Sigma 50mm F1.4 EX DG HSM Lens

8.8 Rating

A fast, high-performance 50mm prime lens for DSLR cameras from Sigma, Canon, Nikon, Pentax and Sony.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.

Sigma 18-250mm F3.5-6.3 DC OS HSM Lens

8.5 Rating

A compact 13.9x wide-angle zoom lens for DSLR cameras with APS-C-sized image sensors.Sigma’s new 18-250mm f/3.5-6.3 DC OS HSM is designed as an all-in-one lens for digital photographers with APS-C-sized (DX) sensors who don’t want to carry more than one lens. Covering focal lengths ranging from the 35mm equivalent of 27mm to 375mm with most camera brands (28.8mm to 400mm on Canon bodies) it offers a 13.8 times zoom ratio. A built-in Hybrid Optical Stabiliser is provides for shake reduction in both shots and the viewfinder image.

Sigma 18-200mm f/3.5-6.3 DC OS

8.8 Rating

An affordably-priced long-zoom lens that will suit photographers who want a single ‘go-anywhere’ lens for their DSLR cameras.Sigma’s versatile 18-200mm F/3.5-6.3 DC OS lens has been designed as an all-purpose lens for digital SLR cameras with ‘APS-C size’ image sensors. Offering an 11x zoom ratio and a minimum focusing distance of 45cm at all focal lengths, this lens will appeal to photographers who want a single, long-range zoom lens to fit on their camera body. A built-in Hyper-Sonic Motor (HSM) uses ultrasonic waves to drive the autofocusing controls, providing fast and quiet AF.

PC-E Micro Nikkor 45mm f/2.8D ED Lens

8.5 Rating

A highly specialised lens that provides control over the plane of focus and is usable for shooting close-ups.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.

Carl Zeiss Vario-Sonnar T* DT 16-80mm F3.5-4.5 ZA Lens

8.8 Rating

A high-quality, general purpose lens for Sony’s Alpha digital cameras.Designed to suit the 23.6 x 15.8mm image sensors on Sony’s Alpha DSLR cameras, the new Carl Zeiss Vario-Sonnar T* DT 16-80mm F3.5-4.5 ZA lens covers a focal length range equivalent to 24-120mm in 35mm format. Although described as ‘the first professional-grade 5x zoom lens specifically designed for APS format DSLRs’ it’s probably better seen as a ‘pro-sumer’ lens. It’s an excellent general-purpose lens for the A700 and A350 models, whose high resolutions can capitalise on its performance.

Carl Zeiss Vario-Sonnar 24-70mm f/2.8 ZA SSM Lens

8.5 Rating

A fast, high-performance mid-range zoom lens for Sony’s Alpha DSLR cameras.The Carl Zeiss Vario-Sonnar 24-70mm f/2.8 ZA SSM is a ‘prestige’ lens resulting from a collaboration between the well-known lens manufacturer, Carl Zeiss, and Sony. Made in Japan, it carries both Zeiss and Sony branding and has the model number SAL2470Z. Its focal length range of the covers an angle-of-view range equivalent to 36-105mm in 35mm format with ‘APS-C’ sized sensor on the A350 body we used for this review.

Canon EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS Lens

8.5 Rating

The standard stabilised zoom lens for Canon’s entry-level digital SLR cameras.Supplied as a basic kit lens with entry-level Canon DSLRs, the EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS lens covers a focal length range equivalent to 28.2 to 88mm in 35mm format. This is a good choice of focal lengths for general photography and will suit subjects as diverse as scenery and portraiture. Equipped with built-in image stabilisation (which Canon claims offers up to four f-stops of shutter speed advantage) it will focus as close as 25 cm at all focal length settings.

Canon EF-S 18-200mm f/3.5-5.6 IS Lens

8.5 Rating

A general-purpose lens with an extended zoom range for Canon’s DSLR camera bodies with ‘APS-C-sized’ image sensors.Designed to provide a wide zoom range in a compact and lightweight form factor, Canon’s EF-S18-200mm f/3.5-5.6 IS telephoto zoom lens can only be used with cameras that have ‘APS-C-sized’ image sensors. Supporting a zoom range of approximately 11 times, it covers a focal length equivalent to 29-320mm in 35mm format but weighs only 595 grams. Built-in image stabilisation provides approximately four f-stops of shutter speed advantage and the stabilisation system can detect when the camera is panned.

Canon EF-S 15-85mm f/3.5-5.6 IS USM Lens

8.5 Rating

A compact, high-quality 5.6x zoom lens with four-stop image stabilisation and a fast autofocus drive.The EF-S 15-85mm f/3.5-5.6 IS USM zoom lens is one of two lenses announced by Canon in September when details of the EOS 7D were revealed. It’s offered with the 7D body in the Platinum kit and covers a wide-to-telephoto zoom range of roughly 5.6 times. A built-in image stabiliser claims a four f-stop advantage in shutter speed settings and an ultrasonic motor (USM) provides quick and quiet autofocusing.

Canon EF 70-200mm f/4L USM Lens

Another member of Canon’s f4 zoom lens suite, the EF 70-200mm f/4L USM combines a relatively compact size with light weight when you consider the amount if glass it contains. Consisting of 16 elements in 13 groups, this lens has two ultra-low-dispersion (UD) elements plus a low-dispersion fluorite element to minimise chromatic aberration. [ia]