Petzval 55 mm f/1.7 MKII First Impressions with Khalil Kwok

Khalil Kwok has been shooting for 8 years. An Art major in his university, his portraits have an earnest and familiar mood to them. He tells us his experience shooting with the new Petzval 55 mm f/1.7 MKII.

Please tell us a bit about your photography background

Hello everyone, I am Khalil and I had been shooting for 8 years. I bought my first camera just because I think it is cool to shoot with an SLR haha. It gradually grows into affection and I spent more time on it. And I chose Art as my major in university. At first, I am more into street snaps. Robert Frank and Moriyama Daido's works influenced me a lot. Later I saw a lot more different themes and focused on portraits. I asked my friends to be my models and they often laughed at me. Lately, I am working on my final year project, which is about moods and blue. As I had been taking too many portraits I start to get a bit bored, I would like to try more different styles in the future.

Could you tell us about your approach or philosophy behind your style in taking these photos?

When we shoot, we have to fully understand the theme and meaning that we would like to convey. As photography is not just about visual pleasure, it would be empty without meanings.

Could you tell us your experience using the new Petzval 55 mm f/1.7 MKII lens?

The lightness is really remarkable. I had shot with Petzval 58 and 85 Art Lens before, which are SLR mount. And as a mirrorless camera user, I need adaptors so it would add up the weight for my gear. The new Petzval 55 mkII camera is really handy, it fits perfectly with my camera.

Any tips for a portraitist that is using the Petzval 55 mm f/1.7 MKII lens for the first time?

Swirly bokeh is one of the most significant features of the Petzval 55 mkII, therefore we have to be aware of the positioning of the subject. If you are not used to manual focusing, I would suggest shooting with a smaller aperture and lower level of bokeh control for better focusing.

The Petzval 55 mm f/1.7 MKII is created with discerning photographers and filmmakers in mind. This versatile 55mm art lens brings the unique look of Joseph Petzval’s original lens to full frame mirrorless cameras. This art lens is designed to allow full creative flexibility, with its 7 levels of Bokeh Control and Dual Aperture system. Its optics are optimized to retain the signature swirly bokeh without compromising image sharpness where it counts. It is an indispensable addition to your creative arsenal. Pre-order yours now in our online store.

written by phyllistc on 2019-05-23