Chinese third-party brands have been giving a tough competition to their Japanese counterparts. Companies such as Laowa, TTArtisan, 7Artisan, and Thypoch have introduced some wonderful, cost-effective lenses that can be used by beginners and serious enthusiasts. All of this, without worrying about the performance and the price tag. It now appears that Thypoch intends to be the first third-party lens maker to introduce a zoom lens autofocus, which will certainly shake up the industry.
According to Photo Rumors, Thypoch is currently working to introduce the Voyager 24-50mm f2.8 lens, which will be the first Chinese third-party lens of its kind. So far, while the Chinese brand has cut costs, they have been unable to launch a zoom lens due to technical challenges. But if this turns out to be true, this will hail a new era. Here are the specs so far:
- May 14, 2026, announcement
- 83° to 47° field of view
- 0.3m minium focusing distance
- 0.216x maximum magnification
- 10-bladed aperture
- Autofocus (AF)
- 16 Elements in 13 Groups
- 67mm filter thread
- 92.8 x 70mm in size
- 450g weight
- Available for Sony E, Nikon Z, Leica L
- $700 price tag
Thypoch‘s zoom lens is eagerly awaited by many photographers. One of the reasons being it will undercut Sigma and Tamron by several hundred dollars. The price tag of $700 is quite impressive, and those who have suggested Sigma or Tamron know that their lenses cost well over $1000 to $1200. There is also disbelieve if Thypoch can give the same image quality as a Sigma lens. For instance, in our review of the Thypoch 50mm f2, we said:
This lens oozes character, beautiful color, nice bokeh, and enough sharpness to make both Panasonic and Leica’s focus peaking work well. Mind you, it does that without electronic contacts. On a Leica M-mount body, the lens is rangefinder coupled, so focusing will be easier.
However, when we tested the Sigma f1.4, while we liked the images, we found that it also came with quirks:
The Sigma 50mm f1.4 DG DN Art has a lot going for it — it’s an affordable but bright prime lens that’s still fully weather sealed. The autofocus is snappy. The bright aperture delivers beautifully blurred backgrounds while most subjects remain sharp. The lens is also significantly cheaper than similar options from Sony and Panasonic. But a close look at the images reveals some quirks. The edges are both soft, and a bit bent from pincushion distortion.
Since both lenses lack weather sealing, Sigma’s pinch is pretty evident, since the 50mm f1.4 costs $840, while the Thypoch version is just $500. Thypoch lenses are also known for their retro build and character, which is what a lot of photographers are asking for. So, if Thypoch introduces various focal ranges, but in retro build, they will certainly make many happy.
It remains to be seen what Thypoch has in store, but for now, it appears that they are going toe to toe with the biggest Japanese lens brands that have been in the scene for far longer. It is not going to be an easy battle. But when has victory been easy?