The IRIX Has Landed
So the IRIX has arrived, sounding for all the world like some type of D&D monster and monstrous it is.
Not as heavy as I thought though. Really not a strain on the camera, but for best balance, the lens mount will be used.
Not hugely bigger than the 7Artisans, nor as “lumpish” in heft.
My usual test system, highly random, consisting of some hand held, high ISO (8000), wide open shots.
Nice and sharp, super thin depth of field (expected).
Most of my images were not great as I have already found the peaking on the camera screen when used wide open is not accurate enough.
Crappy day here, windy and dull, so little chance of super results outside.
Wide open, depth of field is mere millimeters, so hunting for sharpness is a little pointless, but the Bokeh!
It does not feel like an overly long lens, or cumbersome.
Just gorgeous. This is a soft colour, soft subject and soft light, so soft is desired.
A CA torture test
Wide open DOF is again impossible, but no CA that I can see and sharp (well for about 1mm)
Low light triumph. ISO 4000 odd at about T5.6
Focus in the near to far realm is surprisingly quick and accurate. Other things come into play like super twitchy DOF and twitchier bodies! I have not before employed the “macro drift” technique for longer range stuff.
This one took several tries, that T3 DOF not very forgiving of even slight body movements.
Gorgeous again wide open.
The point of focus was hard to find, but acceptable when detected.
At T5.6 the fall-off is still very nice. There were a lot of Bokeh ball tests done on line, but take out that specific look and Bokeh is very, very nice. This separation reminds me of when I shot medium format.
Hmmm…., very fine detail, Bokeh a little less smooth.
Right, sod the wind, lets see what this baby can do.
One of a dozen attempts at ISO 800, 1/800th T8. All were sharp…..somewhere!
A little closer. Pretty gorgeous, for a fly.
Ok, just showing off now :). Sobering to think I had about three times this close focus power up my sleeve and APS-C cropping also in video (just aware it may not have liked being crowded). I think I could have shot it this close natively………. .
Last set of close-ups before we test the worrying bit for a macro lens, longer range stuff.
There is that wide open Bokeh again. May I swear? Frikkin’ amazing!
At T8, still very nice, but still very focus twitchy.
Very sharp where focussed and yes this is where I focussed.
A little tighter crop and different day from the 7Art 50mm Spectrum. Same, same, but different. Looks like the Spectrums will be able to pull their weight.
Some shots have that lovely cinema softness, or is that the DOF talking?
When you find the point of focus, it is sharp, it is just surrounded by the smooth softness of out of focus blur.
Decent range.
The smeary background Bokeh is interesting at longer focal lengths. Again like the sharper Olympus lenses, but more “painterly”. I see why IRIX made a second, non-macro version of this one, just for those landscapers who shoot past 20’ more often than not.
The sharpness reminds me of the 300 f4 Olympus. Really fine and delicate, probably too fine for obvious bite, but it is there and I feel the lens is very forgiving.
This one was revealing. It looked ok on the screen, but closer inspection showed……..
…..insanely fine detail.
When I bought this lens, mostly on impulse, I had a wish list of things that would help me avoid regretting the purchase, some of which were unlikely.
I wanted;
a super sharp, super well corrected macro lens in the modern sense,
a useful portrait lens with stunning Bokeh, but not overly “hard” sharp,
a nicely cinematic look for normal use, something that would blend in with my 7Art lenses without looking too much better or different.
How did it go?
It has passed all tests so far (first hour is the killer it seems).
It is super sharp in close, scientifically so, but not the sort of sharp that makes it harsh or single minded. Wide open it has a mix of gentle contrast and smooth blurring that allows it to look good for cinema use.
The focus throw is surprisingly useful. Even with 270 degree throw, it only gets labour-some in close, where it needs to be.
In APS-C video mode, it has more reach, more macro, but is harder to handle. The 150mm native focal length is really natural.
A win, which is good, because it was a step over the line.