In this blog, I will briefly discuss the Pergear 25mm f/1.7 manual prime lens for Fujifilm. This lens was sent to me by Pergear to use and review, but no specific direction was given, nor will they see this blog before it goes live. No money has exchanged hands, and there is no relationship between me and the company. This is a budget manual focus lens that currently retails for around £60 in the UK. It competes closely with the TTArtisan 25mm f/2, which is very similar and available at a comparable price.

Build

The lens features an all-metal build, which is impressive at this price point. The body has a matte finish with silver accents and feels of good quality. The markings are clear, and the aperture dial is nicely damped with distinct notches for each value. It feels like a solid product built to last, and with easily accessible screws, it appears serviceable or repairable if needed. Naturally, at this price point, there is no weather sealing.

Size

The lens is incredibly compact, only slightly longer than the Fujifilm 27mm pancake lens. It feels most suited to smaller bodies like the XT5. On larger bodies, such as the XH2, it might not be as comfortable to use. There isn’t much space between the focus and aperture dials, which means if you’re using thick gloves, you could easily knock one while adjusting the other.

Focusing

The focusing experience is adequate, similar to other lenses in this price range. One significant drawback is that the infinity focus point is not accurate. When you turn the lens to the infinity stop, it actually overshoots infinity, requiring you to pull it back by a few millimetres. This can lead to missed shots or out-of-focus images when shooting in a rush. Given the small size of the lens, it would have been nice to see a focus tab to help distinguish between the focus and aperture rings and allow for easier one-finger focusing. Other than that, the focus dial is smooth and well damped.

Image Quality

At this price point, you shouldn’t expect Sony G Master levels of performance. The lens can produce sharp images, but only when stopped down to around f/8. Wide open, the lens is a little soft, but not in a way that drastically degrades the image. However, shooting at f/22 introduces extreme diffraction, which will ruin the photo. You may also experience flare, which can either hinder or enhance your shot depending on what you’re photographing and your style. As long as you stay between f/2 and f/11, you’ll achieve decent image quality. Please see the examples below.

Summary

Overall, this is a solid product for the price, and I would recommend it to someone wanting to try manual focusing on a Fujifilm system before investing in a more expensive lens. While it won’t give you the true experience of using a premium manual lens like those made by Leica or Voigtlander, it offers a close enough approximation at a price that won’t sting if you decide manual focus isn’t for you.