Would you like to read this in your language? We’ve created translations in: Deutsch, español, français, italiano, 简体中文, 繁體中文, ไทย, 한국어. If you’d like to see the pictures in high-resolution click here.
After 11 successful Kickstarter projects, and seven years of developing and refining, we are proud to present our newest portrait lens: the Lomography Petzval 80.5 mm f/1.9 MKII SLR Art Lens. The New Petzval 80.5 MKII Art Lens will be compatible with Nikon F & Canon EF (d)SLRs cameras and available in three finishes including brass satin, black painted brass, and black anodized aluminum finish. An Advanced Bokeh Control Edition will also be available in black anodized aluminum, featuring a Bokeh Control ring.
Enjoy up to 35% discount on its retail price. The new Petzval 80.5 mm f/1.9 MKII could be in your hands starting from June 2020! Here’s why it’s unlike any other lens:
A 19th Century Aesthetic: A (d)SLR lens that celebrates the 180th anniversary of Joseph Petzval’s historical first portrait lens, optimized for still and motion photography.
A Filmmaker’s Dream: The New Petzval 80.5 MKII Art Lens sports a helicoid focusing mechanism and stopless aperture diaphragm, that enables you to focus and f-stop, whilst the camera is rolling.
A Swirly Bokeh: The unique Petzval optic design renders photos with a totally different optical effect. It provides velvety swirly Bokeh when shot wide open. When stopped down to smaller apertures, the lens displays extreme sharpness across the frame.
Seven Levels of Swirl: The Petzval 80.5 mm f/1.9 MKII will also be available in an Advanced Bokeh Control Edition. This edition features a Bokeh Control ring, allowing you to adjust the amount of swirl over 7 levels, for even greater experimentation.
A Dual Aperture System: The New Petzval 80.5 MKII Art Lens features not only a stopless aperture diaphragm but also a Waterhouse Aperture System for endless creativity. Through the insertion of special aperture plates of different shapes, you will have the ability to produce rich and patterned backgrounds.
In 1840, Vienna, Professor Joseph Petzval invented the very first portrait lens. His groundbreaking design became the most widely used in the 19th century.
In 2013, we dived into the world of Petzval and we set out on a quest to reinvent the Petzval Lens. We wanted to transform this optical design from the 19th century into a lens that would work with modern-day (d)SLRs. We vowed we would not give up until our goal was reached. First to arrive was the Petzval 85 Art Lens. The Petzval 58 Bokeh Control Art Lens followed shortly after, featuring for the first time a Bokeh Control ring.
In 2018 we embarked on another ambitious quest: creating a New Petzval Art Lens for (d)SLRs, specifically designed to function easily for both photo and video setups.
Today we are launching the new Petzval 80.5 mm f/1.9 MKII, sporting a helicoid focusing mechanism and stopless aperture diaphragm, that allows focusing and f-stop, whilst the camera is rolling.
“Compared to the older version of Petzval, I think this newer version of Petzval is really easy to use, with having the aperture ring inside the lens, but it also gives you the option to use the plates, to add those… different Bokeh effects.” — Lauren Roche
“When you’re traveling the Petzval lens is amazing, because you can switch it from your digital SLR to your film and that’s incredible… that’s just a photographer’s dream.” — Julia Khoroshilov
“The build quality is awesome. It feels great in your hand and… the aperture ring is not indexed which means it doesn’t have that… click click click that you might be used to. It has a very smooth sweep to it, so it’s great for video use, which I’m particularly excited about.” — Marcus Russell Price
The word Bokeh describes one of the most important optical features of the New Petzval Lenses. But what does the word actually mean?
Bokeh: The visual quality of the out-of-focus areas of a photographic image, especially as rendered by a particular lens.
The new Petzval 80.5 mm f/1.9 MKII doesn’t just give you a basic Bokeh, you can get what we like to call ‘Swirly Bokeh’. Unlike modern lenses designed to minimize field curvature, thus eliminating any curve across the focal surface, the Petzval lens design embraces the curve and renders photos with a totally different optical effect.
This lens renders crystal clear in-focus images that seamlessly transition to silky smooth out-of-focus areas. It provides velvety watercolor bokeh when shot wide open. When stopped down to smaller apertures, the lens displays extreme sharpness across the frame. Combined with an 80.5 mm focal length, it creates three-dimensional portraits, evoking the style of the earliest photographs!
“I’ve never used a lens like this before. One of the key features is that it produces this beautiful Bokeh around the subjects that I’m shooting and it’s great, because I shoot tons of portraits and I think this will make the portraits look really unique and special.” — Lanna Apisukh
After years of developing and fine tuning, we became masters of the art of the Bokeh. For this reason, we are releasing also an Advanced Bokeh Control Edition, featuring a dedicated Bokeh Control ring that allows you to decide on the amount of swirl with 7 levels to choose from. This lens, available in black anodized aluminum for Canon EF and Nikon F mounts, is the best choice for the more creative spirits, who want to dive deeper into the realm of Bokeh and unleash all their artistic expression.
After 7 years, never-ending cups of coffee and many sleepless nights, we did it! We worked very hard as a team, experimenting with various designs and construction methods to create a remarkable tool for filmmakers and photographers alike.
The new Petzval 80.5 mm f/1.9 MKII features not only a stopless aperture diaphragm, engineered to perfection for quick operation, but also a Waterhouse Aperture System for endless experimentation. Through the insertion of special aperture plates of different shapes, you will have the ability to produce rich and patterned backgrounds according to the shape used. You will be able to choose between a heart, a star, a diamond or a circle.
“The Petzval lens is really amazing in the sense that it can give such a diverse image because of all the effects it has on it, from the aperture wheel, to the Waterhouse plates. You can do a lot with it and I think that’s really important in a photographer trying to find their voice.” — Julia Khoroshilov
“So another cool thing about the Lomo Petzval lens here is that you have the ability to use their aperture plates which you drop right in there… almost like you’re putting a piece of toast in a toaster and that affects… your Bokeh shape to have lots of different shapes, like hearts and stars and more abstract things. But it’s cool cause it… adds unpredictability to what you’re shooting cause, I mean, who else does that?” — Marcus Russell Price
Unlike its predecessors, the New Petzval 80.5 MKII portrait lens allows you to shift seamlessly between photography and filmmaking on your (d)SLR. Having improved the aperture system and the focusing mechanism to allow compatibility with filmmaking gears too, you can now adjust focus and f-stop while the camera is rolling, giving you greater creative freedom than Joseph Petzval’s original lens could ever dream of allowing.
“The new aperture ring is so helpful in the field. You’re able to adjust it on the fly, you’re able to stop it down, you’re able to open it up. So I was able to… go in and out of… shadowy areas or really brightly lit areas and I had that control with the aperture ring right there in place.” —Richie Duque
“The build quality is awesome. It feels great in your hand and… the aperture ring is not indexed which means it doesn’t have that… click click click that you might be used to. It has a very smooth sweep to it, so it’s great for video use, which I’m particularly excited about.” —Marcus Russell Price
The new Petzval 80.5 mm f/1.9 MKII is compatible with Canon EF and Nikon F bodies. It is designed for full frame sensors but will also give great results when used on crop sensor cameras. It’s compatible with a great list of systems and mirrorless cameras when using an adapter. If you are unsure whether the New Petzval 80.5 mm f/1.9 MKIII is suitable for your camera or which adapter is the most suitable, simply check our FAQs or write us a message on Kickstarter and our friendly customer service will check it for you.
“The Petzval takes truly extraordinary photographs, and the magic of the old-style lens comes from the unique bokeh and distortion.” — Kinetic.ink
“The company says it’s the perfect portrait lens — its optics produce a vignetting effect that leaves your subject in focus, surrounded by a pleasingly blurry background. – They do, indeed, look beautiful.” — TIME
“It’s just so different from the norm that in this day and age of black zoom lenses and iPhones, the Petzval really stands out with its striking looks and design.” — Steve Huff Photo
“It’s sure to turn heads and keep them turned for years to come.” — Brian Smith Pictures
“A new lens that brings vintage and modern together.” — DIY Photography
“The lens is beautifully made, great to use and produces images that have a unique look and feel.” — Black+White Photography Magazine
“Different from any other modern lens you’re going to find.” — PCMag
“The Petzval Lens creates shots whose look is almost impossible to replicate with digital tools.” — The Wall Street Journal
“It was beautiful… I was really taken aback by how it looked.” — Justin Lin
“It’s my go to lens.” — Julia Khoroshilov
“Lomography lenses have always kind of set themselves apart with… their fun, kind of unique characteristics.” — Richie Duque
“It’s so cool. Everyone’s like, when you’re passing by people in the street, they kind of stop and take a look at it and are like, ‘Wow! That’s pretty sweet!” — Lanna Apisukh
Backing the New Petzval 80.5 mm f/1.9 MKII Art Lens is easy-peasy:
1. During the campaign: Choose your tier from the exciting list of rewards we’ve put together, then select your shipping country and proceed to check-out. The money you pledge will only be booked when the campaign ends and is successfully funded.
2. After the campaign: Once the campaign is over, we’ll send you a survey confirming the details of your pledge and asking for your shipping address. Soon after that, you’ll receive an email which will allow you to choose and select add-ons/accessories with special Kickstarter discounts.
Established in 1992 by a group of footloose Viennese students, the Lomographic Society International is photography’s wild child. Fuelled by fiery passion and burning curiosity, we blasted off our free-spirited movement when we stumbled across the Lomo LC-A, the most popular Russian camera of the 1980s, now famed for its quirky aesthetic. We wasted no time at all and created our Ten Golden Rules, and we’ve dutifully followed them ever since. Today, with over 1 million creative members, Lomography is a license to let loose; an invitation to ignite your inspiration, and a platform to catapult your shots around the globe. Whether you’re a complete novice or a seasoned pro, we believe that you harness the power to create something incredible. From crazy color-shifting film to bespoke Art Lenses, innovative instants to classic analogue cameras we’re dedicated to designing and producing all the photographic tools you need.
The new Petzval 80.5 mm f/1.9 MKII will be available for delivery to most countries around the world. As shipping, handling, local charges and custom fees vary from country to country, please select your reward to see specific details about your location. Lomography cannot be held liable for any additional customs charges that may occur in your location. We have logistics hubs in Hong Kong, Japan, New York and Hungary. This means that we can deliver to customers in the EU, USA, Hong Kong or Japan without incurring additional customs fees when you receive your reward. If you are located outside the EU, USA, Hong Kong, or Japan there may be extra import costs to pay upon delivery. Please note that we cannot ship to Russia, Belarus or Brazil. We’re offering “drop shipping” to backers in Thailand, which ensures that there will be no additional import costs to pay upon receipt of your items. The shipping rates for Thailand will vary depending on the total cost of your pledge – please find a complete list of the shipping costs per pledge in our FAQ section. These shipping rates include all import and handling fees. For all shipping and handling details, please refer to the FAQs. If you’d like to back the project but your country isn’t listed in the dropdown menu upon checkout, or if you have any further questions about shipping, please feel free to contact us.
We’re proud to have successfully funded and completed eleven ambitious Kickstarter projects. We’re working hard to bring the new Petzval 80.5 mm f/1.9 MKII to life, but we’re aware that there’s always an element of risk involved in these kinds of projects. The first shipment is planned for June 2020. Although we work closely with our manufacturers to ensure everything runs smoothly, unexpected delays in production and delivery can occur. We promise to keep you informed every step of the way. We’re so excited to be back on Kickstarter. We hope you’ll join us in making the Petzval 80.5 mm f/1.9 MKII a reality!