We’ve seen almost all smartphone manufacturers put an emphasis on camera performance with their latest models. Now Chinese manufacturer Vivo is upping the ante with the Xshot. The new model is a high-end Android phone with a 13MP Sony camera module that features an F1.8 lens, the fastest we’ve seen on a smartphone in recent history. Learn more
News: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)
The Sony FE 55mm F1.8 ZA Carl Zeiss Sonnar T* is one of the first lenses for Sony’s fledgling full frame mirrorless system, and designed as a fast ‘normal’ prime to complement the Sony Alpha 7 and 7R. However at around $ 999 / £900, it costs several times as much as the 50mm F1.4 options for DSLR systems. So what exactly are you paying for? Click through for the lens test data and our analysis.
News: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)
Alongside the OM-D E-M10, Olympus has also announced three lenses. First up is the M.Zuiko Digital 25mm F1.8, a relatively inexpensive fast normal prime, that looks specifically designed to complement the much-loved 45mm F1.8. Second is the 9mm F8 Fish-Eye Body Cap Lens (which Olympus technically considers an ‘accessory’); this offers a 140° angle of view in a tiny plastic body. Finally there’s a new ‘pancake’ kit zoom for the E-M10, the M.Zuiko Digital ED 14-42mm F3.5-5.6 EZ, which features an electronic zoom. Learn more
News: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)
A lot of equipment passes through our Seattle and London offices, everything from high-end cameras to inexpensive accessories. A lot of it gets reviewed, but we can’t cover everything. In this series of short articles, DPReview staff will be highlighting their personal standout products of the year. In part 4, Richard Butler discusses the Sigma 18-35mm F1.8 DC HSM and what it means for APS-C shooters.
News: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)
Sigma has released updates for its SD1 and SD1 Merrill cameras – as well as for its Photo Pro software – to add support for the recently released 18-35 F1.8 DC HSM lens. On the camera side, the SD1 firmware update improves color in peripheral areas of the image when the aperture is wide open. As for software, Sigma’s Photo Pro v5.5.3 is now optimized for Raw (X3F) images taken with the SD1 camera and 18-35 lens.
News: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)
Sigma USA has announced availability of the Nikon-mount version of its 18-35mm F1.8 DC HSM Art fast zoom for APS-C DSLRs. The Nikon version will retail for around $ 799, the same price as the Canon version, and will be available from November. We’ve been shooting with one for the past few days, and have put together a sample gallery of images showing what it’s capable of.
News: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)
Sigma’s 18-35mm F1.8 DC HSM has generated a lot of excitement since its announcement in April, as the fastest zoom ever made for SLRs. Designed for use on APS-C / DX format cameras, it offers a 28-54mm equivalent zoom range, and promises similar depth of field control to an F2.8 zoom on full frame. But can an F1.8 zoom really work? Read our detailed review to find out.
News: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)
It’s an open secret that many compact cameras are produced by OEMs – companies that produce large numbers of products that are then sold under other brand names. There are also consumer-grade zooms from big name manufacturers that look much alike (we know for a fact that third-party makers commonly create lenses for the bigger brands). But we were still surprised to read about Sigma’s latest patent for a 75mm F1.8 prime lens…
News: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)
Sony has announced three new E-mount lenses today for NEX system cameras: the Carl Zeiss Vario Tessar T* 16-70mm ZA F4, 18-105mm F4 G OSS power zoom, and a black version of its 50mm F1.8 OSS. All three feature Sony’s Optical SteadyShot image stabilization. According to Sony, the 50mm F1.8 and 16-70mm F4 zoom will be ready to ship to consumers in September, with the 18-105mm F4 power zoom following in December. Click through for more details.
News: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)
We’ve just updated our preview of the Sigma 18-35mm F1.8 DC HSM with lens test data, courtesy of DxOMark. This lens has generated a lot of excitement as the fastest zoom ever made for SLRs, but the big question is whether its speed comes at the cost of optical quality. We’ve looked into this by comparing the 18-35mm to some current benchmark designs – and the results may surprise you. Click through to read all about it.
News: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)