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What’s the Nikon Z like with adapted lenses?

25 Aug

How well does the Nikon Z work with adapted lenses?

When we polled our readers to find the things it was most important for Nikon to get right in its full frame mirrorless camera, full compatibility and performance with its F-mount lenses came out top.

This is no surprise: Nikon has sold over 100 million F-mount lenses, which has resulted in a large, loyal and, to a degree, locked-in user base. For Nikon to convert any significant proportion of those users into ‘Z’ mount shooters, they need not just to be able to mount their existing lenses, but to have them work well with the new system.

Based on our experiences so far, we don’t think they’ll be disappointed – and this is the first time that photographers using F-mount lenses will have autofocus coverage across almost the entire frame.

Nikon FTZ adapter

Backwards compatibility is provided through the optional Nikon FTZ adapter, which will sell for around $ 250 (though initially there’ll be a $ 100 discount if bought along with a Z series camera).

This F-mount to Z-mount adapter has full electronic connections between the camera and the lens. It also features a mechanical actuator to operate the aperture on the lens you mount to it. This means it will work with more than just the latest ‘E’ type lenses that have their own aperture actuators built-in.

This is something of a pleasant surprise; Nikon could certainly have made their lives easier by just supporting those newer electronic-aperture lenses, but we’re glad they’ve included even more backwards compatibility.

Full compatibility with AF-S lenses

That increased backward compatibility thanks to the aperture actuator means that AF-S and AF-I lenses are fully compatible with the Z system. Essentially, anything with its own focus motor will work and will be compatible with all the camera’s functions. There’s a greater risk of focus noise in video mode as Nikon lenses tend to have noisy focus motors, but that’s essentially the only limitation to using pretty much every lens launched in the past 18 years.

Partial compatibility with older lenses

The constant evolution of the F-mount means there have been many versions over the years. As you might expect, the degree of compatibility offered by the FTZ adapter drops as the lenses get older.

AF-D and AF Nikkor lenses without built-in AF motors will mount on the adapter and work with all metering modes, but will not autofocus. There’s no AI lever on the adapter, though, so anything from before the mid 1980s will mount but will have increasing restrictions over which metering modes are available.

As in previous high-end Nikons, it’s possible to record a list of non-CPU (AI and Pre-AI lenses) through the menus, so that the camera understands the focal length and maximum aperture of the attached lens. You can assign this function to one of the camera’s buttons if you’re regularly switching between lenses.

For more information on these oldest of Nikon lenses, check out our primer.

VR behavior

When working with adapted lenses, the camera’s in-body image stabilization system drops to offering correction in three axes: pitch, yaw and roll. This is optimized based either on the focal length data provided by the lens or from the focal length that’s been manually specified, if you’re working with non-CPU lenses.

Any lens with its own ‘Vibration Reduction’ mechanism built in should be more effectively stabilized. With VR lenses, responsibility for correcting pitch and yaw is passed to the lens, since in-lens stabilization can provide a greater degree of travel than the in-body system could provide on its own. The camera continues to provide roll correction that the lens can’t itself provide.

Performance with the AF-S NIKKOR 35mm f/1.8G ED

During our time with a pre-production Nikon Z 7, we mounted the AF-S Nikkor 35mm F1.8 to the adapter and were impressed by the performance. In fact, we found it sometimes focused more reliably on moving subjects than the native (though pre-production) Z-mount 35mm F1.8.

All functions worked as expected and it focused quickly. Continuous autofocus performance was impressive, and is what we used to get this tack sharp shot of a toddler with this combo. During bursts though, our impression – albeit with beta firmware – was that the camera would sometimes back-focus trying to keep up with fast approaching subjects. This was not unique to this lens, and we hope final firmware provides improved performance.

The constant motor chatter would rule it out for video use though, unless you use an external mic away from the lens. And, of course, when used on the Z 7, the F-mount 35mm F1.8’s results are stabilized.

Performance: AF-S Nikkor 70-200mm F2.8E

The 70-200mm F2.8 is an essential part of many photographers’ kits and again we were impressed with how it performed on a pre-production Z 7. Focus was swift and generally snappy, just as we’d expect with the lens mounted on a Nikon DSLR. Subject tracking appeared to successfully stick to our subject as well, though becomes harder to engage as using the touchscreen or pressing the ‘OK’ button becomes more cumbersome with large lenses.

The camera was able to drive the lens to refocus on a moving subject quickly and decisively, giving us a very good hit rate of perfectly in-focus images in Single Drive. The only moments of doubt came when shooting high-speed bursts of images. As with most other lenses we tried on the pre-production Z 7, we experienced some back-focused shots as the focus system played catch-up on rapidly approaching subjects (you can see the results in our preliminary look at the camera’s AF performance).

We didn’t shoot with it enough to get a sense for whether the addition of roll-axis correction was significantly adding to our keeper rate, but the fact it comes in addition to the lens’s own VR can only be a bonus.

With manual focus lenses

In our limited time with the pre-production Z 7 and FTZ adapter, we unfortunately didn’t have a chance to give it a try with an older AI or AI-S manual focus lens. However, the Z 7 comes with effective focus peaking, and you can also assign a focus magnifier to a custom button, making it easy to quickly check critical focus.

We’re most curious as to whether the adapter has a provision for automatically magnifying the view if it can detect focus ring movement, and is something we’ll investigate when we have a production model in our offices.

Lack of third-party openness

However, while the FTZ adapter works very well, in the short term it’ll be the only adapter available. Despite the dimensions of the Z-mount being especially well-suited to adapting almost any lens you can think of, Nikon has – perhaps not surprisingly – decided not to share the mount’s electronic specifications for aspects such as focus and exposure with other manufacturers.

This has always been true of the older F-mount, where Tamron, Sigma and other companies have reverse-engineered it for years to offer their own lens alternatives. We would have liked to see Nikon be more open in this regard, particularly for those coming from different systems or wanting more video-centric lenses to take advantage of the new video-centric features on the Z 7 and Z 6.

The relatively open nature of the Micro Four Thirds mount and, to an increasing degree, Sony’s E-mount has really helped to flesh out those systems’ lens ecosystems. While doing this for the Z-mount may have meant fewer users buying Z-mount Nikkor S lenses in the near term, it would have given early adopters of the Z 6 and Z 7 the possibility of more lens options outside of those Nikon’s indicated on their roadmap.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

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Hands-on with Nikon’s three Z-series lenses

24 Aug

Hands-on with Nikon’s new Z-mount lenses and FTZ adapter

Nikon’s new Z-mount marks a major departure for the company, which (barring the short-lived 1-Series) for almost 60 years has relied on the 1950s-era F-mount for its interchangeable lens cameras. The Z-mount is significantly wider than the older F standard, with a much shorter flange-back distance. As such, it provides Nikon’s optical engineers with greatly increased flexibility when it comes to lens design.

The new Z 7 and Z 6 are launching with three new lenses – the Nikkor Z 24-70 F4 S, Nikkor Z 50mm F1.8 S, and Nikkor Z 35mm F1.8 S, alongside an FTZ adapter for Nikon’s legacy F-mount lenses and a fourth native prime – the Nikkor 58mm F0.95 Noct – in development. Let’s take a closer look.

The Z-mount

The Z-mount is the widest 35mm standard lens mount in existence, at 55mm. Nikon claims that this enables lenses with maximum apertures as wide as 0.95 without significant vignetting, which means twice as much light as the F mount can allow. Because the Z-mount is designed from the ground up for mirrorless cameras, the interface is entirely electronic, and the flange-back distance is only 16mm: 2mm shorter than Sony’e E Mount.

This – plus the wide diameter of the lens throat – should make the Z-mount the most versatile lens mount on the market when it comes to adapting lenses from other systems – as well as potentially opening the door to high-quality, super-compact Z-mount wide-angle lenses in the future.

The wide throat should give Nikon’s designers and engineers plenty of flexibility, since it essentially moves the outer edges of the mount out of the sensor’s field-of-view. This should not only remove constraints on lens design but also allow plenty of room for sensor movement for image stabilization, for instance.

The 55mm diameter is, noticeably, the exact diameter of a 44 x 33mm medium format sensor, but that tight fit would end up re-imposing exactly the design constraints the Z-mount avoids.

FTZ adapter

There are a huge number of F-mount lenses in circulation, many in the hands of enthusiasts and professional photographers. As such, Nikon was very keen to maintain F-mount compatibility with the new Z 7 and Z 6. Enter the FTZ adapter: a weather-sealed and unusually smart mount converter, which offers full support for more than 90 of Nikon’s current F-mount lenses and partial support for more than 360. F-mount lenses with VR will benefit from the addition of roll correction, courtesy of the Z 7 and Z 6’s in-body stabilization system. Non-VR adapted lenses will receive 3-axis stabilization.

While the Z-mount is fully electronic, the FTZ includes a mechanical aperture actuator for older F-mount lenses that lack the current-generation all-electronic aperture interface. We haven’t had the chance to fully test performance yet, but our initial impressions of AF performance with adapted F-mount lenses are very positive. The FTZ adapter will ship in late September for $ 249 (you save $ 100 if you buy it with the Z 7 or Z 6).

Focus-by-wire design

Hybrid AF systems tend to work best with lenses that use single, light focusing elements, since it reduces inertia to allow a highly-precise contrast detection check. This, along with the need to focus silently for video work, encourages the use of different focus motors than the ones used for DSLR lenses.

A knock-on effect of this is that the Nikkor Z lenses don’t use the ring-type focus motors that Nikon has used for its high-end DSLR lenses. In turn this means designs with no physical connection between the focus ring and the focusing elements: an approach known as focus-by-wire.

Nikon uses this lack of mechanical connection by offering a speed-sensitive response: moving the focus a lot if you turn the ring quickly or in more subtle increments if you move it slowly. It’ll be unfamiliar if you’re used to DSLR lenses but it can allow fast and precise focus once you’re used to it. Nikon also let you use the focus ring for other functions, if you prefer.

However, this isn’t the only way focus-by-wire lenses can work, and there’s nothing to stop Nikon adding a linear response mode that would be more like the way its existing lenses operate. This is particularly useful for videographers, since it makes it possible to plan-out a focus pull, knowing that a 30 degree turn of the focus ring will give drive the focus to the distance you expect.

It would also be possible for Nikon to let you reverse the lens rings’ direction of operation, so that it focused like other brands’ lenses. At present, Nikon isn’t offering either of these options, but we’re hoping they’ll add them at some point in the future.

Nikkor Z 24-70 F4 S

The standard ‘kit’ lens for the Z 7 and Z 6 at launch, the Nikkor Z 24-70 F4 S is a lightweight constant-aperture zoom which features a buttonless retractable design, to save on overall size when the lens isn’t being used. Optical construction consists of 14 elements in 11 groups, including one aspherical ED (extra low dispersion) element and three regular aspheres. Nikon’s Nano Crystal coat is employed to reduce flare and ghosting, and a flourine coating on the exposed elements should make it easier to clean moisture and fingerprints from the glass.

Autofocus is driven by a stepping motor, and (in common with all of the new z-mount lenses) manual focus-by-wire is also available. The slim focus ring (Nikon calls it a ‘control ring’) can also be customized to allow control over aperture and exposure compensation.

Our initial optical impressions are that it is surprisingly sharp across the frame even wide open, but its bokeh suffers from onion rings and other patterns – which can lead to ‘busy bokeh – presumably due to the use of aspherical elements. This is not uncommon in new lens designs optimized for sharpness, and the amount to which it might be distracting is likely to vary from copy to copy of any particular lens.

Like all of the new Z-mount optics, the Nikkor Z 24-70 F4 S is a pretty lightweight lens at 500g, but feels well made. It features a minimum focus distance of 30cm (11.8 inches) and has 72mm filter threads. The 24-70mm F4 will ship alongside the Z 7 in September for $ 999.

Nikkor Z 50mm F1.8 S

Nikon is pretty proud of this one, and based on our early impressions, the company seems to have good reason. The Nikkor Z 50mm F1.8 S is an extremely sharp standard prime lens for the Z-mount, which Nikon claims has “nearly zero aberrations” when shot wide open at F1.8.

The 50mm F1.8 incorporates a nine-blade aperture, and optical construction consists of 12 elements in 9 groups, including two ED elements and two aspherical elements. Like the 24-70mm, the 50mm employs Nano Crystal coating to reduce flare and ghosting. Minimum focus is 40cm (15.7 inches). Autofocus performance seems broadly comparable to Nikon’s 50mm F1.4 AF-S. It’s positive (and almost completely silent), but not as snappy as some of Nikon’s ring motor-equipped fast-aperture lenses.

A subtle but very welcome addition to the lens hoods of the new Z-mount range (masked off in our shots of these early pre-production units) is a text panel which lists the lens with which the hood is compatible, and its filter thread.

The Nikkor Z 50mm F1.8 S will ship in late October for $ 599.

Nikkor Z 35mm F1.8 S

The Nikkor Z 35mm F1.8 S is a medium-wide prime lens, which looks extremely similar to the slightly larger 50mm F1.8. Comprised of 11 elements in nine groups, optical construction (again) includes Nano Crystal coating and like the 50mm F1.8, the 35mm features a nine-bladed aperture. It also shares the same 62mm filter thread. At 370g, the 35mm F1.8 is the lightest of the Z-mount lenses available at launch. Minimum focus is 25cm (9.8 inches).

Our initial optical impressions are positive: the lens is very sharp. However, there’s a significant amount of longitudinal chromatic aberration (pink and green fringing in front of and behind the focus plane, respectively), something Nikon prime shooters are undoubtedly already familiar with. Bokeh is generally pleasing, but there’s some patterning to out-of-focus highlights that aren’t very defocused, likely due to the use of aspherical elements. Autofocus is quiet, but sometimes felt slower than its AF-S counterpart, though this could be due to the beta firmware of the lens and camera.

The Nikkor Z 35mm F1.8 S will ship alongside the Z 7 in late September for $ 599.

Nikkor 58mm F0.95 Noct

We haven’t handled this one yet, but we can’t wait. Unveiled as a development announcement, Nikon claims that the forthcoming Nikkor 58mm F0.95 Noct will offer the “highest rendering performance” of all the first-generation Z-mount lenses, including “flawless” transitions between in and out of focus areas. A brand-new ‘ARNEO’ (‘AR’ for Anti-Reflective and Neo denoting ‘new’) coating will be employed to reduce flare and ghosting. An LCD panel will display aperture, depth-of-field and focal length information.

Lens roadmap

As well as the three lenses available at the point of launch and the announcement of the 58mm Noct, Nikon has also published a lens roadmap. This isn’t something Nikon has done before. Instead it’s a move taken from the Micro Four Thirds and Fujifilm X-mount playbooks: making clear to would-be buyers that the company will continue to expand the system and introduce the lenses you might one day need.

This makes sense because, for all its hundred-year heritage and more than 100 million F-mount lenses sold, this is a new system and would-be buyers will need all the reassurance they can get that it’s a system with a solid future.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

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Nikon Z-mount launches with 24-70mm F4, 50mm F1.8 and 35mm F1.8 lenses

24 Aug

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You can’t launch a new camera system without lenses, and Nikon has three Nikkor Z-mount lenses available at and slightly after the launch of the Z 7 and Z 6. They include a 24-70mm F4 S, 50mm F1.8 S and 35mm F1.8 S (the ‘S’ represents the subtle silver ring around the lens, according to Nikon). The company is also developing a 58mm F0.95 Noct lens and has released a three-year roadmap of what’s next.

The 24-70mm F4 S features a buttonless collapsible design, 14 elements (which include ED aspherical, ED and aspherical) and both Nano Crystal and fluorine coatings. As with all of the new lenses, the 24-70 has electromagnetic aperture control, uses a stepping motor for autofocus and countermeasures to reduce focus breathing. A customizable control ring can be used to adjust focus, aperture and exposure compensation. The minimum focusing distance of the lens is 30cm (11.8″). The 24-70 will serve as a kit lens for both the Z 7 and Z6.

The Nikkor Z 50mm F1.8 S is one of two standard primes in the initial lineup. Of its 12 elements, two are ED and two are aspherical, and there’s a Nano Crystal Coat, as well. The lens has a nine-blade aperture, internal focusing and a minimum working distance of 40cm (15.7″).

The third of the initial group of lenses is the Nikkor Z 35mm F1.8 S, which has 2 ED and 3 aspherical elements as well as a Nano Crystal Coat. This lens has a rear focusing system and a minimum distance of 25cm (9.8″).

Press Release

NIKON RELEASES THE NIKKOR Z 24-70mm f/4 S, NIKKOR Z 35mm f/1.8 S, NIKKOR Z 50mm f/1.8 S, AND THE MOUNT ADAPTER FTZ, AND DEVELOPS THE NIKKOR Z 58mm f/0.95 S NOCT

Designed Exclusively for the Nikon Z Mount System, Featuring a New, Larger-Diameter Mount

MELVILLE, NY (AUGUST 23, 2018 AT 1:01 A.M. EDT) – Nikon Inc. is pleased to announce the release of three new lenses designed for the next-generation Nikon Z mount system’s full-frame (Nikon FX format) mirrorless cameras, for which a new larger-diameter mount has been adopted. The three new lenses are the standard zoom NIKKOR Z 24-70mm f/4 S, the wide-angle prime NIKKOR Z 35mm f/1.8 S, and the standard prime NIKKOR Z 50mm f/1.8 S. Nikon has also announced the Mount Adapter FTZ for Z System compatibility with existing NIKKOR F mount lenses and development of the NIKKOR Z 58mm f/0.95 S Noct lens¹.

NIKKOR Z lenses pursue a new dimension in optical performance, by taking advantage of the superior design flexibility made possible by the combination of the larger Z mount with its inner diameter of 55mm, and a short flange focal distance of 16mm. The lenses offer sharp resolution with both still-image and video recording, and are equipped with functions that include: compensation for focus breathing (the shifting of the angle of view when focus is adjusted), quiet operation, smooth exposure control, a control ring and performance that is well suited for video capture.

The NIKKOR Z 24-70mm f/4 S, NIKKOR Z 35mm f/1.8 S, and NIKKOR Z 50mm f/1.8 S are S-Line interchangeable lenses. The S-Line is a newly designated grade of NIKKOR Z lenses that adhere to a new benchmark in optical performance, realizing rendering performance that surpasses that of conventional f/4 standard zoom lenses and f/1.8 wide-angle or standard prime lenses. From maximum aperture, clear and sharp resolution can be achieved as well as beautiful bokeh characteristics.

Additionally, the Mount Adapter FTZ has been designed to allow users of Nikon SLR cameras to utilize their existing NIKKOR F mount lenses with the Z mount system and enjoy taking advantage of an even wider variety of lens characteristics with their photography.

Development of the NIKKOR Z 58mm f/0.95 S Noct

Nikon is currently developing the NIKKOR Z 58mm f/0.95 S Noct, a standard prime manual focus lens and the fastest lens in Nikon’s history. The design of the Noct lens exemplifies Nikon’s mission to pursue the ultimate optical performance in the mirrorless category. As the result, the Noct is positioned at the top of the S-Line. In addition, Nikon is planning on releasing a variety of new lenses that will continue to expand its line of attractive, high-performance NIKKOR Z lenses that further extend photographers’ creative expressions.

NIKKOR Z 24-70mm f/4 S Primary Features

Standard focal-length range from wide-angle 24mm to medium-telephoto 70mm can effectively cover a wide variety of scenes and subjects with rendering performance that will change the perception of what is possible with zoom lenses with a maximum aperture of f/4
Optical design that suppresses variations in aberrations from shooting distances of close-up to infinity, demonstrating sharp resolution even in the peripheral areas of the frame from the maximum aperture, as well as fine point-image reproduction
Achieved a minimum focus distance of just 0.3 m across the zoom range
Adoption of an ED glass element, an aspherical ED lens element, and three aspherical lens elements
Nano Crystal Coat adopted to suppress ghosting and flare
Has the size needed to deliver an extremely high standard of optical performance, yet provides outstanding portability; employs a retracting mechanism that can be set on/off without pressing a button and reduces total length for a compact lens that can easily be taken anywhere
In consideration to a dust- and drip-resistance, the entire lens, including moving parts, has been sealed
Fluorine coat applied to front lens surface

NIKKOR Z 35mm f/1.8 S Primary Features

Rendering performance that redefines perceptions of what a 35 mm f/1.8 lens can do
Sharp resolution even in the peripheral areas of the frame from the maximum aperture, effective suppression of sagittal coma flare that enables superb point-image reproduction when capturing point light sources in night landscapes, and the soft and natural bokeh characteristics expected of a fast (bright) lens
Adoption of a new multi-focusing system featuring two AF drive units providing driving power at high speed and with high accuracy that achieves quiet, fast, and accurate AF control, as well as high image-forming performance at any focus distance
Adoption of two ED glass elements, and three aspherical lens elements
Nano Crystal Coat adopted to suppress ghosting and flare
In consideration to a dust- and drip-resistance, the entire lens, including moving parts, has been sealed

NIKKOR Z 50 mm f/1.8 S Primary Features

Superior rendering ignites creativity, and redefines perceptions of what a 50mm f/1.8 lens can do
Thorough suppression of axial chromatic aberration ensures superior resolution with faithful reproduction of the fine textures in subjects, even from maximum aperture
Sharp and clear rendering of details from the center of the frame to the peripheral edges, regardless of the shooting distance
The soft and beautiful bokeh characteristics at any shooting distance possible only with a fast (bright) lens
Adoption of two ED glass, and two aspherical lens elements
Nano Crystal Coat adopted to suppress ghosting and flare
Adoption of a new, powerful stepping motor (STM) enables quiet and accurate AF control during both still-image capture and video recording
In consideration to a dust- and drip-resistance, the entire lens, including moving parts, has been sealed

Mount Adapter FTZ Primary Features

Full compatibility with more than 90 lenses and functionality with approximately 360 existing NIKKOR F lenses from AI type onwards²
The unique characteristics of NIKKOR F mount lenses can be applied to Z mount system image quality
In-camera VR (Vibration Reduction) with three-axis VR is available when attaching a NIKKOR F lens without built-in VR; in-camera VR also performs well with stills and video recording
When attaching a NIKKOR F lens with built-in VR, lens VR and in-camera VR effectively work together to compensate for camera shake by enabling three-axis VR.
Various sections of the adapter are effectively sealed to ensure dust- and drip-resistant performance equivalent to that of NIKKOR F lenses
Designed to be lightweight yet tough with consideration for superior operability as a part of a complete system

Development of the New NIKKOR Z 58mm f/0.95 S Noct Lens that Pursues Ultimate Optical Performance

The NIKKOR Z 58mm f/0.95 S Noct that Nikon is currently developing will be a large aperture, standard 58mm prime focal-length, the fastest lens in Nikon’s history³, manual-focus lens positioned at the very top of the S-Line. It will stand to symbolize the Nikon Z mount system’s new dimension in optical performance.

It has inherited the design concept behind the original AI Noct-NIKKOR 58mm f/1.2, a standard prime lens released in 1977, named for “Nocturne” (a musical composition inspired by or evocative of the night), and was popular for its ability to finely reproduce point light sources as point images. This new Noct lens that is currently in development will take advantage of the advanced design flexibility afforded by the Z mount, pursuing ultimate optical performance. Development continues with the goals of achieving an extremely fast maximum aperture of f/0.95, offering the ultimate in NIKKOR rendering performance with superior detail and sharpness. Additionally, the goal is to achieve beautiful blur characteristics, or bokeh, with good continuity, and ensure outstanding point-image reproduction capabilities for more compelling, three-dimensional imaging.

The NIKKOR Z Lens Roadmap

Information in the roadmap, including release dates, are subject to change. Product names after the NIKKOR Z 58mm f/0.95 S Noct are not yet finalized.

Price and Availability

The NIKKOR Z 24-70mm f/4 S and NIKKOR Z 35mm f/1.8 S will be available September 27 for the suggested retail prices (SRP) of $ 999.95* and $ 849.95*, respectively. The NIKKOR Z 50mm f/1.8 S lens will be available in late October for the SRP of $ 599.95*. The Mount Adapter FTZ will be available September 27 for $ 249.95* SRP (Additional $ 100 savings when purchased together with a Z 7 or Z 6, through 12/31/2018). For more information on these and other Nikon products, please visit www.nikonusa.com.

Nikkor Z 24-70mm F4 S specifications

Principal specifications
Lens type	Zoom lens
Max Format size	35mm FF
Focal length	24–70 mm
Image stabilization	No
Lens mount	Nikon Z
Aperture
Maximum aperture	F4
Minimum aperture	F22
Aperture ring	Yes
Number of diaphragm blades	7
Optics
Elements	14
Groups	11
Special elements / coatings	1 aspherical ED + 1 ED + 3 aspherical elements, Nano Crystal and fluorine coatings
Focus
Minimum focus	0.30 m (11.81″)
Maximum magnification	0.3×
Autofocus	Yes
Motor type	Stepper motor
Full time manual	Yes
Focus method	Internal
Distance scale	No
DoF scale	No
Focus distance limiter	No
Physical
Weight	500 g (1.10 lb)
Diameter	78 mm (3.07″)
Length	89 mm (3.5″)
Materials	Magnesium alloy
Sealing	Yes
Colour	Black
Zoom method	Rotary (extending)
Power zoom	No
Zoom lock	No
Filter thread	72 mm
Hood supplied	Yes
Tripod collar	No

Nikkor Z 35mm F1.8 S / 50mm F1.8 S specifications

	Nikon Nikkor Z 35mm F1.8 S	Nikon Nikkor Z 50mm F1.8 S
Principal specifications
Lens type	Prime lens
Max Format size	35mm FF
Focal length	35 mm	50 mm
Image stabilization	No
Lens mount	Nikon Z
Aperture
Maximum aperture	F1.8
Minimum aperture	F16
Aperture ring	No
Number of diaphragm blades	9
Optics
Elements	11	12
Groups	9
Special elements / coatings	2 ED + 3 aspherical elements, Nano Crystal Coat	2 aspherical + 2 ED elements, Nano Crystal Coat
Focus
Minimum focus	0.25 m (9.84″)	0.40 m (15.75″)
Maximum magnification	0.19×	0.15×
Autofocus	Yes
Motor type	Stepper motor
Full time manual	Yes
Focus method	Rear	Internal
Distance scale	No
DoF scale	No
Focus distance limiter	No
Physical
Weight	370 g (0.82 lb)	415 g (0.91 lb)
Diameter	73 mm (2.87″)	76 mm (2.99″)
Length	86 mm (3.39″)	87 mm (3.43″)
Materials	Magnesium alloy
Sealing	Yes
Colour	Black
Filter thread	62 mm
Hood supplied	Yes
Tripod collar	No

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

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A closer look at Nikon’s new Z 6 and future Z-mount lenses

24 Aug

A closer look at Nikon’s new Z 6 and roadmap ‘S’ lenses

The higher resolution Z 7 might be getting most of the attention, but Nikon’s new Z 6 also has a lot going for it. We’re at the launch of the Z system in Tokyo, where we took a closer look at the Z 6 and three forthcoming ‘S-line’ lenses.

A closer look at Nikon’s new Z 6 and roadmap ‘S’ lenses

Cosmetically the Z 6 is virtually identical to the higher-resolution Z 7, and even internally, they have an awful lot in common (I’d recommend you start here, if you want to get a feel for the general feature set of both cameras) None of the key differences between the Z 6 and Z 7 are noticeable until you really start digging through their respective menu systems.

As such, like the Z 7 the Z 6 is a comfortable, nicely-sized mirrorless ILC with a good, deep grip and in terms of its general design and operation it has a lot in common with the established D800-series DSLRs – at least until it comes to the autofocus modes. Here, the Z 6 is shown with its ‘kit’ zoom, the collapsible 24-70mm F4, attached.

A closer look at Nikon’s new Z 6 and roadmap ‘S’ lenses

The unusually subtle name plate on the lower right of the Z 6’s front is the only indication that this is the lower-priced model in Nikon’s brand new Z lineup.

A closer look at Nikon’s new Z 6 and roadmap ‘S’ lenses

You’d need an electron microscope to really tell the difference, but this is what 24MP looks like, compared to the 47-ish MP of the more expensive Z7. If the Z7 is sort of a mirrorless D850, the Z 6 is sort of a mirrorless D750. Sort of, because there’s a lot more going on inside the Z 6 than the bare resolution drop compared to the Z 7 might suggest.

If you want to compare it to any camera, actually, the Sony a7 III is probably a more sensible point of comparison.

A closer look at Nikon’s new Z 6 and roadmap ‘S’ lenses

But let’s not get ahead of ourselves. Compared to the Z 7, the Z 6 is faster, for one thing – and by a decent margin. Whereas the Z 7 tops out at 9fps (AE locked, no live view) the Z 6 – which shares the same Expeed 6 processor, but has less data to move around – can manage up to 12fps.

Sadly there’s no such thing as a free lunch in this life (that’s an expression I just came up with) and Nikon hasn’t bestowed the same 493-point PDAF system on the Z 6 that you’ll find in the more expensive Z 7. Instead, the Z 6 offers 273 PDAF points, covering the same 90% vertical and horizontal frame coverage.

The Z 6’s autofocus should be slightly more sensitive in low light than the Z 7, and we suspect that the Z 6 might ultimately have a slight edge over the Z 7 when it comes to outright AF speed, but that’s something we’ll have to wait for reviewable cameras to really test. In a quick, thoroughly unscientific test against the Z 7 at Nikon’s touch and try session in Tokyo, I couldn’t detect a noticeable difference in AF responsiveness between the two cameras with the 24-70mm F4 attached.

A closer look at Nikon’s new Z 6 and roadmap ‘S’ lenses

This is a Z 7, not a Z 6 (although you’d be forgiven for not noticing) pictured in what Nikon hopes will become its natural environment – a professional video rig. Since both of the new Z-series cameras are hybrid designs, they’re equally comfortable (in more than one sense of the term) shooting video as they are stills.

Both cameras offer 4K and HD video, but the Z 6 could turn out to be the more compelling of the two new models for serious videography. That’s because (like the Sony a7 III) it offers 4K footage based on full pixel readout with no crop, whereas the higher-resolution Z7 can only do this in its cropped Super 35 / DX format mode. In theory, this should result in cleaner, more detailed video. So if you’re primarily interested in shooting video (or you’re a ‘bit of both’ shooter that can live with 24MP stills) the Z 6 might be the better purchase, when it becomes available in the next few weeks.

A closer look at Nikon’s new Z 6 and roadmap ‘S’ lenses

It always warms my heart to see things cut in half, and at the Tokyo launch event Nikon did not disappoint. Here’s a Z 6/7 with a 24-70mm F4, sitting above a D850 with a 24-70mm F2.8 VR. Nikon is cheating a bit by putting an F2.8 zoom alongside an F4, but hopefully you get the point – both Z-series cameras are significantly smaller (and about 26% lighter) than the D850.

A closer look at Nikon’s new Z 6 and roadmap ‘S’ lenses

Here’s a closer look at one of the most impressive features of both the Z 6 and Z 7, their 3.69-dot EVF, which as you can see, is accompanied by an optical assembly that makes the D850’s finder assembly look pretty simple by comparison. Nikon could easily have skimped on the Z 6’s finder compared to the more expensive Z 7, but we’re pleased to see that this didn’t happen.

The viewfinder experience from both cameras really is lovely. After a couple of days shooting with a Z 7, I actually had trouble going back to the (excellent) optical finder of the D850, which feels cool and even a little unsharp by comparison.

A closer look at Nikon’s new Z 6 and roadmap ‘S’ lenses

Nikon has promised a dedicated grip for the Z 6/7, which was on show (in the form of this rough 3D printed mockup) in Tokyo. Details are still TBD, but we assume that Nikon will at least add a rubberized coating before it becomes officially available to buy.

A closer look at Nikon’s new Z 6 and roadmap ‘S’ lenses

Also not quite ready for primetime are three forthcoming S-series lenses (from left to right) the 24-70mm F2.8, 58mm F0.95 ‘Noct’ and 14-30mm F4. (Sorry about the limited depth of field in this shot, I was trying to isolate the Noct, and then forgot to get a proper group shot before moving on. It’s been a long day.)

As you can hopefully tell, though, the Noct is massive and the 24-70mm F2.8 – while not quite as enormous – looks like it will also be a pretty beefy lens when it’s released next year, dwarfing the compact 24-70mm F4 kit lens. The 14-30mm (shown mounted on a Z 7) on the other hand is fairly compact, which we know is one of the technical advantages of a very short flange-back distance.

A closer look at Nikon’s new Z 6 and roadmap ‘S’ lenses

A closeup of the rather natty ‘Noct’ script and display screen on the forthcoming 58mm F0.95, which we’re told can be customized to show information such as depth of field, shooting aperture and focus distance.

The Noct is a manual focus lens, and this shot shows off its very broad, textured focus ring. We couldn’t pick this mockup up (or indeed any of them) to judge build quality or ergonomics, but we can’t wait to get our hands on a working sample.

A closer look at Nikon’s new Z 6 and roadmap ‘S’ lenses

Moving to the rear of the lens reveals a chunky tripod collar, to support the presumably substantial weight of the F/0.95 lens.

A closer look at Nikon’s new Z 6 and roadmap ‘S’ lenses

Here’s a closer look at the control layout of the 24-70mm F2.8, showing its display screen, Disp button (which we assume toggles between display modes) and a customizable L-Fn button. A full list of functions that can be assigned to the button is listed in our First Impressions Review of the Z 7.

A closer look at Nikon’s new Z 6 and roadmap ‘S’ lenses

Compared to the 24-70mm F2.8 and 58mm F0.95, the 14-30mm F4 looks positively tiny. Cosmetically, it shares a lot of the same design accents of the 35mm, 50mm and 24-70mm lenses announced alongside the Z 6. Details of all three forthcoming lenses are in short supply, but we’ll share more when we have more to share.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

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Sigma 14mm F1.8, 135mm F1.8, and 70mm F2.8 macro Art lenses for Sony E-Mount now shipping

10 Aug

Sigma is now shipping the 14mm F1.8 DG HSM, 70mm F2.8 DG MACRO, and 135mm F1.8 DG HSM Art lenses for Sony E-mount full-frame cameras that were announced in February. All three lenses support Sony’s Continuous AF and high-speed autofocus, as well as in-camera lens aberration correction and image stabilization.

According to Sigma, the brass bayonet on each lens features special surface treatment designed to improve the mount strength. The mount is joined by a rubber seal to protect against splashes and dust. In addition, Sigma says its E-mount models include a newly developed control algorithm that both maximizes data transmission speeds and optimizes the autofocus drive.

All three E-mount lenses are available from retailers now at the following prices:

14mm F1.8 DG HSM: $ 1599 USD
70mm F2.8 DG MACRO: $ 569 USD
135mm F1.8 DG HSM: $ 1399 USD

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

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Apple patents correction system for smartphone accessory lenses

26 Jul

Accessory lenses for smartphones can be useful tools for expanding the photographic capabilities of your device. However, the process of physically attaching these lenses to the smartphone and centering them above the camera lens is prone to minor but important error as even a slight misalignment can result in a drop in image quality. Additionally, the accessory lens’ optical design can have a detrimental effect on the image output.

Apple has now been granted a patent that aims to fix the problem using a two-pronged approach: by using correction software and a movable built-in camera lens.

The document describes camera hardware and an analysis and processing software that can be used to analyze image quality and detect problems potentially caused by add-on lenses. By looking at certain image metrics, the system could compare image quality before and after attaching an accessory lens and then use software algorithms to correct accordingly.

Additionally, actuators would allow to change the position of the built-in camera lens on multiple axes, in order to correct for any misalignment of the accessory lens. This could include tilting the camera and varying the distance between the built-in lens and accessory lens.

The patent suggests electronics, magnets and radio sensing among other methods to detect if an accessory lens has been attached. If the smartphone knows what exact accessory is being used, additional options in the camera app could be utilized as well.

As usual, there is no way of knowing if and when this system will make it into a production device but it certainly looks like it could make the use of accessory lenses more appealing to many of us.

You can find the complete patent document on the USPTO website.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

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“Really moldy” Hasselblad 500c cameras and 80mm lenses listed on eBay

24 Jul

A new eBay listing offers two “really moldy” Hasselblad 500c cameras with 80mm planar lenses and backs, as well as three extra backs and a mixture of exposed and unexposed film. One camera, the listing explains, has a prism finder, and there’s also mention of a functional speed focus handle.

Needless to say, the entire kit is being sold as-is with an allergy warning for potential buyers who are sensitive to mold. The auction ends on Thursday, July 26, and currently resides at a price of about $ 18 USD.

Via: eBay

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

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Fujifilm adds 33mm F1.0, 16mm F2.8 and 16-80mm F4 lenses to X-series roadmap

20 Jul

Fujifilm has added three new lenses to its X-mount roadmap. The most interesting of the lenses is definitely the XF 33mm F1.0 R WR, a weather-sealed lens that, when mounted on an X-series body, is equivalent to 50mm F1.5 on full-frame.

Also in the pipeline are a 16mm F2.8 prime and a stabilized 16-80mm F4 zoom, both of which are weather-resistant.

Click for larger view

The 16mm prime and 16-80mm zoom lenses are expected in 2019, with the 33mm F1.0 arriving sometime in 2020.

Press Release:

Updated X Mount Lens Roadmap Unveiled

Also announced is the latest development roadmap of interchangeable lenses for the X Series line of mirrorless digital cameras. The latest roadmap adds three new lenses to the lineup: a compact wide angle lens, XF16mmF2.8 R WR, perfect for landscape and travel photography; a standard zoom lens, XF16-80mmF4 R OIS WR, which boasts a 5x zoom range with a broad focal range, providing a versatile lens capable of covering a wide range of shooting scenarios; and a large aperture prime lens XF33mmF1 R WR, an ultra-fast lens that stands to be the first mirrorless lens with a maximum aperture of F1.0 with AF capability. With the expansion of the high performance X Mount lens lineup, Fujifilm continues to cover more focal lengths to support a wide range of photography styles and shooting scenarios.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

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DPReview TV: Tamron 70-210mm F4 vs. Canon and Nikon OEM lenses

17 Jul

70-200mm F4 zoom lenses may not get as much attention as their faster F2.8 siblings, but for many photographers these lenses hit the perfect sweet spot of price, performance, and weight.

This week, Chris and Jordan go to the Calgary Stampede with pro photographer Kyle Marquardt to shoot the new Tamron 70-210mm F4, available in Canon and Nikon mounts, alongside the Canon and Nikon equivalents. How does the Tamron hold up, and is it a good alternative to the OEM glass? Watch the episode to find out what they think.

Also, make sure to read our recent review of the Tamron 70-210mm F4.

Read the Tamron 70-210mm F4 review

Make sure to subscribe to our YouTube channel to get new episodes of DPReview TV every week.

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Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

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NameThatLens is a cross-platform tool for adding EXIF info to vintage manual lenses

03 Jul

Erwan Hesry/Unsplash

Do you ever shoot with older lenses that aren’t capable of transmitting metadata to the camera when you shoot? If so, you might want to try out NameThatLens, a cross-platform program that simplifies the process of adding lens information to photo files.

NameThatLens was developed by Georg Fiedler, a photographer who often shoots with classic and vintage manual lenses. ‘Unlike with a modern auto-focus lens, a digital camera has no way of determining what lens was used to take a photo, or indeed what the aperture and focal length were set to,’ says Fiedler in the NameThatLens announcement post, adding ‘it is therefore not possible to record this metadata in the image RAW file or processed JPEG file.’

Fiedler says he came across the LensTagger plugin for Lightroom, but felt limited, because he often uses other post-processing programs such as Darktable. So, he set out to develop his own version—one that would work across Windows, MacOS and Linux computers. The result was NameThatLens.

In Fiedler’s own words, ‘NameThatLens, in its current form, is essentially a GUI for the wonderful ExifTool by Phil Harvey.’ But the goal is to turn it into a standalone program ‘in the near future.’

Currently, you can create author profiles, lens profiles and image parameters. The author profile tab of NameThatLens adds artist and copyright information to the images, the lens profile tab is a collection of the manual lenses you shoot with and the image parameter tab lets you set the aperture, focal length (if it’s a zoom lens) and other details.

As of writing this, the following formats are tested and proven to work with NameThatLens: JPG, ARW, ORF, and RAF, although Fiedler notes that most any image file you throw its way should ‘theoretically’ work.

Fiedler notes that the program is in Alpha phase, meaning there’s still work to be done and bugs to squash. However, if you’re fine with possibly running into a few snags, you’re free to download it and take it for a spin. Currently, the MacOS and Linux versions are available, with the Windows version set to be ‘released shortly.’

You can find out more information on NameThatLens, complete with installation instructions on Fiedler’s NameThatLens webpage.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

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