Panasonic Meike 35mm f0.95 Large Aperture Manual Focus APS-C Review
The Meike 35mm f/0.95 offers an incredibly bright aperture for under $200, creating beautiful bokeh for portraits, but it's a fully manual lens that's soft wide open.
The 30-Second Version
A super-bright f/0.95 manual lens for Micro Four Thirds that's a blast for portraits and low light, but requires you to focus yourself. Image quality is soft wide open, but the bokeh is gorgeous. Worth it as a creative, budget-friendly specialty lens.
Overview
The Meike 35mm f/0.95 is a manual focus prime lens for Micro Four Thirds cameras that's all about one thing: letting in a ridiculous amount of light. With an f/0.95 aperture, it sits in the 99th percentile for brightness, which means you can shoot in near-darkness or get that super shallow depth of field look without breaking the bank.
It's a fully manual lens, so you'll be setting focus and aperture yourself. That's part of the charm for some, and a deal-breaker for others. Our database scores it highest for portraits and close-up work, but it's not a lens you'd want as your only travel option.
Performance
The headline is that f/0.95 aperture. It creates incredibly shallow depth of field and beautiful, soft bokeh that lands in the 93rd percentile. Sharpness is decent, scoring in the 66th percentile for optics, but it's soft wide open—you'll want to stop down to around f/2.8 for critical sharpness. The close-focusing ability is a nice surprise, putting it in the 89th percentile for macro-like shots. The lowlights? No autofocus or stabilization, and its versatility score is pretty low at 39th percentile. It's a specialist, not a generalist.
Pros & Cons
Pros
- Strong aperture (99th percentile) 99th
- Strong bokeh (94th percentile) 94th
- Strong macro (90th percentile) 90th
- Strong optical (68th percentile) 68th
Cons
The Word on the Street
Specifications
Full Specifications
Optics
| Focal Length Min | 35 |
| Focal Length Max | 35 |
| Elements | 10 |
| Groups | 7 |
Aperture
| Max Aperture | f/0.95 |
Build
| Mount | Micro Four Thirds |
| Weight | 0.4 kg / 1.0 lbs |
Focus
| Min Focus Distance | 52 |
Value & Pricing
At around $189, the value proposition is straightforward. You're paying for that f/0.95 aperture and the unique look it provides. You won't find another lens this bright for anywhere near this price for MFT. The build quality feels like it should cost more. Just know you're trading autofocus, stabilization, and some optical perfection for that unique capability.
Price History
vs Competition
Stacked up, the obvious rival is the Viltrox 35mm f/1.7, which has autofocus and is likely sharper wide open, but you lose over a stop of light. If you need versatility, the Tamron 17-70mm f/2.8 zoom covers way more ground and has stabilization, but its aperture is much slower. Against Meike's own 55mm f/1.4 AF, you're choosing between the 55mm's autofocus convenience and the 35mm's brighter aperture and wider field of view. It's a classic trade-off: unique optical character vs. modern convenience.
| Spec | Panasonic Meike 35mm f0.95 Large Aperture Manual Focus APS-C | Meike Meike 55mm F1.4 Standard Aperture APS-C Frame AF | Viltrox Air VILTROX 35mm F1.7 f/1.7 Air AF Lens for Fuji X | Fujifilm VILTROX 56mm F1.4 STM APS-C Frame Auto Focus | Sirui Sniper Sirui Sniper 56mm f/1.2 Autofocus Lens (Sony E, | Yongnuo YONGNUO Upgraded YN50MM F1.8S DA DSM II Lens, for |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Focal Length | 35mm | 55mm | 35mm | - | 56mm | 50mm |
| Max Aperture | f/0.95 | f/1.4 | f/1.7 | f/1.4 | f/1.2 | f/1.8 |
| Mount | Micro Four Thirds | Nikon Z | Fujifilm X | Fujifilm X | Sony E | Sony A, Sony E |
| Stabilization | false | true | true | true | true | true |
| Weather Sealed | false | false | false | true | false | false |
| Weight (g) | 439 | 281 | 400 | 320 | 422 | 198 |
| AF Type | - | STM | STM | STM | Autofocus | STM |
| Compare | Compare | Compare | Compare | Compare |
| Product | Af | Bokeh | Build | Macro | Optical | Aperture | Versatility | Social Proof | Stabilization |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Panasonic Meike 35mm f0.95 Large Aperture Manual Focus APS-C | 46.4 | 93.7 | 58.5 | 89.6 | 67.5 | 98.9 | 37.5 | 59.1 | 37.9 |
| Meike 55mm F1.4 Standard Aperture APS-C Frame AF STM Compare | 95.6 | 81.8 | 81.1 | 89.1 | 67.5 | 88.1 | 37.5 | 89.9 | 87.8 |
| Viltrox Air 35mm F1.7 f/1.7 AF Compare | 95.6 | 73.6 | 63.4 | 93.2 | 74 | 80.5 | 37.5 | 95.1 | 87.8 |
| Fujifilm VILTROX 56mm F1.4 STM APS-C Frame Auto Focus Standard Prime Compare | 95.6 | 81.8 | 88.8 | 85.3 | 34.6 | 88.1 | 37.5 | 86.7 | 87.8 |
| Sirui Sniper 56mm f/1.2 Autofocus Compare | 46.4 | 96.7 | 73.8 | 53.4 | 79.8 | 95.9 | 37.5 | 98 | 87.8 |
| Yongnuo Upgraded YN50MM F1.8S DA DSM II Compare | 95.6 | 68.8 | 90.1 | 90.6 | 34.6 | 75.8 | 37.5 | 86.7 | 87.8 |
Common Questions
Q: Is this lens sharp at f/0.95?
It's soft at f/0.95, as expected for a lens this bright at this price. For sharper results, plan to stop down to at least f/2 or f/2.8.
Q: Will it autofocus with my Panasonic or Olympus camera?
No, it's a fully manual lens. You need to enable 'Shutter Without Lens' in your camera menu and focus by hand.
Q: Is the f/0.95 aperture useful for video?
Yes, for achieving a cinematic shallow depth of field in video, but the lack of autofocus and stabilization means you'll need a follow focus system and a gimbal or stable surface for best results.
Who Should Skip This
Skip this if you need autofocus for fast-moving subjects like kids or pets, or if you want a do-everything travel lens. Its low versatility score and manual-only operation make it a poor choice as your primary walk-around lens. Also, if pixel-peeping sharpness at wide apertures is your top priority, look at more expensive options.
Verdict
Buy this if you shoot portraits, creative projects, or in low light on a budget and you don't mind manual focus. It's for the photographer who wants to play with extreme depth of field and is willing to slow down to nail focus. For $189, it's a fun tool that can teach you a lot about light and composition.