DZOFilm Thypoch Simera-C 70-135mm f/2.9

The Thypoch Simera-C bundle gives you a 70-135mm f/2.9 zoom plus five T1.5 primes for $4,819 USD. The primes are the real value here, but the zoom's optical quality ranks in the 17th percentile and build quality is near the bottom. No stabilization, no weather sealing, and it's heavy. Only worth it if you need a matching cinema kit on a budget.

The aperture situation is the most interesting spec here. You've got a constant f/2.9 max aperture on the zoom, which sounds great until you realize the aperture percentile ranking is 22nd. That puts it near the bottom of the pack for light gathering compared to other lenses in our database. For a cinema lens, that's a real limitation. You'll need more light or higher ISO to get clean footage indoors or at dusk. The T1.5 primes in the bundle are a different story entirely, but the zoom itself is the weak link in low light.

Optical performance is another sore spot. The 17th percentile ranking means this lens lags behind most of what we've tested. We don't have specific MTF numbers or resolution charts in the data, but that percentile tells us the sharpness, contrast, and aberration control are not competitive with modern zooms from Tamron or Sigma. The 16-blade diaphragm helps with bokeh smoothness, but bokeh quality only hits the 50th percentile. So you're getting average background blur with below-average sharpness. That's a tough combo for a lens marketed to portrait and cinema shooters.

The competitors listed in our database are mostly consumer zooms, which makes this comparison a bit awkward. The Tamron 28-300mm f/4-7.1 and Sigma 16-300mm f/3.5-6.7 are superzooms aimed at travel and everyday photography. They're lighter, cheaper, and have better optical scores in our testing. But they're not cinema lenses. They don't have constant apertures, and they don't have the same focus throw or build characteristics that video shooters need.

The Sony E 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 OSS is another consumer option with stabilization, which the Thypoch lacks entirely. The Viltrox 13mm f/1.4 is a prime, so it's not a direct comparison, but it shows what you can get for a fraction of the price. The real trade-off here is cinema features versus optical quality. The Thypoch gives you constant aperture, a 16-blade diaphragm, and a full-frame L-Mount, but it sacrifices sharpness and build quality to hit that price point. If you're shooting narrative work and need consistent exposure across zooms, the Thypoch makes sense. If you're shooting stills or run-and-gun video, the consumer zooms will serve you better.

At $4,819 USD for the full bundle, you're getting six lenses and an adapter. That's roughly $800 per lens if you split it evenly, which sounds reasonable on paper. But the individual scores don't support that math. The zoom's optical performance is in the 17th percentile, and the build quality is at 9th percentile. You're paying cinema lens prices for what our data says is below-average optical performance.

The Canadian price of $6,920 CAD is just the currency conversion of the same bundle, so there's no regional deal to be found. Compare this to something like the Tamron 28-300mm or Sigma 16-300mm, which are consumer zooms with better optical scores and much lower prices. The value proposition here hinges entirely on the T1.5 primes in the bundle. If those are genuinely good, the kit might make sense for a specific type of shooter. But the zoom itself is not carrying its weight.

The Thypoch Simera-C TP-SCCZ-ML is a strange beast. It's listed as a 70-135mm zoom, but it's actually part of a bigger bundle that includes five Simera-C primes and a Catta zoom. The naming here is a bit of a mess, and the specs sheet reads like someone copy-pasted from three different product pages. What we're really looking at is a cinema-focused kit aimed at full-frame shooters who want a consistent look across a range of focal lengths without selling a kidney for ARRI glass.

At 1,597g for the zoom alone, this isn't a casual walkaround lens. It's built for rigs, follow focuses, and tripods. The constant f/2.9 max aperture across the 70-135mm range is genuinely useful for video work, where you don't want exposure shifting as you zoom. And the 16-blade diaphragm is a nice touch for smooth, rounded bokeh, though our bokeh score lands right at the 50th percentile, so it's fine but not magical.

The real story here is the bundle. You get the Catta 70-135mm L-Mount zoom plus five Simera-C T1.5 primes in M-Mount with an adapter to L-Mount. That's a lot of glass for the $4,819 USD asking price. But the individual scores tell a mixed story. Portrait use sits at 30/100, budget at 29.5/100, and video/cinema at 28.7/100. Landscape is the weakest at 16.2/100. None of these numbers scream "buy me," so we need to dig into why.

Landscape photographers should skip this entirely. The 16.2/100 landscape score is one of the worst we've seen for this category. The optical quality, lack of stabilization, and heavy weight make it a poor choice for hiking or travel. You'd be better off with a lightweight prime or a modern zoom with better sharpness across the frame.

Anyone who needs autofocus should also look elsewhere. The AF ranking is 54th percentile, which is middle of the pack, but this is a manual focus cinema lens. If you're shooting sports, wildlife, or anything that moves quickly, this kit will frustrate you. Look at the Tamron 28-300mm or Sigma 16-300mm for autofocus and stabilization at a lower price.

If you're a solo filmmaker or small crew shooting on L-Mount and you need a consistent cinema look across multiple focal lengths, this bundle is worth a look. The five T1.5 primes are the real draw here. A full set of fast primes with matching color and character is hard to find at this price. The Catta zoom is a bonus, but it's not the star of the show.

For portrait photographers, the 30/100 score is a red flag. The optical quality just isn't there. You'd be better off with a used 85mm f/1.4 or even a modern 70-200mm f/2.8 from any major brand. The bokeh is average, the sharpness is below average, and the weight makes handheld shooting a chore. This is a niche product for a specific type of video work, not a general-purpose lens.