Budget Japanese optics manufacturer Yasuhara has announced the Anthy 35mm f1.8, a compact manual lens for full-frame mirrorless camera systems.

The Anthy 35mm f/1.8 lens is constructed of nine elements in seven groups and features a nine-blade aperture diaphragm with an f/1.8 to f/16 range. The front filter thread is 52mm, it has a minimum focusing distance of 40cm (15.75in) and the lens weighs 409g (14.3oz).

Yasuhara explains their philosophy as a return to the origin of the photography, with old-fashioned manual focus inside the modern design lens.

“ANTHY aims to take good practical photos. We will not follow meaningless specs. For example, the brightness of the lens, but the open F value of ANTHY35 is F1.8. If the focal length is 35mm with a full-size sensor, the depth of field is shallow enough to create a work that makes use of the blur. If you make a lens brighter than that, the lens will become enlarged and heavy. The first depth of field becomes too shallow, making it difficult to focus. Manual focus shooting is not possible. Children long for supercars, but when you become an adult and actually use a car, you will find that practicality is important. ANTHY aims to be a high-class utility vehicle (and affordable price), not a supercar.” says (translated from Japanese) Yasuhara on their website.

The lens is set for a fall 2019 release and will be available in Canon RF, Nikon Z and Sony E mounts. No pricing information has been given at this time. The company is also planning to produce a 50mm and 85mm lenses in the future.

More info on Yasuhara’s website.