Gear Consolidation: The Cause Of Photography Heresy Soon To Come.
Subtitle: Affordable and competent offerings that annoyingly contradict my allegiance to more precious gear.
I recently did the low level version of what is about to occur. In that scenario I acquired and later traded a significant amount of relatively inexpensive compact gear to acquire the exact piece of gear I had been trying to avoid in the first place.
Why was I trying to avoid it?… Yeah… I got nothing. Nothing that makes any sense anyways. I have spilled many words but in the end it came down to spending much more money chasing the end result of the obvious choice by trying everything else under the sun than if I had just went with the obvious choice in the first place. So, nonsense. Some fun nonsense however, and I would not change a thing. I got there eventually and I could not be happier about it.
So what am I on about today. Welp. I am glad I imagined that you asked. A recent camera release has me pondering the equivalent of photographic heresy. Trading precious gear. Heirloom grade stuff. But this immediately provokes an ongoing internal struggle with me. Both can be mapped to ways of thinking that I inherited from my equally wonderful, but very different parents. In short:
My gear-loving Dad: Keep it. It is cool.
My ever practical Mom: But are you using it though?
I start in my Father’s camp but as I find precious gear collecting dust I move over to my Mom’s side of things. It is at this point that I start wondering how that gear equity may be used elsewhere. Gear had been safe because nothing interested me. But a recent release has changed that… along with some epiphanies regarding gear I already have. More specifically gear I have acquired that is making other more precious gear make less sense. A classic battle between my parents way of thinking.
I like having this thing.
vs.
I like using this thing.
I will address the former later. For the latter I am referring to an assemblage of prime lens solutions I would not have guessed would have existed as recently as a year ago. The big three for me. A wide, preferably pancake prime, a fast, normal prime, and a practical portrait prime. And all cost less than I would have expected given their build, specs, and in one case unique capabilities/flexibility. Will start with the still surprising, if not technically revolutionary lenses first.
7artisans Photoelectric 50mm f/1.8 AF
Why the third most surprising?
A bit of a bus for a 50mm prime.
Why was I surprised?
- Currently $228 and I have seen it on sale for $199.
- Or around the price of the I kept trying but had to let it go Sony 5omm f/1.8 while offering performance reminiscent of the far pricier Sony ZEISS 55mm f/1.8 I once had.
- All metal build.
- Nice feel to it with an assuring but not overhearing heft.
- Aperture ring.
- An appreciated add.
- USB-C adapter on the lens.
- No extra cost adapter needed like Rokinon/Samyang.
- AF/MF switch.
- Easy to move, but it has not proven to be an issue in real world use.
- Great AF performance.
- Hits the big three. Accurate, fast, and silent.
- Great IQ.
- Bokeh I like with great colors and reasonably sharp wide open.
Bottom line:
Size, build, and performance reminiscent of the ZEISS 55mm f/1.8 with the added bonus of an aperture ring and AF/MF switch at the price of the plastic but not so fantastic 50mm f/1.8. A vintage-ish image, ergonomic, and on camera aesthetic attributes in line with older and more artsy fartsy glass teamed with all of the latest stills, video, and AF features. Not for everyone, but the best bang for buck fast 50mm prime in my opinion.
Sample images.
TTArtisan AF 75mm f/2
Why the second most surprising?
No sorcery is involved like number one.
Why was I surprised?
- Currently $178.
- Or over $100 less than the similarly spec’d and sized Rokinon/Samyang 75mm f/1.8 with way better build quality and an aperture ring. Somehow far less than the also inexpensive 7ARtisans above.
- All metal build.
- Nice feel to it with an assuring but not overhearing heft.
- Aperture ring.
- An appreciated add.
- USB-C adapter included with lens cap.
- An extra cost item with Rokinon/Samyang.
- Great AF performance.
- Hits the big three. Accurate, fast, and silent.
- Great IQ.
- Bokeh I like with great colors and reasonably sharp wide open.
- Close focus.
- Focuses surprisingly close for a lens of this focal length and size.
Bottom line:
Size, build, and performance reminiscent of the Rokinon/Samyang 75mm f/1.8 mentioned above with the added bonus of an aperture ring for a price that one would expect of a MF lens. A vintage-ish image, ergonomic, and on camera aesthetic attributes in line with older and more artsy fartsy glass teamed with all of the latest stills, video, and AF features. This time in portrait strength. Not for everyone, but the best bang for buck compact portrait lens in my opinion.
Sample images.
Samyang/Rokinon Remaster Slim Kit
Why the most surprising?
I think the Rokinon/Samyang engineers got into the stash of the SIGMA engineers. This is some near Foveon, bricklet fp, or the most recent Beautiful Foolishness level of out of the box foolishness. Which is good. After a good run of affordable compact f/1.8 primes,…
…that did not stick around here long term, largely owing to the lens build, Rokinon/Samyang seemed content with copying a Tamron spec zoom lens for a bit there so I am very glad that they found their own mojo. What am I on about? Welp…
Why was I surprised?
- For starters they made an actual Sony full frame mount pancake lens.
- Something I had started to think was impossible since Sony never managed it.
- Next up it is not only in one focal length, but three… Three!
- Courtesy of them creating swappable lens modules. What? That is some RICOH GXR level of foolishness, but actually works.
- They priced it like one lens at $399.
- When I first saw the price I thought you got one module and they would then charge you for the rest, but all three modules are included at a price that rivals there own similarly spec’s but larger prime lenses.
- To put a fine point on this they still sell larger 35mm and 18mm f/2.8 primes that combined cost far more than this kit which includes 21mm f/3.5, 28mm f/3.5, and 32mm f/2.8 lens modules. Three lenses that are smaller for less than two. From the same brand. This is only $100 more than the similarly sized Canon RF pancake lens… that I used to covet a bit if I am honest.
- Nice build.
- While not all metal it is well constructed and feels as good as I would expect from a native lens. Far better than the shiny plastic lens builds of Rokinon/Samyang’s past.
- USB-C adapter included in lens mount.
- A welcome deviation from the extra cost items required in the past with Rokinon/Samyang.
- Good AF performance.
- In what I imagine is a compromise for its size the AF falls a beat behind the lenses above, but it is quick enough for most use cases and it is accurate. A little noise can be heard but I would not call it nooisy at all..
- Great IQ.
- Bokeh is not really a main item but it can be had. Especially with the close focus capabilities of the 21mm module and the f/2.8 and slightly longer focal length of the 32mm module.
- Close focus.
- Sepcifically the 21mm module.
- AF/MF switch.
- Honestly surprised this was included on such a tiny lens. A nice touch.
- Cases.
- Comes with a snazzy little carrying case and cases for the modules.
Bottom line:
An amazing technological accomplishment that actually works as billed. I have only gotten used to this to some degree. Makes for a full frame camera and lens kit that rivals the size of the compact APS-C Fujifilm X100 line of cameras.
Sample images.
What does it all mean?
For me it comes down to a few questions.
Am I to be more concerned about the gear I take pictures of or the gear I take pictures with?
Is the gear I like to write about to be held in higher regard than the gear I actually find myself using?
Can gear straddle both sides of these questions?
I think it can.
A recent example for me on the film side of things is the Rollei 35AF.
It is a wonderful looking thing and I thoroughly enjoy using it. So much so that I have now put more rolls of film through it than film cameras I had professed to hold dear and had owned for years. I say had, because the 35AF allowed me to let go of some of the old guard as I made another acquisition that also straddles both sides of those questions. This time on the digital side we have the RICOH GRIIIx.
Any concern I had that this would be a trophy camera that would have more pictures taken of than with were quickly dashed as this camera became my daily camera above all others day one. I was concerned that this would be a temporary fixation due to it being new but long after the initial cloud of new thing pixie dust cleared, it continues to be the cameras I keep on me.
In both cases, I spent years trying and buying older gear and what some would argue to be “lesser” gear only to land on a popular option bought brand new.
Well, that is precisely what is happening with the lenses listed above, with a bit of a twist.
Affordability.
Lenses usually fall into a few categories for me.
Vintage-y.
- In look, feel, or both these are lenses, whether film, digital, or both, that put me in a mindset of old time-y glass. Optimally they are constructed of metal, have aperture rings, and can serve as suitable melee weapons in a pinch. They can be new offerings but are often MF and do not include…
Modern glass AF.
- These are lenses that keep up with the latest AF cameras. What is usually not on the table is an interesting looking lens. Also they can be rather clinical and devoid of the wonkiness of…
Character lenses.
- Usually great value can be had, sometimes with some crazy specs or features included, but there will be performance and IQ compromises. Think 7Artisans 50mm f/1.1 for example. Think the TTArtisan 50mm f/1.4 Tilt lens. Great fun but AF is usually not a part of the bargain and not suitable for “serious” work.
For me these three lens solutions fall into all three categories above. And all three are new things as far as I am concerned. Third party propositions that offer value, good build and looks, a solid feature set, and good and at times great performance. All three solutions could serve as my only prime lenses. And here is the kicker. They are all available for a system not often known for these attributes.
Up until now Sony is the brand of reason for me. Which is exactly why, outside of a few partial or full deviations, I have stayed with this system longer than any other. It makes sense.
- The most lenses to choose from.
- As a product of being the first full frame mirrorless camera to market combined with an open amount no other brand offers the staggering number of native and third party lenses. By default this makes them a…
- Solid value proposition.
- On the lens side more options brings greater competition and longevity brings a solid used lens market. Both make it the least expensive lens mount to cover all bases for me.
- On the camera side any offering from the A7II and newer can be made to work for me so replacing gear in a pinch would not be too great of a financial hardship.
None of that is… well interesting. Usually anyways. I can not call a brand that has served me so well in its appointed task boring, and I have been excited by what this system has allowed me to produce,…
…but sensible choices and unflinching competence and consistency are not exciting to write about on a regular basis or even to use arguably.
But these lenses upset that internal algorithm for me. Value set aside…
I like the way the lenses look.
I like their unique features, whether it be tiny size, unique tech, or simply the inclusion of things usually reserved for pricier gear like all metal build and an aperture ring.
I like the size and weight of them. All of these would fit in a positively tiny camera bag with camera and flash rather than a massive roller.
I like the images produced with all.
Put together they offer a unique experience where Sony is concerned. New tech with my favorite attributes of older gear all in a relatively compact and aesthetically pleasing package. And importantly none break the bank. This has kind of EV’d the sports car for me. What I am on about is the zip taken out of time worn sports car model. More specifically when you see a previous instathreadface snorting, roaring, wildly inefficient car nut darling have its hind parts silently handed to it on a drag strip by a three box sedans chock full of batteries and motors. Do I still enjoy the ozone destroying loud as cuss word hoonery? On some level yes. There is nothing like it. Until you see a Lucid uber luxury golf cart from H, E, double hockey sticks tear it a new one. Gives me a “What are we doing here, really?” moment every time I see it.
I now look at wildly expensive clinical masterpieces of image quality perfection and pixie dust luxury brand darlings alike and ask the same question. What are we doing here, really?
With an important distinction. Unlike that EV/sports car narrative a mortgage loan is not needed to pay for these.
Good.
Are the clinical masterpieces and luxury brand darlings “better”? Yes. But not enough to justify the gaping may of a price difference involved. I can create work with any of these lower priced option where I doubt many a customer would be any the wiser. In as much as makes no sense, they have managed to provide a feature set better than similarly priced or slightly more expensive offerings and that far more expensive gear cannot best by a sizable margin.
Good.
In the end, providing truly unique and fun to use prime lenses to a boring… brand that did not have much flair up until now.
Good.
After obtaining and experiencing these lenses I scurried back to the former fancy pants offerings. But I could not shake the knowledge that there was simpler way. A less spendy way. A less spendy way that was a great mix of older feel and new tech that is hard to deny any longer.
Good.
World on fire and all, I will take all of the good news I can get my hands on.
End result.
I inadvertently duplicated the functionality that a pixie dust luxury brand was meant to fill.
Also good news.
Because it allowed me to let it go for the next big thing, if this pans out like I think it will. More to come.
Happy capturing.
-ELW
Eric L. Woods 
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