Review: Thypoch Eureka 50mm f/2 collapsible lens

Thypoch, a newcomer in the lens-making business, has gained attention recently for its retro-inspired releases.

One of its latest offerings is the Thypoch Eureka 50mm f/2 collapsible lens. It's clearly inspired by vintage lenses like Leica's collapsible Summicron from the 1950s. 

It features a unique, collapsible barrel for its human-eye perspective, making it a portable companion for portraits, landscapes, and documentary subjects. Available in aluminum and a limited edition brass versions, it comes with a matching lens hood and UV filter.

As mentioned in my Thypoch Simera 28mm lens review, the name 'Thypoch,' comes from "Thy" (you) and "epoch" (era), emphasising a focus on personal creativity.

'Eureka' is derived from the ancient Greek word for "I have found it," reflecting the joy of discovery in photography. I can confidently say that the Thypoch lenses I’ve shot with do live up to the name.

The tech

The Thypoch Eureka 50mm f/2 features a collapsible design, making it quite compact and portable, perfect for photographers who value a streamlined setup. The lens structure comprises six elements in four groups, and the aperture adjustment is smooth. There's a lovely feeling when stopping down the lens.

Weighing just 220g and with a maximum aperture of f/2, the Eureka is quite fast too. As with the Simera series, the Eureka is a fully manual focus lens, meaning it doesn’t relay aperture or focal length data to your camera. A minor annoyance perhaps, but not a big one. 

With today's modern mirrorless cameras, lenses like these work best with focus peaking and magnification to help nail focus. 

Build quality

The build quality of the Thypoch Eureka 50mm f/2 is impressive. The lens feels solid and well-constructed, reminiscent of higher-end Leica lenses. The collapsible design is well-executed, making the lens compact in its folded down state. This design not only protects the glass, it also takes up less space when stored in your bag. 

In addition, the Eureka comes with a matching lens hood and UV filter. For this review, Thypoch sent me the alloy version.

The focus ring operates smoothly, providing just the right amount of resistance, and the overall construction feels sturdy and refined. There’s enough space between the aperture and lens focus dial that you won’t find yourself accidentally knocking one or the other.

One thing to note with the aperture ring is that it’s de-clicked. This is a handy feature for video, but may not suit all photographers who prefer the defined feel of a clicked aperture. 

In use

Shooting with the Thypoch Eureka 50mm f/2 on a modern mirrorless camera feels great. The lens handles well, providing a satisfying tactile experience.

Focusing the Eureka is straightforward. On my Nikon Zf I used the magnification function to punch in the focus for precise focusing. Focus peaking is another option, but I found I didn't need to use it as often due to the ease of focusing the Eureka with the magnification feature.

When used on my Leica M4 (35mm film camera), it was just a matter of using the usual rangefinder patch focus which worked flawlessly. The lens tab also worked well for quick fine adjustment on the fly.

Image quality

The Thypoch Eureka 50mm f/2 gives a unique image quality that feels quite different to more modern, and dare I say, clinical lenses. Colour rendition is very natural and the bokeh/separation at f2 is pleasing.

This isn’t a tack-sharp lens like other modern glass - rather it imparts a romantic, vintage charm that modern optics struggle to emulate.

For some photographers who are used to ultra-sharp modern lenses it may be a bit of a shock, but the results can be quite unique with a lens like this. 

When stopped down things get sharper as you would expect from a newer lens, but the magic happens wide open with flare, chromatic aberration and corner softness giving this lens it’s old-world charm. 

I found myself shooting monochrome primarily.  The lens has a beautiful contrast making even the most banal scenes pop with life and warmth. 

Wrap-up

The Thypoch Eureka 50mm f/2 collapsible lens is a delightful asset for photographers who appreciate a blend of vintage aesthetics and modern performance.

At an RRP $999 AUD for the alloy version and $1,499 AUD for the brass, Thypoch offers a unique shooting experience without the hefty price tag of a Leica branded equivalent. 

For those who enjoy manual focus and the tactile nature of photography, the Eureka is a great choice. It’s a lens that encourages you to slow down, focus on composition, and enjoy the art of photography. And, with the collapsible design, there's a really nice tip of the hat to the origins of photography. 

The Eureka makes me want to pick up my camera and make photos and that to me is priceless - I recommend it highly.

The results

Handling ★ ★ ★ ★

Excellent. The Eureka is a joy to use, it makes photography fun. The only thing that may be a drawback for some people is the de-clicked aperture.

Features ★ ★ ★ ★

Less is more. No frills lens with plenty of charm to make photography fun.

Focusing ★ ★ ★ ★

Great. Smooth and simple operation makes it quick and easy for manual focus. 

Image Quality ★ ★ ★ ★

Excellent. Not the sharpest lens out but also not intended to be so. It’s unique, it gives images full of character and soul.

Value For Money ★ ★ ★ ★

For those looking for an alternative to Leica's pricey lenses, the Eureka 50mm f2 offers a competitive option that doesn't greatly compromise performance. 

More images