Irix 11mm f/4
There’s something comforting about a prime lens for me, even though I've spent years primarily using zoom glass on cameras. What do I mean by comfort? I mean that when I use a prime lens, I can quickly get scope of the view through my camera. I can grasp more clearly what this specific focal length looks like, what will be included in the frame, and what won’t be included. This allows me to frame a shot and compose it much more cleanly with less manipulation, cropping, etc., than when shooting with a zoom. I recall how this was a given when I did street photography back in the day. In the studio - in particular - I want to be able to focus on what’s going on in front of my camera rather than trying to figure out what focal length is best. That being said I have added a series of prime glass to my camera bag - this is a series of "out of the box" prime lens reviews I am acquiring - (and first images).
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January 3, 2018
Lens: Irix 11mm f/4 Firefly Out of The Box (03-JAN-2018)
It was clear from the moment I opened the shipping carton to expose classy packaging, that this Irix lens is trying to compete with the best. Nestled within the unusual tin box lies the (nearly) widest rectilinear lens on the market, 11mm f/4, designed for my Nikon full frame DSLR cameras. A large plastic snap-on lens hood protects the equally large, bulbous front element. When in use, this vulnerable front element is protected from impact and from flare by the petal lens hood. The hood is fixed and a part of the lens barrel - no possibility of using filters. Anyway, keeping my feet and shadow out of images is something to watch - and a filter mount would certainly intrude on the field of view.
An unusual feature of the distance scale is the inclusion of a Hyperfocal Distance scale. Just lining up the aperture in use with the focus index mark sets the lens to the hyperfocal distance for that aperture. This is a simple and ingenious thought that will be very helpful when I seek to maximize depth of field through the camera settings. It may also prove helpful to set a “snapshot” setting as focusing the lens by eye is well almost impossible. Modern AF screens do not have the acuity to see the point of focus, and many eyes won't either. The only real way to focus is to set the scale to the estimated or measured distance. Fortunately, with an enormous amount of depth of field it can be a practical way to achieve focus. The biggest handling issue, if it is an issue, is likely to be focusing. Using the view finder or Live View is not possible, so measuring or estimating distances is a way forward. Selecting the hyperfocal distance for the aperture in use should work well. Lens body construction is lightweight composite, with an anti-slip rubber coating and clearly printed markings.
Irix 11mm f/4
There’s something comforting about a prime lens for me, even though I've spent years primarily using zoom glass on cameras. What do I mean by comfort? I mean that when I use a prime lens, I can quickly get scope of the view through my camera. I can grasp more clearly what this specific focal length looks like, what will be included in the frame, and what won’t be included. This allows me to frame a shot and compose it much more cleanly with less manipulation, cropping, etc., than when shooting with a zoom. I recall how this was a given when I did street photography back in the day. In the studio - in particular - I want to be able to focus on what’s going on in front of my camera rather than trying to figure out what focal length is best. That being said I have added a series of prime glass to my camera bag - this is a series of "out of the box" prime lens reviews I am acquiring - (and first images).
-----
January 3, 2018
Lens: Irix 11mm f/4 Firefly Out of The Box (03-JAN-2018)
It was clear from the moment I opened the shipping carton to expose classy packaging, that this Irix lens is trying to compete with the best. Nestled within the unusual tin box lies the (nearly) widest rectilinear lens on the market, 11mm f/4, designed for my Nikon full frame DSLR cameras. A large plastic snap-on lens hood protects the equally large, bulbous front element. When in use, this vulnerable front element is protected from impact and from flare by the petal lens hood. The hood is fixed and a part of the lens barrel - no possibility of using filters. Anyway, keeping my feet and shadow out of images is something to watch - and a filter mount would certainly intrude on the field of view.
An unusual feature of the distance scale is the inclusion of a Hyperfocal Distance scale. Just lining up the aperture in use with the focus index mark sets the lens to the hyperfocal distance for that aperture. This is a simple and ingenious thought that will be very helpful when I seek to maximize depth of field through the camera settings. It may also prove helpful to set a “snapshot” setting as focusing the lens by eye is well almost impossible. Modern AF screens do not have the acuity to see the point of focus, and many eyes won't either. The only real way to focus is to set the scale to the estimated or measured distance. Fortunately, with an enormous amount of depth of field it can be a practical way to achieve focus. The biggest handling issue, if it is an issue, is likely to be focusing. Using the view finder or Live View is not possible, so measuring or estimating distances is a way forward. Selecting the hyperfocal distance for the aperture in use should work well. Lens body construction is lightweight composite, with an anti-slip rubber coating and clearly printed markings.