Lens News

Sort By:  Post Date TitlePublish Date
Lens NewsLens Reviews
Buying Smart; Tele-Converters; TC? Or Not TC? That Is The Question
Jon Sienkiewicz  |  Aug 01, 2010  | 

Back in the day when prime lenses ruled supreme and snooty purists decried zooms for lack of absolute sharpness, Tele-Converters (TCs) were popular accessories. Photographers wanted to bring distant subjects closer, and TCs provided a means to that end. Also known as tele-extenders, these thick slabs of metal and glass increase the focal length of a given lens while also decreasing the f/stop.

Continue Reading »
Lens NewsLens Reviews
Tamron’s 17-50mm F/2.8 Lens; A Constant Aperture, Image Stabilized Zoom
Jack Neubart  |  Aug 01, 2010  | 

The new Tamron SP AF17-50mm F/2.8 XR Di II VC LD Aspherical (IF) joins a growing community of wide-zoom lenses. In contrast to an earlier version of this lens, which is available in several mounts, this APS-C Tamron optic (designated Model B005/$649 street price) is only available in Nikon DX (with built-in motor) and Canon mounts. Given that I mated this lens to a Nikon D300, that effectively...

Continue Reading »
Lens NewsPhoto Accessory News
Covering ThePhoto Beat; A Rechargeable Battery, Camera Brace, And Lenses
C.A. Boylan  |  Aug 01, 2010  | 

Nikon’s AF-S Nikkor 200-400mm f/4G ED VR II Lens
The AF-S Nikkor 200-400mm f/4G ED VR II lens is constructed from die-cast magnesium and sealed to resist dust and moisture. It features meniscus glass to protect the front element, VR II image stabilization, Extra-low Dispersion (ED) glass elements, Silent Wave Motor technology, and three Focusing modes. The suggested...

Continue Reading »
Lens NewsLens Reviews
Nikon’s AF-S Nikkor 16-35mm f/4G ED VR Zoom; Ultra-Wide For FX, Moderate Wide For DX Nikon D-SLRs
George Schaub  |  Aug 01, 2010  | 

When you talk about lenses these days you always have to bring in the multiplication factor, especially when you have a lens that fits comfortably on both so-called full-frame and APS-C sensor cameras. To know what angles of view you will have available you have to know: (a) that the lens is made for full-sized sensors (or not) so will work with the multiplication factor on smaller sized sensors...

Continue Reading »
Lens NewsLens Reviews
Nikon’s AF-S Nikkor 70-200mm f/2.8G ED VR II Lens; A Fast, Constant Aperture Zoom With Vibration Reduction
Stan Trzoniec  |  Aug 01, 2010  | 

Nikon’s entry into past universal 80-200mm f/2.8 lenses started back in 1978 with a manual focus, push-pull lens checking in at 4 lbs. Ten years later the autofocus model arrived sporting ED (Extra-low Dispersion) glass; ’92 marked the “D” package. In ’96 the AF-S version came along, followed by the new generation of front motor drive “G” models. Now we...

Continue Reading »
Lens NewsLens Reviews
Fisheye Facts & Fantasies; Get The Most From Fisheye Lenses
Jack Neubart  |  Aug 01, 2010  | 

Fisheye optics are an unusual beast. The bulbous nature of the front element is one characteristic trademark, but the unique view this lens affords us is what makes it truly appealing—and at the same time challenging to work with.

My fisheye lenses have literally widened my view of the world around me and given me a new perspective on my photography. Admittedly, some...

Continue Reading »
Lens NewsShow Reports
PMA Show Report; Interchangeable Lenses; Fast And Small, And Macros, Too
Jack Neubart  |  Jun 01, 2010  | 

This year we’ve seen many fine lenses come onto the scene, many with new optical elements designed to enhance performance while making the lens lighter and more affordable.

Nikon announced two new lenses aimed primarily at FX-format shooters (but usable with DX format). The AF-S Nikkor 24mm f/1.4G ED ($2199) is a fast lens well suited to low-light landscapes or expansive...

Continue Reading »
Compact Camera NewsDSLR NewsDSLR ReviewsLens NewsMirrorless Camera NewsNewsPrinter NewsShow ReportsVideo Camera News
PMA Show Report; 2010’s Latest Digital Cameras; Redefining The Digital Capture Experience
Joe Farace  |  Jun 01, 2010  | 

“Of all of our inventions for mass communication, pictures still speak the most universally understood language.”—Walt Disney

 

It’s a photokina year and you know what that means; all of the camera manufacturers will be holding off their newest SLRs for launch at the big show in Germany this fall. While Canon was not at PMA, they officially launched the EOS-1D Mark IV...

Continue Reading »
Lens NewsLens Reviews
Something Old, Something New; Are “Older” 35mm Film Camera Lenses Suitable For D-SLR Cameras?
Robert E. Mayer  |  Mar 01, 2010  | 

If, like many Shutterbug readers, you have a film SLR camera plus several interchangeable lenses, you might be wondering if you can use those lenses with your new D-SLR camera of the same, or even different, brand.

Continue Reading »
Lens NewsPhoto Accessory NewsTripod News
Covering The Photo Beat; Tripods, Monopods, And A Fisheye Lens
C.A. Boylan  |  Mar 01, 2010  | 

Pro-Optic’s Affordable Fisheye
Pro-Optic has announced the 8mm Pro-Optic Fish-Eye lens, featuring a breakthrough in optical design for the first affordable fisheye lens designed for D-SLRs that have APS-sized sensors. Most fisheye lenses are designed for cameras with 35mm-sized sensors and when placed on an APS sensor, the edges of the image are cut off. Not so...

Continue Reading »
Lens NewsLens Reviews
The Ultra-Fast Advantage; Case In Point: Leica’s Summilux-M 21mm f/1.4 & 24mm f/1.4 Lenses
Roger W. Hicks & Frances E. Schultz  |  Dec 01, 2009  | 

There are plenty of other good (but significantly slower) 21mm and 24/25mm lenses on the market, almost all cheaper, smaller, lighter, and exhibiting less distortion than the two under discussion here.

Continue Reading »
Lens NewsLens Reviews
Tamron’s SP AF60mm F/2 Di II; A 1:1 “True” Macro For APS-C D-SLRs
George Schaub  |  Dec 01, 2009  | 

Long considered the focal-length sweet spot for macro work, the 60mm focal length of the new Tamron 60mm f/2 lens ($569 MSRP) converts out to 96mm for Canon and 90mm for Nikon APS-C D-SLRs.

Continue Reading »
Lens NewsLens Reviews
Sigma’s 18-250mm f/3.5-6.3 DC OS HSM Lens; The Whole Nine Yards
George Schaub  |  Dec 01, 2009  | 

There is an underlying desire in every travel or street photographer to be able to carry one lens to cover all contingencies.

Continue Reading »
Lens NewsLens Reviews
Nikon’s AF-S DX Zoom-Nikkor 10-24mm f/3.5-4.5G ED Lens; Wide Angle When You Want It
George Schaub  |  Dec 01, 2009  | 

We have seen new options from independent and camera maker manufacturers alike, each bringing the fun and creative options of these unique angles of view to ever more affordable price ranges.

Continue Reading »
Lens NewsLens Reviews
Leica’s Noctilux-M 50mm f/0.95 ASPH & Summilux-M 24mm f/1.4 ASPH; Super Fast For Low Light And More
Joe Farace  |  Dec 01, 2009  | 

In my heart I know that few readers can afford these kinds of expensive lenses, but there are always those who can and for the rest of us, it’s something to dream about.

Continue Reading »

Pages

X