A close cousin to the APO 150-500mm F5-6.3 DG OS HSM lens, which has also been reviewed on the Photo Review website, Sigma's APO 120-400mm F4.5-5.6 DG OS HSM lens can be used on both 'full frame' and 'APS-C-sized' DLSR cameras as well as traditional 35mm SLRs. Smaller and lighter than the 150-500mm model, it is a significant upgrade on the 135-400mm f/4-5.6 lens it replaces.
... [more]The 50mm f/1.4 EX DG HSM is the first large-aperture 50mm prime lens to be manufactured by Sigma and the company has gone to considerable lengths to include the latest designs and technology. Unlike the 50mm f/1.4 primes from other manufacturers, which use designs that hark back to the 1970s, this lens is bang up-to-date, with a Hyper Sonic Motor (HSM) ensuring silent, high-speed AF; a non-rotating front element and a moulded aspherical optical component.
... [more]Canon's EF 800mm f/5.6L IS USM lens is a 'big gun' in many ways. Weighing 4.5 kilograms and almost half a metre long with its lens hood attached, it's a challenge to shoot with. However, it also has a maximum aperture of f/5.6, which is outstanding for a lens with such a long focal length. Not unexpectedly, it's priced accordingly at just under $17,000 and comes in a specially-designed, lockable lens case with a contoured interior and Velcro tie-down.
... [more]If you watched any broadcasts of the Beijing Olympics you probably saw photographers with Canon's large, ultra-fast telephoto prime lenses, which are purpose-designed to provide pin-sharp images in low light levels. The new EF 200mm f/2L IS USM is one such lens, offering an outstanding combination of a 200mm focal length with a maximum aperture of f/2. ... [more]Nikon's PC-E Micro Nikkor 45mm f/2.8D ED lens is the latest in a series of perspective control (PC) lenses that have been produced by the company over many years. Offering a shift range of plus or minus 11.5mm and tilt of plus or minus 8.5 degrees, it can also be rotated through plus or minus 90-degrees in 30-degree increments. In all respects, this is a pretty wide range - but it's only achievable on camera bodies with 36 x 24mm sensors. The lens can also be used on cameras with smaller imagers, but its adjustability will be limited. ... [more]The AF-S Micro Nikkor 60mm f/2.8 G ED is the latest in a long line of macro lenses from Nikon. Capable of true 1:1 reproduction, it features internal focusing, which provides faster, smoother autofocusing and also eliminates barrel length changes. And, because the front element doesn't rotate, users can fit angle-critical filters, such as polarisers. ... [more]Nikon's D700 is positioned between the 'pro-sumer' D300 and the professional D3 models and is the second Nikon DSLR with an FX-format (35mm sized) CMOS sensor. Like the D3 it can use lenses designed for both FX and DX formats and will automatically recognise a DX lens when it is fitted. However, while the D3 includes a 5:4 aspect ratio crop measuring 30 x 24mm, the D700 offers two image area selections: FX format (36 x 24mm) and DX format (24 x 16 mm).
... [more]Nikon's AF-S Nikkor 24-120mm f/3.5-5.6 G IF-ED lens covers a 5x zoom range and provides a suite of convenient focal length settings for owners of the company's D3 and D700 cameras but is also usable on DX models where the 1.5x crop factor gives it an equivalent focal length range of 36-180mm. Its affordable price tag makes it attractive to amateur photographers. ... [more] |