ZY Optics made a splash earlier this year with the Mitakon 50mm F0.95 prime available in Canon RF, Sony E, and Nikon F mount. The company has returned with the new Mitakon Speedmaster lenses designed for cine work, thanks to friendly housing and a PL mount option.
The Mitakon Speedmaster T1.0 cine lenses come in four different focal lengths, 17mm, 25mm, 35mm, and 50mm, all at a fast T.10 aperture. Outside that, the series is a bit jumbled in terms of mount options and sensor coverage. The focal lengths are not uniform and cover MFT, Super 35, or full-frame image circles depending on the lens.
When it comes to mount options, the 17mm and 25mm are compatible with Micro Four Thirds. The 35mm supports Canon RF, Fujifilm X, Sony E, and MFT. The 50mm is available in Canon EF and ARRI PL mount. So there really isn't a complete set here but a potpourri of options. ZY Optics says more focal lengths will be released in the future, but for now, let's take a look at each one.
Mitakon Speedmaster 17mm T1.0
Credit: ZY Optics
- Aperture Range: T/1.0 to T/16
- Stepless, Silent Aperture Control
- Manual Focus Design
- 9 blade Aperture
- MFT
Optically, the 17mm is made up of 12 elements in 9 groups and touts a minimum focusing distance of 11.81" (30 cm), which is a similar close focus to the Sigma 18-35 High Speed Zoom. There is no autofocus support, but there are standard 0.8m gears for aperture and focus. The front of the lens has a 77mm filter thread, a feature that's shared with the 25mm and 35mm lens. The 17mm is only currently available in MFT.
Mitakon Speedmaster 25mm T1.0
Credit: ZY Optics
- Aperture Range: T1.0 to T16
- Stepless, Silent Aperture Control
- Manual Focus Design
- 9 blade Aperture
- MFT
The 25mm T1.0 is optically designed from 11 elements in 8 groups. It has a minimum focusing distance of 9.84" (25 cm), the same 0.8m gears are available for focus and aperture. Like the 17mm, it's only available in MFT mount.
Mitakon Speedmaster 35mm T1.0
Credit: ZY Optics
- Aperture Range: T1.0 to T16
- Stepless, Silent Aperture Control
- Manual Focus Design
- 9 blade Aperture
- Super 35
The 35mm T1.0 is available in Canon RF, Sony E, Fuji X, and MFT mounts. ZY Optics does group the 17mm, 25mm, and 35mm as an MFT trio at a discount of $1,119. Out of the group, the 35mm is probably the most versatile with a Canon RF mount, as it can be easily paired with Canon's mirrorless cameras, RED Komodo, or easily adapted to Sony E, Fuji X, or MFT.
The lens has a minimum focusing distance of 13.77" (35 cm), a decent focus throw of 112.5mm, and shares the same 77mm filter thread and 9 blade aperture as the wider focal lengths.
Mitakon Speedmaster 50mm T1.0
Credit: ZY Optics
- Aperture Range: T1.0 to T16
- Stepless, Silent Aperture Control
- Manual Focus Design
- 9 blade Aperture
- Full-frame
What's great about the 50mm T1.0 is that it comes in ARRI PL mount, which can easily be adapted to several camera bodies. The other available amount is Canon EF, and while there are more Canon EF lenses on the planet than any other mount, Canon RF is the future. We're surprised ZY Optics doesn't have a Canon RF option on the 50mm. Again, maybe more mounts will be rolled out soon. The 50mm T1.0 is designed from 12 elements in 6 groups with a minimum focusing distance of 25.59″ (65 cm). Its filter thread is 105mm.
What do you think of the rehoused Mitakon Speedmaster T1.0 cine lenses? Let us know in the comments below.
