Lens News

Sports photography shares much in common with capturing images of wildlife: You’ve got an active scene captured at a distance requiring specialized equipment and knowledge of the subject’s activities while anticipating what they are going to do next…or not. Sure, you’ll need fast, long focal length lenses but you will also need camera supports and other gear that along with specialized knowledge separates the virtuosos, like Regis Lefebure (regislefebure.com), from the wannabes. Here’s a look at some of our favorite tools of the sports trade.

Inexpensive kit lenses typically only add a hundred bucks or so to the cost of a new camera, and they provide a means of getting you get started before you can afford to upgrade your glass. In the video below, you’ll learn a few tricks for achieving interesting effects with these bargain lenses, and have some fun in the process.

If you’ve ever lusted after a really fast lens—even faster than f/1.2—imagine how compelling the thought of an affordable f/0.95 lens might be. Well, buckle your gadget bags folks, because the Zhongyi Mitakon Speedmaster 25mm for Micro Four Thirds cameras is an f/0.95 that pops into the shopping cart for less than $400.  

Nikon’s Lindsay Silverman gave us the scoop on two new Nikkor lenses that were making their debuts at the PhotoPlus Expo show in New York City last week: the AF-S Nikkor 70-200mm f/2.8E FL ED VR zoom and PC Nikkor 19mm f/4E ED tilt-shift lens.

In homage to a classic screw-mount lens Leica produced from 1955-1963, the company’s new ultra-compact Summaron-M 28mm f/5.6 wide-angle delivers premium optics and a gorgeous retro design for users of Leica M digital cameras.

I’ve shot thousands of pictures with hundreds of great lenses over the past 40+ years, but these seven have a special place in my heart. That’s because they capture beautiful images that have “the look”—an elusive quality that may be a combination of excellent detail and sharpness plus a natural roundness in their rendition. It’s not bokeh exactly—that refers to smooth transitions and shape retention in the out-of-focus areas of the image—although these lenses all have gorgeous bokeh as well. 

Venus Optics is a Chinese lens manufacturer that has been producing some unique and highly regarded lenses under its Laowa brand. But their new 24mm f/14 Relay 2X Macro lens, previewed at Photokina, may have changed the meaning of “unique” forever—at least as far as optics are concerned.