Unveiled: Rokinon Introduces Two Fast Primes for Mirrorless Cameras

Expanding the range of lens options for mirrorless shooters, Rokinon has announced a pair of fast primes to round out the already broad range of optics dedicated to APS-C-format and Micro Four Thirds cameras. Filling a gap in the existing lineup, a new 50mm f/1.2 lens will serve as the ideal fast portrait-length lens for selective focus control and a longer-than-normal perspective. On the wider end, a 21mm f/1.4 will offer an equivalent standard wide-angle perspective with a bright maximum aperture to suit working in variable lighting conditions.

50mm f/1.2

The longer of the two lenses, the 50mm f/1.2 is a fast, bright lens offering a long perspective, ranging from a 75mm to 100mm equivalent focal length, depending on mount choice, that is well suited to portraiture. The combination of the longer-than-normal focal length and f/1.2 maximum aperture offers extensive control over focus placement for shallow-depth-of-field applications, and the manual focus design enables precise control over focus as close as 1.6' away. A pair of aspherical elements helps to control chromatic and comatic aberrations and an Ultra Multi-Coating has been applied to all elements to reduce flare and ghosting for increased contrast and clarity. A rounded nine-blade diaphragm further contributes to smooth bokeh quality and the front 62mm filter ring does not rotate during operation, for easier use of circular polarizers or other filters that require specific positioning.

The 50mm f/1.2 is available in Canon EF-M, Fujifilm X, Micro Four Thirds, and Sony E mounts, and in black or silver finishes for all mount types except EF-M.

21mm f/1.4

Contrasting the portrait-length perspective of the first lens, this 21mm f/1.4 is a standard wide-angle lens offering an equivalent focal length of 31.5mm to 42mm, depending on mount choice. The bright f/1.4 maximum aperture is well suited to working in a wide variety of lighting conditions and also offers selective focus control to emphasize specific subjects in the frame. A manual focus design is employed here again, along with an internal focus system and non-rotating 58mm front filter mount to both maintain the overall length of the lens during use and prevent filters from rotating when focusing. One extra-low dispersion element and three aspherical elements are incorporated into the optical design to limit color fringing and various aberrations in order to achieve greater sharpness and clarity. The Ultra Multi-Coating has been applied to all elements in this lens, too, and a rounded nine-blade diaphragm contributes to smooth out-of-focus areas when using selective focus techniques.

Like the 50mm f/1.2, the 21mm f/1.4 is available in Canon EF-M, Fujifilm X, Micro Four Thirds, and Sony E mounts, and in black or silver for all mounts except EF-M.