Introducing the Sniper Series
Do you love low-light shooting? As you’re probably well aware, I certainly do, whether it’s photography or video. So, for the last month I’ve had the opportunity to test Sirui’s newest f/1.2 autofocus lenses: The Sniper Series. And of course, I’ll be taking a look at the Z-Mount version of the lenses on my Nikon Z6 mirrorless camera. The Sniper lens series consists of 3 focal lengths: 23mm, 33mm and 56mm. Since the lenses are APS-C, they respectively translate to 35mm, 50mm and 85mm on a full frame camera.
For full transparency, Sirui did send me these lenses to test, but I’ll be giving you my honest, unbiased opinion as I do in every gear review. So, let’s hop right into my first impressions about the Sirui Sniper lenses.
First Impressions of the Z-Mount Sniper Lenses
The Sirui Sniper lenses are available in E-Mount, X-Mount and my favorite, Z-Mount. Additionally, you can get this lens set in black carbon fiber, white and silver. I have the black carbon fiber model, and think they look sleek.
With that out of the way, my first impressions overall are: they’re light-weight, sharp and the bokeh is smooth! While they’re light-weight, these lenses do feel solid. Each weights about 400g, and are identical in length, making it much easier for gimbal use for video. Sharpness is also critical, especially when shooting low-light. If your subject isn’t sharp, it will turn to dark mush.
The Snipers are sharpshooters, meaning your subject will be crisp and the everything around them will fall off into a smooth sea of bokeh. This is great for opening that aperture wide and isolating your subject.
Sharp Glass for Creators on a Budget
As I mentioned earlier, I’m quite happy with these lenses, especially for the price. Individually, they’re marked at $299 USD each, or $849 for the set of three on Sirui’s IndieGoGo Campaign. (Tell them Run N Gun sent you!) After the initial crowdfunding, it appears that they’ll be priced around $349 USD each or $999 for the trio… which is still extremely affordable for three f/1.2 autofocus lenses.
As I mentioned earlier, because these are APS-C lenses, the full frame equivalent is 35mm, 50mm and 85mm respectively. They offer a solid range for any vlogger, travel photographer or shot filmmaker. Additionally, the Sniper lens kit comes with a carrying case, but easily fits in a small backpack as well.
Sirui Sniper Z-Mount: Final Thoughts
Light-weight, sharp and creamy bokeh for the creator on a budget. That’s really what I want you to take away from this review. While we all love high-end glass, not all of us can afford fast F/1.2 primes. I appreciate Sirui for making these available with the hobbyist, beginner or part-time creator budget in mind. Now, I definitely think I need to revisit these lenses in the future to see how I’m liking them — how does that sound?
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