Lens News

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You Can’t Use Old Lenses On Digital Cameras! Or Can You? An Extensive Test With The Leica M8 Just Might Change Your Thinking
Lens News, Lens Reviews
Roger W. Hicks  |  Aug 01, 2007  |  0 comments

"My" Leica M8--a loaner from Leica for review--came with a 50mm f/2 bar-coded Summicron. The 18x27mm sensor turns this into a 67mm lens in 35mm terms: rather long for someone whose standard lens on 35mm has for decades been a 35mm. So as soon as I got the M8, I started using other, older lenses. There is, after all, an enormous choice, from 12mm (18mm...

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Medium Format Lensbabies; Blur & Distortion Go Big!
Lens News, Lens Reviews
Joe Farace  |  Aug 01, 2007  |  0 comments

At PMA 2007 Lensbabies introduced the medium format version of its third-generation selective focus lens for Mamiya 645 and Pentax 67 cameras. That's right kiddies, it's a new lens that's engineered for use with medium format film (remember that stuff?) cameras.

The optic in the Medium Format Lensbaby 3G produces the same effects as the optic in...

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New Gear For 2007: PMA Report; New Lenses For Digital And 35mm SLRs
Lens News
Peter K. Burian  |  Jun 01, 2007  |  First Published: Jul 01, 2007  |  0 comments

Although most of the new products shown at PMA 2007 were digital, at least some of the new lenses are just as useful for anyone still shooting with a 35mm SLR system. While some of the new zooms were designed exclusively for use with D-SLRs with the APS-size sensor, the multi-platform lenses work perfectly with both analog and digital cameras. That's because they project...

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Sigma’s APO 50-150mm f/2.8 EX DC HSM; A Portrait Photographer’s Zoom
Lens News, Lens Reviews
Steve Bedell  |  Jun 01, 2007  |  1 comments

Technical Specifications

 

Lens Construction: 18 Elements in 14 Groups
Angle of View: 27.9 ° - 9.5 °
Number of Diaphragm Blades: 9 Blades
Minimum Aperture: F22
Minimum Focusing Distance: 100cm / 39.4 inches
Maximum Magnification:...

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Sigma’s APO 50-150mm f/2.8 EX DC HSM; A Portrait Photographer’s Zoom
Lens News, Lens Reviews
Steve Bedell  |  Jun 01, 2007  |  0 comments

I 've been shooting most of my portrait work with a 28-75mm zoom, but always felt I could use something longer. And I'm about at the point where fixed focal length lenses just won't do; once you get used to the flexibility of a zoom, you're spoiled. I also like a fast lens with a relatively wide maximum aperture, as I like to get way out-of-focus...

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Zeiss “Nikon-Fit” ZF Lenses; Manual Focus For “F” Mount Cameras
Lens News, Lens Reviews
Roger W. Hicks  |  May 01, 2007  |  0 comments

Quality, according to the old saying, doesn't cost: it pays. These new manual-focus, Nikon-fit "ZF" lenses are a perfect illustration of that saying. Sure, they are built by Hirofumi Kobayashi in Japan, but they are built to Zeiss standards from Zeiss designs, and they feel like the Zeiss lenses of yesteryear: smooth, solid, beautifully finished, with a lot of...

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photokina Special Coverage; New Lenses For 35mm And Digital SLR Cameras: The D-SLR Lens Ship Comes In
Lens News
Peter K. Burian  |  Jan 01, 2007  |  0 comments

With the incredible popularity of D-SLR cameras, all manufacturers are working aggressively to expand their line of suitable lenses and we found many new models at the photokina show. As expected, most of the new products are "digital only"--designed exclusively for digital cameras with APS or Four Thirds size sensor--some are multi-platform lenses. The...

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A Trio Of Tamron Zooms; SP AF17-50mm F/2.8 XR Di II LD Aspherical [IF], AF28-200mm F/3.8-5.6 XR Di Aspherical [IF] Macro, And AF70-300mm F/4-5.6 Di LD Macro 1:2
Lens News, Lens Reviews
Peter K. Burian  |  Dec 01, 2006  |  0 comments

Because of the increasing popularity of digital SLR cameras, Tamron has been upgrading their line of lenses to the "Digitally integrated" (Di) standard, employing methods discussed in our Technology sidebar. Some of the new products (Di II series) were designed exclusively for digital cameras with the typical APS-size sensor, while others (Di) are multi-platform...

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Sigma’s APO MACRO 150mm f/2.8 EX DG HSM; It’s A Macro Lens—Wait—It’s A Portrait Lens!
Lens News, Lens Reviews
Steve Bedell  |  Dec 01, 2006  |  0 comments

While searching for a new portrait lens I saw Sigma's APO MACRO 150mm f/2.8 on their website. But wait, you say, this is a macro lens, not a portrait lens! Here's my thinking: Any portrait photographer out there worth his light meter will gladly extol the virtues of a long, fast lens for portraiture. The reasons are simple--limited angle of view to get rid of...

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Sigma’s APO 70-200mm f/2.8 EX DG Macro HSM; Pro-Caliber Zoom With Close-Focusing Ability
Lens News, Lens Reviews
Peter K. Burian  |  Nov 01, 2006  |  0 comments

One of the favorite lenses among news photographers, a 70-200mm f/2.8 or 80-200mm f/2.8 zoom also appeals to many serious photo enthusiasts. Although large and heavy, lenses of this type offer several benefits. Their very wide maximum aperture allows for faster shutter speeds than the more typical f/4.5-5.6 zooms, great for low-light or action photography at lower ISOs (film or...

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A Classic Goes Digital; The Leica M Mount
Lens News, Lens Reviews
Jason Schneider  |  Sep 01, 2006  |  0 comments

In the first noteworthy change to the Leica M mount since its introduction back in 1954, all Leica M lenses delivered to dealers starting on July 1, 2006, will have a 6-bit digital black and white code applied to the bayonet ring. The physical dimensions and mechanical specs of the venerable M mount will remain exactly the same, so both coded and non-coded lenses can be used on...

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Zeiss Ikon Lenses; ZM Mount For New Zeiss Ikon Rangefinder 35mm Camera
Lens News, Lens Reviews
Roger W. Hicks & Frances E. Schultz  |  Aug 01, 2006  |  0 comments

As we said in the review of the new Zeiss Ikon (ZI) 35mm rangefinder (April 2006 issue of Shutterbug or online at www.shutterbug.com), we received six of the seven Zeiss ZM-mount lenses announced at photokina 2004: 15mm f/2.8, 21mm f/2.8, 25mm f/2.8, 28mm f/2.8, 35mm f/2, and 50mm f/2. The 85mm f/2 (listing at $2759, plus $127 for the lens shade) still wasn't available as we...

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Tamron’s SP AF180mm F/3.5 Di LD (IF) 1:1 Macro; A Macro Tele Lens For 35mm, APS-C, And Digital SLRs With Full-Frame Sensors
Lens News, Lens Reviews
Jason Schneider  |  Aug 01, 2006  |  0 comments

This fairly large (6.5" long, 3.3" in diameter), reasonably lightweight (32.5 oz, including removable tripod collar) macro tele covers the 24x36mm format in film or digital as well as the smaller APS-C digital format. The Di (Digitally Integrated) designation indicates that it's "optically designed for digital SLR cameras." To translate the remainder...

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Olympus’ Zuiko Digital 35mm f/3.5 Macro And Macro Flash; Versatility For Close-Up Shots
Lens News, Lens Reviews
Jack Neubart  |  Aug 01, 2006  |  0 comments

When I first heard about a 35mm focal length macro lens my mouth began to water. The $229 price tag was an immediate inducement, as were the compactness and lightweight of this glass. What threw me, though, was the focal length. Because this was in the new Four Thirds System for an Olympus digital SLR (the EVOLT E-300 was used for this test), focal length doubled to 70mm. A 70mm...

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Longer Focal Length Macros; Get Up Close From Far Away
Lens News, Lens Reviews, Pro Techniques
Stan Trzoniec  |  Aug 01, 2006  |  0 comments

My first macro lens was the popular Nikon 60mm Micro-Nikkor. Good move, I thought, as the 60mm focal length could double as an all-purpose lens for a variety of assignments. Trouble is, when I started to get into more and more 1:1 (life-size) work, I only had 21/2" of working space between the front of the lens and my subject. The 105mm was next, sharp as a tack but again...

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