Mitakon 85mm 1x-5x Macro Lens new & better version available
This construction will stir the blood of extreme Macro lovers!
When Mitakon has released its 85mm 1x-5x Macro Lens at the end of 2019, many photographers – with us among them – were excited to hear that the Canon MP-E 65mm f/2.8 1x-5x lens will have a solid competitor. What a disappointment it was when it came out that the lens performs really badly! And we don’t mean it was our opinion. It was the opinion of the whole world of photography, and, finally the producer itself.
Zhong Yi Optics, the manufacturer of the lens, says:
We have identified the issue and believe [it’s] coming from a miscalculation of numerical aperture and in turn leads to additional unused light rays reflected into the lens, creating much softer images. We have yesterday built [an] improved prototype and also compared against the Laowa 25mm f/2.8 lens. The result is much more comparable. Although it is hard to compare apple-to-apple due to the different numerical aperture (instead of physical aperture) we have with different working distances. But we can conclude is that the performance is so much better than the existing lens.
Mitakon 85mm 1x-5x Macro Lens after changes – is it worth considering?
The new 1x-5x Super Macro lens incorporates 12 elements in 8 groups structure which delivers impressive resolution from corners to corners. The chromatic aberration is also controlled to the minimum (APO design). Weighing merely 1.65 lbs (750g) and 6.7cm long, it is a perfect companion for, e.g., indoor lab shooting.
The producer promises outstanding sharpness starting with the minimum aperture value, and any user will be content with a convenient working distance (23 cm from the front lens at 1:1 magnification and 9.5 cm at 5:1). The aperture is based on 9 blades and it can be closed up to f/32, which can provide an impressive depth of field.
We need to give credit for admitting to such mistake and really fast reaction. This means that Mitakon gives us the new version only a month later. Is it really better than the original one?
Well, it is better than its original version, that is for sure. It can never achieve Canon’s features, but its price – $499, while Canon comes at around $1000 – is encouraging. It provides 1x-5x Super Macro, which will be extremely useful in everyday dental photography.
If you’re willing to sacrifice some of the details in exchange for a better price, this lens – in its new version – is worth reconsidering.
Sample pictures
How does it cope in practice? Here we are presenting some of the example photographs from the manufacturer (not in the full resolution, unfortunately)
Specifications:
Focal Length: 25mm (5X) – 85mm (1X)
Aperture: Maximum: f/2.8, Minimum: f/32
Camera Mount Type: Canon EF/ Nikon F/ Sony A/ Pentax K/ Sony E/ M43/ Fuji X/ EOS-M
Format Compatibility: 35mm Film / Full-Frame Digital Sensor/ APS-C
Magnification: 1x – 5x
Minimum Working Distance: 272mm (1X) – 100mm (5X)
Optical Design: 12 Elements in 8 Groups
Diaphragm Blades: 9
Autofocus: No
Filter Thread: 58mm
Dimensions (DxL): Approx. 2.64 x 4.8″
(67 x 122 mm)
Weight (Collar included): 1.65 lbs (750 g)
Pricing & Availability:
Zhongyi Mitakon 85mm f/2.8 1-5X Super Macro Lens is now available to ship and purchase at ZY Optics authorized resellers, like BH Photo Video, and at manufacturer’s official website. The MSRP without tax is $499 US.
If you want to know more about macro lenses, visit our training online!
If you’re a mirrorless cameras fan looking currently for a low-budget lens, this news is for you. We’ve found a great option for anyone who wants to start a dental photography adventure.
You’ve probably known the Chinese company for its outstanding, low prices. The optical quality might not be the highest, but their products are definitely sufficient for beginners in dental photography.
The cheapest macro on the market: How does it work?
7Artisans 60 mm f/2.8 is created for cameras with the APS-C matrix, so it gives the equivalent of 90 mm focal length
with minimal distance of sharpening (26 cm) it gives us the maximum magnification, 1:1
the optical system is based on 8 elements in 7 groups and has a diaphragm with 10 aperture blades, which we can close to f/16
the lens is made of metal with a stepless aperture adjustment ring; it will be helpful for those who like to focus manually while taking photographs of the interior of the mouth and while filming
the producer provides an extra sleeve to put on the lens: thanks to this, the front element will remain clean
the lens is quite small: 66 x 55 mm, but also rather heavy: it weighs 550 g
Let’s have a look at some example photographs. The producer didn’t share them in high resolution, but we must say: the quality seems to be just fine.
The exhaustive list of available mounts and corresponding sensor sizes means that the lens will possess a different effective focal length, depending on which system you use:
Canon RF – 60mm
Nikon Z – 60mm
Leica L – 60mm
Sony E – 90mm
Fujifilm X – 90mm
Canon M – 96mm
Micro Four Thirds – 120mm
Price and availability
As said before, the 7Artisans products are usually available at a really good price. This macro lens confirms this opinion: it costs only 179 Euro. Even if it won’t provide the highest image quality, it’s worth to give it a chance.
Here it is, a new dental photography macro lens, Yongnuo YN 60 mm f/2 Macro. Let’s take a closer look.
The Chinese company, appreciated for its flashguns, is introducing a macro lens. Dental photography enthusiasts might be interested, especially that Yongnuo is also affordable . But does its quality can even compete with popular leaders?
The company speaks about lens’ main features, like gold-plated metal contacts for better conduction, integrated electromagnetic aperture, and a focus distance indicator. You’ll also find 10 lens elements in 9 groups, but until now we don’t know whether the optical system includes any special elements.
The glass in the lens features multi-coated technology and, according to Yongnuo, this feature improves light transmittance and inhibits ghost shadow and glare. Let’s hope they will turn out more useful than previous ones, which – in our opinion – were only a simple marketing gimmick.
The lens with 60 mm focal length is optimized for working with close-up subjects and offers a life-size 1:1 maximum magnification along with a 23,4 cm minimum focusing distance.
Macro and infinity modes give the quality needed for dental photography, including portraits and inside mouth photographs.
A 7-blade aperture with f/2 maximum is responsible for circular bokeh and background softens.
The new Yongnuo lens weighs 568 g and measures 76 x 115 mm and its chromed bayonet is supposed to be resistant to damages and corrosion. However, there’s no information about any special sealing and we may assume there’s no such feature.
The producer claims that manual focus design is benefitted by a printed distance scale for accurate pre-focusing and that gold-plated contacts help to provide consistent communication between the lens and camera.
Any updates for the lens can be made directly in-camera instead of via a USB port on the lens. This solution, as Yongnuo says, “avoids the incompatibility problems caused by different computer operating systems”.
Key features:
Focal length: 60 mm
Open F value: F 2
Filter Size: 67 mm
Lens construction: 10 groups of 9 elements
Number of diaphragm blades: 7
Minimum aperture: F16
Maximum aperture: F 2
Minimum photographing distance: 234 mm
Maximum magnification: 1:1
Weight: 586 g
At the moment the Yongnuo lens is available with Canon fixing and the producer provides no information about other brands.
The suggested price is 320 dollars.
YN 60 mm f/2 Macro is a macro lens, but we’re sure it will be also appreciated by portrait fans. It can be a good idea for dental photographers working with the APS-C sensor type.
You thought 1:1 magnification was big – this lens gives you 1.5 times life size on the sensor!
Meike is one of the new brands of independent lens manufacturers, which continue to provide low-cost, innovative designs, and, sometimes, unusual specifications. This new 85mm f/2.8 macro lens is unusual in that it focuses down to 1.5x life size. As announced by the manufacturer, the lens is a functional macro but it is also suitable for portrait photographs. It seems that this is a perfect combination for dental photography.
The heart of this fully manual lens is the optical system composed of 11 elements in 8 groups. Individual elements are covered with special nano-technology multi-layer coatings, which effectively prevent light reflection, minimising the formation of hot spots and flares. The new Meike provides the magnification ratio of 1.5:1, which coupled with the minimum focus distance of 25 cm, focal length of 85 mm, aperture range of f/2.8 and 12-blade diaphragm results in an exceptional depth of field with an appropriately blurred background and the separation of the primary object of the photograph, which will be appreciated also by dentists who would like to take artistic photographs.
There are two focus rings. The first, closest to the front, uses internal focusing and operates down to 0.25m, giving a magnification of 1:1. This means that a 1 cm long object will be recorded as 1 cm long on the sensor. When set to the closest setting, the second ring can be used to continue down to a magnification of 1.5:1, meaning a 1 cm long object will now be recorded as 1.5 cm long on the sensor. This is a significant difference and a fairly unique feature.
Key features:
Focal length: 85 mm
Open F value: F 2.8
Filter Size: 55 mm
Lens construction: 8 groups of 11 elements
Number of diaphragm blades: 12
Minimum aperture: F22
Maximum aperture: F 2.8
Minimum photographing distance: 250 mm
Maximum magnification: 1.5x
Weight: 500 g
Meike 85 mm f/2.8 Macro is available for sale with the Canon EF, Sony E, Nikon F, Fuji-X and M43 mounts. The suggested price is 299 dollars.
The key features of Laowa 25 mm f/2.8 2.5-5X Ultra Macro include an advanced optical system, maximum magnification of 5:1, high resolution and excellent colouring of the photographs.
Impressive close-ups within reach
Photos: Alberto Ghizzi Panizza, Jie Ge, Gil Wizen
The optical system of Venus Optics Laowa 25 mm f/2.8 2.5-5X Ultra Macro ensures image magnification from 2.5 to 5x. It’s composed of 8 elements in 6 groups, and one of them is made of ultra low dispersion glass. The manufacturer emphasises that thanks to such a design we can enjoy an appropriate correction of chromatic aberration, as well as images characterised by high sharpness and high reproducibility of colours.
Apart from that, each element composing the system is covered with anti-reflection coatings, which should minimise light reflection and appearance of hot spots and flares within the frame. In addition, the overall contrast of photographs in challenging conditions will be improved. The depth of field is ensured by the 8-blade diaphragm with the range of f/2.8-f/16. The focal length of 25 mm, in turn, is responsible for the 10.3-degree angle of view.
Venus Optics Laowa 25mm f/2.8 2.5-5X Ultra Macro is sized 82 x 65 mm and weighs 400 g. Of course, it’s a fully manual macro glass, which offers an effective focusing capability ranging from 173 to 223.5 mm. The lens is already available for preorder with Nikon F, Canon EF, Sony FE and Pentax K mounts. It costs 399 dollars.
An interesting option is that you can buy an adapter for the Micro Four Thirds (M43) system, so also the users of small mirrorless cameras can tap the potential of this glass.
Key features:
Focal length: 25 mm
Open F value: F 2.8
Field of View: 10.3 degrees
Lens construction: 6 groups 8 pieces
Minimum aperture: F16
Maximum aperture: F 2.8
Minimum photographing distance: 173 mm to 223.5 mm
Working Distance: 40 mm – 45 mm
Shooting magnification: 2.5 times to 5 times
Number of diaphragm blades: 8
Weight: 400 g
Corresponding mount: Canon EF, Nikon F, Pentax K, Sony FE
Laowa 24 mm f/14 Replay 2x Macro – macro lens of an unusual shape.
Venus Optics is one of the most interesting optics manufacturers from China.
Under the brand name Laowa, it intends to introduce a macro lens with a very unusual shape, which can be useful for macro photography from a discrete distance. The prototype of the lens was presented during Photokina in 2016.
This lens is intended to take wide-angle macro images.
It looks just like a pole. The lens has a focal length of 24 mm and an aperture of f/14. It is suitable for use with full-frame cameras. According to the manufacturer, the new Laowa lens, thanks to its unique shape, will allow you to get into difficult places and to photograph skittish and timid creatures. The maximum magnification of this lens is x2. Also, the lens is designed to withstand extreme temperatures and extreme weather conditions.
Unfortunately, this type of lens has its drawbacks. Lens aperture f/14 will reduce the possibility of using it. The aperture closes down to f/40, and the minimum focusing distance is about 5 mm.
We don’t know the exact specifications of this lens, price or availability yet. The lens should be available with Canon EF, and Nikon F mounts. We are waiting for further information from the manufacturer.
Will it apply to Dental Photography? For sure no. But it may be interesting construction for other applications, like photographing shy insects.
We present some pictures from the Photokina expo, where the lens was first presented.
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