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Posts Tagged ‘f/1.2’

Olympus 17mm F1.2 Pro sample gallery

10 Dec

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The Olympus 17mm F1.2 promises to open up new possibilities for Micro Four Thirds shooters seeking razor-thin depth-of-field and smooth, ‘feathered’ bokeh. We’ve had the chance to do some shooting with it both close to home and on the road in Charleston, South Carolina. Take a peek at our extensive sample gallery.

See our Olympus 17mm F1.2 Pro
sample gallery

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
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Olympus 45mm F1.2 Pro sample gallery

26 Oct

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The Olympus 45mm F1.2 Pro is a 90mm equivalent that just screams to be used for portraiture. So when we found ourselves with a production-ready copy, we got right to work. Head to our full sample gallery to see how Olympus’ newest prime fares.

See our Olympus 45mm F1.2 Pro
sample gallery

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
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Hands-on with the new Olympus M.Zuiko Digital ED 17mm F1.2 and 45mm F1.2 Pro lenses

26 Oct

Olympus Digital ED 17mm F1.2 and 45mm F1.2 Pro lenses

Olympus has introduced two new lenses in its M.Zuiko Pro F1.2 prime lens lineup, the Digital ED 17mm F1.2 Pro and the Digital ED 45mm F1.2 Pro. Both lenses promise to give Micro Four Thirds shooters excellent flexibility in low light situations, in addition to providing shallow depth of field and excellent image quality.

The two prime lenses join the existing Digital ED 25mm F1.2 Pro in the Olympus lens lineup.

Olympus Digital ED 17mm F1.2 and 45mm F1.2 Pro lenses

Olympus says the design philosophy for its Pro F1.2 prime lenses is to deliver aesthetically pleasing ‘feathered’ bokeh without sacrificing any sharpness or resolution, even when shooting wide open. Both lenses use Olympus’ new Z Coating Nano technology to suppress flares and ghosting in order to Provide extremely clear image quality.

Olympus Digital ED 17mm F1.2 and 45mm F1.2 Pro lenses

So, what is ‘feathered bokeh’? Olympus says that unlike many lenses which Produce ring-shaped or solid bokeh (with sharper outlines), the Pro F1.2 primes deliver bokeh with extremely smooth transitions from in-focus to out-of-focus areas, resulting in smoother backgrounds that make a foreground subject stand out better, creating a sense of depth. Olympus says that feathered bokeh does not come at the expense of resolution, which remains extremely high, even wide open.

Olympus Digital ED 17mm F1.2 and 45mm F1.2 Pro lenses

The Digital ED 45mm F1.2 Pro is built around 14 elements in 10 groups, including one ED lens, four HR lenses, and one aspherical lens. It contains three bonded lens elements, including the ED lens, to compensate for problems that sometimes occur on wide aperture lenses, such as out-of-focus color bleeding (axial chromatic aberration) and peripheral color bleeding. It has a minimum focusing distance of 50cm and weighs in at 410g.

Olympus Digital ED 17mm F1.2 and 45mm F1.2 Pro lenses

The Digital ED 17mm F.12 Pro is built around 15 elements in 11 groups. Want to know how that breaks down? Get ready for acronym soup!

The 17mm F1.2 Pro includes six ED lenses (more than any other Zuiko lens), including one Super ED lens, three ED lenses, one EDA lens, and a newly developed ED-DSA lens, along with a Super HR lens and an aspherical lens. According to Olympus, this combination effectively compensates for chromatic aberrations, as well as spherical aberrations that can affect wide primes. The result, they say, is excellent optical performance with feathered bokeh.

The 17mm lens has a minimum focusing distance of 20cm and weighs in at 390g.

Olympus Digital ED 17mm F1.2 and 45mm F1.2 Pro lenses

What is a ED-DSA lens, you might ask? It’s a Dual Super Aspherical lens that features an extremely large thickness ratio between the center and periphery of the lens, made from ED glass. Olympus claims to be the first company to successfully mass produce this type of lens, and that it results in a lens which possess the characteristics of both an ED (Extra-low Dispersion) lens and a DSA (Dual Super Aspherical) lens to compensate for spherical, comatic, and astigmatism aberration.

According to Olympus, producing this lens as a single element reduces the total number of lens elements, improving performance as well as reducing the overall length of the lens.

Olympus Digital ED 17mm F1.2 and 45mm F1.2 Pro lenses

Both lenses use the Olympus MSC (Movie and Still Compatible) autofocus mechanism, which provides smooth high-speed focusing while remaining virtually silent, despite being wide diameter lenses. Olympus says this system provides class-leading AF performance when paired with the E-M1 Mark II body (as low as 0.12 seconds for the 17mm lens). Additionally, there are no limits on what AF points can be used, even at the widest aperture, thanks to Olympus’ use of on-sensor phase detect autofocus.

Olympus Digital ED 17mm F1.2 and 45mm F1.2 Pro lenses

All three M.Zuiko F1.2 Pro primes share virtually identical sizes, with less than a couple millimeters of variation between them, and have very similar weights. All use the same 62mm lens diameter, allowing them to share filters and other accessories.

Olympus Digital ED 17mm F1.2 and 45mm F1.2 Pro lenses

Both lenses are designed with ease of use in mind. The wide focus ring has been placed near the front of the lens in order to make manual focusing easier when paired with cameras that have large grips, such as the E-M1 Mark II. As with some other Olympus lenses, a clutch mechanism allows users to instantly switch from auto to manual focus by pulling the focus ring toward the camera body. Olympus even says it designed a gradually curving surface around the L-Fn function button to make it easier to access when shooting through the viewfinder.

Since all the Pro F1.2 lenses are so similar in size, Olympus has printed each lens’s focal length in oversized numbers to make it easy to tell them apart.

Olympus Digital ED 17mm F1.2 and 45mm F1.2 Pro lenses

In addition to excellent optical performance, Olympus has built the Pro F1.2 primes to meet the needs of demanding users. Both lenses are dustproof, splashproof, and freezeproof (to 14ºF/-10ºC), making them ideal for use even in extreme conditions.

Olympus Digital ED 17mm F1.2 and 45mm F1.2 Pro lenses

Both the 17mm and 45mm lenses should provide great performance for Micro Four Thirds photographers, especially those who work in low light conditions or who desire very shallow depth of field.

When combined with Olympus’ existing 25mm F1.2 Pro lens, the set represents a trio of fast primes at very useful focal lengths of 17mm, 25mm, and 45mm. (34mm, 50mm, and 90mm equivalent.) Their small size, when combined with a compact Micro Four Thirds camera body, could make a great kit for photographers who prefer to travel light but like to shoot with fast primes.

Olympus Digital ED 17mm F1.2 and 45mm F1.2 Pro lenses

The M.Zuiko Digital ED 45mm F1.2 Pro will be available in late November 2017, and the M.Zuiko Digital ED 17mm F1.2 Pro will be available in late January 2018. Both will retail for $ 1,199, the same price as the existing 25mm F1.2 Pro lens.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
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Olympus 45mm and 17mm F1.2 Pro lenses emphasize bokeh quality

26 Oct

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Olympus has announced 17mm and 45mm F1.2 Pro primes, offering high-end fast 35mm and 90mm equivalent lenses. The lenses use the same 60mm filters that the existing 25mm F1.2 Pro uses and, like that lens both are weather sealed and dust proof.

The two lenses expand the company’s series of F1.2 lenses, which are equivalent to 35 and 90mm F2.4 lenses for full frame. This allows Micro Four Thirds users to achieve very shallow levels of depth-of-field at the focal lengths where they need this capability. The lenses are designed to be consistent in size with one another.

Olympus says it’s focused the design not just on achieving sharpness but also on providing attractive bokeh. It says its research showed that bokeh with a soft edge produces the most attractive result, producing a smooth transition from in-focus to out-of-focus regions, and with minimal risks of interference patterns occurring in backgrounds.

To achieve this, both lenses are designed so that spherical aberration is not fully corrected (that would give completely uniform bokeh). Instead it focuses peripheral light rays slightly in front of the plane of focus, giving a soft roll-off to the edges of the bokeh. This, they say, is how many much-loved ‘classic’ lenses gave desirable, ‘3D’ rendering.

The 17mm lens includes a unique ED-DSA element, which has dual aspherical lenses formed from soft and hard-to-work extra low dispersion glass. They claim to be the only company currently able to do this.

The company also highlights that its cameras should be able to achieve very high levels of focus precision even with off-center points. Both lenses also have the snap-back focus clutch system, so that videographers can manual focus with a linear focus response.

Olympus mentions that there’s been a trend towards bokeh-optimized primes in recent years but says its design approach gives attractive bokeh without any of the light loss causes by the use of apodization filters in Fujifilm’s APD or Sony’s STF lenses.

Each lens will cost $ 1200. The 45mm will go on sale in late November, and the 17mm will be available in late January 2018.

Press release

BEAUTIFUL BOKEH: TWO NEW OLYMPUS LENSES EXPAND THE M.ZUIKO PRO F1.2 PRIME LINEUP

M.ZUIKO Digital ED 17mm F1.2 PRO and M.ZUIKO® Digital ED 45mm F1.2 PRO Offer Smooth Feathered Bokeh and High Resolution at the Brightest Aperture

CENTER VALLEY, PA., October 25, 2017 — Olympus expands its M.ZUIKO F1.2 PRO prime lens lineup with the new M.ZUIKO Digital ED 17mm F1.2 PRO (34mm focal length in 35mm equivalent) and the M.ZUIKO Digital ED 45mm F1.2 PRO (90mm focal length in 35mm equivalent). These Micro Four Thirds® system lenses join the currently available M.ZUIKO Digital ED 25mm F1.2 PRO (50mm focal length in 35mm equivalent) to deliver outstanding resolution and beautiful feathered bokeh at a maximum aperture of F1.2.

The M.ZUIKO Digital ED 17mm F1.2 PRO and M.ZUIKO Digital ED 45mm F1.2 PRO give M.ZUIKO PRO lens users more flexibility in low-light environments as well as an extraordinarily shallow depth-of-field. Each is designed to achieve a new level of depictive performance, delivering three-dimensional images that represent subjects as they appear in the real world through a combination of feathered bokeh and sharp resolution.

By focusing not only on the bokeh’s size but also its quality, each lens produces a feathered bokeh effect that better emphasizes the main subject and allows it to stand out within the image. The shallower depth of field produced at F1.2 is especially ideal for portrait photographers.

The newly developed ED-DSA lens, which possesses the characteristics of both an ED (Extra-low Dispersion) lens element and a DSA (Dual Super Aspherical) lens element, is incorporated in the M.ZUIKO Digital ED 17mm F1.2 PRO. The ED-DSA lens compensates for common wide-angle lens issues, including chromatic aberrations, distortion and color bleeding on the image periphery.

Like other lenses in the M.ZUIKO PRO series, the M.ZUIKO Digital ED 17mm F1.2 PRO and M.ZUIKO Digital ED 45mm F1.2 PRO feature compact, lightweight construction and a dustproof, splashproof, freezeproof (to 14°F/-10°C) design, giving photo enthusiasts and professionals the ability to capture brilliant images in a variety of shooting conditions.

U.S. Pricing and Availability
The M.ZUIKO Digital ED 45mm F1.2 PRO will be available late November 2017, while the M.ZUIKO Digital ED 17mm F1.2 PRO will be available late January 2018. Both lenses will have an estimated street price of $ 1,199.99 USD/$ 1,499.99 CAD. For a complete list of specifications for the M.ZUIKO Digital ED 45mm F1.2 PRO, visit the Olympus website: http://getolympus.com/lenses/m-zuiko-ed-45mm-f1-2-pro.html, and for the M.ZUIKO Digital ED 17mm F1.2 PRO lens, visit http://getolympus.com/lenses/m-zuiko-ed-17mm-f1-2-pro.html.

Main Features

1. Depictive performance that delivers feathered bokeh and outstanding resolution

Feathered bokeh provides an ultra smooth transition from the sharp to the defocused areas of the image to provide an overall softer background. This results in a subject that stands out with lifelike dimensionality.

In the M.ZUIKO Digital ED 17mm F1.2 PRO, there are 15 elements in 11 groups, including specialized lens elements like the newly developed ED-DSA lens. The ED-DSA lens element, which possesses the characteristics of both an ED (Extra-low Dispersion) lens and DSA (Dual Super Aspherical) lens, reduces the overall weight and the number of lens elements. This design effectively compensates for various types of aberrations that tend to occur in wide-angle lenses, such as chromatic aberration, distortion and color bleeding on the image periphery (magnification chromatic aberration).

The M.ZUIKO Digital ED 45mm F1.2 PRO contains three optimally placed and bonded lens elements, including one ED lens, which compensate for typical problems on wide-aperture lenses like out-of-focus color bleeding (axial chromatic aberration) and peripheral color bleeding (magnification chromatic aberration). The extensive use of special lenses incorporated into 14 elements in 10 groups results in superb optical performance and feathered bokeh effects, even at the widest aperture setting.

Both lenses use the same Z Coating Nano technology as the M.ZUIKO Digital ED 25mm F1.2 PRO for sharp, clear image quality that significantly reduces ghosts and flares that tend to occur in backlit images.

2. Fast, high-precision AF

Both lenses are equipped with the MSC (Movie- and Still-Compatible) autofocus mechanism that provides virtually silent and smooth high-speed focusing performance, even when using the maximum aperture of F1.2. Additionally, there are no AF point limitations, even at the widest aperture, due to the On-Chip AF system in all Olympus OM-D® and PEN® cameras.

Using Face Priority or Eye Priority AF, two modes which are highly regarded by professional portrait photographers, brings out the true power of these large-aperture lenses.

3. Compact, lightweight construction and dustproof, splashproof and freezeproof (14°F/-10°C) performance

The M.ZUIKO PRO F1.2 prime lens lineup is exceptionally compact, lightweight and provides unrivaled mobility, dustproof, splashproof and freezeproof (14°F/-10°C) performance consistent with the M.ZUIKO PRO series. A uniform lens filter diameter across the three F1.2 lenses allows for use of the same lens filters, such as protection filters and PL filters.

Other Features

  • Excellent close-up shooting: The M.ZUIKO Digital ED 17mm F1.2 PRO has a minimum focusing distance of 20 cm and a maximum image magnification of 0.15x (35mm equivalent: 0.3x), while the M.ZUIKO Digital ED 45mm F1.2 PRO has a minimum focusing distance of 50 cm and a maximum image magnification of 0.1x (35mm equivalent: 0.2x), providing outstanding close-up shooting performance.
  • Premium design: Each lens was designed with the professional photographer in mind. The focusing ring placed at the front of the lens makes focusing easier when paired with the large grip of the flagship OM-D E-M1 Mark II camera. The L-Fn Button is located on a gently curving surface to make it comfortable to access. The MF Clutch mechanism allows the photographer to instantly switch between auto and manual focusing mode by pulling the focusing ring toward the camera body.

Lens Accessories:
Lens Cap, LC-62F (bundled): This lens cap is designed for quick and easy removal from lenses with a filter diameter of ?62mm, and can be used even when the lens hood is still attached.

Lens Case, LSC-0811 (bundled): A purse-string-type lens case with three-layer construction thatsecurely protects the lens. The lens can be stored in the case with the lens cap, protection filterand lens hood (stored) attached to the lens.

Lens Hood, LH-66C (bundled): A lens hood specifically designed for the M.ZUIKO Digital ED 17mm F1.2 PRO lens to reduce the amount of unnecessary light entering the lens when shooting in backlit conditions. The hood release lock button features a nonprotruding design that prevents the hood from accidental detachment.

Lens Hood, LH-66B (bundled): A lens hood for use with the M.ZUIKO Digital ED 25mm F1.2 PRO and the M.ZUIKO Digital ED 45mm F1.2 PRO lenses to reduce the amount of unnecessary light entering the lens when shooting in backlit conditions. The hood release lock button features a nonprotruding design that prevents the hood from accidental detachment.

Protection Filter, PRF-ZD62 PRO (sold separately): This protection filter maximizes the abilities of M.ZUIKO PRO lenses bearing the Zuiko name. It features ZERO coating, which cuts reflection by approximately one-half compared to conventional multicoating, black-edged glass, and a satin-finished black alumite aluminum frame for a matte surface that suppresses reflections.

Sales Outline for Separately Available Accessories

Product Name

MSRP

Planned Launch Date

Lens Cap, LC-62F

$ 23.99 USD
$ 21.99 CAD

On sale

Lens Case, LSC-0811

$ 26.99 USD
$ 26.99 CAD

On sale

Lens Hood, LH-66B

$ 44.99 USD
$ 44.99 CAD

On sale

Protection Filter, PRF-ZD62 PRO

$ 64.99 USD
$ 64.99 CAD

On sale

Olympus 17mm and 45mm F1.2 Pro specifications

  Olympus M.Zuiko Digital ED 17mm F1.2 Pro Olympus M.Zuiko Digital ED 45mm F1.2 Pro
Principal specifications
Lens type Prime lens
Max Format size FourThirds
Focal length 17 mm 45 mm
Image stabilization No
Lens mount Micro Four Thirds
Aperture
Maximum aperture F1.2
Minimum aperture F16
Aperture ring No
Number of diaphragm blades 9
Optics
Elements 15 14
Groups 11 10
Special elements / coatings 1 Super ED, 3 ED, 1 ED-DSA, 1 EDA, 1 Super HR, 1 aspherical 1 ED, 4 HR, 1 aspherical
Focus
Minimum focus 0.20 m (7.87″) 0.50 m (19.69″)
Maximum magnification 0.15× 0.1×
Autofocus Yes
Motor type Stepper motor
Full time manual Yes
Focus method Internal
Distance scale No
DoF scale Yes
Physical
Weight 390 g (0.86 lb) 410 g (0.90 lb)
Diameter 68 mm (2.68″) 70 mm (2.76″)
Length 87 mm (3.43″) 85 mm (3.35″)
Materials Magnesium alloy
Sealing Yes
Colour Black
Filter thread 62.0 mm
Hood supplied Yes
Hood product code LH-66C LH-66B
Tripod collar No

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
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Voigtlander reveals pricing for 40mm F2 Ultron and 40mm F1.2 Nokton lenses

28 Sep

The new version of Voigtlander’s 40mm Ultron lens and the brand new 40mm Nokton lens are both ready to ship, and the company has finally revealed pricing as well. The more affordable Ultron will cost you ¥60,000/£479/$ 515, while the more expensive (and faster) Nokton will cost ¥135,000/£749 (~ $ 1000 USD).

The Ultron 40mm f/2 SL ll-S is the third generation 40mm f/2 for Nikon that the company has made, and brings with it the distinctive ‘bunny ears’ coupling fork so it can now be used with non-Ai film cameras. The lens has enjoyed an external make-over to deliver a Nikon-like retro look, while internally a new helicoid ring allows a closer minimum focusing distance of just 25cm, and 1:4 reproduction.

The lens is obviously manual focus, but contacts with the body transmit shooting information for EXIF data purposes. The lens is available now in a black or silver rim finish.

Voigtlander makes quite a range of lenses for the Sony E-mount, and the latest is the 40mm f/1.2 Nokton, which the company claims is the fastest 40mm available for the system.

It features a 10-bladed f/1.2 iris and electronic contacts ensure EXIF data is recorded and Sony’s in-camera image stabilization system is fully functional with the lens. The Nokton offers both clicked and clickless aperture rotation, and its eight-elements-in-six-groups construction makes for a minimum focusing distance of 35cm. The lens goes on sale on 5th October.

For more information, check out the translated versions of the Voigtlander pages for the Voigtlander Ultron 40mm f/2 SL ll-S for Nikon and the Voigtlander Nokton 40mm f/1.2 for Sony E mount.

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Nikon patents two full-frame mirrorless lenses: 52mm F0.9 and 36mm F1.2

08 Sep
Photo by Jakob Owens

Nikon users who are out there wishing for a full-frame mirrorless camera from the storied Japanese brand have two more reasons to feel hopeful today. It seems Nikon has filed two new patents for full-frame mirrorless lenses in Japan: one for a Nikon 52mm F0.9, and another for a 36mm F1.2.

The patents were spotted by Japanese site hi-lows-note, and come complete with a few lens diagrams so you can ogle the lens elements while you cross your fingers even tighter.

Here’s the 52mm F0.9 diagram:

And the 36mm F1.2:

It’s worth noting that this isn’t the first time Nikon has patented a full-frame mirrorless lens—two zoom lenses for FF mirrorless were patented three years apart, one in 2014 and another earlier this year. But while a patent does not a new lens confirm, the more of these lenses Nikon puts on paper, the more hopeful we’ll be that a full-frame Nikon mirrorless camera is on the way.

For more on that possibility, read the official statement Nikon sent us on their future mirrorless camera plans.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
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Samyang continues summer announcements with 35mm F1.2 ED AS UMC CS for mirorrless

01 Aug

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Sticking with its plan to introduce a whole bunch of new lenses this summer, Samyang has announced the 35mm F1.2 ED AS UMC CS for APS-C and Micro Four Thirds mirrorless cameras. It will be produced for Sony E, Canon M, Fujifilm X and Micro Four Thirds mounts.

The 35mm will include nine elements in seven groups, using two aspherical elements and Samyang’s ‘Ultra Multi Coat’ technology. A cinema version of the lens has also been introduced: the 35mm T1.3 ED AS UMC CS, with gears for follow focus and a de-clicked aperture ring.

Samyang hasn’t provided pricing or availability.

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Kerlee 35mm F1.2 is ‘World’s fastest’ 35mm for full-frame SLRs

14 Jun

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Industrial lens manufacturer Shenzhen Dongzheng Optics Technology has announced the Kerlee 35mm F1.2 – which it claims is the fastest 35mm designed for full-frame SLR cameras. The lens is manual focus and features a choice of clicked or silent aperture operation to suit both stills and movie photographers. The company says it will produce units with mounts in Canon EF, Nikon F, Sony E and Pentax K fittings.

The lens uses 11 elements in 10 groups and includes two high refractive index lenses and one ED low dispersion element. The company says the closest focusing distance is 0.3m / 1ft, but optical performance is said to be at its best when the subject is 1-5m / 3.2-16.4ft from the camera. The smallest aperture is F22 and a depth of field scale is provided.

Pricing has yet to be released, but more information can be found on the Dongzheng Optics website.

Press release:

The world’s first SLR full frame camera support large aperture lens 35mm f/1.2

KERLEE 1.2/35 lens, specially developed for all lovers of photography,
is of high performances featuring large aperture, soft Bokeh effect and rich colors.

Features:
1. Minimum focus distance is up to 0.3.
2. Optional switchable aperture lock, allowing for smooth adjustment in video mode.
3. The optimal distance is within 1-5 meters with the best image quality
4. Smooth focusing feel, appropriate damping and superior experiences.
5. ED lens effectively improve image/color differences.
6. It’s globally the first 35mm F/1.2 large aperture lens that supports single-lens reflex full-frame cameras. When taking an image, set the aperture to Maximum f1.2 can conspicuously emphasize the subject on the background, producing a nice picture atmosphere.
7. Excellent rendering effect in dim light, also enhance shutter speed to complete a shot

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My Favorite and ONLY Lens: The Canon EF 50mm f/1.2 L USM

09 Dec

I operate my photography business on a shoe string budget. This started out of necessity, but continued because it became abundantly clear to me early on, that I would rather spend the money I earn from photography towards black t-shirts, home décor, five dollar lattes, and bills. Mainly bills, but no sense in pretending the other indulgences don’t factor into my take-home pay.

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I started my portrait business with a Canon Rebel, kit glass, and a prayer. As my business grew I invested in a 30D, and later a 5D. One particularly good tax refund, and a little generosity from my mother around my birthday, found me the proud new owner of a Canon 50mm L-series lens. I didn’t even know what the L stood for (to be honest, I still don’t), I just knew that all the photography blogs I read at the time called it the end-all, be-all lens. The It Lens. The Portrait Lens. I also had a seasoned pro tell me that I should spend as much money as possible on good glass, and it doesn’t get any better than this one.

It’s also important to mention that I was at a place with both photography, and my confidence, that I would listen to just about anyone who even pretended they knew what they were talking about. Had she told me that my pictures would be better if I carried a frog in my pocket, I would have carried two, and a lizard in my shoe just in case.

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I am going to tell you all a secret. I am going to answer the question I always get asked when I pull out my big, fancy lens that is mounted to my camera body, which to be clear is the Canon 5D model from 4 models ago: does that snazzy lens make photos better? Brace yourselves because, yes. Yes, it does. So much so in fact that I don’t even own another lens.

I had a fixed 24mm lens for a few years, but it did nothing more than take up space in my bag. Space that I prefer to give to gum and bug spray. So I sold it to increase my coffee and black yoga pants budget. Zoom lenses have never been my favorite, so that narrows down my choices considerably, and a 50mm just feels like the right length for me—I’m close to my subjects but not breathing in their face, even if my breath is minty fresh from my bulk gum purchases.

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Can you live without a lens that costs three times what my first car did? You bet. But I’ll tell you another thing—you can live without an entire bag of lenses just as easily. A back-up body and lens is nice—some may even say essential (particularly if you are a wedding photographer), and I suppose if you do certain types of photography, you may need a few different lenses. But I am here to tell you that I have operated a very successful portrait and wedding photography business with my one, albeit super fancy, lens and done just fine, thank you very much. I can count on one hand the times I’ve needed a different lens, and each time it was easy to either borrow or rent, and much more cost effective.

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I know my 50. I named my 50, if we are being honest (its name is Seth—it work well with Nancy my MacBook, and Monte my iMac). At this point it just feels like an extension of my arm, or eyeball. I know what I will see in the viewfinder by the time I get my camera to my face. Since my feet are the zoom, I know exactly where I need to stand to get the frame I want.

Prime lenses are fast and sharp. If this means I have to walk around a bit more, then I can call it my exercise for the day (okay, fine: week) as well. The bulk of my business is photographing kids, so no matter what, I am going to be on the move. I’d just rather know that upfront, than mess with a zoom and continuously risk less than tack-sharp focus. This isn’t even counting the fact that by not spending a great deal on equipment I am able to be well caffeinated on expensive coffee during shoots, and sit at a very pretty desk while I edit.

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The other plus of counting on one great lens for everything? I invest my money back into my business in other places, beyond expensive equipment. Places that I feel reach farther than a bag full of stuff. I have a bold website and eye-catching business cards. My clients get their images in top-of-the-line professional packaging. I have a ShootSac and buy lollipops in bulk. I wear the most expensive contact lenses on the market, and you should see my hair tie-back selection.

I can only afford these things because I’m not up to my expensive contact lens-wearing eyeballs in debt over fancy equipment. Additionally, my fees are not so outrageous that my client base is only a select few. My overhead being lower than average, allows me to continue photographing the families that supported my business when I was just starting. Families that otherwise may not be able to afford my services if I was dealing with extraordinary costs.

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My mom taught me to buy quality; to save my money and buy a good pair of jeans, instead of the cheapest pair that fit. Sadly this lesson didn’t stick and at this very moment I am dressed head to toe in Target. However, it’s true here; buy the nicest lens you can afford and make it work for you. It’s your paintbrush, your potters wheel, your knives (I’ve heard big-time chefs bring their own knives to everything); make it the best possible one and make it the only one you need.

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Have you invested in top quality lenses or “glass”? What is your go-to lens and why?

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The post My Favorite and ONLY Lens: The Canon EF 50mm f/1.2 L USM by Lynsey Mattingly appeared first on Digital Photography School.


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Rokinon introduces new 50mm F1.2 and 21mm F1.4 mirrorless camera lenses

22 Sep

Rokinon has introduced 21mm F1.4 and 50mm F1.2 fast prime lenses, both of which are up for pre-order now. These new lenses flesh out the maker’s existing offerings for mirrorless cameras. Read more

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
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