@JackBayer Sorry about your lens, it sounds like it's broken after all. I was hoping it was just the usual focus/aperture confusion but if you hear elements moving around, something's wrong.

I feel for anyone who spends $500 and gets a broken lens, and I'd be hopping mad if it happened to me. But let's be realistic, this is a niche of a niche of a niche lens made by hand in China in very small batches and for it to cost only $500 you can be sure it wasn't made alongside iPads at Foxconn. You guys ever buy hard drives in bulk? A 10% DOA rate means you got lucky. This is the world you wanted. Low prices, free worldwide shipping, and QC. Pick two.

Guys here act like there are other, better alternatives to a 12mm f1.6 lens for M43 so SLR Magic must be messing up somehow. The only other fast 12mm for M43 I know of is the Oly and it's $800, and starts at f2 where the SLR Magic is already sharp and flare-free. Yes I've seen the "comparos" and yes the Oly has its own look which you may or may not prefer to the SLR Magic. But for the money the SLR Magic has no competition.

If you want one, prepare for a long wait and the possibility of a bum sample and another wait for a replacement. But I can tell you that once you get this lens on your camera all the hassle will have been worth it.

OK, definately sounds like your lens is faulty, then @JackBayer..

I'll do a quick test of mine when I get around to it. I've shot with it already of course, but images are no good as tests without settings.

<< working fine @ 1.6 and up, think the quality control is a bit squiffy down on the SLR Magic factory floor!

@Shaveblog :) I guess most of us turn the correct ring. How do I know that? While shooting tests I was not in hurry and I was definitely putting my fingers on the correct focus ring close to GH2 body, secondly if one turns aperture, then image becomes either under or overexposed, it is clearly seen in EVF or LCD histogram. While turning the focus ring one actually see how things are getting focused/unfocused (or in case of Noktor: from unfocused to heavily unfocused). So it's actually not the mistake about rings, there is something about the lens itself. You are definitely lucky having no issues about Noktor 12mm lens.

@JackBayer.. OK, sounds really strange, like something is misplaced.

I will shoot some pics tomorrow, but @dream_beams stills look even a tad sharper to what I could get while not quite in focus yet. This is strange behaviour, normally a wider lens is sharper by its wideness itself.

Assuming this is not a flaw, this lens becomes a special purpose item for groups of people in a small room i.e. only. I however really need deep focus...

Below are stills shot at 1.6, 2.0, 4.0, 8.0. The exposure was 1/4000, 1/4000, 1/2000, 1/200 respectively. All are at ISO160. The disclaimer is that it is not a scientific test, the shots were made at extreme lighting conditions, the sun as almost opposite to the lens, that is why there are flares all around which do not disturb me at all but non-focused image. The distance to the tree was about 10 meters, focus was set to infinity. I understand that the lens is designed mostly for video, that is why checking stills is not fair to the lens. Anyway, there is definitely problem about focusing. I will post videos later this week.

No no, I turn the focus ring alright :)

When wider that F5.6 I can´t get things in focus that are a few meters and more away from me.

Hello!

I´ve just received the 12mm 1,6 and I think something´s wrong: I can´t focus in the distance! Standing in my room pointing my GH2 to the windows, which are 4m away, I can´t get them in focus. On 1,6 till 6 or 8 that is. Then it gets sharp also in the distance. Is that normal? I used to have the 12-60mm Oly and I can´t recall having this problem.

So, broken? Thanks!

@HillTop1 I would not be straight forward that much about SLR Magic, let us firstly double check settings and post samples to judge about image quality, I still hope that my poor footage could be due to my mistake on aperture/exposure/recording settings. Anyway, I will post some stills today and video by the end of this week.

My lens arrived from konj last week and the whole picture is distorted and blurred. Definitive a damaged lens. I have returned it now (konj have good and fast service ) and hope that the next one will be better. Slr magic seems to have really bad production quality. After this lens I will not buy one of their products again.

@Alfaerik thanks for posting, yes, my Noktor is pretty much similar at 1.6. I will add some stills samples later today.