Roberts Raw!

› archive for ‘Lenses’

Olympus Rounds Out Pen Announcement With Two Long-Awaited Metal Lenses and a New Flash

Finishing off the Pen extravaganza Olympus seems to be throwing today are a pair of metal-clad “professional” primes for the Micro Four Thirds system that Olympus has been promising for some time, and a new flash unit.

 

The lenses are the M.Zuiko Digital 12mm f2 ED and the M.Zuiko Digital 45mm f1.8 ED. Both feature Oly’s MSC tech which’ll make them better for video focusing than the first generation M.Zuiko lenses were, and the elegant looking metal construction gives them a bit more of a serious air than the other lenses as well. With Micro Four-Thirds’ 2x crop, their effective field of views will be 24mm and 90mm respectively, making them good choices for street/landscape work and portraits. Also respectively.

The flash is the FL-300R. The R means this works with Olympus’ remote flash system, and can be controlled by many on-board flashes as well as older models like the FL-500R. It’s got a GN of 19m at ISO 100, and has a pretty decent tilt range, but no swivel. It also sports what I’ll forever consider the traditional “tourist” aesthetic.

The 14mm will run around $800, the 45mm around $400, and the flash around $160.



VR II vs VR II: Too Many Twos

Photo By Nikon USA

This is a topic of some real concern among a lot of our customers, and it’s not adequately explained by Nikon anywhere, so, we’re taking it upon ourselves to help make sense of this Nikon VR II nonsense that’s confusing so many people.

Here’s what’s happening: Nikon has recently started making revisions to some of its most popular lenses, and so far exclusively to popular lenses featuring its VR technology. Thus, something like the AF-S 70-200mm f2.8 IF-ED VR gets an update and becomes the AF-S 70-200mm f2.8 ED VR II. The II at the end is added to indicate this is the second version of the 70-200mm VR lens. Makes sense.

The fly in the ointment is before Nikon started updating these lenses, it quietly and less publicly revised its actual VR system used in all VR lenses. The new system offers a theoretical 4 stop advantage, while the original VR system could only promise 3. What did they name this new, improved technology? Why, VR II, of course.

So, what you end up with is this odd scenario where all current mark II lenses use the new and improved VR II technology, but there are a good number of lenses that use VR II technology for their first revision. Since the mark IIs are so well-reviewed, there’s a lot of excitement when a lens becomes a “VR II.” And a lot of ensuing confusion when it’s just the second-generation tech, and not a second-generation VR lens.

Still confusing? Fair enough. Let’s take a look at a sample Nikon product page here and break it down. In the graphic below, I’ve highlight the key things to note. The name of the lens series is highlighted green. The current revision of that lens series is highlighted reddish-pink. Any mention of the second generation VR technology giving you 4 stops instead of the old 3 stops is noted in blue.

Now, if you look, what you’ll notice is this:

  • If the “II” appears in the Product Name, it indicates it’s the second version of a lens that happens to have VR tech.
  • If the “II” appears in the Description, it indicates that it uses the 4 stop second generation VR technology.

Since we’re all about helping out, I went through the current selection of 24 VR-enabled lenses Nikon offers and figured out which ones use which technology, and I present the results to you below.

 

VR - Nikon VR (Vibration Reduction) Image StabilizationVibration Reduction, engineered specifically for each VR NIKKOR lens, enables handheld shooting at up to 3 shutter speeds slower than would otherwise be possible, assuring dramatically sharper still images and video capture.

VR II - Nikon VR II (Vibration Reduction) Image Stabilization Vibration Reduction, engineered specifically for each VR NIKKOR lens, enables handheld shooting at up to 4 shutter speeds slower than would otherwise be possible, assuring dramatically sharper still images and video capture.

Notice that both revisions of the 300mm VR use VR II tech, despite only the newer being named VR II. That’s why this distinction is important to understand, right there. to review:

“VR II” in a Product Name means the second version of a VR-enabled lens

“VR II” in any Description or Spec means second-generation VR technology offering 4 stops advantage instead of 3.

We hope that helps.



Panasonic Announces Leica DG Summilux 25mm f1.4 for Micro Four Thirds

Panasonic yesterday announced the Leica (anyone else confused as a result of this partnership?) DG Summilux 25mm f1.4 prime for Micro Four Thirds systems, marking their second release for the line-up. The Panasonic pres release says for its G system a lot, but it’ll also work on all the Olympus Pen bodies thanks to that standardized mount. Otherwise, there’s not much to say the name doesn’t give you. This is a Leica optic and bears that reputation behind it, and the 25mm focal length equals 50mm apparent on M43, making this effectively a 50mm f1.4, a good fast, standard prime. Pricing and availability aren’t know yet, so, we’ll get back to you.



Canon Announces Version II Of Its Popular EF-S 55-250mm f4.5-5.6 IS

The One on the Right is the New One

So, yesterday Canon got around to releasing the highly anticipated replacement to its popular EF-S 55-250mm f/4.5-5.6 IS telephoto zoom, named, appropriately, the EF-S 55-250mm f4.5-5.6 IS II.

As far as things go, there’s not a whole lot I can tell you about it without getting ahold of a sample. It’s got the same 12 elements in 10 groups, one of which is an UD (ultra dispersion) element to help handle chromatic aberrations and ghosting, it’s got in-lens IS for up to 4 stops of steadiness, and obviously covers the same focal range with the same aperture values. Biggest thing to note is it just looks more professional now, dropping the plasticky silver accents in favor of a cleaner, dappled black barrel with the one silver accent ring.

As you might expect, the first version is going to be phased out over time, and new kits announced from this point onwards will likely use the II as the second lens for two-lens packages.

That is all.



Nikon AF-S Nikkor 50mm f1.8G Now In Stock

If you’ve been saving up your moneys and patiently waiting for Nikon’s new, pocket-book friendly nifty fifty, the AF-S Nikkor 50mm f1.8G… well, you’re in luck. It’s in stock now. And, I think that’s all that needs to be said. What? Post a bit short? OK, fine. But I tried to end it with civility, remember that.

Ahem.

Saved my pennies and I saved my dimes

For I knew there would be a time

When I would buy a brand new fifty-prime.

Thank you everybody, and good-night!



Nikon Comes Clean With New 50mm f1.8G

So, Nikon’s finally gone real with its new AF-S NIKKOR 50mm f/1.8G lens. But that’s not the impressive bit, no sir. What impresses me is they managed to eke out four paragraphs of press release about this refresh to a very established lens type. Notably, in this case, the biggest thing to see is the “AF-S” sitting out front of the name that indicates that this lens has it’s own internal silent-wave focus motor, which’ll let it work with their entry level bodies like the new D5100, and the D3100. Really, though, you should be switching to AF-S even for bodies that can use the old system, because AF-S is much quieter and faster anyway. Also, the lack of a “DX” in the name indicates this’ll work on all Nikon bodies, both crop and full-frame.

There’s a press release and MTF chart after the jump. And, in keeping with the general affordability of nifty fifties, the MSRP on this is $219.95. Which is cheap. Like the budgie.

read more



Lensbaby Sweet 35 Optic Adds Built-In Aperture

We’re a bit late with this news, but we wanted to make sure we were going to be bringing these in before gushing about how awesome they are. We are, and so, let me introduce you to the Lensbaby Sweet 35 for their swappable optic (or “swaptic” as Nick and I call it) system. This interchangeable optic works in any of their current lens line-up (the Muse, Control Freak, Composer, or Scout) and widens things up from the traditional 50mm focal length to 35mm. More excitingly, it does away with the pesky magenetic aperture discs in favor of an integral aperture control like on any old film-era prime. Except, it’s shoved a jaw-dropping 12 blades into its diaphragm (3 more than on pro Nikon lenses), so, it should yield increddibly round diaphragms for buttery smooth bokeh. Which, of course, is important since a Lensbaby is designed to have a tack-sharp sweet spot and blur the rest into oblivion.

Detail-wise, the lens 4 multicoated elements in 3 groups, an aperture range of f2.5-22, and uses a new 47mm thread (the old lensbaby optics use 37mm threads).

The Sweet 35 will run $180 (and you’ll need a lens to put it in, remember), but delivers a vintage look for your digital with an unheard of ease. What look is that, you ask? Hit the jump for some sample photos.

read more



Sigma to mount up Micro Four Thirds and E-Mount

Following on the news that Sony’s released the specifications for their 18mm flange back E Mount (which we so failed to blog about yesterday), Sigma announces that they’ve taken up the mantle (mountle?) and will support the format. They’ll also be generating lenses for the growing Micro Four Thirds market.

I’m not terribly surprised, they’re one of the few manufacturers that produced lenses for my own dear Olympus Four Thirds mount (I’m still working up the gumption to pick up their 35mm f/1.4), and with big O’s abandonment of consumer-level D-SLRs, it’s no wonder they’re willing to produce for this newer, and growing, piece of the market.



EF 200-400mm f/4L IS USM EXTENDER 1.4x Lens, not a typo.

Nature photographers in need of a 200-400 / 560 focal range are about to get their moisture-wicking thermal socks rocked. Canon announced development of the EF 200-400mm f/4L IS USM EXTENDER 1.4x Lens.
I know when I first saw the name of this super-telephoto zoom in an e-mail from Jody I tried to give him a ration about failing to insert a carriage return. Oh ho, he replies, that’s the lens’s name and there’s an integrated 1.4x teleconverter.
Further emphasizing the lens’s suitability for outdoor work is the dust and water-resistant construction.
Canon intends to show off a prototype (I love the word prototype) later this week at the CP+ trade show in Yokohoma.


Canon announces new, svelte, 500mm and 600mm f/4 lenses

Today Canon announced two new Super Telephoto Lenses, the 500mm f/4L IS II USM and EF 600mm f/4L IS II USM. Each featuring the Flourite optics and lighter weight Magnesium and Titanium body elements mentioned back in August in relation to the faster models of the 300 and 400.

More after the break. And pictures! read more




Switch To Mobile Site