ⓘ Brightin Star

Full-frame cameras don’t have to be big, as the Panasonic Lumix S9 ($1,197 on Amazon) demonstrates. Full-frame lenses, on the other hand, are often much larger. Not so with the Brightin Star MF 28 mm f/2.8 pancake lens, which is only 21.5 millimeters long. Once mounted on a camera, the lens protrudes 9.9 millimeters from the mount and weighs 125 grams.
 

Despite its tiny brass housing, the lens features a 25.5-millimeter filter thread, a focus ring with a depth-of-field scale, and an aperture ring. The aperture consists of nine blades and can be adjusted from f/2.8 to f/16. The lens features a design consisting of six elements in five groups.

Three of the elements are made of special glass. However, photographers must make some compromises to achieve the compact dimensions, because, as the manufacturer’s MTF curves show, image sharpness drops dramatically in the corners, even at smaller apertures, while the lens is said to produce sharper images in the center at wide-open aperture than when stopped down.
 

The Brightin Star MF 28 mm f/2.8 full-frame lens in silver is now available for $318.99 in the manufacturer’s online store, making it $20 cheaper than the older version in black. Shipping is free, however, the price does not include import sales tax and customs duties. The lens is available only with a Leica M mount and is rangefinder-coupled. With an adapter, it can also be used on Sony E, Canon RF, Nikon Z, Fuji X, Leica and Panasonic L cameras.
 

Editor of the original article: Hannes Brecher - Senior Tech Writer - 22113 articles published on Notebookcheck since 2018

Since 2009 I have written for different publications with a focus on consumer electronics. I joined the Notebookcheck news team in 2018 and have combined my many years of experience with laptops and smartphones with my lifelong passion for technology to create informative content for our readers about new developments in this sphere. In addition, my design background as an art director at an ad agency has allowed me to have deeper insights into the peculiarities of this industry.