Lenses
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Tamron AF18-270mm F/3.5-6.3 Di II VC PZD; Sometimes One Size Does Fit All
Lenses
Joe Farace • Jun 01, 2011 • 20 comments
Tamron has always been a pioneer in the do-everything zoom lens category and their new AF18-270mm F/3.5-6.3 Di II VC PZD lens is no exception. Don’t be intimidated by those initials—it’s all good stuff—and I’ll get to them shortly. The 18-270mm F/3.5-6.3 is part of Tamron’s Di II family of lenses that are engineered specifically for digital SLRs with image sensors measuring 24x16mm, typically referred to as APS-C. The sensor size of the Canon EOS 50D I tested the lens with measures 22.3x14.9mm so I guess that’s close enough. The 15x zoom range of the lens provides a 35mm focal length equivalency of 28.8-432mm with the Canon EOS 50D’s 1.6x multiplication factor, but that will be slightly different for the Nikon and Sony versions that are also available. Shooting full frame? Check out Tamron’s Di lens series for 35mm film cameras or digital SLRs featuring larger (24x36mm) sensors.
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Tamron’s SP AF70-300mm F/4-5.6 Di VC USD; Ultrasonic Silent Drive—Quiet, Fast Autofocusing
Lenses
Jack Neubart • Mar 01, 2011 • 2 comments

For the first time, Tamron has incorporated an Ultrasonic Silent Drive, or USD, with full-time manual override in this zoom lens, making it a competitive technology with Nikon’s Silent Wave Motor, Canon’s Ultrasonic Motor (USM), and Sony’s Super Sonic wave Motor.
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Lenses; Optical Trends And Options
Lenses, Show Reports
Roger W. Hicks ... • Jan 01, 2011 • 0 comments

One of the great things about photokina is that you find a lot of “straws in the wind”: not necessarily major introductions from major manufacturers, but intriguing indicators of which way the wind is blowing.
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Covering The Photo Beat; A Control Freak, An ND Filter, And A Utility Strap
Accessories, Lenses
C.A. Boylan • Oct 01, 2010 • 0 comments

Sigma 17-50mm f/2.8 EX DC OS HSM Lens
Sigma introduced their new 17-50mm f/2.8 EX DC OS HSM lens. This large aperture, standard zoom lens was created for APS-C digital cameras and features Sigma’s Optical Stabilization functionality, which allows you to shoot handheld at shutter speeds nearly four steps slower than would otherwise be possible. It also features their...
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Covering The Photo Beat; FlashBenders, PhotoBooks, And A Fisheye Lens
Accessories, Lenses
C.A. Boylan • Sep 01, 2010 • 0 comments

Nikon’s S-Series COOLPIX
There are three new S-series COOLPIX cameras from Nikon. The S8000 features a 10x optical zoom ED glass lens, a four-way Vibration Reduction (VR) Image Stabilization System, ISO settings to 3200, and a 3” LCD screen. It can record HD movies with stereo sound and has a Sport Continuous mode. Colors for the S8000 include black, red...
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Carl Zeiss’ Distagon T* 18mm f/3.5 And Distagon T* 21mm f/2.8 Lenses; Open Wide, Wider Still…That’s It!
Lenses
Joe Farace • Aug 01, 2010 • 0 comments

When it comes to lenses, the name Carl Zeiss is synonymous with optical perfection or as they say around the Hallmark store, “when you care enough to shoot the very best.” Zeiss continues to expand its line of interchangeable lenses for Canon, Nikon, and Pentax cameras to include two new wide-angle lenses, the Distagon T* 18mm f/3.5 and Distagon T* 21mm f/2.8.

The...
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Tamron’s 17-50mm F/2.8 Lens; A Constant Aperture, Image Stabilized Zoom
Lenses
Jack Neubart • Aug 01, 2010 • 0 comments

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...
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Covering ThePhoto Beat; A Rechargeable Battery, Camera Brace, And Lenses
Accessories, Lenses
C.A. Boylan • Aug 01, 2010 • 0 comments

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...
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Nikon’s AF-S Nikkor 16-35mm f/4G ED VR Zoom; Ultra-Wide For FX, Moderate Wide For DX Nikon D-SLRs
Lenses
George Schaub • Aug 01, 2010 • 0 comments

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...
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Nikon’s AF-S Nikkor 70-200mm f/2.8G ED VR II Lens; A Fast, Constant Aperture Zoom With Vibration Reduction
Lenses
Stan Trzoniec • Aug 01, 2010 • 1 comments

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...
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Fisheye Facts & Fantasies; Get The Most From Fisheye Lenses
Lenses
Jack Neubart • Aug 01, 2010 • 0 comments

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...
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PMA Show Report; Interchangeable Lenses; Fast And Small, And Macros, Too
Lenses, Show Reports
Jack Neubart • Jun 01, 2010 • 0 comments

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...
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Something Old, Something New; Are “Older” 35mm Film Camera Lenses Suitable For D-SLR Cameras?
Lenses
Robert E. Mayer • Mar 01, 2010 • 0 comments

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.
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The Ultra-Fast Advantage; Case In Point: Leica’s Summilux-M 21mm f/1.4 & 24mm f/1.4 Lenses
Lenses
Roger W. Hicks ... • Dec 01, 2009 • 0 comments

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.
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Tamron’s SP AF60mm F/2 Di II; A 1:1 “True” Macro For APS-C D-SLRs
Lenses
George Schaub • Dec 01, 2009 • 0 comments

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.
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