A while back, we reviewed the OM System OM3 -- and we were delighted to know that the company didn't hold back when it came to durability. They went as far as giving it an IP durability rating, and in our full review we tested it out in the snow.
Years ago, there was talk of a very unique Ricoh GR camera that had everyone salivarting. It was called the Ricoh GR-E -- and it was supposed to boast a 36MP curved full-frame sensor as a very unique lens.
When the Leica SL2s launched, I was pleasantly surprised at how incredible it was. For the first time, I'd experienced a Leica camera that could nearly hold its own with autofocus of the big three companies.
Sometimes, a zoom lens pops up out of the wild that absolutely surprises us. And what's most mind boggling about the Panasonic 18-40mm f4. 5-6. 3 is how small it is. But not only that, it's weather resistant throughout the entire range.
The way that it was explained to me, Nikon's lineup of f1. 4 lenses are all about the character. They're not meant to be the lens equivalent of someone working in finance: rich on the numbers but totally lacking personality.
The Sony a7c II is a small camera with quite a bit of technology inside. It's truly better than the Sony a7 IV which it's based on in several ways. This is thanks to the AI processing chip inside that gives it a lot of superpowers that some of Sony's other camears have.
The Sony 55mm f1. 8 FE is one of the system's most unique lenses. It's small, lightweight, weather resistant, sharp, fast to focus, and delivers in ways that so many other lenses lack. We love it, and years ago, I purchased one to keep in my stable of Sony gear.
Every time I picked up the Hasselblad 907x CFV 100C, I heard a song in my head: "He'll Have to Go" by Jim Reeves. My earliest memories of it are of my parents slowly dancing together in the living room within our small Queens apartment.
"I hope it's not just another rendition of the Sigma lens," I told the Phoblographer's Panasonic reps on the last day before my holiday staycation. They assured me that the team went to Panasonic Lumix's engineers and said the same thing to them.
I know it sounds crazy to do, but I strongly believe that if Fujifilm remake the 35mm f1. 4, 18mm f2, and 50mm f2. 4 Macro lens to give them weather resistance and the same optics, that they would sell out like tickets at a Taylor Swift concert.
Years ago, the idea of protective UV filters on a camera lens was phased out. Photographers needed them when film was dominant to cut down on optical issues. We needed them in early digital for similar reasons and also for the protection of your lenses.
For years, we asked Fujifilm for third-party support. And now, we've got it. While we're not sure if Viltrox and Fujifilm do indeed work together, the Viltrox 27mm f1. 2 PRO might as well be a Fujifilm lens.
Rumors have been around for a while that Sigma would be coming out with many new lenses. And yesterday, that announcement dropped. They announced the 17mm f4 DG DN Contemporary, 50mm f2 DG DN Contemporary, and the 23mm f1.
The Canon EOS R6 Mk II is an incredibly attractive camera for so many photographers. It has a modest megapixel count, great high ISO output, fast autofocus, and weather resistance that's some of the best around.
The Fujifilm X100V is a well-loved camera by many photographers. In fact, if you try to get it second-hand, the prices are higher than the brand-new bodies. Besides the great retro ergonomics and small size, it delivers fantastic image quality.
The Fujifilm X100V is a well-loved camera by many photographers. In fact, if you try to get it second-hand, the prices are higher than the brand-new bodies. Besides the great retro ergonomics and small size, it delivers fantastic image quality.
At CES 2022, Nikon announced the new Nikon 85mm f1. 2 being developed. This will be part of their S lens lineup; which basically means that it's going to be one of their highest-end offerings. I have to admit though that I'm nervous about this one.
Camera gear that claims to be weatherproof or resistant deserves to be checked carefully and those claims put to the test. We'd do the same with every technical and functional feature, right? When I saw that Benro launched the Induro Hydra 2 tripod, I immediately wanted to try out its waterproof claims.
I have to admit--I didn't necessarily have the highest expectations of the Panasonic 18mm f1. 8 Lumix S lens. But that's because I've been reviewing a bunch of lenses with gorgeous bokeh and a render that's not overly sharp.
It's been a few years since we heard about the Panasonic 12-35mm f2. 8 getting an update. But this time around, it's pretty big! So what's so special about this one? Well, Panasonic tells us that the image quality is now going through Leica's quality control.
Weather sealing is incredibly important not only for inclement conditions, but dust-resistance. What's more, it means that your camera gear will continue to work for a longer period of time because of the durability.
Leica: the name alone can bring lust to a photographer that's held their products. Truly a tactile experience, a Leica camera feels like a beautifully machined piece of kit. Coupled with their lenses, they'll deliver photos that you'll never expect to have seen with other camera systems.
Every single one of them are good. Every single camera these days is very good and has gotten to a point where they're all capable of taking great photos. But there is a lot more that goes into making a camera.
If there was a nearly perfect lens for the OM System cameras for birding, it would be the Olympus 150-400mm f4. 5 PRO. Billed as a lens for wildlife, birding, and sports, it's a very innovative lens that is capable of giving photographers a very high keeper rate.
Considering the quality of Sony's G Master lenses, I had a feeling that this would be a pretty boring review to do with a few exceptions. You see, Sony's lenses are very clinically perfect; and our staff aren't fans of that.
Considering the quality of Sony's G Master lenses, I had a feeling that this would be a pretty boring review to do with a few exceptions. You see, Sony's lenses are very clinically perfect; and our staff aren't fans of that.
For a long time, I wondered why Macro lenses needed to be very large. And then the Laowa 85mm f5. 6 came out. It's a full-frame lens that's very small. Granted, it's got a lot of trade offs to meet a certain price point and a few other parameters.
There's a few really great things about the Nikon Z 28mm f2. 8. It's part of a lineup of lenses that are insanely affordable and pretty much impulse buys. But it's also got fantastic colors. In fact, shooting with the Nikon Z 28mm f2.
Honestly, Fujifilm got the Fujifilm X100v nearly perfect. It's difficult to beat and top a camera like that when it does almost everything a photographer could want. But indeed, it can be made even better.
I didn't read the rumors of the Leica M11 purposely before I went into the meeting with Leica. To that end, I was genuinely surprised as to what I saw and experienced. For one week, I had personal play-time with the Leica M11.
A conversation that we tend to have with camera manufacturers over and over again has to do with weather sealing. For the most part, every high-end camera has some sort of weather sealing built into it.
If you look on the market, you'll see that a few new zoom lenses have been popping up with constant f2. 8 apertures. Sigma has a 28-70mm f2. 8 that's seriously lacking weather resistance. The new Tamron 28-75mm f2.
If there are things in this world that make me scratch my head, it's Canon's RF lenses that aren't in their L series. With that said, the Canon RF 100-400mm f5. 6-8 IS USM is an okay lens that could've been more.
In the long run, I sincerely think that Tamron played a much smarter game than any third-party company I've seen. While Sigma will sit there and create lenses that compete with everyone else, Tamron doesn't do that.
Tamron has cranked the innovation game up really high this time around. The Tamron 35-150mm f2-2. 8 Di III VXD does so much that I'm sure other brands will need to look at it. While Sigma sits there creating the same things and fumbling around on anything but image quality, Tamron is killing it.
Let it be known, we're not fans of most of Nikon's kit lenses. But the Nikon 40mm f2 Z should replace every single one of them. First off, it's just under $300. It's small, has beautiful image quality, impressive weather sealing, and the performance you'd want from a lens like this.
The joke with Sony cameras is that you used to buy a camera and five batteries. Indeed, there was a time when their battery life was pretty dismal. That's the time that the original Sony a7 comes from.
The sesaon for travel photography is close by! Besides taking all the safety precautions, you'll probably want to pack some great camera gear with you. Lucky for you, we know exactly what you need if you've got a Sony camera.
Over what seemed to be an AOL 9. 0 internet connection, the folks at OM Digital solutions briefed the press on the new OM-System 20mm f1. 4. Typically, I'm respectful and sit through the entire thing.
The day has come. Fujifilm is finally game for working with third party lens manufacturers. And Tamron is the first to do it. The Tamron 18-300mm f3. 5-6. 3 Di III-A2 VC VXD is the first lens to come to the system and fills in a much needed niche.
The day has come. Fujifilm is finally game for working with third party lens manufacturers. And Tamron is the first to do it. The Tamron 18-300mm f3. 5-6. 3 Di III-A2 VC VXD is the first lens to come to the system and fills in a much needed niche.
I'm a huge fan of Panasonic's smaller lenses. In fact, I think that Panasonic has a lot to teach the rest of the photo industry. A case in point is the Panasonic 50mm f1. 8 S. It checks off all the needs one could have and does so at an affordable price.
photography. Their film simulations let photographers be photographers again, and their lens roadmap keeps expanding. The new Fujifilm 18mm f1. 4 XF WR lens provides the classic 28mm equivalent focal length paired with a fast aperture.
Two years since the Ricoh GR III was announced, we're getting a successor, sort of. Today, the Ricoh GR IIIx is being announced. And for the most part, it's the Ricoh GR III. But there are a few upgrades.
Like many of you, I'm a prime lens shooter. I swear by my 35mm lenses. But I've run into situations where a zoom would've helped. It's inevitable for many journalists. However, most zoom lenses just don't cut it for me.
There aren't many 90mm lenses on the market. But the Leica 90mm f2 SL is surely worth looking at. Leica doesn't make an 85mm--instead, they opt for a 75mm and a 90mm. The Leica 90mm f2 SL is small, lightweight, fast to focus, has a metal build, and has beautiful image quality.
If there were to buy a brand new camera in 2021, I'm not sure it would be the Panasonic GH5 II. And that's not at all to say that the Panasonic GH5 II is a bad camera. In fact, it's probably one of the best Micro Four Thirds cameras on the market.
Big cities are a lot quieter than they used to be. That means that you'll have a lot more room to explore. This is one of the most exciting things about photographing in big cities at night. Besides the surreal feeling of them being empty at times, there are still signs of life.
If you thought that the Leica 24-70mm f2. 8 SL is just a Sigma lens, then you're wrong. I personally own and use the Sigma 24-70mm f2. 8 Art lens. And after working with the Leica 24-70mm f2. 8 SL for a while, I can say this definitively.
Just 4 mm away from the more standard 24mm, the 20mm lens offers a happy medium between an ultra-wide distortion and the narrower view of a 24 or 35mm. The Nikon Z 20mm F1. 8 S blends in with a growing list of Z mount lenses.
Portrait photography, in general, is one of the most popular niches in the industry and is often one of the first things a new photographer attempts to master as they hone their craft. But a key to making appealing portraits is making a good lens selection based on the look that you are attempting to produce.