From LensRentals.com Roger at LensRentals.com has written his first impressions of the brand new Sigma 35mm f/1.4 DG HSM. This may be the first time I’ve ever seen him this positive about a Sigma product.
As always, this isn’t a review, it’s my quick first impression after putting the lens through our normal intake tests. I’m not a lens reviewer. Also, as always, my summary comes first, for those of you who have trouble reading more than 150 words without a picture (and a picture comes after that).
This lens kicks butt, takes names, and basically posterizes the manufacturers who make the cameras this lens will fit on.
A new Supertelephoto Zoom? This is definitely a lens that Tamron would make. If you need length and you’re on a budget, this could be a one of a kind option if and when it comes to market.
Patent Publication No. 2012-208434
Release Date 2012.10.25
Filing date 2011.3.30
Example 1
Focal length f = 152.3068-582.0002mm
FNo. = 5.12-6.45
2ω = 16.30-4.23 ° angle of view
18 sheets 13 groups lens configuration
5-group configuration of positive and negative positive negative
Inner Focus (the fourth group focus group)
Stabilizer (front group of the fifth group of anti-vibration group)
Reduce the size of the group of anti-vibration and focus group
To shorten the focal length of the front group of the fifth group, reduce the amount of movement of the time the anti-vibration
Joining the front group lens and the fifth group, when the spherical aberration correction of the anti-vibration, axial chromatic aberration and chromatic aberration of magnification
From LensRentals.com LensRentals.com in the United States has decided they must own all lenses, so they went out and got themselves a Sigma 200-500 f/2.8 EX DG APO. A lot of people dub this thing “SigZilla”, as it’s big, green and scary.
Now that it’s available for rent, it’s finally somewhat attainable!
Sigma 35mm f/1.4 DG HSM This Art lens provides photographers with a state-of-the-art alternative to the more conventional 50mm. This lens’ axial chromatic aberration is minimized, which renders a cool and smooth out-of-focus image. At low apertures, it can perform like a wide-angle lens; when opened up to F1.4, it will provide background bokeh and make the subject pop like a mid-range telephoto lens.
Sigma 17-70mm f/2.8-4 DC MACRO OS HSM
This new Contemporary lens is designed for cameras with an APS-c sensor and covers a range equivalent to 25.5 to 105mm on a 35mm camera. An upgrade to its predecessor, which was released in December 2009, this general purpose lens offers a new design and a more compact build.
Sigma 120-300mm f/2.8 DG OS HSM With redesigned mechanics and performance, this Sports lens is an update from its predecessor released in February 2011. This high-performance lens eases difficult shooting conditions by offering a maximum focal length of 300mm and a wide-open aperture of F2.8. This lens, like the other Sports category lenses to come, is dust and moisture resistant, and allows users to adjust the focus speed and the focus limiter via a button on the lens.
SP 70-200mm F/2.8 Di VC USD with ultrasonic focus
The most compact full-size, high-speed telephoto zoom lens, delivering leading-edge image quality and featuring Tamron’s proprietary VC (Vibration Compensation) and USD (Ultrasonic Silent Drive)[3]
September 13, 2012, 4PM JST, Saitama, Japan – Tamron Co., Ltd. (President and CEO: Morio Ono / Headquarters: Saitama City), a leading manufacturer of optical equipment, announced the development of a full-size, high-speed telephoto zoom lens equipped with VC (Vibration Compensation)2 image stabilization, and USD (Ultrasonic Silent Drive) that achieves leading-edge image quality while boasting the most compact design in its class. The SP 70-200mm F/2.8 Di VC USD will be available in Canon, Nikon and Sony mounts. The lens is expected to ship by the end of 2012. Pricing information will be announced at a later date.
Product Features
One special XLD (Extra Low Dispersion) glass in concert with four LD (Low Dispersion) elements minimize chromatic aberrations. This combined with a new optical design that delivers high contrast and high resolution throughout the zoom range achieves leading-edge image quality.
Tamron’s advanced multi-layer coating technology dramatically improves lens performance by reducing flare and ghosting for crisper, clearer images.
The rounded diaphragm affords the photographer spectacular blur effects, delivering the kind of rich expression only achievable with a high-speed telephoto zoom lens.
The most compact full-size, high-speed telephoto zoom lens with VC (Vibration Compensation) image stabilization and USD (Ultrasonic Silent Drive) in its class delivers superior mobility, enabling photographers to capture the previously unattainable.
Features USD (Ultrasonic Silent Drive) to power a speedy AF drive together with a continuous manual focus mechanism.
The VC (Vibration Compensation) image stabilization mechanism reduces camera shake to deliver sharp images.
Moisture-resistant construction helps prevent moisture from penetrating the lens.
Tamron SP 90mm F/2.8 Di MACRO 1:1 VC USD September 13, 2012, Saitama, Japan—Tamron Co., Ltd. (President and CEO: Morio Ono / Headquarters: Saitama City), a leading manufacturer of optical equipment, announced the development of a next generation 90mm Macro lens for full-size SLR cameras. The lens features completely redesigned optics, a proprietary VC (Vibration Compensation)*1, and USD (Ultrasonic Silent Drive)*2.
Tamron has updated their legendary 90mm Macro lens with a new, state-of-the-art optical design. The lens, reborn for the age of digital photography, offers VC (Vibration Compensation) and USD (Ultrasonic Silent Drive).
Adopting a state-of-the-art optical design and a rounded diaphragm, this lens carries on the long tradition of Tamron’s 90mm Macro lens in delivering spectacular blur effects. Two XLD (Extra Low Dispersion) glasses and one LD (Low Dispersion) element reduce chromatic aberrations, yielding sharp images and outstanding resolution.
Tamron’s newly developed eBAND (Extended Bandwidth & Angular-Dependency) Coating*6 delivers a dramatic improvement in antireflection performance—significantly reducing flare and ghosting for clearer, crisper images.
The VC (Vibration Compensation) image stabilization mechanism reduces camera shake to deliver sharp images.
Features USD (Ultrasonic Silent Drive) to power a speedy AF drive together with a continuous manual focus mechanism.
Incorporates IF (Internal Focus) system, which focuses by moving only the internal lens group, rather than the front lens elements. The overall length of the lens therefore does not change when focusing, thus ensuring a broad working distance.
Moisture-resistant construction helps prevent moisture from penetrating the lens.
Samyang 10mm f/2.8 prime for APS-C sensor cameras
Kraków, September 14th 2012 – Samyang Optics company is thrilled to invite all participants of Photokina fairs held in Cologne to visit our stand no. A025 located in the hall 2.1. We will introduce a prototypical version of the Samyang 10mm 1:2.8 ED AS UMC CS lens.
Samyang 10mm 1:2.8 ED AS UMC CS is a prototype of the ultra wide-angle prime lens designed for use with cameras fitted with APS-C/DX sensors. Its extremely short focus length and rectilinear imaging system ensure extra wide angle of view amounting to 110 degrees (~107 degree for Canon version). As a result the lens is a comprehensive tool for architecture and landscape shooting. New Samyang 10mm 1:2.8 ED AS UMC CS is similar to the 35mm system lens with 15mm or 16mm focal length in the case of Canon APS-C cameras.
All details concerning the optical construction of the lens and available mounts will be published at a later date. The lens will be introduced for sale either at the end of 2012 or in the first days of 2013.
Press Release
Samyang Optics is about to release a new lens with the perspective control function — Samyang T-S 24mm 1:3.5 ED AS UMC. The official product presentation will take place on September 18th 2012, during international photographic Photokina fairs held in Cologne.
New Samyang T-S 24mm 1:3.5 ED AS UMC is a wide-angle, full-frame lens fitted with the perspective control and tilt-shift functions. Its unique optical and mechanical construction makes it an ideal tool for architecture and landscape photography. The product will be also extremely useful when convergence of the lines in the frame is required. Owing to the mechanism of optical axis tilt, focus depth operation brings utterly new quality and possibilities, enabling photographers to shape the image according to their individual needs, both on digital and nalog carriers.
Optical design of Samyang T-S 24mm 1:3.5 ED AS UMC comprises of sixteen lenses arranged in eleven groups, including two aspherical lens and two lens made of ED glass with low dispersion factor. Thanks to this solution, the lens perfectly reproduces detailed elements and gives splendid image plasticity, also with the T-S function on. Each optical component of the product was covered with multi-layered, anti-reflective UMC coatings, which provide great light transmission factor, high contrasts and render only natural colors of the photographed scene. With sophisticated optics and developed T-S function, Samyang T-S 24mm 1:3.5 ED AS UMC is currently the most advanced lens produced by Samyang Optics and may compete with similar lenses of other brands.
Tilt-Shift function Tilt-Shift function in Samyang T-S 24mm 1:3.5 ED AS UMC allows for smooth and individual adjustment of the focus plane angle by +/-8.5 and enables parallel shift of the optical axis by +/-12 millimeters. To make Tilt-Shift function even more seamless, both the lens mount as well as Tilt-Shift section may be rotated on the optical axis. The Tilt-Shift section may be rotated left by 90 degrees (with 30 degree adjustment), while mount of the lens may be rotated both in left and right direction by 90 degrees, also with 30 degree adjustment.
Samyang T-S 24mm 1:3.5 ED AS UMC will be available with mounts for Canon EF, Nikon F, Pentax K and Sony A. We welcome everyone to visit us at Photokina at our booth A025 in the hall 2.1.
The Curtain raises for the new telephoto lens Apo Sonnar T* 2/135 Carl Zeiss is presenting the new Apo Sonnar T* 2/135 during photokina in Cologne (September 18-23) at stand B011 in hall 2.1. Visitors to the world’s leading trade fair for imaging technology can experience Carl Zeiss’ longest medium telephoto lens in the range of high-quality SLR lenses. With the Apo Sonnar T* 2/135, the company is substantially extending the creative possibilities available in the medium tele range. Photographers and HD video cinematographers now have a total of thirteen SLR lenses to choose, with focal lengths of 15 to 135 millimeters.
The Apo Sonnar T* 2/135 is the ideal lens for capturing detailed images from long distances, such as the skyline at sunset, a leopard in the zoo, or a pop star on a faraway stage. The new lens offers outstanding clarity of detail, high contrast and high resolution at any aperture. This mix of attributes makes it the perfect choice for portraits in advertising, fashion and lifestyle, as well as for landscape and reportage photography.
Issue with the new Sigma Macro An issue with the Sigma 180mm f/2.8 OS Macro on the 5D Mark III and EOS-1D X has been discovered by LensRentals.com. If this has caused anyone to pull their hair out, the solution is pretty simple, just turn off illumination correction.
Below is an image taken by LensRentals.com showing the phenomenon.
Sigma 180 f/2.8 OS Macro Issue – Click for larger
The Findings
The phenomenon shows up on Canon 5D Mk III and 1Dx cameras only. T4i and 7D bodies with firmware upgrade do NOT do this, nor do any other older cameras we could test.
The Sigma 180 OS and Sigma 150 OS macro lenses both show the effect and it’s identical. No other Sigma lenses that we stock showed the effect, nor did any Tamron or Tokina lenses. Obviously I can’t test what we don’t carry.
If you turn off Illumination Correction in the menu the effect goes away. To repeat, though, Illumination Correction in the 7D and T4i, on or off, doesn’t cause the effect.
The issue probably doesn’t show up on the APS_C cameras because of the image is about the same size as the circular anomaly in the center of the above image.
Tamron EF 24-70 f/2.8 VC Don’t want to wait for the new Canon EF 24-70 f/2.8L II? Don’t feel like spending $2200? Wanted some form of image stabilization, perhaps the new Tamron 24-70 f/2.8 VC is for you.
Quick MTF Review
Roger at Lensrentals.com also did a quick and dirty MTF comparison between the new Tamron 24-70 f/2.8 VC and the current Canon EF 24-70 f/2.8L. The Tamron faired quite well.
Tamron 24-70 f/2.8 VC vs Canon EF 24-70 f/2.8L (Higher numbers are better)
Roger also mentions the autofocus performance is pretty good on the Tamron, maybe not as quick as the Canon, but much faster than Tamron’s 70-200.
You can read the entire quick and dirty review at LensRentals.com here.
