The lens is the company’s first in a new line designed for full frame mirrorless E mount cameras — largely the Sony A7-series. Dubbed Fírin, Tokina says the name is a variation of the old Irish word for truth, “Fírinne” — and that the new line is designed to help photographers capture true images with minimal distortion.
The lens, with an aperture from f/2 to f/22, uses two aspherical elements and three low dispersion elements to produce a higher resolution and contrast, according to the manufacturer. Multiple coatings help keep reflection and flare to a minimum.
The lens is both optically and electronically compatible with the Sony A7-series — which means that the lens can connect to the camera to use features like the manual focus assist and in-body image stabilization. That’s likely important, since the lens is manual focus only.
While it’s compact, the lens is also designed for manual shooting, packing in a wide focus ring and aperture ring as well as an easy-to-read depth-of-field index bar. Weighing about 17 ounces (490g), the lens uses 62mm filters. The lens also includes a square bayonet hood.
The new Sony A7-series mount lens joins Tokina’s lineup of full frame, APS-C and video DSLR lenses. While the lens is manual focus only, it’s worth noting that several manufacturers have introduced high-end manual focuses lenses, including Samyang and Zeiss, skipping the autofocus motor and optimizing the lens for high resolution cameras.
While pricing details are not yet available, the new lens is expected out within the first quarter of 2017.
