Sigma have announced a new version of its 17-35 mm F2.8-F4.0 wide-angle zoom lens, which now features full-time manual focus from the focusing ring. LetsGoDigital and DPReview have all of the details.

Website: LetsGo Digital

Website: DPReview

Sigma are releasing a new wide-angle zoom lens which will appeal to all digital SLR owners. The Sigma 12-24/F4.5-5.6 ex DG Asph may be quite slow but it will translate to a 19-38mm lens on a Canon EOS 10D/300D, for example. Digicamera.net have spotted a short review of a production lens on the Nikonians website. Here’s an extract:

“It looked pretty balanced on the D100, not bad at all. Interestingly enough, it has a double lens cap scenerio. There is a lens cap that comes on and off just like any other cap, but there is also a removable hood. You can put the lens cap on and then pull off the hood and there is a permanent petal hood. My guess here, is that the simple cap can be used with a DSLR, but with a full SLR you need to pull the entire thing off to avoid vignetting.”

Website: Sigma 12-24mm Lens Review

Nikon Press Release13/11/03

Thursday November 13, 2003

Nikkor 17-55mm lens release date deferred

When Nikon announced the D2H in July, they also announced three new Nikkor lenses; the AF-S DX 17-55/2.8G IF-ED, AF DX Fisheye 10.5/2.8G ED & the AF-S VR Zoom-Nikkor 200-400mm f/4G IF-ED, scheduled for release around the same time as the camera.

However, Nikon regret to inform customers that the introduction of one of those lenses; the AF-S DX Zoom-Nikkor 17-55mm f/2.8G lens has been deferred until the Spring of 2004.

The AF-S DX Zoom-Nikkor 17-55mm f/2.8G is a sophisticated 3.2 zoom ratio lens with fast f/2.8 aperture featuring a unique optical design tailored to the demands of high performance digital photography with all of Nikon?s DX format Digital SLR cameras, namely the Nikon D1X, D1H, D1, D100 and D2H.

Nikon apologize for the inconvenience to customers during the time taken to ensuring that the image quality standards demanded by professionals is fulfilled.

The Slovenian website e-Fotografija have posted a detailed review of the Canon EF-S 18-55mm lens, which is only available as part of the Canon EOS 300D kit. Again there are a lot of sample images and product shots, so the review is worth a look. And you can always try out the Slovenian Translator below…

Website: e-Fotografija - Canon EF-S 18?55mm Lens Review

Website: Slovenian Translator

Sigma Corporation Press Release 27/10/03

Compact - Lightweight zoom lenses designed to suit the characteristics of digital cameras

18-50mm F3.5-5.6 DC
Sigma Corporation is pleased to announce the launch of the new 18-50mm F3.5-5.6 DC. This zoom lens was exclusively designed to suit the characteristics of digital SLR cameras. The image circle was designed to match the size of the image sensors of digital SLR cameras, and this produced a compact lens with a maximum diameter of 60mm (2.3in.), overall length of 67.5mm (2.6in.) and weight of only 245gr (8.6 ounces). It has a variable angle of view of 76.5degree-31.7degree. The use of aspherical lenses provides correction for various aberrations throughout the entire zoom range and produce high level of optical performance. 18-50mm F3.5-5.6 DC lens has a minimum focusing distance of 25cm (9.8in.) at all focal lengths and is capable of macro photography with a maximum magnification ratio of 1:3.5.

50-200mm F4-5.6 DC
Sigma Corporation is pleased to announce the launch of the new 55-200mm F4-5.6 DC. This compact telephoto zoom lens was exclusively designed for use with digital SLR cameras. The image circle was designed to match the size of the image sensors of digital SLR cameras that also allows compact body and lightweight with overall length of 84.6mm (3.3in.), and weight of only 310g/10.9 ounces. It has a filter size of 55mm, maximum diameter of 70mm (2.7in.). This remarkably compact high performance zoom lens is ideally suited to a wide range of subjects. This lens has a minimum focusing distance of 110cm (43.3in.) and maximum magnification of 1:4.

*They cannot be used in SA-7 and SA-9 35mm film SLR cameras. Combination with these cameras may cause vignetting on the picture surface.

*If SD9 or SD10 digital cameras are used, the angle of view will be equal to 30-85mm focal length. The angle of view varies depending on the camera.

The American photography magazine “Photographic” has published a review of the new Tamron 28-75mm f/2.8 XR Di AF lens on its website. With equivalent own-brand lenses from the likes of Nikon, Canon and Minolta costing several times more, the ?300 Tamron lens could find its way into quite a few photographer’s bags. (found via digicamera.net)

“Maintaining its fast f/2.8 aperture at all focal lengths, the AF28-75mm zoom is great for low-light shooting, allows you to use slower films and lower ISO settings on digital SLRs for better image quality, and produces beautiful blurred backgrounds for wide-open selective-focus shots.”

Website: Photographic - Tamron 28-75mm f/2.8 XR Di AF lens Review

Olympus Press Release 15/10/03

A sneak preview of the latest Olympus ZUIKO DIGITAL lens range for 2004

Olympus announces the expansion of its E-System portfolio, with the introduction of five new interchangeable ZUIKO DIGITAL lenses, available next year. Among the new models planned for release is a ZUIKO DIGITAL 11-22mm, F2.8-3.5 lens (35mm camera equivalent: 22-44mm), plus three further zoom lenses and a bright lens with a fixed focal length.

The first Olympus E-1 body and four ZUIKO DIGITAL lenses were launched in October 2003. With the release of these five lenses in 2004, Olympus demonstrates its commitment to extend the Olympus E-System, which is based on the FourThirds standard. The company?s R&D department is not stopping there; it is busy developing more lenses due to be released in 2005 and beyond.

The 11-22mm lens (22-44mm) will be followed by an ultra-wide-angle lens line-up to meet today’s strong demand for these lenses. A second fast single focal length telephoto lens will join the current 300mm F2.8 lens (600mm) in 2004. This combination of light gathering power and telephoto performance in a compact form is one of the great advantages of the Olympus E-System. In the bright zoom line up, the 50-200mm lens (100-400mm) will also be joined by further lenses.

The TIPA award-winning FourThirds Standard permits full lens inter-changeability among camera systems that comply with the standard. All ZUIKO DIGITAL lenses are specifically designed to maximise the performance of digital SLR systems that are based on the FourThirds Standard. Telecentric optics ensure that the images have perfect colour, clarity and brightness from the centre to the periphery of the frame. The lenses? high resolving power guarantees that the image sensor obtains the detail it needs to produce stunning images expected by professionals.

The American photography magazine Popular Photography has published a review of the new Tamron 28-75mm f/2.8 XR Di AF lens on its website. The article is in PDF format so you will need to have Adobe Acrobat Reader installed to open it. With equivalent own-brand lenses from the likes of Nikon, Canon and Minolta costing several times more, the ?300 Tamron lens could find its way into quite a few photographer’s bags. (found via digicamera.net)

Website: Popular Photography - Tamron 28-75mm f/2.8 XR Di AF lens Review

The Sigma 12-24mm f/4.5-5.6 EX DG Aspherical lens that I first reported last week has now appeared on the official Sigma website. This lens is quite slow but it will translate to a 19-38mm lens on a Canon EOS 10D/300D, for example.

The large angle of view (122 degrees super wide angle of view at 12mm along the diagonal axis) is ideal for shootings indoor as well as landscape photography. It has a variable angle of view from 122 degrees at 84.1 degrees. Four Special Low Dispersion (SLD) glass elements are provided for effective compensation of color aberration, which is a common problem with super-wide angle lenses. Two pieces of Glass Mold and one-piece hybrid aspherical lenses offer excellent correction for distortion as well as all types of aberration. By effective arrangement of lens elements and advanced technology this lens has Super Compact dimensions of 3.9 inches full-length, and 3.4 inches maximum diameter.

It is equipped with Inner focusing system that will keep the length of the lens unchanged while controlling aberration. The models, which are equipped with HSM (Hyper Sonic Motor, available for Sigma, Canon and Nikon camera mount lens) system offer Full Time Manual Focusing. It has a minimum focusing distance of 11 inches (28cm) at all focal lengths. This lens is equipped with an integral Petal-type hood to block out extraneous light.

Available for SIGMA AF, Canon AF and Nikon AF: October 2003,
For Minolta AF and Pentax AF: November 2003

Website: Sigma

Professional photographer Clint Thayer has just reviewed the Nikkor 12-24mm f4 AF-S DX, which promises to give Nikon DSLR owners a wide-angle lens for the first time in a long time, albeit at a cost of $1,000 or so.

“Most digital SLR photographers are not accustomed to shooting with a true wide angle lens. For most of us, we have come to call wide angle about 25-35mm or so at the bottom end of our zooms. There has been a fairly large market for second party ultra-wide zooms, but many folks have been waiting for Nikon to come along with something very special. And they have.”

Website: Stereografx - Nikkor 12-24mm f4 AF-S DX Lens Review

Website: Stereografx

Digital Outback Photo have tested the popular Canon EF 28-135mm IS lens in conjunction with the popular Canon EOS 300D digital SLR camera, comparing this combination with the much, much more expensive Canon EOS 1Ds and Canon 70-200mm IS L lens.

“To find the right partner lens for the 300D is not trivial. Many think that the 28-135 IS lens is the right compromise for the best travel lens:

price
size
weight
reasonable optical quality
IS (image stabilization)
 
The following pictures should illustrate the situation…”

Website: Digital Outback Photo - 300D with Canon EF 28-135mm IS

The German photography retailer AC-Foto is currently listing a new wide-angle zoom lens from Sigma which will appeal to all digital SLR owners. The Sigma 12-24/F4.5-5.6 ex DG Asph may be quite slow but it will translate to a 19-38mm lens on a Canon EOS 10D/300D, for example.

Here’s a translation of the AC-Foto webpage courtesy of Google:

Sigma 12-24/F4.5-5.6 ex DG Asph NOVELTY!!!!! (at the end of of Octobers available)

The first zoom with a diagonal picture angle of 122? with a focal length of 12mm! For similar and digital SLR of systems suitably!

- variable picture angle from 122? to 84.1?
- equipment with 4 SLD glass elements and 3 aspheric lens elements for the achievement of the high optical achievement
- interior focusing for the retention of the overall length during focusing
- HSM technology (SIGMA, Nikon and Canon connection) with all time manual focus option.
- minimum adjusting distance only 28cm with all focal lengths
- member of the ex DG series, the line particularly for the digital SLR cameras

With the employment at similar SLR cameras offers the sayful picture angles of 122? unbelievable wide-angle photographs. At digital SLR cameras can be spoken despite their extension factor finally seriously of a wide angle. The objective is suitable in both systems outstanding for interior and landscape photographs. The color defects frequently arising with superwide angle objectives are corrected by the four SLD of glass elements (particularly low color scatter) effectively. For the removal of the remaining aberrations and the distortion two bright-pressed glass lenses are responsible as well as a hybrid lens. By the employment of ultramodern production technologies technical designers apart from the outstanding imaging capacity also extremely compact dimensions could carry out the SIGMA; the objective length amounts to whole 100mm with a maximum diameter of 87mm. The interior focusing provides for the constant overall length during focusing and prevents a rotating of the frontlinse. Thus the employment of the special, tulpenfoermigen back light screen is possible, which, firmly inserted, holds scattered light effectively. The models, which are equipped with the HSM technology connection-dependently, offer at any time the possibility of intervening manually in the focusing. The minimum distance amounts to with all focal lengths only 28cm, measured starting from the film level.

TECHNICAL DATA
Focal length: 12-24mm
Smallest screen: F22
Construction: 16 elements in 12 groups
Focusing system: Interior focusing
Picture angle: 122? -84.1?
Number of blendenlamellen: 6 pieces
Minimum distance: 28cm
Largest scale: 1:7,1
Filter: Filter drawer for gel filters
Back light screen: firmly inserted, tulpenfoermige screen
Dimensions: Diameter 87mm x length 100mm
Ports (AF): Sigma, Canon, Nikon (D), Minolta (D), Pentax
Weight: 615gr

Order now! Sigma 12-24/F4.5-5.6 ex DG Asph NOVELTY!!!!! (at the end of of Octobers available) at the price of

EUR 949,00
?665 STR

For CANON Minolta Nikon Pentax Sigma

Website: AC-Foto

Digital Outback Photo have continued their Canon EOS 300D Experience Report with a brief roundup of 3 Canon telephoto lenses. They have taken a look at the EF 55-200mm f/4.4-5.6 II USM, EF 75-300mm f/4.0-5.6 EF IS USM and EF 70-200mm f/4.0L USM. I know which one I’d go for - the EF 70-200mm f/4.0L USM is a great lens and a clear step above the cheaper Canon zooms. I like it so much that I bought one 2nd-hand a couple of months ago…

“Because many 300D buyers will get the kit with the EF-S 18-55mm lens they will look into the options for a longer range zoom. We looked into 3 popular options:

EF 55-200mm f/4.4-5.6 II USM
EF 75-300mm f/4.0-5.6 EF IS USM
EF 70-200mm f/4.0L USM

These lenses all perform better than on full frame film or on the EOS 1Ds because the 300D only uses a smaller crop of the frame.”

Website: Digital Outback Photo - Canon EOS 300D Experience Report

Leica have released a new 80 page guide to their range of M and -R lenses. There’s a downloadable PDF file that gives you a taste of what’s in the guide, with the full printed version costing $10 from local camera dealers.

“More than 80 pages will give you sufficient information on the actual Leica M and -R lenses. The Leica philosophy on the optical design, the manufacturing of the lenses and their construction as well as the universal use are other subjects in this book. Besides practical performance proofs of the different lenses you will find a photographical essay on the manufacturing of the lenses in the Leica shop by the fine-art Leica photographer Ralph Gibson. The extensive designed brochure is available at your Leica photo dealer for a nominal charge of $10.”

Website: Leica Lens Book - PDF

Continuing the lens theme this morning, Bob Atkins has written an article aimed at new owners of the Canon EOS 300D and 10D DSLRs. The catchily-named “A review of lenses for the Canon EOS 300D and EOS 10D Digital SLRs” does exactly what it says on the tin.

“This review is for the new users. The assumption is that they don’t want to spend $7000 on an EF 600/4L IS USM, and indeed they probably don’t even want to spend $1150 on an EF 300/4L IS USM. I’ve chosen a series of lenses which the new user might be most interested in. These are mostly zooms and mostly priced in the $200-$400 range. I’ve avoided recommending most of the low end, plastic mount, inexpensive lenses normally sold with Rebel series bodies because, quite frankly, they aren’t all that good.”

Website: Photo.net: Canon EOS 300D/10D Lens Review

Richard Harris of Photo.net has published an excellent article comparing the Canon 100mm Macro USM lens and the Tamron 90mm Macro lens, in conjunction with the Canon EOS 10D DSLR. There are lots of sample photographs so that you can judge for yourself which is the best lens - the result might just surprise you…

“Due to the fact that in many (but not all) markets the Tamron 90mm Macro is substantially cheaper than the Canon 100mm Macro USM the question as to how the two lenses compare seems to crop up extremely often on the photo.net boards. What?s more, as an owner of the third party offering I have often wondered how it compares to the Canon lens. Like many others before me I have occasionally toyed with the idea of upgrading one day, however instead I decided to rent the Canon lens and do a side by side comparison.”

Website: Photo.net - Macro Lens Review

Bob Atkins from Photo.net has written a comparative review of 3 affordable Canon standard zooms, coupled with the Canon EOS 10D. As usual Bob’s article is very well-written and thorough, with lots of test shots and samples.

“Canon currently have a number of choices for a general purpose zoom lens. Three of the choices are the 28-90/4-5.6 (USM and non-USM), the 28-105/3.5-4.5 USM and the 28-135/3.5-5.6 IS USM and these span the range from around $100 to $400 - so one of these lenses will probably fit your budget!”

Website: Photo.net - Canon Consumer Zooms

Petteri’s Pontifications have posted an extensive user review of the Canon 200mm f/2.8 L lens in conjunction with the Canon 10D. There are plenty of sample images and Petteri also tries out the lens with a Tamron 1.4x convertor.

Website: Petteri’s Pontifications - Canon 200mm f/2.8 L Review

Mike Johnston this week explains why he doesn’t use zoom lenses in his Sunday Morning Photographer column.

“The only reason not to shoot with a zoom lens is this: a zoom lens has no point of view. A fixed-focal length (a.k.a. ?prime?) lens imposes its point of view on you, and, consequently, you can learn to impose its point of view on the world. If you routinely photograph with a fixed-focal-length lens, sooner or later you will not need to look through your camera to know what the lens will see ? your eyes will know, your mind will know. You won’t even need your camera with you to organize pictures out of the visual chaos of the world. Your eyes and your brain will be able to visualize without aid from the viewfinder.”

Website: Luminous Landscape - Sunday Morning Photographer

Bj?rn R?rslett has posted the first, very detailed review of Nikon’s new AFS 12-24 mm f/4 G ED IF DX Nikkor lens, which is designed specifically for Nikon digital SLR’s, with a smaller imaging circle than standard Nikon 35mm lenses. Very interesting for Nikon owners and something for Canon owners to drool over…!

Website: Bj?rn R?rslett - Nikkor 12-24mm DX Lens Review