I’ve always been a sucker for pancake lenses, and when Fujifilm announced the XF 23mm f/2.8 R WR, it was obvious that I just had to test it. There are surely many among you who can’t understand my interest. Yes, pancake lenses are almost always slow. In full-format terms, we are “merely” talking about a “35mm f/4.2” here. And it’s not exactly cheap at $500USD / 450EUR either. Still, just look at it. It’s a tiny beauty – at least from a distance. But let’s dig deeper now. As already hinted, the most striking aspect of the lens is the…
Author: Klaus
This is another look at the Viltrox AF 50mm f/1.4 Pro, but this time in Nikon Z mount. Most of the findings are similar, if not identical, to our Sony E-mount review, so we’ll reuse some of the article here. The Z-mount version has a retail price of $549 USD (619EUR / 525GBP / 799CAD / 90400JPY), That’s just slightly more than the slower Nikkor Z 50mm f/1.8 S. The lens body is made of metal down to the mount. It’s not a small lens, and combined with the tough construction, it is on the heavy side at 800g. Viltrox…
The Canon RF 14-35mm f/4 L IS USM is one of four (!) Canon ultra-wide zoom offerings in the RF mount lens lineup, positioned as a more compact and affordable alternative to the flagship RF 15-35mm f/2.8 L IS USM. With a retail price of approximately $1500/ €1500, it’s a premium mid-tier offering in Canon’s L-series range. Mechanically, it follows the tradition of most other Canon RF lenses. The lens body is made of high-quality engineering plastics based on a metal mount. The zoom and focus rings are rubberized and turn smoothly. It is also weather-sealed for more demanding outdoor shooting…
Ref.: https://viltrox.com/products/af-16mm-f1-8-l Price: $580 USD SpecificationsOptical construction15 elements in 12 groups, incl. 4xED and 3 aspherical elementsNumber of aperture blades9min. focus distance0.27m (max. 1:10 magnification)Dimensionsφ85.2x103mmWeight550gFilter size77mmHoodpetal-shaped (bayonet mount, supplied)Available MountsL-mountOther featuresLCD display2x custom buttonsclickless aperture modedust-sealingaperture ringUSB port for firmware updates
PRESS RELEASE MTFs: https://personal.canon.jp/product/camera/rf/rf7-14-f28-35l-fe/spec Canon RF7-14mm F2.8-3.5 L Fisheye STM zoom lens redefines versatility in ultra-wide angle fisheye imaging. Continuing the heritage of the groundbreaking EF 8-15mm f/4L Fisheye USM, the world’s first fisheye zoom lens2, this new RF lens pushes boundaries further for professionals seeking impactful, distorted perspectives. It supports a wide range of unique use cases including sports, landscapes, starscapes, video, and virtual reality. Key features include: SpecificationsOptical construction16 elements in 11 groups (5x UD, 2x aspherical)Number of aperture blades9 (circular)min. focus distance0.15m (max magnification 0.31x)Dimensionsφ 76.5 x 109.4mmWeight494gFilter sizeφ -Hood-Other featuresFisheyeRear-filter slotControl ringFormat lockMountsCanon RFRetail Price$1899 USD PRESS RELEASE…
SpecificationsOptical construction?Number of aperture blades?min. focus distance0.3m (max magnification ?)Dimensionsφ ?mmWeight660gFilter sizeφ 77mmHoodpetal-shaped (supplied)Other featuresAll-manualbokeh-Control-Ring (7 Steps)drop-in aperture plateMountsSony E/Nikon Z/Canon RFRetail Price$599 / £399 / AU$799 SpecificationsOptical construction?Number of aperture blades?min. focus distance1.5m (max magnification ?)Dimensionsφ ? mmWeight? gFilter sizeφ 67mmHoodBarrel-shaped (supplied)Other featuresAll-manualbokeh-Control-Ring (7 Steps)drop-in aperture plateMountsSony E/Nikon Z/Canon RFRetail Price$599 / £399 / AU$799
SpecificationsOptical construction10 elements in 7 groupsNumber of aperture blades10min. focus distance0.182m (max magnification 2:1)Dimensionsφ 68 x 118mmWeight660gFilter sizeφ 67mmHood-Other featuresAll-manualMountsE/X/Z/M43/RRetail Price$170 USD
Ref.: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/viltrox/nexusfocus-pl-e-adapter Press Release News Highlights Focus, Reimagined: Viltrox Brings AI Autofocus to Manual Lenses with NexusFocus F1 The first PL-E adapter to bring autofocus to manual cinema lenses Shenzhen, China, [(UTC+8) 9 PM, January 15, 2026] – Viltrox is pleased to announce NexusFocus, a new autofocus solution for manual lenses. The NexusFocus F1 is a compact, lightweight adapter that fits unobtrusively in between the lens and the camera body. The system is compatible with Sony E-mount cameras and PL-mount Cine and CineMod lenses. It takes advantage of Sony’s powerful phase-detection system and AI subject recognition, and leverages those native…
Ref.: https://brightinstar.com/products/brightin-star-mf-50mm-f1-05-full-frame-manual-focus-prime-lens SpecificationsOptical construction10 elements in 8 groups (2x LD, 2x HR)Number of aperture blades15min. focus distance0.57mDimensionsφ 68 x 82mmWeight606gFilter size58mmHood-Other featuresAll-manualMountsE/L/R/ZRetail Price$270 USD
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