The Dulens APO Mini Prime 58mm F2.0 lens and some of their new Mini Prime set companions are available for pre-order. However, it is currently not possible to pre-order just a single lens, only a set of three (43mm, 58mm, 85mm).
Dulens is a relatively new player in professional lenses that operate out of Kowloon (Hong Kong). Although they describe themselves as a young team of enthusiasts with an optical systems designer, they hit the market with a lens set that seems to be promising. Let’s take a closer look at what they have designed.
Mini Prime – Vintage Lens Set
With Mini Prime, the manufacturer Dulens wants to reach audiences looking for vintage style lenses with traditional operation functions and a consistent look across a whole set. In a world where real vintage lenses may be hard to acquire, their quality differing significantly, and their level of age degradation inconsistent, Dulens wants to build a range of lenses that present this vintage style and functionality in a brand new product. Thus, they work to achieve a homogenous color reproduction, overall look, and consistency in the flare across a set of lenses. With the Dulens APO Mini Prime 58mm F2.0 lens up front, here is an overview of the lens set’s characteristics.
Dulens APO Mini Prime lens set – characteristics
Dulens promises that the Mini Primes cover a Full-Frame (approx. VistaVision) with an extensive image circle. Some of the lenses in the set will even cover the full Fujifilm GFX 4433 sensor (e.g., 43mm, 58mm, 85mm, and 120mm). The lenses come with an apochromatic design and a general appearance that reminds of old vintage lenses through their pure spherical optical design and other classic design elements such as retrofocus and other associated construction aspects.
Of course, the lenses use the modern standard in cine lens focusing, which is internal focusing that doesn’t extend the lens’s front part. The 58mm lens has a close focus limit of 0.6m, and as typical with professional cine-style lenses, the focus ring of the lenses is relatively long with 270° of circular motion. All of the lenses will be F2.0 (equating to T2.3 – T2.6 as claimed by the manufacturer).
Dulens has already decided to bring a 21mm, 31mm, 43mm, 58mm, 85mm, and 120mm, according to their publication. They are still discussing a 24/25mm and a macro lens and are conducting studies regarding anamorphic scope units for their Mini Prime series.
Here are some more details about the lens set that is currently on sale (s. section below):
- 43mm – 10 elements in 8 groups
- 58mm – 9 elements in 8 groups, double-gauss type lens
- 85mm – 7 elements in 6 groups
Dulens APO Mini Prime specialities
Some specialties are, for example, that they promise to bring these lenses along with an interchangeable mount system (EF and PL) with shim kits that are supposably available for purchase as separate items at a later stage.
Another detail that Dulens seem to be very proud of is their special VC coating that they claim to have a creamy bokeh and a distinct rainbow flare. Let’s see how this will turn out and what cinematographers will say after extensively testing the new lenses.
Dulens also clearly states that their lenses are designed from scratch and are not copycat products based on or directly imitating lenses that are already available on the market. This statement is quite nice because we’ve seen several look-alikes and rebrands or lenses without a disputed origin available on the market over the past few years in particular (see articles like: Copy or Inspiration? – ZEISS Accuses Samyang for Copying Their Lens Design).
Availability & cost
All of the further information is subject to change since the COVID-19 pandemic is still raging worldwide and affecting international affairs a lot. According to the manager for worldwide pre-orders, the first batch of the pre-ordered lenses will ship after February 2021.
At the time of this writing, with the second batch already booked, the third batch is open for orders. Currently, they seem to take orders for a 3-lens set (i.e., 43mm, 58mm, 85mm) only. For further details and information on prices and points of contact, I suggest taking a look at the Dulens – User Group on Facebook.
What are your impressions about the whole Mini Prime Vintage Lens Set? Would you consider buying lenses from the lens set? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
