Lens News

Scientists at Harvard’s John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences (SEAS) are working on a high-efficiency, ultra-thin single planar lens that could revolutionize photography by replacing the multi-element curved lenses used for cameras, smartphones and telescopes. 

Flash and accessory manufacturer Meike has unveiled four new manual-focus lenses for Nikon, Canon, Sony, Fujifilm, Olympus and Panasonic mirrorless cameras with APS-C or smaller sensors. The new lenses are the first foray in this category for Meike, and are available on Amazon.

Here’s another video from our favorite weird lens guru Mathieu Stern who gives a preview of some cheap Jupiter Soviet lenses. Stern regularly discusses inexpensive, oddball glass that can be used on mirrorless cameras.

When Yongnuo first introduced a 50mm f/1.8 full-frame lens for Canon users it was an immediate hit with bargain hunters. It was a $40 clone of the Canon 50mm f/1.8 II which sold for about $125 and offered very respectable performance—especially for the price.

Samyang Optics has introduced the first-ever autofocus lenses in their 40-year history, both for Sony E-mount full-frame mirrorless cameras: A 14mm f/2.8 and the 50mm f/1.4. Both lenses feature solid metal build quality, internal focusing, and a sleek minimal design.

I always thought the weirdest mirror lens ever was a Vivitar Series 1 600–900mm zoom I shot with briefly back in the ‘80s. Until now, that is. Check out the following video review of a Soviet era 1,100mm f/10.5 mirror lens known as the MTO 1000A.

Like many photographers, when Nikon introduced their 20-35mm f/2.8 lens I just had to have one. Being a commercial photographer, the ability to carry a zoom that would cover this field of view was very handy, especially for assignments that involved shooting in buildings or offices for public relations clients. While the lens was exciting, the best images were captured at around f/5.6 to f/8 when the corners started to match the sharpness of dead center. Following that was the Nikkor 28-70mm f/2.8, which was more commonly known as the “beast” in photographic circles because it gave us more breathing room at the long end, complete with AF-S focusing. Although it weighed in at two pounds, it was a sharp lens!