Irix 21mm f/1.4 – Premiere
The Irix brand offers high-class optics for the film and photography industries. The new Irix 21mm f / 1.4 lens is another of the series of photographic lenses derived from the Cine line, so designed for a much more professional and demanding audience from the cinema market. However, it was fully adapted to the needs of photographers.
Irix 21mm f/1.4 – main features:
- Fast aperture f/1.4
- Ultra wide-angle focal length with a 89.7 ° field of view
- Unrivaled optical quality
- Distortion below 2%
- Internal focusing
- Sealed design
- Aperture control via camera
- In camera focus confirmation
- Compatible with PASM semi-automatic modes
- Full EXIF data
- "Focus Lock" function
- 140-degree rotation angle of the focus ring
- Reinforced internal structure
Advanced optical design and applications
The Irix 21mm f/1.4 is based on 4 ultra-low dispersion glass elements, 4 high refractive and 2 aspherical elements. There are a total of 15 elements in 11 optical blocks. The lens was designed to work with the latest generation full-frame 35mm sensors, i.e. with high resolution.
The optical structure translates into two particularly important parameters - the first one is the perfectly corrected distortion, which does not exceed 2%. Therefore, it’s not visible in practice, so the lens is ideal for all kinds of architectural photos or other subjects where image distortions are undesirable. The second parameter is the coma, also kept to a minimum level. Thanks to this, and thanks to the f/1.4 aperture, the lens is perfect for widely understood astrophotography.
It is also worth emphasizing the 11-blade diaphragm which provides a unique bokeh effect even despite the 21mm focal length. Certainly, all amateurs of reportage and street photography will appreciate this feature.
External construction - DRAGONFLY version
The lens housing is a continuation of the Dragonfly manufacturing standard known from earlier Irix models. Its most important aspects are:
- Reinforced internal structure based on metal elements
- Scratch-resistant lens finish
- Anti-skid sharpening ring with special finish for easy sharpening
- Engraved markings filled with UV-reactive ink
- Outstanding tightness to protect against dust and water
- Rigid carrying case supplied as standard
The lens has a focus confirmation system on the camera display. Semi-automatic (PASM) modes and EXIF data recording are available on this model thanks to electronic controls, allowing the aperture to be controlled from the camera.
Manual focusing is facilitated by the characteristic focusing ring, which, thanks to the combination of a properly selected texture and rubber material, allows for precise focusing.
"Focus Lock" function
The Focus Lock function is also a hallmark of Irix lenses - it allows you to lock the focusing ring in a specific position. It’s especially useful when we want to keep a specific distance to the photographed object (zone-focusing) or we want to keep perfect focus at infinity in landscape or astrophotography.
Availability and pricing
The lens is available with Canon EF, Nikon F and Pentax K mounts, and is also adapted to work with mirrorless systems using dedicated adapters.
More information and materials are available on the manufacturer's official website.
Lenses can be ordered both through the official online store and the network of authorized dealers of the brand. The suggested retail price is 795 Euro VAT inc.