Irix 11mm f/4 ' Firefly' lens review with samples (Full-frame and APS-C)

[@christianschmidt3756]

Even though you must have heard it very often now: Thank you for these excellent consistent reviews of lenses. It really helps to compare between different options of lenses and makes me as a hobby photographer feel much less lost with the decision which lenses to invest into. Much appreciated! Thank you

[@Perk.Eo.1]

Even after many years this channel remains to be the best for lens reviews, thanks so much for putting in the time and effort!!! Keep up the great work!

[@russellzakai6798]

I know im asking the wrong place but does any of you know a way to get back into an Instagram account?? I stupidly forgot my account password. I love any help you can give me

[@beauomari9484]

@Russell Zakai instablaster :)

[@russellzakai6798]

@Beau Omari thanks so much for your reply. I got to the site on google and I'm in the hacking process atm. Takes a while so I will reply here later with my results.

[@russellzakai6798]

@Beau Omari it worked and I now got access to my account again. I am so happy! Thank you so much you saved my account :D

[@beauomari9484]

@Russell Zakai no problem =)

[@kerbholzgt]

You are by far the most porfessional lens reviewer out there - thank you so much for your work. great job over and over again :)

[@donlee_ohhh]

For Canon APS-C users there's also the Canon 10-18mm f/4.5-5.6 STM

[@SkeleMusic]

this is my new favorite lens. its wild! it makes things look really crazy, you take take the whole room indoors, and the widest landscapes. its just as or sharper than my f4l canon lens

[@csimet]

I picked the Blackstone version of this lens up while on sale by Irix about 6 months ago... it is a great rectilinear wide on my D800/D850 and I'm keen to give it a try with astro-images.

[@AgnostosGnostos]

I like that you can control electronically the aperture on this lens.

[@JoeJacksonJr]

Hey Chris you so CLOSE to 100,000 subscribers... I am gonna go ahead and give you a huge congratz brother..

[@christopherfrost]

Thanks!

[@olegasphoto]

Hi! What's your opinion on the difference between 11mm and 14mm for interior photography?

[@sichel94sam]

Nice. keep those DSLR reviews coming!

[@PinterBrandon]

I look forward to your Sigma 14mm f1.8 review once its released : )

[@chichochicc]

I think we all do :)

[@Oktopus450]

yep, we all do

[@galactic_kiwi]

me too

[@Magnetron692]

But there's quite a difference between this 11mm lens and a 14mm lens...

[@christopherfrost]

Quite a difference between f/4 and f/1.8, too hehe

[@RobertLeBlancPhoto]

Congratulations on your upcoming Google KZbin Play Button!

[@SingaporeRealEstateHiFi]

Thanks for the review. I really think you have a voice of a radio station DJ , hosting classical music programme

[@TheSwaroopB]

Congrats on hitting the 100k mark! Keep up the awesome work, Chris!

[@christopherfrost]

Thanks!

[@jeffdimmickmusic]

Did you find the overall image quality of this Irix 11mm lens as good as the 15mm Irix that you previously reviewed? Which of these two lenses would you prefer and recommend? Thank you for the helpful reviews Christopher.

[@jmontielmaillo]

Same question here :) looking to buy one, budget not an issue, field of view prefer the 11mm, but quality is first :)

[@christopherfrost]

They're both very good. The 11mm might be a touch sharper, but it shows a lot more chromatic aberration (not surprising though, considering its much wider angle)

[@jeffdimmickmusic]

Thank you Christopher! How does the image quality of these Irix lenses compare to the Venus Optics Laowa 12mm 2.8 Zero-D Lens and the Nikon 14-24mm f2.8G ED lenses?

[@christopherfrost]

I haven't tested the Nikon lens (or any other Nikon lens). As for image quality in general, take a look at my review of that Venus lens - you'll find all the info you need :-)

[@junkmail5238]

Jeff D. I

[@danny9350]

Your reviews are so detailed and useful. Thank you.

[@fokkegorter2754]

super review! I have a canon 1d mark 3 and i want ro purchase a wide angel lens. My doubts goes between the canon 10-18mm, Tokina 11-16mm, Tokina 11-20mm and this Irix. 11mm. My priority is sharrpness I will use the lens for mostly Landscape. I saw your comparison between the 8 super wide angels as well. Which lens do you recomend?

[@torstivuorma2905]

Good vid, Thank's! 🙌👍 One of the best review i never seen.. 😊

[@jefffenske1958]

08:03 "No Compromise" Keith Green's life story - Outstanding!!!

[@christopherfrost]

A very powerful and challenging book.

[@jmontielmaillo]

Hi Christopher! once you have tried both Firefly and Blackstone versions (on different focal lengths), do you see that it is worth paying 200$ extra for the Blackstone 15mm over the Firefly?

[@christopherfrost]

If you need the extra toughness, then yes. Personally I prefer the lower weight of the Firefly version

[@jmontielmaillo]

Thanks!! I prefer 200$ extra for another lens :)

[@RecordingMode]

Hello Christopher, it is always refreshing to learn something new through your videos each and every time. I have been using Nikon Z30 for last 5 months. Recently I bought a 7ARTISANS PHOTOELECTRIC 12MM F/2.8 MARK II LENS FOR NIKON Z. The manual lens is working fine but unfortunately I am unable to load Non CPU lens data on my Nikon Z30 camera settings. It does let me set the highest aperture to 2.8 but Lens focal length does not give any option to select 12mm. Nikon only has options for 8mm or 13mm. What to do? I will be glad if you can give any possible solution to fix it.

[@dr.alihanoosh5763]

Hi Christopher, another awesome review from you. Thanks. I have a question though! If you were to have only one wide/ultra-wide angle lens that you could use on both your cameras( full frame and APS-C ones) which one would it be from the lenses you reviewed??? Thanks for your time.

[@christopherfrost]

Either this or the Venus 12mm f/2.8 lens. They're both great :-)

[@Guustaaf]

Getting close to 100K subscribers. Well deserved!

[@D800Lover]

Yep, I am getting one for my Nikon D850. Thank you for your video.

[@sahilbrar7330]

Sir I own a Canon 5DSR, and I am really really perplexed and confused about which UWA lens to buy.. this 11mm firefly, or my long wanted Rokinon 12mm f2.8 fisheye or Laowa 15mm f4 macro shift lens...? they all have their own perks which i value and hence i am utterly unable to make a decision.

[@chichochicc]

Could you make a comparison with the Laowa 12mm? Thanks for the quality review as always!

[@lowjack7156]

Thank you, very insightful and quick to the point. I could really use some advice if you have time. Does this film at the same quality of image? What camera and lens with a similar focal length would be the best combination for filming a shortfilm?

[@christopherfrost]

Not sure what you're asking here. The look of the video image will be the same as the still image in a broad sense

[@lowjack7156]

@@christopherfrost I'm just asking if I attached this lens to my nikon d5200, would it take videos at the same quality as it takes photos? I need a lens this wide angle for my film and I'm trying to figure out what equipment I need

[@tiagommvs]

Hello Chris, thanks for the review. Question, do you think this one is compatible with laowa's shift converter?

[@christopherfrost]

Hmm, it should work. Whether it would be sharp enough is another matter

[@YYCKeeper]

Laowa has the 12mm f2.8 for Sony, Nikon, Pentax, Canon too

[@808islandlife_HI]

Thank you for reviewing this very interesting lens!

[@moedergroe4239]

1:58 Where did you take this shot? Looks like a quite old and spooky graveyard

[@leoniddas77]

That was FAST, mate! keep up the good work!

[@handznet]

Nice review, those CAs are quite a bummer, but yeah, can be easily corrected in post.

[@Magnetron692]

Hi Chris, thank you very much for your review! After some reviews and some consideration I've ordered a copy, the firefly version, which is suitable enough for me: Made of good quality plastics and relatively lightweight with a good value for money. The Canon EF 4.0/11-22mm L USM is also a splendid lens, but that costs too much for me. The Irix, you reviewed here, costs a fraction of this price. And I'm okay with manual focussing. Are you satisfied with the focus confirmation on your Canon 6D? I can attach it on my Sony A7 II via an adapter and enable its sensor image stabilizer, which gives me margin for shooting in dark areas. Cheers, Ralf from nearby Stuttgart, Germany

[@christopherfrost]

I had no problems focussing :-)

[@Magnetron692]

Thank you! :-)

[@Audimann]

How is it possible that on an apsc camera the corners are blurry suddenly? It is just a crop of a fullframe pic. On a fullframe they are good. On my D500 the corners are razor sharp by the way or is it a missfocus thing? Weird😮

[@Callsigngrizzly]

Would love to see you do a side by side comparison of the Samyang / Rokinon 14mm 2.8 and the Irix 15mm 2.4. Be interesting to see how those two companies tackled the same issues!

[@Dopiek]

Nice review Chris, as always. Am I the only one who really likes the flare pattern on this lens?

[@ataharmasum3686]

Hi, just wanna thank you for very good contains. I must say your contains help me very much to make my choice for lenses. Thanks man😊😊.

[@Oktopus450]

I've never heard of the Irix lenses, are they a reliable company? I just checked out them and I'm really curious about the upcoming 45mm f/1.4 :) :) :)

[@Lionelfavre]

Thanks for this review. I'm looking for an ultra wide lens and I don't know if I must take the 10mm voigtländer, 11mm Irix or 12mm Laowa. Can you review the 10mm voigtländer? Do you prefer the 11mmf4 or 12mmf2.8? (and why?) Thanks for your answer (and all your review!)

[@sakets]

you are shooting FF I guess

[@Lionelfavre]

yes, for sur :) (sony A and E mount)

[@gabrielemariotti5780]

I'm also in the same situation (between IRIX and LAOWA)... Hey Chris what would you recommend considering sharpness as main criteria?

[@durukalo6982]

Just discovered ur reviews and enjoyin them. Bravo

[@maxdmachy]

Great that you use the same reviewing settings - much easier to compare with your Samyang 10mm review. I think, sharpness looks worse on the samyang - however you used a sensor with much higher resolution. Is it close to a draw?? Good bokeh, also find the flare rather pleasing. Bad CA, distortion fine, yet worse than the samyang?

[@christopherfrost]

Close to a draw, really - the Samyang lens might have just a slight edge

[@YYCKeeper]

Voigtlander has a 10mm f5.6 for Sony FE

[@MahyarKa]

tank u , i love your reviews. humble and nice and informing

[@tfangel]

I come for the reviews, and stay for the bunny. ;)

[@Xetenor]

This is a great lens to pair some othet light traveling lens when I do not want to haul around my 14-24 2.8. Great review! :)

[@MrZipjohn227]

How will it work shooting groups 100-200 in a group shot printing 8x18 prints? any tips on how to use this camera shooting a large 8x18 group shot? thank Zip

[@D800Lover]

I just today received the Blackstone version and it has a strange fault. I noticed immediately that it was underexposing. Comparing to another 12mm lens I have, and using a charcoal grey driveway background, if I put the Nikon D850 exposure compensation to +1.5 stops, it gave the exact same exposure as the other lens, same aperture, same shutter speed and ISO. So something has gone wrong in the programming of the lens. The metering information that the lens is giving the D850 is wrong and out by 1.5 f-stops. I will now get back to the supplier about it. The lens is still perfectly usable and it's not an optical issue. Just the pain that I have to set the exposure compensation every time I change lens.

[@ocimaging]

Finally on IRIX! I am waiting to see your tests with the IRIX 45mm

[@ocimaging]

Heheheh just seeing that this is an old video.

[@uaglio666]

Thank you Christopher for your review. For me, the 15mm f2.4 is more intersting... If you have the opportunity, can you review the samyang 20mm f1.8? I am really intersting about this lens and I would appreciate to have your opinion about it. Your reviews are my favorit for lenses and I never buy one without your recommandation^^.

[@MostafijurRahmanNasim]

Does it wok with canon mirrorless camera r6?

[@victorcaceres7562]

Thanks a lot for he video great work🙌 it`s compatible with nikon d5600?

[@christopherfrost]

If you get the Nikon version it should be

[@brettthemonster]

For Canon you can just buy something like a 12mm Rokinon (not as wide as 11mm obviously). It only costs around $400, works well on full-frame, and has a wider aperture at f/2.0.

[@christopherfrost]

Brett Putman That's only for APS-C cameras, though, and only mirrorless ones at that

[@olliehardy5264]

And how would this compare with a. Samyang 10mm , initial thoughts are that the Irix would be my preference as it's weather sealed, but is it really worth the difference in price?

[@christopherfrost]

Remember, this is a full-frame lens, whereas the Samyang is only for APS-C cameras. Take a look at my review of the Samyang 10mm for more infoz

[@olliehardy5264]

@@christopherfrost thank you, good point. I went for the samyang

[@JamesYoungPhotography]

Oh wow!! This lens looks amazing, especially for the price. I wonder if they plan on doing AF lenses.

[@reggiewsks]

Hi Chris, this looks a nice lens.......a bit too wide for me. Have you reviewed the 20mm Samyang 1.8 at all. I'm thinking of putting one on my Sony a7r2.

[@christopherfrost]

Not yet, but hopefully I can take a look at it one day soon

[@reggiewsks]

Thanks for your reply......I'm wanting a prime to match an A7r2........looks like my best bet is probably a Batis 25mm and then get a 16-35 to cover the rest. Enjoy your reviews and bought a 17-50mm Sigma some years ago on the back of the advice. Better get saving for the Batis. All the best.

[@d1ehl.]

Hi Chris, I was hoping maybe you might be able to help me. I'm looking for a non-fisheye ultra wide lens (preferably 10-12mm or lower by itself or to whatever) that can also do astrophotography for full frame Canon EF. I know there's those type of lenses for a 1000+, but what capable lens would you pick on a more modest budget sub 1000 budget? I've considered waiting & getting an ART lens with those type of specs but idk I always like to save money if I can.

[@christopherfrost]

The Samyang 14mm f/2.8 and Venus Optics 12mm f/2.8 are very good

[@phoenix7289]

Wow, what a lens! Any idea when it launches?

[@ActualSpoilerTalk]

Photorumors is reporting end of March

[@MatBaconMC]

Please do one on the Samyang/Rokinon 10mm f/2.8, if you can!

[@Roducius]

Hope nothing wrong or too bad happened in your hand! Cheers Cristopher!

[@markialright8302]

hey chris. what happened to your hand?

[@TransoceanicOutreach]

Stigmata.

[@nicktyrin4401]

Chris, try to review modern manual Zenit lenses

[@YYCKeeper]

Christopher I look forward to your epic review of the amazing Laowa 15mm F/2 Zero Distortion when its released

[@christopherfrost]

If I ever get a full-frame Sony camera I'll take a look :-)

[@BULLSHXTYT]

I don’t have focus confirmation in view finder with my 5D3

[@Archontasil]

allright, this will be my first lens after buying a full frame camera

[@gur262]

Archontasius Theres nothing much wider in apsc either. 8mm but very expensive 11 is crazy enough. if you use mirrorless you can use a focal reducer to get 7'5mm 2.8 apsc

[@Archontasil]

Joshua Mack i have the excellent canon10-18mm and having a blast with it. Imagine what i can do with this irix. But what is this 8mm lens you are talking about?

[@gur262]

that makes sense. i got the tamron 10-24 and despite its flaws i like it and it can be awesome. with ultrawide zooming Option is nice...still i love primes. i was talking about the sigma 8-16(?) , its the widest apsc lens with af youll find and its not fisheye. i think Chris tested it but its extremely expensive for apsc and has a bulging lens

[@minktronics]

I would buy a 24-70mm f2.8 as a first lens. This lens is great but far too niche. With a 24-70 you can shoot landscapes and portraits without an issue

[@gur262]

Archontasius by the way, my tamron 10-24 covers fullframe from about 13-15mm to 24 mm. maybe your canon would, too. if canon wasnt an ass preventing you from using it on fullframe

[@kharris6339]

Hey Christopher, the name's Kash and I work with a company in the UK called GripUp, we're an ever growing filmmaking store in London. Really enjoyed the video, not come across these lenses before, but your evaluation was pleasing on the ear. Abusing my own curiosity, do you think it would be worth us getting these lenses in for the UK market? They really seem like a cheaper, but high quality alternative to Canon, Zeiss, Nikon etc. As you're one of the golden few who've taken time with this lens, would you recommend it? Sorry to message about this on here, but no other way for me to reach you! Hope to hear from you soon! Best, Kash

[@christopherfrost]

Sure - as you will have seen in the video, it's quite recommendable. It's between this and the Venus Optics 12mm f/2.8, really - go for the Irix lens if you need a wider angle, go for the Venus if you need a wider aperture

[@kharris6339]

The video speaks volumes, but wanted to be sure that it's a smart move - really appreciate you getting back to me! Looking forward to your next one :)

[@wimpusdaftlander6938]

so close to 100k!!

[@RFGfotografie]

Seriously good review!

[@martinzhang5533]

Cool! might get one some time.

[@sakets]

Wow that's quite some CA there. Great review as always. God Bless!!

[@caiokao]

Maybe a VS video between this Iris and the Laowa?

[@christopherfrost]

I'll be doing a huge comparison video of extreme wide-angle lenses, once I've had a chance to test the new Sigma 14mm f/1.8 (when it finally comes out)

[@joen9800]

could you possibly do a review of the rokinon 10mm 2.8?

[@christopherfrost]

A review is coming later this year

[@joen9800]

Christopher Frost Photography thank you very much! I am definitely looking forward to it!

[@theizza68]

Great work! Are you doing anything special at 100k subs?

[@Eddyithink]

Is it still an 11mm when mounted on an APS-C or is there still the 1.5x factor making it a 16.5mm lens ?

[@cityboyj4829]

I'd also like to know

[@palad1ncz]

it`s only 11mm on FF camera,.

[@christopherfrost]

You always multiply by 1.5x if you're using an APS-C camera (or 1.6x with Canon APS-C)

[@simon6z]

12mm ON Full Frame, 18mm on APSC

[@abhishijack]

Chris Have you done a review of the Canon 70-200 II? If now, can you please?

[@christopherfrost]

Here's my review: it's absolutely awesome and if you can afford it you should get it :-)

[@abhishijack]

Christopher Frost Photography Thank You Chris for the reply. You're the best lens reviewer on youtube, seriously.

[@dramamine755]

Abhishek Shah yeah its a near perfect lens. But so damn expensive!

[@TheDemethar]

Thank you for this great video. :)

[@candicejones8335]

Great review! Btw what's your bunny's name?

[@christopherfrost]

Snuffy (I didn't name her)

[@candicejones8335]

Sure you didn't... haha! Snuffy is the perfect bunny name.

[@TigranMadoyan]

Chris, what happened with your hand? Looks like you hurt it, are you ok?

[@klinker321]

Nice review! .. But a bit to wide for my taste... I'd prefer the 15mm

[@obsidian00]

While I have the SIGMA 12-24mm f/4 ART lens, an 11mm f/4 Prime lens is rather tempting...

[@agro0]

that's an incredible lens considering the price.

[@Huaoi]

Where can we buy this lens Chris ?

[@christopherfrost]

It's coming out towards the end of this month

[@Huaoi]

Christopher Frost Photography I have the 15 2.4. Do you think it's worth the while to switch to this? I gain 26% more field of view but lose a few stops of exposure. I do mainly landscape and city scapes

[@christopherfrost]

MrWarrenbuffett Hmm.. tricky - for cityscapes I'd prefer the 11mm myself, for landscapes, the 15mm might be a more balanced focal length

[@101Gabriel_M.]

Ohh Little bun bun, sooo cute :"D

[@juergenhammerschmid]

thx for this video!!

[@BaddaBigBoom]

I wonder how this stands up against the Samyang 12mm F2 NCS CS (which I have and am more than happy with) it looks very similar in design .

[@christopherfrost]

That Samyang lens is not for full-frame cameras - only APS-C mirrorless ones

[@AboveAllHeroes]

Wouldn't the canon 10-18 be technically wider considering it also fits a full frame camera? :p

[@exist]

That lens would still be the same focal length on a Full Frame due to it being designed for Crop Sensors. It'll just have a whole lot more Vignetting.

[@christopherfrost]

AboveAllHeroes It doesn't fit a full-frame camera

[@AboveAllHeroes]

No, it was actually a genuine question haha! I was wondering because I thought that the 10-18 would fit an APS-C camera. Thanks for the replies, I'm still getting familiar and learning about all the camera technicalities :)

[@campbells0ups]

i love your rabbit

[@TheBobes]

Video seems too white in the beginning. Otherwise great review as always! :)

[@christopherfrost]

That's because the lens's box is white ;-)

[@analogbug16]

TheBobes yeah definitely overexposed a bit.

[@RobertLeBlancPhoto]

No. Look at your hand in that shot. The highlights are blown out. That shot was overexposed. No biggie, but it's not "because the box was white". LOL

[@alexgsproductions]

The beginning is over exposed.

[@DetroitBecomesBuddha]

Overexposed for the box, not the hands. And thats why i noticed the cuts. When i was doing CSI Photography, sometimes overexposing things is a must.

[@sheldonhambrick7317]

Quality control issues I wanted to like this lens, but…. 3 stars for image quality 2 stars for quality control/sample variation Note - I was using this lens on an EOS to Sony E-mount converter. I had high hopes for this lens given that I could use it on my 5DmkII and my Sony A7rII using the converter. An added bonus was that it’s $400 less expensive than the Voigtlander 10mm f/5.6. However, after going through two copies, I had to return both for a refund. On my first copy, the corners were absolutely horrible wide open at f4. Normally, I’d not have high expectations for corners wide open, if not for the results Christopher’s results. As you saw, on his copy, the corner performance at f4 beat what I was seeing at f11 on mine…not even close! So, I sent my first copy back for an exchange. My 2nd copy was slightly better than the 1st, but on flat subjects, or shooting at infinity, the corners still were not great at f11. What was really going on here was curvature of field, vs. soft corners. If you focused in the center, the corners were off. If you focused in the corners, the center was off. In “real world” shooting situations, the angle of view of this lens is so wide, that (unless you’re shooting at infinity) nothing will be in the same plane of focus anyway, so this issue was not that big of a deal. But based on Christopher’s results, there is sample variation. The deal breaker for the second copy came this past Tuesday when I pulled it out for a shoot, and noticed that the double-stick tape that holds the front element bezel in place was starting to come loose, and creep-out. On further inspection, I found that I could finger tighten and loosen the front element! DONE! So, looking at all of the reviews, there must be good copies of this lens out there, but if you go for it, be prepared to test it thoroughly, check the assembly, and be prepared to return it. As for me, I’ll be saving another $400 for the Voigtlander 10mm.

[@cozyfauna]

Go for a Laowa 12mm

[@andre1987eph]

Thanks for the detailed review. You saved me heartache on this brand

[@AgnostosGnostos]

With a hyperfocal distance of 1 meter at maximum f/4 who really needs autofocus? For best sharpness and quality at f/8 the hyperfocal distance is 50cm. In practice everything is in focus when the closest focus distance is 27cm. Also reciprocal shutter speed with a 11mm is 1/11sec which is quite slow and permits lower ISO. From the comparison with Canon 11-24mm the Irix has much lower contrast. But this can be fixed in post. The barrel distortion isn't as good that of Laowa 12mm f/2.8. However isn't serious and can be corrected of course.

[@alexbusca]

Hi there! How much is it ?

[@davehyper7835]

around `£500

[@billzidis2656]

I have the 11mm Blackstone for Nikon...Nothing comes near to its build quality ... About the image quality,oh my god...Make sure you have a DSLR with atleast 35+ megapixels to see the difference

[@jackchow4316]

In the US, it only costs $575 on B&H. Great deal!

[@hoan999999]

9:25 looks like the dark knight returns set...

[@alwinbenjamin]

👏🏻

[@RFGfotografie]

I am looking for a full-frame extreme wide angle lens for under 1000 euro, and this fits the bill :P

[@timg624]

Can you please vary your background music?

[@alfoutdoors9660]

The Laowa 9mm f5.6 is the widest rectalinear full frame lens in the world, not this 11mm f4 Irix...

[@gadda33]

IRIX 11mm and 15mm lenses on a FF camera will give You monstrous vignetting ! APS-C cameras do NOT have this defect.

[@gur262]

on a Sony, You could get the Voigtländer hyperwide 10mm 5.6. which is even smaller than this and native emount (even smaller again,no Adapter). ultrawide and ultrafast mirrorless manual Options are what i am thinking of when someone tells me how much Better dslr lens lineups are. they are. in some areas. its like: we have no bread, we have no butter, but hey, we got cake!

[@christopherfrost]

That's correct, the 10mm lens is available, but, as you mention, it's only for Sony mirrorless FF cameras