For each of the 12 days of Christmas, I’m revisiting a month’s worth of lenses that we covered on DCW. Today it's February 2025… check out the other 12 lenses of Christmas!
This really is new! Not just another lens that’s a bit like all the other lenses, Nikon announced its first ever full-frame video optic (pictured above) nearly a year after acquiring Hollywood darling, Red Camera.
The new lens came in the rather delectable shape of the Nikon Z 28-135mm f/4 PZ, complete with 11-speed motorized ‘Power Zoom’, a host of handling exotica and a distinctive gold band around its tail.
There was a treat for stills specialists as well, with news of the super-speedy Nikon Z 35mm f/1.2 S. One for the pros with a price tag to match, it’s destined to become a Z-mount legend.
If the Nikon 35mm is a little rich for your budget (mine too) there was the new Viltrox AF 35mm f/1.2 Lab FE for Sony cameras, which would also become available for Nikon Z shooters just before Christmas 2025. This one has a much more down-to-earth price of $999 / £869 but still boasts fab features, including a color OLED info screen.
It was one of four new lenses announced by Viltrox at the CP+ 2025 imaging show in Japan, the others being the Viltrox AF 85mm f/1.4 Pro, Viltrox AF 50mm f/2.0 Air and the Viltrox AF 135mm f/1.8 Lab Z – the latter competing against the top-notch Nikon Z 135mm f/1.8 S Plena lens.
For a seriously low-budget option, Viltrox also launched a new Viltrox AF 25mm f/1.7 Air lens for APS-C format Fujifilm X, Sony E and Nikon Z mount cameras, at just $176 / £165. And if you fancy a zoom bargain for your Fujifilm body, the Tokina ATX-M 11-18mm f/2.8 X popped up in a new X-mount option, at less than half the price of the closest first-party equivalent.
There were little and large lenses announced by Sony, and not just in terms of focal length and physical size. The new Sony 16mm f/1.8 G ultra-wide-angle prime is not only shorter than its 20mm sibling, but also less expensive to buy.
Going from the sublimely compact to the almost ridiculous, there was also news of Sony’s longest zoom yet – the monstrous Sony FE 400-800mm f/6.3-8 G OSS, tipping the scales 2.47kg / 5.45lb but costing a relatively reasonable $2,899 / £2,549 / AU$4,399.
I’m guessing the Sony 400-800mm might be too big for your camera bag as well as your budget? Let’s turn our minds from this thoroughly modern zoom to some rather retro primes.
Cosina announced the Voigtländer Color-Skopar 35mm f/3.5 Aspherical VM lens for Leica M-mount cameras. Unlike the Sony, this one will fit just about anywhere, being just 14mm / 0.55” in length and weighing a mere 99g / 3.5oz.
Other ‘vintage’ delights included the revival of a classic, in the shape of the revitalized Leica Summilux-M 50 f/1.4. We also brought news that Zeiss was teasing a new, revamped version of one or more of its DSLR-based Zeiss Otus lenses for mirrorless cameras. As B&H Photo put it, "Something big is coming!"
Let’s finish off February’s news with the weird and the wonderful. Erring towards the weird, Laowa reinforced its off-the-wall reputation with the announcement of 35mm f/2.8 Tilt-Shift, 15mm f/4.5 Wide Angle Macro and 8-15mm Fisheye Zoom lenses.
That said, the 8-15mm fisheye zoom that works as a circular fisheye at the short end and a diagonal fisheye at the long end might sound familiar, as Canon made one for its DSLRs, and Nikon later followed suit its own version.
If extreme close-ups are your thing, there was the new 7Artisans 120mm T2.9 Macro 2X cine lens for Sony E, Canon RF, Nikon Z and Leica L-mount cameras. Also in Cine World, Sirui hinted that its next batch of Sirui Vision Prime 1 (VP-1) 24mm, 35mm, and 50mm lenses might have user-interchangeable mounts to suit Sony E, Canon RF, Nikon Z and Leica L-mount cameras.
In the lab and on the road, we tested the new Fujifilm XF 16-55mm f/2.8 R LM WR II and found it to be smaller, lighter and better than the original.
Other ‘Mark II’ lenses included the OM System M.Zuiko 25mm f/1.8 II which gained weather-seals, and the OM System M.Zuiko 17mm f/1.8 II. Although very positive, our reviewer said the old dog learned a new trick – but lost an old one (see below).
Canon continued the recent trend of relatively compact, lightweight and affordable ‘alternative trinity’ zooms with its Canon RF 28-70mm f/2.8 IS STM, and we were impressed with its user-friendliness and performance.
We also test-drove the APS-C format Sigma 16-300mm f/3.5-6.7 DC OS | Contemporary for Sony E, Fujifilm X, Canon RF-S and L-mount cameras, reckoning it might just be the ultimate superzoom travel lens.
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Looking for more best-in-class glass? Take a look at the best Canon RF lenses, the best Nikon Z lenses, the best Sony lenses all for full-frame and APS-C bodies. For crop sensor cameras, check out the best Fujifilm lenses and the best Micro Four Thirds lenses. And for medium format, these are the best Fujifilm GF lenses and the best Hasselblad lenses.
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