You don’t really expect too much from ridiculously cheap lenses. However, every once in a while, a cheap lens comes along that might surprise you. This could be one of those lenses.
A reasonable expectation when purchasing lenses priced significantly below the selling price of basic kit lenses is that they provide range and aperture at an affordable price but often at the expense of glass quality. and optical performance. Mostly, these affordable lenses are also manual focus lenses. But, of course, there are also manual focus lenses made for specialized uses that cost quite a bit and perform very well.
Budget manual lenses play an important role in the camera industry and they contribute greatly to the development of many aspiring photographers and videographers. Camera gear tends to be expensive, and the more we spend on gear we don’t use much, the more expensive it starts to feel. However, an important part of developing your artistic vision and style as a photographer is becoming familiar with different focal lengths, the effects of different depth of field, and It’s all about getting used to the perspective each lens can give you. Learning this and going through the process can be very expensive for many people, but thanks to cheap manual lenses, beginner photographers can experiment with different tools without breaking the bank. much. Also, it’s surprising to see that there are cheap lenses that can perform very well without much compromise.
Astrohori 50mm f/2 for Full Frame cameras
This compact lens from Astrohori is just 58mm (2.3 inches) long and 52mm (2 inches) thick, weighing just 310 grams (10.9 oz). Being an affordable lens, it is quite impressive that it has an all-metal construction compared to other budget manual lenses that are made with a combination of metal and plastic. This lens has a 52mm filter thread and does not have a lens hood, nor does it have an attachment point for the lens hood.
It comes with a metal lens mount with no electronic contacts. On the closer side is a textured focus ring and next to it is a focus distance meter. On the farther half is a thinner aperture ring, which also has a textured surface. This aperture ring does not have any fixed stops or clicks and simply rotates smoothly until either end of the aperture range is reached.
Even though this lens is labeled as Astrori 50mm f/2 lens, the aperture ring actually reaches a maximum stop beyond the f/2 mark, and as the brand’s website mentions, the maximum aperture is f/1.6 and can be as small as f/16. Focusing can be done at distances as close as 50 cm, and the barrel extends slightly when the focusing ring is rotated.
Image quality
When testing this lens, one was immediately surprised to see how well it performed. Of course, image quality will depend heavily on the user’s accuracy when focusing manually. At the widest aperture f/1.6 as well as f/2 and f/2.8, the resulting images are of quite good quality, especially considering other lenses in the same price range.
However, sharpness increases noticeably at around f/4 all the way up to f/8 and appears to peak at around f/5.6. Beyond f/8 up to the very close f/16, sharpness is significantly reduced. However, there is noticeable chromatic aberration when shooting at wide open apertures, especially in backlit situations, and slight vignetting is also visible at the widest aperture.
Application
The 50mm large aperture lens is probably one of the most popular first additional lens choices for most beginners. This is because 50mm f/1.8 lenses are often the most affordable lenses other than kit lenses. About a decade ago, when DSLR cameras dominated the market, these lenses cost around $100, making them an attractive choice for anyone looking for options, and at the same time, it allowed users to Beginners can try taking photos with an aperture wider than the usual f/3.5 on a kit lens.
The 50mm lens can have many different uses for photographers. Although it is said to be (relatively) close to the human perspective, it is not so wide that it distorts the perspective. With this focal length and large aperture capability, Astrori 50mm f/2 Lenses can have many uses. It can be used for portraits, close-ups or even environmental portraits with a bit of distance, of course also in low light conditions. It can be used for still life, even product and food photography, as well as for street and travel photography depending on the user’s ability to move around while focusing manually. Thanks to its smooth aperture switching, this feature can also be quite useful when shooting video. What’s also great is that this lens comes in multiple mount variations for Sony E, Canon RF/EF-M, Nikon Z, Fujifilm X and Leica L.
Overall, this lens could be a great tool for beginner photographers (and videographers) and those on a tight budget. The $79 price tag allows users to not only try out focal length and aperture combinations but also allows them to do so without regrets as it produces excellent quality images despite some limitations mechanism. There are countless cheap lens brands on the market; however, not all (and not even most) of them have this good optical quality. With its budget-friendly price, it’s easy to see the value in this lens, especially as a tool for learning and experimenting with different styles. At the same time, even experienced photographers and even users who rely on autofocus can enjoy using this affordable lens.
What I like:
- Impressive image quality
- Large maximum aperture f/1.6
- Remarkably affordable option
What can be improved:
- No lens cap
- Perhaps a version with a flashing aperture ring
