ashwinrao1
Active member
I will just put in that I have very much enjoyed the lens. I have asked Andrew to address the Loctite issue publicly, if he is willing. I decided to sell the lens, not due to any lack of optical prowess or capacity, which I found to be fantastic, but rather because I have had the f/0.95 Noctilux and found the SLR magic to be redundant in the face of a pending M Monochrom purchase.
I have not had any mechanical failures or issues to date. Focus has been well within the tolerances of my own photographic style. This is a very specialized beast, and it does what it needs to do (shooting wide open or nearly wide open) well, despite its size.
I think it's rendering is second only to the f/0.95 Noctilux, in terms of the options at around f/1 (this is entirely a personal opinion).
I have pulled the lens from the GetDPI sales forum, since there's so much negative discussion about it...yet, unlike others, I have yet to experience a failure or issue. I suspect that there are only a handful (10? 20?) of these lenses floating around. In its favor, one of the test copies that made it around was built robustly enough to withstand multiple travels and use by multiple reviewers, albeit within a short window. Unfortunately, other copies, including Stephens, were not up to the same build quality. Andrew has been in touch with me, but hasn't responded yet on the Loctite issue. He has many theories on focus calibration related to DOF of this lens and rangefinder and lens miscalibration, and apparently has some individuals of far higher regard than I are in the process of reviewing it to weigh in with their opinions. I sincerely hope that this lens can find a way to the market that's peaceful and instills confidence in its owners. It's clear to me, from Stephen's comments and those of another couple of friends with whom I have shared discussions (all of us have owned the lens) that the lens is capable of greatness, but is flawed in some copies and for some photographic purposes...For the purposes of my image capturing skills, it is entirely adequate, and for the time being, I plan to keep using it regularly, as it is a capable photographic tool. JMHO, as a user...(and in my case, as a happy user to date)...
But I do feel firmly that the loctite/lens assembly issue and focus calibration should be discussed and addressed by SLR magic.
Until then, here are some photos that I have taken with the Hyperprime:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/ashwinrao1/sets/72157629597129504/
I have not had any mechanical failures or issues to date. Focus has been well within the tolerances of my own photographic style. This is a very specialized beast, and it does what it needs to do (shooting wide open or nearly wide open) well, despite its size.
I think it's rendering is second only to the f/0.95 Noctilux, in terms of the options at around f/1 (this is entirely a personal opinion).
I have pulled the lens from the GetDPI sales forum, since there's so much negative discussion about it...yet, unlike others, I have yet to experience a failure or issue. I suspect that there are only a handful (10? 20?) of these lenses floating around. In its favor, one of the test copies that made it around was built robustly enough to withstand multiple travels and use by multiple reviewers, albeit within a short window. Unfortunately, other copies, including Stephens, were not up to the same build quality. Andrew has been in touch with me, but hasn't responded yet on the Loctite issue. He has many theories on focus calibration related to DOF of this lens and rangefinder and lens miscalibration, and apparently has some individuals of far higher regard than I are in the process of reviewing it to weigh in with their opinions. I sincerely hope that this lens can find a way to the market that's peaceful and instills confidence in its owners. It's clear to me, from Stephen's comments and those of another couple of friends with whom I have shared discussions (all of us have owned the lens) that the lens is capable of greatness, but is flawed in some copies and for some photographic purposes...For the purposes of my image capturing skills, it is entirely adequate, and for the time being, I plan to keep using it regularly, as it is a capable photographic tool. JMHO, as a user...(and in my case, as a happy user to date)...
But I do feel firmly that the loctite/lens assembly issue and focus calibration should be discussed and addressed by SLR magic.
Until then, here are some photos that I have taken with the Hyperprime:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/ashwinrao1/sets/72157629597129504/