p.10 #1 · New M-Mount 28/1.4 and 35/1.4 from Thypoch
My interest got the best of me I went ahead and ordered the 28mm - I had to order a large roll of paper and some sensor cleaning wipes so I figured why not?
I'll be using it on my Sony A7R4 to start. Should get here by Thursday, so I will put it through its paces over the weekend and report back.
I figure if it's not good on the Sony I can return it without penalty, or it might just push me to finally get a used Leica body which I have been meaning to do anyway.
p.10 #2 · New M-Mount 28/1.4 and 35/1.4 from Thypoch
rscheffler wrote:
I can appreciate the concerns, but other than after-sales support, which from most of the Chinese brands seems to be questionable, once you have the lens, and if it works, does its provenance matter if it does what you want? If the brand disappears later this year, it's not like the lens will stop working. At least for US customers you can buy from B&H and return it within 30 days hassle-free if there are problems or have buyer's remorse.
A reputable source (who works for another lens manufacturer in China) says that Thypoch is an offshoot brand of DZOFilm, which is a relatively new (founded in 2013) but well-established manufacturer of cinema lenses. If true, Thypoch has more behind it and is not just a startup.
p.10 #5 · New M-Mount 28/1.4 and 35/1.4 from Thypoch
I received my copy of the 28mm earlier today. I’ll really test it tomorrow/this weekend, but already I have thoughts:
1. The lens’ design is certainly… quirky. Compared to my Voigtlander 50mm with its classic design, it feels like a camel (ie a horse made by committee), with positives (internally focusing, so no extending back and forth, good build quality), neutral /need to get used it (uneven aperture stops), and weird (infinity lock, uneven throw between the close focusing range and infinity focusing).
2. Color and contrast seem on par with my Voigtlander, but flare is a….thing. It’s so pronounced in some cases that it’s like an additional structure to consider in my compositions - not sure if it’s bad or good, yet….
p.10 #6 · New M-Mount 28/1.4 and 35/1.4 from Thypoch
ButteredToast wrote:
I received my copy of the 28mm earlier today. I’ll really test it tomorrow/this weekend, but already I have thoughts:
1. The lens’ design is certainly… quirky. Compared to my Voigtlander 50mm with its classic design, it feels like a camel (ie a horse made by committee), with positives (internally focusing, so no extending back and forth, good build quality), neutral /need to get used it (uneven aperture stops), and weird (infinity lock, uneven throw between the close focusing range and infinity focusing).
2. Color and contrast seem on par with my Voigtlander, but flare is a….thing. It’s so pronounced in some cases that it’s like an additional structure to consider in my compositions - not sure if it’s bad or good, yet….
Thanks for the warning about flare. I was already thinking that this lens would not be my cup of tea, but, a wide-angle lens that flares would be annoying, unless I were wanting a “character” lens. The cinematic flare of my Walter Mandler-designed Leica Elmarit-M 28mm Version III already fills that role.
Cosina knows how to build a flare-resistant lens, whether it is a Zeiss with T* (“T star”) coatings, or branded as a Voigtlander, with multi-coating.
p.10 #7 · New M-Mount 28/1.4 and 35/1.4 from Thypoch
I prefer this lens' flare to the hazy, generalized over brightening that was happening with the old lens I was adapting. What is working for me with it is that it's somewhat predictable, as generally having the sun on the top center left or right, just out of the frame creates the most obvious flare (I've seen it most so far shooting at or just before noon and it is strongly visible in the viewfinder, so you can adjust). When the sun is lower in the sky the effect is not as pronounced, so I'm not sure it bothers me all that much so far.
Flaring aside, I finally sat down and looked at some photos on my laptop last night and over and over I just kept remarking how "pretty" the light and color looked in my shots! "Pretty" is honest to god the word I kept uttering. There's something really special about the rendering of this lens; tones are elegant, the image is sharp, and colors are vibrant but not garish. It has real 3-d pop too in some images, the subject in focus is really well etched from the background. It reminds me of images I've seen made using the latest version of the Leica 35FLE, and mind you, I am shooting this lens on a Sony A7R4.
The corners are mostly fine, at 1.4-2.8 I wouldn't try to shoot a landscape on the Sony, but for portraits, objects, it's a non issue. I find myself shooting mostly at f/8-11 and they are as good as the corners on my Voigtlander 50mm 1.5 VMii also adapted to my Sony. I also shot a few at f4-5.6 and no difference really, corners didn't bother me at all.
This lens is strange in a lot of ways, but for me it's a keeper, especially as it'll only get better if I ever do upgrade to a Leica body in the future.
Oh! and I also noticed that my silver copy of the 28mm is not the two-toned silver/blue silver version shown in Dustin Abbot's video. It's one tone of light silver tone throughout, so already there are some variations happening.
p.10 #8 · New M-Mount 28/1.4 and 35/1.4 from Thypoch
ButteredToast wrote:
Flaring aside, I finally sat down and looked at some photos on my laptop last night and over and over I just kept remarking how "pretty" the light and color looked in my shots! "Pretty" is honest to god the word I kept uttering. There's something really special about the rendering of this lens; tones are elegant, the image is sharp, and colors are vibrant but not garish. It has real 3-d pop too in some images, the subject in focus is really well etched from the background. It reminds me of images I've seen made using the latest version of the Leica 35FLE, and mind you, I am shooting this lens on a Sony A7R4.
This is how I have come to feel about the lens as well. The rendering is lovely. This is one of my favorite photos taken with the lens so far. Sometimes (in my opinion) photos even look a bit like medium format with how it separates a subject from the background.
LEICA M10-PSummilux-M 1:1.4/35 ASPH. lens35mmf/1.71/60s12500 ISO-0.7 EV
p.10 #9 · New M-Mount 28/1.4 and 35/1.4 from Thypoch
The rendering and tonality coming out from this lens is very smooth and gentle, which is desirable and it makes many modern lenses rendering looked harsh or flat. It may not be a sharp lens but then again sharpness is overrated - having sharp details is always a bonus but I have smooth tonal gradations and renderings above sharpness.
Again, this lens (at least in the 35mm on M-P240) do actually have very good contrast even wide open. I can see this a great alternative lens for many people who can get past the quirky focus ring design.
By the way, since there's no where else to grip on to mount and unmount the lens, naturally the infinity lock is there to aid...
p.10 #10 · New M-Mount 28/1.4 and 35/1.4 from Thypoch
Got the 28mm, trying it out on the M11, am seeing light leaks from it in almost all corners based on how I hold the camera and ambient light direction. (dont see this on my other lens).
Attached a couple of examples. Has anyone seen this before? I am thinking of just returning it instead of trying to find any fix. I think it has to do with the mount of the lens, there is a weird ridge in it, I do not see such a ridge on other Leica lens I have, I do see on another CV lens I got, but it doesn't seem to be as pronounced. The leak is around the screw areas, and if I place a finger there, it goes away.
I did like what I saw from the pictures taken with the lens, but the ergonomics are meh.
LEICA M11Noctilux-M 1:1/50 lens50mm1/8s6400 ISO+0.7 EV
p.10 #11 · New M-Mount 28/1.4 and 35/1.4 from Thypoch
krdvg wrote:
Got the 28mm, trying it out on the M11, am seeing light leaks from it in almost all corners based on how I hold the camera and ambient light direction. (dont see this on my other lens).
Attached a couple of examples. Has anyone seen this before? I am thinking of just returning it instead of trying to find any fix. I think it has to do with the mount of the lens, there is a weird ridge in it, I do not see such a ridge on other Leica lens I have, I do see on another CV lens I got, but it doesn't seem to be as pronounced. The leak is around the screw areas, and if I place a finger there, it goes away.
I did like what I saw from the pictures taken with the lens, but the ergonomics are meh.
p.10 #12 · New M-Mount 28/1.4 and 35/1.4 from Thypoch
Yep I've seen this before, on ZM lenses back in the day, especially when shooting IR on the M9.
As you correctly assume, it's from the screws on the lens lining up with screws on the mount and making a nice little gap for light to bounce through.
krdvg wrote:
Got the 28mm, trying it out on the M11, am seeing light leaks from it in almost all corners based on how I hold the camera and ambient light direction. (dont see this on my other lens).
Attached a couple of examples. Has anyone seen this before? I am thinking of just returning it instead of trying to find any fix. I think it has to do with the mount of the lens, there is a weird ridge in it, I do not see such a ridge on other Leica lens I have, I do see on another CV lens I got, but it doesn't seem to be as pronounced. The leak is around the screw areas, and if I place a finger there, it goes away.
I did like what I saw from the pictures taken with the lens, but the ergonomics are meh.
p.10 #13 · New M-Mount 28/1.4 and 35/1.4 from Thypoch
After a period of evaluation I decided for the Thypoch Simera 28 f1.4 for the use on my Sony A7IV (Laowa 28 f1.2 and Voigtländer 28 f1.5 were the competitors for a fast manual 28mm prime).
One year ago I sold my 7Artisans 28 f1.4 because of the bad midfield sharpness around 2-3m and the 0,7MFD (you had to adjust the CF-adapter so often to focus closer). The 24GM was sold two years ago because of the 23mm field of view - just to wide for people for my taste - I love 28mm for enviromental portraits much more.
Today the lens arrived and I tested some things. First of all, the workmanship is better than I expected (by Bastians review). Otherwise the rendering and bokeh is exactly what I was hoping for - so nice!
The weight is much more in the sweet spot for primes (compared to the heavy 7Artisans) and because of the adapter the focusring has more distance to the mount, the ergonomics work for me. The only thing I would like to be different is the short focus throw from 0,7m to 0,4m and of course as an Sony-user I would like the 0,7m (for M-mount useful but not on a mirrorless) resistance to be declicked - but this small things dont change the game for me. (I did not experience any light-leak with my lens at all)
All in all it is that lens I was waiting for, with decent weight (330g), similar size to the FE28, and a smooth 1.4-rendering, good sharpness in the midfield at all distances and good feeling haptics. (Will write some experiences after some time of usage). To have a 49mm filter thread is a small bonus for me (I have already filters for 49mm).
p.10 #14 · New M-Mount 28/1.4 and 35/1.4 from Thypoch
I've been going back and forth between the Thypoch Simera and the Voigtlander 28/1.5, because of the pros and cons of each. I like the look of the Simera more, but worry about that focus tab and if it will interfere with the Techart lm-ea9 adapter that I plan to use on my Sony. I'm then drawn to the size of the Voigtlander.
What adapter are you using?
Victor
dieterson wrote:
After a period of evaluation I decided for the Thypoch Simera 28 f1.4 for the use on my Sony A7IV (Laowa 28 f1.2 and Voigtländer 28 f1.5 were the competitors for a fast manual 28mm prime).
One year ago I sold my 7Artisans 28 f1.4 because of the bad midfield sharpness around 2-3m and the 0,7MFD (you had to adjust the CF-adapter so often to focus closer). The 24GM was sold two years ago because of the 23mm field of view - just to wide for people for my taste - I love 28mm for enviromental portraits much more.
Today the lens arrived and I tested some things. First of all, the workmanship is better than I expected (by Bastians review). Otherwise the rendering and bokeh is exactly what I was hoping for - so nice!
The weight is much more in the sweet spot for primes (compared to the heavy 7Artisans) and because of the adapter the focusring has more distance to the mount, the ergonomics work for me. The only thing I would like to be different is the short focus throw from 0,7m to 0,4m and of course as an Sony-user I would like the 0,7m (for M-mount useful but not on a mirrorless) resistance to be declicked - but this small things dont change the game for me. (I did not experience any light-leak with my lens at all)
All in all it is that lens I was waiting for, with decent weight (330g), similar size to the FE28, and a smooth 1.4-rendering, good sharpness in the midfield at all distances and good feeling haptics. (Will write some experiences after some time of usage). To have a 49mm filter thread is a small bonus for me (I have already filters for 49mm)....Show more →
p.10 #15 · New M-Mount 28/1.4 and 35/1.4 from Thypoch
I use a 7ARTISANS close focus adapter (you can adjust infinity-focus exactly with the adapter or use the adapter for closer focussing if needed). It works well but is a little heavier than the newest Voigtländer CF-adapter.
p.10 #16 · New M-Mount 28/1.4 and 35/1.4 from Thypoch
dieterson wrote:
After a period of evaluation I decided for the Thypoch Simera 28 f1.4 for the use on my Sony A7IV (Laowa 28 f1.2 and Voigtländer 28 f1.5 were the competitors for a fast manual 28mm prime).
I'm curious to see how you feel this performs on Sony. I have a 28/1.4 lens already but it's a Nikon (28/1.4 AF-D) and thus quite a bit larger, the manual focus is not as responsive as I'd like, and of course it focuses the Nikon way, which is the opposite of my other lenses. But it performs fine on Sony; I'd expect the Thypoch to do worse but I'm mainly using my fast 28mm for fairly close subjects as opposed to landscapes so it might be fine.
p.10 #17 · New M-Mount 28/1.4 and 35/1.4 from Thypoch
Actually I was surprised how good it performed on my Sony (I did not expect this kind of sharpness on the borders- definitly better than my former 7ARTISANS 28f1.4).
That is my first impression, so I need time to get to know the lens for a longer time to compare it to native primes.
But so far I am impressed.
p.10 #18 · New M-Mount 28/1.4 and 35/1.4 from Thypoch
Of the few Chinese reviews I watched, they're mostly positive with the lens and emphasize a lot less or just a touch on the infinity lock. One review mentioned a workaround for the infinity lock - one just develop a habit of pressing the lock button (think knuckle of the index finger) when focusing so it stays unlocked. In fact that'll place the hand in front of the focus nib and less interference instead of catching the nib with thumb and index finger approach.
