Lomography expands its range of specialty lenses with the Joseph Petzval Métamorphose 35 f/1.8 Focus-Coupled Bokeh Control. This manual prime lens is aimed at photographers and videographers who seek a distinctive image character beyond clinical perfection on modern mirrorless full-frame systems.
The lens is available with Sony E, Nikon Z, and Canon RF mounts. Instead of meticulously correcting optical flaws like edge softness or coma by modern standards, the manufacturer deliberately draws on a historical lens formula based on early calculations by Carl Friedrich Gauss from 1817. What was once dismissed as unusable by the photographic world now serves as a visual tool.
The central feature of this new addition is the mechanically coupled bokeh control, adjustable across seven steps. Thanks to this coupling, the set focus point remains stable while you adjust the effect of the blur.
At the lowest setting, the lens delivers a soft rendering with circular bokeh circles reminiscent of classic soap bubbles. As you increase the setting, the characteristic Petzval swirl effect emerges, intensifying at maximum to a visible distortion at the image edges. The center of the image remains sharp. Combined with a short minimum focusing distance of 35 centimeters, this effect can be used particularly close to the subject.
With a maximum aperture of f/1.8, the 35-millimeter lens offers ample reserves for shooting in low ambient light and allows a clear separation between subject and background.
Filmmakers have also been considered, as modern camera bodies are often used for both stills and video. The focus ring has a rotation angle of 180 degrees for precise focusing. Both the aperture ring and the bokeh control operate steplessly. Additionally, the rings are equipped with gear teeth in standard module 0.8, allowing the prime lens to be attached to standard follow-focus systems without adapters.
For use on film rigs, the housing features an integrated 1/4-inch thread on the bottom, serving as a support and relieving the camera's lens mount when using accessories. At the front, an 80-millimeter thread is available for attaching lens hoods to block stray light directly to the lens without wobbly adapters.
Beyond the lens construction itself, Lomography has equipped the optic with several practical features to ease everyday use on set and in the studio. A key element is the dual aperture system: if you don't want to limit yourself to the stepless blade aperture, you can insert so-called drop-in aperture plates via a slot to shape the geometric form of the bokeh circles to your liking.
Precision in manual focusing is further supported by dual distance markings, engraved in both meters and feet. Although the prime lens covers the full 35mm frame, it can also be used on cameras with smaller sensors in practice if you prefer to crop out the extreme distortions at the outer edges and focus on the center.
If you expect millimeter-accurate edge sharpness in every shot, this lens will likely not bring you joy. However, if you enjoy manual craftsmanship and prefer creating visual distortions directly in front of the lens rather than on the computer, you'll find an interesting toy here.
The lens is available for pre-order now. Further technical details and pre-order options can be found directly in the store at Lomography. The price in Germany is 549 euros.
Sample Images
The sample images were taken by Tony Sotelo, Chloe Fuller, Jaroon Ittiwanapong, and Elisa Parrino.
