Zhong Yi Mitakon Speedmaster 90mm f/1.5

Zhong Yi Mitakon Speedmaster 90mm f/1.5

Among the wave of affordable Chinese fast primes that reached the Leica M mount in the early 2020s, the Mitakon Speedmaster 90mm f/1.5 stands out as a rangefinder-coupled medium telephoto built to a much lower price than the Leica 90mm f/1.5 Summilux-M it visually echoes [1]. Zhong Yi Optics positioned it as a portrait prime offering a large maximum aperture, shallow depth of field, and color rendering the company describes as close to natural [2]. It was released across several full-frame systems, with the Leica M version being the one of interest to rangefinder users, and it is also offered in Canon RF, Sony E, and Nikon Z mounts [2].

The optical formula uses nine elements in six groups, including two extra-low dispersion elements and two further low-dispersion, high-refraction elements, a layout Zhong Yi promotes as apochromatic for suppressed color fringing [2]. The barrel measures 102 mm long and 74 mm in diameter, takes 67 mm filters, and weighs around 770 g, which makes it roughly 250 g lighter than the comparable Leica while keeping similar outer dimensions [1]. The focus ring turns about 260 degrees from the 1.1 m minimum focus distance to infinity, and the nine-blade, slightly rounded iris is set by a click-less aperture ring with evenly spaced markings [1]. A notable handling feature is the rangefinder coupling, which can be recalibrated by the user with a small screwdriver so the lens can be matched to a given M body without being sent away, though reviewers caution that focusing a 90mm f/1.5 by rangefinder alone is demanding and live view is preferable where available [1]. On adapted mirrorless bodies the M version can be paired with autofocus adapters such as those from Techart or Megadap [2].

The lens is sold in black and silver finishes and carries Leica-style cosmetic cues, including a red dot, with engraved and paint-filled markings [1]. As a current production lens with a single optical design, it has no significant factory variants beyond its mount and color options; early pre-production samples reviewed before launch differed slightly in details such as aperture-ring resistance and hood supply [1].

Optical qualities

Rendering Reviews describe a lens that performs well above its price for sharpness and contrast across focus distances, with pleasant bokeh, while flare resistance remains its clearest weakness [1]. The manufacturer characterizes the rendering as smooth and dreamlike at maximum aperture, attributing this to the optics, focal length, and rounded nine-blade iris [2].

Sharpness At f/1.5 the lens is slightly soft at infinity on a high-resolution sensor but notably flat-field with little corner falloff; it tightens to a strong result by f/4.0, and performance at portrait distances is good across the frame even wide open [1]. Unusually for Zhong Yi, close-focus sharpness near the 1.1 m minimum is also good despite the absence of a floating-element design [1].

Bokeh and transitions The out-of-focus rendering is smooth at close range and remains undistracting at longer focus distances and toward the corners, where many fast M-mount lenses tend to struggle [1].

Flare resistance This is the lens's main shortcoming. With backlighting and at wider apertures it produces ghosts, ring flares, and rainbow artifacts, and veiling flare appears when the sun is near the frame edge [1].

Distortion and vignetting Distortion is very low and not field-relevant [1]. Vignetting is about average for a lens of these parameters wide open and falls to low levels stopped down [1].

Aberrations Coma and astigmatism are visible at f/1.5 and f/2.0 but improve markedly from f/2.8, with correction described as excellent by f/4.0; lateral chromatic aberration is well controlled while longitudinal CA correction is only average [1].

Digital use On a Leica M body with a thinner sensor filter stack the corners can look slightly worse than on a thicker-stack adapted mirrorless body, so smaller apertures are suggested for best across-frame results at infinity [1].

History

Development and Launch Zhong Yi Optics announced the Mitakon Speedmaster 90mm f/1.5 in late 2021 as a fast manual-focus portrait prime for full-frame cameras, available simultaneously in Leica M, Canon RF, Sony FE, and Nikon Z mounts [2]. It arrived the same year as TTArtisan's 90mm f/1.25, giving M-mount users new options in a segment with relatively few fast 90mm choices, and was later offered at a reduced price that improved its standing as a value option [1].

Collector Notes This is a modern, current-production lens rather than a vintage item, so buyers are mainly evaluating sample condition and intended use. Confirm the mount and finish, and for rangefinder use verify the coupling is correctly calibrated to the body, remembering that this lens allows user adjustment [1]. Buyers should weigh it against the f/1.25 TTArtisan and the smaller 90mm f/2 Leica options, since the choice often comes down to maximum aperture versus size and flare control [1].

Sources

• [1] phillipreeve.net. Review: Zhong Yi 90mm 1.5 M. https://phillipreeve.net/blog/review-zhong-yi-90mm-1-5-m/
• [2] PetaPixel. Zhong Yi Optics Launches the Mitakon Speedmaster 90mm f/1.5 Lens. https://petapixel.com/2021/11/30/zhong-yi-optics-launches-the-mitakon-speedmaster-90mm-f-1-5-lens/