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.

“Some OEM lens makers sell exactly the same item in the same configuration to more than one camera manufacturer.”...

There is no doubt that Carl Zeiss is one of the magical names in the world of optics and so the introduction of the Zeiss ZE lenses for analog and digital cameras is big news.

Editor’s Note: Our intent in bringing you this interview is to give you a look inside the technical development of new products and laud the achievements of engineers, scientists, and designers who contribute to advances in photography and imaging. We look forward to publishing a series of these interviews from many different aspects of the photographic world in the future.

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Although zoom lenses are certainly versatile and convenient, they do have some drawbacks, including relatively small maximum apertures.

Nikon’s COOLPIX Cameras
Nikon has introduced eight new models to their COOLPIX line of digital cameras. The S220 (10 megapixels) is a slim body camera with a 2.5” LCD screen, 3x optical zoom, Smart Portrait System, and four-way VR Image Stabilization. The S230 (10 megapixels) features a 3” high-resolution LCD screen, 3x optical zoom, and one-touch focus...

With the growing popularity of D-SLR cameras with sensors of various sizes, most of the manufacturers are working to expand their line of lenses. As expected, many of the latest products are “digital only”: designed for the majority of D-SLRs with the APS-C or Four Thirds size sensor. But (as specified in the text), some are multi-platform products suitable for all 35mm and digital...