Pergear 25mm f1.8

On a whim, out of boredom I suppose, I bought the Pergear 25mm/f1.8. $57.00, what could go wrong?

Really nothing. I think it's an attractive lens, though the silver/chrome front ring is kind of odd. The focus and aperture rings move smoothly with a nice amount of resistance. It's all-metal construction makes it feel substantial.

I originally thought I might leave it attached to my E-PL10, but my experience with using the LCD to focus has led me to leave it on my E-PL8 so I can use the VF4 evf to focus. I've found the most accurate way to focus is using the magnified view. Focus peaking often leads to soft images. (Why not use both? Well, on the E-PL10 it's one or the other; I haven't found a way to enable both with the limited button assignments available.) And using the viewfinder to the eye lends more stability, particularly with regard to focus distance to the subject when using wide apertures. Perhaps practice would make perfect using the LCD.

In a happy coincidence, the 43mm thread size is the same as the Zuiko 25mm pancake, which I once had and have since bought again. This one included the Oly LH-43 lens hood, and it fits the Pergear perfectly.

Since it was designed for APS-C, the fov isn't strictly the same as a 25mm on m43. More like 30mm, I think. Which is useful to keep in mind when you configure the image stabilizer for the correct focal length.

I haven't shot with it very much, mostly just around the house. The main thing I've noticed is that I really appreciate auto-focus!

It does flare a LOT!

dave rogers said:

On a whim, out of boredom I suppose, I bought the Pergear 25mm/f1.8. $57.00, what could go wrong?

Really nothing. I think it's an attractive lens, though the silver/chrome front ring is kind of odd. The focus and aperture rings move smoothly with a nice amount of resistance. It's all-metal construction makes it feel substantial.

I originally thought I might leave it attached to my E-PL10, but my experience with using the LCD to focus has led me to leave it on my E-PL8 so I can use the VF4 evf to focus. I've found the most accurate way to focus is using the magnified view. Focus peaking often leads to soft images. (Why not use both? Well, on the E-PL10 it's one or the other; I haven't found a way to enable both with the limited button assignments available.) And using the viewfinder to the eye lends more stability, particularly with regard to focus distance to the subject when using wide apertures. Perhaps practice would make perfect using the LCD.

In a happy coincidence, the 43mm thread size is the same as the Zuiko 25mm pancake, which I once had and have since bought again. This one included the Oly LH-43 lens hood, and it fits the Pergear perfectly.

Since it was designed for APS-C, the fov isn't strictly the same as a 25mm on m43. More like 30mm, I think. Which is useful to keep in mind when you configure the image stabilizer for the correct focal length.

I haven't shot with it very much, mostly just around the house. The main thing I've noticed is that I really appreciate auto-focus!

It does flare a LOT!

Click to expand...

Such a beautiful old style lens, just had to get one! like a Voigtlander or Leica.

After 2 months still nothing delivered and now I''ve gone on holiday, so it will probably go back to china if ever delivered at my doorstep :-(

Looking good... you should de-clutter your desk, and take an image of the combo without the VF-4... now that would look CLASSIC!

(I'd love to get the recipe for that raisin bread/cake... very yummy looking!)

dave rogers said:

Since it was designed for APS-C, the fov isn't strictly the same as a 25mm on m43. More like 30mm, I think. Which is useful to keep in mind when you configure the image stabilizer for the correct focal length.

Click to expand...

If it is 25mm on APS-C, then it is also 25mm on MFT and the field of view will be exactly the same as a 25mm lens designed for MFT.

Of course, the field of view when it is used on APS-C will be wider than when it is used on MFT.

Tom Axford said:

dave rogers said:

Since it was designed for APS-C, the fov isn't strictly the same as a 25mm on m43. More like 30mm, I think. Which is useful to keep in mind when you configure the image stabilizer for the correct focal length.

Click to expand...

If it is 25mm on APS-C, then it is also 25mm on MFT and the field of view will be exactly the same as a 25mm lens designed for MFT.

Of course, the field of view when it is used on APS-C will be wider than when it is used on MFT.

Click to expand...

Well, the focal length of the lens is the same, but the image circle of the APS-C is larger, so...

I don't know.

You seem to know a lot about it. Perhaps you're right.

I do know that when I was comparing it with my 25mm/f1.8 and 25mm/f2.8 the Pergear seemed to capture a smaller portion of the scene.

Thanks for correcting me. You must be terribly busy, what with all the errors on the internet. So thanks for taking the time to drop by and explain my ignorance to me. It's much appreciated. One of the things I really love about this forum.

Lichtspiel said:

Looking good... you should de-clutter your desk, and take an image of the combo without the VF-4... now that would look CLASSIC!

(I'd love to get the recipe for that raisin bread/cake... very yummy looking!)

Click to expand...

Desk shaming now, are we?;-)

It's a banana-blueberry bread. One of the reasons for my ever-expanding girth, alas.

Anyway, I cleaned off the desk. I'm not great at camera pr0n. I had to retouch all the scratches and divots out of the desk.

Now we're getting somewhere.



(of course now I am going to get fired for messing with someone's property)

Cool! I like it!

Tom Axford said:

dave rogers said:

Since it was designed for APS-C, the fov isn't strictly the same as a 25mm on m43. More like 30mm, I think. Which is useful to keep in mind when you configure the image stabilizer for the correct focal length.

Click to expand...

If it is 25mm on APS-C, then it is also 25mm on MFT and the field of view will be exactly the same as a 25mm lens designed for MFT.

Of course, the field of view when it is used on APS-C will be wider than when it is used on MFT.

Click to expand...

I i think you might be wrong on this one Tom. the 25mm on apsc is 3:2 ratio so when used on m43 its cropped of the sides making it more like 30mm ? the fov will be close vertically but not horizontally ?

Don

One of the fun things with Legacy lenses is in figuring out who really made the lenses sold by re-branders like Vivitar, Soligor and Revue (and many others). Some manufacturers even made up some brand names for anyone who would buy a batch.

Modern “Rokinon” or “Bower” = “Samyang”.

I think that Pergear are more into marketing even though they may make some of the stuff they sell.

Neewer also seem to be a marketing company.

Mitakon, 7Artisans, Laowa, and others, make lenses in their own right.

Possibly used by a lesser known manufacturing name but the same lens might pop up under another brand name as well as “Pergear”.

It would be interesting to know if this Pergear was made by a better-known manufacturer, or one with little known track record, or even “by Pergear”.

The reason being of course is that we tend to classify quality levels by brand and Pergear either has a limited exposure as a lens manufacturer through this one lens or is hiding the original brand name recognition behind a marketing brand name.

Do our sleuths know who actually builds this lens? Is it Pergear?

Donald B said:

Tom Axford said:

dave rogers said:

Since it was designed for APS-C, the fov isn't strictly the same as a 25mm on m43. More like 30mm, I think. Which is useful to keep in mind when you configure the image stabilizer for the correct focal length.

Click to expand...

If it is 25mm on APS-C, then it is also 25mm on MFT and the field of view will be exactly the same as a 25mm lens designed for MFT.

Of course, the field of view when it is used on APS-C will be wider than when it is used on MFT.

Click to expand...

I i think you might be wrong on this one Tom. the 25mm on apsc is 3:2 ratio so when used on m43 its cropped of the sides making it more like 30mm ? the fov will be close vertically but not horizontally ?

Don

Click to expand...

Quite correct Don!

I forgot that the aspect ratio is different, so the diagonal field of view is the same, but the vertical fov is greater on MFT and the horizontal fov is less on MFT.

Thanks for the correction.

Tom Axford said:

Donald B said:

Tom Axford said:

dave rogers said:

Since it was designed for APS-C, the fov isn't strictly the same as a 25mm on m43. More like 30mm, I think. Which is useful to keep in mind when you configure the image stabilizer for the correct focal length.

Click to expand...

If it is 25mm on APS-C, then it is also 25mm on MFT and the field of view will be exactly the same as a 25mm lens designed for MFT.

Of course, the field of view when it is used on APS-C will be wider than when it is used on MFT.

Click to expand...

I i think you might be wrong on this one Tom. the 25mm on apsc is 3:2 ratio so when used on m43 its cropped of the sides making it more like 30mm ? the fov will be close vertically but not horizontally ?

Don

Click to expand...

Quite correct Don!

I forgot that the aspect ratio is different, so the diagonal field of view is the same, but the vertical fov is greater on MFT and the horizontal fov is less on MFT.

Thanks for the correction.

Click to expand...

No, I answered too quickly and that statement is not correct.

APS-C is a larger sensor than MFT and therefore a 25mm lens on APS-C gives a larger field of view in every direction than a 25mm lens on MFT.

However, what I meant to say originally is that every 25mm lens used on a MFT camera will give exactly the same fov. It makes no difference if the lens was made for MFT or made for APS-C or made for FF.

Tom Axford said:

Tom Axford said:

Donald B said:

Tom Axford said:

dave rogers said:

Since it was designed for APS-C, the fov isn't strictly the same as a 25mm on m43. More like 30mm, I think. Which is useful to keep in mind when you configure the image stabilizer for the correct focal length.

Click to expand...

If it is 25mm on APS-C, then it is also 25mm on MFT and the field of view will be exactly the same as a 25mm lens designed for MFT.

Of course, the field of view when it is used on APS-C will be wider than when it is used on MFT.

Click to expand...

I i think you might be wrong on this one Tom. the 25mm on apsc is 3:2 ratio so when used on m43 its cropped of the sides making it more like 30mm ? the fov will be close vertically but not horizontally ?

Don

Click to expand...

Quite correct Don!

I forgot that the aspect ratio is different, so the diagonal field of view is the same, but the vertical fov is greater on MFT and the horizontal fov is less on MFT.

Thanks for the correction.

Click to expand...

No, I answered too quickly and that statement is not correct.

APS-C is a larger sensor than MFT and therefore a 25mm lens on APS-C gives a larger field of view in every direction than a 25mm lens on MFT.

However, what I meant to say originally is that every 25mm lens used on a MFT camera will give exactly the same fov. It makes no difference if the lens was made for MFT or made for APS-C or made for FF.

Click to expand...

Now your confusing me just did a test with my em12 and the a7r2 . 25mm on the em12 and the 45mm on the a7r2. the 25mm is the same height as the 45mm but the 45 is wider than the 25 landscape framing.

Don

Since this was built for apsc and lenses are sharper towards center, we are getting the good bits and less of the dodgy bits due to crop, right?

Emsquared said:

Since this was built for apsc and lenses are sharper towards center, we are getting the good bits and less of the dodgy bits due to crop, right?

Click to expand...

Quite right.

However, for the same pixel count, MFT has a higher pixel density than APS-C, so requires lenses of higher resolution.

One thing works in your favour, the other against you.

Lichtspiel said:

Looking good... you should de-clutter your desk, and take an image of the combo without the VF-4... now that would look CLASSIC!

(I'd love to get the recipe for that raisin bread/cake... very yummy looking!)

Click to expand...

I ordered it for its gorgeous looks. The focal length is quite boring. See it as a deluxe lenscap ;-)