Zyoptics announced two new Micro Four Thirds lenses and here is the official press release:
Press Release
Zhongyi Optics Announces Pricing & Availability of Two New Lenses for Mirrorless Cameras
New 42.5mm f/1.2 & 24mm f/1.7 with Sony E / M43 / Fuji X mounts available in Photokina
Shenyang China, Sept 14, 2014 – Shenyang Zhongyi Optics (ZY Optics), a leading Chinese manufacturer of camera lenses, has unveiled two fast prime lenses for mirrorless camera users. The new Zhongyi Mitakon 42.5mm f/1.2 Lens features an incredibly fast aperture of f/1.2, making it ideally suited for low-light conditions shooting, greater control over selective focus and shallow depth of field imagery. Designed for the use with an APS-C-sized camera sensor, the lens gives a 35mm-equivalent focal length of nearly 64mm. Above features provide an excellent portrait shooting solution for mirrorless cameras users. The lens also houses with 7 elements in 9 groups of optical lenses to provide great deal of image clarity and color renderness. The new Zhongyi Mitakon 24mm f/1.7 Lens is a fast prime wide-angle lens that provides a 35mm-equivalent focal length of 35mm, making it ideally suited for everyday shooting applications. The fast f/1.7 maximum aperture benefits working in low-light conditions and also avails greater control over the focus position for shallow depth of field and selective focus techniques. The 0.15m ultra close minimum focus distance benefit users in image composition. The lens incorporates 9 elements in 8 groups with ED lenses in order to minimize chromatic aberrations for greater clarity and color accuracy. The compact size (55mm x 61.5mm) and light-weight (246g) of the lens also make it perfect for mirrorless camera users. Both of above lenses comes with Sony E, Micro four thirds and Fuji X mounts. It will be available for trial in the booth of ZY Optics in Photokina 2014. (Hall 5.1, booth K-049)
Pricing and Availability Zhongyi Mitakon 42.5mm f/1.2 & Zhongyi Mitakon 24mm f/1.7 will be available in this winter at ZY optics authorized resellers and at the new official website (http://www.zyoptics.net/). Pre-order will start in the end of Sept in our official website. The recommended retail price of 42.5mm f/1.2 will be at USD 359 and 24mm f/1.7 will be at USD 289. Both lenses are priced at a highly affordable price to make these excellent lenses available for every mirrorless camera user.
About Us Shenyang Zhongyi Optical and Electronic Company (ZY Optics) is a leading Chinese camera lens & adapters manufacturer. We currently manufacture and distribute lenses and lens turbo adapters under the brand name of ‘Mitakon’ & ‘Zhongyi’. For more information about Shenyang Zhongyi Optical and Electronic Company Limited and our products information, visit http://www.zyoptics.net
Specifications
| Zhongyi Mitakon 42.5mm f/1.2 | |
| Lens type | Manual lens |
| Max Format size | APS-C |
| Focal length | 42.5 mm |
| Lens mount | Sony E / M43 / Fuji X |
| Aperture | |
| Maximum aperture | F1.2 |
| Minimum aperture | F16.0 |
| Aperture ring | Yes |
| Number of diaphragm blades | 9 |
| Optics | |
| Elements | 9 |
| Groups | 7 |
| Focus | |
| Minimum focus | 0.45 m |
| Distance scale | Yes |
| Physical | |
| Weight | 310 g |
| Diameter | 60 mm |
| Length | 52.5 mm |
| Colour | Black / Silver |
| Zoom method | Rotary |
| Filter thread | 49 mm |
| Zhongyi Mitakon 24mm f/1.7 Lens | |
| Lens type | Manual lens |
| Max Format size | APS-C |
| Focal length | 24 mm |
| Lens mount | Sony E / M43 / Fuji X |
| Aperture | |
| Maximum aperture | F1.7 |
| Minimum aperture | F22.0 |
| Aperture ring | Yes |
| Number of diaphragm blades | 12 |
| Optics | |
| Elements | 9 |
| Groups | 8 |
| Focus | |
| Minimum focus | 0.15 m |
| Distance scale | Yes |
| Physical | |
| Weight | 246 g |
| Diameter | 61.5 mm |
| Length | 55 mm |
| Colour | Black / Silver |
| Zoom method | Rotary |
| Filter thread | 49 mm |
63 Responses
Amazing! 49mm filter size for the 42mm f /1.2, and what a price! Not a typo, is it, Admin?
It wouldn’t surprise me. The good old Olympus OMZ 55mm F1.2 had a 55mm filter, and the later OMZ 50mm F1.2 had a 49mm filter, and both of those covered 35mm film; A.K.A. “Full Frame” XD
olympus was already nr 1 in the seventies with small filters and lenses, but its still uncommon sometimes in this category
Wow. Pretty amazing size, weight AND prices!
It’ll be extremely interesting to see some tests.
How long before the first comment bitching about manual focus?
Their image quality better be good as the are already so many stellar M43 lenses with those focal lengths.
Not at that price for those specs though, even if the 42.5mm is soft at 1.2 it’ll probably be good or decent (or who knows, maybe excellent) by 1.8, if that ends up being true, compared to Pany’s pricey and bulkier 42.5 this is a VERY interesting proposition,
Yes , the specs ( 42mm F1.2 ) is quite impressive .
It’s matter of can this lens deliver ?
At least in the 45mm F1.8 standard is acceptable , no anything below it .
That is my basic requirement set for this lens .
7 elements in 9 groups , interest
ing!
LOL!
Something isn’t right, there???
they inluded the elements made of air hehe
Isn’t it 9 elements in 7 groups?
The two focal lengths are urgently needed indeed.
Even though the lenses are manual focus type only their prices look really good!
me thinks so too
MMhhh…that 42.5 looks tasty at that price!! Let’s hope the optical quality is decent! And, now that I think about it the 24 might be interesting as well: street photography in hyperfocal without spending 1000$ for a lens with distance scale? Nice!
And you can get both the lenses for less than $1000 haha
24/1.7 with 12 diaphragm blades???!!! Must be a typo, no?
My guess is that the 42.5 will be pleasantly soft for sublime portraits and that the 24 will be acceptably sharp with beautiful bokeh. I’d be very surprised if either were exceptionally sharp but they may still have very nice rendition.
Everything in the press release says it’s for APS-C. Am I missing something?
I do see that the heading mentions M43, but the description doesn’t mention it.
“Both of above lenses comes with Sony E, Micro four thirds and Fuji X mounts.”
“Max Format size APS-C”
“Lens mount Sony E / M43 / Fuji X”
you might expect that a 42.5mm would designed for specific mft use, but nevertheless its great to see such announcement. if i remember correctly, a pic of a f/1.2 Zhongyi on a mft body appeared few months ago.
These lenses good. To good for puny M43 sensor. Hulk smash puny sensor.
Green with envy? 😀
I think Hulk is actually a m43 lover. He is just too shy to show his love.
Dr. Banner is actually a big fan of M4/3, it’s just that when he reads this site and some troll pops up he gets angry and HULK SMASH! And then he needs a new camera.
Little do the trolls know that their own posts are a major driving force behind sales of M4/3 cameras and lenses.
Can’t you come up with a new line ? same phrase in over 2 threads. Are trolls becoming lazy or is this actually a bot ?
It’s good for Hulk to be around here to check & pressure on Oly&Pana for more innovative & revolution products .
Till you heard , Hulk love 4/3 products then we all know , 4/3 is doing extremely fine .
All those gamma rays have rotted his brain.
These lenses crap with lots of CA. These lenses terrible for puny sensor.
‘The recommended retail price of 42.5mm f/1.2 will be at USD 359 and 24mm f/1.7 will be at USD 289.’
Shut up and take my money!1!!!
The prices are not insane, it’s always a good thing to see third party companies producing lenses for the system. I wonder if those post- USSR optic companies like KMZ would make some cheap @ss but fun-to-use lenses for m43.
The prices are not insane, it’s always good to see third party companies producing lenses for the system. I wonder if those post- USSR optic companies like KMZ would make some cheap @ss but fun-to-use lenses for m43.
I dont think that KMZ would make lenses for m43. They haven’t enough money for mft development and can only remake some old (and crap, yes) lenses. Here in Russia we have so many problem with industry that true (not china with new label) old 50/2/0 lens will cost at least 300usd. Nobody needs this crap.
How to put it? In the old days, that f1.2 1/2 stop advantage compared to f1.4 cost dearly and often gave a shutter speed to rescue the shot. That was when we preferred the use of 100 ASA film because 400 ASA was thought grainy. Sensor performance nowadays does a whole lot more rescuing at 1600 and 3200 ISO. That is a huge 4 or 5 stop advantage in comparison, and why none of our digital camera makers dabble much below f1.7 and thus, leave non-digital lens makers out on the margin in a province that matters less. It is not so much that manual is annoying (it is fun actually), but other than coolness, the bang they once gave has been dwarfed by semi-conductor prowess. Everybody nod, Yes. We are drooling over 12-40mm, f2.8, PRO glass that costs $900. Those f1.7/f1.8 digital primes are awfully good and they are not terribly expensive.
At that price, if the 42.5mm has good optical quality, it’d be an easy buy for portraits or similar situations where you’re not in a hurry so don’t need autofocus.
Not that I wouldn’t love to have the Panasonic f1.2, but that’s out of my price range. This, on the other hand, is in the used price range of some of the old-school Minolta manual lenses (I’ve got one of the cheaper f1.4 Rokkors, and it’s all kinds of fun to shoot with), plus it’s going to be a heck of a lot lighter.
Looks interesting and price is attractive if they manage decent iq. 12 diaphragm blades on 24mm? This is certainly interesting 🙂
Oh, didn’t notice samples, 42.5mm was used on gh4 and it looks really nice, bokeh is smooth, creamy.
What’s this? New lenses with fast aperture that aren’t $1000? Not even $500??! I might be interested in that 42.5.
LOL, they are putting a big ugly watermark on all their images. Even on the product photos in press release. What, are they afraid someone is gonna steal them? And the samples are tiny as well, not a good sign.
I’m not expecting much from those lenses. Until I see proper tests, I’m just gonna assume they are not really worth those 300 bucks.
Nice design, they the look really compact, and are priced to sell. I hope they perform and are not just CCTV lenses re-badged.
Actually I have a second generation of fujian cctv 35 and it’s much better than the original one. It is under the name HD.MC Movie lens, 35mm f1.6 in c mount. There is a short review of it http://poppelyang.tumblr.com/post/94517428278/m4-3-alternative-lens-guangsheng-35mm-f-1-6-c-mount
Sorry, what will 42,5 f1.2 will bring vs 45 1.8? I wich situations it will be superior? Thanks
You got more defocusing effect & more light gathering capability in low light shooting .
But whether this new lens can match the formidable Zuiko 45mm F1.8 in sharpness , resolution , rendering & bokeh beauty ,
It remain a question here .
For people who like manual focus lenses. For people who like metal lenses. For people who like using manual aperture rings. For people who like shooting movies with all previously said features.
How about image quality…….. While Olympus is a “descent” lens, you must understand the difference of contrast, color, sharpness, bokeh all vary from lens to lens.
This is aimed for cinematography, not photography like the Olympus is
They look small for cine lenses
Lens signature will likely be different. Except for the 75mm, I never liked the 1.8 lenses from Olympus; images from them are sharp, yes, but looked a bit “flat” to me. Unlike, say, the 25mm Summilux, which has a distinctive character. The 75mm Olympus has a signature I like as well. I expect that f1.2 will give the lens a nice character.
How can I train my eye to recognize this signature, character, contrast, etc.? I feel I can’t reed an image on those terms
Are these MF lenses?
yes
I have never used MF lenses. Only focus is manual or do I have to set ISO, shutter speed, aperture all manually? Can I shoot in A mode and will the camera select the shutter speed, ISO automatically and I choose Aperture?
Focusing will be manual only. There’s no P mode setting on the lens, so you can’t do Shutter Priority. Aperture Priority will work as normal.
Auto function can work on metering, shutter speed, ISO and exposure. Some bodies also has MF assistance such as focus peeking.
Focus and aperture are only manual.
I can only talk for Panasonic, I never tried manual lenses on Olympus. You set the camera to “Shoot without lens” and what has to be auto is intuitive.
I’ll wait for sharpness tests against Oly 45mm f/1.8 and 25mm f/1.8. And surely until these guys release something more wide angle. 10mm in this price range would be killer.
The 45mm f/1.8 is really nice and sharp and the MSC is nice for video, but I doubt it will be as sharp. But I think it will have way more character and better isolation.
If they’d continue… I’d like to see something like Oly’s 12mm f/2. That would be amazing.
And while they’re at it… replicate me one of them 75mm f/1.8’s as well. 😛
Sample images for the 24mm look kind of good (not stellar) but the 42mm feels as if there were some muddy quality to its softness, it kind of hurts the eyes, not good.
We have a whole series of lenses from several manufacturers that are available in many mounts for mirrorless cameras.
Is it not time that a lens maker makes a lens that has an adapter for the various mounts. An adaptall type mount for mirrorless. (manual adapters and electronic possible). The cost of the lenses would be less and stock on hand easier to manage making the whole thing cheaper.
In fact a universal mirrorless mount would be good. It would also allow a lens to be used on a M43 and a Fuji x as well as a Sony e body by any one who has multi brand bodies. It might same the camera market.
Zyoptics LOL I think I am going to stick to my Zeiss and Canon, on Canon of course. You guys have fun with Zyoptics and that tiny sensor.
truly you reek of desperation… and I’ve used my fair share of 5Ds.
You might be able to use acetone to get “unstuck” from your gear. Be careful. You don’t want to damage that expensive equipment. Here’s a helpful link: http://chemistry.about.com/od/everydaychemistry/a/How-To-Remove-Super-Glue.htm
So, your purpose in life is to add a comment to every article about m43 (no matter what it is about) that m43 sucks because it has a tiny sensor?
Re-read his post. He’s “stuck to” his Zeiss / Canon rig. I would think that would hurt.
If care too much about sensor size it not a photographer he just another die soul comparing something that not really doesn’t matter at all…