Zhongyi Optics Mitakon Speedmaster 90mm f/1.5 Review

The Zhongyi Mitakon Speedmaster 90mm f/1.5 is a manual-focus portrait and short telephoto lens designed for Leica M and Sony FE mount cameras. At f/1.5, it offers a notably wide maximum aperture for a 90mm focal length, giving shooters significant subject isolation and low-light capability. The lens is built around 9 elements in 6 groups, including two extra-low dispersion elements and one ultrahigh refraction element, which Zhongyi claims delivers minimal color artifacts (APO performance). A 9-blade rounded aperture should produce smooth bokeh.

This is a fully manual lens with no autofocus or stabilization. The Leica M version is rangefinder-coupled and includes both distance and depth-of-field scales on the barrel. It weighs 770 grams and measures 74mm in diameter by 102mm long, with a 67mm filter thread. Minimum focusing distance is 110 cm (43.3 inches) with a maximum magnification of 0.09x. At $399 for the M mount and $350 for Sony FE, the Speedmaster sits in budget manual prime territory.