Fujian 25mm f/1.4 C-Mount Lens - Bokeh Addiction Is a Disease; This Lens Is the Cure

Bokeh is my drug. I love it. I need it. I want more of it.

Although a lottery winner could just walk into any Leica store, pick up a few Noctilux lenses and be done with it all, such course of action off the table for people who work day jobs for a living. So, for me, the name of the game is all about getting bokeh on the cheap.

Contrary to popular belief, cheap bokeh isn't an unicorn; it actually exists in real life. Simply graft a vintage large aperture prime lens onto any modern mirrorless camera, and VOILA, instant cheap bokeh. I have no less than three old Pentax primes in my possession, and they've all given me lots of bokeh love over the years.

SMC Takumar 55mm f/2

SMC Takumar 50mm f/1.4

Pentax-A SMC 50mm f/2

Unfortunately, when it comes to bokeh, enough is never enough. So, like a drug addict who's always looking for a more intense high, I am on a never-ending quest for cheaper and better bokeh. Imagine my delight when this Fujian 25mm f/1.4 crossed my path.

What you are looking at is a C-mount lens originally designed to be used on security cameras. Since it's manufactured in vast quantities in China, let's just say, it's sold at a tremendous discount over a comparable Leica DG 25mm Summilux. Like all other vintage manual focus lens, all it takes to get it working on a M4/3 body is an adapter.

But how cheap is cheap? Well, I paid $910NT ($28.89USD), adapter and shipping included. Yeah, that's right, a spanking new 25mm (equivalent to 50mm when grafted to a M4/3 camera) lens with max aperture of f/1.4 is being sold for under $30. If that's not cheap, then I don't know what cheap is. Oskar Barnack is probably rolling in his grave right now.

So, let's have a look. All pics shown below were shot with aperture wide open, because I get the feeling that's where it will stay most of the time.

For starters, loads and loads of barrel distortion, not to mention very visible chromatic aberration.

The story continues with loads and loads of vignetting.

And it flares like you wouldn't believe.

Corner sharpness is beyond terrible at max aperture. The purple "Breeze" sign is more or less on the same focal plane as the tree in the center of the frame, but it shows up as a kind of radial-patterned bokeh. But gosh, isn't it interesting.

Truth be told, on-center sharpness is outstanding, and the overall result is not unpleasant, especially if you are going for a different "look".

And when it hits the bullseye, WOW!

The lens is well constructed and feels solid. Some netizens complained that the M4/3 adapter is of poor quality, and the lens would wobble as a result. I don't see this with my unit, as both the lens and the adapter fit like a glove. So goes the old saying, if fits, you must acquit.

That said, there is one glaring quality issue with the unit I have. The label on the aperture ring is not aligned correctly. It's at the bottom when it should be on top. This is not a big deal per se, as the aperture ring isn't a click-stop mechanism found on most lenses. Instead, it's a smooth, continuous rotating action, so it doesn't matter that much where the label is at. Still, this goes to show that there exists a sizable quality gap between Fujian and say, Carl Zeiss.

And there is another minor quirk, turning the focus ring dialed way too tight, and turning it is a task that requires near-Herculean strength.But there is at least one saving grace, thanks to good on-center sharpness, it's not hard at all to get the subject in focus with assistance from focus peaking.

So, in conclusion, if you are a bokeh addict, this is the best $30 you will ever spend. Sure, lottery winners with Canon Luxury lenses will laugh their asses off, but when lightning strikes, and a damn fine image is produced, you will be the one who's laughing, all the way to the bank.