Lens Reviews

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Jon Sienkiewicz  |  Nov 19, 2025  |  First Published: Nov 20, 2025

Tamron just announced the 25-200mm f/2.8-5.6 Di III VXD G2 zoom lens for Sony E-mount full-frame and ASP-C sensor mirrorless cameras. Their latest lens is an amazingly portable (4.8 inches long) All-in-One zoom that features a fast starting aperture of f/2.8, provides 25mm true-wideangle coverage, and focuses as close as 6.3 inches (from sensor plane) for dramatic half-life-size macro shots.

Jon Sienkiewicz  |  Nov 14, 2025  |  First Published: Nov 15, 2025

It snowed yesterday where I live, so it's time for a sleighride song. This ditty is sung to the tune of Jingle Bells and is called "Wannabe's Lament." It's a cheerful tune about the photographer I could have been, if only I'd had the right equipment. Sigh!

Jon Sienkiewicz  |  Nov 01, 2025

Laowa just introduced a 180mm f/4.5 telephoto macro lens for full-frame cameras that delivers 1.5X image magnification at its closest focus setting. Shutterbug had a chance to exercise an early sample for a few weeks. Here is our review.

Jon Sienkiewicz  |  Aug 14, 2025

Mitakon, the lens brand from Zhongyi Optics (ZY Optics), opens a window into the fascinating world of "ultra macro." The image of an object is recorded on the camera's sensor up to 5X its actual size. Intriguing? Read on…

Jon Sienkiewicz  |  Jun 27, 2025

Laowa Lenses (AKA Venus Optics) has released the Laowa 12mm f/2.8 Lite Zero-D FF, a newly-redesigned iteration of their popular ultra-wideangle. We tested the autofocus model on a Nikon Zf and the results were WOW! And somehow, in this confusing economy, the price is lower than its predecessor.

Jon Sienkiewicz  |  Apr 11, 2025

Wanna go really wide with an affordable full-frame optic? Check out this Cookie from Laowa. Cookie? No, I think I'll call it "Jewel." Laowa has created a full-frame 15mm (110° coverage) manual focus lens that opens a myriad of creative doors for Nikon Z, Canon RF, Sony E, L-Mount and Leica M users.

Jon Sienkiewicz  |  Jan 10, 2025

Fellow photographers, we were blessed with a bumper crop of cool new stuff in 2024. I'm including lenses and software in this roundup, but not cameras. Here are 13 of the absolutely best products I had a chance to play with last year. I snuck in a mildly controversial number 14 at the end because I couldn't resist.

Jon Sienkiewicz  |  Nov 08, 2024

Tamron just announced the availability of a 90mm f/2.8 Macro lens for Sony E and Nikon Z full-frame and APS-C cameras. Shutterbug had the opportunity to shoot extensively with this new lens for a few weeks prior to its release. Here's our evaluation of the Tamron 90mm F/2.8 Di III Macro VXD (Model F072) and a gallery of sample images.

Jon Sienkiewicz  |  Aug 30, 2024

Tamron just released the 28-300mm f/4-7.1 super all-in-one zoom lens for Sony full-frame mirrorless cameras, and Shutterbug was allowed to field test one of the earliest samples. Expected to reach Authorized Dealers’ cabinets by the time you read this, the lens weighs just 21.5 ounces (610g) and focuses as close as 7.5 inches.

Jon Sienkiewicz  |  Jul 19, 2024

The Tamron 18-300mm zoom has already made its bones in the Sony E (APS-C) mount. But how about the Fujifilm X version? Is it truly "Everything in one?" Here we test it on a Fujifilm X-T5.

Jon Sienkiewicz  |  Jul 12, 2024

Turn mundane everyday subjects into intriguing creative images by distorting surrounding objects in an imaginative way with a Lensbaby Sweet 22. Here's our hands-on review and several images.

Jon Sienkiewicz  |  Jun 07, 2024

Tamron just announced a 50-300mm f/4.5-6.3 zoom for Sony E mount full-frame cameras, and Shutterbug had a chance to evaluate a sample for a few weeks before the new lens was unveiled. That's not a typo—she's a 50-300, not a 70-300—and that, as it turns out, makes a huge difference. Here is our hands-on review.

Jon Sienkiewicz  |  May 17, 2024

A 100mm f/2.8 full-frame lens that produces bokeh that looks like soap bubbles? Sign us up! But does the bokeh really look like suds?

Jon Sienkiewicz  |  May 10, 2024

Cameras come and go, but Lensbaby lenses are timeless. They add dynamic energy to ordinary photos and empower creatives to express unique visualizations. I can think of more than 101 reasons to use a Lensbaby, but I'll share just five big ones.

Jon Sienkiewicz  |  Apr 12, 2024

High-quality 10mm ultra-wideangle f/2.0 lens for way less than 200 bucks? Are you serious? We took a hard look at TTArtisan's $159 all-metal 10mm f/2 ASPH manual-manual lens for APS-C format cameras. Here's what we think.

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