Irix 45mm T1.5 – Fast Cine Prime Lens Announced

News

by Mark ZdunnekOctober 24^th, 2019

Irix just announced their new Irix 45mm T1.5 fast cine prime lens. It was designed for the highest Ultra HD 8K resolutions and is available for four of the most popular mounts (EF-, E-, MFT- and PL-Mount). The lens contains high-grade optical elements (11 elements in 9 groups), a circular 9-blade iris. It is the next lens to fill the gap in between their previously existing ultra-wide Irix 11mm T4.3 and the reddot award 2019 winning Irix 150mm T3.0 macro 1:1 Cine lens. The price and shipping date aren’t available yet. Let’s take a closer look at their first mid-range focal length full-frame lens.

Irix 45mm T1.5 – Cine Prime Lens (Image credit: Irix)

Irix 45mm T1.5 – Key features

Irix presents product features to the customers claiming they are reaching the highest cinematic demands. Thus they point out that the new lens practically doesn’t have focus-breathing at all. In addition to that, it will come with pretty low distortion of -0,5% and is constructed to endure all types of weather conditions at the same time. This endurance means that its magnesium-aluminium alloy body is, of course, sealed with rubber at its vital points. So it will withstand dust, and this should also protect against rain or any other harsh environmental conditions.

The lens is built with a typical 95mm front diameter, meant to fit cinematic accessories and expectations. Just like many other lenses, it is available with imperial and metric scales. Furthermore, it sports an 86 x 1.0mm front filter thread and covers the whole range from T1.5 up to T22 aperture smoothly. Lens control motors and conventional follow-focus systems from a wide range of products within the market are said to be compatible without any issues.
With these key features and a weight of 1,1kg (2,42 lbs), the new Irix 45mm T1.5 cine prime lens will reach the market soon.

Irix Cine Prime Lens Range – 11, 45 & 150mm (Image credit: Irix)

First Thoughts, Nice Additions & Future Developments

Since this lens won’t be too heavy or too bulky while covering a rather rare 45mm with a 56,4° field of view, it could also be attractive for gimbal users. Some features that Irix have also implemented are essential to some or just nice-to-have additions to others: The markings on the lens are laser-engraved and decorated with UV paint. Working in low-light conditions or at nighttime will be much more comfortable that way.

Other cine lens manufacturers such as Samyang (XEEN) often choose to build several lenses with almost the same weight and size for good reasons. Irix, on the other hand, has opted for focal lengths so far, which are rather distinctive, seldom and far apart. Therefore for apparently obvious physical and optical motives, these lenses won’t be as fast or comfortable to exchange while working as many other cine lens sets are. Most likely, of course, they won’t be exchanged back and forth that frequently anyway.

Irix presented one more feature intended to tease and foreshadow: The lens is using the Irix Magnetic Mount System. This system is not only meant to accommodate a detachable magnetic lens hood. It also points at future Irix Cine accessories, as the Swiss (team base) & Korean (production facility) based company made sure within their press release.

What are your thoughts about the newly announced Irix 45mm T1.5 cine prime lens? Will this fit with your everyday needs or for any particular upcoming project? Leave your comment below.