Last Updated on 05/25/2023 by StateofDigitalPublishing
We posted recently about the rumored and then confirmed revival of the legendary 58mm Biotar lens by Oprema Jena – a company founded by the same people behind Myer Optik. The company has set out to revive old legendary lenses, much in the same way their sister company Myer Optik has, and their second lens is the Biotar 58mm F2, for which they just launched their Indiegogo Campaign.
Among the interesting information gleaned from the Indiegogo campaign page is the revelation that the 58mm F2 Biotar will have an astounding 17 aperture blades. This is a huge number compared to most modern lenses, and will ensure an almost perfectly circular aperture opening throughout the aperture range. This will supposedly result in a cleaner, creamier, less distracting bokeh – something that portrait photographers will no doubt like the idea of.
According to the release, the company was able to cram all these aperture blades into the lens because it is manual focus. They say most modern lenses are designed with fewer aperture blades to cut down on moving parts and potential noise, as well as to make room for the AF motors and such. Still, having 17 aperture blades is certainly a feather in this lenses cap, but its image quality and performance will need to be second to none in order to justify the price they are asking for it.
Oprema Jena says the new Biotar 58mm F2 will be available sometime in October of 2018 with an expected retail price of $1999. That is quite a hefty sum when you consider how much a standard 50mm F1.8/F2 lens would cost you normally. Obviously, a lens like this is special beyond what you would expect from a nifty fifty… but being priced at effectively $2,000 is an interesting choice if you ask me. However, one of the perks of the campaign is that you can get this for a reduced price of $999, still expensive, but much easier to justify.
Anyways, if you are interested in learning more about the Biotar 58mm F2 or in supporting the lens, you can get all of that information over on the Indiegogo page, here.