Sirui, a Chinese company known for its affordable and innovative lenses, has announced a new series of f/1.2 autofocus primes for APS-C mirrorless cameras. The lenses are called “Sniper” and feature a sleek design and fast performance.
The Sniper series consists of three lenses: 23mm, 33mm, and 56mm, which offer equivalent focal lengths of about 35mm, 50mm, and 85mm on APS-C sensors. These are popular focal lengths for portrait, street, and general photography. The lenses have a maximum aperture of f/1.2, which allows for shallow depth of field and low-light shooting.
The lenses are designed for Sony E, Fujifilm X, and Nikon Z mounts, and are compatible with the autofocus systems of these cameras. They are also Sirui’s first autofocus lenses for mirrorless cameras, as the company has previously focused on manual focus lenses, such as the “Night Walker” cinema lenses and the anamorphic lenses.
The Sniper lenses have a 58mm filter thread and weigh around 0.88 pounds (400 grams) each. They have a minimum focus distance ranging from about 30 centimeters to 50 centimeters, depending on the focal length. The lenses are available in black or white color options, with the black version featuring carbon fiber-like accents and the white version having a glossy ceramic-like finish.
A Crowdfunding Campaign Coming Soon
Sirui plans to launch the Sniper lenses in November 2023, but before that, the company will run a crowdfunding campaign on Indiegogo to offer early bird discounts and perks to backers. The expected retail price of each lens is around €350, which is equivalent to around $375 at current exchange rates.
Sirui has provided CineD, a website dedicated to cinema and video production, an exclusive backstage look at the Sniper lenses at the IBC 2023 event in Amsterdam. CineD has published a video interview with Sirui’s representatives, as well as some sample images taken with the lenses. You can watch the video and see the images on CineD’s website.
The Sniper lenses are an exciting addition to Sirui’s portfolio of lenses, which aim to offer high-quality optics at affordable prices. The lenses are expected to appeal to APS-C mirrorless camera users who want fast and versatile primes with autofocus capabilities.
