KIPON Iberit (Elegant) 35mm f/2.4

KIPON Iberit (Elegant) 35mm f/2.4

The Iberit 35mm f/2.4 is the moderate wide-angle member of Kipon's compact full-frame prime family, and the version sold from 2022 onward carries the manufacturer's "Elegant" branding alongside the older Iberit name. Kipon presented the 2022 release as a refinement rather than a new optical design, describing the updated lenses as built to tighter tolerances to bring the existing optical formula closer to its intended performance, with each lens shipping with a dedicated hood [1][2]. The line traces back to the HandeVision Iberit series first shown in 2017, a collaboration between the German optical maker IB/E Optics and the Shanghai-based parent company behind the Kipon brand, conceived as a set of small, light manual-focus primes styled after classic rangefinder lenses [3].

In the Leica M mount the lens is rangefinder coupled and focuses manually, with a six-element, six-group optical layout, a six-blade aperture, and a 49mm filter thread. The barrel is built from metal, with reviewers noting an aluminium body over a brass and stainless steel core that keeps the weight low while retaining an all-metal feel [4]. Handling centers on a focus ring with a roughly 120-degree throw and a clicked aperture ring marked from f/2.4 to f/16. The Leica M version has a longer minimum focus distance than the mirror, native-mount variants, a normal consequence of rangefinder coupling, and one reviewer observed that the M-mount build differs from the Sony E and Fujifilm X versions.

Because the Iberit was produced across several mounts and revisions, build quality has not been entirely consistent. An early-version review of the M-mount copy reported some play in the front barrel and a slightly dry aperture action, while noting that later samples and other focal lengths in the range felt more refined, which the manufacturer aligned with higher pricing on newer batches. The lens has no six-bit coding and no electronic contacts in the M version, so it relies on manual handling and lens-profile selection on digital bodies.

Optical qualities

Rendering The Iberit 35mm is generally described as a balanced lens with a classic rendering character rather than a clinical look, combining good contrast and color with a degree of vintage flavor. It is a relatively slow 35mm at f/2.4, so it is not primarily a shallow-depth-of-field lens, but reviewers regard its overall image quality as strong for its size and class.

Sharpness Center sharpness is already usable wide open and improves through the mid apertures, with corners that start soft and tighten noticeably by about f/5.6 to f/8, the range cited as the lens's sweet spot.

Contrast and color Contrast and micro-contrast are rated highly, and color rendering is described as pleasing and requiring little correction; as a lens without electronic communication it can show a slight magenta cast on some digital sensors.

Bokeh and transitions Despite the six-blade diaphragm and modest maximum aperture, the out-of-focus rendering is described as smooth and not nervous or busy.

Flare resistance and sunstars Flare is reasonably well controlled when shooting toward the sun, with heavier ghosting appearing mainly when light strikes the front element at a steep angle; the six straight blades produce defined six-point sunstars when stopped down.

Distortion and vignetting The lens shows some barrel distortion that is mild in normal use and easily corrected, and noticeable vignetting wide open on full frame that improves from around f/4.

Aberrations Chromatic aberration is reported as very mild, appearing mainly in extreme high-contrast, out-of-focus areas.

History

Development and Launch The Iberit family was announced in 2017 under the HandeVision brand, a cooperation between IB/E Optics of Germany and the Chinese company behind Kipon, with five full-frame manual-focus primes planned at 24mm, 35mm, 50mm, 75mm and 90mm, all sharing an f/2.4 maximum aperture. The makers emphasized compact, lightweight construction using brass, aluminium and stainless steel, with designs visually reminiscent of Leica M optics, and offered the first lenses for Leica M, Sony E and Fuji X mounts. The 35mm was specified with a six-element, six-group design and a six-blade iris.

Production Evolution The series later shifted to Kipon's own branding, and in July 2022 Kipon began shipping an updated 35mm f/2.4 under the combined Iberit and Elegant naming across Fuji X, Sony E, Leica/Panasonic L, Canon RF and Nikon Z mounts, with the remaining focal lengths following later that year. Kipon characterized the 2022 lenses as manufactured more precisely with tighter tolerances and bundled with a lens hood, rather than as a redesigned optic. Independent reviewers separately noted that the Iberit lenses were revised several times over their production life, with newer versions generally feeling better made.

Collector Notes Buyers should be aware that the Iberit and Elegant names refer to the same lens family, and that the Leica M version differs from the mirror-mount variants in build and in its longer close-focus distance. The M-mount copies have shown some unit-to-unit variation, including front-barrel play and minor cosmetic flaws such as internal tooling marks, though reviewers reported these rarely affected the actual image. The lens is not weather-sealed, so storage care is advised, and the 2022 examples should normally include the matching hood. Because there are no electronic contacts in the M mount, expect to set the lens profile manually and to watch for a slight color cast on digital bodies.