Thypoch Simera 50mm f/1.4 Review: Crisp and Clean

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Having previously used both the Thypoch Simera 28mm f/1.4 and Simera 75mm f/1.4, I was expecting great things from the 50mm f/1.4. I’ve come to find that the Thypoch Simera series is characterized by clean, crisp optics and affordable prices. At $749, the Simera 50mm f/1.4 for M-mount is certainly far more attainable than the equivalent Leica lenses, but can it still deliver high-quality optical performance?

A person with gray hair and a green jacket photographs a forest waterfall using a camera on a tripod, standing by a metal railing surrounded by lush greenery.

Thypoch Simera 50mm f/1.4 Review: How It Feels

The 50mm Simera lens is made to the same standard as the other Thypoch lenses that I have tested. This is a good thing, because the machining is tight and all the rings and barrels turn with precision. The manual focusing ring is smooth, and the aperture ring has the option to de-click the action. I love the depth of field scale that Thypoch uses, and I found the overall operation of the lens to be simple and smooth. Unfortunately, though, there is no 6-bit coding to transmit EXIF data to the camera.

A black camera lens with aperture and focus distance markings in white and orange, displayed upright against a vibrant red background.

A close-up of a camera lens placed upright on a black lens cap with "Thypoch" written on it, set against a solid bright red background.

At the front of the lens, you will find a 49mm filter thread mount and a metal hood comes with the Simera lenses. However, the hood was a little loose-fitting on the bayonet mount, even if the machining work looks nice. This is a consistent issue we’ve noticed across the Simera series, and it remains one of the few complaints we have with them. We would like to see Thypoch adjust this so that the hoods click firmly into place and stay there.

The lens weighs about 9.8 ounces (280 grams) and balances nicely on most M-mount bodies. The size of the lens is a little on the bulky side, though, and it is noticeable in the viewfinder. The Simera 50mm features aspherical elements and incredibly round 14-bladed apertures. I also appreciate that the lens can focus closer than 0.7 meters, but it has a click-stop built into the focusing ring to remind you that the rangefinder is not going to match at close range.

A camera lens with visible glass elements and white text markings is positioned upright on a red background, with its lens cap labeled "Thypoch" placed in front.

A black camera lens with a lens hood sits upright on a solid red background, showing aperture markings and manual adjustment rings.

A camera lens with a cover labeled "Thypoch" is placed on its side against a bright red background.

Thypoch Simera 50mm f/1.4 Review: How It Shoots

The Thypoch Epoch lens coatings seem to do a great job at preventing any flare issues from degrading the image. I didn’t notice much loss of contrast when shooting towards the sun, and ghosting is almost non-existent, too. I was worried that such a fast lens might have issues with chromatic aberrations, but I didn’t notice any color fringing, and any longitudinal aberrations were incredibly minor.

Two side-by-side photos of a leafy tree with bright sunlight above, labeled f/1.4 (left) and f/11 (right), showing differences in exposure and detail due to the camera aperture settings.

A woman walks briskly past a metal wall with dramatic diagonal shadows and a sign in Japanese. She is in profile, holding a phone, with light and shadow creating a striking contrast on the scene.

Outdoor seating area with empty, colorful metal chairs and rectangular tables on a paved surface, arranged in no particular order under bright sunlight.

A stone pathway winds through a vibrant garden filled with blooming red, pink, and yellow flowers, surrounded by lush green trees on a sunny day.

Bokeh on this lens is particularly clean, if not somewhat surgical-looking. There are no onion rings to report, and the specular highlights have a pleasant cat’s eye effect at wider apertures. When the aperture is closed down, highlights stay very circular in shape, and this tends to give the bokeh a very smooth and subtle look. This is the lens for you if you want soft bokeh that doesn’t draw any attention to itself. This is an easy lens to love when it comes to shallow depth of field and smooth transitions.

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A man with a cane walks on a city sidewalk in Osaka, Japan. The foreground shows a decorated manhole cover labeled "Osaka City." The photo is in black and white.

Black and white image showing a walkway framed by metal bars in the foreground. In the distance, two people sit on the ground near a fence, surrounded by urban structures and trees.

A silhouette of a person riding a bicycle in front of a white wall with a barred window and a metal railing, photographed in black and white.

At f/1.4, the Simera 50mm is sharp with good detail, but the contrast is a little flat overall. Stopping the lens down quickly rectifies this, adding punchy contrast and razor-sharp results. This will tend to give images a bit of a glowing look at f/1.4 and then a clinical sharpness at any other aperture. However, corner sharpness tends to suffer regardless. At f/1.4, the corners are pretty blurry, and there is noticeable vignetting as well. A tighter aperture will help with exposure, but the corners never really fully resolve.

Side-by-side comparison of two test charts labeled f/1.4 (left) and f/2.8 (right), showing color bars, grayscale gradients, circular patterns, and partial images of a woman and currency.

Side-by-side comparison of image clarity at f/1.4 (left) and f/2.8 (right), showing a Canadian one dollar bill and a focus chart with letters, arrows, and symbols on a white background.

A smiling chef with a white headband uses tongs and a blowtorch to grill food over an open flame in a cozy, warmly lit kitchen. Various kitchen tools and ingredients surround him.

A person walks alone on a sunlit sidewalk next to a textured wall, casting a distinct shadow. The scene is in black and white, with sharp contrasts between light and dark areas.

A black-and-white photo of a man and a child standing on a sidewalk at a crosswalk near a building with Japanese writing, waiting for the traffic signal to change. Shadows and sunlight create contrast on the street.

A small waterfall cascades over rocks surrounded by lush green moss, trees, and blooming pink flowers in a vibrant forest setting.

Thypoch Simera 50mm f/1.4 Review: No Surprises

Thypoch Simera lenses are a pretty simple lenses to understand, and the 50mm is no exception. You get a usable f/1.4 aperture, clean bokeh, and excellent flare protection. I love the color and the predictable optical quality from this 50mm lens. For the money, you are going to get a lot of value for your $749, and your images will be contrasty and clean.

The 50mm seems to follow suit with the other Simera lenses in the line and might just be the best value for the dollar when it comes to an everyday-carry set of M-mount lenses.

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A foggy scene showing the end of a dock with metal hooks on its surface, leading out over water. In the background, faint outlines of pillars and a floating platform are barely visible in the mist.

Are There Alternatives?

I haven’t tested the TTArtisan M-mount lenses, but they do try to fill a similar price niche. The TTArtisan 50mm f/1.4 is an aspherical design as well, but it is heavier and with less optical refinement than the Thypoch lens. The latest Voigtlander 50mm f/1.5 Nokton II is super-compact and definitely sharp. It tends to have more character when it comes to bokeh and flare characteristics, and is a good choice if you don’t like the clean look of the Thypoch.

A black-and-white photo of a concrete riverbank curving along calm water. A single bird floats on the water, with reflections of structures visible on the water’s surface. The scene appears peaceful and quiet.

A person walks along a sunlit street holding an umbrella, casting a shadow on a white building with barred windows and a "30" speed limit sign. The scene is in black and white.

A person rides a bicycle along a city street under large elevated concrete structures, with tall buildings in the background. The image is in black and white.

A person walks alone on a paved path holding an umbrella, surrounded by trees and bushes. The image is in black and white, creating a calm and quiet atmosphere.

Two people ride bicycles across a crosswalk in an urban area. One cyclist wears light clothing and a hat; the other wears dark clothing. Japanese signs and buildings are visible in the background. The image is in black and white.

Should You Buy It?

Yes. The Thypoch Simera lenses are sharp, clean, and contrasty. If you are tired of the many character-rich, trendy lenses on the market, the Thypoch is perfect for you.

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