Lomography Petzval Art lens at a glance:
- Classically styled with brass metal construction based on 1840 lens design
- Canon EF and Nikon F mounts available, compatible with film and digital cameras
- Unique swirly bokeh effect
- Price: £459 (Brass)
- Website: www.shop.lomography.com
Constructed from brass and glass, the special properties of the Petzval Art lens enable photographers and filmmakers to capture images with a truly unique look. Subjects or focal points in the centre of the lens appear in focus, while the out-of-focus areas have a dreamlike, swirling quality to them. This effect is most pronounced when using a wide aperture to create a shallow depth of field.
As there are no electronic contacts in the Petzval lens, the aperture setting must be changed manually using Waterhouse aperture plates. A set of regular circular f/2.2 to f/16 plates are provided in the box, while additional creative sets can be bought directly from Lomography – or you can make your own.
The Petzval has an image circle of 44mm and a 30° field of view, which is most suitable for full-frame sensors. Out-of-focus highlights in images, known as bokeh, mimic the design of the aperture plate, so if you create a heart-shaped plate, for example, your bokeh will be rendered as hearts. Focusing must also be performed manually using the Petzval’s focusing wheel, which has a smooth turning function, although it can be a little tough to know exactly when your focus is spot on.
Lomography Petzval Art lens – key features
Portrait
The 85mm focal length, minimum focusing distance of 1m and swirling background effects make the lens ideal for taking portraits.
Vintage design
Lomography and Zenit have combined to create this new brass Petzval Art lens, based on a design created in Vienna, Austria, in 1840.
Manual control
There are no electronic contacts or mechanisms inside the Petzval lens, so aperture and focusing must be changed manually.
Lomography Petzval Art lens – verdict
At its release price of £459 (or £549 for the black version), this lens will appeal to a limited audience. That said, if you can afford it, this is a unique lens that creates some great effects and is fun to use.
