I’ve never been a big fan of 35mm lenses. But when Mandler sent me their 35mm f/2, I decided to give it a proper test.
So I brought it to my last wedding of the season.
00:00 Intro
02:00 Tech specs
03:52 Regarding 35mm lenses
05:05 Build quality, aperture clicks, general “feeling” in the hand
07:55 Wedding photos – no talking
10:00 Conclusion and review
My Nikon Z8 handled the professional work, while my Leica M EV1 and the Mandler 35mm f/2 came along as a third camera. I ended up taking around 300 photographs with it, all shot wide open at f/2.
No laboratory tests, no sharpness charts, and no comparisons with €3,000 Leica lenses. Just real photographs from a real wedding, and my thoughts on the experience.
All photographs shown are edited using my usual workflow. What you’re seeing is the finished result, not untouched RAW files.
For around €350, this little lens genuinely surprised me.
Thanks for watching!
/ Christian
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Would you trust a €350 manual focus lens at a wedding?
I wouldn't use it as my main camera, but I was genuinely surprised by the photographs I came home with.
Curious to hear what you think about the rendering, especially the bokeh.
Personally, I find it a little busy at times, but there's something about the overall look that I really enjoy.
@christianschneiderphoto stunning photos My 35mm f/2 is my favorite
Hello Christian, thanks a lot for this fab review! I really like the results with this lens. Especially the Wedding shots are just fantastic! BTW: Could you give me a hint which song you used for the wedding shots sequence? Thanks a lot & cheers, Georg
I have yet to get a bad image with that lens. Only issue I've had was it won't mount correctly to my film M2, otherwise its been perfect for such a low price.
I am with you on 35. I feel it’s bland. But will give this a try.
Wow beautiful ❤❤ just found your channel 😊 subscribed.. Pete
Merci beaucoup pour ce bol d'air frais avec tes vidéos.
Les vidéos Youtube sur la photographie deviennent tellement ennuyantes… Ton style est un vent nouveau.
Continue sur cette voie.
Leica un jour, Leica toujours.
Fais nous découvrir pleins de beaux objectifs VINTAGE…
Exakt mina tankar kring 35 brännvidd och Mandler. Jag tycker oxå att 35 ligger lite på "no mans land" men bestämde behålla mitt för det priset är den fantastiskt. Grym video!
Great to see the Mandler 35mm f/2 being put to work at a wedding! I own one myself and think it's an amazing little lens, particularly for the price. The build quality is excellent, but what really appeals to me is the rendering — lovely colours, gentle transitions into the out-of-focus areas and that slightly vintage character without looking overly soft.
It's clearly inspired by the legendary Leica 35mm Summicron IV, the so-called King of Bokeh, and while it may not be an exact optical match, it certainly has a charm of its own. I enjoyed mine so much that I went on to buy Mandler's 50mm f/1.4 pre-ASPH-inspired lens, which has been equally enjoyable.
Perhaps that's what I appreciate most about these lenses. They're not chasing clinical perfection, but offering something with character at a price that makes photography a little more accessible.
And ultimately, a lens that makes you want to go out and take photographs is worth far more than one that simply performs beautifully on a test chart.
Jag hatade 35mm för ett par år sedan, nu är det min go too 😅
Tack för ett intressant avsnitt! Fantastiskt fina bilder❤️