Lomography’s new 35mm Petzval lens for Canon RF, Nikon Z and Sony E gives you seven levels of swirly bokeh, from subtle to full-on vortex, plus drop-in aperture plates for shaped highlights.
Lomography has added a new wide-standard focal length to its Petzval range with the Joseph Petzval Métamorphose 35 f/1.8 Art lens, and true to its name, it’s designed to warp your backgrounds on purpose.
The lens is built around a six-element, five-group design and features Lomography’s Bokeh Control dial, which this time offers seven levels of effect. At the lower settings you get a gentle swirl in the out-of-focus areas; turn it up and the edges of the frame stretch and twist into what Lomography describes as a hallucinatory effect around your subject. Crucially, you can adjust the bokeh level without shifting your focus.
As with other Lomography art lenses, there’s also a set of five drop-in rear aperture plates that change the shape of out-of-focus highlights into stars, suns, ovals, hearts and snowflakes. The main aperture ring is de-clicked, which makes it smooth to adjust while recording video.
Built for stills and video
This is a fully manual lens, with a long 180-degree focus throw for precise focusing and Mod 0.8 gearing so it can be used with a follow focus. There’s also a built-in 1/4-inch mounting point for support. Minimum focus distance is 0.35m and it takes 67mm filters.
Our take
The Petzval look is one you either love or avoid, but there’s no denying it’s distinctive, and a 35mm focal length is far more versatile than the longer Petzvals for environmental portraits, street and video work. Being able to dial the effect back to a subtle swirl is what will make this lens usable beyond the occasional novelty shot, and the video-friendly features show Lomography is clearly thinking about filmmakers as well as photographers.
Lomography Joseph Petzval Métamorphose 35 f/1.8 specifications
- Focal length: 35mm
- Maximum aperture: f/1.8, de-clicked aperture ring
- Mounts: Canon RF, Nikon Z, Sony E (full frame)
- Optical construction: 6 elements in 5 groups
- Bokeh Control: 7 levels
- Aperture plates: 5 shaped drop-in plates (star, sun, oval, heart, snowflake)
- Focus: manual, 180-degree throw
- Minimum focus distance: 0.35m
- Filter thread: 67mm
- Gearing: Mod 0.8
- Other: built-in 1/4-inch mounting point
Lomography Joseph Petzval Métamorphose 35 f/1.8 price and availability
The Lomography Joseph Petzval Métamorphose 35 f/1.8 is available to pre-order now from the Lomography online shop priced at $649, with shipping expected to begin in December. [UK price TBC – check Lomography UK shop.]
