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Test/ First Impression Meike 55mm f/1.8 Pro

Vale46

Vale46

Well-Known Member
Joined
May 2, 2023
Messages
160
The lens arrived yesterday and like the 85mm F1.4 Pro and 35mm F2 this lens doesn't disappoint as well.
From all 3 this seems to have the most modern af motor. It's fast, silent and accurate.

The most important for me - image qualitiy - is really at pro level just like the 85mm F1.4

These test shots have been taken at ISO6400 fully open as it was already dark after work.

P1001985_kl.jpeg
  • Panasonic DC-S5M2X
  • MEKE 55mmF1.8 STM
  • ƒ/1.8
  • 55mm
  • 1/100s
  • ISO 6400

P1001986_kl.jpeg
  • Panasonic DC-S5M2X
  • MEKE 55mmF1.8 STM
  • ƒ/1.8
  • 55mm
  • 1/100s
  • ISO 6400
 
Like the rendering… would love to see shots at 2.5 or 2.8 for just a bit more DoF that both eyes would be in focus.
 
Very nice images. Have you used the Panasonic 50/1.8? If so, how does the Meike compare?
 
pdk42 said:
Very nice images. Have you used the Panasonic 50/1.8? If so, how does the Meike compare?
Click to expand...
Yes, I had it once. But I haven‘t compared both yet. I remember the Lumix was to digital for my taste, so I replaced it with the Sigma 28-45 1.8
 
RuleOfThirds said:
Like the rendering… would love to see shots at 2.5 or 2.8 for just a bit more DoF that both eyes would be in focus.
Click to expand...
Here‘re 2 shots for comparison with f1.8 & f2.8
P1002116_kl.jpeg
  • Panasonic DC-S5M2X
  • MEKE 55mmF1.8 STM
  • ƒ/1.8
  • 55mm
  • 1/2500s
  • ISO 100

P1002117_kl.jpeg
  • Panasonic DC-S5M2X
  • MEKE 55mmF1.8 STM
  • ƒ/2.8
  • 55mm
  • 1/1300s
  • ISO 100
 
One strange thing I discovered:

Shooting jpgs ooc and having vignetting correction turned on results in too bright corners. Turning the correction off makes the corners look good.

I think it was @Richard Wong to mention that in his video review for the new 85mm 1.8 Pro and seems to be the case for the 55mm as well.

My 85mm f1.4 Pro has no issue with the vignetting correction.
 
Needs firmware update

But maybe this is what you pay for? How this passes software testing.
 
Vale46 said:
Shooting jpgs ooc and having vignetting correction turned on results in too bright corners. Turning the correction off makes the corners look good.

I think it was @Richard Wong to mention that in his video review for the new 85mm 1.8 Pro and seems to be the case for the 55mm as well.

My 85mm f1.4 Pro has no issue with the vignetting correction.
Click to expand...

Yes I think i mentioned that in my review. Actually I noticed similar issue with quite a few Chinese lenses I've reviewed recently. I think it was a TTArtisan lens that I first discovered this issue. When I checked with TTArtisan, I was advised not use the profile correction. I'm guessing the reverse engineer still isn't quite perfect so small things like profile correction , needs a bit of correction Z04 Flucht
A small price to pay compare to the money you save.
Apart from the plasticky construction, the latest Meike I've tested is really good overall, and they have also addressed some of the issues I noticed/reported when testing their earlier lenses.
 
PJD said:
Cool photo! You live in Mannheim?

My Dad snapped several photos of the Wasserturm when he was stationed in Mannheim at the end of WWII in Europe. For example ...


More of his photos here.
Click to expand...

Yes, I live in Mannheim
The photographs of your dad are excellent. Thank you for showing them to us.
 
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@PJD
Do I see right that you have italian roots? Ich can read the letters written in italian. The collection of your dads‘ WWII pictures is very interesting

Regards,
Giuseppe
 
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Vale46 said:
@PJD
Do I see right that you have italian roots? Ich can read the letters written in italian. The collection of your dads‘ WWII pictures is very interesting

Regards,
Giuseppe
Click to expand...
My father's parents emigrated from Italy to the USA before he was born. He learned English (and excelled in American schools), but his parents learned little English. That's why he wrote some of the notes in Italian on the back of his 1945 Europe photos, so my grandparents could read them when received in the mail. The notes he wrote in English were for his American bride-to-be (my Mom) and her Italian-American, English-speaking relatives. I never learned to read or write Italian. There are more photos in this collection. I'm currently in the process of re-scanning all of them at higher-resolution. Cheers.
 
As I suspect Vale46 is very familiar, visible on the left side of my father's Dec. 1945 photo of the Mannheim Wassuerturm watertower, there's a statue of a centaur. In the photo below, he captured his friend and fellow US Army medic "Blair" posing with the war-damaged, headless statue. (The statue was repaired sometime after the end of the war.) I assume the note on the back of the photo says (in Italian) something like, "My friend Blair and the statue." Related info here. The color photo is not mine; I found it on the web.
armando-decrescenzo-wwii-fellow-medic-blair-on-wasserturm-watertower-centaur-statue-mannheim-1...jpg
  • Canon LiDE 300

armando-decrescenzo-wwii-fellow-medic-blair-on-wasserturm-watertower-centaur-statue-mannheim-1...jpg
  • Canon LiDE 300

1-mannheim-centaur-statue-web-color.jpg
  • NIKON COOLPIX P1
  • ƒ/2.8
  • 8mm
  • 1/417s
  • ISO 50
 
@PJD

That's tight, you translated the letter correctly :)

I really love your dad's old photographs. I feel like I want to try more black and white ooc.
 
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General meike Q: the lenses are 'sealed' from the body via the red ring, but not elsewhere?
 
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