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Posts Tagged ‘Lenses’

Sigma announces pricing and availability of 14mm and 135mm T2 Cine Prime lenses

14 Jul
The 14mm T2.0 will cost $ 4999 when it starts shipping later this month. The 135mm T2.0 will also ship in late July, for the same price.

Sigma has announced pricing and availability for its new Cine Prime lenses. The 14mm and 135mm T2 primes will be available later this month for $ 4999 each, or as part of two and seven-lens kits for $ 10,499 and $ 24,799 respectively.

Press Release:

Sigma Announces Pricing and Availability for the 14mm and 135mm T2 Cine Prime Lenses, Shipping This July

Full-frame sensor compatible, high-speed prime lenses bring Sigma’s esteemed Art lens technology to cinema cameras; the 14mm T2 FF and 135mm T2 FF begin shipping late July for a retail price of $ 4,999.00 USD each

Ronkonkoma, NY – July 13, 2017 – Sigma Corporation of America, a leading still photo and cinema lens, camera, flash and accessory manufacturer, today announced the availability of two brand new cine lenses: the Sigma 14mm T2 FF and 135mm T2 FF, which will both begin shipping late July 2017. Compatible with full-frame image sensors, these high-speed cine prime lenses are available for EF, E and PL mounts. They are available as individual lenses for a retail price of $ 4,999.00 USD each, or as part of two and seven lens sets for retail prices of $ 10,499.00 USD and $ 24,799.00 USD respectively.

Go fast and wide with the Sigma 14mm T2 Cine Prime
The Sigma 14mm T2 FF Cine Prime lens is the world’s first and only to offer an incredibly fast T2 at this ultra-wide angle focal length for full frame sensors. Bringing remarkable optical performance to the art of capturing moving images, the Sigma 14mm T2 offers cinematographers the opportunity for robust cinematic expression.

Resolving power like nothing ever seen before with the Sigma 135mm T2 Cine Prime
The Sigma 135mm T2 FF Cine Prime offers astonishing rendering performance unmatched by almost any lens on the market. Retaining the optical performance of Sigma’s original Art lens for the still photographer, this exceptional lens enables cinematographers to enjoy the highest image quality for shooting movies.

Both lenses offer the following benefits and capabilities:

  • Bright, T2 full frame maximum aperture
  • Capable of resolving up to 8K
  • Available in Canon EF, Sony E & PL Mounts
  • 180-degree focus rotation

The Sigma 14mm and 135mm lenses are fully compatible with full frame sensors. The addition of these lenses to the Sigma cine lineup expands the FF High Speed Prime Line to a total of seven lenses, from a super-wide 14mm to a brilliantly sharp telephoto 135mm.

Pricing for individual lenses and lens sets
The newest cine lens offerings from Sigma will be available individually as well as in sets for the following retail prices.

Individual lenses:
Sigma 14mm T2 FF – $ 4,999.00 USD
Sigma 135mm T2 FF – $ 4,999.00 USD

Two lens set with case:
Sigma 14mm T2 FF, 135mm T2 FF and a protective lens carrying case – $ 10,499.00 USD

Seven lens set with two cases:
Sigma 14mm T2 FF, 20mm T1.5 FF, 24mm T1.5 FF, 35mm T1.5 FF, 50mm T1.5 FF, 85mm T1.5 FF, 135mm T2 FF, and two protective lens carrying cases – $ 24,799.00 USD

The Sigma 14mm T2 FF and 135mm T2 FF Shipping Late July
The Cine 14mm and 135mm lenses and sets will begin shipping late July 2017 for EF, E and PL mounts.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
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7Artisans unveils range of low cost, fast lenses for mirrorless cameras

11 Jul

Chinese optical manufacturer 7Artisans has introduced a collection of four lenses that are intended to provide low-cost alternatives to branded optics. The lenses are all designed for mirrorless cameras, and the company intermittently provides mounts for Sony E, MFT, Fujifilm X and Canon EOS M users, as well as one lens for Leica M cameras.

The lenses are all manual focus, feature a copper core with an aluminum exterior and some of them come in a choice of black or silver finish. There isn’t much information on the company website but the Amazon sales pages reveal some of their specification.

25mm f/1.8 | Sony E/Fujifilm X/MFT | $ 70

This lens was designed for APS-C and Micro Four Thirds sensors, and boasts an aperture range of f/1.8-16. It uses seven elements in five groups, has 12 iris blades and offers a 46mm filter thread.

35mm f/2 | Sony E/Fujifilm X/Canon EOS M | $ 156

A lens capable of covering a full frame sensor, this 35mm f/2 uses a 10-bladed iris and has a minimum aperture of f/16. It is constructed with seven elements arranged in five groups and offers a 43mm filter thread.

50mm f/1.1 | Leica M | $ 369

Designed for the Leica M family, this standard focal length uses 12 iris blades to form its click-less f/1.1- f/16 aperture range. The company says it has used a Sonnar design and high-refractive index glass to optimize the lens for use at the widest apertures. The lens has seven elements arranged in six groups.

The current version isn’t compatible with the Leica M4 and M4A, but models from September onward will be.

7.5mm f/2.8 | Sony E/Fujifilm X/MFT | $ 139

This is a fisheye lens that the company claims offers a maximum angle of view of 180°. It has 11 elements that are arranged in eight groups, and the 12-bladed iris closes to f/22.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
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Video: Sony a9 falls short with Canon 300mm and 400mm lenses attached

24 Jun
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Sports shooters considering Sony’s speedy a9 have one major hurdle to overcome: glass. There’s a dearth of long, fast primes available to Sony FE shooters, and it seems like using off-brand glass while you wait for Sony to catch up just isn’t a great option.

In this video, photographer Dan Watson of Learning Cameras tried both the Sigma MC-11 and Metabones Mark IV lens adapters to test how well the a9 worked when attached to the Canon EF 300mm F2.8L IS II USM and Canon EF 400mm F2.8L IS II USM.

Watson mainly wanted to test the focusing capabilities, and unfortunately, the results were somewhat disappointing.

Before you dive into the video, it’s worth pointing a few things out. Our own Rishi Sanyal has tested the focus capability of the a9 with adapted lens, and points out a couple of caveats to Watson’s otherwise solid points:

First, the performance of far off-center AF points depends on the lens. While Watson is correct in pointing out that they don’t perform well with long lenses (despite working astonishingly fast with Sony’s own 100-400 F4.5-5.6), they do work well with shorter focal lengths (we’ve had success with a Sigma 85/1.4, Canon 35/1.4, 24-70/2.8, etc.). With these wider lenses, ‘Wide’ area mode will continue tracking subjects to the extremes of the frame.

Second, Sony A-mount lenses adapted with the LA-EA3 adapter do shoot at an impressive 10 fps with autofocus, something we confirmed with the 50/1.4 (as long as you’ve updated the firmware of the adapter).* With the Metabones and Sigma adapters though, as with all Sony FE bodies, only the L drive mode offers continuous focus. And it’s actually only 2.5 fps, not the 5 fps Watson mentions (technically L is 3 fps, but it slows to 2-3 fps with continuous focus).

With that out of the way, Watson’s video is a great resource for seeing how well (or not) the a9 performs when attached to the long, fast Canon primes sports shooters love. And while single-shot focus with central points is speedy and almost 100% accurate with long adapted lenses, the lack of true subject tracking (Lock-on AF modes) or continuous focus at speeds higher than ~2.5 fps (or in video) will probably be a deal breaker for many fast-action photographers.

Once you’ve lost the impressive high speed shooting advantages Sony baked into the a9, you might as well be shooting with any other camera. Moral of the story: stick to Sony glass and hope they keep churning out new lenses at break-neck pace.

You can watch the full demo for yourself up top. And if you’re considering jumping ship from Canon to Sony, keep this information in mind – like all previous Sony bodies, you’ll only have access to the a9’s slowest continuous drive mode when you’re adapting your own glass.

* We’ve not yet confirmed the performance of off-center points with long A-mount glass.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
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Pricing for Sigma 14mm F1.8 DG HSM and 24-70 F2.8 DG OS HSM Art lenses announced, undercuts the competition

24 Jun

Announced in February, two highly anticipated full-frame lenses from Sigma are finally on their way to consumers. Sigma has also announced pricing – the 14mm F1.8 DG HSM will cost $ 1600; the 24-70mm F2.8 Art will cost $ 1300. In both cases, that’s well below the current asking prices for Canon and Nikon versions of similar lenses.

Sigma says the 14mm in Canon and Sigma mount will ship this month, and the Nikon version will be available in July. The 24-70mm will ship for all three mounts this month. Considering there’s not much time left in June, that’s basically now.

Press release

Sigma Begins Shipping Its 14mm F1.8 DG HSM and 24-70mm F2.8 DG OS HSM Art Lenses

The world’s first and only F1.8 ultra wide-angle full-frame lens for DSLR cameras is available now for $ 1,599.00 USD; the new Sigma Global Vision workhorse zoom lens is available now for $ 1,299.00 USD

Ronkonkoma, NY – June 22, 2017 – Sigma Corporation of America, a leading still photo and cinema lens, camera, flash and accessory manufacturer, announced today the pricing and availability for its new Sigma 14mm F1.8 DG HSM and Sigma 24-70mm F2.8 DG OS HSM Art lenses from its lauded Global Vision line. The ultra-wide angle full-frame 14mm F1.8 Art lens begins shipping in June 2017 for Canon and Sigma camera systems and in July 2017 for Nikon camera systems, for a retail price of $ 1,599.00 USD. The standard zoom full-frame 24-70mm F2.8 Art lens begins shipping in June 2017 for a retail price of $ 1,299 USD.

The Sigma 14mm F1.8 Art, which is the first and only F1.8 ultra wide-angle lens among interchangeable lenses for digital SLRs*, incorporates the same aspherical element as Sigma’s critically acclaimed 12-24mm F4 Art, allowing the lens to deliver a new dimension of visual experience. Boasting outstanding image quality from center to edge, the 14mm F1.8 Art features an 80mm front lens — the world’s largest glass aspherical lens in the industry, offering photographers an ultra-wide prime with virtually no distortion, flare or ghosting. Equipped with a superfast and efficient autofocus system, three FLD (“F” Low Dispersion) elements, and four SLD (Special Low Dispersion) elements to reduce chromatic aberration and coma flare, the 14mm F1.8 Art is suitable for a wide range of photographic needs including astrophotography, architecture and landscape photography.

The 24-70mm F2.8 Art lens, Sigma’s new workhorse standard zoom lens, touts a brand new Optical Stabilizer (OS), Hypersonic Motor (HSM) for highly efficient and fast autofocus, as well as a dust- and splash-proof mount with rubber sealing. The 24-70mm F2.8 Art lens embodies all the technical qualities and finesse that define the high-performance Sigma Global Vision Art series. A popular industry focal range covering a wide array of shooting scenarios, the 24-70mm’s optical design also includes three SLD (Special Low Dispersion) glass elements and four aspherical elements to ensure image accuracy and sharpness. The 24-70mm F2.8 Art aspherical elements use Sigma’s thicker center glass design and highly precise polishing process, delivering stunning images and bokeh effects. The lens’ purpose-built structure boasts a new metal barrel for optimal durability with TSC composite internal moving components designed to resist thermal contraction and expansion.

Both the 14mm F1.8 DG HSM and the 24-70mm F2.8 DG OS HSM Art lenses are available in Canon, Nikon and Sigma mounts. The Sigma and Canon mount lenses work with Sigma’s MC-11 Sony E-mount converter. The Nikon mounts feature the brand new electromagnetic diaphragm.

Sigma 14mm F1.8 DG HSM Art Lens Features and Benefits:

> Sharp, rich image quality

  • Minimized chromatic aberrations: Three FLD (“F” Low Dispersion) glass elements and four SLD (Super Low Dispersion) glass elements help reduce transverse chromatic aberration, which tends to be noticeable in shots taken with ultra wide-angle lenses. The result is outstanding image quality from the center of the image to the edges.
  • Distinctive bokeh effect: Even at the 14mm ultra wide-angle of view, F1.8 brightness makes possible a very shallow depth of field with the subject standing out dramatically against a pleasingly softened background. It’s the unique mode of expression that only a large-diameter lens can deliver.
  • Minimized distortion: Serving as the front lens element, the large 80mm precision-molded glass aspherical lens effectively minimizes distortion. Offering excellent peripheral brightness, this lens delivers outstanding image quality from the center to the edges.

> Offers full-frame coverage

Sigma 24-70mm F2.8 DG HSM OS Art Lens Features and Benefits:

> Superior optical performance

  • Optimal image quality for ultra-high-megapixel DSLRs: This lens offers top performance from the center to the edges of the image thanks to the optical system minimizing coma, which causes points of light to streak, and transverse chromatic aberration, which cannot be corrected via aperture control. The optical system also minimizes distortion, which can be particularly evident in wide-angle shots, resulting in excellent optical performance throughout the zoom range.
  • Expressive bokeh effect every time: At wide-open aperture, this lens offers outstanding photographic expression. The area in focus is extremely sharp, while the background exhibits a beautiful, creamy bokeh effect with only slight spherical aberration. Since large-diameter zoom lenses are often used at wide-open aperture, Sigma has paid close attention to the shape of the bokeh, aiming for artistic circularity.
  • Aspherical Lens Processing Technology: The Sigma 24-70mm F2.8 DG OS HSM Art incorporates an aspherical lens element that helps achieve extremely high resolution. This element is much thicker at the center than the edges, and forming its unusual shape is a feat of manufacturing technology. Moreover, Sigma processes the surface of this aspherical lens element with ultra-precise tolerances that are measured in hundredths of a micrometer. This extremely fine surface allows the Sigma 24-70mm F2.8 DG OS HSM Art to deliver a very natural and smooth bokeh effect, without the visible concentric rings that afflict typical aspherical lens elements.

> Fast and nimble autofocus photography

  • Designed for advanced utility in a wide variety of situations, the optical stabilizer (OS) offers a powerful stabilization effect. The newly designed large hypersonic motor (HSM) offers 1.3 times the torque of its predecessor for exceptionally stable performance.

Sigma Global Vision Line Features & Benefits:

  • Each lens is eligible for user customizable micro-focus and in-home firmware updates with the optional USB Dock and Sigma Optimization Pro software.
  • Each unit is crafted in Aizu, Japan and individually tested for QC and optical performance with the exclusive A1 MTF device.
  • Sigma’s Exclusive Mount Conversion Service allows lenses to be switched between any released mounts (fee-based).
  • Compatible with Sigma Mount Converter MC-11, allowing use of Sigma lenses in Sigma and Canon mounts with the Sony E-mount camera systems.

*As of February 2017

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
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Fujifilm earning report indicates strong sales of X-series, lenses and GFX 50S

13 Jun

Fujifilm’s earnings report for the fiscal year ending in March has been published and contains some interesting information on the company’s line of consumer imaging products. Sales figures of both X-Series cameras and lenses and the GFX medium format system have increased, according to the report.

‘The business of electronic imaging achieved a sales growth due to positive sales of the X-Series of mirrorless digital cameras such as FUJIFILM X-T2 and FUJIFILM X-T20 as well as their interchangeable lenses, and strong sales of the FUJIFILM GFX 50S, a medium-format mirrorless digital camera equipped with a large sized sensor, released in February.’

Overall, the sales of the company’s Imaging Solutions division decreased 3.2% from 352.9 billion Yen to 341.8 billion Yen due to the negative effect of the appreciation of the Japanese Yen in the foreign exchange market. However, operating income went up by 15% from 32 to 36.8 billion Yen, thanks to the sales expansion of digital cameras mentioned above, an increase in sales of high-end instant photo systems and improved profitability in various business categories.

The company is projecting a 2.4% increase in revenue over the next fiscal year for the Imaging Systems business, from 341 billion to 350 billion Yen, with operating income up nearly 17%.

You can read the annual report for yourself here [PDF].

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
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Sony provides firmware updates for ten E-mount lenses and LA-EA3 adapter

25 May

Sony has issued firmware updates for ten of its E-mount lenses and the LA-EA3 adapter. The updates address a variety of bugs and stability issues. You can view details and download the update for your operating system by clicking on the Drivers & Software button on the linked product pages below:

  • 70-200mm GM 
  • 70-200mm G 
  • 24-240mm G 
  • 28-70mm G 
  • 24-70mm Zeiss 
  • 16-35mm Zeiss 
  • 50mm f/1.8 
  • 24-70mm GM 
  • 50mm Zeiss 
  • 85mm GM 
  • LA-EA3 adapter

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
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Sigma offers firmware updates for four Canon mount lenses

19 May

Sigma has released new firmware for Canon mount versions of four of its lenses:

  • 17-70mm F2.8-4 DC Macro OS HSM | Contemporary Canon
  • 18-200mm F3.5-6.3 DC Macro OS HSM | Contemporary Canon
  • 18-300mm F3.5-6.3 DC MACRO OS HSM | Contemporary Canon
  • 24-105mm F4 DG OS HSM | Art Canon

According to Sigma, the new firmware improves the AF accuracy of the lenses when used with the Sigma Mount Converter MC-11, as well as decreasing the lens diaphragm blades noise when using the aforementioned converter.

The same AF accuracy improvement and decreased noise also apply to the lenses when they are used with Canon EOS DSLRs while shooting video or while in Live Mode. Finally, Sigma says these lenses are now compatible with the Canon Digital Cinema Camera EOS C300 Mark II. 

Sigma lens owners with the Sigma USB Dock must first update the Sigma Optimization Pro software to, at minimum, version 1.4.1 (Windows) or version 1.4.0 (Mac) before installing the new firmware.

The full Sigma changelog is below:

Benefits of this firmware update

  • It has improved the AF accuracy when the lens is attached with the SIGMA MOUNT CONVERTER MC-11.
  • ?It is necessary to use the SIGMA USB DOCK for Canon ver.1.02 or later to update the firmware.
  • ? For customers who own SIGMA MOUNT CONVERTER MC-11 EF-E, it is necessary to update this to the latest firmware ver. 1.05.
  • It has reduced the operating sound of the lens diaphragm blades when attached with the SIGMA MOUNT CONVERTER MC-11 EF-E and used for video shooting.
  • It has improved the AF accuracy when the lens is used for video shooting as well as with Live View mode of EOS DIGITAL SLR cameras.*1
  • It has reduced the operating sound of the lens diaphragm blades when the lens is used for video shooting on EOS DIGITAL SLR cameras. *1
  • It has become compatible with the Canon Digital Cinema Camera EOS C300 Mark II.
  • *1 The degree of improvement may differ depending on the camera used.

Via: Sigma

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
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Canon warns of defective focusing in some EF 24-105mm F4L IS II lenses

19 May

Canon has issued a service notice for a collection of lenses with specific serial numbers that need to be checked for faulty focusing systems. The lens affected is the EF 24-105mm F4L IS II USM standard zoom, but users are advised that only particular production batches have the problem.

Canon says that some units with serial numbers beginning with 48, 49, 50 or 51 suffer from poor focusing when used with an AF point close to the edges of the host camera’s focusing array. The fault is only apparent when the lens is used at wide-angle focal lengths.

All defective lenses will be taken back for testing and repair at no cost to the owner, the company says. The Canon website carries a service section that allows owners of the lens to type in the serial number of their lens to check whether it will need to be returned.
For more information see the Canon USA, Europe or Asia service pages, or those for your local area.

Manufacturer’s information

Service Notice: EF 24-105mm f/4L IS II USM Lens

Thank you for using Canon products.

We have determined that some EF 24-105mm f/4L IS II USM lenses exhibit an AF operation-related malfunction. The details of the phenomenon and Canon’s service policy are described below.

We would like to offer our sincere apologies to users who have been inconvenienced by this issue. Going forward, we will spare no effort in our quality management to make sure our customers can use our products with confidence.

Phenomenon
At the wide-angle end, focus is not achieved properly when a peripheral AF points are selected, regardless of the AF area selection mode.

Affected Lenses
If the first two digits in the serial number (see the image below) of your lens are ”48”, ”49”, ”50” or ”51”, then your lens MAY POSSIBLY be affected.

How to check if your lens is affected:
1. Click the search button below to display the serial number input screen.
2. Input your lens’ serial number (10 digits) and then click the [Submit] button.
* Please double check the serial number you entered before you click the [Submit] button.
3. One of the following three messages will be displayed.
“Your lens is NOT an affected product”?
“Your lens is an affected product”
“Invalid number”

Support
As soon as preparations have been completed, we will inform users about the start date for accepting support requests for lenses affected by this issue.

Potentially affected products will be inspected and repaired free of charge. If you own one of the potentially affected products please contact our Customer Support Center

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
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Alpa Silex unit offers electronic control of Canon and Nikon lenses on digital medium-format backs

17 May

Swiss camera and adapter manufacturer Alpa has introduced a new device that allows Nikon and Canon users to mount some of their lenses on digital medium format backs and have access to aperture controls. The Alpa Silex control unit works with the company’s 12 series bodies and brings aperture control to electronically operated lenses from Canon and Nikon, as well as Contax, Hasselblad and Rollei. All Canon EF lenses can be controlled but only Nikon E lenses, with electromagnetic diaphragm mechanisms, will work.

With a Silex in place compatible lenses can be used to record images on a wide range of digital medium format backs. The A12 cameras accept digital backs of a variety of ages, so users don’t necessarily need the latest, and the image area will depend on the size of the sensor used and the covering circle of the lens. 

The Silex not only allows aperture adjustments but also AF control in most Hasselblad H, Canon EF and Nikon E lenses, and web access means the device can be handled remotely over a server.

Initially presented at Photokina 2016 the Alpa Silex is available now for $ 3600/CHF3355. For more information see the Alpa website.

Press release

The control unit ALPA Silex is a brand new, central element of ALPA’s extended modular photographic system. Photographers and soon even videographers will be able to combine ALPA cameras with digital backs of various manufacturers and lenses from Canon, Contax, Hasselblad, Nikon or Rollei. A variety of functions and operating modes are available to the user.

Handy and flexible – Silex is the Swiss pocket knife of the control units. Under this claim, ALPA presented the product at the Photokina 2016. The name Silex itself, however, goes much further back: it reminds us of the material for the all-purpose tools of the stone-age. ALPA Silex is the new all-purpose tool in the ALPA system. It can be used to convert any model of the classic ALPA-12 series into an electronic camera.

The basis for the development of ALPA Silex is the ALPA 12 FPS, introduced at Photokina 2012, with electronically controlled focal plane shutter. The integrated controller was separated as a standalone module and all functions except for the slot shutter were taken over. All known digital components from Hasselblad, Phase One / Leaf and Sinar can be synchronized and the electromechanical diaphragms of Canon EF, Contax, Hasselblad H, Nikon E and Rollei can be controlled. The leaf shutter in Hasselblad HC / HCD (up to 1/800s, “orange” line even up to 1/1000s) and Rollei 6000 (up to 1/500s) can be used, as well as the focus control of many of the lenses from Canon, Hasselblad H and Nikon E. The integrated web server allows remote control in networks without software installation. The future support of Sinar eShutter systems is already prepared.

Together with existing camera models from ALPA, the photographer can use a vast number of third party lenses and, depending on the available image circle, also perform shifts (shifting and stitching). In the future, our back-end adapters will also make it possible to use ALPA cameras for video recording in conjunction with the corresponding digital backs.

Available now:

  • The control unit ALPA Silex,
  • The electronic lens adapter (ELA),
  • As well as the ALPA lens module Hasselblad fix (HAF).
  • Also, immediately available for download is the latest firmware version 4.03, which makes all new functions of ALPA Silex also available for the ALPA 12 FPS. Free as always – as an investment in the ALPA system is sustainable and the term ‘planned obsolescence’ is alien to ALPA. Even if the environment changes, an ALPA will persist.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
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Aurora Aperture launches 16-stop ND filter and rear filters for Canon’s super-wide lenses

28 Apr

US filter brand Aurora Aperture has announced a neutral density filter that it claims reduces exposure by 16 stops. The company has launched a new family of fixed factor ND filters called PowerND and is offering strengths of 6, 12 and 16 stops in screw-in and square formats.

The ND64, ND4000 and ND65000 filters will be available for threads of 37-95mm as well as a special 105mm version that will fit an adapter for the Nikkor AF-S 14-24mm F2.8G ED wide-angle zoom. Those preferring a filter system will be able to use the 100 x 100mm square filters. The 16-stop filter is designed for those wanting to make long exposures in daylight conditions and can knock a 1/1000sec shutter speed situation down to 1 minute.

Aurora Aperture has also introduces a series called Aurora CR with filters designed to fit over the rear mount of Canon super-wide lenses. The arch-window-shaped Gorilla Glass filters slide into a holder that screws on to the rear of the lens, and while aimed at users of the Canon EF 11-24mm F4 L USM the system will work with a range of the company’s wide-angle zoom lenses.

The filters are available via Kickstarter with delivery and general sales due to begin in August. Prices start from $ 34 for small screw-in filters of any of the strengths, to $ 117 for the 150mm circular filter. The CR kit including the holder and three filters is $ 165. For more information see the Aurora Aperture website and the company’s Kickstarter page.

Press release

Aurora Aperture Introduces PowerND Family and an Industry First Rear Mount Glass Filter for Canon EF 11-24mm F4L USM

Aurora Aperture Inc., a Southern California startup, today has introduced the PowerND family of high quality fixed neutral density (ND) filters.

The PowerND family consists of three ratings of light reduction capability: ND64 (6 stops),ND4000 (12 stops), and ND65000 (16 stops). Four different formats are available: circular filters from 37mm to 95mm, 100 x 100mm square filters compatible with popular square filter adapters, 150mm circular filters with an adapter for the Nikon AF-S 14-24mm f/2.8G ED lens, and the Aurora CR format, an industry first, a rear mount glass filter for the Canon EF 11-24mm F4L USM lens.

The 6 stop filter is typically used in low light conditions such as during sunrise or sunset for sub-second shutter speed. The 12 stop filter can slow down shutter speed to minutes in dusk and dawn conditions. The 16 stop filter can do magic on a bright day, allowing photographers to expose up to several minutes or more.

The ND4000 and ND65000 have distinct advantages in having more stops than the typical ND1000 or ND32000. They allow users to avoid diffraction softening by enabling users to avoid very small aperture settings or alternatively allowing for longer exposures. In the case of the PowerND 4000 that means two more stops than the typical ND1000 and for the Power ND65000 there’s one additional stop.

“We introduced a variable ND family last year and it was embraced by photographers and videographers worldwide,” said Jinfu Chen, founder and CEO of Aurora Aperture Inc. “the fixed ND family we introduce today is much more powerful in terms of light reduction capability and offers even better optical performance, along with more formats for different camera lenses.”

A small rear mount filter using Gorilla® Glass for the Canon EF 11-24mm F4L USM is an industry first. Prior to this users would have to use extremely large filters with diameters up to 186mm with a bulky front lens shade adapter. The Aurora CR format filter mounts in the rear of the lens, making it much easier to carry and lower in cost. Other Canon lenses that Aurora CR format filter can be used in* are the EF 8-15mm f/4L Fisheye, EF 11-24mm F4L USM, EF 14mm f/2.8L US, EF 15mm f/2.8 Fisheye, EF 16-35mm f/2.8L USM, and EF 17-40mm f/4L USM.

Designed in California by Aurora Aperture, the Aurora PowerND filters employ up to 128 layers of double sided nano coating** in order to achieve color accuracy and powerful light reduction capability. Hydrophobic and oleophobic coating is applied to filter surface with PFPE coating. The end result is that water droplet on the filter surface can maintain a static contact angle of 110 degrees, one of the best in the industry.

Availability and Pricing
The Aurora PowerND family will be available through Kickstarter starting in April 2017 and to dealers and direct orders in August 2017. List price starts at US$ 42 and varies depending on filter format and size.
http://www.aurora-aperture.com
info@aurora-aperture.com
* As of April 21, 2017
** ND4000 and ND65000

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
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