New SLR Magic HyperPrime “E” Mount NEX Lens – The 23 1.7

The SLT Magic HyperPrime 23 1.7 for Sony NEX – Coming Dec 2011/Jan 2012

Here you go! I expect this to be a great lens as the latest stuff coming from SLR Magic and their HyperPrime series has been damn good. I will be reviewing this lens soon. It is a 35mm equivalent on any NEX camera and has a fast aperture of 1.7. Many have asked and this is NOT a rebranded CCTV lens. It is a SLR Magic designed lens and it is manual focus. Here are the details:

Estimated introductory price is $379
Our lens is a beautiful design.
SLR Magic HyperPrime 23mm F1.7
8 elements 7 groups
5 x Tantalum

PRESS RELEASE

NEW: THE SLR Magic HyperPrime 23mm F1.7
SLR Magic expands its E-mount lineup with a new wide angle lens

Hong Kong, China (December 8, 2011)  – SLR Magic expands the E-mount lens lineup with the new SLR Magic HyperPrime 23mm F1.7 wide angle lens. With this latest addition, the portfolio of lenses for the E-mount system is now comprised of three focal lengths. The world’s fastest interchangeable camera lens with APS-C coverage in this focal length, the SLR Magic HyperPrime 23mm F1.7 will be available in January 2012.

The field of view of this new HyperPrime Lens corresponds to a 35mm lens in 35mm format and this fast wide angle of view opens up many new creative composition opportunities, particularly in the fields of candid, street, and landscape cinematography and photography. A minimum focus distance of 0.15m allows for pleasing defocused backgrounds. Additionally, a fast max aperture of F1.7 makes the SLR Magic HyperPrime 23mm F1.7 ideal for available-light photography.

We place our highest priority in the development of all HyperPrime lenses to fulfill the demands of professional cinematographers and photographers. The design and build of the SLR Magic HyperPrime 23mm F1.7 is solid and reliable.

The SLR Magic HyperPrime 23mm F1.7 will be available from authorized SLR Magic dealers by the end of January 2012.

Technical Data    

SLR Magic HyperPrime 23mm F1.7

Lens Type:

Fast wide-angle lens with five Tantalum glass elements to ensure superior cinematic performance.

Compatible Cameras:

All E-mount cameras

Optical Design:

8 elements in 7 groups

Distance Settings:

Distance range: 0.15m to ∞, combined scale meter/feet

Aperture:

Manually controlled diaphragm, 12 aperture blades (circular), Lowest value 22

Bayonet:

E-mount

Filter Mount:

49mm; filter mount does not rotate.

Surface Finish:

Black anodized

Dimensions:

Length to bayonet mount:

approx. 50mm (approx. 1.97in)

Largest diameter:

approx. 61mm (approx. 2.40in)
Weight:

approx. 240g (approx. 8.47oz)

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35 Comments

  1. 12 circular aperture blades should give a nice bokeh, and it’s fairly light at 240g (leica m to nex adapter is at least 40g, so the lens will be lighter on nex, than say voigtlander 35 1.4), 15cm min focusing is also nice, and the price is not bank breaking. Let’s hope it delivers some sharpness at f1.7 – f2, and it will actually become great seller imo. I’d get one in a heartbeat.

    Good news also comes from sammyang – they’ve annouced e-mount line of lenses for 2013, and those will be with autofocus! Can’t wait, I love my sammy 85/1.4 such outstanding quality from so cheap lens.

  2. On eBay there are many lenses showed as “SLR Magic 35mm f1.7 MC lens for Sony NEX e-mount” from US$26.25 to US$139.99.- Steve says “Estimated introductory price is $379”.
    Are they all the same lens???

    • “SLR Magic 35mm f1.7 MC lens for Sony NEX e-mount” from US$26.25 to US$139.99:
      is a different lens which what are we talking in this article
      basically at the price of $26.25 you just have a lens (without the adapter to E mount and hood)
      they are selling direct from manufacturer
      $139.99 is the lens selling by SLR magic

      “Estimated introductory price is $379″.
      a New lens with 23mm f1.7

  3. I got into the E-Mount system for the particular reason that I can change my Shutter or Aperture settings on the fly with my right hand whilst playing with the focus on the left hand. This for me would be a step back to having an E-Mount. I’ll be getting the Sony 50mm f/1.8 lens later this month.

  4. The size of this looks good. The pics make it look a little larger than it is, because the focus is almost racked to the mfd, which extends the lens. This will be a few mm shorter than the ZM 35/2 when adapted, which is pretty good for a lens of this focal length and speed. I hope it tests well.

    p.s. it’s too bad SLR Magic’s company name is so terrible. it makes the lens seem like a toy before we’ve actually seen any results, but I’ll keep an open mind.

    • Because Tamron already does AF. I don’t think any of SLR Magic’s lenses do AF. Personally I think AE would be nice but even then not a big deal.

  5. Finally, a third party e mount lens that makes sense (Zeiss is not 3rd party to anything sony does). This nicely offsets the stupidity just announced by Tamron.

  6. You’ll have a hard time to find a 24/1.7 in this price range, so this is very nice option for the Nex. I could see this and a Voigtländer 35/1.4 as my two go-to lenses.

  7. What`s SLR MAgic website??? I`m from Romania and i cannot find any wey to buy these lenses. 🙁

  8. Looks promising but at f1.7 its got to have *great* image quality to compete against the legacy glass available for the NEX system at around that price. Especially since an all manual lens with no OIS doesn’t really add any modern magic to the lens. That said, if the quality IS enough to complete with the Zeiss at less than 1/2 the price I’d be tempted to forgo AF and snatch this lens.

    • I’d actually looking for uniqueness rather than quality. If it has a unique look with character, I’d be interested in checking it out.

      • I agree. One thing I found with SLR Magics 12mm Hyperprime for M4/3 was character and I preferred the character to the perfection of the Oly 12mm. Great lens, so I am hoping this one has character as well as sharpness.

    • Joel, there are practically no legacy lenses with this focal length and speed (for reasonable money) out there. My only comment would be – why is the lens so large when there is no AF stuff in it? I would think naively that it should be smaller than say Summicron 35/2.0. It is an APS-C lens after all … Anyhow – I am also very curios whit this lens can deliver.

      • True. I wasn’t thinking of matching the focal length *exactly* and I have my own growing collection of legacy glass so I’m a sucker for “character” I guess having seen samples of the 28mm and Nokton, I’m hoping for something sharper and more constrast-y.

        The design is curious. Looks to large to be a C-mount lens and to small to be a copy of a regular full-fram lens. From this angle it looks smaller than the 24mm ZA (to my eye). I don’t really care about the diameter since it isn’t larger than the lens mount.

        Very curious to see your review of this lens Steve!

        • me too

          The Zeiss 24 1.8 has just arrived here yerterday in Sony Hong Kong. This is a nice lens that I want, but the price is high. I am an intension to buy it if the price is lower once arriving distributed to dealers or shops two weeks later.

          Wow, the SLR lens is coming at such a right moment. I think I better for the review by Steve

          This lens is small in diameter 61mm comparing with 63mm Zeiss 2.4 and shorter 50mm with 65.5mm

          Weight is heavier by 15g, 240G to 225 g of the Zeiss.

      • ok thanks for clarifying, here we go. No buy.

        maybe I’m strange, but if I want to “fiddle” with manual focus, I won’t take portable camera with me. What’s the point (ok ok 5n sensor is beating many dslrs but anyway…)

        • Some of us just prefer/enjoy manual focus. Even on my A900, I often used manual focus lenses, despite having a full lineup of AF lenses.

        • Actually, the 5n (or any of the NEX series cameras) are some of the best manual focus bodies available. They have focus aids that greatly help with manual focus. They work a lot better for manual than any of the SLR’s that I have used, especially for large apertures.

          Eric

  9. Sorry just read the release dates:) my apologizes. Just if it’s manual or autofocus, thanks.

  10. Would this be an autofocus lens or a manual focus? Also do you think it will be released within the next month or so or more like 6 months to a year? Thanks for all your nex reviews/info!

    • that was my first thought. Zeiss is an excellent lens, but a bit expensive for “cheap” 5n system. If the price is right, I don’t mind a bit lower IQ! Hopefuly it will have autofocus which will be fast (issue with 5n), manual focus is useful but not all the time!

      anyway, the thing I miss about 5n is pancake lens, It really is one hell of a portable camera beating many m43 “friends” but to this date. But it has one portable pancake with mediocre quality. I would pay $500-$700 for a quality pancake that I can take anywhere with me, 5n sensor begs for it!

      And I don’t mind focal length, be it 24-28-35-40mm, just make it fast/small/portable. If it is too wide, I will crop (16Mp is good to play with). I don’t need bokeh on basic shots, just a good lens.

      NONE is coming in 2012 from SONY (according to roadmap) so this is killing the camera for me.

      • Your so right wonderer, small body and big lenses, it just doesn’t fit.
        Do you understand Sony???

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