Lomography 85mm f/2.2 lens with classic 1840 Petzval optics; produces circular bokeh and strong vignetting for dramatic portraiture.
The modern Petzval 85 features a maximum aperture of f/2.2 and a minimum aperture of f/16. The optical construction consists of four lenses in three groups, following the classic Petzval design: two achromatic doublets with a large air gap in between. The focus range extends from 1 meter to infinity with a 67mm filter thread. The lens weighs 738 grams and measures 103mm in length. It is available for Canon EF, Nikon F, and Pentax K mounts, as well as in a Fujifilm X-mount version.
Lomography Society launched the first modern Petzval 85 via Kickstarter in 2013, raising $1.3 million. The production version followed in 2014, retailing for $599. The original Petzval optics from 1840 revolutionized portrait photography with their f/3.6 aperture, which was very fast for its time. Lomography initially produced only brass versions, expanded the range in 2016 with a black variant, and introduced a 58mm focal length in 2018.
Cinematographers use the Petzval 85 for portraits with strong visual impact, as the circular bokeh literally separates faces from the background. The vignetting enhances the tunnel effect, compelling the viewer's eye to the center of the image. On the Netflix series "The Crown," cinematographer Adriano Goldman used the lens for intimate portrait sequences of Queen Elizabeth. Manual focusing requires precise pull focus, as the depth of field is extremely narrow at wide apertures.
While modern 85mm lenses like the Canon 85mm f/1.4L IS or Zeiss Planar 85mm f/1.4 strive for technical perfection, the Petzval deliberately produces optical aberrations. Its swirly bokeh is fundamentally different from the creamy bokeh of modern designs. As an alternative, Lensbaby offers the Twist 60 with a similar swirl effect at a shorter focal length. The Russian Helios 44-2 58mm f/2 produces comparable circular bokeh at a significantly lower cost of under 100 Euros, but does not achieve the image quality of the Petzval 85.
Ich setze das Petzval 85 gezielt für Porträts ein, wo ich das Gesicht dramatisch vom Hintergrund isolieren will - der Swirl-Effekt funktioniert bei f/2.2 am stärksten und wird bei f/4 bereits deutlich schwächer. Das manuelle Fokussieren erfordert einen erfahrenen Focus Puller, da der Schärfebereich extrem dünn ist und jede Bewegung des Darstellers sofort sichtbar wird.
Ich verwende das Petzval 85, um Charaktere in emotionalen Momenten visuell zu isolieren und ihre psychische Verfassung durch die tunnelhafte Wirkung zu verstärken. Die kreisförmige Unschärfe erzeugt eine traumhafte, fast hypnotische Atmosphäre, die perfekt für Rückblenden oder subjektive Wahrnehmungen funktioniert.
Das Petzval 85 kostet 599 Dollar und erfordert keine zusätzlichen Filterkosten, da die Effekte optisch entstehen - deutlich günstiger als Postproduktions-Lösungen für ähnliche Looks. Der manuelle Fokus verlängert allerdings die Drehzeit für Porträtsequenzen um etwa 20%, was bei engen Zeitplänen eingeplant werden muss.
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