Thypoch Simera 28mm f/1.4

The Simera is a compact 28mm wide-angle prime for full-frame cameras, released in 2024 and still in production. Thypoch sells it in Sony E, Leica M, Nikon Z, Canon RF and Fujifilm X versions, so choose the one made for your system.

A 28mm view suits street, travel and interior photography, where the setting matters as much as the subject. The bright f/1.4 aperture carries that work into dim rooms and evening streets. The trade-off is pace: focusing is manual only, so the lens rewards slow, deliberate framing over quick grabs.

The Simera weighs 11.6 oz (330 g) and measures 2.17 in (55 mm) long with a 2.13 in (54 mm) body. It is small enough to carry unnoticed all day. The front takes 49mm screw-in filters, and any filter you attach must match that thread.

At 28mm, this lens frames a wide view while keeping people and architecture natural. Streets, room interiors and landscapes fit with room to spare, and you can step closer to make the subject larger when needed.

The f/1.4 maximum aperture is the defining strength. Indoors at dusk or in a dim restaurant, it keeps shutter speeds usable without raising ISO far. Wide open it also separates a subject from its background, though a 28mm view keeps more of the scene sharp than a longer lens would.

Close focus reaches 1.3 ft (40 cm). You can fill the frame with a dish, a plant or a doorway while keeping the setting visible. The Sony E version lists 0.1x maximum magnification, and figures for other mounts differ. Fourteen aperture blades keep the opening round when you stop down, smoothing the edges of out-of-focus highlights.

Focusing is manual only. At f/1.4 and close range the sharp zone narrows, so the ring needs a slow, careful turn. The wider view of a 28mm lens keeps that zone deeper than a long lens would, which helps. It earns an optics score of 75.

The feature list is short. There is no image stabilization, so steady handheld work in dim light rests on your shutter speed and grip. The f/1.4 aperture partly offsets that gap, because it lets you set a faster shutter in the same light.

There is no weather sealing, so keep the lens covered in rain, spray or blowing dust. The front glass also lacks a fluorine coating, so moisture and fingerprints take more effort to wipe away.

None of this prevents everyday use. It means the Simera relies on a cloth and care in poor conditions rather than built-in protection.

Inside are 11 elements in 7 groups, including one aspherical element. Aspherical surfaces help correct distortion and spherical aberration, which matters at 28mm when straight building lines fill the frame.

One low-dispersion element helps reduce chromatic aberration, the coloured fringes that can appear along high-contrast edges. Focusing is internal, so the barrel does not extend as you turn the ring.