The fastest L-mount lens ever has arrived, bringing f/0.95 speed to full-frame Panasonic, Leica and Sigma cameras
(Image credit: Zhong Yi Optics)
L-mount users wanting to shoot with an f/0.95 lens have previously had to adapt oversized lenses from other systems, but now Zhong Yi Optics has released the super-fast, super-affordable Mitakon Speedmaster 50mm f/0.95 III natively for L-mount cameras.
The Mitakon Speedmaster 50mm f/0.95 III is now available to users of full-frame Panasonic, Leica and Sigma bodies. So whether you want to shoot high resolution stills on the Panasonic S1R, hybrid street imagery on the Leica SL2-S or fantastic footage on the Sigma fp L, you now have one of the fastest lenses on the market at your disposal.
Already available in Canon RF, Sony E and Nikon Z mirrorless mounts, along with a DSLR version for Canon EF bodies, the Mitakon Speedmaster 50mm f/0.95 III is officially the first nifty fifty with an f/0.95 aperture released for the L-mount.
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(Image credit: Zhong Yi Optics)
(Image credit: Zhong Yi Optics)
A fully manually operated lens, it features manual focus (with a long, almost 360° focus throw that's ideal for videography), a manual aperture ring (which is declicked, again making it more suitable for video shooting) and has no electrical contacts, meaning that EXIF data will not be transmitted.
While the press information released by Zhong Yi states that the lens has 11 elements in 8 groups, it appears that it actually has 10 in 7 (including an extra-low dispersion element to control color fringing and chromatic aberrations) along with a 9-blade aperture.
As with other mounts, it's a substantial lens that weighs in at 675g / 1.49lbs and measures 88 x 75mm, with a 67mm filter thread.
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The Mitakon Speedmaster 50mm f/0.95 III is available now for $799 (approximately £565 / AU$1,034) directly from the Zhong Yi website, and soon on its Amazon US web store.
James has 22 years experience as a journalist, serving as editor of Digital Camera World for 6 of them. He started working in the photography industry in 2014, product testing and shooting ad campaigns for Olympus, as well as clients like Aston Martin Racing, Elinchrom and L'Oréal. An Olympus, Canon and Hasselblad shooter, he has a wealth of knowledge on cameras of all makes.
