Camera Lens

New Lens from Nikon Designed for Close-Up Photography


  Nikon AF-S DX Micro 85mm F/3.5G ED VR lens

Yesterday Nikon announced the new D3S digital SLR. A perfect addition to the camera is Nikon's new medium telephoto AF-S DX Micro 85mm F/3.5G ED VR lens. Designed for close-up photography to DX-format users, it features VR II for up to 4 stops of correction, a 1:1 life-size reproduction ratio, Internal focusing design, and the use of an ED glass element.

"Nikon is proud of its strong reputation for designing and producing some of the world's finest close-up lenses, delivering faithful and consistent color reproduction, stunning sharpness and beautifully balanced contrast," said Edward Fasano, general manager for marketing, SLR Systems Products at Nikon, Inc. "The introduction of the AF-S DX 85mm Micro lens further broadens the Micro NIKKOR family and answers a call from serious nature and portrait photographers, generalists and on-line auction specialists seeking superior close-up shooting performance, affordability and versatility."

Priced at $529.99, the new lens will be available in early December 2009.

For more information read the press release.

Nikon Announces New AF-S DX 85mm f/3.5 Micro Nikkor Lens for Close-Up Photography

October 14, 2009 – Nikon Inc., today introduced the new medium telephoto AF-S DX Micro NIKKOR 85mm f/3.5G ED VR lens designed specifically for extreme close-up photography, yet perfectly suited for portrait, nature, and general imaging as well. Focusing as close as 0.9 ft., this new 85mm Micro lens allows photographers to capture breathtaking close-up images with life-size reproduction ratios up to 1:1, helping to ensure that even the subtlest of subject detail is reproduced faithfully. The new 85mm Micro NIKKOR lens, in conjunction with Nikon DX-format digital SLR cameras, renders a picture angle equivalent of approximately 127.5mm (in the 35mm or FX-format), providing a natural perspective along with a desirable and practical lens-to-subject working distance.

"Nikon is proud of its strong reputation for designing and producing some of the world's finest close-up lenses, delivering faithful and consistent color reproduction, stunning sharpness and beautifully balanced contrast," said Edward Fasano, general manager for marketing, SLR Systems Products at Nikon, Inc. "The introduction of the AF-S DX 85mm Micro lens further broadens the Micro NIKKOR family and answers a call from serious nature and portrait photographers, generalists and on-line auction specialists seeking superior close-up shooting performance, affordability and versatility."Read more

Panasonic Adds Two Interchangeable Lenses to its LUMIX G Series Digital Camera System

World's first Leica Micro Four Thirds lens Compatible with Panasonic's Award-Winning LUMIX G Series of Digital Cameras, Plus a New, Ultra Lightweight F1.7 Lens

September 2, 2009 – Today, Panasonic introduced two new Micro Four Thirds digital interchangeable lenses – the LUMIX G 20mm/F1.7 ASPH, a compact and lightweight "pancake" lens with outstanding brightness, and the world’s first Leica Micro Four Thirds lens, the LEICA DG MACRO-ELMARIT 45mm/F2.8 ASPH/MEGA O.I.S. which features exceptional image quality in a compact size. Both lenses are compatible with Panasonic's LUMIX G Series Micro Four Thirds standard digital cameras, which include the award-winning LUMIX DMC-G1 and LUMIX DMC-GH1 models; and the LUMIX DMC-GF1, also introduced today.Read more

Sony Intros Full-Frame DSLR for Less than $2000


 Sony DSLR-A850

Sony today introduced the new full-frame alpha DSLR-A850 camera and a new 28-75mm F2.8 lens, geared towards the pro photographer. Almost identical to the flagship a900, the a850 has a 24.6-megapixel, 35-mm full-frame Exmor CMOS sensor and fast image processing with dual BIONZ processing engines. It also offers high-speed continuous shooting of 24.6 megapixel images at up to three frames per second.

Other features include:

  • Intelligent Preview function: "grabs" a RAW preview image, displays it on the screen, and lets you fine tune it without using up memory on the camera's memory card
  • Autofocus system: nine sensors with 10 assist points for improved tracking of moving subjects. A center dual cross sensor comprised of two horizontal and two vertical line sensors as well as a dedicated f/2.8 sensor are included for better precision when using fast-aperture lenses
  • SteadyShot INSIDE image stabilization: the camera achieves an anti-shake effect equivalent to shutter speeds faster by 2.5 to 4 stops. The anti-shake system stabilizes all Sony, Minolta and Konica-Minolta compatible lenses even wide angle or large aperture lenses.

The camera also has HDMI output and Photo TV HD mode, and includes dedicated slots for Memory Stick PRO Duo, Memory Stick PRO-HG Duo, HX series and CompactFlash media.Read more

PENTAX Announces Megazoom Digital Camera


 PENTAX X70

PENTAX just announced the 12 megapixel X70, a digital camera with a whopping 24X optical zoom lens. With SLR styling, it is a great camera for those who want a compact digital cam, but also want the features of a DSLR. Some of those features include aperture/shutter priority and metered manual modes, face detection, 2.7-inch LCD monitor, 720p HD movie mode, true hardware sensor-movement Shake Reduction, a high-speed burst mode that captures 11 images per second, and of course, the 24X megazoom lens. The PENTAX X70 will ship in April 2009 for $399.95.

PENTAX also announced a new lens for their DSLR cameras - the smc PENTAX DA 15mm F4 ED AL Limited ultra wide-angle lens. It features an aluminum lens barrel finish and has a unique ultra wide-angle perspective. The lens will ship in April 2009 for $649.95. Read more

Sigma, A Great Choice


 Sigma 50mm F1.4 EX DG HSM Ever since the dawn of 35mm cameras independent lens manufacturers have produced optics that generally carried a lesser price and was of lesser quality than those offered by the original manufacturer. A few independents however, do make lenses that often meet or exceed the major camera manufacturers’ products. These companies include Zeiss, Sigma, and Tamron.

Sigma, in particular, has produced perhaps the best standard 50 mm lens in its all-new 50mm F1.4 EX DG HSM. Fixed focal length lenses are called “prime lenses” because they do not have to deal with the inherent compromises that the design of a zoom lens demands. Prime lenses are designed to perform extremely well at one focal length. This is important for photographers who need or demand the sharpest image that they can achieve.

This particular new Sigma lens has received wide acclaim, which it richly deserves-- along with many of the other lenses in Sigma's line-up. As do most independent manufacturers, Sigma makes its lenses available to fit Canon, Nikon, Olympus, Sony and Pentax camera bodies, while retaining all of the autofocus and auto exposure capabilities of the original manufacturers’ lenses, with only a few rare exceptions in certain Pentax models. Read more

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