The MS Optics Handmade Sonnetar 50 f/1.3 Lens has a Vintage Vibe
MS Optics has added the Sonnetair 50mm f/1.3 to its lens catalog and like most of its lens designs, it has an old-school 60s vibe that screams a vintage look and buttery bokeh.
Spotted by DPReview, the Sonnetar 50mm f/1.3 is designed and hand-built by Sadayasu Miyazaki in Chiba, Japan. The lenses produced by Miyazaki are considered to be some of the finest and most unique lenses on the market today, according to Japan Camera Hunter.
This new lens is constructed of five elements arranged into four groups, and the company says the lenses are coated and provide light coverage of up to 97% of the image. With an Otto Niemann 14-bladed iris, the aperture settings range from f/1.3 through f/16 with a minimum focusing distance of 80cm (31.5-inches).
That f/1.3 aperture and the large number of diaphragm blades should translate into a gorgeous background bokeh, and light flares will have a sunburst-like quality to warm the image immensely. The lens also has a 43mm diameter and will weigh in at just 143 grams even with a lens hood.
The lens is small, compact, and lightweight. The company says it weighs 123 grams without a lens hood and 143 grams with one attached. It has a 49mm front filter thread and will ship in Leica M-mount. While that means it is only natively supported by Leica rangefinders, the M-mount is easily adapted to several other mounts. MS Optics says it will include the lens hood and both the front and rear caps in the box.
To really emphasize the hand-made quality of the lens, MS Optics says that each is directly commissioned by Sadayasu Miyazaki, and there will be limited quantities available. Like the other lenses produced by MS Optics, the Sonnetar 50mm f/1.3 is designed for those who enjoy film photography or who don’t want to be bogged down by the numerous options of a camera with a more modern, electronic design.
Below are some sample images provided by the manufacturer:
The photos show how pleasing the subject can appear with an ethereal bokeh that also has a “swirl” characteristic. The MS Optics Sonnetar 50mm f/1.3 lens for Leica M-mount cameras is available from Japan Camera Hunter for $1,300 or Japan Exposures for 115,900 yen, or about $920.
