The Zeiss 55mm f/1.4 Otus is a standard lens with ambitious goals and a price tag to match, claiming to offer ‘truly spectacular, world-class performance without compromise’. Announced in 2012, but only released in November 2013, it certainly took a long time to complete. The Otus 1.4/55, as Zeiss refers to it, is actually the…
The Sigma AF 50mm f/1.4 EX DG HSM is one of Sigma’s trio of f1.4 lenses for full-frame / FX format DSLRs; the other pair offer 35mm and 85mm focal lengths. It’s available for Canon, four-thirds, Nikon, Pentax, and Sony / Konica Minolta camera bodies. Announced in May 2008 the lens goes head-to-head with the…
The AF-S Nikkor 14-24mm f2.8 is an ultra-wide angle zoom designed for full-frame FX-format Nikon DSLRs. Announced in 2007, alongside the AF-S Nikkor 24-70mm f2.8, it delivers a unique combination of ultra-wide coverage, fast and constant focal ratio, pro build quality and superb results which has deservedly seen it become one of the most desirable…
The Tamron SP 70-200mm f/2.8 VC is the company’s first 70-200mm f2.8 equipped with optical stabilization. Announced for the Canon-mount in November 2012 and for the Nikon-mount in March 2013, it covers a 2.9x zoom-range. Tamron decided to price its new zoom right between the 70-200mm f2.8 pro options from Canon or Nikon and the…
NEW! Nikon 85mm f1.4G with D800 updated results! The Nikkor AF-S 85mm f/1.4G was announced August 2010. It’s the longest of four prime lenses sporting an f1.4 focal ratio in Nikon’s current range, with the 50mm, 35mm and 24mm completing the line-up. On both DX and FX format bodies the 85mm focal length is considered…
The AF-S Nikkor 18-35mm f/3.5-4.5G ED is an ‘affordable’ wide angle zoom lens that’s compatible with Nikon’s full-frame FX format DSLRs. Announced in January 2013, it’s aimed at photographers who’ve bought lower-priced full-frame DSLRs like the D600, but equally works on cropped-frame DX format models, where it becomes equivalent to 27-53mm. Officially it’s the successor…
The 35mm f/1.4 DG HSM is Sigma’s first large aperture 35mm full-frame lens. It was announced November 2012 and goes head-to-head against the equivalent offerings from Nikon, Canon and Sony. As Sigma’s first lens to define its “Art” product line (the others being “Contemporary” and “Sports”) it is expected to “focus on sophisticated optical performance…
The AF-S Nikkor 70-200mm f/2.8G ED VR II is Nikon’s professional f2.8 telephoto zoom. It covers a 2.9x zoom-range and was announced July 2009. It’s the successor to the AF-S Nikkor 70-200mm f/2.8G ED VR and has an improved optical design and better image stabilization. This speed and performance doesn’t come cheap, but to be…
The Sigma 70-200mm f/2.8 EX DG OS HSM is the company’s latest 70-200mm and its first with an image stabilizer. It covers a 2.9x zoom-range and was announced February 2011. Sigma offers this lens with Canon, Nikon, Sony, Pentax and Sigma mounts and it is cheaper than any other stabilized 70-200/2.8 zoom. While primarily designed…
The Nikkor AF-S 70-200mm f/4G ED VR is Nikon’s newest addition to the popular range of 70-200mm zooms. But this time it is not a replacement for an older lens but an alternative to the top of the range AF-S 70-200/2.8G ED VR. Both lenses are compatible with full-frame DSLRs and feature vibration reduction to…
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