Sony Japan has posted a notice on its website saying there is a shortage of supply of the new Carl Zeiss Sonnar T* 24mm f/1.8 ZA lens due to unexpectedly high demand. Featuring Sony’s DMF (Direct Manual Focus) technology and a near-circular diaphragm with 7 blades, the Carl Zeiss Sonnar T* E 24mm f/1.8 ZA offers a similar angle of view as a 36mm lens on a 35mm body. With its f/1.8 maximum aperture the Sonnar T* E 24mm f/1.8 is currently the fastest native E-mount AF lens in the entire NEX system. No wonder it has generated so much interest - but given its eye-watering price tag of $999.99, the high demand has caught even Sony by surprise.

Source: Sony Japan via PR

Canon UK has announced the official launch date and recommended retail prices of its new super-telephoto lenses, the Canon EF 500mm f/4L IS II USM and EF 600mm f/4L IS II USM. Each lens includes the highest-quality components, and features high-specification image stabiliser technology alongside the use of optical materials such as fluorite, to correct aberrations ensuring high-resolution images rich in detail and contrast. The redesigned, comparatively lightweight construction will provide added mobility alongside enhanced protection against dust and water, the company says. Both lenses will be available from May 2012, with RRPs of £8,999/€10,799 for the 500mm and £11,299/ €13,549 for the 600mm. All of these prices include VAT.

Sigma UK have announced a new digital SLR camera kit including the Sigma SD1 Merrill body and a Sigma 17-50mm f/2.8 EX DC OS HSM lens. The 17-50mm f/2.8 EX DC OS HSM lens is a large aperture standard zoom lens designed for digital SLR cameras and incorporates Sigma’s Optical Stabiliser as well as a HyperSonic Motor for quiet focusing.  It is a compact lens with an overall length of just 91.8mm (3.6”). The new kit is available for £2149.99. (The Sigma SD1 Merrill camera body has a suggested retail price of £1839.99.)

Sigma UK has announced a reduction in the suggested retail price of the 105mm f/2.8 EX DG OS HSM lens. Previously set at £799.99, the MSRP of the lens has now been lowered to £649.99. Featuring a Super Multi-layer Coating to reduce flare and ghosting, a HyperSonic Motor (HSM) for quiet auto focus and Sigma’s own Optical Stabiliser (OS) to combat motion blur resulting from shaky hands, the Sigma Macro 105mm f/2.8 EX DG OS HSM boasts nine rounded diaphragm blades for a pleasing bokeh and a splashproof construction for problem-free outdoor use.

The Sigma 30mm f/2.8 EX DN prime lens - which was announced at CES - now has an official MSRP of $280. Manufactured for Micro Four Thirds and Sony’s NEX system, the Sigma 30mm f/2.8 EX DN “Digital Neo” lens has an optical formula that comprises 7 elements in 5 groups and an iris diaphragm with 7 rounded blades. Also equipped with a newly developed linear AF motor, which moves the lens elements directly without the need for gears or the drive of other mechanical parts, the Sigma 30mm f/2.8 EX DN is currently listed at B&H for $199 along with the remark, “new item, not available yet”.

Via PR

Pentax Ricoh has published new and updated lens roadmaps for the Pentax K, Q and and 645 systems. The most extensive of the three - the K-mount system - will be joined by no less than 7 new lenses and a 1.4x teleconverter over the next two years. These lenses can be used with the company’s APS-C digital SLRs and the new K-01 compact system camera without the need for any adapters. For the Pentax Q system, the company plans to launch 2 new primes, a telezoom and a “body cap lens”. Finally, the Pentax 645 system will be expanded with a 90mm f/2.8 lens and three zooms. Click through / scroll down to view all three lens roadmaps.

Lensbaby today launched the 80mm Edge 80 Optic, the newest addition to its Optic Swap System. This new optic is compatible with the Lensbaby Composer Pro, Composer, Muse, Scout and Control Freak, and will transform any of these bending lens bodies into a tilt lens that delivers a selective slice of sharp focus through an image.  Like the Lensbaby Sweet 35 Optic, the Edge 80 features Lensbaby’s internal 12-blade adjustable aperture. The Edge 80 provides a flat field of focus that, pointed straight ahead, takes photos that are sharp from edge to edge. Tilting the Edge 80 allows photographers to create vertical, horizontal and diagonal slices of focus through the image. Objects in both the foreground and the background can be in focus within that slice.  Photographers can control the size of the slice of focus by changing the 12-blade aperture. The Lensbaby Edge 80 Optic is available for $300.

Vtec has announced its new range of add-on lenses for the iPhone 3, 4 and 4S. These include the CAM-1209 12x telephoto conversion lens (£34.99), a new 180-degree fish-eye lens (£24.99) and a wide-angle and super-macro converter (£24.99) Each Vtec lens come with a back cover that the lens screws onto, providing extra protection for your phone. Additionally, the Telephoto Lens has a manual focus ring and also comes with its own tripod, which attaches to the lens to steady the phone when capturing shots.

Lensbaby is teasing its Facebook fans with the promise that it will announce a brand new product on Valentine’s day. Claiming that their new optic[?] “will make you fall in love with photography all over again,” the company is encouraging photographers to submit their ideas on what they think Lensbaby should develop next. And if you care to share their announcement post on 14th February, you may even win a copy of their brand new product - whatever it may be.

Source: Lensbaby | Facebook

Sony has updated its roadmap for E-mount lenses. Currently, the NEX system offers seven Sony and Zeiss branded lenses alongside a few recently announced Sigma, Tamron and Kenko/Tokina products. As this is a relatively narrow selection of optics. especially when compared to the dozens of lenses available for the system’s main rival, Micro Four Thirds, Sony has decided to introduce eight new lenses in the course of less than two years. On top of the wide zoom, high-performance standard zoom and medium telephoto lenses that were already on the roadmap, the company has now added a new standard zoom, a new superzoom, a large-aperture standard prime, a “mid-magnification zoom” and a pancake lens. This should bring the total number of E-mount Sony/Zeiss lenses to 15 by the end of 2013.

The specifications of the new lenses have not been released yet.

Source: Sony Blog

The Sony 500mm f/4 G SSM (SAL500F40G) is a professional grade super-telephoto lens for A-mount SLR and SLT cameras. Billed as the longest fixed-focal-length G lens from Sony to date, the Sony G 500mm f/4 SSM includes 11 elements in 10 groups, including three ED (Extra-low Dispersion) glass elements. It’s also the first G lens from Sony to benefit from an advanced new coating process that ensures crisper, clearer images. Exclusive to Sony, the Nano AR Coating process is claimed to cut internal reflections “drastically”. The lens’ SSM (SuperSonic-wave Motor) features a new drive circuit that ensures rapid, responsive AF with significantly faster object tracking than conventional Sony lenses. Four focus hold buttons are spaced around the lens barrel for easy operation in any position. They’re complemented by a two-way DMF (Direct Manual Focus) mode button and focus range switch. Focusing ring and front/rear joints are protected by interlocking seals that ensure a high degree of protection from the elements. Built to order, the SAL500F40G super-telephoto lens from Sony is available in the UK from April 2012.

Olympus has announced the development of two new prime lenses for the Micro Four Thirds system. The M.Zuiko Digital ED 60mm f/2.8 is a telemacro lens with a maximum reproduction ratio of 1:1. Housed in a dust- and splashproof body, the M.Zuiko Digital ED 60mm f/2.8 Macro is designed to complement the similarly rugged Olympus OM-D camera (but can, of course, also be mounted to any other Micro Four Thirds body). The M.Zuiko Digital ED 75mm f/1.8 (pictured) is an ultra-bright telephoto lens with a full-metal exterior, designed primarily for portraiture, indoor sports and low-light photography. Mock-ups of both lenses will be on display at the CP+ Photo and Camera Imaging Show in Yokohama, Japan from 9-12 February. The prices and precise launch dates will be announced later in the year.

The Voigtländer Nokton 17.5mm f0.95 is an ultra-bright moderate wide-angle lens for Micro Four Thirds. Like its highly regarded stablemate, the Voigtländer Nokton 25mm f0.95, this is a manual-focus lens with an all-metal exterior. The Voigtländer Nokton 17.5mm f0.95 has a 10-bladed iris diaphragm and features an aperture ring with stepless aperture control. The optical formula comprises 13 lens elements arranged in 9 groups, including aspherical and ultra-high-refractive-index glass elements. Available from March, the Voigtländer Nokton 17.5mm f0.95 has a close-focus point of 15cm, and carries an MSRP of ¥ 118,000 in Japan.

Source: Cosina Voigtländer

Pentax is displaying new interchangeable lenses and camera accessories that are currently under development at the Japanese camera show, CP+ 2012. On show will be the smc PENTAX-D FA645 90mm f/2.8 medium-format lens, smc PENTAX-DA 560mm f/5.6 and smc PENTAX-DA 50mm f/1.8 K-mount lenses, telephoto zoom lens and standard lens with “body cap” design for the Pentax Q system, super-thin interchangeable lens for the K-01 compact system camera, and a lens adapter for mounting a K-mount lens onto a Q-mount body. Names and prices of these products will be confirmed at a later date.

Canon has updated its EF 24-70mm f/2.8L USM to Mark II, and introduced two new image stabilised wide-angle primes. The Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8L II USM ($2,299.00) features an all-new optical design that’s claimed to deliver exceptional sharpness and reduced aberrations thanks to the inclusion of both ultra-low-dispersion and super ultra-low-dispersion elements. Other highlights include a dust/moisture resistant construction, fast and silent AF with manual focus override and a nine-bladed circular aperture - but no image stabilisation. The Canon EF 24mm f/2.8 IS USM ($849.99, pictured) is a medium-high-speed ultra-wideangle prime with Super Spectra coatings, ultrasonic focus motor and a circular aperture. The other new fixed-focal lens, the CanonEF 28mm f/2.8 IS USM ($799.99), has a similar feature set but a slightly tighter field of view. Unlike the zoom, both primes feature image stabilisation offering a claimed 4-stop advantage over lenses without IS.

Tamron has announced the development of a new fast, optically stabilised, splashproof standard zoom for full-frame cameras. The Tamron SP 24-70mm F/2.8 Di VC USD will feature the manufacturer’s Vibration Compensation (VC) technology and an ultrasonic focus motor for quiet AF operation. The optical formula comprises 17 lens elements in 12 groups, including three low-dispersion, two high-refractive-index and three glass-moulded aspherical elements as well as a hybrid aspherical element; and an iris diaphragm with nine rounded aperture blades. As the world’s first 24-70mm f/2.8 lens with VC technology, the Tamron SP 24-70mm F/2.8 Di VC USD will be available in Canon and Nikon fit. A special A-mount version with no Vibration Compensation will be marketed to Sony DSLR users. Pricing and availability to be communicated.

Lensbaby has launched a new set of macro photography accessories for its lens bodies and optics. The Lensbaby Macro Converters are available as a kit containing one 8mm converter and one 16mm converter, which can also be stacked together to make a 24mm converter. The existing Lensbaby Macro Kit (which features a +4 and +10 macro filter) can also be used in conjunction with the Macro Converters with the Double Glass, Single Glass, Plastic and Soft Focus Optics for an even closer capture. The new Lensbaby Macro Converters are available now for $50 from the website below.

At the CP+ trade show, Kenko Tokina will be showing a mock-up of its newest full-frame lens, the Tokina SD 70-200mm f/4 (IF) FX. This constant-aperture telephoto zoom features a ring-type ultrasonic focus motor and optical image stabilisation. Measuring 168x80mm (length x maximum diameter), the Tokina AT-X Pro SD 70-200mm f/4 (IF) FX lens is a bit thicker but nearly 5mm shorter than Canon’s popular EF 70-200mm f/4L IS USM. Additionally, the Tokina lens can focus somewhat closer (its close-focus point is at a distance of 1m from the sensor plane), although its maximum magnification is unknown at the time being. The release date and MSRP have not yet been revealed either.

Source: Kenko Tokina

Kenko Tokina has announced yet another mirror lens for Micro Four Thirds. Measuring only 66x66mm (length x diameter) and weighing in at only 300 grams, the Tokina 300mm f/6.3 is a lot more compact than the longer but slower Kenko 400mm f/8, which was also announced recently. Like its bigger brother - and the vast majority of mirror lenses -, the Tokina 300mm f/6.3 is a manual-focus lens with a fixed aperture. The lens takes 55mm filters, focuses down to 0.8m and offers a maximum reproduction ratio of 1:2. The recommended retail price has not been revealed yet.

Source: Kenko Tokina

Fujifilm USA has announced the recommended retail price of the new Fujifilm X-Pro1 compact system camera and three Fujinon XF lenses. The body-only price of the X.Pro1 camera is $1,699.95, the Fujinon XF 18mm f2 and 35mm f/1.4 lenses will cost $599.95 each, while the Fujinon XF 60mm f/2.4 Macro will set you back $649.95. The Fujifilm X-Pro1 camera body and lenses will be available at the end of February.