most* of the DPReview staff is in agreement that 35mm lenses make for excellent general-purpose primes, lending themselves well to all kinds of photography, and they’re a staple in many a photographers’ bag.
The Sony FE 35mm F1.4 GM will be available mid-February at a suggested price of $1400.
*Those of us on staff that don’t like the 35mm focal length are just wrong, but we love them anyway.
Jump to:
| | | | | Full specifications
Key specifications:
- Focal length: 35mm (52.5mm on APS-C bodies)
- Aperture range: F1.4 — F16
- Stabilization: None built-in
- Filter thread: 67mm
- Close focus: 0.27m (10.63″)
- Maximum magnification: 0.23×
- Diaphragm blades: 11
- Hood: Included
- Weight: 524g (1.16lbs)
- Optical construction: 14 elements in 10 groups
| One of the things we love about the 35mm F1.4 GM is just how sharp it is wide-open.ISO 400 | 1/400 sec | F1.4 | Sony a7R IVPhoto by Dan Bracaglia |
Sony’s lens ecosystem is awash with 35mm options, but let’s focus on the fast ones. As mentioned earlier, there’s the Sony Zeiss Distagon 35mm F1.4 ZA, as well as the Sony FE 35mm F1.8, the Sigma 35mm F1.2 DG DN Art, the Sigma 35mm F1.4 Art, and the Samyang / Rokinon 35mm AF F1.8 FE. Whew, that’s a lot of 35mm lenses, and we’ve not even mentioned the F2 — F2.8 ones.
But variety is the spice of life, and if you’re living the life of a photographer, it’s great to have so many options spanning size, quality and budget. And since 35mm primes are well-suited to travel images, reportage, weddings, events, portraiture and more, it would make sense to have so many different lenses for different types of photographers to choose from.
And so the FE 35mm F1.4 GM enters a crowded field with ambitions to sit atop the pack with its combination of quality and compactness. Let’s see how it stacks up.
All images edited in Adobe Camera Raw 13 with adjustments limited to white balance, exposure, highlights, shadows, white and black levels. Sharpening and noise reduction at ACR defaults.
My Final Thoughts
Alternatives
Finally, before we round out this review, let’s just run through a couple of alternatives.
Meike 35mm F1.7
This first and main competitor to this lens would be the fantastic Neewer/Meike 35mm F1.7 (link to my full review).
I’ve personally owned the Neewer for years and have truly fell in love with it. Dirt cheap, razor sharp, well-built, and tiny.
What’s not to love?
Here is a pic I shot with the Meike 35mm F1.7. It’s just as capable as the F1.4, but even cheaper!
Sigma 30mm F1.4
This next one is a bit different, as it features autofocus. The Sigma 30mm F1.4, while a bit more expensive than an all-manual lens, is well worth the money.
If you’re on the fence about buying a manual lens and have a bit more money to spend, just pick up the Sigma. I’ve owned it for over four years and I’ve never once regretted my purchase. It’s truly fabulous.
One of the (many) pictures I’ve taken with my beloved Sigma 30mm F1.4. If you can swing the increased cost, I’d HIGHLY recommend it.
Conclusion
Anywho, if you’re dead-set on picking up a manual focus lens, or if you just have a really tight budget, it’s really hard to go wrong with the Meike 35mm F1.4 (still though, I would suggest checking out my review for the F1.7 version)
Respectable sharpness, a robust build, and a great manual focus experience all come together to create a mighty little lens at a not-mighty price tag.
If you’re looking to pick up one for yourself, I’ve included a purchase link below. (though also consider spending more on the Sigma…)
Cheap | Well-built | Sharp
Meike 35mm F1.4
Offering solid sharpness and respectable build quality, the Meike 35mm F1.4 is a fun little manual lens that won’t cost a lot of money.
Check Price on Amazon
Buy from B&H
Some of the links on this site are affiliate links. That means if you purchase a product through one of my links, I get a (very) small commission. Thank you!
Image Quality
Sharpness
Alrighty, next up, let’s talk sharpness! Quick note: my sharpness tests don’t get very scientific, I usually just pixel peep. Don’t expect MTF graphs or anything complicated like that.
Wide Open
To start, shooting wide-open gives decent results, but not anything particularly spectacular.
Centers are typically sharp enough to capture some good detail, but the corners fall off very quickly.
I’d say shooting wide open is only usable for subjects such as portraiture or anything else that’s center-subject focused.
The lens shows some soft corners when stopped down, but that’s to be expected.
Stopped Down
When stopped down, however, the Meike 35mm F1.4 produces shockingly respectable results. Even at F2.8, corners sharpen up substantially and, by F5.6, the lens is actually near-perfect.
I’d argue that, when stopped down, this lens is actually rather strong for almost any kind of shooting.
The lens is actually surprisingly sharp when stopped down.
Optical Quirks & Flaws
So, sharpness is rather decent, but how does the lens handle optical quirks such as distortion, vignette, CA, and flaring?
Distortion
Let’s start with the bad: distortion.
The lens suffers from moderate/heavy barrel distortion and, unfortunately, as there are no electronic connections, there’s not a one-click fix in Lightroom.
With that being said, the distortion pattern is fairly consistent, so it should still be a pretty quick fix in post. There’s no complex moustache distortion or anything here.
Vignette
Vignette also suffers a bit. When shooting wide open, the corners of the frame show some pretty moderate darkening.
Stopping down, of course, fixes this, and it should be easy to remedy in post.
Distortion and vignette are fairly strong when not corrected.
Chromatic Aberrations
On the other hand, chromatic aberrations are very minor and rarely noticeable.
Even in some of my more extreme tests (branches against a sunny sky), the lens still performed quite admirably.
Flare Resistance
Finally, many budget lenses suffer from flaring, but the Meike 35mm F1.4 really doesn’t.
Shooting directly into the sun does cause a bit of ghosting and loss of contrast, but you’ll typically not have any issues with backlit portraiture or shooting into artificial lighting.
The lens handles flaring and chromatic aberrations extremely well.
Overall Optical Performance
Overall, I was highly impressed with the optical performance of the Meike 35mm F1.4.
It’s not top-tier by any means, but it’s hard to complain for the price. Sharpness is “good enough”, distortion/vignette are easily manageable, and it produces pretty nice booking (when close to your subject).
Already interested?
Meike 35mm F1.4
Despite the low cost, the Meike 35mm F1.4 actually offers pretty great image quality.
Check Price on Amazon
Buy from B&H
Технические характеристики объектива:
- диапазон значений диафрагмы: f/1,8 —
f/22 - оптическая схема: 9 элементов в 6 группах
- диаметр светофильтра: 67 мм
- угол обзора: 28,5°
- минимальное расстояние фокусировки:
0,85 м - размер: 79 х 75 мм
- вес: 420 г.
Первое мое знакомство с объективом было очень
недружелюбным. Так как этот объектив был под байонет Canon EF и в момент
распаковки у меня с собой был только Nikon Z6 и переходник Nikon Z – Canon EF. Я, конечно же, поставил объектив
на камеру. Включил, стал фокусироваться – объектив очень недобро засвистел и
зажужжал. Я, было, подумал, что это мой переходник «убивает» объектив. Но нет.
Несмотря на то, что переходник действительно пока не умеет корректно работать с
Meike 85mm f/1.8
и требуется обновление прошивки адаптера, объектив корректно определился
камерой. Но мотор фокусировки свистел и жужжал громко и зловеще. Так объектив
сообщал о работе мотора фокусировки. Не правда ли, отпадает желание вообще
работать с такой оптикой? Мы часто
говорим, что мотор шумноват и лучше не использовать накамерные микрофоны с тем
или иным объективом, но здесь вообще лучше не использовать автофокус при
параллельной записи звука. Автофокус тут жутко шумный.
Протестировать объектив я взял на несколько
репортажей, где очень сильно привлекал к себе внимание шумом автофокуса
| F1.8, ISO 1000, 1/320 c | F4.0, ISO 1600, 1/200 c |
И самое интересное это то, как объектив в режиме
следящей автофокусировки постоянно подруливает фокус. Причем в некоторых
моментах в «тепличных» условиях для камеры и объектива, фокус сильно прыгает. Скажем,
сфокусировалась камера на объекте на расстоянии 1,2 метра. Начинает автофокус
туда-сюда по 10-15 сантиметров прыгать, а потом вообще неподвижный объект
фокусировки теряет, уводит фокус на бесконечность, потом возвращает на
минимальное 0,85 и медленно цепляет заново объект на 1,2 м. Ну очень нездоровая
работа автофокуса.
Если говорить в целом, то объектив, как бы то ни
было, имеет достаточно хорошую картинку для своей стоимости. У него очень
заметная хроматика, которая, тем не менее, правится в редакторах. Однако, из-за
отсутствия профиля объектива в Lightroom, крутить «антихроматические» ползунки
мне стало надоедать.
Во всем остальном, претензий у меня к Meike 85mm нет. Геометрию кадра не изменяет,
резкость одинаковая по всей площади кадра. Он достаточно резкий. Не бритвенный,
но, если вы не промазали по фокусу, картинка будет с хорошей резкостью. Однако
проблем с фокусом у него много. Сначала я тестировал его на полнокадровой
камере Canon EOS
6D,
которая, на мой взгляд, является отличной связкой для этого объектива, коль уж
мы говорим о бюджетном сегменте. Я и очень грешил на саму камеру из-за
многочисленных промахов по фокусу. Однако потом я попробовал Meike на Canon EOS 5D
Mark IV, но и с ним промахи не исчезли…
Так или иначе, я не готов рекомендовать
этот объектив к приобретению. Лучше чуть переплатить и взять оригинальный БУ-шный
объектив, но можно, конечно, купить за ~14 тыс. рублей ($190) и Meike с гарантией,
закрыв глаза на особенности фокусировочного мотора. Думаю, что этот объектив
всё же может стать неплохим дешевым портретником для новичка. Можно, купив его,
забыть об автоматическом фокусе и пользоваться ручным – в этом случае он
позволяет снимать довольно неплохо. Но тогда встает вопрос – зачем покупать
именно AF-оптику, если как раз мануальной полно на рынке, при этом более
дешевой?
Фотографии исходного качества (484 МБ), JPEG и RAW, можно
скачать по этой .
Build Quality
Size & Weight
So, right off the bat, let’s go over the sheer diminutive size and weight of this little lens.
The Meike 35mm F1.4 weighs only 6.7oz (190g), coming in substantially lighter than any fully electronic lens with comparable specs.
Size-wise, it’s actually not quite as small as some of its other manual-focus brothers (like the Neewer 35mm F1.7), but it still stays highly compact at 1.6in (4.1cm).
Thanks to these incredibly compact dimensions, the lens is easily pocketable (when attached to my a6k) and I’ve had no issues stuffing it, along with a bunch of other lenses, into my camera sling.
This thing is seriously tiny!
Is the lens well-built?
Alright, so the lens is smaller than my hand, but is it actually well-built?
Typically, low weight equals low build quality, but that’s not really the case here.
Lens Barrel
Sure, the lens may be light, but it’s still actually quite heavy despite its small size. As a result, build quality is actually a bit better than I had expected.
Although not quite on par with, say, a Sony G lens, the Meike 35mm F1.4 still has a lens barrel that’s entirely made out of metal, which is awesome to see.
Lens Caps
Heck, even the front lens cap is made of metal. It’s a nice, smooth, slip-on kind, which lends itself to feeling quite high quality.
Easy to lose, however, as it is a bit slippery.
The lens comes with front and rear lens caps (like you’d expect). The front one is a metal slip-on kind.
Weather Sealing
Alright, surely you didn’t expect this ultra-budget lens to have weather sealing, and you’d be completely right.
Still though, I include a, “is it weather sealed?” section in all my reviews, so I didn’t want to skip over it here.
Regardless, the lens should still hold up against slight drizzles, just don’t take it into anything too intensive.
I usually take my non-sealed gear out if it’s only a light drizzle, but your mileage may vary.
Built to last?
So, do I feel as if this lens is built to last? The answer is a resounding… it depends.
Many ultra-budget lens manufacturers, Meike included, have a somewhat shaky reputation for poor quality control. This lens in particular, according to other people who have used and reviewed it, sometimes suffers from a loose lens barrel. My copy was fine, but I figured it was still worth mentioning.
If you get a good copy, I’d argue that the lens is actually quite well-built. Again, not on the same level as a high-end Sony or Sigma, but still much better than I had expected given the price point.
The lens is small, but fairly well-built (if you get a good copy).
Ergonomics
Ergonomically, the lens is, well, small. There’s not really a great gripping point, but it’s so light that this isn’t a big deal.
I found that I was able to aimlessly wander for hours without suffering from any hand fatigue and when I did need to put the lens/camera away, it fit perfectly in my jacket pocket.
I absolutely love small setups.
Aesthetics
Finally, beauty is subjective, but I’ve always liked the look of some of these low-budget lenses.
The sleek black metal is quite pleasant to look at, and it contrasts well with the painted (not engraved, sadly) text and number markings on the lens barrel.
Next up, let’s talk about sharpness!