Lens Reviews

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Jon Sienkiewicz  |  Nov 05, 2020  | 

Few things are as exciting as using a brand new lens for the first time. To photographers, a new lens is like an empty canvas to an artist, or a fresh storyline to a novelist. Fortunately, despite the unsettled tenor of the world situation, 2020 has witnessed an outstanding and diverse collection of exceptional lenses.

Shutterbug once again worked with EISA, the world’s largest independent collection of magazines and websites focusing on consumer electronics, to select the ten best lenses of 2020. Here are our choices. As a voting member of EISA, Shutterbug helped choose these outstanding lenses, which we feel are the best you can buy right now.

Our choices for the ten best lenses you can buy in 2020 run the gamut from super wideangle to super telephoto, and one thing is certain: not one of them will disappoint you. So, take a look at our choices for the ten best lenses of 2020 below (with links to where you can purchase them) and find something amazing to start shooting with today.

Jason Schneider  |  Nov 03, 2020  | 

At first glance, the Sigma 45mm f/2.8 DG DN seems to be a run-of-the-mill, reasonably fast normal lens designed to cover the full frame format. In fact, its 45mm focal length is closer to normal than the classic 50mm, as determined by the diagonal of 24 x 36mm frame, which measures 43.26mm.

Jon Sienkiewicz  |  Oct 29, 2020  | 

Just introduced, the compact Tamron 70-300mm f/4.5-6.3 Di III RXD zoom for Sony full-frame mirrorless cameras has an affordable ($549) price tag. It’s eighth in the series of Tamron lenses made specifically for Sony E-Mount cameras, and it’s the world's smallest and lightest telezoom in its class.

Stan Trzoniec  |  Oct 22, 2020  | 

The Nikon AF-S Nikkor 180-400mm f/4E TC1.4 FL ED VR, by its name alone, sounds like something special. And for those who love wildlife or sports photography, this lens may, indeed, be something special.

Jon Sienkiewicz  |  Aug 07, 2020  | 

We love lenses, especially lenses we can buy at a loveable price. Here are five lenses that are high quality and inexpensive.

Jon Sienkiewicz  |  Jul 24, 2020  | 

Tamron recently released a fast, super-compact 28-200mm f/2.8-5.6 zoom lens for Sony mirrorless full-frame E-mount cameras. Unique among all-in-one type zooms because the maximum aperture is f/2.8 (at the wideangle 28mm setting) the lens has other attractive features that we evaluate in this review.

Jon Sienkiewicz  |  Jul 10, 2020  | 

Tamron recently released a fast, compact 70-180mm f/2.8 zoom lens for Sony mirrorless full-frame E-mount cameras. It’s billed as the most compact and lightest f/2.8 telephoto zoom lens in its class. We had a chance to test this lens on a Sony Alpha a7RII camera. Here is what we found.

Jon Sienkiewicz  |  Jun 11, 2020  | 

Portraits, close-ups and numerous other creative compositions—the Lensbaby Velvet 85 does it all. Here’s a thorough review and several examples shot with this exciting lens.

Jon Sienkiewicz  |  Jun 04, 2020  | 

Making a lens sharp and acceptably free of aberrations is hard. Very hard. Making a lens that can be both tack-sharp and intentionally soft, pleasantly unsharp and able to exploit the native beauty of certain optical aberrations is even harder. Then there’s Lensbaby.

Shutterbug Staff  |  Apr 25, 2020  | 

The Tamron 20mm f/2.8, 24mm f/2.8 and 35mm f/2.8 prime lenses have a lot in common. All three are fast, compact and designed for full-frame Sony mirrorless cameras. And all focus as close as just a few inches.

Shutterbug Staff  |  Apr 22, 2020  | 

Have you heard about Sigma’s lineup of fast, affordable f/1.4 prime lenses for Canon M, Sony E and Micro Four Thirds cameras? The set includes the 16mm f/1.4, 30mm f/1.4 and 56mm f/1.4. Here’s a specifications review that features images by world renowned photographer and Sigma Ambassador Jim Koepnick.

Jason Schneider  |  Mar 30, 2020  | 

We pick a selection of class glass for photographers focused on capturing fabulous faces.

Jason Schneider  |  Feb 20, 2020  | 

I’m a film dinosaur—about 40% of the pictures I shoot are made on black-and white film, and my favorite analog cameras range in age from 50-100 years. For the remaining 60%, I shoot digitally, sometimes with a vintage lens attached to help capture a "retro" look.

Jon Sienkiewicz  |  Feb 06, 2020  | 

Laowa just released a 4mm f/2.8 circular fisheye lens in four mirrorless mounts and we’ve put one to the test. Here’s our hands-on review of this $199 fast prime.

Henry Anderson  |  Dec 17, 2019  | 

With more and more photographers considering switching from DSLRs to mirrorless cameras, one of the biggest factors in the decision-making process is lens choice. Are the new lenses designed for mirrorless cameras better than their DSLR-centric counterparts?

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