Astrhori 40mm f/5.6 Full-frame

Astrhori 40mm f/5.6 Full-frame

What sets this lens apart is its combination of an extremely compact pancake body and an oversized image circle. Astrhori, a Chinese manufacturer that previously traded under the name Rockstar, designed the optic to project a circle large enough to cover the 44 x 33 mm medium format sensors used in Fujifilm GFX bodies, which means it comfortably covers full 35 mm frame coverage when fitted to a Leica M camera [1][3]. The lens reached the market in 2022 as part of a wave of inexpensive manual-focus glass aimed at photographers wanting small, affordable alternatives to native optics [1].

In M mount the lens is a fully manual design with seven elements in five groups and a slim aluminum barrel, weighing only 144 grams and measuring about 30 mm long [2]. It uses a stepless aperture ring controlled by five straight blades, which one early user noted can be awkward for larger fingers but gives smooth, clickless adjustment [3]. The minimum focusing distance is 0.4 m, and the front accepts 64 mm filters. The lens is not six-bit coded and does not provide rangefinder coupling, so focus on an optical rangefinder body is set by scale or by live view on digital M cameras. Astrhori states the f/8 setting produces a pentagonal starburst effect, a direct consequence of the five-blade diaphragm [1].

The 40mm f/5.6 exists in more than one form, and care is needed when comparing listings. A parallel version was launched for Fujifilm GFX (G mount) with a longer barrel, roughly 350 g weight and a 62 mm filter thread, so its dimensions and filter size differ from the M-mount model described here [1]. The M-mount lens is offered in black and silver finishes [2]. Some early hands-on reports describe rangefinder coupling on the M version, but LeicaLensList records this lens as not rangefinder coupled; buyers should confirm focusing behavior on their own body before relying on the rangefinder patch [3].

Optical qualities

Rendering Documentation for this lens is limited and consists mainly of the maker's marketing material and early user reports, so detailed rendering data is sparse. Within those limits, first-hand impressions describe the lens as fairly sharp across the frame and notably low in distortion, helped by the modest f/5.6 maximum aperture and the deep depth of field a slow normal lens provides [3].

Flare resistance A user testing the M-mount copy observed that the 40mm can flare when a strong light source sits at the side of the frame, with the problem easily reduced by shading the front element with a hand [3].

Aberrations The same hands-on report found the lens performed close to its published claims for resolution and showed little distortion, suggesting the simple seven-element formula is reasonably well corrected for a low-cost design [3].

History

Development and Launch Astrhori introduced the 40mm f/5.6 in 2022 alongside other affordable manual lenses, positioning it among third-party offerings from makers such as TTArtisan and Laowa that target budget-minded shooters [1]. The design's defining feature is its large image circle: although first publicized as a medium format lens for Fujifilm GFX cameras, the same optical block easily covers the smaller 35 mm frame, making the M-mount edition a very small normal lens for Leica and other M-mount bodies [1][3].

Production Evolution The lens is sold in both Leica M and Fujifilm GFX mounts, with the GFX version built into a larger barrel and the M version made as a true pancake [1][2]. The M-mount model is available in black and silver finishes [2]. No separate optical revisions of the M-mount version are widely documented.

Collector Notes Because the 40mm f/5.6 name is shared across mounts, verify which version a listing actually refers to: the M-mount pancake weighs about 144 g and takes 64 mm filters, while the GFX version is heavier with a 62 mm thread [1][2]. The lens is recent and inexpensive, so it is bought as a user rather than as a rarity. Buyers should confirm focusing method on their camera, since this entry treats the lens as not rangefinder coupled and not six-bit coded, and Astrhori is reported to include a small tool for focus calibration adjustments [3].

Sources

• [1] CineD. AstrHori 40mm F/5.6 Lens for FUJIFILM GFX Medium Format Released. https://www.cined.com/astrhori-40mm-f-5-6-lens-for-fujifilm-gfx-medium-format-released/
• [2] Kamerastore. AstrHori 40mm f5.6 - Lens (Leica M). https://kamerastore.com/en-us/products/astrhori-40mm-f5-6-leica-m
• [3] Fred Miranda Forums. AstrHori 24mm and 40mm pancake for Leica M. https://www.fredmiranda.com/forum/topic/1769046/