Announced as a ten-times cheaper 90mm f/1.5 portrait lens, in a clear reference to the legendary Leica Summilux-M, the new Mitakon Speedmaster 90mm f/1.5 from Zhong Yi Optics is available for $649 for Leica M mount and $599 for Canon RF, Nikon Z and Sony FE mount, which makes it a budget alternative to the classic Leica lens.
Zhong Yi Optics says that this medium telephoto with great control of depth of view produces perfect distortion-free portraits with well-controlled color artifacts. The Mitakon Speedmaster 90mm f/1.5 renders dreamlike ambiance for the images produced and, the company claims, “its buttery bokeh at maximum aperture blends with the background perfectly. Combining fast aperture and long focal length in one lens, the shallow depth of field enables a flawless separation of main subject and background. 9-bladed round iris design enables the round-shape bokeh that all photographers would have ever wished.”
Built around 9 elements in 6 groups, the optics formula of the prime lens brings outstanding image quality and “sharply defined details and contrast can still be retained at a wide-open aperture. Adding two extra-low dispersion elements into the lens reduces the color fringing and chromatic aberrations. The color rendering is also vividly close to the human eye’s capture. “
The Mitakon Speedmaster 90mm f/1.5
Here are some more highlights as described by Zhong Yi Optics:
Flawless Night Photography
For low light environment, our wide aperture is the best match for your shooting. Mitakon Speedmaster 90mm f/1.5 can replicate light source consistently over the entire frame, without the presence of sharp coma flare. The f/1.5 fast aperture also allows photographers to capture charming moments at night with ease. The Mitakon Speedmaster is an excellent lens for night photography.
Apochromatic (APO) Lens
Bright-dark transitions in the image, and especially highlights, are reproduced almost completely free of color artifacts with our Speedmaster 90mm f/1.5. Chromatic aberrations (axial chromatic aberrations) are corrected with elements of special glass with anomalous partial dispersion. The chromatic aberrations are therefore too minimal to observe.
Distortion free
A modern 90mm lens is sometimes referred as a “standard lens for architecture.” The approximate 27° view angle is also a best perspective of portraits. It allows an exquisite image to the subject while avoiding the compression effects offered by a longer focal length lens.
Autofocus Realization with Third-party Adapters
For Nikon Z and Sony users, there are a few automatic adapters in the market which can turn Leica M-mount manual lenses into autofocus. Users can now take advantage of the short-flange distance of Leica M mount and experience a new focus performance with these adapters. Both Megadap MTZ11 and Techart TZM-01/LM-EA7 are supported. Adapters can support AF-S, AF-C, AF-F and face/eye detection with IBIS of the cameras, helping to focus with f/1.5 painlessly.
Pricing and availability
The new Mitakon Speedmaster 90mm f/1.5 for M, RF, Z, FE mounts are available now on Zhong Yi Optics official website and other authorized resellers. The US retail price is $649 for Leica M mount, and $599 for Canon RF, Nikon Z and Sony FE mount.