SG-image has teased a video of its latest new lens on Instagram. The 75mm f1.2 prime lens is designed for Hasselblad and Fujifilm medium format cameras.
What do we know?
SG-image shared an unboxing video of the new 75mm f1.2 prime lens on Instagram. The video shows the lens on Hasselblad X1D II and Fujifilm GFX 50R cameras. Medium format cameras such as these have a sensor which is larger than a full frame 35 mm camera. As a result, the Hasselblad and Fujifilm cameras have a crop factor of 0.79x compared to full frame. This means that the SG-image 75mm f1.2 prime lens will have a field of view similar to a 60 mm full frame lens. In addition, the depth of field of the new lens will be closer to an f0.95 aperture on a full frame camera.
Fully manual lens
From the video, you can see that the lens mount has no electrical contacts, so the 75mm f1.2 prime appears to be a fully manual lens. There is also a manual iris ring at the front of the lens barrel. This shows an aperture range from f1.2 to f16.
Additionally, the manual focus ring appears to have a long throw. This should make smooth and accurate focusing easier, which is important with such a wide aperture. Close focus is marked on the focus ring at 2 feet (0.6 meters).
Other features
The website Fuji Rumors has shared more details of the SG-image 75mm f1.2 prime lens. It says that the lens has an all-metal body and manual focus damping. The lens is also said to weigh around 22.6 ounces (642 g).
SG-image promises that the lens delivers “solid” central sharpness even when wide open at f1.2. There are also some sample images demonstrating the lens being used for portraiture, architecture, and close-up work.
What we think
The new SG-image 75mm f1.2 prime is an exciting new lens for anyone who shoots on a compatible Hasselblad or Fujifilm medium format camera. It promises to deliver a great image at a relatively bargain price. For a lens costing under $500, the image samples from the SG-image 75mm are very impressive. Optically, it is likely to have some imperfections compared to more expensive glass. However, for comparison, Fujifilm’s 80mm f1.7 prime lens costs around $2,000 and Hasselblad’s 80mm f1.9 prime will set you back over $4,800. Compared to those lenses, the SG-image 75mm f1.2 is a steal.
Pricing and availability
SG-image hasn’t announced an official launch date for its new 75mm f1.2 prime lens. However, the company’s Instagram post stated, “The whole package, almost ready to ship!” Fuji Rumors also claimed that pre-orders are due to start “next week” and quoted a price of 2,980 yuan. That equates to around $427 at today’s exchange rates.
