Brightin Star has launched a new 35mm autofocus prime lens for Nikon Z and Sony E mount cameras. The new lens has a maximum aperture of F1.8 and costs just under $250.
Optical design
The Brightin Star AF 35mm prime lens is constructed with 11 lens elements in 8 groups. These include two ASPH aspherical lens elements. The company says that the prime lens also features two Japanese HOYA high refractive index lenses and ED low dispersion lens elements.
Brightin Star says that the design effectively suppresses aberrations for a detailed image. Also, the lens uses the company’s multi-layer Super IMC coating produced using “Japan’s OPTORUN planetary coating machine.” This coating controls internal reflection and reduces glare to deliver images with good contrast even when backlit.
High-speed autofocus
The Brightin Star AF 35mm prime lens features a new STM stepping motor for the autofocus system. This delivers micron-level positioning, millisecond-level focus switching and a silent experience according to the company’s website. The autofocus system also supports face and eye recognition. In addition, Brightin Star says that the AF 35 mm lens has very controlled focus breathing, with the field of view almost unchanged when pulling focus. This makes the lens ideal for video use. The close focus distance is 16 inches (40 cm).
Wide F1.8 aperture
The Brightin Star AF 35mm prime lens has a wide maximum aperture of F1.8. This means that it should perform well in lowlight and give a shallow depth of field. With an 11-bladed iris, you should also get smooth, rounded bokeh in the out-of-focus parts of your image.
Additionally, the Sony E-mount version of the lens has a de-clicked manual aperture ring. This means that you can exposure smoothly while filming. Unfortunately, the Nikon Z mount option doesn’t have an aperture ring and doesn’t offer stepless operation. Brightin Star says this is due to the “limitations of Nikon camera logic.”
Build
The Brightin Star AF 35mm prime lens measures just over 3.5 inches (90 mm) in length and weighs around 15.2 ounces (430 g). The Sony E mount version is a fraction shorter and lighter than the Nikon Z mount option. Both lenses are under 3 inches (75 mm) in diameter with a 62 mm filter thread. The manual focus ring doesn’t have distance markings but there is a physical switch to select between manual and autofocus. Also, the AF 35mm lens features a configurable function button and a USB-C port for firmware upgrade. The lens mount has a dust and splash proof design as well.
What we think
35 mm is a great all-purpose focal length on a full frame camera. It’s wide enough for some landscape or architecture work while also delivering pleasing portraits. Brightin Star’s new lens also offers good low light performance with its wide F1.8 aperture and autofocus.
Also, features such as controlled focus breathing and a stepless aperture (for Sony users) make it ideal for video use. For comparison, Samyang’s 35 mm F1.8 is $100 more expensive, so the Brightin Star lens is a bit of a bargain.
Pricing and availability
The Brightin Star AF 35mm F1.8 prime lens is available now and retails at $249.
