In continuing our pursuit of capitalism and conversations that will ultimately lead to some photographers feeling inadequate about their gear because the internet is a terrible place, we’re rounding up the top lenses that DXOMark rates to be fantastic. We need to remind everyone though that their results really only grade the optics and there is so much more to a lens than just the optics. Additionally, what they don’t test for is character. Instead, they base it off of what they can put into a quantifiable, factual and clinical finding. They also judge things like weather sealing, autofocus speed, build quality, balance, etc. Only real life testing does that. But without further adieu, check out their best lenses.
If you were inspired by the works showcased in the first shortlist announcement of this year’s Sony World Photography Awards, we’re sure you’ve been looking forward to seeing more. Finally, the World Photography Organisation has recently announced the shortlisted series under the Professional and Student competitions, each already hailed as some of the world’s best bodies of work published from the previous year.
There are times when camera reviews initially don’t like things–and for me the Fujifilm XH1 was just that camera. The ergonomics on the Fujifilm XH1 I will stand to say aren’t that fantastic vs the very good X Pro 2 and XT series of cameras. That big, chunky grip just makes changing the top dial really weird and I’ve never believed it to even feel like a true camera in some ways. But if you just continue to work with it, you’ll start to see how fantastic the Fujifilm XH1 really is. The best part–the firmware updates really improve it and make it even better.
Tamron have been hitting home runs with their G2 line of lenses for a while now, and for a limited time you can pick up two of the best Tamron lenses around, the 24-70mm f2.8 Di VC USD G2, and the 70-200mm Di VC USD G2 with a discount of $200; and you’ll get a free tap-in console as well. Join us after the break for more details.
Buying new camera lenses is a big deal. New camera lenses aren’t cheap, and no matter how much research you do, or how many reviews you read or watch online, handing over your hard earned money can be tough. There will always be that nagging voice in your head that asks ‘is this what I really want?’ ‘Are you sure this is the one?’ ‘WOW that’s a lot of money’. How in the world are you supposed to be able to try out all the toys when everything is so expensive? The answer to this dilemma are the used and second hand markets.
Ever wanted to learn flash photography but are intimidated with the technicalities of things? Hopefully, Profoto’s latest accessory could be of assistance to you. Profoto Connect is a button-free remote trigger that aims to make flash simple and easy to use for every photographer. By making their newest remote trigger completely button-free, Profoto believes that achieving beautiful lighting and experimenting with Profoto flashes will be effortlessly simple. No more complex buttons and menus that you’ll find on a typical remote trigger.
Samyang (or Rokinon as they are known in the USA) have really come along way in the past few years, and they have really been producing some fine prime lenses. Everything about the lenses has improved, from color rendition, to build quality, and image quality to new and improved autofocus capabilities. The new AF 85mm f1.4 for Sony E Mount cameras promises to be a hit, but how does it stack up to the pace setting (and admittedly much more expensive) 85 mm G Master. Join us after the break to find out.
I had known that the Hawkesmill Monmouth was coming a while before its announcement, and in fact, I suggested to the company and a number of others that what the industry needs is a camera bag that can be a messenger and a backpack. By all rights, the Hawkesmill Monmouth is a messenger bag first and foremost made of some of the most luxurious materials I’ve ever seen. And as a messenger bag in and of itself, it isn’t bad. However, there are far more comfortable messenger bags out there that are also much lighter. In fact, I’m not even sure that this bag was totally designed with the photographer in mind.
Investing in yourself is one of the best things we can do. As photographers we always need to be learning, we always need to open up new doorways, and we need to explore new paths if we want to be the photographer we truly want to be. With these photography tutorials, software, and Lightroom presets you will be able to elevate your work to new heights, and you can gain confidence in many different areas. Learn how to master a model shoot with Frank Doorhof for just $49. Learn how to create dramatic portraits with Michael Grecco for only $12, and score over 8,000 professional quality Lightroom presets for only $29! That’s a massive saving of 96% off the original price!
The Tokina Opera 50mm f1.4 is the first lens that the Japanese lens manufacturer is launching as part of their newly introduced Opera premium lens lineup, designed with the latest high-resolution Full Frame DSLRs in mind. We had the opportunity to spend some time with the Canon EF mount version of the lens in Germany during last year’s Photokina, and came away quite impressed. In some respects, what Tokina has created with the Opera line feels like a direct response to Sigma’s highly regarded Art series, both in terms of performance as well as price. Tokina was kind enough to send over a review unit of the Opera 50mm, this time in Nikon F mount, for us to evaluate the lens in an independent and exhaustive manner that The Phoblographer is known for. Curious to see how the Tokina Opera 50mm f1.4 fared during our tests? Read on after the break to find out.