This post is a follow on from our previous review of two different 25mm lenses.
In this article I am concentrating on the Andoer 25mm f1.8 lens. I will not bore you with all the technical specifications again.
I purchased the Andoer lens from a seller on Ebay. Having done a fair amount of research. it is worth noting that the lens has a clone sold under the Pergear brand name, price is very similar. Who actually manufactures the lens is an unknown.
My main reason for purchasing the Andoer lens was to have a lens to fit my Fuji X mount camera without paying for a Fuji lens.
During my tests I have had the opportunity to try the Andoer lens on two Fuji X series cameras – Fuji X-T1 and a Protech Infra Red converted Fuji X-E1.
The Andoer 25mm f1.8 is a totally manual lens, meaning the camera boy has to be set to ‘Shoot without lens’ and mount adapter to 24mm (nearest equivalent) in the menu and ‘M’ on the camera body. Focusing is best performed at full aperture, then stop the lens down to take the photograph. Interestingly the lens focuses past infinity, this however can be a bonus when using IR filters. It is also worth mentioning that the aperture ring is click less, so no point in trying to count how many stops you are closing the lens down by.
Performance
Wide open the lens exhibits noticeable vignetting, this improves and has gone completely by f5.6. The lens is sharp in the centre but slightly soft at the edges again when wide open, again this improves when stopped down to f4 and does not drop off even when stopped all the way down to f16.
Where the Andoer 25mm lens come into it’s own is in the fact that when used with IR filters it does not exhibit a hot spot unlike a lot of Fuji’s own lenses.
The lens was tested on a Fuji X-E1 fitted with a full spectrum pass filter using 4 different IR filters, including a new Blue IR filter that gives a very blue sky and golden foliage.
Images were taken at full aperture (f1.8) and fully stopped down (f16), the smaller the aperture the more obvious the hot spot. The Andoer 25mm performed impeccably.
Sample images
Images converted to Jpeg in Adobe Camera Raw with minimal post processing.
Blue IR filter
Blue IR filter – taken at f16
590nm IR filter – taken at f1.8
590nm IR filter – taken at f16
720nm IR filter
720nm IR filter
850nm IR filter – taken at f1.8
850nm IR filter – taken at f16
Colour sample taken on unconverted Fuji X-T1 at f4
Colour sample taken on unconverted Fuji X-T1
Colour sample taken on unconverted Fuji X-T1
Conclusion
If you are looking for an inexpensive lens for your Fuji X mount camera and by inexpensive I mean under £50! do not mind working totally manually and you take IR photographs you cannot go wrong with the Andoer 25mm f1.8.
Thanks to Protech Repairs for the test cameras and the loan of the Blue IR filter.
By C