Lens News

Given a choice between a fast 85mm f/1.4 prime lens and a fast-and-versatile 70-200mm f/2.8 zoom, which lens would you choose to shoot outdoor portraits? While the answer may seem obvious, experienced portrait photographer Manny Ortiz decided to find out by taking both lenses along to shoot his pretty wife Diana against a backdrop of the Chicago skyline.

Capturing “the decisive moment” is more than just clicking the shutter at the right time and it’s more than luck, too. It’s an artful combination of experience, talent, and preparation. Being prepared for the unexpected is just as important to photojournalists and documentary photographers as it is to a Scout and that includes selecting and using gear that can be deployed at that right time, even if preparing for a single shot or two takes several hours. Some of these tools may be obvious while others not so much.

It was portrait shooter’s paradise with two new Sony lenses this week. The 100mm STF is a veritable bokeh machine, while the FE 85mm f/1.8 is a budget-friendly, professional quality portrait lens. Sony invited a small group of editors to a private studio and assured us that we were the first journalists in the world to shoot with this new glass.

We’re currently at the WPPI show in Las Vegas where the brand new Tamron SP 70-200mm f/2.8 Di VC USD G2 lens is making its debut. Because, unlike in years past, WPPI is scheduled prior to the big CP+ Imaging Show in Japan, breaking product news has been light so far.

Tamron has provided a new option for photographers looking for a fast telephoto zoom lens, with the introduction of the SP 70-200mm f/2.8 Di VC USD G2 lens. This is a second-generation model, and is said to dramatically improve upon its predecessor with significantly faster autofocus, improved image stabilization, and enhanced optical quality.

As with most new lenses, a Canon 70-300mm f/4-5.6 IS II made it’s way back to the repair department for an initial tear-down. I know there’s some randomness as to what we tear down, but we have some reasons for doing these. Sometimes, like with this new Canon, it’s simply because we know LensRentals is going to stock a lot of them and we need to take a look inside to see what is likely to break and what parts we may want to order. And other times, like with this new Canon, it’s because there’s some new technology inside we want to take a look at.

Ten years ago we ran an article extolling the virtues of soft focus lenses and explaining how to make a pretty sophisticated one yourself. And now, in the DIY video below, you’ll learn a less expensive method for making a basic version.