Pergear is not a brand I knew much about until recently. They make a handful of manual focus lenses with a strong retro vibe, but this particular model really piqued my interest. It reminded me heavily of my very first lens, a Rokkor 50mm F1.4 that I purchased in the late 1980s.
This lens is not super sharp when shooting wide open, but not terrible either. Stepping down to F2 is plenty good enough for me, producing minimal vignetting and a clean image. There's just a little character in the glass, although a lot more character in the build itself.
The focus action is super super smooth, with a gentle extension of the barrel and a nice click as you roll through the aperture. But it's the diamond shaped nodules on the focus ring that bring it all home for me. That is the Rokkor styled detail that makes this lens feel so tactile, but also feel like something out of the 1980s.
I love the images it produces. Clean but not clinical.
This lens is sold for Canon RF, Nikon Z, Sony E and Leica L-mount. Pergear were doing a 10% discount for the launch, which I have linked to below. I don't get any commission on that, it's just a bonus for my readers.
I also made a YouTube video for this lens. Spending a few weeks shooting totally manual and slowing down my process was constructive for me. I've spent my entire career talking up the benefits of "Go Slow", but it turns out even I could slow down a little more. I'll be exploring that idea a little more in the coming months, and in my zine. Keep an eye out for that.
But for the Pergear 50mm F1.4, my thoughts are simple. It's a great lens for the price and I love the style, inside and out. This lens gets two thumbs up from me.
– Ewen
10% Discount from Pergear on their website with this link:
https://bit.ly/4pOkNah
PS Someone sent me a link to a detailed technical review of this lens by Bastian Kratzke. If you want a really detailed and almost forensic examination of this lens, then his is the review you want. I don't do reviews in this manner because a) I am too lazy for such detail, and b) my brain doesn't work like this.
https://phillipreeve.net/blog/review-pergear-50mm-1-4/
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