Pergear has introduced an improved fast 12mm f/2 wide-angle prime lens for APS-C mirrorless cameras. The new manual-focus lens is substantially lighter than its predecessor but still offers outstanding optical performance and exceptional value. The primary difference between the lens and its predecessor is its material and weight. The new Mark II version is made of aluminum alloy, which reduces weight by 70 grams and brings the overall weight down to 230 grams.

Because the Pergear 12mm f/2 Mark II lens is built for APS-C cameras, it is roughly comparable to an 18mm lens on most APS-C cameras and somewhat longer on some versions. Thanks to its fast f/2 aperture, the lens’s 97-degree angle of view makes it ideal for landscape, architecture, and even night sky photos.

The lens has a dozen elements divided into nine groups, including two extra-low dispersion and a pair of aspherical elements. The lens claims good aberration, distortion correction, and edge-to-edge sharpness.

The lens has a 10-bladed aperture diaphragm, and Pergear claims it produces pleasing bokeh. However, because the aperture ring can be clicked, it may not be suitable for videographers, at least those who want to change the aperture during active recording. The lens can focus as close as 0.18 meters.

The lens is 63 millimeters long and has a maximum diameter of 65 millimeters.

The Pergear 12mm f/2 II lens is available now for $169. It is compatible with Canon RF, Fujifilm X, Micro Four Thirds (it is comparable to 24mm due to the format’s two-times crop factor), Nikon Z, and Sony E.