Irix' third prime is a 150mm f/2.8 full-frame macro lens
Innovative lens manufacturer Irix is launching its third prime lens at Photokina 2018... and it is going to be the Irix 150mm f/2.8 Macro.
Following its 11mm and 15mm super-wide lenses that this new optical company has released so far, Irix has been teasing about the announcement about Dragonfly over the last couple of days – but now the full details of the lens have now been finally revealed.
The lens uses three super-low dispersion glass (ED) elements, plus a further four high-refraction-index (HR) elements. Irix claims that this provides images with near-zero distortion (at a level of 0.1%, we are told).
Focus is manual only, but precise control is offered with a wide focusing ring that rotates through a full 270°. The lens is supplied with a detachable tripod ring for stable shooting from a support. A deep lens hood is also provided.
Irix 150mm f/2.8 Macro
Irix 150mm f/2.8 Macro – full specs
Lensmounts: Canon EF, Nikon F, Pentax K Focallength: 150mm Maximumaperture: f/2.8 Minimumaperture: f/32 Fieldofview: 16⁰ (diagonal) Minimumfocus: 0.345 m Focusring rotation: 270 degrees Magnificationratio: 1:1 Number of diaphragm blades: 11 Lens construction: 12 elements in 9 groups Weatherseals: yes Lenshood: supplied Tripodcollar: supplied Filter size: 77 mm Weight: 840g Dimensions: 87 x 135 mm (without tripod collar and lens hood)
Diagram showing position of weather seals
The 150mm focal length is longer than usual for a macro lens, but perfect for photographing outdoor subjects such as dragonflies, butterflies and insects – as it allows to photograph them at up to 1:1 magnification from a distance that is less likely to scare off the subject, or cast a shadow over it. Sigma already a 150mm f/2.8 EX DG OS HSM Macro lens.
The lens is the first lens to come with what a new finish it has developed, that it has appropriately called Dragonfly. For this, the aluminium frame of the lens has been enclosed in an external structure made of aluminium-magnesium alloys and composite elements. This is said to combine the the features of the Firefly and Blackstone finishes offered on its previous two lenses.
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Pricing and availability have yet to be announced.
Chris George has worked on Digital Camera World since its launch in 2017. He has been writing about photography, mobile phones, video making and technology for over 30 years – and has edited numerous magazines including PhotoPlus, N-Photo, Digital Camera, Video Camera, and Professional Photography.
His first serious camera was the iconic Olympus OM10, with which he won the title of Young Photographer of the Year - long before the advent of autofocus and memory cards. Today he uses a Nikon D800, a Fujifilm X-T1, a Sony A7, and his iPhone 15 Pro Max.
He has written about technology for countless publications and websites including The Sunday Times Magazine, The Daily Telegraph, Dorling Kindersley, What Cellphone, T3 and Techradar.
