Cosina, the company behind the Voigtlander brand, has announced the Septon 40mm F2 Aspherical full-frame lens for Sony E and Nikon Z cameras.

The Septon name was originally given to the standard lens created for Voigtlander's Bessamatic and Ultramatic SLRs of the late 1950s and 1960s and is considered one of the brand's signature lenses.

The new Septon 40mm F2 Aspherical reimagines its classic namesake in a compact body tailored for modern mirrorless cameras. Its optical stack features a six‑element Ortho‑Metar design that includes an additional aspherical element. This enables a fast f/2 aperture, along with reduced distortion, without increasing the physical size of the lens barrel. The result is an overall length of just 30mm for the E-mount version, and 32mm for the Z-mount lens. Despite an all-metal barrel construction, the E-mount lens weighs just 165g (Z-mount is 205g).

The 40mm focal length is slightly wider than a typical 50mm standard prime, making it a better option for tight street photography. A 0.3m minimum focus distance also makes the lens suitable for close-ups, even if it doesn't have the required 1:1 reproduction ratio to qualify it as a full-on macro lens. Though manual focus only, the Septon 40mm F2 Aspherical is equipped with electronic contacts, enabling EXIF data recording, focus peaking, and 3‑axis in‑body image stabilization support.

Included with the lens is a dome‑shaped metal screw‑on hood designed to maintain the lens’s compact profile. It features a 52mm front thread, allowing the front lens cap to be used whether or not the hood is attached.

The E-mount Septon 40mm F2 Aspherical is expected to go on sale in March, and the Z-mount version should follow in April. Both will be priced at 93,500 Yen (approx. $612 / £449).

Cosina, the company behind the Voigtländer brand, has announced a new portrait prime for Canon RF and Nikon Z cameras. The PORTRAIT HELIAR 75mm F1.8 is a large-aperture, manual-focus, medium-telephoto lens that we've already seen in Sony E-mount guise, but which will now be made available to Canon and Nikon mirrorless shooters. The standout feature of the PORTRAIT HELIAR 75mm F1.8 is its spherical aberration control ring, which enables you to control bokeh quality in out-of-focus areas.

To quote the (translated) press release:

"Changes in spherical aberration occur when the aperture is opened or closed, but by operating the control ring with a new mechanism, you can enjoy bokeh depictions with an unprecedented range. In an image with insufficient correction, the center of focus becomes unclear (soft focus) and flare occurs in the highlights. Background bokeh is depicted with a gentle curve. In contrast, in an image with overcorrection, the center of focus remains and background bokeh is hard (bubble bokeh)."

Varying spherical aberration like this can cause unwanted focus movement, but Voigtlander has addressed this by incorporating a mechanism that offsets any focus deviation by changing the spacing between lens groups in conjunction with the control ring.

Though manual focus, the PORTRAIT HELIAR 75mm F1.8 does have electronic contacts to enable EXIF data recording, and it supports in-body image stabilization and focus assist functions.

The 70.0 x 86.0mm lens barrel is of an all-metal design that weighs 570-580g, depending on the mount. The focus ring is said to have a "silky, greased feel": on the RF mount version of the lens this and mechanical aperture ring both feature a knurled texture, whereas the Z mount lens has control rings finished with straight grooves.

The Voigtlander PORTRAIT HELIAR 75mm F1.8 will go on sale in February, priced at ¥150,000. An official US RRP has yet to be announced, but the existing E-mount version of the lens has a list price of $999, so we'd expect the new Canon and Nikon variants to be priced similarly.

Laowa appears to be working on a new macro lens. This in itself isn't particularly noteworthy, as according to the official Venus Optics website (the parent company of the Laowa brand), there are currently 17 Laowa macro lenses. However, this latest lens is rather special thanks to it offering up to 10x magnification.

For context, a typical macro lens usually offers a 1:1 reproduction ratio (1x). 1x magnification means the object you're photographing is reproduced at exactly the same size on the image sensor of your camera as it appears in real life.

Laowa already produces a macro lens with 5x magnification - the 25mm f/2.8 2.5-5X Ultra Macro - yet this new lens promises double that, which is no mean feat.

The 10x Ultra Macro optic is said to have a working distance of 40.35mm in the 1-5x magnification range, and 22.5mm if you want 5-10x magnification. Further details and specifications are currently limited, but it's said that this is a full-frame lens compatible with multiple mounts. Judging by the early product shots, it seems the lens could ship with a native PL mount, with separate adapters sold to convert this to RF, Z, E, or L mounts. This system is used by the even more specialist Laowa Aurogon FF 10-50X NA0.5 Supermicro APO macro 'lens' (it's actually a kit containing an objective lens which can be fitted with one of four extension tubes, each offering a different level of magnification, up to a whopping 50x!).

We're also told that the lens will be light and compact and its exterior length will not change when adjusting magnification. The full-range parfocal focusing design also means focus shouldn't shift when changing magnification. As with many other Laowa macro lenses, this latest offering should keep aberrations to a minimum thanks to its APO (apochromatic) optical construction which is designed to supress both lateral and longitudinal fringing. This is crucial for high magnification close-ups where even minor fringing could otherwise be very distracting.

We don't yet have details on pricing, availability, or even an official lens name. But considering the existing Laowa 25mm f/2.8 2.5-5X Ultra Macro lens retails for $399, while the highly specialized Laowa Aurogon FF 10-50X NA0.5 Supermicro APO will set you back $1500, it's likely the new 10x lens will be priced somewhere in between.

Story credit: Weibo, Camera Beta

7Artisans has launched a new diagonal fisheye lens for APS-C cameras. The MF 6mm F2 is, as its name suggests, a manual focus lens, but with the generous depth of field available at such a short focal length, manual focussing needn't be difficult. Various mount options are available, including Sony E, Fujifilm X, Nikon Z, Canon R and Micro Four Thirds.

7 Artisans says this is its widest-ever lens. Once launched it'll also be one of the widest lenses you can buy for APS-C mirrorless cameras. Laowa produces a 4mm f/2.8, but that's a circular fisheye design, where the new 7Artisans optic is a diagonal fisheye. Consequently, though the Laowa has a shorter focal length, its angle of view is 210 degrees, whereas the 6mm 7Artisans lens has a claimed 220-degree field of view.

With the ability to 'see' behind itself, such a lens opens up new creative possibilities, helped by the extremely short 3.9" / 0.1m minimum focus distance. Such a lens is especially useful in tight interiors, but the fairly fast f/2 maximum aperture also makes the MF 6mm F2 a viable choice for astrophotography.

The lens comprises 10 elements in 8 groups, including two extra-low dispersion elements and two high-refractive elements, which should help minimize chromatic aberration and improve overall sharpness. A 9-blade diaphragm is said to contribute to smooth, rounded bokeh.

The 7Artisans 6mm f/2 fisheye lens is available to buy now from B&H, priced at $179.

Cosina, the company behind Voigtländer lenses, has announced a new wide-angle prime for Sony E and Nikon Z cameras. The Voigtländer APO-LANTHAR 28mm F2 Aspherical is said to be a high-performance lens, with the APO designation signifying that it's derived from the Apochromat design. This manufacturing process was developed to reduce chromatic aberration in film photography, but the technology is claimed to still be effective for supressing fringing in digital photography today.

The optical path is comprised of 12 elements arranged in 8 groups, including six low-dispersion lenses and two double-sided aspherical lenses. At 58.8mm long and 62.6mm in diameter, the lens is surprisingly compact, and it's also light weight at just 325g.

Although the lens is manual focus only, it does have electronic contacts to enable lens-body communication, EXIF data recording, while the built-in distance encoder preserves compatibility with camera bodies that have IBIS. The lens' aperture ring has a de-click function to enable stepless iris adjustment when shooting video, and a metal hood is included.

The Voigtländer APO-LANTHAR 28mm F2 Aspherical will be available in December 2025, priced at 154,000 Yen (currency conversion: US $1000, £755)

Viltrox has launched a new 85mm autofocus lens for full-frame Sony cameras. The AF 85mm f/2.0 Evo is the first of a new series of ‘Evo’ lenses that aim to deliver up-market handling in a relatively compact, lightweight and easily manageable build. 'Evo' lenses are designed to fill the gap between Viltrox's featherweight 'Air' lenses and its chunky 'Pro'- and 'Lab'-series optics. Consequently, the 85mm f/2.0 Evo measures a compact 69x76mm (2.7x3.0") and weighs just 340g - that's under half the weight of Viltrox's existing AF 85mm f/1.4 Pro lens.

Despite the crash diet, the 85mm f/2.0 Evo still features a robust build, along with weather-seals and a fluorine coating on the front element. There's an AF/MF focus mode switch, plus a function button which can be customised to operate as an AF-hold, or to perform other duties depending on the camera body. A physical aperture control ring is also present, and there's a de-click switch to enable stepless adjustment of the 9-blade diaphragm when shooting video. Autofocussing is achieved by a linear stepping motor - a step down on the exotic VCM (Voice Coil Motor) system found in higher-spec Viltrox models - but it should still be fast and quiet. The features are rounded out by a USB-C port located in the metal lens mount which is used for applying firmware updates.

The optical stack consists of 10 elements arranged in 8 groups, including two ED (Extra-low Dispersion) elements and two HR (High Refractive index) elements. These are used to increase sharpness and clarity while reducing chromatic aberrations. Up front is a 58mm filter thread, and the lens is supplied with a circular profile hood.

The Viltrox AF 85mm f/2.0 Evo is available now, priced at $275 / £265 / AU$TBA. For context, that's around half the price of the Viltrox AF 85mm f/1.4 Pro, which is already good value, though of course the Evo is an f/stop slower.

Read our full review of the Viltrox AF 85mm f/2.0 Evo

Viltrox has released a fresh entry in its Pro line-up of upmarket autofocus lenses. The new Viltrox AF 50mm f/1.4 Pro has been designed for full-frame Nikon and Sony mirrorless cameras and follows in the footsteps of the AF 85mm f/1.4 Pro, released earlier in 2025, but which was only available for Sony cameras. The new lens is the same size and weight as its 85mm sibling, measuring 85x111mm / 3.4x4.4" and weighing in at 800g / 1.76lb. The advantage of this close family resemblance is you can swap between 85mm and 50mm lenses with no break in your creative workflow, as both lenses will feel and operate just the same.

The 15-element, 11-group optical path includes 1 UA (Ultra Aspherical) element with a relatively large diameter and ultra-high precision build, 3 ED (Extra-low Dispersion) elements, and 8 HR (High Refractive index) elements. An 11-blade aperture diaphragm should provide super-smooth bokeh, while the aperture itself can be controlled by a dedicated aperture ring on the lens barrel. This can also be 'de-clicked' to provide seamless aperture adjustment when shooting video. Viltrox has employed a HyperVCM (Voice Coil Motor) autofocus system which is designed to be quick for shooting stills, while also delivering ultra-smooth focus transitions when shooting video, and in virtually complete silence. Manual focussing is also available, via an electronically coupled focus ring.

The AF 50mm f/1.4 Pro is intended to be an all-weather lens. Its metal lens mount includes a rubber gasket, and the rest of the barrel is also weather-sealed. A fluorine coating on the front element helps resist fingerprints and rain droplets, while HD Nano multi-layer coatings are applied to minimize ghosting and flare. There's even a USB-C port at the base of the lens for applying firmware updates.

The Viltrox AF 50mm f/1.4 Pro is priced at $549 / £525 / AU$TBA, which makes it quite a bargain when compared to its direct rivals from Nikon and Sony. The Sony FE 50mm f/1.4 G Master will set you back $1,398 / £1,499 / AU$2,099, while the more budget-friendly Nikon Z 50mm f/1.4 costs $597 / £499 / AU$899, though it has lower aspirations and lacks Nikon’s high-grade ‘S-line’ credentials.

Read our full review of the Viltrox AF 50mm f/1.4 Pro

7Artisans has launched two new full-frame prime lenses for Sony E, Nikon Z, Canon RF and L mount cameras:

14mm f/2.8

This ultra-wide prime boasts a 116-degree field of view, without resorting to a fisheye perspective. It should therefore be ideal for photographing interiors, city streets, and also for astrophotography thanks to its fast f/2.8 aperture. The lens's optical path is comprised of 13 elements in 11 groups, including two aspherical elements, plus high-refractive index glass and extra-low dispersion elements to reduce chromatic aberrations.

A 10-blade aperture diaphragm will generate 10-point starbursts around points of intense light, and the aperture adjustment can be performed in clicked or de-clicked modes. Despite its fairly large f/2.8 maximum aperture, the lens measures a reasonably compact 87mm in length, with a diameter of 79mm, while weighing 504g for the E-mount version. Although the front lens element is typically bulbous for an ultra-wide lens, a detachable lens hood incorporating a filter thread means conventional 77mm front filters can still be used. Focussing is manual only, and there are no electronic contacts to enable lens-body communication, but the payoff for this simplicity is a low $299 retail price.

75mm f/1.4

Designed with portrait photography in mind, this lens's large f/1.4 maximum aperture and 13-blade diaphragm are an ideal combination for isolating your sitter from a softly blurred background. A minimum focus distance of 0.88m allows for tighter head & shoulders shots, or still life photography.

Just six elements make up the optical stack, but three of these are high-refractive index glass. The 75mm f/1.4 is impressively light for such a fast lens, weighing only 408g, and at 77mm long and 62mm in diameter it's also easily portable. Like the new 14mm f/2.8 above, this is a fully-manual lens, so a more considered shooting style will be required. However, this could be a compromise well worth making, given that the 7Artisans 75mm f/1.4 costs just $189.

Both lenses are available to buy now.

Camera lenses can be very pricey, but help is at hand, courtesy of filmmaker and innovator Tim Irwin. Irwin (Instagram: @functionalfilms) has produced a new low-cost prime lens called the Simple 90. This 90mm prime is made in-house by Irwin himself, who 3D prints the barrel and self-assembles each and every lens. Only the two glass elements and assembly screws are outsourced. The lens elements are arranged in a cemented achromatic doublet, which results in image quality characterized by a sharp central region which transitions into soft, ethereal bokeh towards the edges and corners of frame.

True to its name, the lens uses a very simple means of changing aperture: Waterhouse stops. These are just flat plates containing a hole of a specific diameter corresponding to the desired aperture. One plate is slotted into the lens barrel, thereby restricting its internal diameter down the hole/aperture size of the Waterhouse stop. Three plates are included with the Simple 90: f/2.8, f/5.6 and f/11. Irwin has also thoughtfully made available the 3D printable files for the Waterhouse stop plates, enabling users to print other f/stops or even custom-shaped apertures for unique bokeh effects.

Cheap DIY lenses are nothing new of course. We recently reported on a more extreme budget self-built optic constructed from a section of drain pipe and optical lenses from magnifying glasses - that build cost its maker less than $10. Furthermore, the Waterhouse stop system of aperture adjustment has been used recently in more commercial lenses such as Lomography's Petzval and Daguerreotype Achromat art lenses - lenses which, like the Simple 90, prioritise simplicity and artistic, dreamy image quality over outright sharpness.

The Simple 90 lens can be purchased direct from The Irwin Workshop, priced at $99/£73.53. The lens is fitted as standard with an M42 screw mount, which can easily be adapted to pretty much any standard manufacturer mount, including Canon EF, Canon RF, Sony E, Nikon F, Nikon Z, Fuji X, L Mount and Micro Four Thirds. Obviously there are no electronics inside, so focussing is manual only, but that's all part of the fun.

AstrHori, makers of such optical oddities as the 18mm f/8 2x Periscope Probe Macro lens, has announced a new circular fisheye lens for APS-C cameras.

The AstrHori 6.5mm f/2 fisheye is a fully manual lens for APS-C Sony E, Fuji X, Nikon Z, Canon RF and Micro Four Thirds cameras. Its 6-element, 5-group optical stack incorporates an extra-low dispersion (ED) element, as well as a high refractive index element to reduce aberrations.

The 6.5mm focal length equates to 10mm in full-frame terms and enables a huge 192-degree field of view, albeit with a circular image projection, while the 0.2m minimum focussing distance makes it easy to capture distinctive fisheye close-ups. The lens itself is very compact, measuring only 64mm in diameter and 52mm long, with the E-mount version tipping the scales at 268g (although this will vary slightly for other mount variations).

Being a fully-manual lens, there are no electrical contacts to facilitate lens-body communication, but you do get an aperture ring and a printed depth of field scale. And with fewer frills comes lower pricing, as the AstrHori 6.5mm f/2 fisheye will retail for just $129, for all mount options.

Order the AstrHori 6.5mm f/2 fisheye from B&H

Viltrox is rumored to be announcing another new addition to its compact and lightweight Air series of prime lenses. The lens in question is the AF 50mm F2 Air, which would join the existing AF 23mm F1.7, AF 20mm F2.8 Air, AF 35mm F1.7 Air, AF 40mm F2.5 Air and AF 56mm F1.7 Air.

Read more: Viltrox AF 35mm F1.7 Air full review

As yet few details are known about the new lens. Photo Rumors reports that it could have a minimum focus distance of 0.51m, take 58mm filters, weight 190g and be priced at $140. The latter is in-keeping with the accessible pricing of other lenses in the Air range which are all under $200.

Several photos of the AF 50mm F2 Air have emerged. These indicate that the lens has full-frame coverage, along with stepping motor autofocus and internal focussing. The optical path seems to include one or more aspherical and extra-low dispersion elements for reducing aberrations.

The Viltrox AF 50mm F2 Air will reportedly be available in Sony E and Nikon Z mounts, and is rumored to go on sale in April.

Back in September Viltrox gave us an unbelievably short pancake lens for full-frame Sony cameras: the AF 28mm F4.5 FE. Now it's announced there'll also be a version for Fujifilm X-mount bodies, called the AF 28mm F4.5 XF. Viltrox's nickname for the AF 28mm F4.5 is the 'chip' - as in potato chip - because that's how thin Viltrox reckons the lens is (some artistic/marketing licence required there!). The food comparison also lends itself neatly to Viltrox calling the Fujifilm version a new 'flavor'. More tasty marketing.

We already reviewed the Viltrox AF 28mm F4.5 FE and found it to be a very capable little prime, with decent center-frame sharpness, minimal distortion, and surprisingly effective autofocus given how little room there is in the lens barrel. Of course there have to be some compromises to create such a slim lens, and the main one here is the lens's fixed F4.5 aperture, plus it's lack of a manual focus ring. Converting the lens for APS-C X-mount cameras means the Sony-fit's 28mm full-frame focal length will become an effective 45mm on a Fujifilm body, turning the lens from a wide into a standard prime.

The Viltrox AF 28mm F4.5 XF went on salve on February 6 for the same price as the existing version – just $99 / £90.

🇺🇸 Order the Viltrox AF 28mm F4.5 XF at Amazon USA

🇬🇧 Order the Viltrox AF 28mm F4.5 XF at Amazon UK

Viltrox has officially announced a new lens in its compact and lightweight Air series of prime lenses for APS-C cameras. The new AF 23mm F1.7 joins the existing AF 20mm F2.8 Air, AF 35mm F1.7 Air, AF 40mm F2.5 Air and AF 56mm F1.7 Air.

Read more: Viltrox AF 35mm F1.7 Air full review

Despite featuring stepping motor autofocus and a full compliment of electronic contacts for lens-body communication, Viltrox has managed to keep the weight of the AF 23mm down to just 170g, and the lens is also impressively small, measuring 64mm in diameter and 54.4mm long.

[Note: the image we have of the AF 23mm F1.7 seems to show the lens labelled as a 25mm, not 23mm. As the lens doesn't yet appear on Viltrox's website or at any of the usual retailers, we can't be sure whether it is in fact a 23mm, or rather a 25mm]

Inside are 12 elements arranged in 10 groups, including two aspherical elements for controlling distortion, two high refractive index elements to improve image quality while keeping overall weight low, and one extra-low dispersion element to minimize chromatic aberration. The lens also benefits from a multi-layer coating to supress flare and ghosting. 9 blades make up the aperture diaphragm, and the minimum focus distance is listed as 0.3m.

The Viltrox AF 23mm F1.7 Air should go on sale soon for APS-C Sony E, Nikon Z and Fujifilm X cameras. Initial sources suggest it'll be priced at $899, but this is nowhere near consistent with other lenses in the Air range which are all under $200, so we suspect the new AF 23mm Air will actually be priced in line with those.

TTArtisan has launched a new 23mm APS-C lens for Fujifilm X-mount cameras. The AF 23mm F1.8 features stepping motor autofocus and a full set of electrical contacts to facilitate lens-body communication. TTArtisan claims the AF system is "silent", which bodes well for using the lens to record video. Inside is an 11-element optical stack arranged in 9 groups, containing two extra-low dispersion elements and a one high-refractive index element. A 9-blade aperture diaphragm, combined with the relatively large f/1.8 maximum aperture, should result in pleasingly smooth bokeh.

The AF 23mm F1.8 weighs just 210g, despite its all-metal lens barrel constructed from 5052 aviation-grade aluminium. It measures 74mm long and 67mm in diameter, with a 52mm filter thread. The 23mm focal length equates to a 62-degree angle of view, which is roughly equivalent to shooting with a 35mm lens on a full-frame body. TTArtisan also incorporates a USB-C socket into the rear lens cap, and this can be used for applying firmware updates.

The TTArtisan AF 23mm f/1.8 is available to buy now for Fuji X-mount, and it's aggressively priced, costing just $127. Versions for APS-C Sony-E and Nikon-Z cameras are coming soon.

Yongnuo has launched a new autofocus prime lens for APS-C Sony, Nikon and Fujifilm cameras. The YN23mm F1.4 DA DSM WL Pro has a 34.5mm full-frame equivalent focal length and features a large f/1.4 maximum aperture making it useful for portraiture and when shooting in low light. 

Inside is an 11-element optical stack arranged in 9 groups, including three ultra-low dispersion elements and four high refractive elements for improving image quality. 

A minimum focusing distance of 0.3m enhances the lens' versatility, as does the dust- and water-resistant lens mount, which, combined with the keep-clean fluorine coating on the front element, makes the lens usable in damp conditions.

And this is no stripped-back manual lens, either. There's a stepping motor AF system, with a full set of electrical contacts for enabling lens-body communication, including compatibility with in-camera image enhancements like vignetting and distortion compensation. The lens also has a USB-C port on the barrel for applying firmware updates, and inside is even a 2.4GHz wireless transmitter that can enable remote focussing and other functions when used with Yongnuo's BR-L1 remote controller. At 85mm long with a 69mm diameter, the YN23mm F1.4 DA DSM WL Pro is also quite compact for an f/1.4 prime, and it's also relatively light, weighing just 360g.

The Z-mount Yongnuo YN23mm F1.4 DA DSM WL Pro is available to buy now from Amazon, priced at $276. We await details on pricing and availability of the E-mount and X-mount variants.

A few weeks ago we published a story about a creative photographer who constructed a real camera lens from scratch, with material costs totalling less than $10. There were, however, some drawbacks. You'd need a fairly obscure medium format film camera in order to use the lens, and obviously the build would take a lot of time and effort to complete.

Read more: The best creative effect lenses

But now it seems you can have a lens that's almost as cheap, ready-made, and even compatible with multiple common camera mounts. For the princely sum of just $22 (converted from the original 159 Yuan), Chinese lens manufacturer Caye will sell you a 200mm f/3.5 full-frame telephoto lens, compatible with Sony E, Canon RF, Canon EF, Canon EF-M, Nikon Z, Nikon F, Fuji X, and M43 mounts. The lens measures 32cm long with a 14cm maximum diameter, it tips the scales at 550g, and it has a minimum focus distance of 1.8m - nothing too unusual there.

Of course, a lens this cheap is bound to have some pretty huge compromises: focussing is manual only, it's highly unlikely there are any electrical contents for lens-body communication, and the aperture is fixed at f/3.5. That's actually quite large for such a long lens, but we'd wager this could have a profound negative impact on corner sharpness. The limited information we have on the lens also says it uses only "a set of two optical structures". With such a basic optical path, sharpness is likely to be low, and distortion and fringing high.

But to dwell on conventional lens quality metrics is missing the point here. This isn't meant to be a serious optic that'd ace our lab tests, rather it's just a fun, creative and cheap tool for experimentation; something that's backed up by the lens's manufacturer apparently being known for producing fun lenses.

We don't yet have any details of where you can actually buy the Caye 200mm f/3.5 outside of China, but it doesn't usually take long for products like this to pop up on the likes of AliExpress and Temu.

Story credit: SonyAlphaRumors

Brightin Star has launched a new 50mm f/0.95 lens, and incredibly, that super-large maximum aperture isn't the lens's headline feature. No, the main talking point with the new lens is its fluorescent, glow-in-the-dark focus and aperture scale markings. Assuming these have been energized with enough sunlight during the day, it should make the lens usable at night, in minimal ambient light.

This isn't the first time we've seen a lens with fluorescent scale markings. One such example is the Irix 15mm f/2.4 Blackstone lens which features engraved focus distance markings filled with UV-reactive paint so they too should glow in the dark at night.

Read more:
The best 50mm lenses
The best lenses for astrophotography

The new Brightin Star 50mm f/0.95 is an APS-C, manual focus lens, said to be available for cropped-sensor Sony E, Nikon Z, Canon RF & EF-M, Fujifilm X, and Micro Four Thirds cameras. Confusingly, Brightin Star already produces a 50mm f/0.95 manual focus lens, but crucially that lens is for full-frame cameras, and it uses conventionally printed distance and aperture scale markings.

We currently have no specification information, pricing, or an availability timeframe for the new APS-C lens. But given the existing 50mm f/0.95 full-frame lens currently costs around $350/£360, we'd hope the APS-C version might hit an even lower price point.

Story credit: Photo Rumors

Over the years Canon has produced a number of lenses with built-in teleconverters, but so far the RF mount has been left out of Canon's plans. This looks set to change with the first credible rumors of a new Canon RF 200-500mm f/4 lens with a built-in 1.4x converter potentially in the pipeline.

Canon already has two optional RF mount teleconverters, the Extender RF 2x and Extender RF 1.4x, which can be used with the majority of Canon's pro zoom and prime lenses – at the sacrifice of 1 to 2 f-stops. But for professional sports and wildlife photographers, the ease of a built-in converter is hard to beat.

Of course, with an f/4 aperture (likely to be f/5.6 when the 1.4x teleconverter is engaged), the lens is likely to be a lot bigger than Canon's current lineup of telephoto zooms.

And, if the EF version of the Canon EF 100-400mm f/4L IS USM 1.4x Extender was any precedent, it's likely to be a lot more expensive as well. That EF lens cost a cool $11,099, which likely puts a new RF 200-500mm f/4 firmly out of reach for most photographers.

However, Canon already has a couple of great options for wildlife shooters without such deep pockets. The Canon RF 100-500mm f/4.5-7.1L IS USM has a lower aperture, especially when paired with the 1.4x Extender, but at $2,899 is a much more viable option.

If you want to forget all about teleconverters for a second then there is Canon's newest superzoom, the Canon RF 200-800mm f/6.3-9 IS USM for $1,899, which I tested this year and was taken by surprise at just how good the photos were from a lens of this price and zoom range.

Sources place the lens coming out around November 2024, which would also perfectly coincide with the launch of the Canon EOS R1, which despite being announced a few months ago is taking its time getting into stores – and these two would make perfect companions.

Find out more about the best lens for sports or the best lenses for bird photography and wildlife in our guides. Or if you need a camera, check out the best camera for sports photography.

Meike has announced a new accessibly-priced prime lens for full-frame Sony E-mount, Nikon Z-mount, and L-mount cameras. The Meike 35mm F2.0 has an optical stack comprised of 11 elements in 9 groups, a minimum focus distance of 0.45m, and can be fitted with 58mm filters.

Read more:
The best Sony lenses
The best Nikon Z lenses
The best L-mount lenses

The 35mm focal length equates to a 64-degree diagonal angle of view on a full-frame camera, and 44.2 degrees when fitted to an APS-C body. The lens has a diameter of 73mm and is 90-93mm long, depending on mount option, and it's also reasonably light weight at 298g for the E-mount version.

But the standout feature of the Meike 35mm F2.0 is that, despite its low $199.99 price tag, the lens features autofocus, courtesy of a stepping motor system. Traditionally, cheap primes like this have been 'dumb' lenses, with no electronic communication between the lens and host body and were therefore manual focus-only. But with the 35mm F2.0, Meike is following some recent Viltrox and 7Artisans prime lenses by producing a fully-featured optic that should operate much closer to an equivalent lens from the likes of Sony, Nikon or Sigma.

The Meike 35mm F2.0 is available now, priced at $199.99 / £149.99 / AU $289

Choosing the right focal length is a crucial part of the creative decision making process for a photographer. You can have the best camera for beginners, but if you don't truly understand focal length, you'll struggle to pick the right lens for the right situation.

Focal length is used to determine your lens's angle of view, which is what you see when you look through your camera's viewfinder. The angle of view is measured from the point where rays of light converge within a lens (the point of convergence) to the camera's sensor (or film) and is calculated while the focus is set to infinity. 

You will also come across the terms field of view and angular field of view. Technically, angle of view, field of view, and angular field of view are different. But the differences are minimal – not to mention disputed – so I'm going to simplify things by referring to angle of view, exclusively.

Lenses with fixed focal lengths are known as prime lenses and lenses with varying focal lengths are zoom lenses. Understanding the angle of view is crucial when identifying, say, the best lenses for bird photography and is something that seasoned photographers do instinctively. 

In short, the smaller the focal length, the wider the angle of view and the more 'wide-angle' the lens. The larger the focal length, the narrower the field of view and the more 'telephoto' the lens. Focal lengths are often split into six categories. Below, you'll find a breakdown of each category and the genres of photography they’re often associated with. 

It's worth noting that these parameters can shift slightly, depending on where you look or who you ask. We'd suggest viewing them as guidelines that will help you get used to choosing the right focal length for the job. Ultimately, the best focal length will always be the one that helps convey your creative vision. 

Understanding crop factor

I will be referring to focal lengths in 35mm (or full-frame) terms. If you're using an APS-C or Micro Four Thirds camera, you will have to work out the 35mm-equivalent focal length of your desired lens to find the category that it occupies.

Because APS-C and Micro Four Thirds sensors are smaller than full-frame sensors, they have a crop factor, which you can use to find out the 35mm-equivalent focal length. To find this out, multiply your lens's focal length by 1.5 if you're using an APS-C Nikon, Fujifilm or Sony camera, 1.6 if it's an APS-C Canon camera, and 2.0 if it's a Micro Four Thirds camera.  

So, a 50mm lens on a Nikon DX body has a comparable angle of view to a 75mm lens on an FX body, because 50 x 1.5 = 75. 

• Photography cheat sheet: Focal lengths explained

1. Ultra wide angle  

Focal lengths below 24mm are referred to as ultra-wide-angle. Such focal lengths provide extremely wide angles of view and are often used to cram huge pieces of architecture or sprawling landscapes into the frame. Fisheye lenses use ultra-wide-angle focal lengths too, but feature even wider angles of view due to their specialist construction. 

The best lenses for astrophotography are often ultra-wide angle, due to astrophotographers requiring a wide enough field of view to capture the panoramic night sky. 

2. Wide angle 

Wide-angle focal lengths offer wide angles of view that aren't as extreme as their ultra-wide counterparts. The wide-angle ballpark sits between 24 and 35mm, and is used to capture landscapes and architecture. Wide-angle lenses suffer from barrel distortion and are therefore not used for conventional portraits. 

The best lenses for landscapes are typically wide angle, allowing landscape photographers to capture sprawling vistas with more manageable barrel distortion than ultra-wide-angle lenses, which can diminish subjects by making them appear smaller within the scene. 

3. Standard 

Standard focal lengths range from 35 to 70mm and are generally considered the most versatile focal lengths. The 'nifty fifty' (or 50mm prime) is a perfect example of a standard focal length that's used to shoot a wide range of subjects, as it's close to human vision, making it popular for casual, street and documentary photography.

The best lenses for street photography tend to be standard lenses, providing an authentic angle of view, which complements the subject matter. 

4. Short telephoto 

Focal lengths of 70 to 300mm are sometimes referred to as telephoto, but that doesn't tell the whole story. It's worth recognizing the short (or medium) telephoto category, which generally goes up to 135mm, as it's particularly suitable for portraits and close-up photography. 

The best macro lenses are usually short telephoto focal lengths – particularly useful when working with skittish subjects who might spook if you get too close.

5. Telephoto

With short telephoto lenses ranging from 70 to 135mm, anything beyond this (up to 300mm) is simply telephoto. Such focal lengths provide increasingly narrow angles of view and a decent amount of reach. They're therefore commonly used by sports and wildlife photographers. 

The best lens for sports photography will almost always be a telephoto or super-telephoto optic (the latter is up next).  

6. Super telephoto 

Go beyond 300mm and you're into super-telephoto territory. These focal lengths feature the narrowest angles of view and furthest reach. Super-faraway subjects are the order of the day, making them ideal for wildlife, aviation events and picking out individual sportspersons from the sidelines. 

The best telephoto lenses are often super-telephoto examples. Perfect for getting you close to the action, from a faraway vantage point. 

You may also be interested in the best Nikon lenses, the best Canon lenses and the best Sony lenses.

The Brenizer method is the brainchild of renowned US wedding photographer Ryan Brenizer. It's sometimes referred to as the 'bokeh panorama' or 'bokeh-rama', owing to the panoramic stitching technique used to achieve it and the super-shallow depth of field that's produced. 

'Bokeh panoramas' boast shallower depths of field than are otherwise achievable with a wide-angle lens and give APS-C and full-frame users the ability to produce portraits with a large-format aesthetic. 

The key to this striking technique is to use a telephoto lens, ideally a fast one such as the best lens for portraits. You then shoot your portrait in small sections - in a tile-like grid that you will then stitch together in Photoshop. For each shot you use constant camera settings that won't change between frames, so you can create a seamless blend.

Once you've settled on a white balance preset, and locked your exposure in Manual, you used AF to focus on your subject and then switch to manual focus so as not to change your point of focus as you begin to shoot your panoramic sequence. Exactly how many photos you take is down to personal preference, but we strongly recommend overlaying each image by around 30% to ensure you don't leave any gaps.

Adobe Photoshop CC makes it easy to blend your sequence by automatically merging your images. You then simply need to check the blend for any inconsistencies and crop it as desired. If you like the idea of creating a wide portrait with a super-shallow depth of field, here's how to shoot and edit your own 'bokeh panorama'.

The Brenizer method

1. Select a fast lens 

A fast medium telephoto is handy for maximizing the shallow depth of field. However, if you don't have a pro porttrait lens any telephoto zoom will do. The great thing about this trick is you end up with a wide-angle view with much less depth of field than your existing lenses will allow.

In this instance, we used the Nikon AF-S 85mm f/1.4G, but the classic 50mm f/1.8 could also work well, especially when providing an equivalent focal length of 75mm on an APS-C camera. 

Depending on your system, the Canon RF 85mm F1.2L USM, Sony FE 85mm F1.4 G Master, and Fujifilm XF 56mm F1.2 R WR would work well, too. Thankfully, you're not limited to just prime lenses though. A fast telephoto zoom, like a 70-200mm f/2.8, will still produce a suitably blurry background for this effect.

2. Set a consistent white balance  

As you'll be merging photos, each image needs to be as consistent as possible. To prevent the white balance from changing mid-sequence, head to menu and set the color temperature manually. We'd suggest shooting in Raw so you can tweak the color temperature of you batch of images later.

3. Frame your image 

You'll have plenty of room to crop your large panorama in post, but you should still consider your composition. Visualize your final image and position yourself accordingly before you start shooting. Still leave enough space to crop, though, as your blended image will be an irregular shape.

4. Camera settings 

Select Aperture Priority mode and choose a wide aperture. We'd recommend f/2.8 or wider. Adjust the ISO value until you get a shutter speed of 1/200 sec (or higher). Select Manual mode and input the same settings to lock your exposure. Just like the white balance, consistent exposure is vital.

5. Switch to manual focus 

Your focus needs to be consistent throughout your sequence. If you're using back-button focus you can simply release the back button after you've focused on your subject. If not, focus on your subject using AF and then switch to manual focus. Your focus will then remain locked as you proceed to capture your bokeh panorama.

6. Capture a 'bokeh panorama'

We framed and captured our subject, and then shot three frames to the left and three frames to the right. This process was repeated just above the model's head and below her feet. There's no hard and fast rule for how many or how few images you should capture. Just make sure you overlay each image by around 30% to prevent any gaps between frames.

Blend a 'bokeh panorama'

7. Open your sequence in Camera Raw 

Highlight your sequence in Adobe Bridge (select the first image, hold Shift and select the last image). Right-click and select Open in Camera Raw. Hold Shift and select the last image in the left panel to highlight the sequence. Edits will now affect all of the images.

8. Set the color temperature

Once you've selected Remove Chromatic Aberration and Enable Profile Corrections in the Lens Corrections tab, check the exposure and color temperature of each image. Ensure you fix any inconsistencies before blending your panorama and select Done.

9. Import your sequence into Adobe Photoshop

With the images still selected, click Tools>Photoshop>Photomerge. Make sure Auto and Blend Images Together are selected when the Photomerge window opens and click Browse to select the images from your sequence. Hit OK to start the merging process.

10. Blend your 'bokeh panorama'

You'll now have a large medium-format style image that's spliced into multiple layers. Photoshop generally does a good job of blending images together, but it's worth looking for any obvious inconsistencies, which you can rectify with the Clone or Patch tools.

11. Crop your blended image 

Your image is likely a rather irregular shape; fix this using the Crop tool. It's worth remembering that your photograph is a blend of multiple pictures, so you have plenty of room to play with if you opt for a tighter composition.

6. Flatten and finish 

Make a flattened copy of your image by selecting the topmost layer and pressing  Ctrl+Alt+Shift+E (Cmd+Alt+Shift+E on a Mac). You can then proceed with your normal tonal editing regime to finish it off.

You may also be interested in how to use Photoshop's High Pass Filter to selectively sharpen your photos, or to learn other great Photoshop tips

Fujirumors has shared a Weibo post that claims as many as three Chinese lens manufacturers are developing autofocus zoom lenses. Sadly there are no further details on what these lenses may be. However Fujirumors also spoke to Chinese lens manufacturer Viltrox last year, asking whether it was planning to release zoom lenses for Fuji X-mount. The response from Viltrox's marketing director:

Whether any of these proposed lenses will feature autofocus is uncertain, but if any Chinese lens manufacturer was to release an autofocus zoom lens, we'd bet on it being Viltrox. We've tested and revied numerous Chinese lenses, from the likes of Laowa, Yongnuo, TTArtisan and 7Artisans, but the majority of these have historically been 'dumb' primes with no electronic lens-body communication, and therefore no autofocus. Viltrox, on the other hand, has produced multiple autofocus prime lens, with full electronic communication, and the kind of build and handling to rival the likes of Sigma and Tamron. In fact, the quality and performance of the E-mount Viltrox 16mm f/1.8 AF led Phillip Reeve to assert that:

And having tested the Viltrox AF 13mm F1.4, AF 23mm F1.4, AF 33mm F1.4 and AF 56mm F1.4, we're tempted to agree - they really are superb lenses. Consequently we wouldn't be surprised to see Viltrox leading the Chinese charge to produce autofocus zoom lenses. It also shouldn't come as much surprise that China as a country should be developing autofocus zoom lenses, or that they're likely to be as good as anything Japan or Germany produces. After all, China is the manufacturing center of the world, and if the latest iPhone or electric car can be produced there without issue, then why shouldn't China be able to manufacture another precision object like an autofocus zoom lens?

Story credit: Fujirumors

Lens manufacturer 7Artisans seems to be readying four new autofocus prime lenses. In a roadmap image taken at IBC in Amsterdam and shared with L-rumors.com, we can see a total of six lenses, comprised of four new primes that will supplement two existing 7Artisan's lenses: the AF 50mm f/1.8, and AF 85mm f/1.8. The four upcoming lenses are the:

• AF 35mm F2.8
• AF 40mm F2.8
• AF 24mm F1.8
• AF 35mm F1.8

Like the existing 50mm and 85mm lenses, the four new optics look set to come in Sony E-mount, Nikon Z and L-mount variants, while all but the AF 35mm f/2.8 feature a dedicated aperture control ring. No other details about the new lenses have been made public, but if the new lenses perform anything like the current AF 50mm f/1.8, they should be compelling buys.

The AF 50mm f/1.8 marked 7Artisans' first attempt at an autofocus lens with full lens-body electronic communication. When we reviewed the lens we found it to be a well-built lens that operated smoothly and gave respectable image quality, all for a very reasonable price. The addition of four more focal length options in the AF range can only be good news for Sony, Nikon and L-mount shooters.

Story credit: L-rumors.com

You shouldn’t crop in software.
Always choose the focal length to get the right shot at the time of capture.
Only use prime lenses, a zoom lens dilutes your image quality.
Nail your exposure. If you underexpose or overexpose you’ve missed the shot.
Set your sharpening correctly for a pinsharp image.
Make sure your shutter speed is enough to prevent camera movement.
Always use a tripod. 
Real photographers shoot black and white only as it’s the most direct link to historical photography.
And those primes? They should be vintage lenses.
You should never stage a photo, you should always capture the scene as you find it. 

Honestly folks, can you imagine how boring and suppressed photography would be if you had to stick to rules like that? We’re blessed in a world where 40+ Megapixel cameras allow us to crop in to get photos within our capture, allowing you to tailor the crop to both the subject and the destination. Be that for print (and you should print), Instagram stories, posts, or going into videos like reels, shorts, or longer form. 

Use the lens that gets the shot. Many a shot has been lost swapping to the right prime. Put the zoom lens on. Sure, using one fixed length is great practice – I recently shot a festival with the fixed 23mm (35mm full frame equivalent) on a Fujifilm X100VI, but being able to choose a length leads to a far greater variety of images from a location. Get the best one you can afford. Modern zooms are easily as good are older primes for sharpness. 

If you shoot Raw, you have an amazing amount of leeway in exposure. You can easily bring back around two stops of lost highlights, or open up dark shadows with underexposure. These are just tools to enhance your photo. You may have been shooting against overcast skies and nailed your subject’s exposure at the sake of the sky. So you bring it back in raw processing. Good for you. That’s a choice based on experience. 

You don’t need a tripod all the time. Sure, if you’re looking at back-to-front depth of field, which can require long exposures, but handheld photos can work well in other situations. You could even use a tripod with motion. There’s a whole brigade of amazing Intentional Camera Movement photographers using motion during exposure to create unique pieces of art. 

Black and white photography is beautiful. That classic, pristine, look of form and tone. Often breathtaking. But that doesn’t take from the jaw-dropping shot of an amazing sunset. Or the creative use of color. Understanding how colors interact allows you to take photos that have an immediate and lasting impact, often more than with black and white. 

Sharpness is overrated.  As Ansel Adams said "There’s nothing worse than a sharp image of a fuzzy concept". Film photography was often not perfectly sharp and the grain of the film prevented really sharp edges. Digital sharpness can be a bane for portraits where the depth of pore detail means a lot of retouching to create a more flattering image. Can you ignore it altogether? No, of course not. Shallow focus photos need the subject to be sharp enough for the subject to be obvious. Better to capture a great photo and fix sharpness later than miss it. 

Ignore the purists and use your creativity and gear to the fullest to create photos that represent you, your views, values and likes. 

More opinion pieces by Sean McCormack:

• This is why I hate being a photographer
• I switched camera systems, and this is the lens that really surprised me
• I can't believe I actually bought this camera
• These two lenses could do 90% of your photographic work
• You don't always have to shoot Raw as a photographer, but you probably should
• No, you don't need to get on a plane to take great travel photos

Hasselblad has dropped a new lens that marks two big firsts. The Hasselblad XCD 20-35E is both the company's first ever ultra-wide zoom lens, as well as the first in its flagship series of 'Exclusive' lenses (the "E" in the product name). 

Its 20-35mm f/3.2-4.5 focal range truly lives up to the ultra-wide billing, delivering an effective 16-27mm range in full frame terms. As the widest and fastest lens in the lineup, the XCD 20-35E is an ideal option for genres like landscapes and architecture that the medium format X System is so adept at. 

The lens is beautifully designed, as you would expect of an XCD optic, and features an internal focus mechanism so that the 117mm length stays fixed and the 805g weight remains perfectly balanced whether you're using a Hasselblad X2D or the 907X & CFV 100C (or one of the 50MP bodies of the previous generation). 

The optical formula comprises 16 elements in 12 groups, including 3 aspherical elements and 4 extra-low dispersion elements. It is able to focus as close as 0.32m, and features a 77mm filter thread. As with all XCD lenses, the 20-35E features a leaf shutter that offers flash sync speeds of up to 1/2000 sec.

Hasselblad's goal for this new Exclusive flagship class of optics is to deliver the same degree of optical performance as its outstanding prime lenses. Remarkably, it actually delivers center sharpness on par with a Hasselblad prime – and given that the XCD 90V is literally the sharpest lens we've ever tested, that's saying something! 

You can check out the lab tests along with my full thoughts in my Hasselblad XCD 20-35E review. I've been using the lens for a while now and I've been absolutely staggered by the shots I get from it. 

From the review:

"Hasselblad's first ever ultra-wide is another home run for the XCD lineup. Whether you're looking for the fastest and widest lens possible, you're trying to replace a few wide-angle primes, or you simply want a fantastic tool for all-purpose wide-angle shooting, the XCD 20-35E is what you're looking for."

The Hasselblad XCD 20-35E is available now, priced $5,929 / £5,699 (Australian pricing to be confirmed).

You might also be interested in the best Hasselblad cameras, including my Hasselblad X2D vs 907X CFV 100C comparison, along with the best Hasselblad lenses.

Fujifilm’s camera history has been kind of like a game of two halves. It made its name with compact retro-styled X-T, X-E, and X-Pro cameras with compact bodies and external exposure controls. These came with a range of compact f/2 prime lenses designed for compactness and affordability, including an 18mm f/2, 23mm f/2, 35mm f/2, and 50mm f/2. This XF16mm F2.8 came along a little later to provide a 24mm equivalent prime no larger than the rest, and yet with a physical aperture ring and weather sealing.

These are among the best Fujifilm lenses, certainly for travel photography and fans of old-school external exposure controls.

Since then, though, Fujifilm has shifted gears, aiming for a more mainstream enthusiast/hybrid market with the X-S10 and X-S20, and higher-end professional users, with the Fujifilm X-H2 and X-H2s. These are among the best Fujifilm cameras to buy today but have lost some of the uniqueness of earlier models.

The X-T series carries on with the Fujifilm X-T5 and X-T50, but the X-E and X-Pro range appear to have gone. Along with this has been a shift towards larger, professional zooms and fast f1/4 primes which appeal to a wider market but don’t sit so well on the smaller cameras.

The XF16mm F2.8, however, will still have strong appeal for owners of smaller or more modest Fujifilm bodies. Its maximum aperture may be modest, but it’s compact, inexpensive, and practical – and it could fill a gap in many users’ prime lens line-up.

Fujinon XF 16mm F2.8: Specifications

Fujinon XF 16mm F2.8: Price and availability

The Fujinon XF16mm F2.8 is widely available and costs around $399 / £339. Fujifilm also makes an XF16mm F1.4 R WR which is quite tempting, because it has a maximum aperture 2 stops faster – though it does cost almost three times as much. The other alternative is the much newer Fujinon XF18mm F1.4 R LM WR, but that has a slightly longer equivalent focal length of 27mm, and as well as being a lot more expensive, it’s physically larger and longer too. If you’re happy with an f/2.8 maximum aperture, the little XF16mm F2.8 is terrific value for money.

Fujinon XF16mm F2.8: Design and handling

The XF16mm F2.8 is pretty cheap by prime lens standards, especially for one that has a physical aperture ring and weather-sealed construction. It feels very well made indeed, with a metal mounting plate (of course) and a petal-shaped lens hood included.

Everything about this lens feels well-designed. The aperture ring is clearly marked and is beautifully weighted with 1/3-stop clicks between the major aperture markings and an A (auto) setting past f/22, where the lens aperture is controlled by the camera body.

The manual focus ring feels really smooth and is mounted ahead of the aperture ring where the lens barrel tapers in slightly. This means there’s no danger of mistaking one ring for the other and you can find both easily by touch.

However, there’s no focus distance scale on this lens, and hence no depth of field markings for zone or hyperfocal distances. These can be displayed on the camera, though, so it’s still perfectly doable.

Beyond that, there’s not much more to say. This is a simple, solid-feeling little lens that gets on with the job without any fuss or distractions. It also looks good and balances well on any Fujifilm bodies.

Fujinon XF16mm F2.8: Performance

Optically, the XF16mm F2.8 is good but not stellar. Fujifilm’s in-body corrections and embedded profiles effectively remove chromatic aberration, vignetting, and distortion, but while the edge-to-edge performance is good on older Fujifilm bodies, the 40MP sensor in my X-T5 does make the fall-off in resolution towards the edges of the frame more apparent.

This is the curse of high-resolution sensors. All those megapixels can turn anyone into a pixel-peeper, and it’s only human nature to zoom right in to see how much detail you’ve captured. Provided you don’t zoom in too far – say 100% on a 4K monitor – the images from this lens look great. Zoom in further to 200%, say, and you’ll see that while the center resolution is excellent, it does fall away somewhat toward the edges.

Will this bother you? On a 26MP, 24MP, or older 16MP Fujifilm camera, I doubt it. It’s only with the latest 40MP sensors it starts to become apparent. That’s a bit of a shame because the little XF16mm 2.8 is such a wonderful match for an X-T5 body, and especially the new X-T50.

The autofocus performance is excellent. Fujifilm’s smaller lenses don’t get the company’s high-speed Linear Motor actuators but it doesn’t seem to matter here. The XF16mm F2.8 is whisper quiet and focuses in an instant.

Fujinon XF16mm F2.8: Sample images

Here’s a selection of shots taken with the XF16mm F2.8. It’s an ideal walkaround lens for city streets and architecture, and landscapes too. The modest F2.8 maximum aperture only becomes a limitation in dimly-lit interiors, but if you’re using a later Fujifilm body with IBIS, you can get around that with slower shutter speeds.

Fujinon XF16mm F2.8: Verdict

The Fujinon 16mm F2.8 is a super little lens that’s really well made and nice to handle. The controls and finish are so good that it feels as if it ought to cost a lot more than it actually does. What keeps the cost and the size down is that maximum aperture of f/2.8, which isn’t much in a world where 24mm equivalent primes are typically f/1.8 or f/1.4. But if that’s the price of compactness and affordability then I’m happy to pay for it. (I actually did pay for it – I own this lens.)

Ideally I would like it to be a little sharper at the edges than it is when I use it on my X-T5, but that’s an issue raised by this camera’s unprecedented resolution. It is proving quite difficult to find affordable X-mount lenses that can live up to this sensor’s potential.

I don’t want to overstate this, though. You have to be a bit of a pixel peeper to notice in the first place, and if you’re using a 26MP body or lower, then it’s pretty much a no-issue.

I say that because it would be a real shame if this lens was overlooked because it’s not perfect. It’s small, affordable, practical and beautifully made.

Fujinon XF16mm F2.8: Alternatives

Viltrox has a new Sony-fit version of budget-priced  AF 56mm f/1.7. Already on sale in NIkon Z and Fujifilm X mount, the lens is designed for use with APS-C cameras - and as such offers an effective focal length of 85mm – making it a great lens for portrait photography. 

The ideal focal length for head-and-shoulder portraits, coupled with the wide f/1.7 aperture will enable the user to create shallow depth of field, isolating the subject from the background. With nine aperture blades, it promises the sort of dreamy bokeh that you usually only get with much more expensive prime lenses.

The 56mm f/1.7 has an internal focusing and a silent STM autofocus motor, enabling fast and accurate focusing for both stills and video. Vitrox says that the focus breathing is "almost imperceptible when the focus changes".

The lens is constructed from 11 elements in nine groups, including four extra-low dispersion lenses and three lenses with high refractive index, combating aberrations and dispersion. It weighs just 171g and is 72mm long.

Other features include HD multi-layer nano lens coating, a 52mm diameter filter thread, EXIF info transmission support, and a built-in USB-C port for updating firmware.

The AF 56mm f/1.7 sells for $180 / £139 / AU$315.

You can read our full review of the Nikon-fit Viltrox AF 56mm f/1.7

See our guides for more information on the best portrait lenses and the best Sony lenses

Samyang is teasing a new lens - but we don't have much to go on, based on the Facebook post announcing its imminent launch.

With the headline of the post promising "Something New", we see a silhouette of what looks like a very thin lens. So that, I guess, means a pancake prime lens.

We are also told that it is for Sony FE creators - so it is a full-frame lens for Sony Alpha mirrorless cameras.

We are also told it it slim, stylish, inspiring and creative – which doesn't give us a lot more information about the lens's actual specification. But a hashtag does confirm that this lens will boast autofocus.

But we do know that Samyang already has 24mm f/2.8 and 35mm f/2.8 autofocus lenses available for Sony shooters. So this may well be a different focal length - such as a 20mm? Sony already have a Sony E 20mm f/2.8 Pancake lens - but that is only suitable for APS-C-sensor cameras.

The teaser doesn't give us a launch date, but we would expect the announcement to be in the next day or two... And we'd expect, as usual, that the lens will also be made available in the Rokinon range in North America. We'll let you know the full details as soon as we have them.

Meanwhile, check our guides to the best pancake lenses and the best Sony lenses available right now

There doesn't seem to be a week that goes by without a major manufacturer issuing firmware updates for its cameras but in rarer instances, lenses also get updated. This is the case this week, as Fujifilm updates the firmware on three of its XF zoom lenses.

Zoom lenses are among the most popular as they cover multiple focal lengths in one lens. It used to be that zoom lenses would have to sacrifice some quality in return for the variable focal length and prime lenses were king, however, with the advancement in today's technology the gap has been reduced.

This is certainly the case for the Fujifilm lenses getting a new upgrade, as they rank among the best Fujifilm lenses on the market. The lenses are the Fujinon XF 16-55mm F2.8 R LM WR, the Fujinon XF 16-80mm F4 R OIS WR, and the Fujinon XF 18-120mm F4 LM PZ WR.

Unfortunately, it isn't one of those firmware updates that add features or improve AF tracking, but it is just as important as it fixes noted issues with the lens performance.

The notes read as follows:

" Fujinon XF 16-55mm F2.8 R LM WR Ver.1.33

• A minor bug is fixed.

Fujinon XF 16-80mm F4 R OIS WR Ver.1.21

• A firmware bug is fixed that the noise occurs during zoom operation in the rare cases.

• A minor bug is fixed.

Fujinon XF 18-120mm F4 LM PZ WR Ver.1.11

• A minor bug is fixed. "

Not groundbreaking updates but necessary ones to get the lenses working at maximum potential, and regarding the XF 16-80mm, fixing a noisy motor will be very welcomed by users.

If you have never updated your lens firmware or perhaps need a refresher, a step-by-step guide on how to update your lens firmware can be found on each download page.

You may also be interested in our guides to the best Fujifilm lenses, the best Fujifilm cameras, and the best standard zoom lenses.

It's not often a cheap 85mm fast portrait prime lens comes along, but that's exactly what 7Artisans have just launched for Sony full-frame E-mount cameras. The new AF 85mm F1.8 has instantly become one of the most affordable portrait primes available for Sony shooters, and unlike many budget prime lenses from third-party manufacturers, this one has stepping motor autofocussing, a configurable Fn function button on the lens barrel, as well as a USB-C port in the lens mount to enable future firmware updates. The only obvious omission here is optical image stabilisation, but since this is a lens designed for Sony's IBIS-equipped E-mount bodies, that's not a deal-breaker.

Read more:
The best cheap lenses The best Sony lenses The best Sony cameras

Optically you get a 10-element stack structured in 7 groups, including a pair of extra-low dispersion elements and two high-refractive-index elements to improve sharpness and minimise chromatic aberrations. 7Artisans hasn't skimped on the lens diaphragm either, as it uses an 11-blade aperture to keep out of focus highlights well rounded, plus it should also make for very smooth bokeh. And if you'd rather use the lens for close-ups, the 0.8-meter minimum focussing distance allows for this.

Despite its full-frame coverage and the inclusion of autofocus, the AF 85mm F1.8 is fairly light, weighing 437.5g, though it should be noted that's still noticeably heavier than Sony's own 371g FE 85mm F1.8 lens. The Sony optic is also shorter, measuring 81mm long compared to the 96mm 7Artisans lens.

But if you can manage that extra bulk, the $299/£279 retail price of the 7Artisans AF 85mm F1.8 makes it almost half the price of the Sony competition. What's more, 7Artisans has already released an AF 50mm F1.8 lens for Sony cameras that we've already reviewed, and which we found to be very good indeed, with respectable image quality. If this 85mm version performs just as well, it could be an absolute steal at the price.

The 7Artisans AF 85mm F1.8 is available to pre-order now from B&H for $299 or at Amazon for £279. 

In today's landscape, the demand for video content is at an all-time high, and more and more professionals are bulking out their kits with specialist video equipment. Cine lenses are a staple but often have a larger-than-desired price tag attached – enter 7Artisans.  

The new 7Artisans Hope Prime T2.1 S35 Cine lenses offer competition to the best cine lenses on the market, costing just a fraction of the price of some options.

Available for Sony E, Fujifilm X, Canon RF-S, and MFT mounts, the Hope Cine prime lens range is comprised of 6 lenses covering wide-angle to medium telephoto and available in black and titanium colorways. A 10mm, 16mm, 25mm, 35mm, 50mm, and 85mm offer the user versatility to capture video in a wide range of shooting scenarios.

There has been no information regarding future mount options, however, although L mount users will certainly be keen for a release. 

Despite the low price point, the lenses offer an extensive list of features for enhanced performance and ease of use, starting with the generous T2.1 aperture. 

A maximum aperture of T2.1 enables bright capture of the scene, even in low lighting conditions. It also aids in producing a shallower depth of field with a wider perspective, especially when used at the minimum focus distance of just 0.2m.

7Artisans highlights the form factor of the lenses as a key feature to be utilized by creators. Despite covering a wide focal range and being made up of 15 elements in 12 groups, the lenses are lightweight and compact, weighing just 600-800g. This is ideal for those who operate as individuals and provides easy switching of accessories such as gimbals and stabilizers.

Consistency across any cine lens line is key, as it allows the user to seamlessly swap different focal length lenses without changing the shooting rig, and the Hope lenses are no different.

A unified design specification means that the focus ring and the aperture ring are in the same position on all lenses. The focusing rings also provide a focus stroke of 260°, enabling precise focusing control and maximizing accuracy.

Other notable features include multi-layer nano-coating, compatibility with AF accessories, suppressed focus breathing, and a moisture-proof carry box.

The best part about these lenses is the price point. The 7Artisans Hope Prime T2.1 S35 Cine lenses are available individually or as part of a set. 

Pricing of the individual lenses is as follows: 10mm – $489 / £378, 16mm – $399 / £308, 25mm – $369 / £285, 35mm – $369 / £285, 50mm – $369, / £285 85mm – $369 / £285. (Australian pricing to be confirmed).

You may also be interested in our guides to the best cinema lenses, the best cinema camera, and the best camera for filmmaking. 

DZO Film has announced the release of the company's new Arles Prime lens series, drawing inspiration from the vibrant town of Arles in southern France, famously cherished by the painter Vincent van Gogh. Known for its abundant sunlight and rich seasonal colors, Arles played a crucial role in van Gogh's departure from conventional artistic styles.

These Arles prime lenses, with their T1.4 fast apertures, aim to encapsulate this dynamic interplay of light and shadow, opening up new avenues for artistic expression and cinematic creativity. The lenses come with interchangeable Arri PL and Canon EF lens mounts.

One of the standout features of the Arles prime lenses is the T1.4 ultra-wide aperture, which allows for substantial light intake, making them ideal for low-light and complex shooting conditions. 

This capability ensures a stunningly dreamy shallow depth of field, precisely highlighting every narrative detail. Even at wide-open aperture, the lenses maintain even brightness transitions and clear rendering of intricate light and shadow details, supporting high frame rate shooting without compromising image quality, and producing smooth, exquisite cinematic footage.

Additionally, the lenses are compatible with larger format sensors, offering coverage for medium format cameras with a sensor size of up to 43.8 × 32.9mm with focal lengths ranging from 25mm to 50mm, as well as large format cameras like the Arri Alexa 65 (54.12 × 25.59 mm) with focal lengths from 75mm to 180mm. This compatibility satisfies the diverse needs of independent filmmaking to large-scale film production.

The advanced multi-layer nano-coating technology utilized in the Arles series includes a specially calibrated blue coating to minimize reflections and effectively reduce stray light and ghosting. This results in stable and controllable flares, while the internal lens structure's sandblasting and anodizing techniques create a micro-level anti-reflective coating with ultra-low reflectivity. 

Consequently, even when shooting directly against the light, the lenses deliver clean and sharp images, ensuring consistent color temperatures around 5000K to faithfully reproduce vivid, true-to-life colors and present a natural, neutral visual style.

The Arles prime lenses also boast 16 aperture blades, delivering delightful circular bokeh and ensuring smooth transitions between in-focus and out-of-focus areas. At maximum aperture, the lenses provide a soft low-contrast look, with slight swirling bokeh adding a distinctive characteristic to the image. 

This feature enhances the emotional depth of each frame, while the built-in floating lens elements minimize aberrations during focusing transitions, improving optical performance. With minimal breathing, the lenses immerse viewers in each frame, amplifying the emotional impact of the scenes. 

Additionally, the lenses incorporate advanced optical materials and precision manufacturing techniques to correct spherical aberration and coma, reduce wide-angle distortion and astigmatism, and suppress chromatic aberration, ensuring exceptional optical performance. 

These new Arles lenses are priced individually at $2,149 (25mm, 35mm, 50mm, 75mm, and 100mm) or filmmakers can buy all the lenses as a 5-lens set for $9,699 through authorized retailers.

Purchase lenses separately at B&H for $2,149

Purchase the 5-lens set for $9,699 at B&H

Laowa is teasing the launch of the world's first-ever lens that is both a zoom and a shift lens. To date shift lenses have only been prime lenses - and the ability to have a choice of focal lengths in the one zoom will be of huge interest to architectural photographers. 

We don't know much about this lens as yet—we will have to wait until Monday, 08 July, for more information on what this innovative lens actually offers. But the launch has been announced on Laowa's Weibo social media channel, promising a video launch at 7.30pm Chinese time – so 10.30am ET / 3.30pm BST.

From the name and the teaser image, we can tell that this is not a tilt-shift lens and will only offer shift movements. Laowa already offers an attractively-priced 15mm f/4.5 Zero-D Shift wide-angle prime that offers ±11mm on full-frame cameras. This manual-focus lens is available in Canon RF, Canon EF, Nikon Z, Nikon F, Sony FE, L mount, and Pentax K mounts. It also produces a Laowa 20mm f/4 Zero-D Shift lens option.

The shift movements allow the lens to move sideways or vertically relative to the camera, correcting for converging verticals while keeping the image sensor parallel to the surface being photographed.

The launch invitation shows that the lens has a rotating collar at the rear, that allows you to move the lens so that it can shift either vertically or horizontally. And it is also clear that this a manual focus only affair. It also shows that it has a minimum focus of 0.15m (6 inches).

Rumors suggest that it will have a focal length of 12-24mm with a maximum aperture of f/5.6 - but we can't confirm this, although there is an existing Laowa 12-24mm f/5.6. It is also hard to be sure whether this is for full-frame, or solely for APS-C crop sensor cameras.

We will have to wait until next week to have the answers…

Since bursting onto the photography scene from seemingly nowhere, Thypoch immediately made waves in the photography community by challenging Leica's legendary lenses for build quality and optical capabilities – but aiming to do so at a fraction of Leica's hefty prices. 

The first two lenses from Thypoch in its Simera range are twin wide-aperture prime lenses – the Simera 28mm f/1.4 and Simera 35mm f/1.4 lenses. So the range is fairly limited right now, but as Thypoch has quickly launched the Eureka 50mm lens, as well as expanding the Simera lenses to most other lens mounts, we might be on the cusp of a lot more lenses from Thypoch in the coming months.

It's quite clear just how inspired by Leica's lenses Thypoch is, as the Simera lenses borrow a lot of design queues from Leica, although there is enough new here that they can't just be dismissed as cheap knockoffs. 

So let's take a look and see if the Simera lens can compete, or if Leica's particular magic is just too hard to imitate.

Thypoch Simera 35mm f/1.4: Specifications

Thypoch Simera 35mm f/1.4 ASPH: Price

When compared to any Leica alternatives, the Thypoch Simera 35mm offers excellent value for money and is priced very competitively with manual focus lenses from other manufacturers. Although with the exception of a few companies like Voigtländer, there are not many lenses that quite have the same feel and build quality as the Simera. And even coming close to Leica’s expensive lenses in terms of quality, makes it an attractive option for photographers looking for a high-performing prime lens without breaking the bank.

Thypoch Simera 35mm f/1.4: Design & Handling

The Simera 35mm lens boasts a sleek, all-metal body in either all-black or a two-tone silver version. The body is made of an aluminum alloy, rather than brass like some Leica lenses, or the newer Thypoch Eureka lens. But this metal construction exudes durability and a premium feel that feels like it belongs to a lens that should cost substantially more. 

This is no lightweight polycarbonate lens, but despite the premium metal materials, the lens still manages to be relatively compact and lightweight, making it an excellent companion for street and travel photography, and weightier products are par for the course with Leica cameras and lenses.

The focus ring is smooth and well-damped, making manual focusing easy and precise, and it feels essential to remind everyone that this is a manual focus-only lens (for a manual focus-only camera). The focus ring has raised and textured bumps, that not only do aesthetically look very nice but also help with finding and gripping the ring.

The only thing I don’t really like about the focus mechanism is the infinity lock switch. This is a little catch that locks the focus in infinity, however, I find it is very rarely necessary to do that, and in fact, it slows down focusing in key moments as I kept finding myself struggling to release the catch. The focus rocker on Leica lenses is so much easier to use, and I am glad to see that for the non-M versions of this lens, Thypoch has used that design, although alas the current M-mount Simera continues to be made with the infinity lock switch.

Moving on to one of my favorite design flourishes I have seen on a lens in a long time – the depth of field indicator. This is a series of dots on the lens that are filled in with a red background to indicate the distance from the lens that will be in focus depending on the aperture used. It might be one of those features that has to be seen to really appreciate, but it is just a wonderful flourish that I really love about this lens.

Thypoch Simera 35mm f/1.4: Performance

In terms of image quality, the Simera 35mm lens surprised me a lot. It delivers sharp, crisp images with minimal distortion. The lens handles chromatic aberrations well, and the color reproduction is accurate. 

As with all manual focus lenses, it is often hard to distinguish if the lens is not sharp or if I have missed focus, but on the whole, center sharpness was generally very good, with the lens capturing some beautiful detail, especially close up. Towards the edges, the lens was a little soft wide open, although this isn't entirely unexpected, and the edges did sharpen up considerably as the aperture was narrowed. 

One of the key features of a Leica lens is the unique ‘Leica Look’ and while I won’t say this lens replicates any Leica 35mm lens exactly, the lens has a Leica-esque distinctive contrasty look to its images, that I would associate with Leica, and online, I don’t think anyone would be able to tell the difference. I think you could easily mix and match with any other Leica lenses in your collection and they would blend pretty seamlessly together. 

The lens’ fast f/1.4 maximum aperture is ideal for low-light conditions, and as Leica M cameras do not have IBIS, being able to shoot with faster shutter speeds in these situations is fairly essential. The wider aperture also achieves a shallow depth of field, and at f/1.4 aperture the background blur and subject isolation were really pleasing, with Leica-like softness in out-of-focus areas.

Thypoch Simera 35mm f/1.4: Sample Images

Thypoch Simera 35mm f/1.4: Verdict

Let's face it, Leica gear is expensive, you may have ended up with a Leica M camera, but can’t afford to flesh out your lens collection with premium Leica glass. Well, the Thypoch Simera 35mm f/1.4 lens is here to save the day.

Whether you’re capturing portraits, landscapes, or street scenes, the Simera 35mm is a versatile and beautifully built lens that delivers great optical performance, the lens has the creamy out-of-focus areas and high contrast look that a lot of Leica shooters seek. The lens is also a standout choice for anyone seeking a high-quality prime lens that offers solid metal construction and impressive design with neat little features like the red focusing dots. Thypoch is really out to challenge lenses coming out of Wetzlar.

Of course, the biggest factor is the price compared to Leica lenses. At $699 (at the time of writing), this puts the Simera lenses at hundreds or thousands of dollars less than Leica lenses, so you can grow your lens collection faster – Thypoch just needs to make more lenses!

Alternatives

Sirui is expanding its Sniper Series of prime lenses by releasing two new focal lengths, adding more width and telephoto options.

Sirui launched its first AF photography lenses dedicated to mirrorless APS-C cameras late last year, and due to its affordable price point and wide aperture, the Sniper Series quickly became a fan favorite. 

The series currently consists of 23mm, 33mm, and 56mm f/1.2 prime lenses, however, they will soon be accompanied by the Sirui Sniper Series APS-C AF 16mm f/1.2 and the Sirui Sniper Series APS-C AF 75mm f/1.2, to further compliment the series.  

The great thing about the Sniper Series is that there are many consistent features throughout the range, which is no different from the new offerings. 

A main draw for the Sniper Series is the extremely fast f/1.2 max aperture, enabling shallow depth of field captures and exceptional low-light performance. The 75mm offers a full-frame equivalent focal length of 113mm which falls in the range of a great portrait lens, and when combined with the wide aperture, offers great subject separation. 

Much like Sirui's cine lenses, the company has put a considered emphasis on keeping the lenses in the series consistent, meaning that other than the focal range, not much changes between them. 

The size and weight are almost indistinguishable throughout the series, meaning that swapping lenses when using gimbals and stabilizers does not require changes to calibration or settings changes, making the Sniper Series a great video lens option. 

Color tone and lens characteristics are also uniform throughout, further providing the user with confidence that they know what to expect from each lens.

AF lenses are a relatively new product line for Sirui, as they have up until recently, focused on manual focus photography, cine, and, macro lenses. The Sniper Series however offers fast and efficient AF capabilities with Eye AF for stills and video. The STM motor also reduces focus hunting and noise even in fast-paced environments. 

Other notable features include a 360-degree focus throw, a USB-C port for firmware updates, HD Nano coating, and uniform color options throughout the rest of the Sniper Series. 

The Sirui Sniper Series APS-C AF 16mm f/1.2 and the Sirui Sniper Series APS-C AF 75mm f/1.2 will be available for Sony E, Fujifilm X, and Nikon Z mount. The lenses will be available to back on Indiegogo from June 17 with shipping expected to start June 19.  

Sirui continues to offer extreme value in an affordable package as each of the new lenses will cost just $399 | £346 | AU $535 each! (Early backer discounts are available via the Indiegogo page) Sirui also offers the Sniper Series as part of a set for further discounts, so keep an eye out for these as there are great deals to be had!

Sirui certainly means business and has been ramping up in production, offering affordable cine and photography lenses with fantastic optical performance, and I can only see further releases improving on this.

You may also be interested in the best lenses for Nikon Z mount, the best Fujifilm lenses, and the best Sony lenses.

I cannot think of another type of photo gear where the gap between the top spec and budget option is more out-of-step with performance than prime lenses. Take  the mainstay of any self-respecting camera bag, the 50mm prime. You can pick up a 50mm with an aperture of f/1.8 in most mounts for a couple of hundred pounds or so. But if you want the f/1.2 version then you can easily end up paying a couple of thousand. That’s a massive difference. 

Of course there’s also an f/1.4 option in most mounts, but let’s focus on budget vs premium. A quick check of the Nikon, Canon and Sony price lists gives the following…

Nikon Z 50mm f/1.8 S $549 / £479 / AU$869

Nikon Z 50mm f/1.2 S $1,899 / £2,119 / AU$2,989

Sony FE 50mm f/1.8 $198 / £159 / AU$439

Sony FE 50mm f/1.2 GM $1,899.99 / £2099 / AU$2,599

Canon RF 50mm f/1.8 STM  $199.99 / £219.99 / AU$439

Canon RF 50mm f/1.2L  $2,099 / £2449.99 / AU$3,299

So is f/1.2 worth it? 

This isn’t going to be a lab-based lens sharpness test (if it was then the verdict would be that yes, f/1.2 lenses are slightly sharper, perform better and are better built, but they’re also usually much bulkier). Instead, this is more about the conundrum many of us go through - whether to pay more for a wider aperture, and is f/1.2 as wonderful as we think it will be?

First, let’s talk aperture size. The difference between f/1.8 and f/1.2 is just over one stop, so you’d need half the amount of light for a similar exposure. For some situations like astrophotography, that difference can be huge. But for most of us, the extra stop (or half-stop for f/1.4 lenses) isn’t so important, as we can just crank up our ISO. 

Couple the low light performance of modern cameras with cutting edge AI-powered noise reduction tools (Lightroom’s AI Denoise, DxO PureRaw), and we should think nothing of shooting at ISO3200 more. This lessens the need for that f/1.2 aperture.

So let's put the low light gains of f/1.2 to the side. And while we’re at it let’s also strike off the build quality and forget about the added extras - does anybody need a tiny OLED screen on their lens? Or another function button? Or a control ring that keeps accidentally getting nudged?  Discount all these factors and mostly what we’re left with is depth of field and image quality.

Of course, there are many happy buyers who’ve forked out for the f/1.2 lenses with their slightly sharper images, the option to capture the merest sliver of in-focus detail, and bokeh with extra cream. But - bar pixel-peepers - will anybody actually notice? Whatever the brand, the gulf in cost between the f/1.2 and f/1.8 version is not reflected by a similar gulf in image quality. It’s more of a small pond.

I’m all for paying through the nose if it means getting better performance or extra features. But for me, the marginal gains don’t justify the price tag. Photography has been my job for decades and I’ve used all sorts of 50mm primes, and the thing is, the budget options are almost too good. So I’d rather spend that extra couple of thousand elsewhere. 

Of course, we can’t lump all primes under the same banner. A 400mm prime is a different beast entirely. But for wider focal ranges, most of us are likely to find a budget option that fulfills our needs. 

That being said, if you love a certain focal length, let’s say you shoot street photos at 50mm, or all your portraits at 85mm, then it may make sense to fork out top dollar. Likewise if you need better autofocus performance, or if you shoot video and really want that shallow depth of field. But an obsession with creamy bokeh can be an unhealthy thing. 

Does anybody really care whether their bokeh highlights are perfectly circular or ever-so-slightly oblong? Not me.

TTArtisan has just announced a new 250mm manual focus full-frame prime lens, which already starts to sound farfetched but when you add the fact that it is a mirrored lens for the vintage M42 mount it passes farfetched and enters the realm of unbelievable! 

This week the TTArtisan 250mm f/5.6 Reflex lens was announced, available for M42 mount, a screw thread mount that harkens back to the days of retro cameras, in particular Praktica analog cameras of the 60s and 70s. However, TTArtisan states it is easily adapted for 'Sony, Fujifilm, Canon, Nikon, Hasselblad cameras'.

Nowadays, besides being a motorway in the UK that connects Birmingham to Leicester, the M42 is an affordable method for manufacturers to create a universal lens where all you need to change is the camera-specific adapter. This is particularly effective when used with manual focus lenses that do not rely on electronic components. 

This is the case with the new TTArtisan 250mm f/5.6 mirror lens, and in addition to its retro lens mount, it also has retro aesthetics and styling to match. Its diamond-shaped grip structure on the focusing ring looks straight out of the 1970s as it adds a vintage-styled grip for improved tactile usage. 

The lens is constructed of six lements in five groups, weighs 380g, and has a filter thread size of 67mm. Its all-metal aviation aluminum anodized body provides less weight than other lenses of similar specifications while remaining robust and durable for use in different environments. 

Like most mirrored lenses, the 250mm f/5.6 is more compact than typical lenses of similar focal lengths. The focal length enables the user to get close to the subject while creating a pleasing amount of compression in the out-of-focus areas. 

One of the defining features of mirrored reflex lenses is the spherical 'doughnut' bokeh produced when used with the lens' fixed f/5.6 aperture. The effect turns ordinary scenes into artistic painterly captures, and when used to capture rich colors, results in images that resemble abstract oil paintings.

Other notable features of the lens include a highly reflective metal mirror with a reflectivity of up to 98%, multi-layer ultra-low AR coatings, no vignetting on APS-C and full frame cameras, and a minimum focus distance of just 2m. 

Mirror lenses provide the user with a creative tool that captures everyday scenes in a new and innovative way turning the ordinary into the extraordinary. We haven't yet got our hands on the lens, TTArtisan has been making some great affordable lenses of late, so I imagine this will follow suit. 

The TTArtisan 250mm f/5.6 Reflex lens is available now directly from Pergear or from Amazon for $298 | £238 | AU $455. 

You may also be interested in our guides to the best telephoto lenses, the best retro cameras, and the best portrait lenses. 

Sigma has just revealed a groundbreaking, world-first lens: the Sigma 28-45mm f/1.8 DG DN Art, which is the first full-frame zoom lens with a constant f/1.8 aperture, for E and L-Mount. 

This is exactly the kind of optic that the mirrorless revolution promised us: with larger throats and reduced distance between lens and sensor, lenses that were previously impossible are now achievable. 

Leave it to Sigma, the self-confessed "guinea pig of the lens industry", to deliver the 28-45mm f/1.8, which sets new standards for what we can expect of zoom lenses. Previously, the family of f/2.8 professional zooms (15-35mm, 24-70mm and 70-200mm) were considered the "holy Trinity" because of their speed and coverage. 

While the new lens obviously covers a much shorter range, if those are the Trinity lenses then dare I say this 24-45mm f/1.8 promises to be the New Testament of what we can expect of performance optics. 

In addition to the constant f/1.8 throughout the range, the lens also boasts a constant size throughout the range – thanks to an internal zoom mechanism. So, while this 151.4mm / 960g lens isn't exactly small, it's incredibly compact for what it accomplishes – and, crucially, the balance remains fixed, making it perfect for gimbal use.

"The Sigma 28-45mm f/1.8 DG DN Art delivers sharpness and clarity comparable to that of a prime lens throughout its entire zoom range," claims the manufacturer, promising that it "rivals prime lenses for clarity and definition."

This is thanks to an elaborate optical formula consisting of 18 elements (including 5 super-low dispersion and 3 aspherical) in 15 groups, with Nano Porous Coating and Super Multi-Layer Coating meaning that flare and ghosting are "largely eliminated". 

In addition to its fixed size being a boon for videography, the lens also suppresses focus breathing and the dedicated aperture ring can be declicked – making it a powerful tool for filmmaking. 

The Sigma 28-45mm f/1.8 DG DN Art goes on sale June 20, for L-Mount and Sony E mount, priced £1,349 / £1,299 / AU$1,599. 

You might be interested in the best Sony lenses for E mount bodies along with the best L-Mount lenses for Leica, Panasonic and Sigma cameras.

It's no secret that the best mirrorless cameras have effectively killed off the DSLR, and consequently lens manufacturers are slowly but surely discontinuing their DSLR optics as well. However, one brand remains committed to the traditional single lens reflex camera system: Pentax. Sure, it could easily be argued that the brand is merely clinging on by a fingernail to the DSLR market, as its most recent camera, the Pentax KF, can barely be called new at all. Likewise, Pentax is hardly launching new lenses with any real frequency, and yet details have emerged of a possible new Pentax lens.

Read more:
The best Pentax lenses
The best DSLR cameras

According to a recently unearthed Japanese patent application, Pentax may be working on a new wide-angle prime lens. The lens in question is a 14mm f/3.5 K-mount lens for APS-C bodies - a slightly odd choice of focal length, given Pentax has already given us the Pentax-DA 14mm f/2.8 ED (IF) lens. However, that lens is almost 20 years old, with dated optical and autofocus technology, and it’s not particularly compact or lightweight. In this latest patent application, there's mention of the patent objective being to achieve "miniaturization and a wide angle", indicating the new 14mm could be significantly smaller than the old f/2.8 lens. Restricting the maximum aperture to f/3.5 would also help reduce the lens's overall diameter, and by extension likely create a lighter lens.

It’d be great to see such a lens make it to production, not necessarily because we really want to see a new 14mm K-mount lens in particular, but because of what the lens would represent in the broader sense: proof that Pentax is still committed to a much-loved camera formula. However, considering the application date for this patent was November 2022, at the very least Pentax is taking its time bringing a 14mm f/3.5 lens to market, or the lens may never actually make it to production.

Story credit: Pentax Rumors

Samyang's V-AF cine lens lineup is now complete with the introduction of the Samyang V-AF 20mm T1.9, a fast full-frame wide-angle lens and the widest of the series. 

Samyang historically specialized in budget third-party manual focus lenses, but in recent years it has expanded to offer users not only AF options but cine lens options. Pushing this even further Samyang combined these and created the world's first AF cine lenses with the Samyang V-AF, considered by many to be on par with the best cine lenses on the market - and the three that we have tested so far, all perform extremely well given their highly-affordable price. 

What is the Samyang V-AF range?

As mentioned, V-AF is the world's first AF cine lens lineup, focused on making video and cine lenses more accessible to 'single-person video creators to small productions as well as filmmakers'.  

These lenses make approaching video-making, with cine lenses, easier for users new to capturing motion and used to the AF functions of stills cameras or camera phones. The fast autofocus makes it easy to capture moving subjects with an added cinematic touch. 

The price point also separates the V-AF from the majority of lenses in the cine lens market. Despite having an AF system, they are significantly cheaper than other cine lens equivalents, lowering the entry point further. 

The lineup consists of the following full-frame cine prime lenses: V-AF 24mm T1.9, V-AF 35mm T1.9, V-AF 45mm T1.9, V-AF 75mm T1.9, V-AF 100mm T2.3, and the newly introduced 20mm T1.9, all of which are available on Sony E mount (FE). This even spread of focal lengths provides users with an AF cine lens that can cover most, if not all, shooting scenarios. The range of V-AF lenses are also sold under the Rokinon brand in North America.

As is the case with most higher-end cine lens ranges, uniformity among the V-AF line is paramount to its versatility and flexibility. Each lens has an identical size and weight meaning swapping lenses on stabilizers, gimbals, and drones is seamless and negates the need to recalibrate. Again, this is the case across the entire focal range as each measures just ∅72.2 x 72.1 and weighs only 280g.

Despite the small form factor, the V-AF series supports resolutions up to 8K and is color-matched for consistent image quality. Nine aperture blades provide a soft and natural-looking bokeh, adding to the cinematic quality. 

Other notable features across the lineup include a tally lamp to indicate the filming status, weather sealing, and a customizable switch and button. This last feature is often associated with photography lenses, and is typically reserved for higher-end cine lenses adding the feature 'focus-save function'. 

As a photographer looking to dip my toes into the pool of filmmaking, these lenses are certainly at the top of my list of lenses to try. Factoring in the smaller price than other cine lenses and the compatibility with the new Samyang anamorphic adapter ( the new 20mm is too wide to be compatible, mind), they become exciting lenses capable of creating a cinematic look. 

The Samyang V-AF 20mm T1.9 completes the V-AF lineup and will start shipping in May 2024 and will be available for just $700 | £568 | AU $1,077. 

You may also be interested in our guides to the best Sony video lenses, the best Sony cameras, and the best cinema cameras. 

Viltrox has just released one of its best lenses for astrophotography for the Nikon Z mount after having seen success with this prime lens on the Sony system. 

Viltrox is a third-party lens manufacturer that has recently been making some of the best budget lenses on the market, and last year it released a modern super-wide prime lens in the form of the Viltrox AF 16mm f/1.8 lens for Sony E mount. This full-frame lens has now been released for mirrorless Nikon users to enjoy on the Z mount. 

In addition to offering a fast super-wide prime option, the lens has been recognized for its great build quality and modern features, making it a fantastic video and stills lens. 

The Viltrox 16mm f/1.8 is optically constructed of 15 elements on 12 groups, including 4 ED lenses and 3 aspherical lenses, delivering high image quality with great precision. The addition of the ED and aspherical lenses helps with combating aberration suppression and rendering light sources. Limiting these unwanting artifacts is especially important in astrophotography, a genre of photography where this lens would shine. 

AF is relatively new to modern lenses developed by budget third-party Chinese lens manufacturers, but despite being a recent addition, the AF performance has been well received. The inclusion of an STM and lead screw-type stepping motor means that the AF should be quick and efficient, and eye focus makes tracking simple. 

Viltrox has thought about the user when designing the 16mm f/1.8 as there are many elements that welcome ease-of-use functions in what Viltrox calls its operating system. The 'operating system' is essentially the control design features that enable the user to have greater 'efficiency' when shooting.

The lens features a 0.95-inch LED panel that shows distance, depth of field, and aperture information on the top of the lens, making it easy to see in low-light environments such as when shooting astrophotography. Two custom function buttons, a click on/off switch, and an AF/MF switch complete the quinumvirate.

The click / de-click approach option for modern lenses makes them more versatile for both stills and video. Reducing the clicks reduces the motion that may interfere with long exposure or video captures. Having a separate aperture ring also enables greater control and flexibility, and is becoming more common since the success of Fujifilm's iterations. 

Other notable features include a 77mm diameter filter thread, a dustproof structure, HD multi-layer lens coating, and a USB-C port for future firmware updates. 

This lens looks great for landscape and astrophotographers, and I would say it also has a place in the kit bag of videographers. 

The Viltrox AF 16mm f/1.8 for Nikon Z mount is available now for just $549 | £440 | AU $799 - an absolute steal for the features included in this lens. 

You may also be interested in our guides to the best Nikon Z lenses, the best Nikon cameras, and the best wide-angle Nikon lenses. 

For street photography and general shooting, a classic 35mm focal length is one of my favorites, at least with a full-frame camera. The medium format Fujifilm GF 45mm F2.8 R WR is as close as makes no difference, having an ‘effective’ focal length of 36mm due to the larger image sensors in Fujifilm GFX bodies, which are among the all-time best Fujifilm cameras. I’ve tested and reviewed nearly all of Fujifilm’s GF lenses and have been universally impressed. This 45mm prime is pretty mid-range in terms of size, weight and price but is a definite contender for taking up residence in the best Fujifilm GF lenses hall of fame.

Fujifilm GF 45mm F2.8 R WR: Specifications

Fujifilm GF 45mm F2.8 R WR: Price & Availability

In terms of size, weight, aperture rating, and purchase price, the GF 45mm sits between the slimline Fujifilm GF 50mm F3.5 R LM WR ($999 / £949 / AU$1,649) and the epic bokehlicious Fujifilm GF 55mm F1.7 R WR ($2,299 / £2,249 / AU$3,899).

Naturally, the GF 45mm has a slightly shorter focal length than both of these lenses so gives a little extra viewing width. It’s priced at $1,699 / £1,579 / AU$1,999. If you want to go wider still, prime options include the ultra-wide Fujifilm GF 23mm F4 R LM WR ($2,599 / £2,389 / AU$3,999).

Fujifilm GF 45mm F2.8 R WR: Design & Handling

There’s no getting away from the fact that medium format lenses tend to be quite bulky. It’s only natural, as they need to deliver a significantly larger image circle than lenses for full-frame cameras. Even so, I like that the GF 45mm is reasonably compact and lightweight for its class, measuring 84x88mm and weighing an easily manageable 490g. It’s certainly no burden, even when pounding city streets for hours on end, looking for photo opportunities. And the effective 36m focal length (in full-frame terms) is perfect for street photography.

I’m a sucker for the usual Fujifilm GF trappings. Typical of the breed, the lens features the usual aperture control ring, which enables hands-on adjustment in one-third f/stop clicks from f/2.8 right down to f/32. It’s often easy to nudge the aperture ring out of place accidentally, so I also like the inclusion of a ring lock release button, which operates in A or C settings. Auto enables the aperture value to be set automatically by the camera body, whereas Command allows aperture adjustment from the camera’s command dial. 

There’s no de-click option for the aperture ring, which would be useful for shooting video. Even so, Fujifilm’s GFX cameras haven’t historically been particularly well suited to video capture, although the Fujifilm GFX 100 II has changed that with strong video performance.

The optical path is based on 11 elements in 8 groups, with a well-rounded 9-blade aperture diaphragm. There’s an aspherical element and two ED (Extra-low Dispersion) elements in the line-up, aiming to enhance clarity and reduce unwanted aberrations. 

Although fairly lightweight for a medium format lens, the GF 45mm feels sturdy and very well-engineered. Like other GF lenses, it’s extensively weather-sealed and has an ambient temperature rating that extends down to -10 degrees Celsius (14F).

Fujifilm GF 45mm F2.8 R WR: Photo Performance

I enjoyed testing the GF 45mm with a Fujifilm GFX 100 II camera body. The 102 megapixel image sensor of this camera certainly places great demands on the resolving power of lenses. The GF 45mm came through with flying colors, delivering exceptional sharpness and clarity even when shooting wide-open at f/2.8. Color quality is similarly impressive, and there’s good resistance to ghosting and flare.

There’s virtually nothing to see in terms of color fringing and distortion so, all things considered, the lens is stellar performer. Autofocus is very snappy and quick to lock on, making it hard to miss a shot even in rapidly changing street photography scenarios. The GF 45mm is simply a superb lens.

Fujifilm GF 45mm F2.8 R WR: Sample Images

The example images in the following gallery were taken in sunny conditions at Bristol Docks in the UK, using the lens with a Fujifilm GFX 100 II camera body.

Fujifilm GF 45mm F2.8 R WR: Lab Results

We run a range of lab tests under controlled conditions, using the Imatest Master testing suite. Photos of test charts are taken across the range of apertures and zooms (where available), then analyzed for sharpness, distortion and chromatic aberrations.

We use Imatest SFR (spatial frequency response) charts and analysis software to plot lens resolution at the center of the image frame, corners and mid-point distances, across the range of aperture settings and, with zoom lenses, at four different focal lengths. The tests also measure distortion and color fringing (chromatic aberration).

Sharpness:

Levels of sharpness are spectacular across the whole image frame when shooting wide-open at f/2.8, and become even better when stopping down a little to f/4.

Fringing:

Color fringing is very negligible and generally impossible to spot even out at the edges and corners of the image frame.

Distortion: -1.49

There’s a little barrel distortion but it’s not generally noticeable and is of a very uniform nature, making it easy to correct.

Fujifilm GF 45mm F2.8 R WR: Verdict

The Fujifilm GF 45mm F2.8 R WR is one of my outright favorite GF lenses, and that’s really saying something because I’ve been highly impressed with all of them. I find the ‘effective’ 36mm focal length in full-frame terms makes the lens very versatile for street photography and walkabout shooting, the lens is relatively compact and lightweight, and image quality is superb. It’s a definite keeper.

Alternatives

Ultra-fast f/1.4 and f/1.2 prime lenses are headline-grabbing ‘dream’ optics for most of us, but the Lumix S 35mm F1.8 lives in a more affordable and practical world and doesn’t carry quite the same glamor. And yet a 35mm f/1.8 prime is a handy lens to have, not just for classic street photography but environmental portraits too.

Modest as it is, the Lumix S 35mm f/1.8 is amongst the best L-mount lenses right now. We tested it on the Panasonic Lumix S5 IIX, one of the best Panasonic cameras in the range, and one of the best cameras for filmmakers too.

Of course, Panasonic has half an eye on the video and content creation market, and what’s interesting about this lens is not just its individual capabilities, but the fact it’s one of a set of four f/1.8 primes that are practically identical in size and weight. These include a Lumix S 24mm f/1.8, this lens, a Lumix S 50mm f/1.8, and a Lumix S 85mm f/1.8. Stills photographers might pick a couple of primes from this list, but keen content creators might be keen to grab all four, as they can be quickly swapped out without really changing the weight or balance of your video rig.

The Lumix S 35mm F1.8 has some other notable features. It’s dust and splash-resistant for a start, which you don’t always get at this price, it has a sophisticated optical construction designed to suppress focus breathing, and it offers smooth aperture/iris changes while filming.

Is this a glamorous lens? No. Is it effective and practical, though? Absolutely.

Panasonic Lumix S 35mm f/1.8 specifications

Panasonic Lumix S 35mm f/1.8 price and availability

The Panasonic LUMIX S 35mm f1.8 costs around $597 / £579 (about AU$901). This is a pretty good price for a full frame 35mm f/1.8 prime. It’s actually a little cheaper than the two Sigma L-mount alternatives, the Sigma 35mm f/1.4 DG DN Art and Sigma 35mm f/2 DG DN Contemporary and considerably cheaper, as you would expect, than the Leica Summicron-SL 35mm f/2 ASPH. 

Panasonic Lumix S 35mm f/1.8 design and handling

The Panasonic LUMIX S 35mm f1.8 is an extremely plain and unassuming lens, even to the point of looking rather basic. There’s no aperture ring, no focus distance scale, no customizable function buttons or control ring. Image stabilization is handled by the camera body, so there’s no switch for this either. In fact the only switch you get is for AF / MF selection.

There’s nothing wrong with that necessarily. Many photographers will be used to controlling lens functions from the camera body, and this works very well here. In manual focus mode, for example, a magnified section at the center of the screen gives you focus precision, while the on-screen focus distance scale is probably a good deal more accurate than physical scales on today’s short-throw AF lenses. The manual focus action is slightly stiff but that’s probably for the best as it makes accidental focus changes less likely.

There’s no aperture ring, as the aperture is controlled solely by the camera body. This is where Sigma’s lenses do offer an advantage if you like physical control.

But what this lens does have is a remarkable physical consistency with the other lenses in this little sub-range of Lumix S f1/8 primes. The Lumix S 24mm, 35mm, 50mm, and 85mm are so close in size and weight that gimbal users might not even have to rebalance their rigs after swapping lenses.

For stills photographers, this lens might feel pretty plain and basic. But it does the job perfectly well, feels well made given the price, and does feature dust and moisture seals.

Panasonic Lumix S 35mm f/1.8 performance

Panasonic promises fast and accurate autofocus with this lens, and it doesn’t disappoint. In stills photography the AF is quick to cover large focus distance changes, and so silent that you only know it’s done it from the green squares in the viewfinder and the autofocus ‘beep’.

It’s just as effective when filming video, with fast, smooth and silent focus transitions. Panasonic says the design suppresses focus breathing, which is where the size of your subject appears to change as it moves in and out of focus. This is as bothersome for filmmakers as the right kind of bokeh is for photographers! Sure enough, it’s hard to see any focus breathing effect at all. Subjects appear to blur evenly without any apparent change in size.

The optical construction of this lens is fairly complex, with three aspherical and three ED elements, though its performance is good rather than great. The lab results show very good center definition right across the aperture range. The edge definition is less impressive, though perfectly adequate in this price range, and at its best from f/4 to f/11.

In practice, the Lumix S 35mm F1.8 delivers very good real-world results. Technically, the edge definition is lower at wider apertures, but you wouldn’t really notice it unless you looked hard, and this is a lens you wouldn’t hesitate to use wide open if the shot called for it.

The Lumix S 35mm F1.8 is a pretty plain-looking lens, but it’s very effective. The autofocus is terrific and the optical performance is very good for a lens in this price range. It’s a good, solid, affordable 35mm prime that delivers on its promises.

Panasonic Lumix S 35mm f/1.8 sample images

Panasonic Lumix S 35mm f/1.8 lab results

We run a range of lab tests under controlled conditions, using the Imatest Master testing suite. Photos of test charts are taken across the range of apertures and zooms (where available), then analyzed for sharpness, distortion and chromatic aberrations.

We use Imatest SFR (spatial frequency response) charts and analysis software to plot lens resolution at the center of the image frame, corners and mid-point distances, across the range of aperture settings and, with zoom lenses, at four different focal lengths. The tests also measure distortion and color fringing (chromatic aberration).

Sharpness:

Center sharpness is excellent, even wide open at f/1.8, and stays so right through to f/11. Corner sharpness is a little softer than we'd expect from a lens of this focal length - you'll need to stop down to f/5.6 to get better results.

Fringing:

Color fringing is very well controlled at all apertures, never straying into noticeable territory.

Distortion: -4.66

Left uncorrected, barrel distortion is surprisingly prominent. Thankfully it's effectively eliminated through firmware correction.

Panasonic Lumix S 35mm f/1.8 verdict

There’s no glamor, glitz or bling about the Panasonic Lumix S 35mm F1.8. If anything, it’s rather plain. The focal length is etched in clear white on the barrel, there’s an AF / MF switch on the side and a focus ring on the front and that’s it. This is a practical, everyday lens that’s just there to do a job.

And it does that rather well. Once you get past that plain exterior you discover a lens with very fast and silent AF, very good resolution that gets even better as you stop down, very well-controlled focus breathing and, given all that, it’s very good value for money too.

It’s a good buy for stills photographers and helps make the Lumix S range one of the most affordable full-frame mirrorless systems. It’s an even better choice for filmmakers and content creators, not least because it’s one of a set of four near-identical f/1.8 primes that you can swap in and out without changing the balance, handling, and operation of the camera.

Panasonic Lumix S 35mm f/1.8 alternatives

Last year NiSi announced its cine lens debut with the Athena Prime lenses, which garnered a lot of attention for their full-frame manual design delivering sharp, detailed imagery with minimal chromatic aberration, gentle bokeh, and a uniform aesthetic across the whole set. These qualities quickly endeared them to both narrative and documentary filmmakers. 

Now NiSi is expanding the Athena Prime lineup with three new offerings: an 18mm, 40mm and 135mm, all available in Sony E, Canon RF, Arri PL, Fujifilm GF and L-Mounts. Notably, the E, L and RF versions feature drop-in rear filters for convenient use of neutral density or diffusion filters – making these a very versatile lens set.

The 40mm maintains the line's hallmark T1.9 maximum aperture for consistency in performance, while the 18mm and 135mm lenses introduce a T2.2 aperture. All the Athena lenses share uniform dimensions and weight, facilitating seamless compatibility with accessories like matte boxes and wireless follow focuses, as well as simplifying adjustments on stabilizing equipment such as gimbals and Easyrigs.

These new focal lengths will broaden the creative horizons for videographers – particularly the 135mm, extending beyond the original 85mm limit of the lens set. The user-friendly 300° focus ring, robust yet lightweight aluminum alloy construction, and the 10-blade aperture design ensure smooth, circular bokeh.

I'm sure cinematographers will appreciate the expanded versatility of these new lenses while maintaining a consistent color rendition, which is critical for documentary or commercial work.

The lenses are available individually, as an add-on kit for existing 5-lens kits, or as part of a comprehensive Master Kit featuring all eight lenses.

In addition to the new optics NiSi also introduced a nine-lens hardshell case to accommodate the full set, along with a PL to Z Adapter enabling the use of Athena lenses on mirrorless Nikon cameras – something that we could see more of, now that Nikon has acquired Hollywood cinema camera giant Red.

Those interested in the 8-lens Master kit will have to cough up $8,999 (approximately £7,100 / AU$13,600) in any lens mount, while the 18mm, 40mm, and 135mm can be purchased separately for $1,268 each (£1,000 / AU$1,900) – which is a steal if you ask me!

Nikon has had a busy start to 2024, including acquiring cinema camera giant Red in a shock move to the industry. It appears that it continues to push development by filing patents to increase its Z lens lineup.

Since the first Nikon Z lenses were released at the end of 2018, Nikon has developed an extensive lineup to accompany the best Nikon mirrorless cameras. The new patents seem to be related to a new medium telephoto prime lens optical system, different from the existing one – perhaps plans for a new signature edition. 

Patent P2024045767 was filed on April 2, 2024, and appears to focus on a new optical system for suppressing variations in the lenses, concerning angle of view, such as spherical aberration and astigmatism.

The patent overview states, "An object of the present invention is to provide an optical system that suppresses variations in the angle of view during focusing. Conventionally, optical systems suitable for photographic cameras, electronic still cameras, video cameras, etc. have been proposed. In such an optical system, it is required to suppress variations in the angle of view during focusing."

Asobinet has provided a breakdown of the patent which outlines examples and descriptions of a new 85mm f/1.4, 85mm f/1.8, 85mm f/1.2, and 70mm f/1.8. There is currently a Nikon Z 85mm f/1.2 S and a Nikon Z 85mm f/1.8 S, but updated models could be in the works with an improved optical system and/or a f/1.4 to fill the gap.

Another possibility, and perhaps this is more down to my own personal inquisitiveness, would be another signature lens. Some of Nikon's best lenses are 'Signature' lenses, specialist lenses that offer improved areas of performance and exceptional optical quality such as the Nikon Z 58mm f/0.95 Noct S or the Nikon Z 135mm f/1.8 S Plena, this could also explain the overlap in proposed and existing lenses.

As with all patent applications, there is no guarantee of the products ever coming to market, and are often used for research and development purposes.

You may also be interested in our guides to the best Nikon Z lenses, the best Nikon cameras, and the best Nikon flashguns.

Improves: Sharpness

Even shooting with the best image sensors, with the most megapixels or sturdiest stabilization, may not deliver crisp results if the gear is not checked over time. One issue that is often not addressed is the accuracy of your camera’s autofocus, which suffers as it shifts the optimal focus position of the lens elements over time. 

The precision of the AF is then either slightly shifted forward or backwards towards the subject. Fortunately, you don’t have to send the camera to the manufacturer for a lens calibration – you can correct it yourself with the in-camera lens microadjustment feature.

Tutorial

Find this option in the menu’s autofocus section. Here, two parameters are shown: W and T. W is the widest part of the lens view (wide-angle – short focal lengths), while T is the furthest part of the lens view (telephoto – long focal lengths). If you aren’t using a prime lens, both values have to be adjusted to achieve the best results.

1) To determine whether the focus is back or forward shifting, place a subject on a table. 

2) To make it easier to identify the focus shifting direction, add a guide next to the subject – a tape measure, for example, is a simple solution to help with precision adjustment. There are specialist aids to help with this process, such as the Spyder LensCal.

3) Now select a focal length and tell the AF to focus on the subject. 

4) Analyze the image result and zoom into the subject. If the focus lies slightly behind it, move the parameter settings to the right (positive) or to the left for front focusing.

For optimal results, this process must be repeated until the focus lies accurately on the subject once again.

Take a look at the best mirrorless cameras available today, and see how they compare to the best DSLRs in our DSLR vs mirrorless cameras guide. 

While Sigma is renowned for offering fantastic photographic lenses (and cameras, such as the Sigma fp and Sigma fp L), you may not be aware that it also produces some of the best cine lenses on the market. 

Filmmakers, though, have long been aware of Sigma Cine glass. This is certainly the case for the Giant Screen Cinema Association (GSCA), which undertakes an annual Camera Assessment Test (CAT) that "tests to show the strengths of six higher-than-6K-resolution cameras to show filmmakers how each performs in challenging situations". 

Renowned cinematographer James Neihouse (known for IMAX films like Blue Planet and The Dream is Alive) and Michael Daut (co-chair of the GSCA Innovations Committee) led this year's CAT, which took place this month and tested six of the best cinema cameras: the Arri Alexa 35, Canon EOS R5 C, Kinefinity Mavo Edge 8K, Red V Raptor XL, Sony A1, and Sony Venice 2. 

The benchmark lens chosen to test each camera was the Sigma 65mm T1.5 FF, available for Canon EF, Sony E and PL/i mount. It is part of an extensive range of Sigma Cine primes which includes 20mm, 24mm, 35mm, 50mm and 85mm focal lengths. 

"The evaluation required lenses that provided sharp, clean, crisp images while being as 'neutral' as possible," says Neihouse. 

"We chose the Sigma 65mm T1.5 FF Cine Prime lens for its exceptional corner-to-corner sharpness and ability to cover a full-frame (Vista Vision) size sensor. In Giant Screen documentaries, we like an image that is as close to reality as possible, which is why we liked this Sigma lens. Other lenses were considered but rejected for bringing their own 'look' to the images."

High praise indeed for Sigma, and it certainly aligns with my own experience with the Sigma Cine lenses. With a fast and wide aperture of T1.5 and 9 rounded aperture blades, the prime lens offers exceptional quality at a slightly more affordable price point than most cinema lenses. The lens was developed exclusively for cinema and optimized for ultra-high-resolution shooting, which makes it the perfect benchmark for testing 6K+ cine cameras.

The testing results were unveiled during the Filmmakers Symposium portion of the GSCA Film Expo, but are yet to be publicly available. Here's a showreel of the Sigma Cine 65mm T1.5 FF along with the T2.5 FF Classic. 

"We are honored that the GSCA selected the Sigma 65mm T1.5 FF Cine Prime as the benchmark lens to assess these leading cine cameras in the most demanding real-world situations," says Mark Amir-Hamzeh, president of Sigma America. "This demonstrates Sigma's dedication to crafting exceptionally high-performing lenses for filmmaking."

Sigma will be at The Photography & Video Show, which takes place this weekend at the NEC in Birmingham, UK. Tickets are still available and you can get your hands on some of the best Sigma lenses at stand J304. Visit the show website for more information and tickets.

The need for cameras that can create exceptional video content has continued to grow among the everyday consumer, and we have some guides that might make digesting all of the information that much easier. You may be interested in our guides to the best cameras for filmmaking, the best hybrid cameras and the best cameras for vlogging. 

Panasonic is at it again – hot off the heels of making the record-breaking-ly compact Lumix S 100mm Macro lens, Panasonic is shrinking down yet another lens to create the world’s smallest and lightest 7x zoom full frame lens – the Panasonic Lumix S 28-200mm f/4-7.1 Macro O.I.S.

The Lumix S 28-200mm lens weighs in at just 413g and has a total size of 77.3 x 93.4mm. Like Panasonic’s prime lens range, the 28-200mm also has the trick of matching the rough size and weight of the Lumix S 20-60mm making swapping the lenses in and out easier during video production. The lens also shares the same 67mm filter thread so filters are easier to swap out – not to mention cheaper to collect.

Interestingly, while Panasonic managed to make some big space savings in the Lumix S 100mm macro lens with its newly developed Dual Phase Linear Motor – Panasonic isn’t actually using this motor in the 28-200mm lens. Instead, Panasonic’s lens team is simply employing good old-fashioned engineering experience to get this lens down to a more diminutive form. Still, even without this new motor, Panasonic has claimed in their testing the 28-200mm lens will focus from near-to-far distances faster than competitor lenses from other brands.

In a further little lighthearted rivalry, Panasonic has pointed out that its Lumix S5II camera, plus the Lumix S 28-200mm lens, plus one of its Lumix S prime lenses – weighs less in total than just the Sony A7 IV and 24-240mm lens.

The new 28-200mm lens also has half-sized (0.5x) macro capabilities, with an impressive close focus distance of 14cm (5.5in) from the sensor, and just 3cm (1.18in) from the front of the lens. This is at the 28mm end of the lens though, which isn’t the ideal focal length for macro, but can make for an interesting perspective. 

It also blows the Sony FE 24-240mm F3.5-6.3 OSS and Canon RF 24-240mm f/4-6.3 IS USM out of the water with their 50cm closest focus distance, although in all fairness, neither claims to be a macro lens.

Optically, the lens has 17 elements in 13 groups, and the lens has 9 aperture blades which should make for a more rounded bokeh than the 7 blades found in most rival lenses. The lens is also weather-sealed for braving the elements – a pretty essential feature as this will undoubtedly be a popular travel lens for Panasonic shooters.

Superzoom lenses are often overlooked lenses despite being one of the most useful lenses you can have in a kit bag – and most photographers at some stage are likely to own one. There is a certain stigma around the lenses for being lower in quality to achieve their ambitious focal lengths, although this has been proven wrong time and time again, with lenses like the Tamron 28-200mm f2.8-5.6 Di III RXD or Canon RF 24-240mm f/4-6.3 IS USM we found very impressive in their category – and I am looking forward to fully exploring Panasonic’s latest.

The Panasonic Lumix S 28-200mm f/4-7.1 Macro O.I.S. will be available in April in the US and UK, from May in Australia, and will cost $899 / £899 / AU$1,599. The lens will come with a petal lens hood in the box.

For more check out our top picks for the best Panasonic camera and best L-mount lenses

Voigtlander is about to launch its fastest lens yet for the Sony mirrorless mount yet, with the announcement of its Nokton 50mm f/1 Aspherical lens. The new standard prime lens will be half a stop faster than Voigtlander's existing Nokton 50mm f/1.2, and Sony's own FE 50mm f/1.2 G Master.

The Japanese-made manual focus FE-mount lens will have an impressive 12-blade iris mechanism, which promises to deliver the sort of beautiful bokeh that such a lens is designed to deliver. Despite lacking autofocus, it equipped with electronic contacts, and can provide usage data in the image EXIF. Additionally, it has a built-in distance encoder that is compatible with the 5-axis in-body image stabilization in recent full-frame mirrorless cameras. It is also possible to magnify the image in the viewfinder by operating the focus ring, to precisely adjust the focus.

With an all-metal body, the lens has a 67mm filter ring and weighs in at 590g. The lens is constructed from nine elements in seven groups - including the use of a Ground Aspherical (GA) lens element that has enabled the construction of such a compact lens for one with such a wide maximum aperture.

For video users, the aperture ring has a click-switching mechanism for stepless and noiseless adjustment of the f/stop setting. The minimum focus is 0.45m.

It is not quite the fastest-ever lens produced for the Sony FE mount - that honor goes to the 50mm f/0.95 lenses produced by TTartisan and 7artisans.

Manufacturers Cosina tell us that the Voigtlander Nokton 50mm F1 Aspherical  is due to go on sale in March for ¥264,000 - equivalent of approximately $1,750/£1,400/AU$2,700 - and will come supplied with a metallic lens hood.

Zeiss has just unveiled 6 new cine lenses for mirrorless full-frame cameras, promising 'true cinema for all'. 

Zeiss is a lens manufacturer specializing in high-quality compact lenses, offering supreme optics for photography stills and specialized cinema cameras. Many had thought Zeiss had left the photography and video industry, with its last lens issued in 2019, but Zeiss is back, and looking to bridge the gap with 6 new cine lenses designed for modern mirrorless full-frame cameras. On first look, the lenses appear stunning and seem likely to establish themselves among the best cine lenses on the market. 

The lenses will initially be released for Sony E mount, making them a fantastic pro cine lens option for Sony's cinema line of cameras such as the Sony FX3, FX6, FX9, and the upcoming Burano. The 6 prime lenses come in 18, 24, 35, 50, 75, and 100mm focal lengths, with a consistent high-speed aperture of T1.5 (f-stop is a theoretical value t-stop is tested transmission of light). They will be available for sale individually but also as part of a set.

Zeiss has designed these lenses with all levels of filmmaking in mind. Full-frame mirrorless camera technology has advanced a long way in the past few years, with many now being Netflixed-approved. This has lowered the entry for professional cinematography, and these lenses look to hit that particular market. Full-frame sensors are typically large and amplify visual depth and character, the Zeiss Nano lenses are designed to cover the larger sensor enabling users 'to craft images rich in volume and personality'.

With a maximum aperture of T1.5 and incredible close focus capability, the Nano Prime offers a stunning depth of field and bokeh rendering, even when used with the widest angle. The 12-blade iris enhances smooth and circular bokeh for what Zeiss calls the "creation of true cinematic images".

The compact package of the Zeiss Nano Primes offers versatility across the range, with the consistent position of focus and iris rings that streamline lens changes, and a 95mm compendium ring and an 86mm screw-in filter thread enable seamless integration between gimbals and drones.

Durability and build quality have always been a speciality of Zeiss lenses, as on top of the typical sleek design, the Nano lenses are certified for use in extreme weather conditions. This is important as it enables the use of the lenses in tough environments without fear of damage, and as Zeiss states, it makes the Nano Primes the go-to lens for every day.

Other notable features include compatibility with Zeiss' Interchangeable Mount System (IMS), an electronic interface for real-time lens data to cameras hud, and easy-to-read calibrated scales for a smooth 280° focus rotation and a 90° iris ring rotation for precise control.

Although we are yet to get our hands on these lenses, they look the business! They offer professional cine lens performance for entry-level cinema line cameras. I have recently been debating whether to get a Sony FX6 or FX3 to start my filmmaking journey, and these lenses may just have swayed my decision.

It is worth noting, however, that these lenses are not cheap. They seem decently priced when compared to the higher-end Zeiss Supreme Cine lenses, but coming in at around the $4,490 (per lens) mark, there are cheaper alternatives such as the Sirui Nightwalker series and even the highly rated Sigma Cine line.

Zeiss' history of creating exceptional lenses should not be discounted, however, as I am sure that although on the more expensive side, the performance justifies it!

For more information on the best equipment for video and filmmaking, you may be interested in our guides to the best camera for filmmaking, the best camera for film students, and the best video lighting.