Lens News

Sort By: Post DateTitle Publish Date
Roger Cicala  |  Feb 01, 2017  |  0 comments

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.

Ron Leach  |  Jan 30, 2017  |  0 comments

We typically turn to lens guru Mathieu Stern for tips on cheap, vintage lenses that can be adapted for use with today’s modern digital cameras. But in the helpful video below, Stern provides a simple solution for the often-vexing problem of mold and fungus that is often found inside older lenses.

Ron Leach  |  Jan 27, 2017  |  1 comments

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.

Dan Havlik  |  Jan 24, 2017  |  0 comments

The below gif is one of the cooler things we've seen on Reddit lately. It gives you a visual demonstration of how changing the focal length of your lens affects how a person's face appear in portraits. 

Jon Sienkiewicz  |  Jan 20, 2017  |  0 comments

Welcome back! Last week we covered lenses that are well suited for five of the most popular camera activities, including kids’ sports, travel and online auctions. If you missed that piece, you’ll find it here. This week—as promised—five more lenses for five more activities. These are sometimes thought of as being in the realm of more advanced hobbyists, but that ain’t necessarily so. Read on…

Ron Leach  |  Jan 18, 2017  |  0 comments

It’s late at night, but Fujifilm just unveiled two new X-Series cameras and a sweet, compact 50mm f/2.0 lens and we didn’t want to wait until morning to share the news. Included in the late-night introductions are the cutting edge X100F rangefinder-style mirrorless camera, an X-T20 interchangeable-lens camera targeted at enthusiasts, and the compact Fujinon XF 50mm f/2.0 R WR lens.

Jon Sienkiewicz  |  Jan 13, 2017  |  2 comments

People often ask me, “What sort of lens should I buy as my second lens?” and my answer is always the same: “What sort of pictures would you like to take?”  I’m getting that question a lot right now because a zillion people got new cameras over the holidays. There are so many options I’ve decided to deliver the answer in two installments. But first, let’s take a close look at that kit lens that came with your camera.

Ron Leach  |  Jan 12, 2017  |  0 comments

Optical technology has advanced dramatically since the early days of zoom lenses when the consensus among serious photographers was that prime lenses offered far greater sharpness, resolution, color rendition and contrast than zoom lenses. In the video below, Matt Granger discusses that “misconception” as it pertains today, as well as the notion that prime lenses encourage more compositional creativity by forcing you to “zoom with your feet.”

Jason Schneider  |  Jan 09, 2017  |  0 comments

Why would anyone in their right mind want to use old lenses on their shiny new high-performance DSLR or mirrorless camera? The simple answer is that some older lenses can capture images that have that elusive quality known as character. 

The Editors  |  Jan 05, 2017  |  0 comments

Now that 2016 is done and dusted, we’ve had a chance to look back at all the cameras and lenses we reviewed this past year and have chosen ten of our absolute favorites. 

Ron Leach  |  Dec 19, 2016  |  0 comments

Have you ever wished you could get precise autofocus when using vintage, manual-focus lenses on a modern digital camera? Well, now you can thanks to an innovative adapter from Techart that lets you use classic lenses on Sony E-Mount bodies. Our favorite Weird Lens Guru Mathieu Stern was even able to hack this adapter to deliver crisp AF with a 120-year-old camera. as you can see in the video below.

Joe Farace  |  Dec 16, 2016  |  0 comments

Sports photography shares much in common with capturing images of wildlife: You’ve got an active scene captured at a distance requiring specialized equipment and knowledge of the subject’s activities while anticipating what they are going to do next…or not. Sure, you’ll need fast, long focal length lenses but you will also need camera supports and other gear that along with specialized knowledge separates the virtuosos, like Regis Lefebure (regislefebure.com), from the wannabes. Here’s a look at some of our favorite tools of the sports trade.

Ron Leach  |  Dec 08, 2016  |  0 comments

LensRentals is a premier online source for photographers in the U.S. who want to rent photography, videography and lighting gear, including a wide array of accessories. They’ve shared their annual list of the most popular equipment they handle, so you can see how your arsenal stacks up. 

Ron Leach  |  Dec 05, 2016  |  0 comments

Inexpensive kit lenses typically only add a hundred bucks or so to the cost of a new camera, and they provide a means of getting you get started before you can afford to upgrade your glass. In the video below, you’ll learn a few tricks for achieving interesting effects with these bargain lenses, and have some fun in the process.

Ron Leach  |  Nov 21, 2016  |  0 comments

Petar Sabol Sharpeye is an award-winning Croatian photographer with a wide-ranging portfolio. One of his specialties is macro photography, and he’s created some unique images using a Meyer-Optik Goerlitz Trioplan 100mm f/2.8 “Soap Bubble” lens.

Pages

X