Ultra-Thin SG-image Pancake Lens Gets the Ultraman Treatment

The famous Japanese science fiction franchise Ultra Series, also known as Ultraman, is celebrating its 60th anniversary this year. The relatively new lens company, SG-image, is getting in on the party with an Ultraman-themed limited edition version of its 18mm f/6.3 pancake lens for APS-C mirrorless cameras.

The Ultraman franchise launched with the television series “Ultra Q” in 1966 and has since expanded into numerous spin-offs, comic books, movies, and more. Ultraman has proven to be an extremely influential media franchise, helping to create the Kyodai Hero television subgenre, in which superheroes grow to huge size to fight giant monsters. Ultraman is among the highest-grossing media franchises of all time, thanks in large part to merchandise sales.

Although Ultraman is not historically a huge deal in the United States, Marvel Comics partnered with Tsuburaya Productions to publish Ultraman comic books starting in 2020.

Ultraman’s 60th anniversary is a major event in Japan. Starting on July 10, 2025, Tsuburaya Productions kicked off what it calls a “two and a half year” 60th anniversary celebration for Ultraman. As part of the anniversary project, the company is making many Ultraman-themed items, hosting special shows, launching new games and shows, and more. Apparently, even photographic lenses are part of the festivities.

While functionally identical to the standard SG-image MF 18mm f/6.3 pancake lens, the Ultraman version features Ultraman’s Japanese wordmark, Ultraman’s 60th anniversary logo, and a logo of Ultraman flying. An ultra-thin lens deserves an Ultraman, after all. The SG-image MF 18mm f/6.3 Ultraman Limited Edition lens will also include commemorative packaging.

The pancake lens is manual focus only, weighs just under 80 grams (2.8 ounces), and is 14 millimeters (0.55 inches) thick. The wide-angle lens offers a 27mm equivalent focal length on APS-C Sony E, Fujifilm X, and Nikon Z cameras. On Canon cameras, it is more like a 29mm prime. The lens is also available for Micro Four Thirds, Canon EOS-M, and L-Mount.

Despite its super-thin build, the lens has six elements inside, arranged into four groups. The pancake prime has a pair of high-refractive lenses. It focuses as close as 0.2 meters (about 7.9 inches).

The SG-image 18mm f/6.3 60th Anniversary Ultraman Limited-Edition lens will release on March 19 for JPY16,800, per DC.Watch, which is about $107.


Image credits: SG-image. Photos from CP+ 2026 by Jaron Schneider and Sarah Teng.