Petzval 55 mm f/1.7 lens brings vintage vibe to Sony, Nikon and Canon mirrorless cameras

Lomography has announced Petzval 55 mm f/1.7, a new lens that brings vintage and modern together. It was inspired by Joseph Petzval’s First Portrait Lens from 1840, and it’s compatible with modern Nikon Z, Sony E and Canon R full frame mirrorless cameras. It lets you control the aperture with the dual aperture system, which allows you to achieve all sorts of creative effects and control the bokeh to your liking.

The Petzval 55 mm f/1.7 features the design we’ve seen in Lomography’s lenses before, with aperture plates that let choose the look of your bokeh. The dual aperture system features an 8-blade stopless aperture diaphragm, and a secondary Waterhouse plate aperture system. It produces swirly bokeh which you can adjust using a dedicated bokeh control ring.

This lens is aimed at both photographers and filmmakers, considering that it features a dampened focusing ring for smoother manual focus. It comes in three variants when it comes to the finish: satin finished brass, black painted brass, and black anodized aluminum. And here are the key specs:

Focal Length: 55 mm

Maximum Aperture: f/1.7

Aperture: Dual Aperture system:

• Diaphragm Aperture f/1.7 – f/22
• Waterhouse Aperture Slot

Available Lens Mounts: Canon RF, Nikon Z, Sony E

Lens Construction: 4 elements 3 Groups, Petzval Design

Lens Coating: Multi-Coated

Closest Focusing Distance: 0.6 m

Focusing Mechanism: Helicoid

Field of View: 41 degrees – 47.5 degrees

Filter Thread: 67 mm x P 0.75

Electronic Contacts: No

Take a look at some sample images and more images of the lenses:

The Petzval 55 mm f/1.7 is ready for preorders on Lomography’s website, and it’s estimated to start shipping between July and August 2019. The Black Aluminium version costs €399 (~$470), while the Brass and Black Brass versions are more expensive, €449 (~$500).

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