It has a screw hole on the focus grip. Are they including a post to screw into it for those who prefer some kind of focus tab over the knurled ring?
There are 3 holes like that on the focus grip (they are quite small), but there isn't any post included and I think the placement of any of the holes would not be very suitable for a focus tab.
I received my lens (Black #67) this morning and here are some quick pics of what was included (the outer case is expected to be delivered separately when they arrive at Shoten Kobo).
There is a plastic jar that contained the lens, and the rear cap of the lens is an unremovable part of the container so a separate back cap will be needed to carry the lens without the container. I have a few spare M-mount back caps so it's not a problem for me. There is also a nice pouch that's quite large for the bare lens (the lens container and hood would all fit into the pouch nicely). The hood was originally inside the pouch. The hood is not heavy although it's quite large.
Juha Kannisto wrote:
There are 3 holes like that on the focus grip (they are quite small), but there isn't any post included and I think the placement of any of the holes would not be very suitable for a focus tab.
Thanks. The curiosity continues. I hope you enjoy the new lens.
Juha Kannisto wrote:
(For customers who purchased the product from outside Japan, we will ship the lens once all packaging materials, including the outer box, are ready. We kindly ask for your understanding.)
This time I didn't get the email. Maybe silver, which I pre-ordered, are being delivered later than the black ones?
The weather has been quite variable this week, a lot of clouds and rain showers but also some nice sunshine bits here and there. Since I've been taking Obon holidays this week, I had time to shoot with the new lens (on my Sony A7CII) today and to some extent yesterday as well when the weather permitted.
I've been really enjoying shooting with the lens at wide open aperture, I like the old school glowy rendering quite a bit. It does bring to mind my MS-Optics Elnomaxim 55/1.2 in many ways, but that lens is even more glowy and a bit softer wide open at close distances.
Tribute 01 is a bit softer and glowier at longer distances and fairly sharp and less glowly at focused area at shorter distances. I've been using a helicoid adapter but the lens can focus pretty close even without additional helicoid so I didn't need the helicoid extension most of the time). Hard infinity on my lens seems to be spot on.
When the lens is stopped down, it gets sharper and less glowy but it's never quite corner-to-corner sharp at infinity / near infinity since there's plenty of field curvature at play and edges and corners would benefit from focusing closer than central areas. Even at f8, edges and corners are somewhat soft when focusing for center or midfield, and I tend to never stop down further than f8. Anyhow, I think this lens really shines at wide open aperture and I wouldn't really use this lens when aiming for best corner-to-corner sharpness.
Juha Kannisto wrote:
The weather has been quite variable this week, a lot of clouds and rain showers but also some nice sunshine bits here and there. Since I've been taking Obon holidays this week, I had time to shoot with the new lens (on my Sony A7CII) today and to some extent yesterday as well when the weather permitted.
I've been really enjoying shooting with the lens at wide open aperture, I like the old school glowy rendering quite a bit. It does bring to mind my MS-Optics Elnomaxim 55/1.2 in many ways, but that lens is even more glowy and a bit softer wide open at close distances.
Tribute 01 is a bit softer and glowier at longer distances and fairly sharp and less glowly at focused area at shorter distances. I've been using a helicoid adapter but the lens can focus pretty close even without additional helicoid so I didn't need the helicoid extension most of the time). Hard infinity on my lens seems to be spot on.
When the lens is stopped down, it gets sharper and less glowy but it's never quite corner-to-corner sharp at infinity / near infinity since there's plenty of field curvature at play and edges and corners would benefit from focusing closer than central areas. Even at f8, edges and corners are somewhat soft when focusing for center or midfield, and I tend to never stop down further than f8. Anyhow, I think this lens really shines at wide open aperture and I wouldn't really use this lens when aiming for best corner-to-corner sharpness.
Did you manage to test the lens more and have a sense of how you like it?
It definitely seems to go in the category of the difficult lenses such as the Heliar, Z21 and such.
I still feel the rendering looks a bit like the 7artisans 1.1 that did ressemble my Nikkor 5cm 1.4 Ltm.
I’m still tempted by the lens though.
Sonnar-7 wrote:
Did you manage to test the lens more and have a sense of how you like it?
It definitely seems to go in the category of the difficult lenses such as the Heliar, Z21 and such.
I still feel the rendering looks a bit like the 7artisans 1.1 that did ressemble my Nikkor 5cm 1.4 Ltm.
I’m still tempted by the lens though.
After 8/14 the weather was quite bad for the rest of the Obon holiday week and I didn't do any shooting, and this week I've been back to work and quite busy. This upcoming weekend the weather forecast looks bad again... So not much chance to shoot more with the lens yet. I'll take it out again when the weather is pleasant enough and I have free time.
So far I think the lens is quite sweet at f1.1 but quite specialized as a specialty character lens without very useful stopped down dual use capabilities. Not something for very regular use but I do really like some of the wide open rendering characteristics.
I have another new lens (CV 90/4 APO-Lanthar, quite different to this one) coming next week too and I will probably spend time with that one after I've receive it too. After that I have nothing in the shopping list for the near future.
Thought I'd pop in to this thread and share that I posted some samples of the LAILENS offered by Shoten so in the future people searching for the lens can find samples more easily here: https://www.fredmiranda.com/forum/topic/1954297/
I've reached out to Shoten to see if I can order a Tribute (and a DK-Optic IMPASTOLITE) as well. I was thinking they might be very similar but looking at Juha's samples again I think the LAILENS is a more extreme with its character and less corrected, at least wide open. It is nice to have many unique options popping up but after this spending spree I'm going to have to go through and thin the herd of lenses a bit I think
endergemini wrote:
Thought I'd pop in to this thread and share that I posted some samples of the LAILENS offered by Shoten so in the future people searching for the lens can find samples more easily here: https://www.fredmiranda.com/forum/topic/1954297/
I've reached out to Shoten to see if I can order a Tribute (and a DK-Optic IMPASTOLITE) as well. I was thinking they might be very similar but looking at Juha's samples again I think the LAILENS is a more extreme with its character and less corrected, at least wide open. It is nice to have many unique options popping up but after this spending spree I'm going to have to go through and thin the herd of lenses a bit I think ...Show more →
Yeah, I think the LAILENS must be different based on the concept that it should mimic the Kino-Plasmat 5cm (50mm) f/1.5 from 1925. MS-Optics Vario-Prasma 50/1.5 is also based on that concept, and it could be quite extreme towards the edges and corners. I think your LAILENS samples definitely show that kind of look.
I haven't yet received any updates about the outer case, which would be shipping separately for the Japan domestic orders. I understand Shoten Kobo will start shipping their international orders of Shoten Tribute 01 once they receive the outer cases as they will want to ship everything in one go for those orders.
Sonnar-7 wrote:
I still feel the rendering looks a bit like the 7artisans 1.1 that did ressemble my Nikkor 5cm 1.4 Ltm.
I’m still tempted by the lens though.
Funny you mention the 7Artisans f/1.1. I pre-ordered the Shoten Tribute 01 in part because I somewhat regretted selling the 7Artisans earlier this year after returning to the hobby after 8 or 9 years and thinking I didn't need it.
I might be the last person to ask for a good comparison, but IMHO the 7Artisans f/1.1 is noticeably different than the Shoten. It did/does glow in harsh/high contrast light, but can be decently sharp wide open otherwise.
@Juha Kannisto - please let me know if you think these image are hijacking your thread and I will remove them. Anyway, just to give a **simple** idea of what I mean. All wide open, 7Artisans f/1.1 A7RII shot ~9 years ago.
kuujinbo wrote:
...
@Juha Kannisto@ - please let me know if you think these image are hijacking your thread and I will remove them. Anyway, just to give a **simple** idea of what I mean. All wide open, 7Artisans f/1.1 A7RII shot ~9 years ago.
I don't mind at all and I think it's properly related to the topic at hand. Thanks!
kuujinbo wrote:
Funny you mention the 7Artisans f/1.1. I pre-ordered the Shoten Tribute 01 in part because I somewhat regretted selling the 7Artisans earlier this year after returning to the hobby after 8 or 9 years and thinking I didn't need it.
I might be the last person to ask for a good comparison, but IMHO the 7Artisans f/1.1 is noticeably different than the Shoten. It did/does glow in harsh/high contrast light, but can be decently sharp wide open otherwise.
@Juha Kannisto@ - please let me know if you think these image are hijacking your thread and I will remove them. Anyway, just to give a **simple** idea of what I mean. All wide open, 7Artisans f/1.1 A7RII shot ~9 years ago....Show more →
It was a sum of things, but I admit I haven?t seen enough samples yet from the Shoten Tribute to have a good sense of it. The bokeh from the 7artisans and of the Nikkor are very distinctive, I have never seen the like in other lenses, and The Shoten did seem to exhibit somewhat something similar.
I regret selling mine too.
The Shoten Trubute 01 online shop order page has a lot of updates, and the rangefinder calibration accuracy and info about adjustability seems to be an important topic highlighted in the newly added info: https://www.stkb.jp/smartphone/detail.html?id=000000003631
I have no idea about rangefinder calibration on my lens as I practically only shoot with Sony mirrorless.
The current availability for new orders indicates that they would be shipped in late September.
I still haven't had good opportunities to shoot more with this lens as weather has been crap for the last couple of weeks especially on those days (weekends etc.) when I would have had time to shoot.
Juha Kannisto wrote:
The Shoten Trubute 01 online shop order page has a lot of updates, and the rangefinder calibration accuracy and info about adjustability seems to be an important topic highlighted in the newly added info: https://www.stkb.jp/smartphone/detail.html?id=000000003631
I have no idea about rangefinder calibration on my lens as I practically only shoot with Sony mirrorless.
The current availability for new orders indicates that they would be shipped in late September.
I still haven't had good opportunities to shoot more with this lens as weather has been crap for the last couple of weeks especially on those days (weekends etc.) when I would have had time to shoot....Show more →
Looks like maybe they are running into the issue that I had with the LAILENS, but they did not direct me to try adjusting on my own with that lens. Good info to have before the new orders go out. They are waiting to send mine until they have the boxes in, I'll make sure to check alignment as soon as I receive it.
I wonder if this will be a trend moving forward as I know a few other manufacturers have been giving instructions (and sometimes the screwdriver) for users to adjust alignment on their own.
Good news. Email update this morning stated international orders shipping in 1-2 days. Shoten is waiving the pre-order estimated 6,600¥ / ~$42 USD shipping fee. Shipping via DHL, and we're still on the hook for customs/import fees. Just another example of Japan's top-notch customer service, and one of the things I miss most about living there.
Should pair well with the monochrome converted A7RIV I picked up last week on B&S that's scheduled to arrive late this week.
I haven't updated the LAILENS thread but here is a warning for those that have/will receive their TRIBUTE or LAILENS: if you need to do the focusing adjustment, do NOT remove the screws from the ring, just loosening them is enough. The screws are insanely small and my magnetic screwdriver pulled one of the screws out and promptly flung it into the carpet never to be seen again. Shoten is going to get back to me about what exactly is the size so I can source a replacement. The good news is adjustment was easy, albeit tedious.
My LAILENS was front focusing and I sent it back to get adjusted since they had not directed me to adjust it myself and hadn't added that to the LAILENS or TRIBUTE pages at that time (still not on LAILENS page). When I received the lens it was then back focusing quite a bit. Might not matter as much for those using autofocus adapters but a head's up for those using rangefinder focusing.
I don't have a DHL account, but my wife does, and she got a text notification this morning:
Import duty payment required for delivery of DHL Express __tracking-number-omitted__. Returned in 5 days if not paid.
Never paid fees before delivery in the past, but it's been over 10 years since I bought anything shipped via DHL that did **NOT** include fees. So either their policy changed, or it's an automated bot error from their text alert system. Pre-paid before delivery to be safe. From what I understand the US tariff debacles make it a nightmare to ship anything out of Japan.
Anyway for anyone on the fence about this lens, approximate shipping cost was originally quoted at ¥ 6,600 / ~$42 USD. Plus above mentioned US import fees of $82.13.
I received the same. It’s tariff’s. Although mine were a bit higher.
kuujinbo wrote:
I don't have a DHL account, but my wife does, and she got a text notification this morning:
Never paid fees before delivery in the past, but it's been over 10 years since I bought anything shipped via DHL that did **NOT** include fees. So either their policy changed, or it's an automated bot error from their text alert system. Pre-paid before delivery to be safe. From what I understand the US tariff debacles make it a nightmare to ship anything out of Japan.
Anyway for anyone on the fence about this lens, approximate shipping cost was originally quoted at ¥ 6,600 / ~$42 USD. Plus above mentioned US import fees of $82.13....Show more →
kuujinbo wrote:
I don't have a DHL account, but my wife does, and she got a text notification this morning:
Never paid fees before delivery in the past, but it's been over 10 years since I bought anything shipped via DHL that did **NOT** include fees. So either their policy changed, or it's an automated bot error from their text alert system. Pre-paid before delivery to be safe. From what I understand the US tariff debacles make it a nightmare to ship anything out of Japan.
Anyway for anyone on the fence about this lens, approximate shipping cost was originally quoted at ¥ 6,600 / ~$42 USD. Plus above mentioned US import fees of $82.13....Show more →
For what it's worth I have bought a LOT of stuff from Japan, Hong Kong, Taiwan, and various European countries since the tariffs were implemented and DHL has been the most inconsistent with how they handle tariffs/duties. I have been billed a week prior to my delivery date, the day of my delivery date, and months after my delivery date. They have been pretty good about not holding things up in customs though.
FedEx almost always bills me the night before or morning of the delivery date and has like a 30% chance of them having some sort of clearance delay in customs. They in particular have not liked shipments from HK and have even called me to ask what was in my package and for example when it was a lens, to describe the lens in detail along with its measurements.
A lot of these companies can vary the pricing of your tariffs/duties based on what the sender used as the harmonized codes for customs as well as if they decide another code should be added or not, along with their broker fees. Always double check the customs form because I have had hundreds of dollars added to an import bill only to be waived after some calls/emails and weeks of time.
Unfortunately for me my TRIBUTE will be waiting a little longer to be sent as they are going to include a replacement screw of the one I lost for the LAILENS while adjusting it. They told me these are custom screws and they have to get them from the manufacturer so again I would recommend due diligence if you have to adjust. A large flat clean and clear working space far away from carpet and not pulling the screw entirely out. These screws have got to be around 1/4 of a mm...
I hope you enjoy the new lens.
