IRIX 45MM F/1.4 DRAGONFLY
Editor LAUREN SCOTT tests out this fast prime lens for fullframe DSLRs, with weather-sealing and manual focus
We test out this fast prime lens for full-frames
When the press release for the Irix 45mm f/1.4 Dragonfly lens first came through, we’ll admit that we didn’t quite get it. It wasn’t clear who or what genre this new prime was aimed at, or why it was called Dragonfly. Of course, that made us curious to test it out.
Designed for use on full-frame sensor DSLRs – Canon EF, Nikon F, and Pentax K mounts are available – the new lens is the stills equivalent of the Irix Cine 45mm T1.5, which was announced in October 2019. Fitting between the classic 35mm and 50mm with a somewhat unusual 45mm focal length, it offers a 51.4-degree field of view.
The prime follows existing lenses in the Irix stills lens range; the 11mm f/4 Blackstone, 15mm f/2.4 (Blackstone and Firefly) superwide angles, and the 150mm f/2.8 Dragonfly 1:1 macro, each with nicknames that refer to the product’s finish. In this instance, the Dragonfly is a combination of lightweight composite front-housing elements, with durable metal parts inside and at the rear-housing of the lens. The overall result is a well-balanced setup when the lens is mounted on a DSLR. “The lens [also] offers the highest
possible durability with excellent ergonomics of use,” says Irix.
In terms of construction, the lens is weather-proofed and has a nine-bladed aperture ring that promises smooth bokeh effects, but how does all of that actually translate into real-life use? When you first handle the product out of its padded carrying case, it feels weighty – but satisfyingly so. The focus ring is made from a texturised rubber that makes fine-tuning the focus smooth and simple, rather than slippery – an important factor for a manual-focus optic.
The build quality of the barrel feels premium, with a surface that’s scratch-resistant and sealed against water and dust. Clear distance markers are engraved on the barrel in feet and metres to aid with focus, and these are filled with UV paint so that they’re more visible in low-light conditions.
An included petal-shaped lens hood clips onto the end of the lens securely, and we were pleased to find that it did so without locking catches, as these can be susceptible to snap.
Behind the lens hood there’s a focus lock, which enables photographers to easily lock the focus ring in a specific position. Though it might seem like an insignificant feature, it’s bound to come in useful for landscapes, focus stacking, and in situations when you want to keep a specific distance away from the subject – think studio product shots or on the street.
The lens’s minimum focus distance is 0.4m, which isn’t anywhere near to providing macro capabilities, or even close to a typical zoom, suggesting the lens is a better option for product shots, where focus can be tweaked in a controlled environment. Irix doesn’t state what subjects this lens is specifically designed for, instead calling it a “compelling alternative to 35 and 50mm focal lengths… a creative option for all fans of ‘normal’ lens photography.”
When we started taking test shots on a full-frame Nikon DSLR, we found that the central sharpness was good at the widest aperture, f/1.4, and very good from f/2 to f/11, peaking at f/5.6. We’d go as far to say that the sharpness results were highly impressive – even at the edges of the frame. We didn’t run a strict chromatic aberration test, but could see little evidence of it in the final shots.
One of the lens’s major selling points is the production of smooth and pleasing bokeh, and it didn’t disappoint here, either. Most of the initial test shots featured foliage and flowers taken during the golden hours, and along with the quality of out-of-focus areas, the lack of flare resistance was another standout quality, thanks to Irix’s neutrino coatings. Something that was more noticeable was vignetting creeping in at wider apertures, and while we’re a fan of this look, others might need to carry out post-production to reduce the effect.
Although focusing manually on this lens is fine and smooth, we’d still like to test it out on a body with in-camera focus peaking, as this should make the results more precise. Overall, it’s a joy to use and can produce lovely results.