What Makes The Irix 15mm Lens Great?

Advertorial promotion

Irix recently announced that the 15mm f/2.4 wide angle lens is now ready for sale. Using innovative technology and tying it all up in a unique design, the lens is designed to meet the needs of the most demanding professionals.

The Irix 15mm f/2.4 is a new ultra-wide angle manual lens with a lot of unique features that make it extraordinary in its class. The complex optical system consists of 15 elements in 11 groups. Three of the lens elements have a high refractive index and two others have been made of extra-low dispersion glass. The construction also contains two glass aspherical lenses that are responsible for extremely high image quality and improving image brightness on the edges, while minimizing geometrical distortion and optical aberration at the same time. With a minimum focusing distance of 0.28 meter (0.92 ft) and 9 rounded shaped aperture blades, the lens stands for supremely smooth out-of-focus areas.

This manual focus lens has a special neutrino coating that allows unwanted colour aberrations, ghosting and flare effects to be reduced to the absolute minimum for clear and true to life photos. The lens also offers excellent distortion correction, making it great for architecture and landscape photos as well.

Available in two versions, the 15mm f/2.4 Blackstone (premium version) and 15mm f/2.4 Firefly (standard version), the lens has lots of features that make it stand out from the crowd, and we'll look at some of the features that make it special here.

This wide lens has the ability to fit 95mm filters to it, and also attach a lens hood, without one getting in the way of the other. The lens hood even has a special window, enabling you to alter the filter without taking the hood back off. 

The 95mm thread also offers incredible flexibility when it comes to using round and square filters. Other lenses at this focal length won't offer the same abilities. The lens also has a rear gelatin filter slot for even more image possibilities.

Irix 15mm f/2.4 Key Features:

Focus lock

The Focus lock function holds focusing ring at a desired position and prevents accidental rotation in every photographic situation. This function works perfectly for hiking and street photography.

Infinity click

This is another cool and standard function in Irix lenses. Thanks to perceptible notification, finding the infinity position on the focusing ring is very easy even in complete darkness. This function is ideal for nightscape photography because it allows you to get perfect focus at infinity without looking at the focusing scale.

Focusing scale calibration

Each Irix lens that leaves the factory is properly calibrated. However, a focus calibration function provides the unique opportunity to adjust the focusing scale for a particular model of camera.

Weather sealing

Irix lenses are made with exceptional precision and with durable materials - that makes them solid and reliable in practical use. Additional rubber sealings protect the camera mount and internal lens construction from dust particles, moisture and accidental water splashes.

Front filter thread

The Irix 15mm f/2.4 is a versatile lens which gives users the possibility of using 95mm screw-in filters at the front. For a more convenient use, the petal lens hood has a moveable window that allows the operating of rotatable filters without removing the lens hood.

The 95mm thread also offers incredible flexibility when it comes to using round and square filters. Other lenses at this focal length won't offer the same abilities.

Rear gelatin filter slot

Irix lenses are equipped with a slot for gelatin filters that increases the versatility of the lens. Thanks to this fact the user has the ability of using both filters simultaneously (one in the front and the second one in the back). The size of gelatin filter slot is 30x30 mm.

Electronic aperture control

Electronic aperture control simplifies the use of lens and allows the saving of aperture values in exif data.

Neutrino coating formula

While working on the lens, Irix have developed a special formula for anti-reflective coatings. Neutrino coating is combined with several types of antireflective layers that provide perfect light transmission, high contrast and natural colours.

Two different lens versions

For the comfort of their customers, Irix has created two versions of the Irix 15mm f/2.4 to meet their personality and individual taste.

The Firefly standard lens is made of lightweight material offering a 12% weight saving when compared to the Blackstone. An ergonomic focusing ring offers the freedom to capture the most ideal moment, whether it is the big city’s architecture or wildlife scenery. It's the most lightweight lens in its class.

The Blackstone lens is made from aluminium magnesium alloy with a premium finish. It has an anti scratch outer finish and an anodised focusing ring with grooved surface. Engraved fluorescent markings that reflect the light, enable easy operation in all lighting conditions. There is additional weather sealing around the front lens element and comes with a protective hard lens case.

Find out more about the Irix 15mm f/2.4 lenses