First test PRICE: £650
SWAINS.CO.UK IRIXLENS.COM Irix 45mm f/1.4 Dragonfly
With its fast aperture and classic standard focal length, this new manual focus lens from Irix is sure to have a wide appeal
The Irix 45mm f/1.4 is a high-spec fast aperture lens, so it’s no surprise that it’s a substantial and reassuringly hefty piece of glass. I know I’m not comparing like with like, but the Nikon AF-S 50mm f/1.4G is tiny by comparison. Despite the size and heft of the Irix lens, however, it balances very nicely on a full-frame camera body. I used it on Nikon DSLRs, the D810 and D850, and the lens on these full-frame cameras means the centre of gravity is such that the combination is very nicely balanced in the hands. The manual focusing action is very smooth, but nicely taut, too, so the focusing point doesn’t drift once you’ve focused. To make extra certain of no focus shift, a locking ring is provided
towards the end of the barrel. A raised rib is also provided to ensure a good grip and, for me, is perfectly positioned for the thumb, with the camera and lens supported by the left hand. The benefit of the raised rib becomes more clear when you start using the lens. Less than half a rotation of the focus barrel is needed to take you from infinity to the minimum 40cm focusing distance, but 2cm of focus barrel travel covers the range from infinity down to 2m, so that rib helps focusing control. The lens has the appropriate electrical contacts, so the camera’s focus confirmation works and you get full EXIF information, too. Across-the -frame performance
SPECS
› Price £650 › Format Full-frame,APS-C › Mount Canon EF, Nikon F– Pentax K also available › Autofocus No › Construction 11 elements in nine groups › Special lens elements 1 x aspherical › Coatings Neutrino › Filter size 77mm › Aperture range F/1.4-22 › Diaphragm Nine blades › Internal focus Yes › Manual focus Yes, with focus lock › Minimum focus 40cm › Focus limiter No › Maximummagnification NA › Distance scale Metres and feet › Depth-of-field scale No › Image stabiliser No › Tripod collar No › Lens hood ILH-45 supplied › Weather sealed Yes, in four key areas › Dimensions (wxl) 103x87mm › Weight 905g Nikon fit › Contact:
was consistently good, even at maximum aperture, where there was a respectable level of sharpness but fine detail lacked definition and crispness, notably away from the central region of the lens. However, stopping down soon improved things and even at f/2 and f/2.8, detail looked much better and with more contrast. It was from f/4 that the lens really got into its stride, where centre and edge performance looked good. F/5.6 and f/8 were the best apertures, where sharpness and contrast from edge to edge looked very good. By f/11, the lens was still very capable if more depth-of-field was needed and then performance gradually dropped off at f/16 and f/22, although images still looked good. The lens does suffer from barrel distortion and vignetting is evident at the wider apertures, but disappears from f/4. Both can be corrected during editing, but the vignetting has creative potential, too. I can see it giving great results when shooting close-up portraits with a shallow depth-of-field and some nice bokeh. Flare wasn’t seen to be a serious factor, even with the lens pointing towards the sun. WC
ABOVE The Irix 45mm f/1.4's focus barrel has a raised rib to help with focusing control. It also features electrical contacts, so you get full EXIF information with your shots
The test shots were taken with the Irix 45mm f/1.4 on a tripod-mounted Nikon D850 body. For this, we used a PN lens test chart – available free from photographynews. co.uk. The camera was set up 2m in front of a wall and the test chart was positioned centrally and shot at all apertures. Next it was moved to each corner and the sides and more shots taken. The composite image (shown right) shows where the enlarged sections were taken from.
CENTRE F/1.4
LEFT F/1.4
CENTRE F/2
LEFT F/2
CENTRE F/8
LEFT F/8
irixlens.com swains.co.uk
CENTRE F/2.8
LEFT F/2.8
CENTRE F/11
LEFT F/11
Verdict Irix has taken an unusual approach with its product strategy so far and its range of manual focus lenses features two ultra- wides, including an impressive 11mm f/4 and a 150mmmacro lens.You could say that the 45mm f/1.4 is Irix’s first mainstream lens and, by offering a really useful standard focal length coupled with a fast maximumaperture, it has an impressive lens that’s well worth a look. PROS Fast aperture, build quality, useful focal length, handling CONS Size and weight
CENTRE F/4
LEFT F/4
CENTRE F/16
LEFT F/16
CENTRE F/5.6
LEFT F/5.6
CENTRE F/22
LEFT F/22
30 Photography News | Issue 77
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