Lomography’s New 35mm f/1.8 Petzval Lens
Lomography has announced another unusual 35mm f/1.8 Petzval lens, and this one gives you considerably more control over the characteristic swirling bokeh these lenses are known for. The new Joseph Petzval Métamorphose 35mm f/1.8 is available for Sony E, Canon RF and Nikon Z full-frame cameras and features a dedicated bokeh control ring with seven different levels. Instead of being stuck with one particular Petzval look, you can decide how strongly the background is distorted while shooting, with the aperture and focusing distance giving you some additional control over the final result.
At the lowest setting, the effect is relatively subtle, with the edges gradually becoming softer and out-of-focus highlights taking on more of a soap-bubble look. Move toward the strongest setting and the bokeh stretches outward from the centre much stronger, while the central remains relatively sharp. The effect changes again when focusing close, with the lens offering a minimum focusing distance of 0.35m. There are also rear-mounted aperture plates that can be used to change the shape of the bokeh, adding another option on top of the seven-level control ring.
Optically, the lens uses six elements in five groups and has a stepless aperture running from f/1.8 to f/22. Focusing is completely manual, with a long 180-degree focus throw, while both the focus and aperture rings are geared for follow-focus systems. Lomography also added a 1/4-inch lens support mount, and the focus-coupling mechanism is designed to reduce focus shift when changing the bokeh setting while recording video. The Joseph Petzval Métamorphose 35mm f/1.8 comes in at $649 for Sony E, Canon RF and Nikon Z, with the first lenses expected to start shipping in December.
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