Nikon has released the updated version of their 300mm f/2.8G lens, AF-S NIKKOR 300mm f/2.8G ED VR II, and a new full frame compatible teleconverter, the AF-S TC-20E III.
With its large aperture, optimized sharpness across the whole frame, the lens is perfect for action and sports photojournalism and wildlife photography. But soccer moms and dads need to look elsewhere due to its weight and affordability.
The lens features the latest VR II vibration reduction that is claimed to provide stabilization up to 4 stops slower shutter speed than what is normally possible. Exclusive nano crystal coating reduces ghosting and internal flare. Three ED glasses minimizes chromatic abbreviations. Read More…
Posted in
News on December 11th, 2009.
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Have you ever wondered why wide angle lenses such as Sigma 10-20mm f/4-5.6 EX DC HSM
doesn’t have the problem with its rear element getting too close to the image sensor of your DSLR camera?
Well, this is a reasonable question if your understanding of optics is not much beyond the simple thin lens model you learned in high school. Photographic lenses are not thin lenses. Even the simplest prime lenses are constructed with multiple lenses in multiple groups. These are called “thick lenses”. The effective focal length of the thick lenses are no longer the distance between the last optical element to the rear focal point (called back focal length). To make the wide angle length work on SLR cameras, the back focal length of the lens needs to be longer than the effective focal length so the mirror doesn’t hit the lens when the shutter is release. On the opposite, for telephoto lenses the back focal length needs to be shorter than the effective focal length. This is typically achieved by putting a concave lens (or negative lens group) or convex (or positive lens group) at the front for wide angle and telephoto lenses, respectively.
The modern day wide angle lenses were mostly inspired by the old but clever design called retrofocus lens design pioneered by a French engineer (a little more history can be found here). If you compare the original retrofocus lens and the aforementioned Sigma wide angle lens, you can notice the similarity. The Sigma lens used a group of concave lenses instead of single concave lens for the front element in the original design.
If you are interested in digging into lens design, there are many good books, for example, Applied Photographic Optics by Sidney Ray. However you can learn quite a lot without spending a dime from free online resources by using search engines.
Posted in
Technology on October 6th, 2009.
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DigitalCameraReview.Com just published the review of the new DX format prime lens Nikon AF-S DX 35mm f/1.8G. I will leave the details for you to read. In conclusion, the reviewer said,
“In short, the new AF-S Nikkor 35mm f/1.8G is an amazing lens with fabulous edge-to-edge sharpness, great bokeh, and an outrageously low price. In terms of overall sharpness and aperture range this lens is superior to several lenses that cost more than twice as much! Nikon finally delivered a fantastic prime lens for average consumers who own the D40, D40X, or D60. If you own one of these cameras, this lens belongs in your camera bag.”
Other reviews for AF-S DX Nikkor 35mm F/1.8G
- DPreview – “Highly Recommended”
- Photozone – “4/5 for optical quality and 5/5 for performance/price”
- Ken Rockwell – “This could be the only lens you ever need for a DX camera”
- Bjørn Rørslett – “… expect this lens to become very popular for DX shooters seeking a good performance under situations in which a 35 is the solution”
- DPTnT – My impressions.
Availability
The AF-S Nikkor 35mm f/1.8G is a DX format lens. The equivalent focal length on a DSLR with a APS-C sized sensor is about 52.5mm, which gives roughly the same field of view (FOV) as a 50mm lens on a full frame camera such as the Nikon D700 and D3/D3X. For many D40/D40X/D60 users, this new lens should be a welcome addition because the lowest cost large aperture option AF Nikkor 50mm f/1.8D would not auto-focus on their cameras. I have had the AF Nikkor 50mm f/1.8D for quite a while. The image quality is very good but the focal length is a little inconvenient for close range shots. Another aspect of the new lens I like is the ability to manually override the auto-focus by turning the focus ring without putting the camera in manual focus mode. This is not possible with the AF Nikkor 50mm f/1.8D. So I am very interested in finding out how the lens compares to the AF Nikkor 50mm f/1.8D. Read More…
Posted in
Digital SLR Cameras,
Lens on March 19th, 2009.
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The AF-S DX Nikkor 35mm f/1.8G is currently shipping in the United States. I was able to pre-order it directly from Amazon for $199.95 but the current price
is $249.95 from third party merchants such as Cameta Camera. The lens is also available for pre-order from Adorama and B&H. Both are priced at $199.95.
If you are interested in seeing some sample photos of the AF-S DX Nikkor 35mm f/1.8G before making your decision, here are a few options:
[Update March 13, 2009]: The lens appears to be very popular, becoming the third most popular lens this morning on Amazon in the Camera & Photo -> Lens
category.
Posted in
Photography gadgets on March 11th, 2009.
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In the history of Nikon SLR cameras and Nikkor lenses, there have been many technology developments. Even though the physical dimension of the Nikon lens mount (F-Mount) has pretty much remained the same for a long time, the Camera-Lens compatibility is a lot more complicated than simply being able to mount the lens on the camera. There are several major compatibility questions:
- Can it mount? Sometimes the lens won’t mount at all, sometimes the rear element may break the mirror in the camera. So do a good research before you mount the odd-looking lens you bought from a yard sale.
- Will it meter? If it will, it may not support all metering modes especially the matrix metering mode. Flash photography can also be affected, for example by the focus distance information that only some lenses can send to the camera.
- Will it autofocus? Some early versions or Nikkor lenses are strictly manual focus only but even AF lenses do not guarantee auto focus function on cameras such as Nikon’s entry level D40, D40x, and D60, which do not have a built-in auto focus motor in the camera body.
Want to find out what works and what not for your DSLR camera? Here are some excellent resources.
Posted in
Digital SLR Cameras,
Lens on February 17th, 2009.
1 Comment.
DPReview has posted a gallery of sample photos from the new AF-S DX Nikkor 35mm f/1.8G Nikon introduced recently. There is nothing really spectacular in these photos taken with this lens and a Nikon D300 partially because of the subjects they chose to shoot. The images look pretty good for sharpness and contrast from a lens that is supposed to be a consumer grade prime for DX format DSLR cameras. The lens will be an excellent choice for low light and candid shooting situations.
I pre-ordered mine a few days ago from Amazon for $199.95. However the item appears to be no longer available for pre-order there and no price information is shown on the product page.
Posted in
Lens on February 14th, 2009.
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AF-S DX NIKKOR 35mm f/1.8G
Showing its commitment to the DX format, Nikon has introduced the AF-S DX Nikkor 35mm f/1.8G, which offers an equivalent focal length of 52.5mm in FX (full frame or 35mm formats). Basically, it is the “normal” lens for DX format DSLR cameras. Unlike the 50mm f/1.8D, this new lens features RF, or rear focusing, so the front element does not stick in and out during focusing. It has the silent wave motor (SWM) so the focusing should be silent and fast and makes full time manual override possible. Read More…
Posted in
Lens on February 10th, 2009.
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