Brightin Star launches a new standard prime that's anything but standard

Brightin Star has unveiled its latest MF 50mm F2.0 Tri-Sight lens, a standard prime lens that certainly breaks the mold. Unlike many others, it offers user-selectable rendering modes which transform the appearance of out-of-focus highlights. These modes include Smooth bokeh (soft highlights), Prime (sharper, more defined), and Foams (dreamy, bubble-like light flares).

The mode-switching mechanism is a dedicated control ring nestled between the focus and aperture rings. This ring manipulates a floating group of lens elements within the barrel, adjusting their distance from the focal plane to change the convergence of light rays - hence altering the bokeh style. This feature alone sets the MF 50mm F2.0 Tri-Sight apart, but Brightin Star adds a touch of novelty with four circular plate inserts featuring butterfly, star, triangle, or four-leaf clover aperture cut-outs.

These inserts replace the typical round bokeh, making the lens's out-of-focus highlights eye-catching. Unlike Lomography's similar feature, Brightin Star's method of fitting these inserts is unconventional: unscrew a locking ring at the lens mount, insert the plate, then re-attach the ring. The barrel itself is made of metal and includes a retractable hood.

Its weight and length vary depending on the mount option, with aperture blades totaling eleven for smooth video transitions. The lens features a 7-element optical stack spanning six groups and includes a detachable focus lever for precise adjustments - especially useful as it lacks autofocus. It's recommended to store the lens with the bokeh control set to Prime mode due to the front element's vulnerability when using the Foams mode.

Brightin Star's MF 50mm F2.0 Tri-Sight is now available for full-frame and APS-C Sony E, Canon RF, Nikon Z, and L-mount cameras, priced at $349.99/£263.99.