Wide-angle lenses have a lot more to contend with in life than their more standard viewpoints siblings. These types of lenses are specialists in nature and have to counter more edge distortion as standard. The Venus Laowa 15mm f/2 Zero-D is aimed at the typical landscape or architectural photographer who wants something a little different
If you’re currently shopping around for a premium quality 35mm lens for the Sony platform, the ZEISS Loxia 35mm f/2 is one candidate that is usually recommended. The Loxia 35mm f/2 features the usual ZEISS niceties and design assets, along with a few added extras above a usual manual lens in the form of Exif-data
Samyang and Rokinon have been busy little bees, to steal a quote from a tyrannical Roman Emperor. Fortunately, they’re not working to bring down an empire, but to build cost-effective prime lenses. The Samyang 35mm f/1.4 AS UMC is aimed at users who are happy with manual focusing and need a fast lens, while also
When it comes to the sheer quality of output, ZEISS glass is usually the top of any photographer’s list. Anybody who has been playing around with lenses for a good deal of time either owns some form of ZEISS optics or wouldn’t mind getting their hands on one. This is easier said than done for
The Canon EF 35mm f/2 IS USM was released back in 2012. In general technology terms, this lens should be drawing its pension. But in the world of camera lenses, this Canon 35mm has just hit maturity and has a good idea of its own capabilities. The lens has also lost some of the limelight
Those out there who want a top-quality, standard view lens with a little extra width usually opt for a 35mm prime. This focal length has more width than a 50mm prime and is great for things like environmental portraits. There are quite a few options out there to choose from, but if you want a
The 35mm focal length provides a wonderful, standard view of the world. This focal length is ideal for capturing environmental portraits or when a bit more width than the standard 50mm prime lens is needed. As the 35mm focal length is one of the standards, there are plenty of examples on the market. But if
The Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 85mm f/1.4G is a prime lens that is especially suited for portrait and wedding photographers, but also works well for food and landscape photography. Many photographers relied heavily on the old Nikon AF NIKKOR 85mm f/1.4D lens, which was legendary for the amazing bokeh it produced as well as extreme sharpness and
Samyang has traditionally not been at the top of many people’s wish lists when it comes to high-quality prime lenses. But with the introduction of the Samyang XP 85mm f/1.2, the company now has optics that can provide top quality at a very respectable price point. This lens may be manual focusing only, but the
A 50mm prime lens will always be the go-to standard for any type of photography. This focal length provides a happy medium between a relatively wide view and the ability to get in close when needed. The Sony FE 50mm f/1.4 ZA is one such lens, which offers a fast aperture and some of the
There’s one thing that Leica makes sure of above any other lens manufacturer and that’s to make their high-end optics as exclusive as possible. I say this purely from a price point of view, as the Leica Summilux-M 35mm f/1.4 ASPH costs just shy of $5000 on a favorable day at current prices, making it
If there’s one lens that you are going to spend big on for the long run, it’s going to be a 50mm prime. This focal length just so happens to slot into a wide variety of shooting scenarios. That’s why it is touted as a standard focal length. The Leica Summilux-M 50mm f/1.4 ASPH slots
Anyone with even a modicum of knowledge about long telephoto prime lenses will know that they cost a king’s ransom and are large and heavy. At least the Vivitar 500mm f/8 checks the “large” box, but for a prime lens at this focal length which costs just shy of a hundred dollars, the price point
The usual course of action when first diving into interchangeable lens cameras is to purchase some sort of 50mm prime lens. Experience eventually tells you why this is a good happy medium option, as the 50mm focal length is great for everything from landscapes to quality portrait shots. If you’re on a budget or just
When you start to get really serious about long-range photography, there’s nothing like owning a super-telephoto prime lens. There are zoom lenses out there that can cover the same focal length as a 500mm, but a prime lens will always give you that extra zap of quality. However, a 500mm prime is going to be
Once you’ve been down the road of owning a bunch of prime lenses, you’re more likely to revel in the more obscure and specialist versions available. Common, highly touted, and pin-sharp primes are one thing, but there’s also an eagerness to find the lenses that produce their own individual character and look. One such lens
One of the nice side benefits of sitting squarely on the Sony camera platform is access to native ZEISS lenses. The relationship has been going on for many years, which means the average Sony user has a wealth of glass to choose from in many different focal lengths. To cover the slightly wide-angle side of
If you’re looking for a different perspective on things, then the Sigma 15mm f/2.8 EX DG Diagonal Fisheye might be the perfect lens for you. If you tire of the straight lines afforded by longer focal length lenses, yet don’t want to produce completely circular images, the Sigma 15mm f/2.8 EX DG is a good
ZEISS has always been unconventional, striking its own path with what it considers world-class optics. This methodology has always seemed to be a success, despite some seemingly odd focal lengths along the way. This has been most recently characterized by the introduction of the ZEISS Touit 32mm f/1.8, available only for Fuji and Sony camera
If you’re after a standard viewpoint lens, this usually means grabbing hold of a 35mm or 50mm prime. Both of these focal lengths are good all-rounders, but as photographers, we have been programmed to adhere to these standards, which means the ZEISS Batis 40mm f/2 CF is a weirdly in-between offering. This in-between focal length
It has always been a good idea to invest in a prime lens when you’re on a limited budget. The main reason is the extra level of definition and sharpness that comes with a prime lens. That’s not to say zoom lenses aren’t equally capable in the right hands in this budget range, but a
If you’ve decided to dive into the sharp and detailed world of a prime lens, then the Sigma brand has some great options currently available. Since the initial release of their Art and Contemporary range, the company’s prime and zoom lenses have been viable alternatives to similar camera brand offerings. This is why we are
Tamron, like the rest of the third-party lens brigade, produces a whole wealth of quality prime lenses that are not just affordable, but also come with top quality optics. In today’s roundup, we will be looking at the best Tamron prime lenses under $500, which can still buy you a good lens for professional applications
The ZEISS Planar design, according to the company, is one of the most influential, borrowed – or to be polite – inspirational optical arrangements of all time. This is a system that just simply works and with the close link between Sony and ZEISS, the Planar T* FE 50mm f/1.4 ZA is one of those
The 85mm focal length has always been a great solution for portrait shots, which is why every lens maker has an option somewhere in their lineup. Sigma, just like the rest of the third-party lens makers, has its own versions, which do not get released very often. This is mainly due to this focal length
If you’ve been shooting images for long enough, you’ve surely chomped through quite a few lenses and know the worth of a good quality 50mm prime. A 50mm lens has just the right viewpoint for a bunch of uses which is why most photographers don’t mind laying down that extra bit of cash for a
Tokina may not be an obvious prime lens choice to some, but like the rest of the third-party lens makers, the company has been producing some very tasty high-end lenses of late. Tokina now has viable alternatives to same-as camera brand versions, which is why we are bringing you the best Tokina prime lenses under
In the past, if you needed a prime lens with an aperture less than f/1, you had to give Stanley Kubrick a ring to ask him nicely if you can borrow his legendary Zeiss Planar 50mm f/0.7. In today’s market, taking advantage of the latest mirrorless platforms, there are now lenses available which hover around
The Tamron SP 45mm f/1.8 Di VC USD is a prime standard focal length 45mm lens that’s available in Canon and Nikon mounts. This is a great lens for low-light photography due to the fast f/1.8 aperture and the Vibration Compensation (VC) image stabilization. Tamron threw everything it had into the Tamron SP 45mm f/1.8
There’s always a sense of regality when a ZEISS lens is strapped to a camera. This point doesn’t just come from knowing you have some of the best quality optics in your hand, but also with the latest designs, an extremely slick looking lens. I know that the look and design of a lens shouldn’t
