Lens News

We’re not quite sure what the folks at the Waterjet YouTube channel have against Canon gear, but in this somewhat sacrilegious video they use a 60,000 psi hydraulic tool to slice open a perfectly good Canon 17-85mm f/4-5.6 zoom lens. Just because.

This morning we posted a story suggesting that high-quality vintage lenses often outperform modern mid-level or kit lenses when used with adapters on the latest DSLRs. The video below illustrates a possible exception to the rule, in the form of Canon’s inexpensive and versatile EF 50mm f/1.8 STM.

There’s been a growing trend among digital photographers to use vintage lenses on modern mirrorless cameras. Why would you want to do that? Among other reasons is that old manual focus lenses often sell for a fraction of the cost of their current autofocus counterparts, and the necessary adapters are both abundant and affordable.

Nikon created quite a buzz Tuesday morning with the introduction of the high-speed AF-S Nikkor f/1.4E ED; a lens they say is the world’s fastest 105mm prime. And now, thanks to some great photographers and the folks at Nikon USA, we can show you the first sample images taken with this new tool for portrait and studio photography.

Landscape photographers walk a fine line when heading into the great outdoors, when it comes choosing the gear to pack. On the one hand, it’s important to be prepared for whatever you encounter. Conversely, it’s nice to minimize your load, especially if you plan a long hike.

We’re right in the middle of Photokina frenzy, and you’re probably looking for news about groundbreaking new products, not cases or other more mundane accessories. Understood! So file this for later when the clamor from Cologne subsides. This is a lens case shopping guide with dos and don’ts and some personal brand recommendations.

My wide-angle lens was perfect when the late-evening shadows crept across the mountains of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. The sweeping landscape, wide open and treeless, was suited to the wide field of view. Until, that is, the weather turned, and with it, my perspective on that wild place. I woke one morning to rain pattering intermittently on the nylon of my tent. Between showers, I emerged to find the mountains obscured by scudding clouds.