Irix announces its long-awaited 45mm F1.4 still lens for Canon EF, Nikon F and Pentax K mounts

I don't see a point buying this over the Sigma 50mm Art?

Mar 10, 2020permalink

USN Squid

> I don't see a point buying this over the Sigma 50mm Art?

You can't shoot mis-focused photos with the Sigma 50mm Art.

Mar 17, 2020permalink

Not a valid excuse.
Would you pay less and get autofocus or lay more and get none of it? A 50mm art costs only $700 new nowadays.

Also, the thing is, as an owner of the lens, i have like 80% hit rate with autofocus. Most focusing errors are user error but they blame it on the gear.

Mar 17, 2020permalink

USN Squid

@EXkurogane:

> [ ... ] i have like 80% hit rate with autofocus.

That's not something I would brag about - screwing up autofocus 20% of the time. But that's just me, others may feel different about it.

I own the SIGMA 50mm Art too. Mine doesn't mis-focus 20% of the time. Must be operator error.

Mar 17, 2020*permalink

8 out of 10 is a very good hit rate to me. I believe the other 10-15% are my own user errors rather than the lens at fault. Only a small fraction of them are the lens misfocusing.

There is no such thing as 100% hit rate. Every native first party lenses will miss focus, you are looking at 90% hit rate - im speaking from experience.

Mar 21, 2020permalink

USN Squid

@EXkurogane:

1. I don't know what "native first party lens" means.
2. 10% mis-focus rate on an auto-focus lens is extremely high.

If that happens consistently on the same lens, there's a problem with that lens. Most likely it needs to be re-calibrated, less likely it's a defective copy.

If it happens on more than one lens, but on the same camera, that sounds like a camera firmware problem. If it happens on more than one lens and more than one camera, that sounds like operator error to me.

Mar 21, 2020permalink

https://youtu.be/A7-o1DogNDM

Like i said, it's most likely user error. Im speaking from experience, not lab tests. If i were to user only the center point and shoot f1.4 on a tripod then the hit rate is pretty much100%. But in real life scenario you'll never get 100%. Getting a 90% hit is a very good number.

Native / 1st party lens = the camera body brand's own lenses. Canon, nikon, Sony lenses m

Mar 21, 2020permalink

nebu

I think one of those three Pentax users just had a heart attack!

Mar 10, 2020permalink

Flow Friday

Wow, this is the most original joke i have ever heard in my whole lifetime!
It's so new, so refreshing...no one ever had this idea before - especially not here at the dpr-comment-sections, and it's so funny...because you think "Cool, a lens for all the Pentax-users!"...but then you read "one of those three Pentax users" and think "Whaaat...three Pentax users?"...can you get it??
Absolutely crazy idea, so creative, this weird sense of humour.

Mar 11, 2020permalink

Karroly

I thought they were only two ? At least that's what I have read here...
But three ! That's a 50% market increase !

Mar 11, 2020permalink

Sylverphoto

Another useless lens thrown into the market. How many did they plan to sell per year? 2? There are too many options out there.

Mar 10, 2020permalink

pseudobreccia

Are useless snarky posts worth it? I wonder?

Jun 20, 2020permalink

zzzxtreme

unless there is no focus breathing, why does this lens exists?
PS : I am one of the 3 pentax user

Mar 10, 2020permalink

(unknown member)

Astrophotography?

Mar 10, 2020permalink

John Gellings

Why shouldn't it exist? I don't get this type of thinking...

Mar 10, 2020permalink

Aegon Targaryen

Pentax shooters should look into the Pentax 50mm f1.4 Star. It's expensive but renders gorgeously.

Mar 12, 2020permalink

Oiche

So basically a nifty 50 f1.4 without AF?

I like MF but why this? The focus lock suggests it's another pseudo astro landscape type effort.

At least throw in an aperture ring!

No thanks I'll just buy the Pentax HD DFA* 50 f1.4 SDM instead.

Mar 10, 2020permalink

(unknown member)

This lens will be at least 50% cheaper than the Pentax, and, if the tests for coma and CA turn out OK, better for astrophotography.

Mar 10, 2020permalink

Jeadm

See, if Irix really wanted to blow people's minds, they would have released a Sony A-mount version.

Mar 10, 2020permalink

Johannes Zander

Sony users minds are already blown away. So no need for A-mount.
Hint: there are adapters, so you can use it on holy Sony

Mar 10, 2020permalink

MartynasMartynas

M42 would be cheaper and would fit all (save for Nikon Dslr)

Mar 10, 2020permalink

sirhawkeye64

Well, as Nikon shooter I would have preferred a Z lens, seeing that the F-mount but I guess having a F-mount version is better than nothing. Same for the EF mount, although I think some EOS R/RP users will also agree. I suspect it's probably because the mounts are harder to develop for and the F and EF-mounts has been around for quite a while...

Mar 10, 2020permalink

hfolkertsma

I speculate it’s more about knowing their target audience or existing user base. Most of their clientele are DSLR shooters in landscape and astronomy. Hence the Pentax support.

Once a sizeable portion of their clientele has moved on to mainly shooting on mirrorless, I think you’ll definitely see them design for mirrorless mounts.

Mar 10, 2020permalink

sirhawkeye64

Probably true. Well, at least we have the adapters so we can adapt them to the Z mount and RF mount for the time being. Hopefully being that they will be manual focus, the price might be reasonable (like around $500 or less).

Mar 11, 2020permalink

Abel89er

So someone is still releasing lenses for pentax K mount. Great news for their 3 shooters

Mar 10, 2020permalink

Adam007

You forgot to count me.

Mar 10, 2020permalink

Oiche

OMG I've never heard this joke before HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA HOHOHOHOHOHOHOHO HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA

Mar 10, 2020permalink

zzzxtreme

as a pentax shooter, this made me lol

Mar 10, 2020permalink

johnami

Maybe they know something that you don't......😉

Mar 10, 2020permalink

offertonhatter

Brilliant! I will let the 5 Pentax users at the camera club (including myself) that this lens is out... :-D

Mar 11, 2020permalink

Richard Murdey

This closest competitor is probably the Samyang (Rokinon) 50/1.4, which comes in at <$400 US and is a pretty high performance optic for the money. Both are MF only, both are stills conversions of previously released video lenses.

For stills photography there are plenty of other options of course, for all the mounts offered, and any price point you care to name.

Mar 10, 2020permalink

AshleyMC

Hmm...

I have many "legacy" manual-focus K-mount lenses already -- inexpensive and full of "character" :)

Mar 10, 2020permalink

Richard Murdey

Or skip to the chase and get the 43/1.9.

Mar 10, 2020permalink

Photoman

Do we REALLY need another over-price manual focus lens. Sounds like another German/Chinese scam.

Mar 9, 2020permalink

Mistral75

Irix (TH Swiss AG) is Swiss/Korean. :)

Mar 10, 2020permalink

Photoman

So Swiss (avoid tax company) scam then.

Mar 10, 2020permalink

hfolkertsma

Why would that be a scam? As opposed to lenses designed and produced in the far-east? Irix has been around for a couple of years now already and they’ve built up a good reputation.

Mar 10, 2020permalink

Photoman

The price is a scam.

Mar 10, 2020permalink

Tom_A

Photoman has extensively tested and compared the lens to conclude, well informed as always, that the price is a scam. Right?

Mar 11, 2020permalink

hfolkertsma

“No launch date or pricing information is available at this time.”

...Right.

Weathersealed, bright aperture, multiple mounts, built to match modern sensors, close to perfect pairing to a full-frame diagonal. You don’t think it’s okay for a company to make a profit for putting in the research and work to achieve all these things?

Mar 11, 2020permalink

GinoSVK

Highly priced manual focus lens for traditional DSLR, it must be better than exceptional.

Mar 9, 2020permalink

LakeSuperior1

Why no Sony FE??

Mar 9, 2020permalink

gameshoes3003

It looks like this lens design is for the DSLR mounts.

Mar 9, 2020permalink

LakeSuperior - basically because there is no need. It's a manual focus lens and all you need is an adaptor.

If you are a Sony user, it makes most sense to buy this lens in Canon EF mount, simply because it is the most popular, and therefore it will be easier to sell the lens later if you decide to.

Mar 9, 2020permalink

tkbslc

At least it's something slightly different.

Mar 9, 2020permalink

I'll say one thing for it - it's pretty!

Mar 9, 2020permalink

Fotoni

Well, Pentax has premium 50mm F1.4 lens. Not quite sure why going so close with 45mm lens. Pentax also has 43mm lens. Strange spot Irix is trying to hit. Light weight lens cannot exactly compete with a little older lenses that much. Quality light materials cost several grands and cheaper quality materials are much heavier.

Mar 9, 2020*permalink

(unknown member)

Pentax 43mm is nice, but it doesn't really get sharp outside the very center until like, f/4 (although the immense field curvature is a part of its character).

Mar 10, 2020permalink

davev8

the pentax user, he will be happy

Mar 9, 2020permalink

Which Pentax user?

.... Forgive me Pentax fans, just a little joke!

Mar 9, 2020permalink

onlyfreeman

What the...I thought there were two. So many strange things happening recently.

Mar 10, 2020permalink

Oiche

HO HO HO HA HA HA

Such original comedy, tell me when your stand up act visits my city.

Mar 10, 2020permalink

Bigsensorisbest

Surely a 50mm 1.4 autofocus from camera brand makes more sense?

Mar 9, 2020permalink

davev8

depends on price and performance...canon have not updated the EF 50 f1.4 and probaly wont do now ..personally i would have profeard 50 or 55mm as 45 is a bit close to my 35mm f2is and tamron do a 45f1.8 i think 55mm would of differentiated it from other lenses like the aforementioned tamron and sigma 50 1.4 art

Mar 9, 2020permalink

CAT Productions

For Nikon F mount, you also have the superb Sigma 40 1.4 and excellent Sigma 50 1.4 Art. Stiff competition.

Mar 10, 2020permalink

borissimo86

It looks wonderful, barring the name "neutrino" for the coating which doesn't make sense to me. Neutrinos are fermions that pass through matter; you certainly can't coat anything with them.

Mar 9, 2020permalink

Bigsensorisbest

I'm not starting a physics arguement with you...

Mar 9, 2020permalink

Ellis Vener

Hey, at least they didn’t call the coating “Quark”.

Mar 9, 2020permalink

LoneTree1

Remember 20 years ago when "titanium" was all the rage, mostly in products where there was ZERO titanium.

Mar 9, 2020permalink

See https://www.optyczne.pl/10232-news-Irix_ujawnia_kolejne_nowosci.html and https://www.popphoto.com/best-new-camera-gear-from-photoplus-expo-2016/

LoneTree - I can beat that, I've got a "platinum" credit card, and guess what? Yep, it's made of plastic!

Mar 9, 2020permalink

Roland Karlsson

Mine is only gold.

Mar 9, 2020permalink

Mr Bolton

Gold card is so '80s.. did you buy your Minolta Maxxum 9000 with it?

I say this totally in jest :-D

Mar 10, 2020permalink

morinor

@LoneTree1
Still Nvidia for almost two decades releases its Ti version of cards. My first "good" GPU was actually first Nvidia Titanium product: GeForce 2 Ti.
Actually who remembers the "innovation" of T&L back then?

Mar 10, 2020permalink

Roland Karlsson

Mr. Bolton, I am so '80s myself, or maybe '70s. Born in the '50s, so it suits me just fine.

Mar 11, 2020permalink

Old Cameras

A long delayed DSLR lens just in time for the mirrorless revolution....?

Mar 9, 2020permalink

mosc

That can be adapted to ANY mirrorless system? Yeah. This thing's destined to be adapted probably in MOST of it's use cases. Maybe EF mount video folks will skew that towards native use but I'd still bet it gets adapted to FE, L, and other mounts more often.

Mar 9, 2020permalink

Orangorill

Can you get a weathersealed adapter, though?

Mar 9, 2020permalink

ozturert

Orangorill, Canikon adapters are weather sealed.

Mar 9, 2020permalink

Old Cameras

mosc
If it was a mirrorless lens, offered in various mounts, you wouldn’t have to adapt it. Adapters are an undesirable compromise.

Mar 11, 2020permalink

mosc

Old Cameras
It's a manual focus lens, adapters aren't much of a compromise. If you use any mirrorless system, a decent EF to whatever you use adapter is a very useful purchase and now your mirrorless system, particularly for manual focus lenses, is perfectly well suited for this.

Mar 11, 2020permalink

sportyaccordy

Ugh, if only this were a 40mm.

Mar 9, 2020permalink

davev8

ugh ..if only it were a 50/55mm ....45 is to close to my 35

Mar 9, 2020*permalink

sportyaccordy

Zeiss makes plenty of manual focus 50s and Voigtlander makes a manual focus 58mm. The only 40mms available are the EF 40 STM (too slow), CV SL-II (meh), and the Sigma ART (as big and heavy as a 70-200 2.8 zoom IIRC). Something like the CV Nokton 1.2 for M & E mount with electronic communication would be great.

Mar 9, 2020permalink

Mistral75

Just to be pedantic: the prototype of the Irix 45mm f/1.4 (Blackstone version at that time) was first showcased at Photokina 2016, then PhotoPlus 2016, not The Photography Show 2017.

Mar 9, 2020permalink

matsonfamily

yes, actually, it's important to get the dates correct, especially when it shows the length of time it takes for this company to move, and when it's an editor/writer who creates a lot of delay and timeline pieces. Thanks Mistral75.

Mar 10, 2020permalink

Mistral75

I think they redesigned the lens in the meantime. What makes me think so is that the filter diameter of the prototype was 82mm and that of the final product is 77mm.

Mar 10, 2020permalink

Tim Reidy Productions

finally a irix lens for normal photographers.

Mar 9, 2020permalink

dansclic

Normal photographers ?
All photographers are normal .

Mar 11, 2020permalink

Tim Reidy Productions

not all photographers are normal, some are wide angle and some are telephoto.

Mar 11, 2020permalink

mxx

And some are mad.

Mar 15, 2020permalink

Andy_Elliott

Looks good and with weather sealing.
However, with lenses like these and some others made by other manufacturers, offering nothing much different to the mainstream 3rd party competition bar oddball focal lengths, I find myself wondering if they are even worth making by the manufacturer, considering manufacturing cost & how few people might buy them.

Mar 9, 2020*permalink

pixelpreaching

This looks like a great lens for full frame video. Around 40mm is the sweet spot for most standard shots and this has a great focus throw. Wonder what the price will be.

Mar 9, 2020permalink

Franz Kerschbaum

As a Astrophysicist and developer for space instrumentation like their "Neutrino" coating! A technology that we are still missing in our teams! ;)

Mar 9, 2020*permalink

otto k

Coating is there, believe us, it's just super hard to detect.

Mar 9, 2020permalink

dpthoughts

There is no point offering a 1.4 but manual-focus lens. This is only good for statically dead & frozen scenes, when the camera is on a tripod. However, 45mm is not a traditional landscape or nightsky focal length. For living subjects it is useless.

Mar 9, 2020permalink

io_bg

Video shooters would disagree with you.

Mar 9, 2020permalink

45mm matches what you eyeball sees. This makes this focal length an incredible compositional tool. For some, like myself, I only shoot this focal length as it most accurately represents reality. There are many possible photos that could be taken at any one moment across all the possible focal lengths you could use if you had the lenses. But I choose to look for the best ones I can as i walk around and look at the world through my own 45mm lenses. This method of searching for photos during the normal and boring process of everyday life does not require AF...occasionally something catches your eye...you ponder, look at it, ponder some more, get out the camera, ponder some more, shift angles a bit, decide its either good to go, or a good spot to people watch, set your focus and go. AF not required. If you miss shots, oh well, ITS A DIGITAL CAMERA JUST TAKE ANOTHER ONE ITS FREE.

Only people who make money on on their photos, and whose time when taking pictures=money, truly need AF

Mar 9, 2020*permalink

WickedMaPhoto

gravis92 I hear ya and your perspective is certainly valid, but I think his point is why make it an f/1.4 lens? Why not smaller and f/2.8 if it's going to be manual focus only? Are you really trying to shoot at f/1.4 with your style?

It just seems an odd choice is all. I'd love to hear from folks who are interested in this.

Mar 9, 2020permalink

(unknown member)

@WickedMaPhoto The f1.4 to me sounds like it would OPEN more creative opportunities

Mar 9, 2020permalink

neilsnape

I like my 45mmm Tamron 1.8 stabilised. The only thing is slow AF, otherwise the lens just works. No funny looking bokeh etc like the nifty fifty. So another quality 45mm is welcome.

Mar 9, 2020permalink

(unknown member)

While 45mm might not be "traditional landscape or nightsky focal length", it has an important advantage over most of them, being F/1.4 and potentially having much less field curvature and vignetting. This, combined with focusing precision and focus clamp, make it potentially very good astro landscape lens.

I'm interested; waiting for first reviews and tests for coma and CA.

Mar 9, 2020permalink

Ilia Snopchenko

45mmm indeed. Like Neilsnape, I'm using the Tamron though, and it's probably the sharpest lens in my kit. The focal length appears to be a good one on the cameras I'm using.

Mar 9, 2020permalink

Chris59

WickedMaPhoto F1.4 on a manual focus lens helps with the focussing even though you may never actually shoot at that aperture. I'm not suggeting that is the only or even main reason for buying this lens, but trying to focus manually with an f2.8 lens is hard work.

Mar 9, 2020permalink

Ellis Vener

And I was laboring under the impression that the Swiss had no sense of humor! Good one Dpthoughts.

Mar 9, 2020permalink

@wickedMaPhoto because a 1.4 has better capability in low light? Because not everyone has a fancy new DSLR that can shoot in near dark? This lens plus a 5D classic and you are good as long as the sun is up or the lights are on mostly in your house at 400-800iso.

Also, if you want a small 40mm f2.8....canon has a fantastic one already. And...so does pentax

Mar 9, 2020*permalink

@neilshape I also have the tamron 45mm 1.8 stabalized and its amazing! I can shoot at night in the city at 400iso handheld.....ON FILM.

Mar 9, 2020permalink

Ellis Vener

@gravis92 “ I also have the tamron 45mm 1.8 stabalized and its amazing! I can shoot at night in the city at 400iso handheld.....ON FILM.”

When I shot film I used to do that all of the time, and that was before anyone started putting stabilization mechanics in lenses.

The trick is practicing good handholding technique: left hand cradling the camera and lens, squeeze your chest with your upper arms, and hit the shutter release while exhaling slowly.

Mar 9, 2020permalink

WickedMaPhoto

@Chris59 unless you have a special focusing screen you aren't going to focus any better than with f/2.8 as the image will look as though it's stopped down, even though it's wide open. Live view will work fine though.

Mar 10, 2020permalink

Discombobulated

It should have manual aperture ring, there are still many old cameras around.

Mar 9, 2020permalink

pixelpreaching

Agree with this but also because it looks like a great video lens and so a declickable aperture a la Zeiss Milvus/Loxia would be very nice.

Mar 9, 2020permalink

Johan Borg

They already offer a 45mm Cine version with aperture ring.

Mar 9, 2020permalink

pixelpreaching

True, it’s $1300. Guess it depends on how much this is. It would have to be a good dealer lower to compete as a manual focus lens.

But I didn’t realize the cine version was only 1300. That’s pretty great for a full frame 45 t/1.5 with a PL mount. I’m gonna have to look into that some more.

Mar 9, 2020permalink

PENTAX MOUNT AMAZING

Mar 9, 2020permalink

Roland Karlsson

All odd ball manufacturers, that make (almost) only manual focus lenses, supports Pentax.

Mar 9, 2020permalink

(unknown member)

I wouldn't be so sure, Roland... Laowa seems to be giving up on Pentax, their newest SLR mount APO macro 2:1 didn't get K-mount version. Samyang haven't released anything new for K mount in quite a while either.

It's nice that Irix still caters to our crowd.

Mar 10, 2020permalink

onemoreguy

Can't speak for everyone but I know I'm not waiting for another manual focus lens. Especially when there are many smart adapters out there for different systems.

Mar 9, 2020*permalink