AstriHori Announces Affordable Full-Frame 120mm f/2.8 2x Macro Lens
AstrHori’s new macro 120mm f/2.8 offers premium quality and two times (2:1) magnification at an affordable price point.
Chinese third-party lens manufacturer AstrHori released a new lens for macro photography — a 120mm f/2.8 Macro. Coming in at only $369, the 120mm joins AstrHori’s line of affordable-yet-robust family of specialty lenses that includes other macros, tilt shifts, a fisheye, and a 28mm probe.
The 120mm f/2.8 is available in a wide range of lens mounts, including Sony E, Canon EF, Canon RFRF, Leica/Panasonic L, and Nikon Z.
On the outside, the manual-focus lens features a large focusing ring that offers 120 degrees of focus throw for precise focusing. It has a 72mm front filter thread, depth of field markers, a dedicated aperture ring, and unique accessory screw holes built into the barrel itself.
On the inside, the highlight feature is the 13 blade aperture that can open wide to f/2.8. AstrHori states this offers shooters “balanced sharpness and attractive bokeh,” which is incredibly important for macro photography at a 120mm focal length. The lens uses an optical formula of 14 elements in nine groups that offers a 2x macro magnification for stunning results at this price range.
Mounted on a mirrorless body, the lens is a bit long at 165 millimeters (6.5 inches), though still shorter than a typical 70-200mm f/2.8 zoom lens. However, combined with its weight of 930 grams (2.1 pounds) and the slower speeds of manual focus macro shooting, photographers might want to have a tripod with them on longer days.
AstrHori advertises some use-cases on their website, including portraits, garage kits, jewelry, and insects; and the versatility with a lens like this cannot be overstated. Being a manual focus-only lens, it’s designed for studio shooters or nature photographers with the patience to precisely dial in the shot. The results from the razor thin depth of field it creates however might be worth the sacrificing the ease of auto-focus — a similar experience for any shooters who use fast, manual-focus only lenses like the Zeiss Milvus 135mm f/2.
Shooters on a budget who are interested in product photography or nature and wildlife might see this as much-welcomed option, especially compared to other f/2.8 telephoto options from first party companies.
The 120mm f/2.8 Macro can be purchased for $369 plus shipping on the AstriHori website and through authorized retailers including Pergear, AVShutter, and soon, B&H. It is worth noting that the lens is currently on sale for $290 (L-Mount) and $330 (all other mounts) from Pergear and AVShutter.
Image credits: AstrHori.
