Lens News

Fisheye lenses abound, and many are priced under $199. Products like the Meike 6.5mm f/2 ($129) and 7artisans Photoelectric 7.5mm f/2.8 ($139) plus offerings from Bauer, Rokinon, Opteka, Samyang, Venus and some camera manufacturers are very affordable, exciting and—by and large—pretty damn sharp. But using one effectively can be tricky. Here’s what extensive hands-on practice has taught me so far.

Sharpness in photographs has long been a topic of debate among photographers. Once it was about the sharpness of film and formats, but today it’s about things like sensor size and shooting Raw vs. JPEG files. I find these discussions pretty quickly become esoteric and pixel picky. I prefer a hands-on approach to improving sharpness in photos and that’s what these tips are all about. 

Every year the Technical Image Press Association (TIPA), a worldwide association of photo and imaging magazine editors, meets to pick the Best of Class in a wide range of photo categories. As the sole US member of the association, Shutterbug joins editors from Europe, Asia, and Africa in the nominating, judging, and selection process. One of the most exciting aspects of photography today is the constant advancement of technology and design, and this year’s Top Products reflect that spirit and those accomplishments, including new categories of Video D-SLR and Mobile App. Editor George Schaub joins all fellow TIPA members in congratulating those selected to receive the prestigious TIPA award. (To learn more about TIPA, please visit the website at: www.tipa.com.)

Today’s computer-designed lenses are a joy to use and typically deliver high resolution and great sharpness, contrast, and color rendition. But modern premium glass isn’t always needed to make beautiful images, as you can see in the quick video below.

One reason mirrorless digital cameras are so popular is that with an appropriate adapter you can use just about all of the great vintage glass that’s lurking in the back of your photo cabinet. And, if like me, you own a Pentax DSLR, you can mount just about any lens Pentax ever made, with no adapter required.

What is the best lens for portrait photography? This is a debate that has raged through the ages amongst photographers. There are quite a few focal lengths and apertures that are the favorites for shooting portraits, but many photographers agree that prime lenses are the way to go.