Brightin Star AF 9mm F5.6 Review

The Sony Brightin Star 9mm F5.6 is a weird, heavy, and surprisingly fun lens. It's a one-trick pony, but that trick is capturing a massive 132-degree field of view with almost zero distortion. Forget everything else you know about lenses for a second. This thing is a chunky, 3.7-pound beast that you buy for one reason: to fit the entire world into a single shot.

What surprised me is how well it handles close-ups. With a 20cm minimum focus distance, you can get right up on a subject and still have the entire background in frame. It's a bizarre and cool effect. The stabilization is also excellent, landing in the 89th percentile, which is crucial because that slow f/5.6 aperture means you'll need it in anything but bright daylight.

At $400, it's a tough sell unless you're a specialist. You're paying for that ultra-wide angle and the stabilization. If you don't need both, you can find better value.

This lens doesn't have direct competitors because of its extreme focal length. But for your money, consider what you're giving up. A Viltrox 35mm f/1.7 is a fraction of the weight, much faster for low light, and costs less. A Meike 55mm F1.8 Pro has far better build quality and autofocus. This Brightin Star only wins if you absolutely need that distortion-free 9mm view and can handle the bulk.

I can only recommend this to a very specific photographer: someone who shoots static, wide scenes like real estate or landscapes and needs the absolute widest rectilinear view possible. For everyone else—street shooters, travelers, casual users—the size, weight, and slow aperture make it a chore to use. It's a fascinating tool, but not a practical one.