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Thingyfy launches Pinhole Pro S: The widest modern professional pinhole lens ever

06 Dec

Thingyfy is back with another Kickstarter campaign, and this time they’re trying to fund the Pinhole Pro S-Series lenses. As with the original Pinhole Pro campaign launched this past summer, the new Pinhole Pro S seeks funding for a modern pinhole lens. Unlike the original, however, the latest campaign is for a model that Thingyfy calls the widest pro-tier pinhole lens in the world.

Pinhole Pro S comes in two varieties: the Pinhole Pro S11, an 11mm lens with a 120 degree FOV, and the Pinhole Pro S37, a 37mm lens with a 60 degree FOV. Both lenses feature a fully aluminum body. The S11 version is designed for mirrorless cameras with Micro Four Thirds, Sony E, and Fuji X mounts; the S37 is designed for SLR/DSLR cameras with Sony A, Nikon F, Canon EF, and Pentax K mounts.

The wide-angle S-Series weighs less while being wider and nine times sharper than the original Pinhole Pro lens, according to Thingyfy. The company explains that its Pinhole Pro lenses offer a very precise pinhole aperture due to the use of a micro-drill that is robotically controlled. The drill produces a “perfectly round” and smooth hole, says Thingyfy, whereas alternatives like chemical etching and laser etching have downsides, such as corroded or burnt, fuzzy edges.

Thingyfy is funding its new Pinhole Pro S lenses on Kickstarter, where an early bird unit of any camera mount is offered for $ 59 CAD / $ 46 USD with an estimated shipping date of April 2018.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

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Astrophotography lens shootout: Samyang 14mm F2.4 vs Sigma 14mm F1.8

02 Dec

If you’re thinking of picking up a great ultra-wide astrophotography lens, chances are good you’ve looked at the three 14mm primes featured in this video. The old Samyang 14mm F2.8 is a classic and affordable choice; the updated Samyang 14mm F2.4 is faster, higher quality, and not prohibitively expensive; and the Sigma 14mm F1.8 Art is a lens astrophotographers have been drooling over ever since it was announced in February.

So which do you pick, and why?

NatureTTL’s Matthew Saville took all three lenses into the middle of the desert to shoot some nightscapes and compare the performance of these extremely popular choices.

You’ll definitely want to check out the full video if you’re deeply uncertain about which to choose—there are some great side-by-side sharpness comparisons that should satisfy the pixel peepers out there—but Saville manages to break the trio down into a very neat categories:

The Sigma 14mm F1.8 Art is your choice if you absolutely need the extra light over the F2.4 and don’t mind spending a bunch more money to get it. It’s extremely sharp, and will deliver exceptional results… even wide open… even in the corners.

The Samyang 14mm F2.4 is hard to beat as an overall choice when you look at performance-to-price ratio. To his eye, it’s a tiny bit sharper in the corners wide open than the Sigma—even when you stop the Sigma down to F2.4—and it’ll cost you half as much. You are, of course, sacrificing AutoFocus over the Sigma, but many nightscape and night sky photographers shoot in manual focus all the time anyway.

The Samyang 14mm F2.8 is by far the most affordable of the bunch. This classic lens will cost you as little as $ 250 on sale, making it less than half as much as the Samyang 14mm F2.4, which was already half the price of the Sigma 14mm. But that drop in price comes with a significant drop in performance. Saville labels it a great choice for those just getting into nightscape photography, as a time-lapse lens if you’ll be displaying your footage in 1080p, or as a solid backup that is so cheap it would be silly not to own one.

Check out the full video up top to hear all of Saville’s thoughts on these three popular 14mm primes. And if you want to find out more about why the Sigma 14mm F1.8 Art lens just might be worth spending that bundle of money on, click on the big blue button below to read about why DPReview’s Dale Baskin named it his Gear of the Year 2017.

Gear of the Year 2017 – Dale’s choice: Sigma 14mm F1.8 Art

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

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Samsung’s new W2018 flip phone features a variable aperture F1.5-F2.4 lens

02 Dec

Samsung just announced something that looks like it belongs in the mid-2000s… but looks can be deceiving. Meet Samsung’s new flip phone: the W2018. Announced earlier today at an event in Xiamen, China, the followup to the W2017 is an Android-powered flip phone that boasts smartphone-caliber specs. In fact, the 12-megapixel rear camera is nearly identical to the one found in the Galaxy S8, featuring dual pixel autofocus, optical image stabilization and 1.4?m pixels.

It does differ in one very interesting way though.

Not only does the W2018 boast an F1.5 aperture—the brightest you’ll find on a phone—that aperture is actually variable, switching between F1.5 and F2.4 when it senses there’s enough light around. In this way, the phone automatically captures as much of the background as possible.

You can see the trick in this close-up video uploaded to Weibo by Jason Wang:

Rumors have been floating around that the Galaxy S9 will feature a variable aperture F1.5 lens; as you might expect, the appearance of the selfsame lens in another Samsung phone makes us pretty confident that will, indeed, be the case. As to whether or not you ever really need to ‘stop down’ a smartphone camera lens… that’s another topic entirely.

Like the W2017 before it, this phone will first be released in China, comes with a bunch of “VIP” perks like free tech support, and will probably cost upwards of $ 3,000… no, we didn’t add another zero.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

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Leica unveils Noctilux-M 75mm F1.25 ASPH lens with ‘hair-thin depth of focus’

29 Nov

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Leica unveiled a new low-light monster of a lens today, adding to the ‘Noctilux legacy’ with the Leica Noctilux-M 75mm F1.25 ASPH. According to Leica, the new lens boasts ‘impeccable speed’ and ‘exceptional imaging performance’ as well as “hair-thin depth of focus [that] isolates subjects with extreme precision.”

This is the fourth Noctilux lens ever created and only the second released this century, this lens follows in the footsteps of the Noctilux-M 50mm F0.95 ASPH released in 2008. But while Leica is calling this the “co-founder of a new family of lenses,” the company is also quick to point out that the new Noctilux-M 75mm F1.25 boasts some advantages over its older brother:

The upgraded features of the Noctilux-M 75 mm f/1.25 ASPH. open up entirely new opportunities in portrait and close-up photography, including a shallower depth of focus than that of the Noctilux-M 50 mm f/0.95 APSH. and a close focusing distance of 0.85m, making for a reproduction ratio of 1:8.8 for even more precise isolation of subjects. Additionally, the eleven blades of its iris ensure a soft and harmonious bokeh in out-of-focus areas.

Inside, you’ll find six groups made up of nine lens elements that have been manufactured from glasses with “high anomalous partial dispersion and low chromatic dispersion.” Two of those elements are aspherical, and the lens uses a floating element with what Leica describes as a “complex focusing mechanism” (aren’t they all?) that promises high-quality performance all the way from minimum focus distance to infinity.

You can read more about the Noctilux-M 75mm F1.25 in the full press release and tech specs below, but if you like what you read, be ready to drop some serious cash. According to Leica, the lens will retail for $ 12,795 when it shows up at Leica stores, boutiques and dealers in the beginning of 2018.

Press Release

Leica Camera Pushes Photographic Boundaries With the New Leica Noctilux-M 75 mm f/1.25 ASPH Lens

True to the Noctilux legacy, the new lens boasts impeccable speed and exceptional imaging performance

November 29, 2017 – For more than 50 years, the name ‘Noctilux’ has been synonymous with exceptional speed and outstanding optical design. Today, Leica Camera announces the newest addition to their lens portfolio – the Leica Noctilux-M 75 mm f/1.25 ASPH. Coupled with exceptional imaging performance and unique bokeh, its hair-thin depth of focus isolates subjects with extreme precision, ideal for portraits with an unmistakable “Leica look”.

A legacy of excellence

The first lens of the Noctilux family, the Leica Noctilux 50 mm f/1.2, was announced at photokina in 1966. While the original lens innovated with revolutionary optical properties, ongoing developments led to the launch of two additional generations of the Noctilux in 1975 and 2008. The additional lenses were developed under the premise of further pushing the envelope for imaging performance, each with a faster aperture than its predecessor. All Noctilux-M lenses to this day are special for their rendering and aesthetic when shot wide-open, yielding a three-dimensional “pop” that separates its subjects from the background like no other lenses. The out-of-focus areas behind the subject is smooth and pleasing to the eye, giving a lovely soft background even in the darkest of lighting scenarios.

Together with the Leica Noctilux-M 50 mm f/0.95 ASPH., the Leica Noctilux-M 75 mm f/1.25 ASPH. is the co-founder of a new family of lenses. The two current members of this family are both distinguished by their extreme maximum aperture and exceptionally high performance at all apertures, even wide open, and lend themselves to the creation of timeless images marked by a distinctive and revered Leica aesthetic.

Superior imaging performance

To guarantee this extraordinary imaging performance, the nine elements in six groups that make up its optical design are manufactured from glasses with high anomalous partial dispersion and low chromatic dispersion. Two of the elements are aspherical, and reduce other potential aberrations to a hardly detectable minimum. The use of a floating element within the complex focusing mechanism guarantees a constantly high level of imaging performance throughout the entire focusing range of the lens – from its minimum focus distance to infinity.

When shooting at maximum aperture, the exceptionally shallow depth of field of the Noctilux-M 75 mm f/1.25 APSH. can be easily focused in when an electronic viewfinder such as the Leica Visoflex. Additionally, the Leica M-Adapter L transforms the Noctilux-M into an excellent lens to use in conjunction with the Leica SL. When the lens is mounted on the Leica SL, the 4.4 megapixel resolution of the camera’s EyeRes® electronic viewfinder enables particularly comfortable and extremely precise focusing.

The Noctilux-M 75mm f/1.25 ASPH. features the convenience of an integrated lens hood, which can be extended or retracted in one simple twist. The lens is complemented by a tripod adapter for safe and secure mounting of the lens on a tripod.

The Leica Noctilux-M 75 mm f/1.25 ASPH will be available at Leica Stores, Boutiques and Dealers at the beginning of 2018.

Technical Data

Angle of view (diagonal, horizontal, vertical)	For 35 mm format (24 x 36 mm): ~ 32°, 27°, 18° For Leica M8 models (18 x 27 mm): ~ 24°, 20°, 14°, equivalent to FL of ~ 100 mm in 35 mm format¹
Optical design Number of elements/groups Aspherical surfaces Position of entrance pupil (at infinity)	9/6 2 26.9 mm (in front of the bayonet)
Focusing Working range Scales Smallest object field/ largest reproduction ratio	0.85 m to ? Combined metre/feet graduation For 35 mm format: ~ 212 x 318 mm / 1:8.8, For Leica M8 models: ~ 159 x 238 mm / 1:8.8
Aperture Settings/functions Smallest aperture	With click stops, half-stop detents 16
Bayonet	Leica M quick-change bayonet with 6-bit bar coding for Leica M digital cameras²
Filter mount	Inner thread for E67 screw-mount filters, non-rotating
Lens hood	Integrated, with twist-out function
Viewfinder	Camera viewfinder³
Finish	Black anodised
Dimensions and weight Length to bayonet flange Largest diameter Weight	~ 91 mm ~ 74 mm ~ 1055 g
Compatible cameras	All Leica M-Cameras^{3, 4}, Leica SL-Cameras with Leica M-Adapter L

¹ The nominal focal lengths of the Leica M-Lenses relate to 35 mm format, i.e. original image frame dimensions of 24 x 36 mm. However, with dimensions of 18 x 27 mm, the sensor of the Leica M8 models is a little smaller, by a factor of 0.75. For this reason, the angle of view of this lens when mounted on a Leica M8 model corresponds to that of a lens with a focal length that is longer by a factor of 1.33 (1.33 = reciprocal of 0.75).

² The 6-bit coding on the lens bayonet (7) enables Leica M8 digital models to identify the lens type mounted on the camera. The cameras utilise this information for the optimisation of exposure parameters and image data.

³ With the exception of the Leica M3 and the former version of the Leica MP ( professional version of the M3), all Leica M-Cameras without a 75 mm bright line frame can be retrofitted with this frame by the Customer Care department of Leica Camera AG (it then appears in the viewfinder together with the frame for 50 mm lenses).

⁴ This is independent of the image frame format of the respective camera – whether 18 x 27 mm (sensor size) for the Leica M8 models or 24 x 36 mm for all other Leica M models.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

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AI-powered ‘Google Lens’ is being integrated into Assistant on Pixel phones

25 Nov

With the Pixel 2 smartphone, Google introduced an exciting new software feature called Google Lens. Google Lens uses Artificial Intelligence to power its visual recognition algorithms and provides information about whatever your smartphone’s camera is pointed at—for example, what type of flower you are looking at or reviews and other information about a restaurant. You can also identify landmarks, look up movies, books or works of art and scan barcodes/QR codes and business cards.

Unfortunately, in its first implementation the feature wasn’t terribly easy or straightforward to use. You had to take a picture, then go to Google Photos and tap the Lens icon which would trigger the Google Lens scan. That’s too many steps to make the feature as useful as it could potentially be.

Thankfully, Lens will be integrated into Google Assistant soon. When you open the latter, there’ll now be a Lens icon near the bottom right of the display. Tapping this opens up a Google Lens camera. You can tap on any object of interest in the preview window and the app will provide any available information.

As usual, the new feature will be rolled out gradually. English-language Pixel phones that are using Assistant in the United States, United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, India, and Singapore will be served first over the coming weeks, but we’d expect the new feature to make it other regions soon after.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

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Review of the Tamron 18-400mm F/3.5-6.3 DI-II VC HLD Zoom Lens

22 Nov

Tamron has been specializing in super-zoom lenses for the last few years. You may be familiar with their 16-300mm, 18-270mm or 150-600mm lenses. Their newest super-zoom is an even more astonishing focal length, the Tamron 18-400mm. I recently had a chance to review this lens for a few weeks so I thought I’d give you an idea of who this lens is for, the good, the not-so-good, and my overall recommendation.

Review of Tamron 18-400mm F/3.5-6.3 DI-II VC HLD Zoom Lens - Hibiscus

Hot pink hardy hibiscus bloom. Canon 7D Mark II, Tamron 18-400mm lens @ 400mm, f/9, 1/160th, ISO 100, handheld.

About this review

I know you already know this (because you read ALL my pieces for dPS, right? Right?!) but my lens reviews are pretty real world. I don’t sit in a lab or use techy gizmos to measure sharpness. I actually hold a lens in my hands and shoot with it. This lens was tucked in my favorite bag for most of August.

That said, my intention was to see how a lens holds up for an actual shoot. I used this lens to photograph Lipizzan horses at a dressage performance as well as at the racetrack. Then I used it on a mission to photograph old barns and finally to make some macro flower images.

Lipizzan foal at Tempel Farms, Old Mill Creek IL. Canon 7D Mark II, Tamron 18-400mm lens @ 300mm, f/6.3, 1/640th, ISO 500, handheld.

The goal was to make images at most focal lengths with a variety of apertures, but a few might have been skipped because I was really out there shooting. I shoot at the focal length, shutter speed, ISO and aperture that each situation calls for. So let’s just say I apologize in advance if I’ve skipped something important to you. Give me a shout in the comments if that’s the case. I’ll dig through my notes and image archives to see if I can answer your question.

Lens specs

Let’s start off with a quick overview of the lens specs. This lens is for Nikon and Canon APS-C (crop sensor) cameras only. I tested the lens on a Canon 7D Mark II.

The Tamron 18-400mm super-zoom is a variable aperture lens. Meaning that at 18mm, the maximum aperture (largest opening) is f/3.5. But when you zoom into 400mm, the maximum aperture is f/6.3. The minimum aperture (smallest opening) is f/22 at all focal lengths.

Dilapidated red barn, McHenry County IL. Canon 7D Mark II, Tamron 18-400mm lens @ 71mm, f/9, 1/250th, ISO 200, handheld.

The lens has an HLD Autofocus Motor that is quick and quiet for a consumer lens at this price. It also has Tamron’s standard VC Image Stabilization. This feature enables you to get sharper shots while hand-holding at longer focal lengths. The lens also has what Tamron calls Moisture-Resistant Construction. I’m relieved to tell you I didn’t get to test this feature.

The minimum focusing distance – important especially if you want to try your hand at making macro images – is 17.72″ (45 cm). Macro is usually a 1:1 ratio and this lens only produces 1:2.9, but I was pleasantly surprised with my macro results.

White hardy hibiscus bud. Canon 7D Mark II, Tamron 18-400mm lens @ 400mm, f/13, 1/320th, ISO 320, handheld.

If you use screw on filters, like a circular polarizer, the front thread is 72mm. The lens is 1.56 pounds (710 g) and approximately 3.11” in diameter by 4.88″ in length (79 x 123.9 mm). It’s an incredibly compact lens for this focal length range.

The price, at the time of publication of this article, is $ 649.00 USD.

Who is this lens for?

I would describe the ideal user of this lens as an amateur or enthusiast. If you’re an amateur photographer who travels but doesn’t want to carry more than one or two lenses, this is the perfect choice for you.

With an 18-400mm focal length, you might not need to ever change the lens, except in a dark indoor situation, when you need either flash or perhaps the fast f/1.8 maximum aperture of a nifty fifty.

Low-key portrait of a racehorse, Arlington Park IL. Canon 7D Mark II, Tamron 18-400mm lens @ 400mm, f/6.3, 1/250th, ISO 250, handheld.

This lens would also be great for a busy parent who needs more than a smart phone to capture pictures of soccer matches and dance recitals but who doesn’t have a ton of extra room in her carryall bag. The compact size and weight of the Tamron 18-400mm make it an easy addition to any parent’s standard kit.

What’s good about this lens

The size of this lens just can’t be beat. At only a pound and a half and less than 5 inches long, it’s a lot of focal length in a very small package. I was really taken with how small it was since I normally shoot with such large neck-and-shoulder-busting glass.

Hand-holding this lens for an afternoon at the race track wasn’t even remotely painful. With the insane focal length capabilities, I didn’t even bother to carry a second lens with me (or even my camera bag!) and that made for a really care-free afternoon.

The Tamron 18-400mm lens, attached to the Canon 7D Mark II, with the Canon 100-400 lens alongside for size comparison.

Tamron 18-400mm lens comparison - extended

The extended Tamron 18-400 lens, attached to the Canon 7D Mark II, with the extended Canon 100-400 lens alongside for size comparison. Clearly you can see what a compact size this lens is and how beneficial that could be when you travel.

Great for landscape images

It’s also a pleasure to catch a pretty landscape out of the corner of your eye and to simply zoom out to 18mm to capture it. Typically if you’re shooting with a long lens, you have to take the time to switch over to your wide-angle lens, take the shot and then switch back to your longer focal length lens again. Well, actually, if you’re me, you see that landscape and think ooh, pretty and then walk away without taking the shot.

Arlington Park Racetrack IL. Canon 7D Mark II, Tamron 18-400 @ 18mm, f/13, 1/100th, ISO 320, handheld. Processed in Lightroom.

I’m lazy that way so this was the first time I’ve actually made images of the racetrack itself. The lens performed really well in the 18-50mm focal range. It was both sharp and relatively distortion free. Lightroom’s Lens Correction easily managed the slight distortion there was too.

Things to be careful of

Remember I said we’d talk about the not-so-good too? It is a touch tricky to twist the lens in order to zoom in past 200mm to get to the 400mm focal length. First, your hand gets a bit “stuck” since anatomically, your wrist only twists so far before you have to reposition in order to continue the twisting motion.

Headed to the gate, Arlington Park IL. Canon 7D Mark II, Tamron 18-400mm lens @ 209mm, f/6.3, 1/1000th, ISO 250, handheld.

Second, the lens has what I call a “hiccup” where you need to exert more pressure to push it past this point. I missed a few shots because the twisting motion wasn’t smooth enough and I jerked the lens a bit as I zoomed in from 200mm to 400mm.

White hardy hibiscus bloom. Canon 7D Mark II, Tamron 18-400mm lens @ 227mm, f/13, 1/400th, ISO 320, handheld.

Softness around the edges

There is a definite softness (or loss of sharpness) at the longer end of the lens, especially when your aperture is wide open, e.g., 400mm at f/6.3. If you crop in too much during post-processing or print too large, you’ll start to see the loss of fine details in your image since they weren’t tack sharp to start. You won’t see this loss of detail in a small 5×7″ print, or if you post to social media – so for many people, this actually won’t be a big issue.

Riders up at the paddock, Arlington Park IL. Canon 7D Mark II, Tamron 18-400mm lens @ 18mm, f/5, 1/500th, ISO 640, handheld.

Use the center focus point

The lens tends to be softest in the corners so sharpness improves if you use your camera’s center focus point. It also improves if you close down your aperture to f/8, f/9, or smaller. Because the lens is not tack sharp all the way through the focal length spectrum, I’m not recommending this lens for super serious wildlife shooters or anyone who likes to print really large. For you guys, I’m going to suggest sticking with a more standard zoom lens like a 100-400mm or 200-400mm. (I apologize in advance for the wear and tear this recommendation will cause your shoulders.)

If you predominantly shoot wide-angle images, like landscapes, and only occasionally shoot long, this lens will be a good fit for you when you don’t want to carry a ton of gear.

Final thoughts

Ultimately there were a number of things I really liked about this lens. The small size and super-zoom focal length make it a very practical tool to have in your bag. At $ 649.00 USD, it’s also a great value.

However, the softness at the long end of that focal length can become a real issue if you’re not careful. Because of that, I’m cautiously going to rate this lens 3.5 stars out of 5.

Running Lipizzan foal at Tempel Farms, Old Mill Creek IL. Canon 7D Mark II, Tamron 18-400mm lens @ 400mm, f/6.3, 1/640th, ISO 100, handheld.

I’d love to hear your opinions too. Have you tried super-zooms lenses? Do they work for your type of photography? Which is your favorite one and how does it compare to the Tamron 100-400mm lens? Please share your thoughts with the dPS community in the comments below.

The post Review of the Tamron 18-400mm F/3.5-6.3 DI-II VC HLD Zoom Lens by Lara Joy Brynildssen appeared first on Digital Photography School.

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Sigma releases full-res sample photos captured with 16mm F1.4 DC DN lens

20 Nov

The new Sigma 16mm F1.4 DC DN | Contemporary lens made for APS-C E-Mount and M43 cameras has a lot of crop-sensor shooters very intrigued. Sigma says this lens boasts quality on par with its Art lens lineup, and our own hands-on at PPE 2017 was very positive. But before you order the lens—which ships at the end of this month and costs a very tempting $ 450—you’ll want to check out the gallery below.

Sigma Global has finally released official, full-resolution sample photos captured with the new lens. Despite the lens being made primarily for APS-C E-Mount, Sigma shooter Wataru Nakamura used a Sony A7RII to capture these samples in the camera’s 3:2 crop mode (17.8MP resolution).

Check them out for yourself below, or head over to the Sigma Global website to download the samples yourself:

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Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

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Mitakon Speedmaster 135mm F1.4 lens relaunched with 7 mount options

16 Nov

Mitakon has relaunched its Speedmaster 135mm F1.4 lens, now offering it in 7 mount options: Sony A, Sony E, Canon EF, Nikon F, Fujifilm G, Pentax K, and Leica L (the listing says Leica T). This Mitakon lens features an F1.4 to F16 aperture alongside a clickless manual focusing ring, 1.6 meter minimum focusing distance, 11 elements in 5 groups (including three large extra-low dispersion elements), and a weight of 3kg / 6.6lbs.

Mitakon’s lens caught popular attention a couple years back as the world’s fastest 135mm lens. As with its original launch back in October 2015, the Speedmaster 135mm F1.4 lens is priced at $ 3,000. The lens is currently listed for pre-order through the Shotenkobo Online Store with a reservation price of ¥60,000 / $ 530 USD.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

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Field Test and Thoughts: Tamron 24-70mm F/2.8 Di VC USD G2 Lens

15 Nov

Ask any experienced photographer what his or her all around go-to lens is, and odds are high that the response will be the 24-70mm f/2.8. Not only does it cover a useful range, but the fast aperture makes it ideal for shooting in low lighting conditions when you don’t have a prime lens handy. The long-standing problem with this lens? It is notoriously pricey. Enter the new Tamron 24-70mm f/2.8 G2 lens!

Tamron 24-70mm

Along with Sigma, Tamron has been upping its lens game recently by offering high-quality budget versions of popular lenses. In fact, the original Tamron 24-70mm f/2.8 lens (Model A007) was first announced in February 2012 and has been on the market for awhile. This year, a highly anticipated second version was released. Here’s what the specs are and what I think after comparing it to my Canon 24-70mm f/2.8 II.

Tamron 24-70mm

The Specs

The official name of this lens is a mouthful: Tamron SP 24-70mm F/2.8 Di VC USD G2 (Model A032). Let’s dissect some of that terminology.

SP is Tamron’s version of high-end lenses, similar to the Sigma Art series. The Tamron SP 24-70mm joins a handful of mostly prime lenses with this designation. Di stands for Digitally integrated, meaning the lens will perform well on full-frame and APS-C format cameras. VC refers to Vibration Control, which Tamron says is much improved in this new lens, offering around 5-stops of compensation, a big boost over its predecessor. USD stands for Ultrasonic Silent Drive, which is reasonably quiet. Finally, G2 is short for Generation 2; this, along with the model number, differentiates this lens from the original.

This lens is available in both Canon and Nikon DSLR mounts.

Tamron 24-70mm

Price

First of all, let’s talk about price. The original Tamron 24-70mm f/2.8 was announced in 2012 with a price of $ 1,300. Somehow, version II came out several years later with the even lower price of $ 1,199.00. Compare that to the current prices of the Canon ($ 1,699)and Nikon ($ 2,397) versions. Price-wise, it even beats out the Sigma version ($ 1,299). While Tamron’s version is still pricey, it’s the least expensive option on the market. That’s good news for photographers on a budget.

Lens Hood

This feature was so good it deserves its own heading.

Like most lenses, the Tamron 24-70mm f/2.8 G2 comes with a lens hood. Unlike most other lenses, the hood is solidly built and snaps into place very tightly. Once the hood is on, there’s almost no way that it will accidentally fall off as it inevitably does when shooting with other lenses.

Tamron 24-70mm

Build Quality

Following in the tradition of other Tamron SP lenses, the 24-70mm f/2.8 G2 is very solidly built. Its outer barrel is made mostly of metal instead of plastic and has moisture resistant construction. As a trade-off for the lens’ solid build, it is pretty big and bulky at nearly 11 cm (4.3″) long and 900 grams (approx. 2 lbs) in weight. That’s 75 grams (2.6 oz) heavier than the original! As a result, this lens might be tough to balance on small, lightweight camera bodies. During this test, the lens was paired with a Canon 5D Mark III, where it felt reasonably well-balanced.

Lens Switches

There are several switches located on the sides of the lens. One is an AF/MF switch making it easy to go from Autofocus to Manual focus. Nearby is the Vibration Control (VC) switch. Whether you choose to turn VC on or off depending on what you’re shooting, but it definitely helps with handheld shots.

The final switch is unique to Tamron zoom lenses: a Lock switch that holds the lens at 24mm, preventing it from extending. I have this unintended lens extension problem (it’s called zoom creep) with my Canon 24-70mm f/2.8 II (probably from prolonged use) and would love to see this feature on every zoom lens.

Tamron 24-70mm

Image Quality

Tamron’s SP lenses come with a special coating that significantly reduces ghosting or lens flare. In the case of the 24-70mm f/2.8, there was little evidence of flare when shooting into the sun or into bright light.

Tamron 24-70mm

When shooting wide open at f/2.8, there’s noticeable light fall-off in the corners of the image. It’s hard to get rid of the vignette without using an f-stop of f/5.6 or smaller.

Shot wide open at f/2.8, there is a noticeable edge vignette on the corners of the image.

Shot at f/11. Little to no vignette.

Image sharpness was comparable to what you would get from a 24-70mm f/2.8 of another brand. Shooting handheld wide open at low shutter speeds produced a reasonably sharp image with the Vibration Compensation activated.

Shot handheld at 1/15th shutter speed and f/2.8.

Below, the lens was used in a controlled studio environment with off-camera flash, thus reducing camera shake and noise. The resulting images are sharp with nice coloring.

Tamron 24-70mm

Food Photography Tamron 24-70

Some users have reported distortion from shots taken at the 24mm focal length. When shooting interiors, I did notice a bit of distortion on the edges, but it’s nothing that can’t be fixed in post-processing if you really wanted to.

Tamron 24-70mm f/2.8

In Conclusion

If you’re on the hunt for a great 24-70mm lens, the Tamron 24-70mm f/2.8 G2 is a great option. It produces great image quality with a solid build, and most importantly, it won’t break the bank.

Do you own a 24-70mm lens? Would you try Tamron’s version? Or do you prefer to stick with your camera’s name brand lenses? Tell us about your experience below.

The post Field Test and Thoughts: Tamron 24-70mm F/2.8 Di VC USD G2 Lens by Suzi Pratt appeared first on Digital Photography School.

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Why Every Photographer Needs a 70-200mm Lens

07 Nov

As photographers, some pieces of advice are universal; the same can also be said for some camera gear. The 70-200mm lens is a staple for a reason, found in pretty much every pro’s camera bag around the world, they are trusted on location from portrait studios to the heart of the Amazon.

So here is why you need one in your kit.

Nikon 70-200mm lens review must have

Optical Performance

Let’s start with the big reason, optical performance. The 70-200mm is a professional lens and features the latest in optical design and quality.

Perfected over the last 30 years they have an excellent edge to edge sharpness, both wide open and stopped down. Featuring the ED elements and the latest lens coatings, they fend off chromatic aberrations and flare very well and produce stunning sharp, contrasty images shoot after shoot.

Focal Length

Short telephotos and wide-angle lenses are fantastic for getting up close into the action or taking the wider view, however, they can often be problematic. If you are trying to photograph wildlife, candid portraits, or anything that you can’t get close to, the 70-200mm lens will come in handy.

Nikon 70-200mm lens review environmental portraits

The reach of the 70-200mm is perfect for so many situations, allowing you to focus in on key subject areas, crop out distracting areas or elements in your frame and just get closer to the action.

The focal length allows you to also give your subject space to move without you having to be right up in their face, while still giving you the scope for those tight shots. It also allows you to be creative in new ways, giving you options to focus on small details within a composition or landscape, all the while not needing to move your feet.

Nikon 70-200mm lens review details

Large Maximum Aperture

The 70-200mm f/2.8 is a fast lens, with the wide aperture being a key reason why so many pros love it. This gives you a number of benefits for shooting on location, once again making this a top quality lens in which to invest.

Benefits

The first benefit is the bokeh (or out of focus areas). The fast f/2.8 aperture means depth of field wide open is very limited. This results in much of the background and foreground dropping into mushy out of focus goodness, helping to keep the viewer’s attention on your main subject.

The large aperture, combined with the telephoto reach of the lens, really allows for the rendering of wonderful out of focus elements. This gives a truly dreamy quality and feeling to the images produced with the 70-200mm lens.

A second benefit of the wide open aperture is that of the low light performance. Having a fast f/2.8 aperture means the lens lets in far more light than slower alternatives. This, in turn, means the camera has more light to work with. So, when the light starts to fade you can still get sharp shots with reasonable shutter speeds without the need to stretch your ISO capabilities.

Another benefit of the fast aperture is the brightness it brings to the viewfinder. If you haven’t used fast lenses before you’ll soon fall in love with the brighter viewfinder experience that comes with the 70-200mm f/2.8. This might not sound like a big deal, but being able to see your composition better allows you to be more focused on selecting what you want in and out of the frame, helping you to hone your compositional skills for better images.

Speed

When working with fast paced action, speed is imperative, and the 70-200mm lens doesn’t disappoint. As a pro spec lens, the 70-200mm offers brilliant AF speed that is a huge benefit when working with erratic subjects on fast paced shoots.

Nikon 70-200mm lens review blazing fast focus

The autofocus, aided by the fast aperture, locks onto subjects quickly and focuses through the range in the blink of an eye (something that certainly can’t be said for all telephoto lenses). The speed of the focus reduces frustration when trying to pick up moving subjects, helping you to focus on composing your shots rather than the frustration of your lens not focusing.

Size and Weight

Some people think the 70-200mm is a large lens, however, that weight and size also have their advantages. The physical length of the lens itself, being around 25cm, provides for good placement of the controls, with the large zoom and focus rings being well spaced on the lens’s barrel.

The length also allows for the inclusion of a tripod mount (collar). This is handy for working with a tripod for better balance and for lowering the stress on the bayonet mount between the camera and lens.

Nikon 70-200mm lens review 01

The size also lends itself to being comfortable for handholding. The wider barrel fits well in the hand, with the weight of the lens balancing well with medium to large camera bodies. The lens is also a little front heavy that means when attached to the camera it helps equal out the balance to a comfortable feel.

Of course, modern versions of the 70-200mm f/2.8 also include the implementation of image stabilization (VR, IS, or OS) helping to once again improve the abilities of this lens when working handheld. The optical stabilization systems help to reduce camera shake by up to 4-stops, meaning even when the light gets low you can work handheld with sharp results. That is something that can really come into its own when on location on a fast moving shoot.

Build Quality

The 70-200mmm f/2.8 is designed to be used by pros, and it’s constructed like a tank. Metal construction and weather sealing mean it’s built to last while being taken out and abused day in and day out.

Nikon 70-200mm lens review compressing landscapes

My 70-200mm has been everywhere with me and is built to withstand the elements.

The 70-200mm lens is also a fantastic addition to the kit bag for those nature photographers who also have a passion for landscape photography. The focal length is excellent for giving you the reach to pick out sections of a landscape, details within a scene or for compressing layers for flattering images. The 70-200mm offers flexibility for composing, with the telephoto reach helping to compress a scene for flattering perspectives that might not work with a wider focal length.

I’ve had my 70-200mm lens for many years and worked with it in the rain, snow, freezing conditions, as well as the jungle and it’s never skipped a beat. Rugged and reliable, just as you want a working tool to be!

Teleconverters

This lens was also designed with the ability to work with teleconverters in mind. These small optical devices fit between the camera and lens, helping to magnify the image for a greater telephoto effect.

That means that the 70-200mm, when paired with a 1.4x teleconverter, becomes a 105-300mm equivalent or a 140-400mm when paired with a 2.0x converter. This can be very handy if you need some extra reach but don’t want to invest in a super telephoto or you just can’t fit it into your bag.

Nikon 70-200mm lens review reach portraits

Shot at about 280mm using the 1.4x teleconverter.

Going the other way you can also add extension tubes to the 70-200mm to reduce the minimum focusing distance. That results in the ability to get ultra close for some semi-macro images, once again showing the scope for the versatility of this stable lens.

Conclusion

The 70-200mm lens is truly a worthy lens to be part of every photographer’s kit bag. Offering top optics, a fast aperture, excellent speed, ergonomics, and weatherproofing. They are built to last and perform day in, day out.

They are expensive, but as a long-term investment, the 70-200mm f/2.8 is certainly one that every keen photographer should think about making. You certainly won’t regret it.

The post Why Every Photographer Needs a 70-200mm Lens by Tom Mason appeared first on Digital Photography School.

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