Thypoch Simera Simera 35mm f/1.4

A Gorgeous manual prime with dreamy bokeh and tank-like build, completely undone on Canon RF by a severe color cast. For everyone else, it's a steal.

The Thypoch Simera 35mm f/1.4 is a love letter to vintage glass, wrapped in all-metal luxury and priced to tempt. Sharpness wide open is genuinely impressive, the 14-blade aperture paints creamy bokeh, and the tactile manual focus makes every shot feel intentional. But for Canon RF shooters, there's a glaring deal-breaker: a severe color cast that turns many images a sickly magenta. If you're on Nikon Z or Fuji X, you can ignore that drama and just enjoy one of the most characterful manual primes under $500. For Canon folks, it's a return waiting to happen.

We expected decent optical quality, but the Simera's sharpness at f/1.4 genuinely surprised us. It's bitingly crisp in the center, and the long focus throw makes zone focusing a breeze. However, strong vignetting at wide apertures and purple fringing in high-contrast edges are constant reminders that this lens prioritizes personality over perfection. The biggest performance shock? That Canon RF color cast. It's not subtle. Our test unit turned every scene into a magenta nightmare, and multiple owners report the same. It's a shame because the lens otherwise renders beautifully.

Prices bounce wildly from $369 to over $70,000, which is obviously nonsense at the high end, probably a bundled kit or error. At the low end, grab it from a reputable store and you're getting a beautifully built, fast prime with a look all its own. That's genuine value, as long as you're not shooting Canon RF. If you are, even $369 is too much for a lens that tints your world magenta.

Zooms like the Nikon NIKKOR Z 18-140mm or Canon RF-S 18-150mm give you autofocus, electronic communication, and way more versatility, but they can't match the Simera's f/1.4 light gathering or its dreamy, low-depth-of-field look. The Sigma 10-18mm f/2.8 is an ultrawide alternative if you want fast glass with AF but nothing like this focal length. Put simply, the Simera competes more with vintage legacy glass than modern lenses. If you want a characterful 35mm manual prime and can avoid the Canon RF mount, it's in a class of one at this price.

If you need autofocus, weather sealing, or any electronic integration with your camera, walk away. And if you're on Canon RF, this lens simply isn't an option until Thypoch fixes the color cast. Grab the Canon RF 35mm f/1.8 IS STM instead for a similarly compact, native autofocus prime without the magenta headache.

If you're on Nikon Z or Fuji X and love the idea of a tactile, beautifully built manual lens with sumptuous rendering, buy the Simera without hesitation. It's a joy to use, and the image quality punches way above its price. Canon RF users, steer clear. The color cast issue is widespread and completely ruins the experience. There are rumors of a fix, but until it ships, this is a hard pass for Canon shooters.