KIPON Iberit (Elegant) 90mm f/2.4

KIPON Iberit (Elegant) 90mm f/2.4

Conceived as an affordable, deliberately classic short telephoto for mirrorless and rangefinder bodies, this 90mm sits at the long end of KIPON's compact f/2.4 family. The manufacturer describes the line as puristic, prioritizing light weight and small size, and built around traditional optical constructions tuned for digital sensors [1]. The modest f/2.4 maximum aperture is shared across the whole series, an approach that echoes restrained classics such as the Leica Summarit and Zeiss Loxia rather than chasing extreme speed [2]. On a Leica M body the lens couples to the rangefinder and weighs 340 g, making it a relatively light option for a 90mm in this lineup [1].

The optical formula is a simple four elements in four groups, and the lens uses a ten-blade aperture for a rounded iris [1]. Construction is fully metallic, with focus and aperture rings and engraved depth-of-field and distance scales, and reviewers consistently note that it looks and handles like a vintage German lens at a fraction of the price, down to a small red index dot [2]. The focus ring is well damped, while the aperture ring moves in clicked half-stop increments, which is convenient for stills but less so for video [2]. Minimum focus is 0.7 m, the front accepts 49 mm filters, and the barrel extends slightly as it focuses closer [1][2]. A metal screw-in front cap is supplied, but no dedicated hood is included [2].

The lens carries a tangled naming history. It began as a HandeVision IBERIT product, a collaboration between the German optics firm IB/E Optics and the Shanghai-based Transvision company, and was later marketed by KIPON under the IBERIT name [3]. KIPON subsequently relabeled the series ELEGANT, and the company still lists the 90mm in this form for Leica M alongside Sony E, Fujifilm X and Leica L versions [1][3]. The Leica M version is offered in black; a red-finish M-mount variant has also been retailed [4]. Buyers should note that the M, full-frame mirrorless and APS-C versions differ in length and weight, with the M-mount unit measuring 69 mm and 340 g [1].

Optical qualities

Rendering Documented testing on high-resolution full-frame sensors describes a lens that is sharp in the center even wide open and improves further on stopping down, with corners trailing the center at full aperture before tightening from f/4 onward [2]. The 90mm is reported to render very creamy, pleasant background blur, with color that is good though slightly behind the 75mm sibling in the same family [2]. Out-of-focus highlights are round in the center and more oval toward the edges at full aperture, becoming hexagonal as the aperture closes [2]. Distortion is described as very low, flare resistance as good, and chromatic aberration as moderate, sometimes needing correction in difficult light [2]. Vignetting is visible at f/2.4 but clears by about f/5.6, and the iris can produce defined sunstars when stopped well down [2]. These observations come from mirrorless testing; behavior on film via the M rangefinder is less documented.

History

Development and Launch The Iberit line originated as HandeVision IBERIT, a brand created through a partnership between German optics manufacturer IB/E Optics and the Chinese Shanghai Transvision Photographic Equipment company [3]. The lenses were later brought to market under the KIPON IBERIT label, and the family was designed to resemble classic Leica M-mount optics in look, feel and build, while being manufactured in China [3]. The 90mm is the longest member of a set of fixed f/2.4 primes that also includes 24mm, 35mm, 50mm and 75mm focal lengths [2].

Production Evolution KIPON has continued the lens under the ELEGANT name, listing a current version for Leica M and other mounts and stating that the optical design is based on classic constructions optimized for digital sensors [1]. Specifications differ slightly by mount: the Leica M version is quoted at 69 mm long and 340 g, while the mirrorless versions extend further and weigh less [1]. Some older listings and reviews of the early IBERIT samples cite differing figures, including a six-blade iris and roughly 350 g, which conflicts with the current KIPON specification of a ten-blade iris and a 340 g M-mount weight; the verified ten-blade, 340 g figures should be treated as authoritative [1][2].

Special editions Beyond the standard black finish, a red-finish version of the 90mm f/2.4 in Leica M mount has been sold at retail [4]. No other major factory special variants are widely documented for this focal length.

Collector Notes This is a recent production lens rather than a vintage collectible, so the main points to verify are condition and originality of the finish rather than serial-number ranges. Because the lens has carried HandeVision, KIPON IBERIT and KIPON ELEGANT branding over time, buyers may encounter different names and engravings for what is essentially the same optical design [1][3]. The M-mount version is rangefinder coupled, but it is not six-bit coded, so it will not be recognized automatically by Leica digital bodies. No hood is supplied, and the supplied metal screw-in front cap and 49 mm filter thread are worth confirming when buying used [1][2].

Sources

• [1] KIPON. 2024 Version ELEGANT 90mm/f2.4 Lenses for Leica M Mount. https://kipon.com/product/2024-version-elegant-90mm-f2-4-lenses-for-leica-m-mount/
• [2] Sony Alpha Blog. Kipon Iberit 90mm F2.4. https://sonyalpha.blog/2018/11/22/kipon-iberit-90mm-f2-4/
• [3] B&H Explora (Allan Weitz). Hands-On Review: KIPON Lenses. https://www.bhphotovideo.com/explora/photography/hands-on-review/hands-on-review-kipon-lenses
• [4] B&H Photo Video. KIPON Iberit 90mm f/2.4 Lens for Leica M - Red. https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1690925-REG/kipon_90mm_f2_4_for_leica_m_red_iberit_90mm_f_2_4_lens.html