In this article, I'm going to go over my experience using the Brightin Star 60mm f/2.8 2:1 macro lens. Brightin Star sent me this lens based on my collaboration terms. They had no say in the article or videos I've produced and have not previewed anything before publishing it.
The full video I produced about the lens:
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Build Quality
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| The lens in hand. |
The Brightin Star 60mm f/2.8 lens feels solid. It features an all-metal casing, including a metal mount, which gives it a weighty feel in hand. This is a completely manual lens, meaning the aperture and focus are both mechanical. You won't get any electronic data transferred to your camera, which is generally fine for macro lenses since you'll typically be using manual focus anyway. However, not having any EXIF for aperture settings saved in the camera is something to consider.
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| The metal mount with no electrical contacts. |
The aperture ring is smooth with no clicks, which is useful for video situations. But for photography, it might be difficult to set the same aperture consistently. The focus ring is large, smooth, and offers a lot of travel, which helps dial in precise focus, particularly for closer focus macro photography.
Specifications
Here are some key specifications for the lens:
- Aperture range: f/2.8 to f/22
- 10 aperture blades
- Focus range: Around 7 inches (18.2 cm) to infinity
- In reality, close focus is around 2 inches from the front of the lens because their measurement is from the sensor plane so you need to factor in the length of the lens itself.
- Optical design: 10 elements in 7 groups
- Weight: Approximately 660 grams
- Full-frame capable, but with limitations near infinity focus.
See most of my outdoor photos in this companion video that's a mix of GoPro footage and photos.
Vignetting and Full-Frame Limitations
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| The front mask and internal metal guide bar in the lens cause vignetting with a full-frame camera near infinity focus. |
While the lens is technically full-frame capable, it's worth noting that there is significant vignetting when focusing toward infinity. This happens due to the design of the lens, likely from the mask on the front glass and the guide bar visible inside the lens. I took this lens to a garden and shot some photos toward infinity, and I definitely noticed vignetting. However, in macro photography, which is the lens's primary purpose, it covers the full-frame sensor fine.
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| Here is one example of the lens near infinity focus on the Sony a7S. I cropped in post to show what it would have looked like in APS-C mode, which removed all of the extreme vignetting. |
If you're shooting landscapes or focusing toward infinity, you can use APS-C mode or cropping the images in post. In my experience, the APS-C crop eliminates most of the vignetting.
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| Another example I think worked fine and wouldn't need to be cropped. |
Macro Performance
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| These were leaves, but captured at extremely close up. |
This lens is focused on macro photography, with 2:1 magnification allowing you to get extremely close to your subject. The minimum focus distance is around 7 inches from the sensor plane, but due to the length of the lens, you'll actually have about 2 inches between the front of the lens and your subject at minimum focus. 2:1 magnification allows you to really capture fine details up close.
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| Another example of a tiny leaf. This wasn't at minimum focus. |
During my photo walk, I shot handheld without any additional light, which was challenging. Your body and muscles can only hold so still, so your best bet is using additional light and high shutter speeds. Not something I did on this photowalk and it showed in the results. Though, I was able to get a handful of decent images. Another drawback of my setup is that the a7S doesn't have IBIS which would help in many macro photography situations.
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| This was tiny, but you probably couldn't tell from the photo. |
Video Use and Focus Breathing
One of the most exciting aspects of this lens for me is its use in video work. I often shoot close-up detail shots of products like electronics. The goal is to show users materials at a level that will give them a better idea of what to expect with how it feels. Having 2:1 magnification built into the lens means I can get those ultra-close details without having to mess around with extension tubes, which I've had to do in the past. No complaints here with the lens. It's going to work well here.
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| My future use case of this lens as one for capturing fine details of products I'm reviewing. |
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| The connector point of a Sony NP-FW50 battery. A great use case if you are producing electronics related content and need fine details. |
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| The paw of a small stuffed animal. |
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| This simple audio cable looks amazing up close. |
The spots in the images are sensor dust. It has nothing to do with the lens.
The lens does have noticeable focus breathing, but since it's a macro lens and I don't adjust focus much during video recording, it's clearly not a dealbreaker. I've used the lens for streaming as a second camera angle and it works fine.
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| The a7S and Brightin Star 60mm were on the left. Obviously it was pre-focused. It's totally fine to use in this context. |
Final Thoughts
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| A window based self portrait with the lens and Sony a7S. |
The Brightin Star 60mm f/2.8 macro lens has a unique design with its internal focus. The optical performance is solid for macro photography, though you'll potentially see a lot of vignetting when focusing at a distance on full-frame sensors. For my personal use in detailed product videography, this lens will work well. The lack of an aperture click-stops is a benefit for video work, but could be a downside for photography.
If you're looking for a manual macro lens with built-in 2:1 magnification, this one is worth considering.