Nikon recently updated their 85mm f1.8 lens to the current G version: something it was in need of for a while. 85mm lenses are primarily used as portrait focal lengths are are preferred by many because it allows them to work up close to their subject and still not suffer from distortion. We’ve reviewed many 85mm lenses on this site, and the staff are in agreement that they’re amongst some of our favorite focal lengths.
But how does the new Nikon budget level portrait focal length do? After testing it out against the Canon 85mm f1.8 and showing off a couple of image samples, our conclusions may shock you.
Adapted lenses often make up the camera bag of many mirrorless camera users. In particular, old rangefinder lenses tend to be popular because of the small size coupled with excellent image quality. When one thinks of a rangefinder, one also often thinks of Leica. Indeed, the company has manufactured lenses for years and many of their lenses are available second hand on eBay at quite an affordable price.
Keeping in mind the fact that a Micro Four Thirds camera has a 2x crop factor, I’ve recently decided to try our various wide angle lenses from Leica. Though the 35mm is more semi-wide, their Summicron lens (f2) has been touted as being really quite excellent.
I’ve always loved fisheye lenses. They can present you with a world of new photo opportunities, and a distinctly unique way of looking at the world. With a nearly 180 degree field of view, it’s truly impressive how much a fisheye lens can take in, and how fun it can be to shoot with one.
That being said, fisheye lenses are a one trick pony, and are often viewed as a “novelty” piece of gear–one that rarely gets pulled out of the camera bag. Well, I had some time with Sigma’s diagonal fisheye offering: the 10mm f/2.8 DC for Nikon. Does it satisfy my love for fisheyes, or does it leave much to be desired? Let’s find out!
For a while now we have been reviewing Rokinon lenses. I recently got my first Rokinon review unit, a 35mm f1.4 Wide Angle Lens w/ Automatic Chip. I had a calm evening and decided to take it into the woods for a quick stroll. I wanted to get a feel for the lens in a calm environment. I liked this lens right out the box. It brought back fond memories of when I reviewed the Nikon 24mm f1.4 (I’ll tell you why in the full review). To put it simply, it felt fantastic.
I just got the Sigma 30mm f2.8 EX DN and 19mm f2.8 EX DN in for Micro four thirds mount. So far, I’m pretty impressed. A more thorough first impressions post is coming soon. So look forward to that!
UPDATE: Lens photo samples down below after the jump! Literally shot very quickly and also edited that way too!
I’ve always liked macro lenses. They can be a great amount of fun, and they can put the world in an interesting perspective that we don’t generally see everyday. Macro lenses can also be very versatile, as they can function well as mid-telephoto lenses and are often fantastic for portraits as well.
I first got my hands on the Tamron 60mm f/2 macro a couple weeks ago, and had a lot of fun shooting with it, despite some frustrating shortfalls. I’ve now had some more time with it, so click past the break for my full review.
