Thypoch enters autofocus lens market with Voyager 24-50mm f/2.8 for Sony E Mount

Chinese lens maker Thypoch has entered the autofocus lens market with the launch of the Voyager 24-50mm f/2.8 for Sony E-mount cameras, marking what the company says is the first full-frame autofocus zoom developed by a Chinese optical brand.

Announced on May 14, the new lens is designed for Sony mirrorless cameras and features a constant f/2.8 aperture alongside an internal zoom mechanism that keeps the lens at a fixed physical length throughout the zoom range.

Positioned as a compact alternative to carrying multiple prime lenses, the Voyager covers the popular 24mm, 35mm and 50mm focal lengths commonly used for documentary, street, event and portrait photography.

Thypoch says the lens was designed to deliver 'prime-like' image quality while remaining small enough to stay mounted on the camera all day.

The company has also placed a strong emphasis on video usability. The internal zoom design should keep the centre of gravity stable during focal length changes, which can simplify gimbal balancing and handheld shooting. The constant aperture also maintains consistent exposure while zooming.

The Voyager is Thypoch’s first autofocus lens, with the company saying it drew on experience from cinema zoom lens development in its design. The autofocus system supports Sony features including Eye AF, continuous AF tracking and AF/MF switching.

Optically, the lens uses a 16-element, 13-group design featuring aspherical, extra-low dispersion and high refractive index elements. A rounded 10-blade aperture is designed to produce smooth background blur and rounded out-of-focus highlights.

The lens also includes dust and moisture resistance, with sealing at the mount, focus ring, zoom ring and front element.

The Thypoch Voyager 24-50mm f/2.8 weighs 432g, uses a 67mm filter thread and has a minimum focus distance of 0.3m throughout the zoom range.

The lens is available in Sony E-mount with a launch price of USD $619 until May 31, before increasing to a standard retail price of USD $649. Local availability is expected from early June.

You can find out more at Thypoch's website.