A decade ago Sony launched the QX10, QX30, QX100 and QX1 E-mount cameras (see the image on top). The idea was that you could mount it on your smartphone and use E-mount lenses and a larger sensor to get better picture. The QX1 was the flagship model using a 1 inch sensor.

Now a Chinese company is reviving that very same idea and it has launched the SwitchLens project on Kickstarter (Click here). It allows MFT lenses to be used on a device directly connected to the smartphone. They may launch an E-mount version of this system in the near future. But I don’t know why it would work this time? What do you think?

On May 30 Tamron announced the update of TAMRON Lens Utility™ and TAMRON Lens Utility Mobile™ (press text here). I missed to report that at the same time they updates the firmware for many Tamron E-mount lenses: tamron.com/global/consumer/support/download/firmware/

Benefits of the new firmware:

1. Added compatibility with TAMRON Lens Utility™ Ver.3.0.
2. Added compatibility with TAMRON Lens Utility Mobile™ Ver.3.0.
3. Added compatibility with AF assist function.
   * Update can be done with TAMRON Lens Utility™.

–

Thanks Mistral for the tip!

I love the Vogitlander/Cosina lenses. I have owned the 40mm f/1.2 for years, and just recently I purchased the wonderful 50mm f/1.0. The reason I buy these types of Voigtlander lenses is that they offer me high optical quality in a relatively compact format. The trade-off is the lack of autofocus, but I am a long-time photographer who uses manual focus, so I don’t miss it.

I am excited about a recently published Cosina patent that reveals the design of a new 18 mm f/1.4 full frame lens. We don’t have an 18 mm f/1.4 lens from Sony or any third party, so this lens will definitely fill a gap. The closest lens is the Sigma 20 mm f/1.4 FE. There is also the very old and almost forgotten Zeiss Batis 18mm f/2.8, which has the same focal length as the patented Cosina, but is much slower.

Of course, a patent is never a guarantee that it will be mass produced. But it is a solid indication that the company is planning to realize this goal. So we hope to see it available for purchase in a real store soon!

–

Patent description overview

• [Publication number] P2024078495
• [Release date] 2024-06-11
• [Name of invention] Ultra-wide-angle large-aperture lens
• [Application number] P 2022190904
• [Application date] 2022-11-30
• [Applicant]
  [Identification number] 391044915
  [Name or company name] Cosina Co., Ltd.
• [Background Art]
  [0002]
  Conventionally, as a wide-angle lens that has a wide angle of view and ensures a certain degree of brightness, the large-aperture wide-angle lens described in Patent Document 1 has been known.
• However
  , the large-aperture wide-angle lens disclosed in the above-mentioned Patent Document 1 has the following problems.
• [0006]
  First, since it is generally difficult to ensure a back focus for a wide-angle lens for a single-lens reflex camera, a retrofocus system is a necessary condition. The same is true for Patent Document 1, where the need to ensure a back focus results in a long optical total length and a tendency for the entire lens to become large. Furthermore, since there are restrictions on ensuring a back focus, there is also the problem that a wider angle of view cannot be obtained with a large aperture. In the end, since the F-number on the super-wide-angle side is often determined by considering a practical size, there is a problem in that it cannot meet the demand in a dark environment.
• [0007]
  Secondly, the number of cases where still cameras are used to capture moving images is increasing, and so is the demand for lenses suitable for capturing moving images. For lenses used in such applications, it is desirable for the angle of view to change as little as possible during focusing. In the case of Patent Document 1, the back focus is relatively long, so if the back focus is shortened to reduce the size, there is a risk that the lens will be more susceptible to changes in the angle of view.
• [0008]
  An object of the present invention is to provide an ultra-wide-angle, large-aperture lens that solves the problems existing in the background art.

Example 1

• Focal length: 18.5
• F-number: 1.46
• Half angle of view: 50.6
• Total length: 128.00