Zhong Yi Mitakon Speedmaster 50mm f/0.95

The Zhong Yi Mitakon Speedmaster 50mm f/0.95 is a M-mount lens for Leica rangefinder cameras. Leica price index ↗

Reference maintained by Thomas Boots

Focal Length: 50mm

Aperture: 𝑓/0.95

Release Year (from): 2021

Diameter: 75 mm

Length: 88 mm

Minimum Focus Distance: 1m

Elements in Groups: 11/8

Aperture Blades: 9

Mount: M

Material Weight: Metal, 675g

Colors: Black, Silver

Zhong Yi Mitakon Speedmaster 50mm f/0.95

Zhong Yi Optics built its reputation on extreme-aperture normal lenses, and the M-mount Speedmaster 50mm f/0.95 carries that experience onto the Leica rangefinder. By the time it arrived, the company had already produced several 50mm f/0.95 designs for mirrorless mounts, so a dedicated, rangefinder-coupled version for Leica M was a logical extension of the line [1]. It is widely positioned as an affordable alternative to the Leica Noctilux-M and competes directly with the similarly priced TTArtisan 50mm f/0.95 M, offering the same headline aperture at a small fraction of Leica's price [1][2].

The optical formula uses eleven elements in eight groups with a nine-bladed aperture, and the barrel is all-metal with a manual focus and a manual aperture ring. The lens is rangefinder coupled, so it focuses through the camera's optical rangefinder, although reviewers caution that the depth of field at f/0.95 is so shallow that the rangefinder cannot be relied upon for consistently accurate focus wide open, a limitation Leica itself acknowledges for very fast lenses [1]. It is large and heavy for an M-mount optic, takes 67mm filters, and focuses to one meter; it is not six-bit coded, so it does not communicate its identity to the body [1][3]. Reviewers note that it can feel unbalanced on a compact modern M body and that it has no electronic contacts or weather sealing [3]. The M version was sold without an included hood, unlike some of the brand's other 50mm f/0.95 lenses [1].

Zhong Yi released a redesigned, more compact M-mount version after the original, and the optic should not be confused with the company's separate E-mount Speedmaster 50mm f/0.95 lenses (the MK I, the popular MK II "Dark Knight," and the MK III), which share the name and aperture but are different designs for mirrorless cameras [1]. It has been offered in black and silver finishes.

Optical qualities

Rendering This is a character lens rather than a clinically corrected one, and that is the point of buying it. Reviewers report soft, smooth bokeh and a vintage look with razor-thin depth of field wide open, alongside moderate correction of aberrations, vignetting and distortion that is typical of an affordable f/0.95 design [1][3].

Sharpness At f/0.95 the center is described as acceptable while the midframe is clearly weaker and the corners only slightly better than the midframe. Stopping down brings rapid improvement, with strong across-frame results by about f/2.8 on a 42MP sensor and good performance from roughly f/2.8 to f/8. At close focus the lens is very soft wide open with heavy spherical aberration, sharpening up by around f/2 to f/2.8 [1].

Bokeh and transitions Bokeh is regarded as a strength. Near the minimum focus distance the background blur is very smooth, and the very shallow depth of field can be used for strong subject separation [1].

Flare resistance Flare resistance is a recognized weakness. A ring flare from internal reflections is easily provoked at maximum aperture with a strong central light source and largely disappears when the aperture is closed slightly, but ghosting can be triggered at any aperture [1].

Distortion and vignetting The lens shows barrel distortion with a mild wavy component that can be mostly, though not perfectly, corrected in software. Vignetting is strong wide open, measured at roughly 2.8 EV in the extreme corners and improving on stopping down, with the very extreme corners remaining somewhat dark [1].

Aberrations A slight focus shift is reported, which compounds the difficulty of accurate rangefinder focusing at wide apertures [1].

History

Development and Launch The lens grew out of Zhong Yi's established work on 50mm f/0.95 optics for other systems and was brought to Leica M mount to give rangefinder users an ultra-fast normal lens at a far lower price than the Leica Noctilux. Pre-orders opened through major retailers and the manufacturer's own store, and early reviews appeared in early 2021 [1][2].

Production Evolution A redesigned M-mount version was subsequently released that is more compact than the original, sold at around 799 US dollars [2].

Collector Notes The most common point of confusion is mount and version. Several distinct Speedmaster 50mm f/0.95 lenses exist for E-mount (MK I, MK II "Dark Knight," MK III) that share the name and maximum aperture but are not the rangefinder-coupled M-mount lens described here, and there are also earlier and redesigned M-mount versions to distinguish [1][2]. Because the lens lacks six-bit coding and electronic contacts, the camera will not record it automatically [1][3]. Buyers should confirm the mount, the specific version, and whether a hood is included, since the M version was not always supplied with one [1].