Irix Announces 15mm f/2.4 Lenses for Canon EF

[PhotographyFirst]

I like how this lens seems to have been designed by people who use lenses, which is evident by the removable hood, hood filter window, front filter threads, rear filter, focus lock, weather sealing, etc.

 

[Haydn1971]

11mm f4.0 on its way too...

 

[seaquay]

Not only was my BS detector triggered by the neutrino coating, but also by looking at the company's home page. In fact, they do not even give a postal address which is quite suspective. This led me to do some research:

The company is registered under a mailbox address of "Launchoffice GmbH" (https://www.easymonitoring.ch/handelsregister/th-swiss-ag-1214566 , German). So they probably just have a swiss address for having the "Swiss" in their name, I assume all the work on the lenses is done exclusively in Korea. Head of the company is Hubert Grzegorz Adamczyk, a Polish guy who appears to own a Forex Trading company (http://uk.data.directory/company/08300345/FX+TRADING+LTD) and something which appears to be a trading company in Poland (http://krs-pobierz.pl/next77-i93405 , Polish), no idea if they actually sell anything ...

In conclusion, I am not sure on how serious to take this company. In any case, if these lenses will eventually be sold, do not expect wide technical support by the manufacturer.

 

[rs]

This image was taken with the metal bodied (blackstone) Canon mount lens, wide open. CR2, using DPP, output quality of jpg 4 (to keep it under the 5MB limit). Apparently this lens is 70% to 80% production ready, so I'm surprised they let me shoot with it.

My 5D2 reported f2.5 when wide open. This is apparently an issue with Canon bodies - Nikon will reportedly show f2.4.

For this shot, focusing was set to infinity, where it clicks. You can turn the focus ring beyond the click to focus beyond infinity, to cope with thermal expansion.

 

[AvTvM]

Confirmed. The guy is exclusive distributor for Samyang lenses in Poland. Just google it. The company shell used for that Business is called Delta.

This is Samyang sheep in swiss wolves' coat, nothing else.

Not only was my BS detector triggered by the neutrino coating, but also by looking at the company's home page. In fact, they do not even give a postal address which is quite suspective. This led me to do some research:

The company is registered under a mailbox address of "Launchoffice GmbH" (https://www.easymonitoring.ch/handelsregister/th-swiss-ag-1214566 , German). So they probably just have a swiss address for having the "Swiss" in their name, I assume all the work on the lenses is done exclusively in Korea. Head of the company is Hubert Grzegorz Adamczyk, a Polish guy who appears to own a Forex Trading company (http://uk.data.directory/company/08300345/FX+TRADING+LTD) and something which appears to be a trading company in Poland (http://krs-pobierz.pl/next77-i93405 , Polish), no idea if they actually sell anything ...

In conclusion, I am not sure on how serious to take this company. In any case, if these lenses will eventually be sold, do not expect wide technical support by the manufacturer.

 

[seaquay]

Confirmed. The guy is exclusive distributor for Samyang lenses in Poland. Just google it. The company shell used for that Business is called Delta.

This is Samyang sherp in swiss wolves' coat, nothing else.

Indeed. First thing I was thinking of when I read the Polish name was foto-tip (http://foto-tip.pl/en/onas), no idea why I missed to look there. Well, then at least there is some knowhow in the background and experience in making decent lenses for reasonable prices.

 

[[email protected]]

I am sure I would not pay 680 Euros just because it has cool styling but that's just me.

By the way, where does the price estimate of 680 euros come from? I couldn't find it anywhere other than here, did someone hear it directly from Irix?

from dpreview forum:
"According to the Dutch distributor for Irix (Disnet.nl) the price of the Blackstone version will be 650 euro, while the Firefly will be cost 500 euro."

http://www.dpreview.com/forums/post/57469883

 

[Ozarker]

which filter kit are you using? Does it have hard and soft grads? and polarizing filters?

The answer is none. I can't afford one right now. Photodiox and I believe Lee make kits as well as others. Once I can afford it I will get one.

 

[slclick]

which filter kit are you using? Does it have hard and soft grads? and polarizing filters?

The answer is none. I can't afford one right now. Photodiox and I believe Lee make kits as well as others. Once I can afford it I will get one.

I highly suggest getting a cheapo frame such as a Cokin Z Pro knock off and then using good filters like Formatt 100 x 100.

 

[Busted Knuckles]

As far as I can tell, there doesn't seem to be a native Samyang that looks similar or than the 16 f2.0 that could be reworked into a 15 2.4.

They don't hide the Korean connection... I thought I saw Zeiss isn't making all of its own lenses.... I would be interested in seeing this once it gets to the market.

 

[mclaren777]

As sexy as this lens is, the existence of the Laowa 12mm f/2.8 kills any interest I might have otherwise had.

 

[sanj]

Wonder how it will compare, if at all, with my Zeiss 15mm.

 

[Ozarker]

which filter kit are you using? Does it have hard and soft grads? and polarizing filters?

The answer is none. I can't afford one right now. Photodiox and I believe Lee make kits as well as others. Once I can afford it I will get one.

I highly suggest getting a cheapo frame such as a Cokin Z Pro knock off and then using good filters like Formatt 100 x 100.

Thanks for the advice. I think I might have my 70D and 400 f/5.6L sold. I'll know by the eighth of next month. Until then, I can't even afford a McDouble at the Golden Arches. haha!

I'll register the car... then a filter kit for the Tamron and maybe a Lomography Petzval lens too. Then, maybe a six pack of beer.

 

[9VIII]

I wish Samyang would just go ahead and market their own lenses under their own name. Having all these sub-brands does them no good at all when they actually do make a few decent products.

 

[photonius]

My BS detector went into overdrive at "special neutrino coating"....

It's no worse sounding than Canon's "Sub Wavelength Structure coating". (Which does work.)

Yes, neutrino coatings sounds strange. Sure the coating is not made from neutrinos, and it seems unlikely that neutrinos are used in the manufacturing process. So, it maybe simply means a "neutral" coating...
Anyway, the term was registered as trademark 1 year ago by TH Swiss.
http://www.wirtschaft.ch/trademarks/neutrino+coating/TH+SWISS+AG+6341+Baar/53747/2015/

 

[photonius]

Not only was my BS detector triggered by the neutrino coating, but also by looking at the company's home page. In fact, they do not even give a postal address which is quite suspective. This led me to do some research:

The company is registered under a mailbox address of "Launchoffice GmbH" (https://www.easymonitoring.ch/handelsregister/th-swiss-ag-1214566 , German). So they probably just have a swiss address for having the "Swiss" in their name, I assume all the work on the lenses is done exclusively in Korea. Head of the company is Hubert Grzegorz Adamczyk, a Polish guy who appears to own a Forex Trading company (http://uk.data.directory/company/08300345/FX+TRADING+LTD) and something which appears to be a trading company in Poland (http://krs-pobierz.pl/next77-i93405 , Polish), no idea if they actually sell anything ...

In conclusion, I am not sure on how serious to take this company. In any case, if these lenses will eventually be sold, do not expect wide technical support by the manufacturer.

Well, there is also a Frank Lukas registered, from Switzerland.
He is involved in a couple of companies:
http://www.moneyhouse.ch/p/lukas-frank
These companies are all located in the same place - Launchoffice - which is probably a business park. Some he seems to be just giving the address, as shareholders are foreign. So, probably just a small office there. It's located in Baar, Schwyz, the Kanton with the lowest taxes, so a haven for these types of companies to lower taxes. For example "Gencore" is also located in Baar - it's one of the largest traders in mineral resources, and mine operators - yes, all these big mines in Switzerland... ;-)

 

[Dutchy]

Looks like they will offer in "two" build qualitys, and perhaps the $770 is the Lightweight/plastic/cheaper one!

On a Dutch photography website the Dutch distributor is quoted on pricing:

"De Irix Blackstone 15mm f/2,4 gaat 650 euro kosten, terwijl de adviesprijs van het goedkopere broertje 500 euro bedraagt."

So 650 EUR for the Blackstone version, 500 EUR for the Firefly version. These prices include Dutch VAT (21%).

Link: http://www.digifotopro.nl/content/irix-kondigt-15mm-f-24-ultragroothoek-voor-fullframe-aan

 

[seaquay]

Well, there is also a Frank Lukas registered, from Switzerland.
He is involved in a couple of companies:
http://www.moneyhouse.ch/p/lukas-frank
These companies are all located in the same place - Launchoffice - which is probably a business park. Some he seems to be just giving the address, as shareholders are foreign. So, probably just a small office there. It's located in Baar, Schwyz, the Kanton with the lowest taxes, so a haven for these types of companies to lower taxes. For example "Gencore" is also located in Baar - it's one of the largest traders in mineral resources, and mine operators - yes, all these big mines in Switzerland... ;-)

Launchoffice is no business park, it is just a company which rents out mail adresses (and telephone numbers). That means, TH Swiss just has a mail box there but no office at all. Launchoffice forwards any mail to the registered address which may be in Switzerland, Poland or whereever (https://www.launchswiss.ch/fileadmin/pdf_files/preisliste_geschaftsadresse.pdf, German). Tax optimization (as you nicely explained) and the possibility to somehow put "Swiss" into the company's name are probably the main motivations for this mail box address.

Edit: I just realized that Lukas Frank is member of the administrative board of launchswiss.

 

[Alexiumz]

Having spoken to Irix in depth at the Photography Show yesterday I am quite impressed by this lens.

Whilst it is made in Korea, I do not believe there is any connection to Samyang. From what I was told, they are a brand new company and are not owned by any larger corporation. They're designed from the ground up the way they wanted to make them.

I was told the price is (roughly) ~£550 for the 'Blackstone' model and ~£450 for the 'Firefly'. The optics are identical. The Blackstone is in a magnesium and aluminium alloy body and is weather sealed. The Firefly is not. The Blackstone also has the fluorescent markings.

It is manual focus, electronic aperture. It's available in Canon, Nikon and Pentax mounts. On a Canon DSLR the maximum aperture reads f/2.5; this is a software 'issue'; the lens is actually wide open at f/2.4.

The 11mm f/4 should be available at the end of Spring/early summer, with more (unannounced) lenses still to come. Expect other regular focal lengths. When questioned about Sony E mount, the answer is that they will likely be making some, though not necessarily this lens. Different line for E mount perhaps? Also, they may produce some manual aperture lenses in the future too.

Now, on to actual performance. As I said, I was impressed, particularly given the price. Distortion was, according to them (and their chart), less than 2%. I couldn't see any bending of straight lines whatsoever (through the viewfinder) when tested on a full frame Canon DSLR.

Furthermore, they had a catalogue of prints all taken with the lens in Patagonia. The photographer who took all of them was one of the guys manning the booth. I quizzed him about coma performance and he said it is very good; it appears they have actually designed the lens with astro in mind and considered those needs! There were a number of astrophotography prints and whilst relatively small (<12" wide), coma was almost non-existent, from what I could see. Only in one of the prints did I see one star only starting to grow wings. None of the prints were cropped either.

I would replace my Samyang 14mm with this in a heartbeat.

I hope this clears up some speculation.

 

[jeffa4444]

Having spoken to Irix in depth at the Photography Show yesterday I am quite impressed by this lens.

Whilst it is made in Korea, I do not believe there is any connection to Samyang. From what I was told, they are a brand new company and are not owned by any larger corporation. They're designed from the ground up the way they wanted to make them.

I was told the price is (roughly) ~£550 for the 'Blackstone' model and ~£450 for the 'Firefly'. The optics are identical. The Blackstone is in a magnesium and aluminium alloy body and is weather sealed. The Firefly is not. The Blackstone also has the fluorescent markings.

It is manual focus, electronic aperture. It's available in Canon, Nikon and Pentax mounts. On a Canon DSLR the maximum aperture reads f/2.5; this is a software 'issue'; the lens is actually wide open at f/2.4.

The 11mm f/4 should be available at the end of Spring/early summer, with more (unannounced) lenses still to come. Expect other regular focal lengths. When questioned about Sony E mount, the answer is that they will likely be making some, though not necessarily this lens. Different line for E mount perhaps? Also, they may produce some manual aperture lenses in the future too.

Now, on to actual performance. As I said, I was impressed, particularly given the price. Distortion was, according to them (and their chart), less than 2%. I couldn't see any bending of straight lines whatsoever (through the viewfinder) when tested on a full frame Canon DSLR.

Furthermore, they had a catalogue of prints all taken with the lens in Patagonia. The photographer who took all of them was one of the guys manning the booth. I quizzed him about coma performance and he said it is very good; it appears they have actually designed the lens with astro in mind and considered those needs! There were a number of astrophotography prints and whilst relatively small (<12" wide), coma was almost non-existent, from what I could see. Only in one of the prints did I see one star only starting to grow wings. None of the prints were cropped either.

I would replace my Samyang 14mm with this in a heartbeat.

I hope this clears up some speculation.

To add to the above the guy that took the photos was Dutch (didnt get his name) and the marketing guy was Polish, Piotr Madura. I also looked at this lens in detail (Blackstone verision) it was well made and showed very little distortion through the viewfinder of the Canon it was mounted to. They didnt quote pricing but they did say during questioning that they will be developing a complete set of primes and that they would be making cine versions later this year.
If the optical standard is as good as the mechanical then at the prices quoted elsewhere they have a hit on their hands.