Hey good people - super review Stewart - I have been a pro for 30 odd years (now 52) and I have never been comfortable with a complete system of lenses - until now- I went for broke and bought the 11, 45, and 150mm Cine versions - built like tanks - abso fantastic optics and covers everything I need to - my only wish is that they produce a 15, 35 and 100/105/135 - then I will have all I ever need - I stick 'em on my GFX50S - with a Laowa Magic Converter and they give me FULL FRAME - zero vignetting and are simply superb - if all that wasn't enough I now have full aperture control on the lens rather than fiddly settings and dials on the camera which is already far too complicated already. To put this into some perspective - so to speak - I owned a fuji approved pro lab and studio - the largest in the southwest of UK in the old film days where we had 10x8 Toyo's, Sinar 5x4's, Hass 503's Mamiya RB's and RZ's and a handful of Nikon F's for copying and the like - we did dip and dunk E6 up to 10X8, we had DeVere 5X4 enlargers, We were the only lab for miles to print Cibachromes (still the best print ever), and Elinchrom and Broncolor were our choice of studio lighting. I lectured for Fuji for a while extolling the virtues of NHG400/800 and NPS160 for wedding and portrait photography. So when I say this is the best system I have ever used I mean it. Better than the GX lenses? - Yes (mostly) - cheaper? - Yes. And here's the best bit - consistency. With all the nodal points perfectly set out with the little lens adapter thingy I can now enjoy my retirement selling my landscape pictures with little fuss or effort. 9 images per pano - each part shot with 3 exposures all fiddled with in LR HDR and Panoramic stitch. Photography has come along way since my days of cooking with chemicals and dodging and burning with little cardboard cutouts on bits of wire. - Lastly if Hass got off their asses and could have been bothered to fit their X1D's with focal plane shutters I would be using that - but I can't complain really - Stay safe. Stay strong.
Was curious about the compatibility with this lens and the Yongnuo twin macro flash using the step-down ring. Glad to hear there's no need to worry about vignetting. Thanks Stewart, nice review!
nice review Stewart, between the canon and the irix, I think I will stay with my canon, reason being the IS helps so much in low light and with macro this is an issue in the field, I think, no, I know I would miss the auto focus
Great review Stewart, what rings do you need if you want to attach the Yongnuo YN24EX. I am going to order this and try and also use the crafty bells diffuser as well.
Thanks for the review. I have to say that my lens (@IRIX 150 mm) drained my batteries a lot faster than yours. With two full charge batteries in the camera I only get 2 1/2 days with the camera off , not being used. If I’m taking pictures the batteries will depleted by more than a third in an hour.
I have this lens for about four months now. I got an email from @IRIX about this problem; they finally admit that, this issue exist. This email came more than two weeks ago, and still have no fix . I am afraid to use it , since the depletion is severe and I don’t want to damage my cameras or my batteries. Really is shameful because the @Irix150mm lens as far as optics goes is great but the Customer Support, not so much.😔
Stewart Wood The problem is that the place where I got it from will not take it back or exchange it after 30 days. @IRIX is supposed to be working on the repair of this issue with a firmware update. The problem is I don’t know how long it’s going to take them to get this resolved or if ever. 😡
Thanks for the review Stewart, it helped with my decision to buy this lens. On that topic, I tried to use the Irix with a set of extension tubes to get beyond 1:1. However i noticed that the sharpness/ image quality is terrible outside of the centre of the image, like actually mushy. Have you tried to use the Irix with extension tubes and have you had similar results? Edit: I sent the lens back and ordered another one from a different store. Same result, outside of the centre the image is terribly distorted with a set of extension tubes attached. If anyone is planning to buy this lens and use it with extension tubes, be aware of this.
Hi Stewart. I know you don't do jewelry product photography but you still might be able to help me out. I am currently trying to decide between this lens and the Loawa 100mm. The only draw to the Loawa is the 2:1 magnification. is 1:1 close enough for detail in small stones in rings and earrings?
Thank you for the review. I'm looking to buy my first macro lens. Think about getting this, theLaowa 100mm or Tamron 90mm. Which one would you suggest for a macro noob?
@@StewartWoodArt I have a d750 and a d5300. I'm actually torn between the laowa, the Tamron and the Irix 150. I'd like to have the 2x magnification of the laowa but don't like the fact that it's not weather sealed and has visible grease on the inside.
@@Wireless1580 If you need weather sealing and good build quality go for the Irix, if you want high-quality optics and 2x magnification go for the Laowa.
Cool review thx, note 2 things: The irix works very badly on sony a7 with mc11, a lot of crashes ... And to compare with my 180L the Canon is more sharp and with a better bokeh but less versatile
Us Pentaxians have been laughing about IBIS for many years. This lens will be perfect on my Pentax K-1.
Excellent review... Thank you...
Glad you liked it!
Hey good people - super review Stewart - I have been a pro for 30 odd years (now 52) and I have never been comfortable with a complete system of lenses - until now- I went for broke and bought the 11, 45, and 150mm Cine versions - built like tanks - abso fantastic optics and covers everything I need to - my only wish is that they produce a 15, 35 and 100/105/135 - then I will have all I ever need - I stick 'em on my GFX50S - with a Laowa Magic Converter and they give me FULL FRAME - zero vignetting and are simply superb - if all that wasn't enough I now have full aperture control on the lens rather than fiddly settings and dials on the camera which is already far too complicated already. To put this into some perspective - so to speak - I owned a fuji approved pro lab and studio - the largest in the southwest of UK in the old film days where we had 10x8 Toyo's, Sinar 5x4's, Hass 503's Mamiya RB's and RZ's and a handful of Nikon F's for copying and the like - we did dip and dunk E6 up to 10X8, we had DeVere 5X4 enlargers, We were the only lab for miles to print Cibachromes (still the best print ever), and Elinchrom and Broncolor were our choice of studio lighting. I lectured for Fuji for a while extolling the virtues of NHG400/800 and NPS160 for wedding and portrait photography. So when I say this is the best system I have ever used I mean it. Better than the GX lenses? - Yes (mostly) - cheaper? - Yes. And here's the best bit - consistency. With all the nodal points perfectly set out with the little lens adapter thingy I can now enjoy my retirement selling my landscape pictures with little fuss or effort. 9 images per pano - each part shot with 3 exposures all fiddled with in LR HDR and Panoramic stitch. Photography has come along way since my days of cooking with chemicals and dodging and burning with little cardboard cutouts on bits of wire. - Lastly if Hass got off their asses and could have been bothered to fit their X1D's with focal plane shutters I would be using that - but I can't complain really - Stay safe. Stay strong.
As a hobby photographer, I have absolutely no idea what you just said xD sounds like you know what you are talking about. Haha.
I think you'd love the sigma 150 f2.8 os macro, it's pin sharp, and happy to lend you mine for a review.
I'll take a look.
For how much? Double money? Am I right? 🤔
Was curious about the compatibility with this lens and the Yongnuo twin macro flash using the step-down ring. Glad to hear there's no need to worry about vignetting. Thanks Stewart, nice review!
Thank you Tom :)
@@StewartWoodArtThat is the flash you use? What model exactly?
That comes across to me as a pretty sound and helpful review. Thanks!
Good to know more about...Thnx.
Thanks!
Brilliant
Nice vid . 👍🏼
Good review! Thank you
nice review Stewart, between the canon and the irix, I think I will stay with my canon, reason being the IS helps so much in low light and with macro this is an issue in the field, I think, no, I know I would miss the auto focus
Funny that you mention about battery drain as I experience the very same thing with my Irix 15mm Blackstone ??
Brilliant :)
Thank you :)
the collar will work if you turn the camera 90 degrees when on the tripod,
Great review Stewart, what rings do you need if you want to attach the Yongnuo YN24EX. I am going to order this and try and also use the crafty bells diffuser as well.
Using an Arca-Swiss system with the lens plate parallel to the lens would eliminate the battery grip interference.
True, but I don't like that system.
Thanks for the review.
I have to say that my lens (@IRIX 150 mm) drained my batteries a lot faster than yours.
With two full charge batteries in the camera I only get 2 1/2 days with the camera off , not being used. If I’m taking pictures the batteries will depleted by more than a third in an hour.
Sounds like you got a worse one than me, how long have you had the lens?
I have this lens for about four months now.
I got an email from @IRIX about this problem; they finally admit that, this issue exist. This email came more than two weeks ago, and still have no fix .
I am afraid to use it , since the depletion is severe and I don’t want to damage my cameras or my batteries.
Really is shameful because the @Irix150mm lens as far as optics goes is great but the Customer Support, not so much.😔
I would send it back, sounds faulty.
Stewart Wood The problem is that the place where I got it from will not take it back or exchange it after 30 days. @IRIX is supposed to be working on the repair of this issue with a firmware update. The problem is I don’t know how long it’s going to take them to get this resolved or if ever. 😡
Thanks for the review Stewart, it helped with my decision to buy this lens. On that topic, I tried to use the Irix with a set of extension tubes to get beyond 1:1. However i noticed that the sharpness/ image quality is terrible outside of the centre of the image, like actually mushy. Have you tried to use the Irix with extension tubes and have you had similar results?
Edit: I sent the lens back and ordered another one from a different store. Same result, outside of the centre the image is terribly distorted with a set of extension tubes attached.
If anyone is planning to buy this lens and use it with extension tubes, be aware of this.
Oh man, that is not good to hear... Its very strange you got these problems. Need to think about this.. Thanks for your comment.
Nice video! I want to buy It, but i can't choose between this and the laowa 100mm, can you make a vs video?
What do you want me to review/test next?
1dxmk3 lol
Tethering, it was invented for focus stacking.
That would be fun, but not going to happen lmao
Not something I do but I could take a look
the canon MP- 65 please
Stewart, have you tried the Tokina 100 2.8?
Not yet.
@@skakdosmer I have Tokina's Nikon vesion and it's an excellent lens. Super sharp and image fidelity/micro-contrast is incredible.
Nice video again Stewart, bit off subject question....where on earth do you get your spiders ? lol
Thank you, I get them from www.spoodernest.com
Like always very educatif.
Jeese,im stumped on a decision for a macro lens,this one(Irix 150mm),the Sigma 150mm,or the Laowa 100mm 2:1 option..
I know the Irix is good but I've not used the other two so I can't compare.
Hi Stewart. I know you don't do jewelry product photography but you still might be able to help me out. I am currently trying to decide between this lens and the Loawa 100mm. The only draw to the Loawa is the 2:1 magnification. is 1:1 close enough for detail in small stones in rings and earrings?
I would go for the Laowa lens as you can still shoot at 1:1.
i will stick to my canon 7d mark 11 with canon L series f2.8 lens 100mm macro with image stabilisation.
why does it drain the camera battery?????????????????????????????
No idea :(
Great review. Sorry to see it go.
I may buy one lol
@@StewartWoodArt It would be a business expense...😂
I came here to look at the Irix 15 as purchase and ended up looking at the 150 for purchase....wired....
lol
Thank you for the review. I'm looking to buy my first macro lens. Think about getting this, theLaowa 100mm or Tamron 90mm. Which one would you suggest for a macro noob?
What camera do you have?
@@StewartWoodArt I have a d750 and a d5300. I'm actually torn between the laowa, the Tamron and the Irix 150. I'd like to have the 2x magnification of the laowa but don't like the fact that it's not weather sealed and has visible grease on the inside.
Out of the Tamron and Irix 150mm I would favor the Irix but I've never used the Tamron lens.
@@StewartWoodArt so you prefer the Irix over the laowa?
Surprised to know that it causes battery drain, is this true of all lenses if left on the camera?
No, just this one. mine is very little drain but others are much more.
Compatible with the 90d ?
Can i use extension tube?
Yes you can.
I am choosing between irix 150mm and laowa 100mm for my eos r and it is very hard to choose between the two...
@@Wireless1580 If you need weather sealing and good build quality go for the Irix, if you want high-quality optics and 2x magnification go for the Laowa.
Too bad you have to sent it back, it is obvious you like this lens...
I do :)
That lens is just Porn what a piece of glass
lmao
Cool review thx, note 2 things:
The irix works very badly on sony a7 with mc11, a lot of crashes ... And to compare with my 180L the Canon is more sharp and with a better bokeh but less versatile
I would love to get my hands on the 180mm from Canon :)
No, it´s not sharper than Canon. The Irix reach only 35lpm on a MFT chart at f 2.8 and the Canon almost 43lpm at the same aperture f 2.8