Hin's Photo Corner: Zonlai 25mm f/1.8 Ergonomics -- Sugru Focus Tab

20160624-DSC02186
by Hin Man, on Flickr
in f/2.8 with A6000

[IMG]

20160624-DSC02184
by Hin Man, on Flickr
in f/4.0 with A6000

This lens comes in handy on close up shot. I continue to run into minor issues on color and vignette on corners but overall I am quite pleased with the Zonlai lens. The 25mm is a sweet spot for me for casual street shooting, events, close up and hiking. Yes, I plan to take this as 1-lens out on hiking. With its good close up, this one will do well for me on flowers. The vignette and unsharp corners will be a concern to be tried out on casual landscape shots.

I am keenly thinking of trying out the Zonlai 35mm f/1.8 in black if I manage to sell off some of my other lesser used lens. I already have the Fujian 35mm f/1.7 but I prefer the build and compact form factor of the Zonlai. Do anyone know about the company behind the Zonlai lenses? There are a few other E-mount from Meike, Neewer or Kaxinda similarly re-rbranded E-mount and MFT lenses on 28 f/2.8, 35mm f/1.7 and 50mm f/2.0 but none of them look like the Zonlai as the Zonlai's aperture ring is in front and build look very different.

[IMG]

20160618-DSC01602
by Hin Man, on Flickr

Ergonomics:

The aperture ring and focusing ring are very close together. It is very easy to change the aperture unintentionally when one adjust focus.
A focus tab is highly recommended add-on to this lens. I use Sugru from Amazon to mold a tab that becomes solid after a day.
With a focus tab, I find focusing much more precise and the tab helps to avoid inadvertent change on aperture
Other focus tab idea can be checked with lenstab in TAAB MINI | TAAB | Universal Lens Tab though I like the Sugru idea better as the lenstab will have the extra bend on top of your lens with potential in destroying the original beauty of the Zonlai.

Sugru Focus Tab