The HD Pentax-DFA645 Macro 90mm f/2.8 ED AW SR is a new, stabilised short-telephoto lens designed for use with Pentax medium-format digital and film SLR cameras. Featuring Pentax-original HD coating — a newly developed, high-grade multi-layer lens coating — and the Pentax-designed, lens-installed SR (Shake Reduction) mechanism, this lens offers a focal length of approximately 71mm (or approximately 65mm when mounted on a Pentax 645 film-format camera body) in 35mm equivalence. The HD Pentax-DFA645 90mm f/2.8 ED AW SR doubles as a macro lens with a maximum reproduction ratio of 1:2. As part of the AW (All Weather) series, this lens also features a dustproof and weather-resistant construction with 11 environmental seals. The HD Pentax-DFA645 Macro 90mm f/2.8 ED AW SR will be available from early October, priced at £3,799.99/$4,499.95.

The HD Pentax-DA 560mm F5.6 ED AW is a new super-telephoto lens for Pentax K-mount digital cameras. When mounted on a Pentax K-mount digital camera body, this super-telephoto lens offers an equivalent focal length of approximately 859mm in 35mm format. Since the lens’ unique telescope-type optics require fewer optical elements than conventional lenses, it delivers sharp, well-defined images, particularly of distant subjects, the company claims. The HD Pentax-DA 560mm F5.6 ED AW lens is treated with HD Coating, a new high-grade multi-layer lens coating developed by Pentax. A new addition to the AW (All Weather) series, this lens also features a dustproof, weather-resistant construction with 29 special seals. The HD Pentax-DA 560mm F5.6 ED AW will be available from early December for £5,999.99/$6999.95.

The smc Pentax-DA 18-270mm f/3.5-6.3 ED SDM is a new superzoom lens for Pentax’s K-mount digital cameras. This 15x zoom lens offers a quiet “supersonic drive” AF motor, a minimum focusing distance of 0.49m over the entire zoom range, a rounded diaphragm to produce a smoothl bokeh, and an optical formula that incorporates two extra-low dispersion (ED) elements. The smc Pentax-DA 18-270mm f/3.5-6.3 ED SDM will be available from early November, priced at £699.99/$799.95.

The Samyang T-S 24mm f/3.5 ED AS UMC is a new tilt-shift lens for Canon, Nikon, Pentax and Sony. The optical formula comprises 16 lens elements arranged in 11 groups, including two aspherical lenses and two Extra-low Dispersion (ED) elements. Each optical component has been covered with multi-layered, anti-reflective UMC coatings, which are claimed to provide superb light transmission, high contrast and natural colours. The tilt-shift function in the Samyang T-S 24mm f/3.5 ED AS UMC allows for tilt and swing movements up to +/-8.5° and enables shift, rise and fall movements of up to +/-12 mm. The Tilt-Shift section may be rotated left by 90° (with 30° adjustment), while the lens mount may be rotated both ways by 90° (in 30° increments). The Samyang T-S 24mm f/3.5 ED AS UMC tilt-shift lens will be available later this year, with pricing to be confirmed.

The Carl Zeiss Apo Sonnar T* 2/135 is a new manual-focus telephoto lens for Canon and Nikon SLR cameras. Based around Carl Zeiss’s proven “floating elements” design, the Carl Zeiss Apo Sonnar T* 2/135 has a focal length of 135mm, maximum aperture of f/2, close-focus point of 80cm and a maximum reproduction ratio of 1:4. As with all other SLR lenses in the ZE and ZF.2 series, the Carl Zeiss T* anti-reflective coating as well as the sophisticated treatment of the elements’ edges with a deep-black special lacquer make the Apo Sonnar T* 2/135 resistant to reflections and stray light. When moving from the lens’ close-focus point to infinity, the focus ring turns by 268°, which enables ultra-precise focusing. The Carl Zeiss Apo Sonnar T* 2/135 will begin shipping in December 2012 at a recommended retail price of approximately €1.600+VAT or $2.000.

Fujifilm has added two new models to the Fujinon XF Lens range bringing the total number of lenses available to five. The 21mm equivalent Fujinon XF 14mm f/2.8 R ultra-wideangle prime lens is constructed of 10 elements in 7 groups, including 2 aspheric and 3 extra low dispersion elements, and a seven-blade rounded diaphragm. The lens features distance and depth of field scales on the barrel, making it suitable for zone focussing. The other lens, the 27-84mm equivalent Fujinon XF18-55mm F2.8-4 R LM OIS, is a compact standard zoom with optical image stabilisation and a linear motor-driven focussing system that allows the camera to lock focus on the subject in a matter of 0.1 second. In the US, the Fujinon XF14mm f/2.8 and XF18mm-55mm f/2.8-4 lenses will be available in November for $899.95 and $699.95, respectively. Availability and pricing for the UK have yet to be communicated.

LockCircle has announced the new PrimeCircle XT 15mm f2.8 Custom ZF.2 Series professional lens for Canon and Nikon. Built around the world-class optics of the Carl Zeiss T* 15mm f/2.8 Distagon ZF.2 lens, the PrimeCircle XT 15mm f/2.8 features a specially engineered double front mount (95mm and 114mm) offers the choice to use film-style standard accessories, matte-boxes and filters. The exclusive X-Circle EF Mount shows the focus and aperture scales on the side (Side Index View)  for comfortable focus-puller work. The PrimeCircle XT 15mm 2,8 can be ordered now with a 4 weeks delivery schedule.

Scientists at the Harvard School of Engineering and Applied Sciences have devised an ultra-thin, flat lens that focuses light without imparting the distortions of conventional lenses. Principal investigator Federico Capasso and his team have created the flat lens by plating a very thin wafer of silicon with a nanometre-thin layer of gold. Next, they striped away parts of the gold layer to leave behind an array of V-shaped structures, evenly spaced in rows across the surface. When Capasso’s group shines a laser onto the flat lens, these structures act as nano-antennas that capture the incoming light and hold onto it briefly before releasing it again. Those delays, which are precisely tuned across the surface of the lens, change the direction of the light in the same way that a thick glass lens would, with an important distinction. The flat lens eliminates geometric distortions, astigmatism and coma, and is completely scalable, which is why the physicists working on the project believe that in future, all the bulk components in the majority of optical systems can potentially be replaced by flat surfaces.

Successor to the Compact Prime CP.2 25/T2.9 and designed with professional cinematographers in mind, the new Carl Zeiss Compact Prime CP.2 25/T2.1 is a faster lens with virtually no chromatic aberrations. By using the interchangeable mounts for PL, EF, F, MFT and E, the lens can be easily adapted to numerous camera systems, ensuring compatibility with future cameras as technology changes. Carl Zeiss will start shipping the new Compact Prime CP.2 25/T2.1 on October 1st, 2012. The expected retail price is €3,300 (+VAT) or $ 4,500.

The new Compact Zoom CZ.2 28-80/T2.9 is the second Compact Zoom CZ.2 lens from Carl Zeiss, complementing the Compact Zoom CZ.2 70-200/T2.9 presented in April. Thanks to the five different mounts (PL, EF, F, MFT and E), this new zoom lens can be easily adapted to numerous camera systems both now and in the future, for use on HDSLR cameras, HD video cameras and professional cine cameras. “Thanks to the interchangeable mount and the 36x24mm image-circle illumination, the new Com- pact Zoom CZ.2 28-80/T2.9 is highly versatile and a future proof investment,” says Michael Schieh- len, Director of Sales of the Camera Lens Division of Carl Zeiss AG. The recommended retail price is €14,900+VAT or US$19,900. Availability is slated for Q2 2013.

Canon today announced the development of two new cinema prime lenses, the EF 14mm T3.1 (pictured) and the EF 135mm T2.2. “Both the 14mm T3.1 and 135mm T2.2 cinema prime lenses will be engineered for exceptional optical performance for Canon’s latest large-format single-sensor 4K and 2K digital cinematography cameras,” the company said in a statement. “As part of the Cinema EOS System, the lenses will be compatible with standard sensor sizes including Super 35mm, the standard format in the motion picture industry, as well as HD-compatible EOS Digital SLR cameras using 35mm full frame, APS-H and APS-C image sensors.” The 14mm T3.1 and 135mm T2.2 EF cinema prime lenses are expected to be available in the first half of 2013, and will be showcased from 6-11 September 2012 at IBC2012 in Amsterdam.

Coinciding with the launch of the EOS C100 and C500 cameras, Canon has announced the addition of two new zoom lenses to its Cinema EOS system. Available in both EF- and PL-mount versions, the CN-E15.5-47mm T2.8 L S/SP wide-angle cinema zoom lens (pictured) and the CN-E30-105mm T2.8 L S/SP telephoto cinema zoom lens are engineered to deliver exceptional optical performance for the latest large-format single-sensor 4K and 2K digital cinematography cameras. The Canon CN-E15.5-47mm T2.8 L S/SP wide-angle cinema zoom lens is expected to be available in November 2012 and the CN-E30-105mm T2.8 L S/SP telephoto cinema zoom lens is expected to be available in January 2013, both for an estimated list price of $24,500 each.

Nikon has released a firmware update for two of its 1 System lenses, including the 1 Nikkor VR 10-30mm f/3.5-5.6 L and the 1 NIKKOR VR 30-110mm f/3.8-5.6 L. Version 1.10 adds the following feature: when these lenses are used with Nikon 1 cameras released in, or after, August 2012, the camera can be turned off by locking the lens barrel (retractable lens barrel button), even if the monitor has turned off and the camera has entered standby mode.

Website: 1 NIKKOR VR 10-30mm f/3.5-5.6 L Firmware Update 1.10
Website: 1 NIKKOR VR 30-110mm f/3.8-5.6 L Firmware Update 1.10

Kenro has announced the UK availability of the Tokina Reflex 300mm f/6.3 mirror lens. The 600mm equivalent Micro Four Thirds lens measures only 66x66mm (length x diameter) and weighs in at less than 300 grams, making it remarkably small and lightweight for a super-telephoto optic. Like the vast majority of mirror lenses, the Tokina Reflex 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. In the UK, the Tokina 300mm f/6.3 Compact Super Telephoto lens is available for an RRP of £339.00 (excluding VAT).

Twenty-five years after the first Electro Focus (EF) lens launched, Canon announced that it had reached a milestone by producing the 80 millionth lens in the series. The manufacture of Canon’s EF lenses first began in March 1987 alongside the introduction of Canon’s first EOS SLR camera system at the company’s Utsunomiya plant. The range now comprises over 76 different models including two EF lens extenders and models available outside of Japan. In addition to a range of EF and EF-S lenses designed for DSLRs, the line-up now includes an expanding selection of 4K-resolution EF Cinema Lenses. In July 2012, Canon also announced a new line of EF-M lenses developed specifically for the company’s EOS M compact system camera.

Samyang have announced three new VDSLR lenses designed specifically for shooting video. The new Samyang 14mm T3.1 ED AS IF UMC, 24mm T1.5 ED AS IF UMC and 35mm T1.5 AS UMC lenses all include follow-focus gearing and decoupled aperture which allow the focus and aperture to be quietly changed whist filming. Initially available in Canon and Nikon mounts, the new lenses are due for release in August / September 2012, priced from £329.99 to £529.99.

Announced in April, the Tokina Reflex 300mm f/6.3 mirror lens is now available in Europe. The 600mm equivalent Micro Four Thirds lens measures only 66x66mm (length x diameter) and weighs in at less than 300 grams, making it remarkably small and lightweight for a super-telephoto optic. Like the vast majority of mirror lenses, the Tokina Reflex 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. In the euro zone, the Tokina Reflex 300mm f/6.3 is available for a MSRP of €399.

Richmond, Virginia-based photographer Cameron Texter has started a Kickstarter project to fund the manufacture of its invention, the Lynny selective focusing, special effects lens. “The Lynny is the lens system for actually having fun with photography, while at the same time, getting you the most incredible photographs ever taken, all without the single press of a button in photo editing applications, because the special effects are built inside the lens,” Cameron explains. With 3 more days to go, the project needs just over $1,000 to be funded - so if you’re interested, check out the Lynny Lens System page at the website below.

Canon has issued a firmware update for the Canon EF300mm f/2.8L IS II USM, EF400mm F2.8L IS II USM, EF500mm f/4L IS II USM and EF600mm f/4L IS II USM lenses. Version 1.1.1 changes the control algorithm of the focus drive, and enhances the drive’s responsiveness for more precise focus and adjustments. In particular, the new firmware enhances the AI servo AF capability of the lenses to track objects that move irregularly in sports events, such as football or rugby. This firmware update will be performed by Canon Service Centres.

On his personal blog, professional photographer Leon Neal has posted a number of photographs taken with the as-yet-unreleased Nikon AF-S Nikkor 800mm f/5.6 VR lens. Shooting swimmers at the Aquatics Centre in London’s Olympic Park, Neal had to up the ISO on his Nikon D4 to maintain a fast shutter speed with the f/5.6 lens but at the end of the day he walked away with positive impressions - and a set of great images. Check out his blog entry below for the details.

Source: Leon Neal’s Blog via NR