Dongzheng Optics Kerlee 35 mm f/1.2

Mistral75 · 06-11-2016, 02:56 PM - **1 Like**

Shenzhen Dongzheng Optical Technology Co., Ltd is a Chinese company specialising in high-end BtoB optical industry: intelligent detection, security, medical, military, scientific research, laser, lighting, optical communications and more.

Shenzhen Dongzheng OpticsTechnology Co.,LTD

A few days ago they announced their first lens dedicated to the consumer market: the Kerlee 35 mm f/1.2, the first 35mm f/1.2 for 24x36 SLR cameras:

Shenzhen Dongzheng OpticsTechnology Co.,LTD - Kerlee 35 mm f/1.2

11 elements (including one ED element and two XR elements) in 10 groups
minimum focusing distance: 30cm
maximum magnification: 0.12x
optimised for shooting distances between 1m and 5m
manual focus
14 aperture blades
apertures: f/1.2 - f22
de-clickable aperture ring
filter diameter: 72mm
weight: around 690g
lens mounts: Canon EF, Nikon F, Pentax K and Sony E
commercial launch: July 2016
price: tbd.

And YES, it will be available in Pentax K mount!

A lucky blogger has had the opportunity to compare the DZO Kerlee 35 mm f/1.2 with the Sigma Art 35mm f/1.4 DG HSM and the Pentax FA 31mm f/1.8 Limited:

Sina Visitor System (with pictures, albeit a bit small)

The Australian photographer Richard Wong has published a hands-on review including about 15 pictures taken with a Nikon D800:

Review By Richard | KERLEE 1.2/35 (35mm f/1.2) review

Last but not least, four pictures from a Chinese forum:

http://i5.bbs.fd.zol-img.com.cn/t_s1200x5000/g5/M00/01/06/ChMkJ1dL57-IAFf8AE...HYASFcf355.jpg

http://i1.bbswater.fd.zol-img.com.cn/t_s1200x5000/g5/M00/01/06/ChMkJldL6uuIS...UwAQq9g341.jpg

http://i3.bbswater.fd.zol-img.com.cn/t_s1200x5000/g5/M00/01/06/ChMkJldL716IB...AAATuGX193.jpg

http://i2.bbswater.fd.zol-img.com.cn/t_s1200x5000/g5/M00/01/06/ChMkJ1dL78CIP...sgATZEO372.jpg

Na Horuk · 06-11-2016, 03:38 PM

Nice, looks really cool! I think we had another thread about this, but without K-mount confirmation. The only negative pointed out in that thread was the lens hood. Otherwise looks great

**sergysergy** · 06-11-2016, 04:20 PM

It is good to see that more and more companies are introducing the K mount

panoguy · 06-11-2016, 04:52 PM - **1 Like**

A few of us here in Canada are going out tomorrow morning to try this lens on a K-1. Should be fun!
Sadly, I sold my 31mm Ltd., and never had the Sigma 35mm, so no comparison photos...

Also, no aperture lever, and no price yet! (BTW, the hood is metal with a flocked interior and decent bayonet mount, so while it might be a weird "hard petal" shape, it's still pretty nice.)

Na Horuk · 06-11-2016, 05:08 PM

Originally posted by panoguy

Sadly, I sold my 31mm Ltd., and never had the Sigma 35mm, so no comparison photos...

Awesome! Can you compare it to any other Pentax 35mm? Or maybe other f1.2 lens? Still, even without comparison, I'd love to see how this lens performs wide open close up, and at f8 near infinity (for landscape)

starjedi · 06-12-2016, 04:47 AM

Originally posted by Mistral75

Shenzhen Dongzheng Optical Technology Co., Ltd is a Chinese company specialising in high-end BtoB optical industry: intelligent detection, security, medical, military, scientific research, laser, lighting, optical communications and more.

Shenzhen Dongzheng OpticsTechnology Co.,LTD

A few days ago they announced their first lens dedicated to the consumer market: the Kerlee 35 mm f/1.2, the first 35mm f/1.2 for 24x36 SLR cameras:

Shenzhen Dongzheng OpticsTechnology Co.,LTD - Kerlee 35 mm f/1.2

11 elements (including one ED element and two XR elements) in 10 groups
minimum focusing distance: 30cm
maximum magnification: 0.12x
optimised for shooting distances between 1m and 5m
manual focus
14 aperture blades
apertures: f/1.2 - f22
de-clickable aperture ring
filter diameter: 72mm
weight: around 690g
lens mounts: Canon EF, Nikon F, Pentax K and Sony E
commercial launch: July 2016
price: tbd.

And YES, it will be available in Pentax K mount!

A lucky blogger has had the opportunity to compare the DZO Kerlee 35 mm f/1.2 with the Sigma Art 35mm f/1.4 DG HSM and the Pentax FA 31mm f/1.8 Limited:

Sina Visitor System (with pictures, albeit a bit small)

The Australian photographer Richard Wong has published a hands-on review including about 15 pictures taken with a Nikon D800:

Review By Richard | KERLEE 1.2/35 (35mm f/1.2) review

Last but not least, four pictures from a Chinese forum:

http://i5.bbs.fd.zol-img.com.cn/t_s1200x5000/g5/M00/01/06/ChMkJ1dL57-IAFf8AE...HYASFcf355.jpg

http://i1.bbswater.fd.zol-img.com.cn/t_s1200x5000/g5/M00/01/06/ChMkJldL6uuIS...UwAQq9g341.jpg

http://i3.bbswater.fd.zol-img.com.cn/t_s1200x5000/g5/M00/01/06/ChMkJldL716IB...AAATuGX193.jpg

http://i2.bbswater.fd.zol-img.com.cn/t_s1200x5000/g5/M00/01/06/ChMkJ1dL78CIP...sgATZEO372.jpg

The build quality looks like Ottus?

Mistral75 · 06-12-2016, 06:25 AM

Originally posted by starjedi

The build quality looks like Otus?

I'd say Zeiss ZK or Voigtländer SL rather than Otus, with the metal bayonet for the hood, but let's see how the production copies look like, how their focus ring feels and so on.

panoguy · 06-12-2016, 01:43 PM - **2 Likes**

Big thanks to Mark E. (eccs19 on these forums) for meeting myself and Clarkey for a walk in the woods with his new K-1, and letting me slap a DZOptics Kerlee 35mm f/1.2 on the front of said full-frameness.

What follows are a few shots, in full and then 100% pixel crops, by eccs19 (the flower), and a few shots by myself (the portrait of Mark, the landscape). We took lots more, but a fully manual f/1.2 lens is not easy to focus when you've only had it for a few hours! I can also claim that the K-1 confused me a bit, even though it really didn't.

My quick take: though I don't know the price, the all-metal build quality of this lens competes with the (discontinued?) Voigtlander and Zeiss ZK lenses, except it has no aperture lever. Very nice focus throw and feel, aperture can be de-clicked with a switch on the side, lens hood is metal, bayonet is a bit tight. It lacks the AF of a Sigma 35/1.4 Art, but is still a bit better than the Samyangs I've used. Optically, it's a very fast 35mm full-frame lens, so... see for yourself...

Shot at f/1.2 at about 1.5m (dig that "kerlee bokeh")

Shot at f/2 at the closest focus distance (30 cm)

Shot at f/4 (I think) a bit further out

Shot with the K-3 at f/8 at infinity (but it goes past, so maybe not exactly infinite)

pathdoc · 06-12-2016, 04:13 PM

No aperture lever, eh? Sounds like we are truly in Takumar territory on this one - and the declick option sounds like it's optimised towards video.

Still, Takumar-style operation is by no means a deal breaker for some people; should find favour with those wanting a full-frame FOV with very fast aperture on their crop sensor bodies.

Na Horuk · 06-12-2016, 05:33 PM

Originally posted by pathdoc

Still, Takumar-style operation is by no means a deal breaker for some people; should find favour with those wanting a full-frame FOV with very fast aperture on their crop sensor bodies.

Yep. And with FF f1.2, this lens offers something that others do not. Pentax' fastest 35mm is the FA, and it is "only" f2. Sigma offers f1.4, but it is big and expensive (and there were some AF problems? Or was that another Sigma?). So, honestly, this lens is a welcome addition to the K-mount lineup of available lenses.

Thanks for the review, and especially the sample photos! Seems like full-body, environmental portraiture and bokeh shots are the main purpose of this lens, but its not bad even for landscapes. Seems to be good regarding flare, CA and fringing - something ultra fast lenses are not always great at

pathdoc · 06-12-2016, 05:43 PM

Sigma 18-35 Art was the heartbreaking problem child, but I think one of the thirtysomething Art primes also had issues.

panoguy · 06-12-2016, 06:41 PM - **1 Like**

Originally posted by Na Horuk

Seems like full-body, environmental portraiture and bokeh shots are the main purpose of this lens, but its not bad even for landscapes. Seems to be good regarding flare, CA and fringing - something ultra fast lenses are not always great at

Well, the lateral CA (red/blue in the corners) isn't bad, but you can see it in that landscape shot. However, the longitudinal (axial) CA (that green/magenta just off the point in focus) can be horrible at f/1.2 but clears up by 2.8. Takes a lot of correction in post to clear that stuff up (sunlight reflected off a river looks pink because of the magenta rings around every catchlight).

Here's the weird thing: I've used a Pentax K 50mm/1.2 in the past, and this is similar in "dreaminess" at close focus, but I actually prefer the "kerlee" bokeh of this DZOptics lens to the somewhat flat bokeh (some call it smooth or creamy) of the old Pentax. Take it beyond a meter, and the dreaminess subsides.

F1.2 baby!

That longitudinal CA I was referring to can be seen just popping up here...

Na Horuk · 06-13-2016, 05:40 AM

Originally posted by panoguy

That longitudinal CA I was referring to can be seen just popping up here...

Ah yes. But its not that bad. Many Pentax lenses suffer from longitudinal CA wide open. And fortunately, the latest versions of raw software are developing tools against this CA, as well.

**BigMackCam** · 06-13-2016, 06:18 AM

Honestly, for f/1.2 I don't consider that amount of longitudinal CA to be too bad at all... Many of us would probably stop down a little to f/1.8 by which time, hopefully, that situation should be clearing up nicely. I'd be interested to see what images are like at f/1.8 or so...

**clackers** · 06-13-2016, 06:38 AM

Originally posted by BigMackCam

Honestly, for f/1.2 I don't consider that amount of longitudinal CA to be too bad at all... Many of us would probably stop down a little to f/1.8 by which time, hopefully, that situation should be clearing up nicely. I'd be interested to see what images are like at f/1.8 or so...

Yep, because that's FA31 territory.

It would probably be odd if someone owned both those lenses, IMHO, with less than a stop between them.

06-11-2016, 02:56 PM - 1 Like	#1
Mistral75 Pentaxian Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Paris, France Posts: 7,527	Dongzheng Optics Kerlee 35 mm f/1.2 Shenzhen Dongzheng Optical Technology Co., Ltd is a Chinese company specialising in high-end BtoB optical industry: intelligent detection, security, medical, military, scientific research, laser, lighting, optical communications and more. Shenzhen Dongzheng OpticsTechnology Co.,LTD A few days ago they announced their first lens dedicated to the consumer market: the Kerlee 35 mm f/1.2, the first 35mm f/1.2 for 24x36 SLR cameras: Shenzhen Dongzheng OpticsTechnology Co.,LTD - Kerlee 35 mm f/1.2 11 elements (including one ED element and two XR elements) in 10 groups minimum focusing distance: 30cm maximum magnification: 0.12x optimised for shooting distances between 1m and 5m manual focus 14 aperture blades apertures: f/1.2 - f22 de-clickable aperture ring filter diameter: 72mm weight: around 690g lens mounts: Canon EF, Nikon F, Pentax K and Sony E commercial launch: July 2016 price: tbd. And YES, it will be available in Pentax K mount! A lucky blogger has had the opportunity to compare the DZO Kerlee 35 mm f/1.2 with the Sigma Art 35mm f/1.4 DG HSM and the Pentax FA 31mm f/1.8 Limited: Sina Visitor System (with pictures, albeit a bit small) The Australian photographer Richard Wong has published a hands-on review including about 15 pictures taken with a Nikon D800: Review By Richard \| KERLEE 1.2/35 (35mm f/1.2) review Last but not least, four pictures from a Chinese forum: http://i5.bbs.fd.zol-img.com.cn/t_s1200x5000/g5/M00/01/06/ChMkJ1dL57-IAFf8AE...HYASFcf355.jpg http://i1.bbswater.fd.zol-img.com.cn/t_s1200x5000/g5/M00/01/06/ChMkJldL6uuIS...UwAQq9g341.jpg http://i3.bbswater.fd.zol-img.com.cn/t_s1200x5000/g5/M00/01/06/ChMkJldL716IB...AAATuGX193.jpg http://i2.bbswater.fd.zol-img.com.cn/t_s1200x5000/g5/M00/01/06/ChMkJ1dL78CIP...sgATZEO372.jpg

06-12-2016, 04:47 AM	#6
starjedi Veteran Member Join Date: Dec 2013 Location: New Jersey Posts: 932	Originally posted by Mistral75 Shenzhen Dongzheng Optical Technology Co., Ltd is a Chinese company specialising in high-end BtoB optical industry: intelligent detection, security, medical, military, scientific research, laser, lighting, optical communications and more. Shenzhen Dongzheng OpticsTechnology Co.,LTD A few days ago they announced their first lens dedicated to the consumer market: the Kerlee 35 mm f/1.2, the first 35mm f/1.2 for 24x36 SLR cameras: Shenzhen Dongzheng OpticsTechnology Co.,LTD - Kerlee 35 mm f/1.2 11 elements (including one ED element and two XR elements) in 10 groups minimum focusing distance: 30cm maximum magnification: 0.12x optimised for shooting distances between 1m and 5m manual focus 14 aperture blades apertures: f/1.2 - f22 de-clickable aperture ring filter diameter: 72mm weight: around 690g lens mounts: Canon EF, Nikon F, Pentax K and Sony E commercial launch: July 2016 price: tbd. And YES, it will be available in Pentax K mount! A lucky blogger has had the opportunity to compare the DZO Kerlee 35 mm f/1.2 with the Sigma Art 35mm f/1.4 DG HSM and the Pentax FA 31mm f/1.8 Limited: Sina Visitor System (with pictures, albeit a bit small) The Australian photographer Richard Wong has published a hands-on review including about 15 pictures taken with a Nikon D800: Review By Richard \| KERLEE 1.2/35 (35mm f/1.2) review Last but not least, four pictures from a Chinese forum: http://i5.bbs.fd.zol-img.com.cn/t_s1200x5000/g5/M00/01/06/ChMkJ1dL57-IAFf8AE...HYASFcf355.jpg http://i1.bbswater.fd.zol-img.com.cn/t_s1200x5000/g5/M00/01/06/ChMkJldL6uuIS...UwAQq9g341.jpg http://i3.bbswater.fd.zol-img.com.cn/t_s1200x5000/g5/M00/01/06/ChMkJldL716IB...AAATuGX193.jpg http://i2.bbswater.fd.zol-img.com.cn/t_s1200x5000/g5/M00/01/06/ChMkJ1dL78CIP...sgATZEO372.jpg The build quality looks like Ottus?

06-12-2016, 01:43 PM - 2 Likes	#8
panoguy Pentaxian Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Washington, D.C. Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 3,327	SAMPLES from the Kerlee 35mm f/1.2 on K-1 and K-3 Big thanks to Mark E. (eccs19 on these forums) for meeting myself and Clarkey for a walk in the woods with his new K-1, and letting me slap a DZOptics Kerlee 35mm f/1.2 on the front of said full-frameness. What follows are a few shots, in full and then 100% pixel crops, by eccs19 (the flower), and a few shots by myself (the portrait of Mark, the landscape). We took lots more, but a fully manual f/1.2 lens is not easy to focus when you've only had it for a few hours! I can also claim that the K-1 confused me a bit, even though it really didn't. My quick take: though I don't know the price, the all-metal build quality of this lens competes with the (discontinued?) Voigtlander and Zeiss ZK lenses, except it has no aperture lever. Very nice focus throw and feel, aperture can be de-clicked with a switch on the side, lens hood is metal, bayonet is a bit tight. It lacks the AF of a Sigma 35/1.4 Art, but is still a bit better than the Samyangs I've used. Optically, it's a very fast 35mm full-frame lens, so... see for yourself... Shot at f/1.2 at about 1.5m (dig that "kerlee bokeh") Shot at f/2 at the closest focus distance (30 cm) Shot at f/4 (I think) a bit further out Shot with the K-3 at f/8 at infinity (but it goes past, so maybe not exactly infinite) Last edited by panoguy; 06-12-2016 at 02:01 PM.

06-12-2016, 06:41 PM - 1 Like	#12
panoguy Pentaxian Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Washington, D.C. Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 3,327	Originally posted by Na Horuk Seems like full-body, environmental portraiture and bokeh shots are the main purpose of this lens, but its not bad even for landscapes. Seems to be good regarding flare, CA and fringing - something ultra fast lenses are not always great at Well, the lateral CA (red/blue in the corners) isn't bad, but you can see it in that landscape shot. However, the longitudinal (axial) CA (that green/magenta just off the point in focus) can be horrible at f/1.2 but clears up by 2.8. Takes a lot of correction in post to clear that stuff up (sunlight reflected off a river looks pink because of the magenta rings around every catchlight). Here's the weird thing: I've used a Pentax K 50mm/1.2 in the past, and this is similar in "dreaminess" at close focus, but I actually prefer the "kerlee" bokeh of this DZOptics lens to the somewhat flat bokeh (some call it smooth or creamy) of the old Pentax. Take it beyond a meter, and the dreaminess subsides. F1.2 baby! That longitudinal CA I was referring to can be seen just popping up here... Last edited by panoguy; 06-12-2016 at 06:54 PM.

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06-11-2016, 03:38 PM	#2
Na Horuk Veteran Member Join Date: Feb 2012 Location: Slovenia, probably Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 11,186	Nice, looks really cool! I think we had another thread about this, but without K-mount confirmation. The only negative pointed out in that thread was the lens hood. Otherwise looks great

06-11-2016, 04:20 PM	#3
sergysergy Site Supporter Join Date: Jan 2011 Photos: Gallery Posts: 5,175	It is good to see that more and more companies are introducing the K mount

06-11-2016, 04:52 PM - 1 Like	#4
panoguy Pentaxian Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Washington, D.C. Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 3,327	A few of us here in Canada are going out tomorrow morning to try this lens on a K-1. Should be fun! Sadly, I sold my 31mm Ltd., and never had the Sigma 35mm, so no comparison photos... Also, no aperture lever, and no price yet! (BTW, the hood is metal with a flocked interior and decent bayonet mount, so while it might be a weird "hard petal" shape, it's still pretty nice.)

06-11-2016, 05:08 PM	#5
Na Horuk Veteran Member Join Date: Feb 2012 Location: Slovenia, probably Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 11,186	Originally posted by panoguy Sadly, I sold my 31mm Ltd., and never had the Sigma 35mm, so no comparison photos... Awesome! Can you compare it to any other Pentax 35mm? Or maybe other f1.2 lens? Still, even without comparison, I'd love to see how this lens performs wide open close up, and at f8 near infinity (for landscape)

06-12-2016, 06:25 AM	#7
Mistral75 Pentaxian Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Paris, France Posts: 7,527 Original Poster	Originally posted by starjedi The build quality looks like Otus? I'd say Zeiss ZK or Voigtländer SL rather than Otus, with the metal bayonet for the hood, but let's see how the production copies look like, how their focus ring feels and so on.

06-12-2016, 04:13 PM	#9
pathdoc Pentaxian Join Date: Mar 2015 Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 6,381	No aperture lever, eh? Sounds like we are truly in Takumar territory on this one - and the declick option sounds like it's optimised towards video. Still, Takumar-style operation is by no means a deal breaker for some people; should find favour with those wanting a full-frame FOV with very fast aperture on their crop sensor bodies.

06-12-2016, 05:33 PM	#10
Na Horuk Veteran Member Join Date: Feb 2012 Location: Slovenia, probably Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 11,186	Originally posted by pathdoc Still, Takumar-style operation is by no means a deal breaker for some people; should find favour with those wanting a full-frame FOV with very fast aperture on their crop sensor bodies. Yep. And with FF f1.2, this lens offers something that others do not. Pentax' fastest 35mm is the FA, and it is "only" f2. Sigma offers f1.4, but it is big and expensive (and there were some AF problems? Or was that another Sigma?). So, honestly, this lens is a welcome addition to the K-mount lineup of available lenses. Thanks for the review, and especially the sample photos! Seems like full-body, environmental portraiture and bokeh shots are the main purpose of this lens, but its not bad even for landscapes. Seems to be good regarding flare, CA and fringing - something ultra fast lenses are not always great at

06-12-2016, 05:43 PM	#11
pathdoc Pentaxian Join Date: Mar 2015 Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 6,381	Sigma 18-35 Art was the heartbreaking problem child, but I think one of the thirtysomething Art primes also had issues.

06-13-2016, 05:40 AM	#13
Na Horuk Veteran Member Join Date: Feb 2012 Location: Slovenia, probably Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 11,186	Originally posted by panoguy That longitudinal CA I was referring to can be seen just popping up here... Ah yes. But its not that bad. Many Pentax lenses suffer from longitudinal CA wide open. And fortunately, the latest versions of raw software are developing tools against this CA, as well.

06-13-2016, 06:18 AM	#14
BigMackCam Digitiser of Film Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: North East of England Posts: 20,688	Honestly, for f/1.2 I don't consider that amount of longitudinal CA to be too bad at all... Many of us would probably stop down a little to f/1.8 by which time, hopefully, that situation should be clearing up nicely. I'd be interested to see what images are like at f/1.8 or so...

06-13-2016, 06:38 AM	#15
clackers Otis Memorial Pentaxian Join Date: Jul 2013 Location: Melbourne Photos: Albums Posts: 16,397	Originally posted by BigMackCam Honestly, for f/1.2 I don't consider that amount of longitudinal CA to be too bad at all... Many of us would probably stop down a little to f/1.8 by which time, hopefully, that situation should be clearing up nicely. I'd be interested to see what images are like at f/1.8 or so... Yep, because that's FA31 territory. It would probably be odd if someone owned both those lenses, IMHO, with less than a stop between them.