When it comes to street photography, you most probably already know that your camera itself is not all that plays a role in how your photos will look. Having a great lens to accommodate your camera during a street photography session is essential. With such a significant variety of options on the market, finding the
It’s never been a better time for third-party lenses. Even the less well-known makers are producing high-end optics in both primes and zooms, with very reasonable price points. Like any lens choice, it’s ultimately about testing a few examples and seeing which fits your needs. But, if you’re in the market for a high-end prime
If you’re into photography, you’ve probably heard of Leica. This German manufacturer is incredibly well-known for its photography gear. The design of their products is very unique, and their high-quality build is sturdy. With over a hundred years of experience in manufacturing, Leica has earned itself a spot in the Hall of Fame for camera
If you’ve read any of our recent reviews on the rather lovely Sigma range of Art lenses, you’ll know that the company has been producing some great optics for the money. The problem is not everybody wants to step up to that price band and may want a lighter weight solution or some added extras
Panasonic is one of the leading electronic brands in the world. Focusing on quality and cutting edge technology, Panasonic’s products are excellent in terms of usability, durability, and innovation. Panasonic’s no-cutting-corners and focus-on-quality philosophy also extends to their lenses as the company produces some of the best lenses currently available in the market. Panasonic
When it comes to the choice of quality prime lenses, the usual few manufacturers spring to mind. That’s either your camera body brand or the most popular third-party makers. However, other lens manufacturers have been stepping up their game and this is evident with the Samyang Premium MF 85mm f/1.2. Samyang can also be branded
If you’ve never used Sigma’s Arts range of lenses, you may be in for a treat. As with the Sigma 12-24mm f/4 DG HSM Art Lens, these are high-end offerings that are very capable of competing against the usual go-to lenses. Obviously, each lens comparison has to be done on its own merits, but in
Pardon the pun, but in the wide world of wide-angle lenses, the usual go-to are lenses from your camera manufacturer. However, third-party lens makers are currently producing some of the highest quality lenses ever from their lineup. In particular, one such lens is the Sigma 30mm f/1.4 DC HSM Art. Sigma’s Art series, especially in
A fisheye lens can seem like a very specialist or even novelty proposition, but in the right hands, it can be a very creative lens. There are many band photos from the 1960’s shot with a fisheye lens, which gives a very psychedelic look. Fisheye lenses also a staple of 360 or VR images and
The Micro Four Thirds camera format is still a cost-effective way to capture good quality stills and video. If you own one of these camera bodies and want a high-quality, all-round lens then the Panasonic LUMIX G Leica DG Vario-Elmarit 12-60mm f/2.8-4 ASPH could be an option. With a real-world focal length of 24-120mm, the
Wildlife photography is an entirely different ball game compared to urban photography. Most photographers starting in the business only realize how challenging wildlife photography is once they’re in the playing field. As any successful photographer will tell you, you’re only as good as your gear. Skills matter, but without the right equipment, they will go
A camera’s actual ability is defined by the lens attached to it. Macro lenses are used to capture close up photos of small subjects. Macro lenses have the ability to focus on tiny objects without blurring them, the way most regular lenses do. Macro lenses are amazing at capturing detail, no matter how small or
The Olympus 300mm f/4 ED is a hefty lens, with the potential audience being the more professional end of the spectrum. Built for the Micro Four Thirds format and being a high-quality prime, should mean exceptional quality. Something that you would use for shooting wildlife, sports or action. There was obviously a lot of buzz
The Olympus M.Zuiko 12-40mm f/2.8 PRO was the first offering which was part of the line up to provide pro-level lenses, covering a wide variety of focal lengths. The idea was to cover the most obvious of pro criteria, such as excellent optics, weatherproofing, and high build quality. By weatherproofing, Olympus uses the term ‘splash
If you’re an Olympus camera body owner looking for a do it all lens, then the Olympus M Zuiko 12-100mm f/4 PRO could be just up your alley. By ‘do it all’, we mean a lens that covers the most useful focal lengths, going from very wide to medium zoom. Throw in good optics and
When it comes to owning a standard lens, it’s usually a 50mm that is the first port of call. However, a 35mm at a cost-effective price is also a good staple. A 35mm gives you a slightly wider look to the world and you also don’t have to pay a fortune to get good quality.
If you’re currently shopping around for a wide-angle lens, it may be just worth going a bit left-field for a change. In this case with the Laowa 12mm f/2.8 Zero-D lens. The focal length of 12mm is probably as wide as many people will go until you get into fisheye territory. This lens has some
Your wedding is bound to be one of the best and most memorable times in your life. A wedding is the one day every bride gets to wear the dress of her dreams, doll up as much as her heart pleases, and walk down the aisle looking like a true masterpiece. If you happen to
It has to be said, that Zeiss lenses have that little extra something above the average crop of lenses. It’s not just the overall sharpness, but the rendition of the final image that adds that extra level of quality. If you currently own one of Sony’s full-frame mirrorless cameras, then you have access to the
If you’re in the market for buying a reasonably priced zoom lens that can cover the popular focal lengths, then Canon may have the answer. The Canon EF-S 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS USM is made specifically for APS-C DSLRs, which works out at a real-world focal length of 29-216mm. Adding other features such as image stabilization
If you’re currently working with a Canon crop sensor body and want a very wide-angle zoom lens that doesn’t cost the earth, then you have a few options. The Canon EF-S 10-22mm f/3.5-4.5 USM is one such lens with a few specific attributes. The EF-S stands for ‘Short-back focus’ which means the lens is built
A small 50mm prime lens has always been a good addition to a camera kit bag. Either as a backup lens or a do it all focal length, a 50mm covers a lot of bases. Now there is another option on the market in the form of the Meike MK FE 50mm f/1.7. A fully
The latest version of the Sigma 70-300mm f/4-5.6 APO DG Macro steps into the shoes of its predecessor, with some tasty upgrades. This lens covers a wide range of focal lengths and where it will probably most end up is on as APS-C DSLR, with a real-world field of view working out to be 112-480mm.
If you have bought into the Leica range of camera bodies, then you will be wanting an equally high spec lens. This will obviously depend on the types of subjects you are capturing, but owning a zoom lens with the most used focal lengths is always a good idea. Enter the Leica Vario-Elmarit-SL 24-90mm f/2.8-4
For those wanting an affordable super telephoto zoom lens from the Nikon camp, options used to be limited. When third-party makers released cost-effective versions, Nikon stepped up their game with the mouthful of a name, the Nikon 200-500mm f/5.6 ED VR SWM IF. Strapped onto a cropped sensor body, the focal length comes out at
The Canon EF 70-300mm f/4-5.6 IS II USM is a cost-effective, mid-range telephoto zoom which packs a lot into this package. A generous focal range, optical image stabilization, fast autofocus motor, and is happy to work on both APS-C, full-frame, and even mirrorless camera bodies with an adapter. This latest version adds another stop of
Wildlife photography can be both tricky and rewarding. To get the perfect shot in the wild, you need to have great aesthetic sense along the right equipment. There’s no point of having a good quality camera unless you have a good lens to use with it. Unlike urban photography, subjects in wildlife photography don’t stay
When the Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 35mm f/1.4G was released, was the first 35mm Nikon lens with autofocus at the top end of the quality range. Updated optics and a Silent Wave Motor means fast focusing at a focal length that can be a happy alternative to the standard 50mm. Although the lens is a few
There are times in our photography careers where we simply want the best optically when it comes to our lenses. One of the consistent leaders at this end of the spectrum is Zeiss. The company has a long history of high-end, optical quality and this is reflected in one of their latest prime lenses, the
It’s not always the case that Canon camera users want the most expensive lenses possible, especially for the crop sensor users. In this regard, the EF-S 10-22mm f/3.5-4.5 USM worked very well for many Canon camera models in the past. The Canon EF-S 10-18mm f/4.5-5.6 IS STM is, therefore, a welcome addition to the lineup,