That's why for our Deals of the Week, we put together some of the coolest manual focus lenses on sale right now.
Yeah, yeah. Autofocus is great and all, but no matter how good Sony and Canon make it, autofocus will never have the finesse of doing it yourself. Sometimes, all you really need is a follow focus and a steady hand to get shots that robots just aren't able to do.
For this week's Deals of the Week, we searched for some interesting manual focus lenses for mirrorless cameras. While none of these lenses will cover full-frame, they are some of the most unique lenses on the market.
Voigtlander Nokton f/0.95 for MFT
Voigtlander Nokton f/0.95 MFT Lens Set
- Very Fast f/0.95 Aperture
- 17.5mm, 25mm, and 42.5mm
- 10 Diaphragm Blades for Great Bokeh
- Aspherical Elements for Crisp Images
- Manual Focus
We start with the most expensive, which isn't really a lens as much as it's a lens kit. The Voigtlander Nokton lenses for Micro Four Thirds are not only superfast but come in some really unorthodox focal lengths. The three lenses we chose are the 17.5mm, 25mm, and 42.5mm, all in f/0.95.
That is stupid fast. Each lens also has a selective aperture control system so you can get smooth stepless iris control. They're also pretty affordable in the grand scheme of things.
If you're shooting narrative material on an MFT camera, these lenses are a must-have on your shortlist.
Mitakon Zhongyi Speedmaster 35mm f/0.95 Mk II (Sony E-Mount)
Mitakon Zhongyi Speedmaster 35mm f/0.95 Mark II
- Sony E Mount/APS-C Format
- 52.5mm (35mm Equivalent)
- Aperture Range: f/0.95 to f/16
- One Extra-Low Dispersion Element
- Two Extra-High Refractive Index Elements
- Three High Refractive Index Elements
- Manual Focus Design
- De-Clicked Aperture Ring
- Depth of Field and Distance Scales
- Nine-Blade Diaphragm
To give some fast glass love to our Sony APS-C shooters, we have the Speedmaster 35mm f/0.95 from Mitakon Zhongyi. While it's a traditional focal length, its blazing-fast f/0.95 aperture will add some unique flair to your toolkit. Also, the optical design features both low dispersion and high refractive index elements to control chromatic aberrations and reduce color fringing, which is a nice touch. Like the Voigtlanders, this lens is all manual, so get outta here with your autofocus.
SLR Magic 8mm f/4 Lens
SLR Magic 8mm f/4 Lens
- Micro Four Thirds System
- Designed for Drones and Stabilizers
- 16mm (35mm Equivalent)
- Aperture Range: f/4 to f/16
- Manual Focus with Locking Screw
- Manual Aperture Control
- 7-Blade Diaphragm
- Weight: 3.9 oz
Finally, we get to the weirdest lens of the bunch, but it's also the cheapest. The SLR Magic 8mm f/4 has an MFT mount and is designed for use on drones, aerial systems, and stabilizers. It's also super lightweight, coming in at just 3.9 oz. Your morning coffee is heavier than that.
While the 8mm focal length is super wide, it's not a fish-eye lens, making it a unique focal length to add to your lens kit. What makes this lens a little bit more unique is the inclusion of a locking screw on the focus ring, which helps avoid accidental focus shifts during shooting. Like the other lenses on this list, it's also all manual.
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