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Earlier this week we published our samples from the new Sigma 65mm F2 DG DN when mounted on a Sony body. Chris and Jordan from DPReview TV also shot a gallery with the lens, but on Panasonic bodies. Have a look.
Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)
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Sigma has introduced its new I-series of compact, premium full-frame lenses for Sony E-mount and Leica/Panasonic/Sigma’s L-mount. The 24mm F3.5, 35mm F2 and 65mm F2 DG DN | Contemporary lenses share similar designs and have weather-sealed metal bodies. All three lenses have aperture rings and by-wire manual focus dials, and are driven by stepping motors.
The 24mm F3.5 DG DN has a total of 10 elements, which include both SLD and aspherical glass. The special elements, along with Sigma’s ‘Super Multi-Layer coating’ help to reduce ghosting and flare. The 24mm F3.5 has a minimum focus distance of 11cm (4.3″) and a max magnification of 1:2 (0.5x). The lens weighs in at just 225 grams (7.9 ounces) and includes a petal-type lens hood.
Next up is the 35mm F2 DG DN. It too has 10 elements and uses SLD and aspherical glass as well as the Super Multi-Layer coating. The minimum focus distance is 27cm (11″) with the max magnification coming in at 0.18x. The lens is slightly heavier at 325g (11.5oz).
Lastly we have the 65mm F2 DG DN, which bumps the number of elements up to 12, and uses the same special elements and coatings as its shorter siblings. It has a minimum focus distance of 55cm (22″) and a maximum magnification of 0.15x. The 65mm weighs in at 405 grams (14.3oz). It comes with a metal tube-style hood.
All three lenses come with both metal lens caps that attach magnetically and with conventional plastic pinch-type lens caps. Sigma will offer a magnetic lens cap holder that’s attached to a carabiner.
The 24mm F3.5, 35mm F2 and 65mm F lenses will be available in mid-January for $ 549, $ 639 and $ 699, respectively.
Press release
New Lenses Offer Outstanding Performance, Superior Build Quality and Elegant Design
Ronkonkoma, NY – December 1, 2020 – Today, SIGMA Corporation introduces the I series of lenses for full-frame mirrorless cameras. Pairing both for exceptional optical performance and stylish, compact design, the three new lenses – the 24mm F3.5 DG DN | Contemporary, 35mm F2 DG DN | Contemporary, and 65mm DG DN | Contemporary – join the previously released 45mm F2.8 DG DN | Contemporary to establish a new benchmark in compact performance lenses. Featuring all-metal construction for durability and cutting-edge optical designs, the I series lenses are available in L-Mount and Sony E-mount.
“When it comes to mirrorless cameras, striking the proper balance between performance and size is even more crucial. We believe there is a growing demand for compact, high-performance, high-quality lenses,” reports SIGMA America President Mark Amir-Hamzeh. “The introduction of the I series of full-frame mirrorless-exclusive lenses answers this call. The I series represents a new option: premium compact primes that are stylish in appearance with impressive specifications and optical performance.”
Built to the mechanical and operational standards of SIGMA Cine lenses, in compact mirrorless form, the I series have outstanding feel and touch in the hand. The well-damped manual focus ring, aperture ring, and autofocus switches embody true functional beauty.
The I series is being announced with 3 new lenses:
The three new lenses will be available for sale through authorized US retailers in mid-January, 2021.
The 45mm F2.8 DG DN | Contemporary, available now (MSRP $ 549), is also part of this series.
Key I series Lens Features:
Product Specifications:
SIGMA 24mm F3.5 DG DN | Contemporary
Exceptional compact wide-angle prime | 1:2 close-up magnification | Lovely round bokeh | Stepping motor | Designed to minimize flare and ghosting | Super Multi-Layer Coating
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Lens Construction: |
10 elements in 8 groups (1 SLD, 3 aspherical) |
|---|---|
|
Autofocus Motor: |
STM |
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No. of Diaphragm Blades: |
7 rounded |
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Min. Focus Distance: |
4.3 in. (10.8cm) |
| Max. magnification ratio | 1:2 (half macro) |
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Filter Size: |
55mm |
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Dimensions (DxL): |
L-Mount: 2.5 x 1.9 in. (64 x 48.8mm) |
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Weight: |
L-Mount: 7.9 oz. (225g) |
SIGMA 35mm F2 DG DN | Contemporary
Outstanding image quality and bokeh, compact size, perfect for everyday use.
Stepping motor | Designed to minimize flare and ghosting | Super Multi-Layer Coating
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Lens Construction: |
10 elements in 9 groups (1 SLD, 3 aspherical) |
|---|---|
|
Autofocus Motor: |
STM |
|
No. of Diaphragm Blades: |
9 rounded |
|
Min. Focus Distance: |
10.6 in. (27cm) |
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Max. Magnification Ratio: |
1:5.7 |
|
Filter Size: |
58mm |
|
Dimensions (DxL): |
L-Mount: 2.8 x 2.6 in. (70 x 65.4mm) |
|
Weight: |
11.5 oz. (325g) |
SIGMA 65mm F2 DG DN | Contemporary
Sharp images with beautiful bokeh | High backlight performance with thorough flare & ghosting control | Stepping motor | Designed to minimize flare and ghosting | Super Multi-Layer Coating
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Lens Construction: |
12 elements in 9 groups (1 SLD, 2 aspherical) |
|---|---|
|
Autofocus Motor: |
STM |
|
No. of Diaphragm Blades: |
9 rounded |
|
Min. Focus Distance: |
21.7 in. (55cm) |
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Max. Magnification Ratio: |
1:6.8 |
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Filter Size: |
62mm |
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Dimensions (DxL): |
L-Mount: 2.8 x 2.9 in. (72 x 74.7mm) |
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Weight: |
14.3 oz. (405g) |
| Sigma 24mm F3.5 DG DN | Sigma 35mm F2 DG DN | Sigma 65mm F2 DG DN | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Principal specifications | |||
| Lens type | Prime lens | ||
| Max Format size | 35mm FF | ||
| Focal length | 24 mm | 35 mm | 65 mm |
| Image stabilization | No | ||
| Lens mount | L-Mount, Sony FE | ||
| Aperture | |||
| Maximum aperture | F3.5 | F2 | |
| Minimum aperture | F22 | ||
| Aperture ring | Yes | ||
| Number of diaphragm blades | 7 | 9 | |
| Optics | |||
| Elements | 10 | 12 | |
| Groups | 8 | 9 | |
| Special elements / coatings | 1 SLD + 3 aspherical elements, Super Multi-Layer coating | 1 SLD + 2 aspherical elements, Super Multi-Layer coating | |
| Focus | |||
| Minimum focus | 0.11 m (4.33″) | 0.27 m (10.63″) | 0.55 m (21.65″) |
| Maximum magnification | 0.5× | 0.18× | 0.15× |
| Autofocus | Yes | ||
| Motor type | Stepper motor | ||
| Full time manual | Yes | ||
| Focus method | Internal | ||
| Distance scale | No | ||
| DoF scale | No | ||
| Focus distance limiter | No | ||
| Physical | |||
| Weight | 225 g (0.50 lb) | 325 g (0.72 lb) | 405 g (0.89 lb) |
| Diameter | 64 mm (2.52″) | 70 mm (2.76″) | 72 mm (2.83″) |
| Length | 49 mm (1.93″) | 65 mm (2.56″) | 75 mm (2.95″) |
| Materials | Magnesium alloy | ||
| Sealing | Yes | ||
| Colour | Black | ||
| Filter thread | 55 mm | 58 mm | 62 mm |
| Hood supplied | Yes | ||
| Tripod collar | No | ||
Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)
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The Sigma 65mm F2 DG DN is for the photographer who wants a focal length that falls squarely between 50mm and 85mm. Have a look at our initial sample gallery taken on a full-frame Sony body.
Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)
Chris and Jordan take a look at the new Sigma 35mm F2 and 65mm F2 Contemporary lenses for E- and L-mount. Depending on which system you’re in and what your needs are, they might just be the compact, well-priced and impressively sharp little primes you’ve been looking for.
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Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)
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Sigma just added three ‘I-series’ lenses to its Contemporary lineup, in the form of 24mm, 35mm and 65mm primes. Physically somewhat similar to the metal-bodied 45mm F2.8 ‘C’ released alongside the fp, these new primes promise very good performance and light weight when paired with L-mount and Sony E-mount mirrorless interchangeable lens cameras.
We’ve had our hands on the 35mm and 65mm for a few days; read on for pictures, impressions and key specifications.
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‘A classic reimagined’ is how Sigma describes this lens, which is one of a trio of new ‘I-series’ primes in Sigma’s established ‘Contemporary’ line. The ‘I’ lenses are described as compact, high-quality optics for mirrorless cameras, offering an alternative to the often large, heavy lenses we’ve seen appear for full-frame mirrorless cameras.
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Like the quirky 45mm F2.8, these new ‘Contemporary’ primes are unusual in featuring a metal construction, including the lens hood. Made from ‘precision cut’ aluminum with a brass mount, the 35mm F2 feels like a premium product. However, at 325g (11.5 oz) it remains relatively lightweight, as well as being (by the standards of most modern mirrorless primes) fairly compact.
On a Sony a7R IV, it feels very well-balanced indeed, with its light weight keeping the combination from feeling front-heavy.
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Knurled focus and aperture rings add to the somewhat retro-inspired design of these new lenses, although both operate of course ‘by wire’. The focus ring is buttery-smooth yet well-damped, and the ‘clicky’ aperture ring is a joy (though it cannot be de-clicked for smooth operation when shooting video).
The accented ‘cut-out’ between the focus ring and aperture ring is cosmetic (it looks like it should be an annular switch but it isn’t) but does provide a little purchase when mounting and dismounting the lens. Unlike the rest of the lens, this ring has a gloss, rather than matte finish, giving it a strange prominence. Both finishes are something of a fingerprint magnet.
Focus speeds aren’t lightning quick, but are more than fast enough for almost any subject you’d be shooting with a 35mm prime. The focus motor is, for all intents and purposes, silent, though you may hear a slight whine or hum if you’re using onboard microphones to record audio while shooting video.
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It might be small (only 70mm long, or about 2.7 inches) but the 35mm F2 packs in ten glass elements in nine groups, including one SLD (super low-dispersion) and three molded aspherical elements, all produced in Sigma’s factory in Aizu, Japan. This fairly complex design is optimized for excellent control of chromatic aberrations and field curvature. Sigma also claims very good correction of coma, which is good news for fans of low light, wide-aperture shooting.
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Speaking of wide-aperture shooting, the 35mm and 65mm ‘C’ primes feature a nine-bladed aperture, with rounded blades to help deliver circular bokeh at a wide apertures (the 24mm has seven blades). The 35mm F2 accepts fairly standard 58mm screw-in filters and the included metal lens cap attaches magnetically.
The back of the metal cap has a felt ring to prevent it scraping the lens, and this is something of a dust trap. The lens comes supplied with a conventional plastic pinch cap, too.
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Sigma doesn’t make any great claims about the weather-sealing of the new ‘I’ series, but like all three of the new lenses, the 35mm F2’s brass mount is rated as ‘dust and splash-proof’. To that end, a slim rubber gasket around the mount helps keep any dirt or moisture from entering the camera.
The Sigma 35mm F2 DG DN will be available in mid-January for $ 639.
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The 65mm F2 is physically very similar to the 35mm, but a little heavier (405g/14.3oz compared to 325g/11.5oz) and very slightly longer. Optically it comprises 12 elements in nine groups, including one SLD element and two aspherical elements.
Sigma says the 65mm focal length encourages a greater working distance than a conventional 50mm ‘normal,’ which in turn provides slightly more of a compression effect for the same composition. Its minimum focus distance is 55cm (21.7″)
The front filter ring is larger than that of the 35mm F2, and accepts 62mm screw-in filters.
The Sigma 65mm F2 DG DN will be available in mid-January for $ 699.
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Like the 35mm, the 65mm comes with both a pinch-fit plastic lens cap and a rather smart magnetic metal one. There’s also a light, ribbed metal hood with a plastic insert with a clip mechanism that provides smooth and secure attachment to the lens itself.
Despite its extra length and weight, it still balances nicely. We used it on some of Sony’s more recent full-frame models, whose larger grips mean the weight is easy to hold. Unlike some recent FF mirrorless lenses, the lens’s weight is pretty evenly distributed along its length: there’s no extreme front element pulling the front of the lens down.
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Third in the new trilogy of primes (and the only one not available to us at the time of writing) is the lightweight (only 225g/8oz) 24mm F3.5 DG DN. Of the three, this lens is the closest in terms of physical design and handling to the existing 45mm F2.8, but unlike that lens, it promises thoroughly-modern, aberration-free imaging, with ‘high resolving power’ across the entire frame at all apertures.
Its 10 element in 8 group optical design includes one SLD element and three aspherical elements, and a minimum focus distance of only 10cm (~4″) works out to an impressive maximum magnification ratio of 1:2.
The Sigma 24mm F3.5 DG DN will be available in mid-January for $ 549.
Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)
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Anamorphic lens specialist Vazen has announced its new 65mm T2 1.8x anamorphic lens for the Micro Four Thirds (MFT) system will cost $ 3,250 and is ready to ship immediately. The new lens completes the 1.8x MFT lens lineup, according to the company, alongside its 28mm T2.2 and 40mm T2 counterparts.
When used with the full 4:3 MFT sensor, the lens will produce a 2.39:1 ratio aspect image once the footage is desqueezed. Shooting in the 16:9 ratio, frames will end up 3.2:1 and will probably need cropping, so cameras that can record from the whole sensor work best. On a MFT camera, the horizontal angle of view will give users the width we’d expect using a 72mm lens on a full frame system, so this is the lens to use for portraits and moderately distant subjects.
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In common with the other lenses in the series the 65mm T2 uses a front anamorphic design to make the most of oval out-of-focus highlights and the characteristic flare from point light sources. Vazen, however, claims the flare isn’t too saturated or over-powering. Like the 28mm, the 65mm lens does have a thread for filters, and accepts 86mm screw-in sizes or 95mm using the Vazen adapter. As you would expect, the focus and aperture rings are equipped with 0.8mod cine gears for focus pullers, and the focus throw is 300° from the closest position of 1.09m/3.6ft to infinity. The lens weighs 1.68kg/3.7lbs and measures 105x185mm.
These lenses are a good deal less money than models from most other anamorphic producers, such as Cooke, but are also bigger, heavier and more expensive than those offered by Sirui — though the Sirui lenses have a 1.33x squeeze rather than the 1.8x of these Vazen models.
Owners of the existing 28mm or 40mm lenses will be able to get a discount of $ 400 when they buy this new 65mm lens, and those wanting the whole set of three can buy a kit for $ 8950 instead of the $ 9750 cost of buying them individually. For more information see the Vazen website.
Press release:
Shenyang China, Nov 30, 2020 – Vazen, a new Chinese cinema lens brand, has announced the pricing and shipping availability of the Vazen 65mm T2 1.8x Anamorphic Lens for Micro Four Thirds (M43) cameras. In addition to the previously launched 28mm and 40mm, the whole Micro Four Thirds 1.8x Anamorphic lens set is now completed.
All the Vazen 1.8x anamorphic lenses feature a front anamorphic design. It delivers a buttery smooth oval bokeh, signature blue but not overly saturated, horizontal flare and the widescreen cinematic look. The lens delivered an outstanding sharpness, even at wide open, which is unmatched by other anamorphic lenses with similar squeeze ratio. Vazen chose to adopt a 1.8x squeeze design to balance the anamorphic characters as well as the resolution of the image. The 1.8x produces a stronger anamorphic character than 1.33x / 1.5x anamorphic lenses. And when it’s paired up with 16:9 sensors, much less data (vs 2X anamorphic lens) is needed to be cropped away to create the desired 2.39:1 ratio.
The Vazen 1.8x works best with 4:3 ratio sensors like Panasonic GH5, Z-CAM E2, Panasonic BGH1 to produce the cinematic 2.39:1 ratio. It also works well with Blackmagic Pocket 4k cinema cameras.
The lens is designed with a 86mm filter thread and 95mm front diameter. Both aperture and focus rings are built with 0.8 mod gears.
The lens is currently available to order from authorized resellers and in Vazen website (http://www.vzlens.com/). It is available to ship immediately.
The retail price in US is USD 3,250/pc. USD 400 discount will be offered to any existing Vazen 40mm / 28mm owners.
For more information about Vazen, please visit http://www.vzlens.com/
Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)
The post Laowa 65mm f2.8 2X Ultra-Macro APO Lens Review appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Matt Murray.
When I was offered the chance to review the Laowa 65mm f2.8 2X Ultra-Macro APO lens, I must admit I wondered what all the fuss was about. From a quick look, it appeared roughly the same size and price as the Fujifilm 60mm f2.4 R macro lens – but it is a manual focus lens.
Then I realized I had misread the specs – this is not a 1:2 macro like the Fujifilm XF 60mm f2.4 R lens, where objects appear half their size on the sensor. Nor is it a true 1:1 macro like the Fujifilm XF 80mm f2.8 R LM OIS WR lens, where objects appear their actual size. The Laowa Ultra Macro lens boasts 2:1 magnification. That’s right! It can take photos where objects appear up to twice their actual size.
The Laowa 65mm f/2.8 2x Ultra Macro APO lens mounted on my Fujifilm X-T2.
In this gear review, I put the Laowa 65mm f2.8 2x Ultra Macro APO lens through its paces on my Fujifilm X-T2. If you’re not a Fujifilm shooter, keep reading anyway, Laowa has released lenses for many full-frame and APS-C mount systems.
Venus Optics has made Laowa lenses in China since 2013. Most of the lenses they’ve created so far have been for full-frame cameras. Their line-up boasts an impressive range of lenses, including fisheye (fancy a 4mm f2.8 lens?), probe, ultra-wide, and ultra-macro lenses for a variety of camera systems.
These flowers are tiny, measuring less than 10mm (3/8 inch) across. I found the bokeh of the lens to be very pleasant. Fujifilm X-T2 with Laowa 65mm f2.8 2X Ultra-Macro APO lens.
The Laowa 65mm f2.8 2X macro APO is the first macro lens that Venus Optics has launched for non full-frame cameras. While this review is for the Fujifilm X-Series mount lens, it’s also available for two other mirrorless camera systems: the Sony E-mount and Canon M-mount.
Let’s take a look at the specs for this lens, the Laowa 65mm f2.8 2x Ultra Macro APO.
A light blue soldier crab on the beach. It’s a wonder I managed to get a shot like this, these little guys move so fast, and they don’t like people! I had to prefocus before the crab came into view. Adults measure 25mm (1 inch). Fujifilm X-T2 with Laowa 65mm f2.8 2X Ultra-Macro APO lens.
Close up of the peeling paintwork on a boat. Even when shooting at f/16, you won’t be able to achieve a wide depth of field at such a short working distance with macro lenses. Fujifilm X-T2 with Laowa 65mm f2.8 2X Ultra-Macro APO lens.
The Laowa is slightly bigger in size and weight to Fujifilm’s 60mm macro lens, but is still very compact. It measures 57mm in diameter, 100 mm long, and weighs 335g. It takes 52mm filters.
The lens comes attractively packaged in a sturdy box. Rather oddly, the lens seems to have two different names. On the website, it’s the Laowa 65mm f2.8 2X Ultra-Macro APO lens. On the packaging and on the lens itself, it’s the CF 65mm F2.8 CA-Dreamer Macro 2X.
The lens is attractively packaged and is all metal, apart from the plastic lens cap.
Removing the sleeve from the box, there’s an illustration of the lens on the lid. Inside the box, there’s plenty of foam to protect the lens, which comes wrapped up in a plastic bag with a drawstring.
The build quality of the lens – especially at this price point – is excellent. Unlike many other lenses at this price point that are plastic, this lens is an all-metal construction. Even the lens hood is metal, with only the lens cap being plastic.
The Laowa 65mm f2.8 2X macro APO is a manual focus lens – there’s no communication between the lens and the camera body. You achieve focus by rotating the lens until the subject comes into focus.
Given that the lens has quite a wide range of magnification (from infinity to 2x life-size), sometimes it feels like you are twisting the barrel quite a lot to get your subject in focus at different distances.
Select your aperture on the lens and twist the barrel to achieve focus.
If you’re new to manual lenses, don’t be put off. A lot of macro photography work is done using manual focus, anyway.
At first, I did find it difficult to determine exactly what was in focus and what wasn’t, but this is more due to my eyesight more than anything else. As soon as I turned on focus peaking on my X-T2, things became much easier. I did find that at very close distances, focus peaking didn’t seem to work at all.
When using the lens, remember to check the barrel to see which aperture you’re using. As there’s no communication between the lens and the camera body, this won’t show up in your viewfinder display.
You may also want to keep notes on which apertures were used for your images, as these won’t record in the metadata either.
The lens has a nice click as you change aperture across the range. My only issue is that the settings for f/16 and f/22 do look a little alike at first glance due to the design of the indicators.
Depth of field at even the narrowest aperture of f/22 is very shallow when shooting up close. You may want to consider focus stacking to get a sharp image across the frame.
There are some stunning sample images on Laowa’s website, but I’d guess they achieved them with both focus stacking and possibly even extension tubes.
Boats on the beach. I’m really happy with the sharpness, colors, and contrast of the images taken with this lens. Fujifilm X-T2 with Laowa 65mm f2.8 2X Ultra-Macro APO lens.
I’m really impressed with the image quality of photos taken with this lens. As well as being sharp, they display good color and contrast.
I took the lens down to my local beach and took a lot of images of boats, items on the beach, as well as very fast-moving soldier crabs. I took the images of the boats handheld but shot the close-up images using a tripod and remote release. These two items are essential when working at such close distances, where shutter speeds may be slower than 1/60 second, and where any tiny movement may blur the shot or change focus.
Boat close-up shot. Fujifilm X-T2 with Laowa 65mm f2.8 2X Ultra-Macro APO lens.
Rope detail. For this second shot, I moved my tripod to the minimum focus distance to get this shot. Fujifilm X-T2 with Laowa 65mm f2.8 2X Ultra-Macro APO lens.
The lens sells for around $ 399 USD. This is very good value considering the image quality, and build quality, and the fact that you’re unable to achieve this magnification with any other lens available at present.
The Laowa 65mm f2.8 2X Ultra-Macro APO lens boasts some impressive specifications. The most impressive, of course, is its ability to produce images of objects that are up to twice their actual size.
Image quality is very good, I’m happy with the results the lens gave me on my Fujifilm X-T2. Photos were sharp and displayed good color and contrast.
The lens is light and compact, has an excellent build quality, and is competitively priced.
Although I’m not a specialist macro photographer, I really enjoyed using the lens. If you enjoy shooting macro images, I’d recommend giving it a go. It’s certainly a great lens for flora and fauna enthusiasts, keen to get up close to the action.
I took the lens down to my local beach to see what I could photograph up close. Pine cone on the beach. I was impressed with the results from this lens. Fujifilm X-T2 with Laowa 65mm f2.8 2X Ultra-Macro APO lens.
The post Laowa 65mm f2.8 2X Ultra-Macro APO Lens Review appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Matt Murray.
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Venus Optics has unveiled its latest lens, the Laowa 65mm F2.8 2x Macro APO lens for Fuji X, Canon M and Sony E-mount camera systems. This marks the first macro lens Venus Optics has designed specifically for APS-C mirrorless cameras.
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The lens offers a 2:1 magnification ratio and a 100mm full-frame equivalent focal length. It’s constructed of 14 elements in 10 groups, including three extra-low dispersion elements. Venus Optics says the lens was ‘carefully designed to remove both [lateral chromatic aberration and longitudinal chromatic aberration] to an invisible level.’
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Below is a collection of sample images provided by Venus Optics:
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It has an aperture range between F2.8 and F22, and features a nine-blade aperture diaphragm. The minimum focusing distance is 17cm (6.7in) and the front filter thread is 52mm. The lens measures in at 100mm (3.94in) long, 57mm (2.24in) in diameter and weighs 335g (11.8oz).
Below is a video review of the lens from photographer Micael Widell:
The Laowa 65mm 2x APO Macro lens is available on Laowa’s website for $ 400. It’s available for Fuji X, Canon M and Sony E-mount camera systems.
Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)
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Zhong Yi Optics has launched the Mitakon Speedmaster 65mm F1.4 for Fujifilm GFX cameras. This announcement makes Zhong Yi Optics the first third-party manufacturer to develop a lens for Fujifilm’s G mount and gives them the claim — for the time being — of having the fastest standard lens designed specifically for GFX medium format mirrorless camera systems.
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The lens provides a 46-degree angle of view, roughly equivalent to a 50mm lens on a 35mm full-frame camera. It’s constructed of eleven elements in seven groups and has a minimum focusing distance of 70cm.
The Mitakon Speedmaster 65mm F1.4 features an aperture range of F1.4 through F16 via its nine-blade aperture diaphragm. The front filter thread measures in at 72mm and the whole lens weighs 1,050g.
Below is a collection of sample images provided by Zhong Yi Optics:
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The Mitakon Speedmaster 65mm F1.4 is currently available to purchase online for $ 799.
Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)
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Cosina says its new Voigtländer Macro APO-Lanthar 65mm F2 is one of the ‘finest’ lenses the brand has ever made. I haven’t used every Cosina/Voigtländer but can say for certain that from my brief user experience, this is one fine piece of glass.
If you’re just tuning in, the Voigtländer 65mm F2, which was first announced at CP+ 2017 along with two other primes, is a manual focus lens built specifically for Sony full frame E-mount cameras. As such, I tested it on Sony’s high resolution a7R II.
See our Voigtländer 65mm F2 Macro APO-Lanthar galleryEverything about how the 65mm handles screams precision and quality, from the all-metal housing to the drool-worthy matte black finish. Its electronic contacts mean the 65mm can communicate EXIF info with the camera; it also means you can use focus peaking and/or magnification.
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| Built specifically for Sony FE cameras, I found it paired nicely with the Sony a7R II. |
The first thing I noticed while shooting is the long throw of the focus ring (common on macro and close-focus lenses). It turns about 300 degrees, allowing for quite a lot of focus precision. The ring itself is a little over 2 cm wide and well-indented, making it easy to grip. It also turns with a buttery smoothness that’s oh-so-satisfying.
Apertures range from F2 – F22 and are well marked with click stops every third stop. The lens has a depth of field scale, with distance information listed in both feet and meters. The scale seems accurate (from my informal in-office testing), though I did not rely on it while out in the field.
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| This is about as close as the 65mm can get to a subject. |
Though not a true 1:1 macro (despite having macro in its name), the 65mm offers a maximum reproduction ratio of 1:2 and a close-focus distance of 31 cm (so it can totally still be used for close-range photography). Note: when focusing at close distances, the front of the lens extends out about 4 cm.
Overall, I was pleased with the images I made using the a7R II and 65mm F2. When you nail focus, even with the aperture wide open, the results are very sharp. Voigtländer promised this lens would handle chromatic aberration well and all signs point to that being the case (Note: CA corrections are left off on all the images in the gallery). However you will experience some vignetting at F2 up through about F2.8, but by F4 it is gone. This is to be expected for this style of lens.
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| Electronic contacts on the lens allow it to communicate exif info with the camera. They also allow users to enjoy focus-peaking and/or magnification. |
The 65mm focal length is not for everyone though. I personally found it to be a confusing field of view, leaving me unsure whether to shoot it like a 50mm or an 85mm (two focal lengths I’m use). Manual focus lenses also aren’t for all. Still, it is impossible to not appreciate something as beautiful and well-made as the Voigtländer 65mm F2 Macro APO-Lanthar.
What I like:
What I don’t like:
Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)
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