ZY Optics announces 4 T/1.0 cinema lenses for MFT, Canon RF, Fujifilm X, Sony E and Arri PL
posted Tuesday, April 20, 2021 at 5:30 PM EDT
Zhong Yi Optics, often referred to as ZY Optics, has announced the launch of four new manual focus T/1.0 cinema lenses. Two of the lenses, 17mm and 25mm primes, are for Micro Four Thirds cameras. The new 35mm lens is for Canon RF, Fujifilm X, Sony E and Micro Four Thirds. Rounding out the new lenses is a 50mm lens for Canon EF and Arri PL mount.
Each of the four new lenses offers different focal length coverage and supports different camera systems. The three lenses which support Micro Four Thirds, the 17mm, 25mm and 35mm lenses, are relatively compact and lightweight. These three lenses have the same front diameter and gear position, making the lenses easier to use with a focus motor and matte box. The lenses internally focus, ensuring the size of the lens stays unchanged throughout the entire focus throw. The lens has precise scale markings, allowing for accurate control of focus, even when shooting at T/1.0, which has a shallow depth of field.
All four lenses are manual focus lenses and feature metal construction. The lenses have been designed to suppress focus breathing to ensure focus pulls don't impact the composition. Each of the lenses promises consistent color, contrast and overall rendition across the Cinema Lens T/1.0 lineup.
The Mitakon Speedmaster Cinema Lens 17mm T/1.0 has stepless, silent aperture control. On Micro Four Thirds, the lens has a 65-degree field of view. The aperture throw range is 75 degrees, and the focus throw is 176.5 degrees. The lens has a minimum focus distance of 11.8" (30 cm), which results in a maximum magnification ratio of 0.07x. The lens has 12 elements across 9 groups. The front filter thread is 77mm. The lens weighs 1.32 lbs. (597 grams), and it is just over 4" (104 mm) long with a maximum diameter of 3.15" (80 mm). The ZY Optics Mitakon Speedmaster Cinema Lens 17mm T/1.0 costs $449 USD and is available now.
The Mitakon Speedmaster Cinema Lens 25mm T/1.0 has the same aperture range as the 17mm lens. However, it has different aperture throw and focus throw. The aperture throw is 60 degrees, and the focus throw is 151 degrees. The lens includes 11 elements in 8 groups. As mentioned earlier, the front filter threads of the 17mm, 25mm and 35mm primes are all 77mm. The lens has a minimum focus distance of 9.8" (25 cm), resulting in a maximum reproduction ratio of 0.13x. The lens weighs 1.18 lbs. (535 g) and has the same form factor as the 17mm lens. Like the 17mm lens, the ZY Optics Mitakon Speedmaster 25mm T/1.0 costs $449 and can be ordered now.
The Mitakon Speedmaster Cinema Lens 35mm T/1.0 is available not only for Micro Four Thirds but also for Canon RF, Fujifilm X and Sony E mounts. The lens has the same front diameter as the 17mm and 25mm lenses, but is slightly shorter at 3.6" (92 mm). It weighs 1.36 lbs. (615 g). The lens has 11 elements in 8 groups. The minimum focus distance is 13.8" (35 cm), resulting in maximum magnification of 0.13x. The focus throw angle is 161.1 degrees, and the aperture throw angle is 64 degrees. The ZY Optics Mitakon Speedmaster Cinema Lens 35mm T/1.0 is available now and costs $449 in Micro Four Thirds and $599 in Canon RF, Fujifilm X and Sony E mounts.
As a quick note, for Micro Four Thirds users, the Mitakon Speedmaster Cinema Lens T/1.0 lenses can be purchased as a bundle including the 17mm, 25mm and 35mm primes. This bundle is available for $1,199, which is about a $150 savings compared to buying the lenses separately.
At 50mm, the Mitakon Speedmaster Cinema Lens 50mm T/1.0 is the longest lens announced today by ZY Optics. The full-frame lens has a dozen elements across six groups. The lens is 5.35" (136 mm) long and has a maximum diameter of 4.49" (114 mm). The lens is quite a bit heavier than the shorter three lenses; it weighs 3.97 lbs. (1,800 g). The front filter thread is a large 105mm. The lens has a minimum focus distance of 25.6" (65 cm), which offers a maximum magnification of 0.1x. The full-frame 50mm prime is considerably more expensive than the 17mm, 25mm and 35mm lenses. The Mitakon Speedmaster Cinema Lens 50mm T/1.0 can be ordered now for $999. The lens is currently on backorder with expected delivery in early May.