A new 85mm f/1.2 lens is here. The rather large new lens comes from a new player – SongRAW, a lens manufacturer from Shenzhen, China. With a fast aperture, solid build, complex optical design, and autofocus capabilities, the lens is designed to challenge some of the legends in the field, claiming optical prowess and a competitive price (if not as affordable as some others). Will it manage to carve a niche in this classic focal length segment? SongRAW is a young brand still building recognition outside of China. According to Hannah Han, the company rep, the brand was founded by several partners with backgrounds in the camera gear industry and already operates its own factory. Their focus is exclusively on lenses, and so far they have introduced two models: a 50mm f/1.2 and the new 85mm f/1.2. SongRAW Moonlit series – 50mm and 85mm f/1.2. Image credit: CineD Optical design and build The Moonlit 85mm f/1.2 is not a lightweight lens: at 1.5kg (3.3 lbs), it is considerably heavier than many competing primes (for instance, the Canon RF 85mm f/1.2 L USM weighs 1.195kg (2.6 lbs). SongRAW attributes this to the lens construction, which includes one aspherical element, five ED glass elements, and 11 HR glass elements. This complex optical design is intended to deliver high image quality with strong correction against distortion and chromatic aberration. The company is also proud of their use of Nano-Coating on the lens. We’ll have to wait and see how the lens fares in real-world scenarios, but...
Published By: CineD - Yesterday