I think I've just found my daughter's first camera! Arriving just in time for the release of Toy Story 5, Kenko Tokina has launched the Toy Story Kids Camera… but only in Japan.

The fifth Disney-Pixar's animated movie starring Tom Hanks, Tim Allen and co hits theaters on June 19, so the timing is perfect for this Woody and Buzz-themed compact camera designed for kids.

In addition to adorning the front of the camera, Woody and Buzz's voices actually play when you turn the camera on or off, and when you take pictures. If that's not enough to encourage little ones to get snapping, there are 20 character-themed frames to decorate their shots.

The Toy Story Kids Camera is specced as you might expect for a camera for kids. It's built around a sensor that produces interpolated 5MP images – but its true resolution is closer to 0.3MP. Indeed, it natively shoots VGA (640 x 480) video, but it can produce interpolated footage up to FullHD 30p.

It does, however, feature a front and back camera to enable kids to take selfies using the rear screen. And it boasts internal memory that holds up to 30 photos, though it also supports up to 64GB microSD cards.

Of course, kids won't really care about any of that; it's all about the colorful silicone case featuring Toy Story's stars, Woody and Buzz Lightyear. (As with most kids' cameras, these removable skins dress up the basic compact camera nested inside, rather than being molded plastic bodies.)

There are also three built-in games to keep them busy when they're not taking pictures, which will no doubt be a welcome additional distraction for parents.

The Toy Story Kids Camera is price ¥7,700 (approximately $49 / £35 / AU$69). It's a Japan-only product but if (like me) you want to pick one up for your kids, it's available from Amazon Japan. You can find out more on the Kenko Tokina website.

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BCN Retail has released the latest sales ranking for July 2025 in the compact camera category. This list gives us a clear picture of sales in one of the world's most tech-savvy markets. And right now, Kodak is having a serious moment. That's not a big surprise, given that Kodak held a 21.7% market share in the compact category in Japan during the first half of 2025.

BCN's report makes clear that compact cameras that are easy to use and don't break the bank are popular this month. In this space, Kodak is shining with clear dominance and has a striking overall presence in the top ten. In total, six of the ten best-selling compact cameras in Japan this July came from Kodak's Pixpro lineup.

One standout is the recently released Kodak Pixpro C1, a super-affordable, back-to-basics digital camera with a distinct vibe that shot straight to the top place. It claimed the number one spot in black and the third place in brown. Besides the C1, the FZ55, WPZ2, and FZ45 made it in the top ten. At just $100 / £79, it's easy to see why the C1 is turning heads. Despite its minimal features, or maybe exactly because of them, it taps into the charm and simplicity of a time when taking photos wasn't just about editing or megapixels, but about capturing moments as they were...

Other manufacturers – like Panasonic, Fujifilm, and Kenko Tokina – did make an appearance in the ranking, but none matched Kodak's sweeping success. Let's take a look:

BCN Ranking - Japan's top-selling compact cameras – July 2025

1. Pixpro C1 (black)
2. PixPro FZ55 (black)
3. PixPro C1 (brown)
4. Pixpro WPZ2
5. Lumix TZ99/ ZS99 (black)
6. Pixpro FZ45 (black)
7. Instax Mini Evo (black)
8. Pixpro FZ55 (red)
9. Instax Mini Evo (brown)
10. Kenko Tokina KC-AF11 BK (black)

Meanwhile, it's interesting to consider what's not on the list. High-end compact cameras like the Sony RX1R III and Fujifilm's GFX100RF, both of which launched this year with price tags north of $5,000 or £4,000 plus, are nowhere to be seen. So, are premium compact simply out of step with what most users want? While these high-spec models cater to enthusiasts and professionals, they may not be connecting with a broader audience the way simple, affordable models like the PixPro C1 clearly are.

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The technical definition of a telephoto lens is one with a focal length greater (or longer) than 50mm (on the 35mm/full frame forma), but the telephoto range is more generally accepted to begin at around 85mm which would be classified as a ‘short telephoto’ lens. 

Beyond 300mm you move into the ‘supertelephoto’ range which includes 400mm, 500mm and 600mm lenses. Anything longer than 600mm is generally for specialised applications such as wildlife or some sports. 

Due to the longer focal length, telephoto lenses are inherently bigger and heavier which makes them more challenging to use hand-held. As a rule, image brightness decreases as the focal length increases so many telephoto lenses or telezooms are described as being ‘slow’ because they may only have a maximum aperture of f/5.6 or maybe smaller. However, as the high ISO performance of today’s mirrorless cameras steadily improves, it is more realistic to consider using a more affordable slower telephoto lens than a faster and more expensive 'faster' one with a bigger maximum aperture.

Mirror, Mirror…

There is, however, a way around the size, weight and price of a very long focal length telephoto lens. It’s called a mirror lens because it’s all done with mirrors… well, mostly.

Mirror lenses have enjoyed various brief bursts of popularity particularly during the 1970s and ’80s, but they’ve never really caught on, perhaps because their design does involve some compromises. However, they’re still being made by a couple of lens manufacturers, notably South Korea’s Samyang , China’s TTArtisan and Japan's Tokina. 

Currently, there are five Tokina mirror lenses in its SZ/SZX and SZ Pro lines, ranging from a 300mm f/7.1 to a 900mm f/11. They’re available in numerous lens mounts, including Micro Four Thirds which, of course, doubles the effective focal length. More about these shortly. In the past, Sigma, Tamron, Zeiss (for both Contax and Rolleiflex), Minolta, Mamiya, Nikon and Olympus have all built mirror telephoto lenses.

A mirror lens – also called a reflex lens – incorporates a pair of mirrors which replace many of the conventional elements (although a small number are still used). By reflecting the light rays back and forth inside the barrel, the mirrors effectively ‘fold up’ the focal length. Hence, you can have a comparatively long focal length packed into a very short barrel and, as there are only two mirrors which replace many more elements, these lenses are also lighter in weight in comparison to a conventional design. Technically, this is known as a catadioptric optical system as it employs both reflection using curved mirrors – catoptrics – and refraction using spherical lens elements – dioptrics. 

Light is initially reflected off the primary mirror at the back of the lens onto the much smaller secondary mirror at the front of the lens and then refractive elements finish the job. There are some design variations including using a concave-shaped element that’s silvered on its rear surface – so it performs both reflection and refraction, with the latter actually happening twice – but the basic principles remain the same.

The earliest application – dating back, in fact, to the 17th century – was in astronomical telescopes because the folded optical path enabled significant reductions in their physical size and weight. In photographic catadioptric lenses, the secondary mirror – which has a convex surface – also serves to increase the focal length by up to a factor of four or five times. 

The downsides of a mirror lens are that it’s not possible to incorporate a diaphragm – either automatic or manual – so you’re limited to a fixed aperture, and it’s difficult to include autofocusing so just about all models are manual focus. 

However, this means that, if you’re using an older model mirror lens on a mirrorless camera, a passive non-electronic mount adapter is all you need…and they’re now available in numerous combinations so basically anything can be fitted to anything. 

Certainly, manual focus shouldn’t be so much of a deal-breaker, but the fixed aperture might be, accept that, as has already been noted, the high-ISO performance of today’s mirrorless camera means that you can use this adjustment to help with exposure control along with shutter speeds… or switch to Auto ISO and let the camera do the work. 

Furthermore the focus peaking display that’s now standard on current mirrorless cameras makes it much easier to focus accurately especially when there’s minimal depth-of-field to play with.

In 1989, Minolta introduced the AF Reflex 500mm f/8.0 mirror lens which had autofocusing, but only with the later generations of its AF 35mm SLRs which had more sensitive PDAF sensors so they could still work at f/8.0 (but then still only with the centre point). Minolta subsequently introduced a 400mm version in the V mount for its Vectis S series APS (the film format) SLRs and, after Sony’s takeover of the Konica-Minolta camera business in 2006, there was a Sony-badged version for its A mount DSLRs.

Holding steady

Of course, while the magnification power of a mirror tele at a particular focal length is the same as that of conventional lens so any camera shake is amplified accordingly, the smaller and lighter lens means that it’s eas-ier to hold steady at slower shutter speeds. You can’t get optical image stabilisation into a mirror lens either, but as so many mirrorless cameras have in-body stabilisation this is also now less of an issue. Also on the plus side, the reduc-tions in size and weight are significant.

Let’s take Tokina’s SZX Super Tele 400mm f/4.0 Reflex MF. It was originally designed for DSLRs, so the mirrorless mount versions have a short tube between the mount and the lens body itself to restore the longer flange back distance. Even so, the total length is still only millimetres in length, and it weighs a mere 355 grams. The screwthread filter fitting is 67 millimetres which also gives some idea about how compact this lens is. Tokina doesn’t make a conventional 400mm prime telephoto for direct comparison, and we tried to find a slow one so the maximum aperture difference isn’t so pronounced, but such an animal doesn’t appear to exist anymore. However, Canon did once make a 400mm f/5.6 L series lens in the EF DSLR mount which will still serve as a good comparison of the dimensional differences. 

It’s 257 millimetres in length and weighs 1350 grams if you include the tripod mounting collar. Tellingly, over 30 years since it was launched in 1993, a pre-loved Canon 400mm f/5.6L can still fetch around US$700 if it’s in good condition. Brand new, the Tokina 400mm f/8.0 mirror lens is yours for not much over US$300.

Staying Focused

So, how do these significant plusses and minuses work out in practice?

Using the Tokina 400mm f/8.0 on a Fujifilm X-T5 – so the effective focal length is 600mm – what’s immediately obvious is that the small size and light weight are great, but you need to remember that you’re still shooting with a supertelephoto lens. 

For starters, yes, it’s very easy to hand hold, but you need to keep a close eye on the shutter speed – especially as f/8.0 is all you’ve got – even with the helping hand of IBIS. And even though you might be able to comfortably hand hold the lens, the practice presents challenges. Because of the very high magnification at an effective focal length of 600mm, no matter how steady you try to hold the lens, the image bounces round the viewfinder, making framing and composition more of a challenge. 

In the end, it’s likely you’ll resort to using a tripod because it’s simply easier and also less tiring. Additionally, the depth-of-field is just so shallow – even with the smaller sized sensors – you need the camera to be on a tripod so that you can better concentrate on getting the focus absolutely right… a very tiny shift of the focusing collar makes a big difference. The focus peaking display is invaluable here, and at least you can get away with using a lighter weight tripod. 

The Tokina 400mm f/8.0 has remarkably good close-up focusing capabilities – down to 1.15 metres which, at 400mm, gives a magnification ratio of 1:2.5 – but this is very definitely tripod territory as the depth-of-field is shallower again, and it’s simply impossible to focus precisely otherwise.

Doing Donuts

Optically, mirror lenses generally perform very well with good overall sharpness and contrast, minimal vignetting, very little distortion and – unlike a conventional refractive telephoto – virtually no chromatic aberrations because there are so few conventional elements. However, strong backlighting is any mirror lens’s Achilles Heel and contrast is significantly reduced in these situations, but on the plus side there’s neither flare nor ghosting (again because there are so few lens elements). 

However, blocking caused by the secondary mirror’s central positioning produces a distinctive doughnut-shaped out-of-focus effect, which you either love or hate. Furthermore, given the inherently shallow depth-of-field – which you really can’t do anything about given the fixed aperture – they’re always present somewhere in the image. They can be quite distracting in a background so it’s a case of composing and framing to minimise the effect, looking for plainer or more uniformly-toned backdrops, or trying to use the effect more creatively. 

A Little Goes A Long Way

A great example of the size reduction achievable with a mirror telephoto is a classic example – the Minolta RF Rokkor 250mm f/5.6 which is a MD mount lens. It’s a mere 58 millimetres in length and weighs just 250 grams. Use it on a Micro Four Thirds mirror camera body via a mount adapter – as we have here – and the effective focal length is 500mm. As with the Tokina 400mm, the MD-to-MFT mount adapter adds a little extra length to the overall package, but we’re still talking about a 500mm supertelephoto that measures less than 100 millimetres in length. And while the aperture is fixed, f/5.6 isn’t all that slow… especially at 500mm. 

Again, Auto ISO control can make up for the lack of adjustable apertures, but IBIS extends how low you can go in terms of slower shutter speeds when shooting handheld. If you’re using the 1/focal length rule as a guide, remember that it applies to the effective focal length if the lens is being used on a cropped sensor body. In other words, without stabilisation, 1/500 second should be the slowest shutter speed that can be set with the RF Rokkor 250mm, but even just four stops of IBIS correction would get you down to 1/30 second. Nevertheless, at the longer effective focal lengths on a cropped sensor camera, the same caveats as those for using the Tokina lens apply… in many situations, it’s simply easier to use a tripod

Digital capture in general – and the mirrorless camera configuration in particular – make the mirror lens much more of workable proposition than was ever the case with film, capitalising on the very significant reductions in size and weight while finding effective ‘work arounds’ for the design’s main limitations. So there’spotentially a new lease on life for some truly classic – and unusual – film era lenses while the new models that are available today provide an affordable entry to the exciting (if sometimes challenging) world of supertelephoto photography.

Update 20 January 2022
Tokina has now officially announced that the three SZ Pro mirror lenses - the 300mm f/7.1, 600mm f/8 and 900mm f/11 - will go on sale worldwide from 3 February. 

According to Mirrorless Rumors, Tokina Japan has announced a trio of new super telephoto lenses exclusively for APS-C cameras:

• Tokina SZ 300mm PRO Reflex F7.1 MF CF
• Tokina SZ 600mm PRO Reflex F8 MF CF
• Tokina SZ 900mm PRO Reflex F11 MF CF

The three options will be available for Sony E, Canon EF-M and Fuji X mounts, but don't get too excited, as these lenses do not use standard lens construction methods. Instead, they are reflex - or mirror - lenses. Where a typical lens will have one long stack of elements to channel the light to the camera sensor, a mirror lens bounces light back and forth within the lens barrel, progressively narrowing the field of view until the magnified portion of the original image reaches your camera's sensor. In this sense, the lens acts much like a compact telescope. This design enables the lens to be much shorter, and it's also a cheaper way of producing a super telephoto lens, so the purchase price is usually much lower than a regular optic of the same focal length. However there are compromises to be made – more on those later.

In terms of sheer compactness, the SX 300mm is just 74.5mm long, with a diameter of 61mm. The 600mm is a mere 125mm long, and the 900mm just 168mm long – a fraction of the length of a conventional 900mm lens. With each lens weighing 235g, 545g and 725g respectively, they're also extremely light weight. Another signature feature of mirror lenses is that, by virtue of the central portion of the lens barrel taken up with the mirror assembly, out of focus points of light take on a ring doughnut bokeh shape - an effect only a mirror lens can produce.

Tokina claims the 300mm lens has a minimum focusing distance of just 0.92m - impressively short for a 300mm lens - which when paired with a 0.4x magnification ratio means tele-macro photography is also possible. Although focussing is manual, the focus ring can rotate through a long 270 degrees of travel, so accurate focussing shouldn’t be too difficult.

But if mirror lenses can give you so much reach in such a portable package, why doesn't every lens manufacturer adopt this design? Well, historically, mirror lenses have struggled to match the sharpness of an equivalent conventional lens. Bouncing light back and forth within the lens isn't the best way to retain the sharpest possible image quality, and when we lab tested an earlier Tokina mirror lens – the SZX SUPER TELE 400mm F8 Reflex MF – we were able to confirm that its center-frame sharpness was no match for a well-sorted conventional super-tele lens of an equivalent focal length. Factor in a lack of image stabilization, manual-only focus, and the relatively narrow maximum aperture of all three new lenses and a sharp shot could become elusive, whether that be due to camera shake, or possible optical shortcomings.

But we'll reserve final judgement until we've seen samples of all three lenses, as their possible compromises could well be outweighed by their size and cost advantages. Pricing has yet to be revealed, but according to Mirrorless Rumors, availability could be set for February 2023.

Specifications

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It's official! As previously rumored, Tokina has indeed launched a new ultra-wide zoom lens for Sony E-mount APS-C cameras. The atx-m 11-18mm F2.8 E is Tokina's first wide angle zoom lens designed exclusively for mirrorless cameras. It joins four existing primes in Tokina's atx-m E-mount line-up.

The lens is ideal for shooting not just interiors and architecture, but also forced-perspective close-ups thanks to its short 19cm minimum focus distance. Measuring just 74.1mm long and weighing 335g, the atx-m 11-18mm F2.8 E is well suited to Sony's compact, lightweight APS-C bodies: useful not just for handheld stills shooting, but also vlogging, as well as integrating into a gimbal setup.

The large, constant f/2.8 max aperture, combined with a 9-blade rounded diaphragm, promises soft background bokeh. Tokina also claims rich color reproduction, low distortion and low light fall-off. The 13-element, 11-group optical stack incorporates two aspherical and two super low-dispersion elements to supress chromatic aberrations. Optical elements including the front glass are multi-coated to minimize ghosting and flare "to an unprecedented level".

Autofocusing is taken care of by a supposedly silent stepping motor system, which coupled with the lens position sensor should ensure fast and precise focus transitions in both stills and video.

The lens is fully compatible with Sony camera functions, including Image Stabilization, Direct Manual Focus, MF Assist, Eye AF and optical corrections. A Micro USB socket enables firmware updates

Priced at US$699, the atx-m 11-18mm F2.8 E technically undercuts the $829 RRP of Tamron's excellent rival 11-20mm f/2.8 Di III-A RXD. However that lens can currently be purchased for $649, so the new Tokina lens will need to be a truly stellar performer to compete. We already have a review sample for testing, so look out for our full review soon.

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Japanese lens manufacturer Tokina has just announced it is launching a 33mm f/1.2 fully manual prime lens for Sony E mount and Fujifilm X mount. 

Until recently, if you owned one of the best Fujifilm cameras, the only lenses you could buy were Fujifilm branded. Since the company decided to make its X-series mount available to third-party brands such as Tokina, the number of lenses available to Fujifilm users has massively increased. This announcement is also good news for Sony users as Tokina is known for making lenses that are more affordable than own-brand lenses but they still deliver excellent image quality. 

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Coming in at 605g, it’s not too heavy considering it’s made up of 9 elements in 7 groups and has 11 aperture blades. It has a maximum aperture of f/16, a 48° angle of view and it comes with a lens hood and front and rear caps. 

The Tokina SZ 33mm f/1.2 has been designed for use in both photography and videography. Its super bright maximum aperture should provide excellent low-light performance and aesthetically pleasing bokeh, especially when shooting wide open. Its 33mm focal length is equivalent to a 50mm lens when shooting in full-frame so it looks to be a versatile prime for shooting portraits, street photos or even landscapes if you don’t want to shoot super wide. 

The main difference between the existing Tokina atx-m 33m f/1.4 is that it’s much faster and uses a manual focus and aperture – both of which help to keep costs down. If you’re someone who likes to have total control over your focus point, especially when shooting video, it would be worth saving the money and buying this version instead.

It features a click-less aperture ring which sets it up to be the perfect tool for videographers and the wide aperture will enable you to shoot beautifully blurred backgrounds (though you will need one of the best ND filters if you’re shooting video!). It also has a long focus throw to be extremely precise when focusing. 

With a recommended RRP of $399/€449, which is pretty great value for such a fast prime – the Fujifilm 56mm f/1.2 would set you back around £800 if bought brand new, so Tokina has definitely got the edge when it comes to price. 

It’s not on sale just yet but Tokina has said it will be on sale from June 17, 2022.

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Tokina has launched a new lens which tops its current cine lens offerings. At 180mm T1.9 the Cinema Vista 180mm lens provides cinematographers with a highly sought after focal length. The lens presents a natural perspective which flatters subjects’ faces, while rendering a beautifully smooth background when required. It is equally suitable for Super35 and larger-sized frame coverage up to Vista Vision, Full-frame and beyond. 

It joins the existing eleven-strong set of 18mm, 21mm, 25mm, 29mm, 35mm, 40mm, 50mm, 65mm, 85mm, 105mm, and 135mm T1.5 high resolution (8K+) Vista prime lenses currently on offer by Tokina.

Pre-order for $17,999.00 USD at B&H

The Tokina Cinema Vista 180mm T1.9 shares the same exacting build quality and highly tuned optical performance that fans have come to expect from the Vista prime range. It maintains the form factor of the other Vista primes, sharing a common 114mm front diameter and similar weights to each other, so no need to change any settings or rigging of your camera, just swap out your lens, re-mount your matte box and away you go.

The Tokina Cinema Vista 180mm T1.9 has an optical structure of 14 groups with 17 elements, there are 9 iris blades in each to ensure the roundness of the apertures. Lens distortion and chromatic aberration are well-controlled, with minimal focus breathing, soft pleasing flare and gentle roll-off from subject to background. 

With an area definition of 46.7mm, the 180mm Vista T1.9 is an ideal choice for larger sensor cameras like the RED Monstro 8K VV, ARRI Alexa LF Mini or the full-frame range from Kinefinity, with the Mavo Edge 8K and 6K cameras. This lens even has an area of illumination that will cover larger formats up to the Alexa 65 2:1 Open Gate - which is an amazing feature for cinematographers looking to invest in lenses as their careers evolve.

It is available in interchangeable ARRI PL, Canon EF, Micro Four Thirds, Sony E, and ARRI LPL mounts and is available to pre-order for $17,999.00 USD at B&H. Pre-orders will start shipping in August 2022.

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If anything is certain in life, it's death, taxes, and that the cost of an 800mm full-frame lens will be just as painful as certainties 1 and 2. That is, unless you think creatively. In the case of an 800mm lens, Tokina will now sell you a 400mm lens and 2x teleconverter kit, giving you an effective 800mm reach. Official pricing has yet to be revealed, but given the 400mm mirror lens included in the new 'SZX SUPER TELE 400mm F8 Reflex MF & 2X EXTENDER KIT' retails for a mere $249 on its own, and the Tokina SZ 2X EXTENDER teleconverter costs for $99, the kit price is sure to be less than $350.

That's seriously cheap in the world of super-telephoto lenses. For context, a Canon EF 800mm f/5.6L IS USM lens costs $13000, and this buys you a 9.9lb (4.5kg) beast of an optic that's also a whopping 18.1 inches (461mm) long. By contrast, the tiny Tokina is a featherweight 1.42lb and just 6.7 inches long. Even once you add in the length and weight of the teleconverter, you've still got a set-up that's likely smaller and lighter than a typical 24-70mm f/2.8.

Factor that the kit is available for Canon EF, Nikon F, Nikon Z, Sony E, MFT and Fujifilm X mounts, and this is looking like a straightforward home run for Tokina. But before you all start frantically reaching for your credit cards, there's a couple of reasons this deal may not be quite the bargain it appears.

For starters, fitting a telecoverter to any lens will negatively impact image quality. The best teleconverters shouldn't reduce sharpness too much, but a 2x teleconverter will have other downsides, like halving the aperture you're shooting at, so an f/4 lens instantly becomes f/8 with a 2x teleconverter fitted. That needn't be a deal-breaker should your lens have decent optical image stabilisation, and if your camera also has in-body image stabilisation (IBIS), happy days. Trouble is, the Tokina SZX SUPER TELE 400mm F8 Reflex MF lens has a fixed f/8 aperture, and no optical stabilization. That means you'll be shooting at f/16 with the 2x converter attached. Consequently, you'd better have IBIS, or else be comfortable with shooting at high ISO sensitivities, as that'll be your last line of defence against camera shake if you're shooting in anything other than bright sunlight.

But even the narrow aperture limitation could still be a compromise worth making in order to get 800mm of reach for a three-figure outlay. Sure, but it's not the only drawback here, as the Tokina SZX SUPER TELE 400mm F8 Reflex MF isn't your average lens. No, this is a mirror lens. Where a conventional super-tele lens will have a stack of multiple lens elements which progressively focus incoming light straight to your camera's image sensor, a mirror lens contains a series of angled mirrors to bounce light back and forth within the length of the lens, progressively narrowing the field of view until the magnified portion of the original image reaches your camera's sensor. In this sense, the lens acts much like a compact telescope.

However, bouncing light back and forth within the lens isn't the best way to retain the sharpest possible image quality. At least, that's what mirror lens sceptics and haters would have you believe. But we've actually lab-tested the Tokina SZX SUPER TELE 400mm F8 Reflex MF, and can confirm its center-frame sharpness is no match for a well-sorted conventional super-tele lens of an equivalent focal length.

In the graph below, you can see how the Tokina's image sharpness compares to a Tamron 100-400mm f/4.5-6.3 Di VC USD tested at 400mm - an $800 lens, but still great value at the price:

While the Tokina takes a hammering from the Tamron at 400mm when it comes to centre sharpness, the mirror lens design means the Tokina's sharpness is impressively consistent right across the image frame and into the corners, with none of the usual sharpness drop-off associated with conventional telephoto lenses. Furthermore, the Tokina resists lateral chromatic aberration very well, and distortion is minimal.

And it could also be argued that lens sharpness is somewhat overrated anyway - after all, soft focus 'art' lenses like the best Lensbaby and Lomography lenses are prized for their dreamy, ethereal look. But this philosophy doesn't hold up so well when applied to super telephoto lenses, from which you'll almost always want a tack-sharp subject in every shot. While the centre-frame sharpness of the Tokina SZX 400mm is acceptable, throw on a 2x teleconverter and we'd wager that sharpness may well dip below the acceptable threshold, and that's assuming you can even exploit the limited sharpness on offer when that narrow f/16 aperture and motion blur combine to form an almost inseparable alliance.

Having said all that, I love a good bargain, and I'd love this interesting Tokina set-up to prove my skepticism wrong. We'll have to wait until 15 March for the SZX SUPER TELE 400mm F8 Reflex MF & 2X EXTENDER KIT to go on sale and to see quite how cheap the kit will be.

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Tokina has just announced the official release date for the Tokina SZ 8mm f/2.8 X fisheye lens for Fuji X mount and Sony E (APS-C) mount. This lightweight, compact lenses are the third and fourth lenses to join the SZ series alongside a 500mm f/8 Super-telephoto and an SZX 400mm f/8 super-telephoto mirror lenses.

Aimed at content creators, vloggers and social media influencers, the full-field fisheye lens is an ultra-wide, manual focus prime designed specifically for APS-C Sony and Fujifilm cameras such as the Sony A6600 or the Fujifilm X-S10. Like all fisheye lenses, the emphasized perspective and unique distortion make it an excellent choice for photographers and videographers who are looking for something more creative than a standard wide-angle lens. 

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With a fast maximum aperture of f/2.8 and a minimum aperture of f/22,  it’s perfect for use in low-light conditions, landscapes, architecture, nightscapes or interior photography. Due to its compact size, it’s an ideal travel companion and even with the protruding lens element, it’s only 52mm in length and weighs just 280g. 

Other features include a clickless aperture ring which is especially useful when shooting video, a minimum focusing distance of 10cm so you can capture objects up close to really warp perspectives and it has a detachable bayonet head that is designed to be used with full-frame cameras to create circular fish-eye photos. 

As you would expect from Tokina lenses, it has a high-quality build and uses good quality glass and multi-coatings to ensure minimal aberrations and ghosting effects. The lens is made up of 11 elements in 9 groups and has a 7-blade aperture configuration which means you can still create pleasing bokeh without spending too much.

Both lenses will be available to buy from 15 March. There has been no mention of price yet but you can expect it to be considerably cheaper than native ultra-wide fisheye lenses would be. 

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It looks like Tokina could be launching three new lenses for Sony FE mount cameras on 12 November. The Tokina ATX-M f/1.4 23mm, 33mm and 56mm are already available for Fujifilm X mount cameras, so this should come as welcome news for Sony shooters looking for a set of affordable primes. 

If this super-fast set of primes for the best Sony cameras are anything like the Fujifilm variants (which we expect they will be, as they just have a different mount) we can expect them to have an aperture range of f/1.4-16, making them perfect for low light photography. They should also include a multi-layer lens coating to suppress light flares and ghosting, and have a de-clickable aperture ring for silent, smooth transitions when using the lens for video. 

• Read more: Best Sony lenses

The Fujifilm versions of these three lenses all have an STM stepping motor, which enables almost silent shooting as well as fast, precise autofocus. Each lens has a nice black aperture ring which allows for beautifully rounded, smooth bokeh while the wide aperture provides more control over depth of field. We can also expect the lenses to include at least two SD lens elements to help reduce color fringing and lens aberrations, which means that colors and clarity will be more accurate. 

The lens build is sleek and minimalist and housed in a metal casing. It has a black glossy finish and the focus ring benefits from a ridged rubber texture for better handling. No information has been issued yet regarding the size and weight of the Sony lens variants, but if we go by the Fujifilm version we can expect them to be pretty lightweight – perfect for keeping in your kit bag. They may be slightly bigger, as they’re designed for full-frame cameras rather than a cropped sensor, but hopefully it won’t add too much to the weight. 

Tokina might be a budget lens brand but that doesn’t mean you can't still create high-quality images with its lenses. The Fujifilm versions of the lenses were all priced around $429-449 (or roughly £312-363), so hopefully the Sony versions will have a similar RRP. 

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Think super-tele primes and you’re probably thinking of huge lenses that weigh you down and cost a fortune. For example, the Sigma 500mm F4 DG OS HSM Sports is a whopping 145x380mm in size, weighs in at a hefty 3,310g and costs around £4,699/$5,999 (although it’s massively less expensive than own-brand competitors from the likes of Canon and Nikon).

Even Canon’s ‘lightweight’ and retractable fixed-aperture RF 600mm F11 IS STM is 93x200mm, stretching to 270mm long when it’s in use, and weighs 930g. Tokina’s new 400mm reflex lens is comparatively tiny, at just 74x77mm and a real featherweight at a mere 355g. And it’s a real budget buy at around £249/$224. It’s also available in many mount options, so there’s something for almost everyone.

Specifications

Mount: Canon EF, Canon RF, Fujifilm X, Nikon F, Nikon Z, Sony E, MFT, T-mount
Full frame: Yes
Image stabilization: No
Autofocus: No
Lens construction: 6 elements in 5 groups
Angle of view: 6.1 degrees
Diaphragm blades: None
Minimum aperture: f/8 (fixed)
Minimum focusing distance: 1.15m
Maximum magnification ratio: 0.4x
Filter size: 67mm
Dimensions: 74x77mm
Weight: 355g

Key features

The standout feature behind the diminutive design of this Tokina super-tele is that it’s a reflex or ‘mirror’ lens. As such, three of its six optical elements have mirrored surfaces that bounce the light backwards and forwards within the relatively short barrel. This enables a long focal length in a physically small build. The silvered coatings have a protective antioxidant coating to prevent deterioration over time.

Harking back to Tokina’s popular 35mm film lenses of the 1980s, the new lens inherits an SZX prefix, the letters of which stand for Satisfaction, Zest eXcitement. It’s certainly satisfying to find a lens that’s available in so many mount options, including Canon EF, Canon RF, Fujifilm X, Nikon F, Nikon Z, Sony E, MFT and T-mount. In fact, it’s exactly the same lens in each case, just with a different adapter fixed onto the rear to suit the relevant type of camera. 

There are absolutely no electronics in the lens. As with other mirror lenses, the aperture is fixed, in this case at f/8, and focusing is a purely manual affair.

Naturally, the lack of autofocus can be a frustration when you’re trying to track moving subjects in wildlife, sport and action photography. On the plus side, manual focusing works well with mirrorless cameras that offer a focus peaking aid. For mirrorless cameras that feature in-body stabilization, you can also often take advantage of this by setting the correct focal length of 400mm in the relevant menu. As there’s no electronic link between the lens and body, you might also need to apply a custom setting to release the shutter with ‘no lens attached’.

Build and handling

Although lightweight and inexpensive to buy, the Tokina feels well-made and smartly finished. Typical of manual-focus lenses, it has silky-smooth, long-throw focus ring, which usually allows for very fine adjustments. However, nearly half of the travel is taken up by a ‘macro’ section which enables very close focusing for a 400mm super-tele lens, right down to 1.15m. This delivers a sizeable 0.4x magnification ratio, which is effectively further boosted when using the lens on a crop-sensor camera body. The same goes for the effective focal length, which is typically boosted to around 600mm on APS-C format cameras and to 800mm on Micro Four Thirds cameras.

Ultimately, precise focusing can be a little tricky, requiring very small amounts of rotation and a steady hand. Even so, after using the lens for a while, you’ll probably find that you develop the knack for speedy and accurate focusing.

The Tokina comes complete with a high-quality metal hood, although it’s of the screw-in variety rather than bayonet-fit, and can’t be reversed for secure storage clipped onto the lens.

Performance

A problem with using narrow-aperture lenses on even the best DSLRs is that you inevitably get quite a dark viewfinder image. The lens comes into its own on mirrorless cameras, where the electronic viewfinder gives you a brighter image, reflecting the effect of the exposure setting. Another issue is that you might need a fairly high ISO setting to enable a sufficiently fast shutter speed to avoid camera-shake or to freeze motion. Again, the latest cameras generally deliver good picture quality with a fairly small amount of image noise, even at high ISO settings, again reinforcing the Tokina’s usefulness and practicality.

Outright sharpness isn’t on a par with pricey, regular telephoto zooms and primes but it’s impressive for a mirror lens. Another plus point is that levels of sharpness are very consistent across the entire image frame, and there’s very little in the way of colour fringing and distortion.

Bokeh is generally pleasant but you’ll certainly notice the notorious ‘donut’ effect that mirror lenses produce from defocused lights and other bright points, as shown in some of our example shots. You might actually see this as a plus point, as it brings something different to the pictorial look of images.

Sample photos

Lab data

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 centre 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:

Sharpness won’t blow you away but it’s impressively consistent across the whole image frame, from the centre to the extreme corners. Ultimately levels of centre sharpness are on a par with what most lenses deliver towards the edges of the frame.

Fringing:

Colour fringing remains very negligible across the whole image frame, right into the extreme edges and corners, and that’s without any in-camera correction.

Distortion: 0.69

As with color fringing, distortion is extremely minimal, with just the merest hint of pincushion.

Verdict

Reflex or mirror lenses can feel less than ideal on a DSLR but this Tokina works very well on mirrorless cameras. Not only is the viewfinder image comparatively bright and clear, but the compact size and light weight of the lens make it feel right at home on relatively small camera bodies. It’s not hugely sharp, as revealed in our lab-tests, but the Tokina delivers levels of sharpness in real-world shooting that most will find entirely acceptable. Overall, it’s a refreshingly small and ultra-lightweight super-tele that’s more than worth the very affordable asking price.

• In the UK? Buy the Tokina SZX Super Tele 400mm F8 Reflex MF at Wex

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Tokina has released its new and updated 2021-2022 lens roadmap but warns that “unstable global supply of the materials and electronic components” could change future release dates.

We first reported on Tokina's planned new lenses back in March 2020, but while Tokina has released two of the new X-mount primes, the rest have yet to arrive. The good news is that they are expected later in 2021.

Tokina atx-m prime lenses for Fujifilm

Tokina has already released two of three prime lenses for the Fujifilm X-mount system. The atx-m 23mm F1.4 X and atx-m 33mm F1.4 X are already out, and will be joined by the third lens in this series, the atx-m 56mm F1.4 X in the summer of 2021.

These lenses feature fast and silent STM stepping motor autofocus systems and clickless aperture rings for video work. Fujifilm makes its own F1.4 X-mount primes, but these Tokina lenses are considerably cheaper.

Tokina atx-m prime lenses for Sony

These three lenses are also in development for Sony E APS-C cameras, where the choice of prime lenses is much slimmer. Tokina says the atx-m 23mm F1.4 E, atx-m 33mm F1.4 E and atx-m 56mm F1.4 E are “coming soon” will all arrive in the autumn/fall of 2021.

On top of this, however, are two new ‘mystery’ APS-C lenses, including an “ultra wide prime lens” and a “standard prime lens”, to be available both in Fujifilm X and Sony E mounts in the winter of 2021.

Tokina SZ 500mm F8 MF will arrive winter 2021

Tokina has already released an SZ 400mm F8 MF super-telephoto for full frame and APS-C cameras (it’s equivalent to a 600mm F8 on APS-C), but it will soon be joined by an SZ 500mm F8 MF lens.

Like the existing 400mm mirror lens, the new 500mm F8 will use Tokina’s ‘universal mount system’ and will be available for Nikon F, Canon EF, Sony E, Fujifilm X, Micro Four Thirds and Nikon Z. 

So-called mirror lenses use an adaptation of telescope designs with a series of mirrors to reflect the light up and down the barrel of the lens for a much shorter, fatter lens design. They do not typically offer the optical quality of a regular telephoto of the same focal length, but are considerably cheaper and lighter.

Read more:

• Best Fujifilm lenses
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Tokina’s ‘atx-i’ range majors on wide-angle lenses. There are 11-16mm and 11-20mm f/2.8 zooms for Canon and Nikon APS-C format DSLRs, and a 17-35mm f/4 lens for the same makes of full-frame cameras. Bucking the trend, the 100mm f/2.8 is a classic macro prime, delivering a full 1.0x or 1:1 magnification ratio at its shortest focus distance of 30cm. It’s a much favored focal length for macro photography, enabling you to shoot anything from tiny bugs to small objects of desire, from a comfortable and natural working distance.

Specifications

Mount: Canon EF, Nikon F
Full frame: Yes
Image stabilization: No
Autofocus: Yes
Lens construction: 9 elements in 8 groups
Angle of view: 24 degrees
Diaphragm blades: 9
Minimum aperture: f/32
Minimum focusing distance: 0.3m
Maximum magnification ratio: 1.0x
Filter size: 55mm
Dimensions: 73x95-98mm
Weight: 515-525g

Key features

Picking up the baton from Tokina’s long-established AT-X series of lenses, the new ‘i’ suffix stands for ‘interactive’ implying, in Tokina’s words, ‘a mutual communication between the photographer and the lens’. As with most modern macro lenses, it’s a multi-purpose optic that’s equally useful as a fast, short telephoto for shooting anything from landscapes with a compressed perspective, to portraits, wildlife and more besides.

Despite being ‘new and improved’, the lens has a lot in common with the original AT-X model, which was launched back in 2006. Indeed, the optical path appears to be identical, based on nine elements in eight groups and featuring two aspherical glass elements and two Super-Low Dispersion glass elements. The lens is physically quite small for a 100mm macro, with a length of 95mm or 98mm for the Nikon and Canon mount versions respectively. However, the inner barrel extends as you reduce the focus distance from infinity towards the shortest focus setting, at which point the lens is nearly twice the length. Even so, the working distance between the front of the lens and the subject is pretty respectable in full macro mode, at 115mm.

A further similarity between the old and new versions of the lens is that only the Canon mount version has an autofocus motor. It’s not particularly fast and is clearly audible, by stark contrast to ring-type ultrasonic and linear stepping motor systems, but at least it has one. 

The Nikon mount version relies on a drive screw from the internal autofocus motor of up-market DSLR bodies. This means that autofocus is completely unavailable when using D3xxx and D5xxx series Nikon cameras (such as the best-selling Nikon D3500), as well as some older entry-level models. Autofocus is also unavailable when using the lens with Nikon Z-series mirrorless bodies via the FTZ mount adapter, although autofocus does work with Canon EOS R-series bodies via a mount adapter.

Another difference between the two editions is that the Nikon mount version adds an aperture control ring, which is lacking in the Canon version. As usual in this type of Nikon mount lens, you need to select the narrowest available aperture via the control ring to enable camera-driven aperture control in the range of shooting modes.

Build and handling

There are yet more similarities between the new and old versions of the lens when it comes to build and handling. The atx-i lens retains Tokina’s trademark ‘One-touch Clutch’ mechanism for the focusing ring. As such, you can snap the focus ring forwards to engage autofocus mode, and pull it backwards to swap to manual focus mode. There’s also a focus range limiter switch which you can engage in either the short or long sections of the focus distance range, and it works in both autofocus and manual focus modes.

Manual focusing is often preferred for macro and extreme close-up photography. The Tokina handles well in this respect, its long-throw focus ring enabling very fine and precise adjustments. There’s a focus distance scale beneath a viewing window, which includes a magnification scale and depth of field markers for apertures of f/16 and f/32, the latter being the lens’s narrowest available aperture.

Build quality feels very good overall, based on high-quality plastic and metal parts, but the lens isn’t weather-sealed and there’s no rubber O-ring on the metal mounting plate to guard against the ingress of dust and moisture.

Performance

The lens delivers impressive levels of sharpness throughout most of the aperture range. The ability to retain good sharpness at narrow apertures is good, which is a bonus for macro photography, where you’re often struggling to get even a tiny depth of field. Another advantage is that there’s very little field curvature, the Tokina delivering ‘flat field’ performance that enables good sharpness across the whole frame when shooting head-on close-ups of flat objects.

Lateral chromatic aberration can be a little noticeable towards the edges and corners of the frame, throughout the aperture range. Automatic correction is available in Nikon cameras, whereas it needs manual elimination during editing for the Canon version, if problematic. Axial chromatic aberration is very minimal, even when shooting wide-open at f/2.8. Typical of macro lenses with focal lengths of around 90mm to 105mm, distortion is negligible. Overall optical performance is very good indeed but it’s a shame that Tokina didn’t stretch to a revamped autofocus system in the atx-i lens.

Sample photos

Lab data

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 centre 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:

Sharpness across most of the frame is very good and the drop-off at the extreme edges and corners is fairly minimal. There’s the usual dip in sharpness at very narrow apertures, due to diffraction but, even so, levels of sharpness and contrast remain satisfying.

Fringing:

There’s negligible axial chromatic aberration but lateral chromatic aberration can be a little noticeable towards the extreme edges and corners of the frame, where it can be slightly noticeable when uncorrected, around high-contrast transitions in the subject matter.

Distortion: -0.14

Typical of macro lenses with a focal length of around 100mm, distortion is quite negligible and will generally go unnoticed.

Verdict

Aesthetically, the atx-i version of Tokina’s veteran 100mm macro lens looks more modern and up-to-date. However, the only real changes between this and the original AT-X Pro are cosmetic. It remains a good macro lens at an attractive price but autofocus is still unavailable with some Nikon DSLRs and all Nikon Z-series mirrorless cameras, when used with an FTZ mount adapter. Ultimately the atx-i lens represents a refresh rather than a redesign.

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July will see the release of the Tokina Cinema 25-75mm T2.9 lens. The manual lens has a 36mm image circle designed to cover Super 35 sensors, and features a compact design at 174mm long, industry standard 0.8 MOD cinema gears, T2.9 iris, 86mm filter thread, and 95mm front diameter for common cinema accessories.

The Tokina Cinema 25-75mm T2.9 completes the company’s Cinema lens collection, fitting in between the Tokina Cinema 11-20mm T2.9, the Tokina Cinema 16-28mm T3.0 MKII and the Tokina Cinema 50-135mm T2.9 MKII. This means that the range now completely covers focal lengths from 11mm super wide angle to 135mm telephoto.

• Read more: Best cinema cameras

The Tokina Cinema 25-75mm lens shares a number of features with others in the range, including a parfocal design to retain focus while zooming, limited focus breathing and low distortion. All lenses in the series feature an interchangeable mount between PL, EF, Sony E, MFT, and Nikon F mounts.

The larger 36mm image circle of the new Tokina Cinema 25-75mm T2.9 enables native coverage of RED Helium 8K, RED Dragon 6K, RED Monstro 6K, Alexa LF in 4K UHD, as well as popular cinema and mirrorless cameras from Canon, Blackmagic Design, and Panasonic in 4K DCI or 4K UHD.

The 25–75mm T2.9 lens is constructed of 18 elements in 15 groups, offers an iris range of T2.9 through T22, has a minimum focusing distance of 74cm (29.13in) and uses a nine-blade aperture diaphragm. It weighs in at 2kg (4.41lb), measures 174mm (6.85in) long (PL mount) and has a 95mm (3.74in) front diameter.

The Tokina Cinema 25–75mm T2.9 lens is available to preorder for PL, E, EF, MFT and Nikon F mount camera systems for $4,999. Tokina is also offering a 1.6x expander for PL or EF mounts that enables the lens to be used as a compact 40-120mm T4.2 with Vistavision cinema cameras. According to DPReview, US preorders can be made on the Tokina Cinema website, with the lens shipping in July.

Other recent lenses in the Tokina Cinema range include the Tokina Cinema Vista 65mm T/1.5 prime lens.

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The Tokina SZX 400mm f/8 Reflex MF – an ultra compact and extremely affordable telephoto lens – is now available for Canon RF and Nikon Z mounts, in addition to the existing Canon EF, Nikon F, Sony E, Fujifilm X and Micro Four Thirds options that were already on sale. 

If you've ever wanted a 400mm lens that fits in the palm of your hand, the Tokina SZX 400mm f/8 Reflex MF is it. And the new mount options mean that it's an intriguing native alternative to clever lenses like the Canon RF 600mm f/11 IS STM and the $11,999 Canon RF 400mm f/2.8L IS USM.

Okay, they're not technically native options – the lens uses the old T2 mount, with Tokina supplying an appropriate adapter when you buy it. It's also a strictly manual focus affair, so you'll need those old school photography skills to use it for sports and wildlife, but it's a great way to get huge reach without breaking the bank when you've just spent thousands on a Canon EOS R5 or Nikon Z7 II! 

The Tokina SZX 400mm f/8 Reflex MF will be available with Canon RF and Nikon Z adapters from 07 May 2021. 

ORIGINAL STORY (20 Jul 2020): The new Tokina SZX Super Tele 400mm F8 Reflex MF sounds like a blast from the past, but mirror lenses like this one could stage a comeback, thanks to advances in digital cameras and sensor design.

Telephoto lenses use a 'refracting' principle – a series of lenses which bend the light to form the image on the sensor. Mirror lenses use a radically different design, with a parabolic mirror at the back of the lens to focus the image on a mirror mounted centrally at the front, which bounces the light back down the lens to the camera sensor.

In photography this is called a 'catadioptric' lens, but astronomers will immediately recognise this as a Cassegrain design. Because the light is 'bounced' up and down the barrel, it produces a much shorter, lighter lens for any given focal length.

What's wrong with mirror lenses?

Back in the 1980's, mirror lenses had a brief popularity as an inexpensive super-telephoto design, but so-so optical performance and a fixed aperture of f/8 (typically) limited their appeal at a time when high ISO/sensitivity settings were for emergencies only and there was no such thing as image stabilisation.

But this has changed. And if Canon can launch the Canon RF 600mm f/11 IS STM and Canon RF 800mm f/11 IS STM, both with a fixed aperture of f/11, then Tokina's lens starts to make sense.

Two things have changed since mirror lenses had their heyday. One is that modern digital cameras can deliver great results at ISO settings simply not available back in the days of film. F/8? Not a problem! For outdoor photography at least, you can simply wind up the ISO to get the shutter speeds you need.

And for those situations where you don't want to use a higher ISO, there's always in-body image stabilization, now close to being a standard feature on all but a handful of full frame mirrorless cameras.

We can't comment on image quality until we've seen a sample lens, and we don't know the price either – though historically, mirror lenses have tended to be budget alternatives to 'real' telephotos.

The Tokina SZX Super Tele 400mm F8 Reflex MF is not just a couple of mirrors in a tube, as its optical design is a hybrid combination of mirrors and lenses. 

However, as well as lacking an aperture mechanism, like other mirror lenses it's also manual focus only. 

Mirror lenses never quite went away, incidentally. Samyang has been quietly marketing its 300mm F6.3 ED UMC CS for some time now, and we've also spotted an Opteka 500mm f/8 HD Telephoto Mirror Lens for T Mount which is designed around the same principles.

Will it fit your camera?

The Tokina SZX Super Tele 400mm F8 Reflex MF uses the old T2 mount, based around adaptors for a whole series of different camera bodies. Adaptors will be available for Nikon F, Canon EF, Sony E, Fujifilm X and Micro Four Thirds cameras, either sold as a kit with the lens or available separately.

Interestingly, although lens makers have adapted the Cassegrain telescope design for lenses, we haven't seen one based around a Newtonian reflector yet. We can't think why!

Read more:

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Tokina Cinema Vista 65mm T/1.5 lens has been announced for a variety of mounts, including Canon EF, Sony E, Micro Four Thirds and the traditional Arri PL and LPL cine mounts. 

The large image circle of the Tokina Cinema Vista 65mm T/1.5 enables it to be used on most cinema cameras and sensor sizes. This telephoto focal length can produce natural looking results, which can be quite flattering for the subject, while the wider aperture can also help to create beautiful looking background blur and isolate the subject more effectively.

• Read more: Best cinema cameras

The optical structure of this lens consists of 14 elements in 13 groups. With a minimum focusing distance of 0.69m it enables videographers to get relatively close to subjects, and in turn increase the amount of background blur and separation. 

The nine-bladed aperture produces bokeh that's smooth and pleasing, even when the lens is stopped down. Aspects like focus breathing and chromatic aberrations have been exceptionally well controlled in this lens, and the results can be see in the video linked below. 

As is the norm for cinema lenses, the aperture is recorded in T-stops rather than f-stops, as a T-stop provides a true measure of the light that's actually transmitted through the lens (whereas an f-stop is a physical calculation, with lenses often having a lower transmission than indicated). 

The Tokina 65mm T/1.5 joins the Cinema Vista line from the manufacturer, which also includes the 18mm T/1.5, 25mm T/1.5, 35mm T/1.5, 45mm T/1.5, 50mm T/1.5, 85mm T/1.5, 105mm T/1.5 and 135mm T/1.5 lenses. 

These optics are known for their high resolution performance and 8K compatibility, with the larger image circle in these lenses makes them an ideal choice for larger sensor cinema cameras, such as the Red Monstro 8K VV and the Arri Alexa LF Mini. 

The 65mm T/1.5 measures between 161mm and 187mm in length, and weighs between 2,290g and 2,460g, depending on the mount – broadly similar to the rest of the Cinema Vista line. 

The Tokina Cinema Vista 65mm T/1.5 lens can be pre-ordered now and carries a price tag of $7,499 (approximately £5,485.57 / AU$9,681) for all mounts. 

Pre-order the Tokina Cinema Vista 65mm T/1.5 at B&H (ships worldwide)

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BREAKING NEWS: Photokina has just informed us that it that its trade show is being suspended until further notice.

The international expo held in Cologne, Germany, cancelled its 2020 due the coronovirus, and had set out to restage the event in May 2020 – but now has put all of its operations and plans on ice. The press release cited the decreasing imaging market as the reason for its drastic action after 70 years.

The full press release from the organizer, released poignantly on Black Friday, is below…

In view of the further massive decline in markets for imaging products, Koelnmesse has decided to discontinue organising photokina at its Cologne location for the time being. "Unfortunately, at present the framework conditions in the industry do not provide a viable basis for the leading international trade fair for photography, video and imaging," according to Gerald Böse, President and Chief Executive Officer of Koelnmesse. 

"This hard cut after a 70-year shared history was very difficult for us. The trend in this industry, with which we have always had a close and trusting partnership, is very painful for us to witness. But we are facing the situation with a clear, honest decision against continuing this event, a decision to which, unfortunately, we have no alternative."

Even before the coronavirus pandemic began, the imaging market was already subject to strong upheaval, with annual declines in the double digits. The momentum in this direction intensified massively in 2020, most recently reporting a decline in the 50-percent range. Recently, these developments have had a profound effect on photokina, which - in Cologne since 1950 - for generations has been the top address for the imaging industry and ranks among the most favourably and emotionally charged brands in the trade fair world.

Since 2014, Koelnmesse, together with the German Photo Industry Association, has taken its cue from downward market trends, responding with adjustments to the underlying concept of the trade fair as well as considerable investment in new exhibitor and visitor segments. "These changes in conceptual design, along with a shift in intervals and a change of dates, did not fundamentally improve the situation of the event," says Oliver Frese, Management Board member and Chief Operating Officer of Koelnmesse. 

"While there are more photographs taken today than ever before, the integration of smartphone photography and videography, together with image-based communication, e.g. via social media, was not able to cushion the elimination of large segments of the classic market. As a result, the overall situation is not compatible with the quality standards of photokina as a globally renowned brand representing the highest quality and professionalism in the international imaging market."

Koelnmesse has made its decision in close coordination with the German Photo Industry Association. Kai Hillebrandt, Chairman of that association, remarked: "Our partners in Cologne have done everything in their power to maintain photokina as the leading global trade fair. Nonetheless, an event held in 2022 could not have met the expectations of the entire imaging community that those efforts were intended to serve. That is why we, on behalf of our association, are joining them in taking this regrettably unavoidable step. We would like to take this opportunity to thank the team in Cologne for a tremendous 70 years together!"

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A new version of Tokina’s popular ultra wide-angle 17-35mm f/4 zoom lens will be available from 11 December for $599

The new lens is said to have an accurate and fast autofocus due to Tokina's GMR sensor and SD-M (Silent Drive Module) and has a one-touch focus clutch so you can  snap the focus ring back and forth to switch between AF and MF modes. It also has additional weather sealing around the mount area to protect against moisture. 

• LIVE Best Black Friday camera and lens deals

Like the prior model it will boast an 82mm filter thread, as well as a maximum constant f/4 and minimum f/22 apertures. As well as a minimum focus distance of 28cm, internal focusing and nine aperture blades for smooth circular bokeh.

It also boasts the same amount of glass : 13 elements in 9 groups, so on the surface looks like this is more of a cosmetic upgrade rather than a total overhaul. Though we're eager to get our hands on one and compare its image quality, build and autofocus performance against the old model to see any differences and improvements. 

While the prior model tipped the scales at 600g, the new optic weighs in at 569g for Nikon F mount, or 609g from Canon EF. Full specs can be found in the chart below. 

For more information, check out the Tokina website here.

• Pre-order Tokina atx-i 17-35mm f/4 FF Lens for Canon EF at Adorama

• Pre-order Tokina atx-i 17-35mm f/4 FF Lens for Nikon F at Adorama

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Tokina has been producing some great prime lenses recently, and also expanding into offering lenses for more mirrorless mounts. But the Japanese optical camera is probably best known for its wide-angle zooms. The new Tokina atx-i 11-20 mm f/2.8 CF is essentially an update of the existing Tokina AT-X 11-20mm f/2.8 Pro DX - offering a wide-angle zoom for crop-factor DSLRs. Again the lens will be available in both Canon EF and Nikon F mounts - and again marks itself from its rivals with its wide, constant f/2.8 aperture.

The lens is one of a number of new lenses on the Tokina roadmap for 2020 to help celebrate the company's 70th birthday; full details of this wide-angle zoom emerged in a report from German website fotomagazin.de. 

The lens provides an equivalent focal length range of 16.5-24mm on a Nikon DX DSLR, and a range of 17.6-25.6mm on an APS-C sensor Canon EOS DSLR. The range is useful for architecture and for landscapes, but the previous lens has also proved popular for underwater and extreme sports. 

The first lenses in the new atx-i range - the Tokina atx-i 100mm f/2.8 Macro and Tokina atx-i 11-16 mm f/2.8 were launched last year. 

Specifications & pricing

Lens mounts: Canon EF, Nikon F
Autofocus: Yes
Full frame: No
Image stabilizer: No
Maximum aperture: f/2.8
Optical construction: 14 elements in 12 groups
Angle of view: 104° - 72°
Aperture blades: 9
Minimum focus distance: 0.28 m
Filter size: 82 mm
Lens length: 94.3mm (Canon), 91.8mm (Nikon)
Weight: 570 g (Canon), 550 g (Nikon)

Once again the 11-20mm uses an unusual push-pull clutch mechanism that allows you to switch from autofocus to manual focus operation.

Most of the changes to the new design are cosmetic, with a major change to the external appearance of the zoom. But there is, however, a new water-repellent anti-reflective multi-coating, which is said to improve light transmission and minimize reflections – as well as making the surface easier to clean. The Nikon fit also gets a new Silent Drive autofocus motor.

The lens is due to go on sale from July for a reported cost of €600 (approximately $675/£540).

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While APS-C cameras are a fantastic budget-friendly way to explore photography, if you want to capture wide angles of view, then you'll need to invest in a wider piece of glass than a full frame camera would need. Luckily, the  Tokina 14-20mm f/2 AT-X Pro DX lens has a fantastically wide zoom range from 14mm to 20mm – and now it's available for a fantastic $100 discount.

This impressive 20% discount takes the original price of the Tokina 14-20mm f/2 AT-X Pro DX lens from $499 to just $399! If you've been looking for a great wide angle zoom for your kitbag, then we wouldn't pass up on the opportunity to pick up this DX Tokina lens. 

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As the fastest lens Tokina has ever made, the Tokina 14-20mm f/2 AT-X Pro DX lens has a super fast f/2 constant aperture. It also has three aspherical lens elements for superior sharpness and contrast – plus four Super-low Dispersion glass elements to control chromatic aberrations. 

You can pick up the Tokina 14-20mm f/2 AT-X Pro DX lens in both a Canon mount and a Nikon mount.

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BREAKING NEWS: Photokina has just informed us that it the 2020 show will not happen in May - and now will not happen until May 2022. Held in Cologne, Germany, the show becomes the latest of the big imaging trade fairs of this year to become victim to the COVID-19 pandemic. The full press statement is below…

After intensive consultation, Koelnmesse GmbH has decided to cancel photokina 2020, originally planned to be held 27 to 30 May 2020. The next instalment of the leading international trade fair for photography, video and imaging will be presented from 18 to 21 May 2022. The Imaging Innovation Conference will not be celebrating its première in 2020 as originally planned; a new date will be coordinated.

In general the management team of Koelnmesse has decided not to organise any own events on the part of Koelnmesse until the end of June 2020. This decision is supported by the crisis management team of the City of Cologne, which also recommended in its meeting on 18.03.2020 to cancel the trade fairs during this period.

This also happens against the background of the agreement reached on 16.03.2020 between the German federal government and the governments of the German states – laying down common guidelines for dealing with the coronavirus epidemic and explicitly including the general closure of trade fairs and exhibitions. This impairs the planning security for Koelnmesse and the participants of the trade fairs in Cologne far beyond the scope of the current scenarios. With this early announcement, Koelnmesse wants to give its exhibitors and visitors planning security.

The decision not to host the next edition of photokina until May 2022 was made with in view of several factors: Even before the appearance of the coronavirus, the imaging market was already subject to strongly dynamic movements. This trend will now gain momentum and must be factored into plans for the upcoming photokina. Added to this is the fact that our customers’ resources are already under heavy strain in 2021 – as a result of general economic trends as well as rescheduled events on the global trade fair calendar. The orientation towards 2022 gives everyone involved time enough to design the next photokina with an eye to the needs of the market, and of our exhibitors and visitors.

Kai Hillebrandt, Chairman of the Photo Industry Association [Photoindustrie-Verband e.V. (PIV)]: “It goes without saying that PIV completely stands behind the decision taken by Koelnmesse to cancel photokina 2020. The health of exhibitors and visitors is top priority at the moment. As the conceptual sponsor of photokina, we will do our utmost to assist the Koelnmesse with the planning of the next edition of photokina.”

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Tokina has announced a raft of new lenses due this year for mirrorless APS-C Sony and Fujifilm cameras. This comes as welcome news, given the current relative lack of third-party lenses for APS-C Sony and Fujifilm systems. Come summer we can expect three new primes for Sony E-mount cameras: an atx-m 23mm f/1.4, atx-m 33mm f/1.4, and atx-m 56mm f/1.4. This same trio of primes are scheduled for release in Fujifilm X-mount-fit in the autumn.

The announcement follows a recent trend of third party lens manufacturers embracing previously under-supported systems with new prime optics, most notably Sigma's launch of its 16mm, 30mm and 56mm f/1.4 DC DN Contemporary lenses for Canon's M-mount cameras.

And it's not just APS-C Sony shooters who Tokina is out to impress this autumn. The company is also due to launch two new full-frame Sony FE-mount optics for A7 and A9 cameras. Expect to see atx-m 35mm f/1.8 and atx-m 50mm f/1.8 lenses joining the recently launched atx-m 85mm f/1.8 portrait lens - a lens we recently reviewed and came away very impressed by.

Finally, Tokina hasn't forgotten about DSLR shooters, as it's also releasing a new atx-i optic for APS-C Canon and Nikon DSLRs in the summer. The upcoming atx-i 11-20mm f/2.8 will join the recently released atx-i 11-16mm f/2.8 and atx-i 100mm f/2.8 macro optics. Although given atx-i lenses are essentially re-releases of existing AT-X Pro models but with restyled lens barrels, we'd expect the atx-i 11-20mm f/2.8 to share the same optical path as Tokina's existing AT-X 11-20 mm f/2.8 Pro.

No technical details have been revealed about these upcoming atx-m lenses, but if their performance is on par with Tokina's excellent Opera 50mm, we're in for a treat.

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The atx-m 85mm joins the FíRIN 20mm F2 FE AF, FíRIN 20mm F2 FE MF and FíRIN 100mm F2.8 FE Macro in Tokina's rapidly expanding range of lenses for Sony FE-mount cameras. It flies the time-honoured atx (advanced technology) flag of numerous SLR-compatible lenses that have come before, while adding an ‘m’ to the moniker for ‘mirrorless’.

Solid performance and build quality at affordable prices always seems to be high on Tokina’s agenda and, while the new lens has ‘only’ an f/1.8 aperture rating, it’s nevertheless just a third of the price of Sony’s faster, top-flight FE 85mm f/1.4 G Master. Stiffer competition with more similar price tags comes from the Sony FE 85mm f/1.8 and the Samyang AF 85mm f/1.4 FE, the latter of which is two-thirds of an f/stop faster.

Specifications

Mount: Sony E
Full frame: yes
Autofocus: yes
Lens construction: 10 elements in 7 groups
Angle of view: 28.5 degrees
Diaphragm blades: 9
Minimum aperture: f/16
Minimum focusing distance: 0.8m
Maximum magnification ratio: 0.125x
Filter size: 72mm
Dimensions: 80x93mm
Weight: 645g

Key features

The optical design isn’t overly elaborate, based on ten elements and featuring a single SD (Low Dispersion) elements. Tokina claims the overall aim is for excellent sharpness across the entire frame along with high contrast and natural colour rendition, plus effective suppression of distortion and chromatic aberrations. 

Helping to enhance bokeh and reduce vignetting, the front element is fairly large for an 85mm f/1.8 lens. Similarly, the nine-blade diaphragm is well-rounded, theoretically maintaining attractive bokeh when stopping down a little, especially when it comes to the appearance of defocused light points. Meanwhile, the application of Tokina’s proprietary ‘Super Low Reflection Coating’ reduces ghosting and flare as well as repelling water and grease.

The stepping motor-based autofocus system is fully compatible with Sony’s Fast Hybrid AF system. It can also take full advantage of portrait-friendly face/eye-recognition options, both in single and continuous AF modes, where available in the host camera body. Similarly, the built-in electronics enable automatic in-camera corrections for shading, distortion and lateral chromatic aberrations, as well as ensuring compatibility with the 5-axis in-camera stabilization of current and recent Sony E-mount bodies.

Build and handling

As with pretty much all Tokina lenses, build quality feels solid and sturdy. Typical of many Sony E-mount lenses, this one looks deceptively simple with no on-board switches or buttons, nor a physical focus distance scale. Even so, it’s certainly no lightweight for an 85mm f/1.8 lens at 645g.

Apart from the cylindrical, bayonet-fit plastic hood that’s supplied with the lens, the only exterior moving part is the manual focus ring. As usual with stepping motor autofocus systems, the focus ring is electronically rather than mechanically coupled and enables ‘fly-by-wire’ autofocus override and fully manual focusing. 

Again, electronic compatibility enables Sony’s MF Assist function to come into play, bringing advantages like an enlarged preview area, a focus distance bar and focus peaking, if selected in the menu system. However, while fly-by-wire focus rings often turn very freely and give no mechanical feedback, the Tokina’s feels a little overly stiff for our liking.

Although the front element has a water-repellent coating, the lens itself isn’t weather-sealed and doesn’t even feature a rubber gasket on its mounting plate to reduce the ingress of dust and moisture.

Performance & image quality

There’s always much debate over how much the reduced depth of field of an f/1.4 lens improves the quality of bokeh, compared with an f/1.8 lens. Ultimately, it generally has a lot more to do with the optical design of the lens rather than the two-thirds of an f/stop difference in aperture rating. In practice, the Tokina manages to isolate in-focus regions of a scene with perfectly adequate sharpness, while giving a delightfully soft and creamy appearance to defocused areas. The transition between focused and defocused areas also has an impressively smooth and glitch-free graduation.

Fast prime lenses often suffer from very noticeable axial/longitudinal chromatic aberration, also referred to as ‘bokeh fringing’. At very wide apertures, this can typically manifest itself anywhere in the image frame as red, green or blue fringes around objects that are in front of or behind the plane of focus. The Tokina does an excellent job in keeping both longitudinal and the more general lateral chromatic aberrations to a minimum.

Actually nailing the point of focus can sometimes be a bit hit and miss. We found that the Tokina was a little more prone to autofocus hunting than a number of other lenses that we’ve tested on Sony E-mount cameras. Autofocus confirmation in the viewfinder or rear screen was also sometimes activated during our testing, when the AF point used was noticeably out of focus.

When correctly focused, sharpness at the centre of the frame is excellent throughout almost the entire aperture range and drops off very little when shooting wide-open at f1/8. Sharpness away from the centre of the frame is more mediocre and falls off more towards the edges and corners. That might be an issue in some scenarios but it could be regarded as a plus point for portraiture, helping to further isolate the main subject. Shading (darkened image corners) is quite minimal for this type of lens, and there’s fairly minimal pincushion distortion, even when uncorrected in-camera.

Lab data

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 centre 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:

There’s plenty of sharpness at the centre of the frame but it drops off towards the edges and corners.

Fringing:

Lateral chromatic aberration is minimal even in the extreme corners of the frame and axial chromatic aberration is very minor, even when shooting wide-open at f/1.8.

Distortion: 1.7

There’s a touch of pincushion distortion but it’s easily corrected in-camera or at the editing stage.

Verdict

There’s a lot to love about Tokina’s 85mm lens. It’s capable of impressive sharpness, at least in the central region of the frame, while delivering really beautiful bokeh for defocused areas. Indeed, the quality of bokeh is rather better than in many 85mm f/1.4 lenses that we’ve seen in the past. It’s well-engineered and, while not weather-sealed, feels very solid and sturdy, even if the focus ring might feel a little stiff for everybody’s liking. Overall, it’s a very good buy for the money and well matched to Sony E-mount bodies, especially newer models that feature sensor-shift image stabilization.

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Tokina has launched a new line of lenses which are designed to offer affordable lenses for mirrorless cameras. The first of these, the Tokina atx-m 85mm f/1.8 is a fast but affordable portrait prime for the Sony full-frame cameras, which has just gone on sale.

While the new lens is only being produced for the Sony mount, Tokina says the atx-m range will eventually include lenses “for multiple mounts and sensor formats”, likely including Canon’s RF and Nikon’s Z mounts, as well as the L-mount used by Leica, Sigma and Panasonic cameras.

• See Tokina atx-m 85mm f/1.8 review 

Tokina is keen to point out that the atx-m 85mm f/1.8 FE is designed to Sony’s specifications, and so like native E-mount lenses will support camera functions such as autofocus – including Sony’s Eye AF – in-body image stabilization and manual focus assist.

The lens features an optical design made up of 10 glass elements in seven groups, including one SD low dispersion element, and Tokina’s Super Low Reflection Multi-coating, which is designed to minimize ghosting and flare and repel oil and moisture. Tokina says the atx-m 85mm f/1.8 FE delivers “natural color and excellent contrast” and “corner-to-corner resolution”. The lens has an nine bladed iris.

An all-metal focusing unit and ST-M motor are said to ensure smooth, fast and quite autofocus. While the lens is ideal for portraiture – Tokina calls it a ‘bokeh monster’, it’s also suitable for street and landscape photography. The lens weights 645g and has a 72mm filter thread.

The Tokina atx-m 85mm f/1.8 FE has just gone on sale and is priced at £489/$499.

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Photokina, once the world's mightiest photographic trade show that no major manufacturer would ever dream of missing, has been dealt another blow as yet another big name has pulled out of its 2020 event.

Fujifilm is the latest manufacturer to officially confirmed that it will not be attending Photokina 2020, set to take place from 27-30 May 2020 in Cologne, Germany.  

"After considering exhibiting from an overall perspective, including the launch timing of several exciting new products next year, our sales promotion plans, and cost effectiveness, we have decided not to take part in photokina 2020," said the company in an official statement to Petapixel. 

"We will continue to engage with our customers through other avenues including hands-on, interactive events, increasing opportunities to demonstrate the outstanding value and capability of our products and services directly to users, and strengthening the digital presence of our products. The number one priority for Fujifilm is and always will be our customers, and we will continue to make decisions based on the best ways to engage with our community."

This is another significant body shot to Photokina 2020, as Fujifilm joins Nikon, Olympus and Leica as other major players who announced that they will not be attending the event. 

The blows have been raining down on Photokina since the cancellation of the 2019 event – which was to be the first of a new annual schedule for the show, taking place in May every year as opposed to its previous slot of September every two years, which it had occupied since 1966. However, this year's event was cancelled five months before it took place. 

While Fujifilm, Nikon and Olympus will not be present at Photokina, they will all be in attendance at The Photography Show 2020, taking place from 14-17 March 2020 at the Birmingham NEC in the United Kingdom.

"To reassure our visitors, Fujifilm remains a key exhibitor at The Photography Show and we are looking forward to welcoming them to the show in March," says Jonny Sullens, Events Director for the UK event.

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Photokina still remains the best known of all the photographic trade shows - but the German expo's quest to adapt to a changing international industry has faced yet another setback. Nikon, Olympus and Leica have all cancelled their stands at next year's event in Cologne, according to a press release from the organizers.

Thee setback follows the cancellation of the 2019 event on the banks of the Rhine. In 2018 the organizers made the surprise announcement it would double in frequency to become an annual event taking place in May rather than the traditional September. But this year's event was cancelled a full five months before the doors were meant to open. Previously, the exhibition had run every two years since 1966 - although the number of halls used for the show has gradually diminished over the years.

"The imaging industry is currently undergoing massive changes, which also have an impact on Photokina as the industry's leading trade fair - and this in a dimension never seen before," says Gerald Böse, President and Chief Executive Officer of Koelnmesse GmbH. "While on the one hand the classic camera market reports strongly declining sales and turnover figures, the enjoyment of photography continues to grow - with a positive effect on the demand for pictures".

The press release goes on to point out some big names in the industry will be there at the show, which is set to run from 27 to 30 May, 2020.  Key exhibitors that will be there include Canon, GoPro, Sony, Panasonic, Sigma, Tamron, Carl Zeiss, Hasselblad, and DJI.

"We strongly believe that trade shows should always have a place in the marketing mix - nothing can beat seeing your customers face to face - so it's always disappointing when companies choose not to show," says Jonny Sullens, Events Director from the UK's The Photography Show. "With that in mind I am pleased to confirm that both Nikon and Olympus will be at our March 2020 show alongside all the major manufacturers we had at the 2019 event and we remain incredibly grateful for their continued support".

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Tokina have long been a provider of pro-quality third party lenses to the photography industry, garnering a loyal following for their superior optics and high-end handling. Favorites include the AT-X 116 PRO DX II wide angle lens and AT-X 24-70 F2.8 PRO FX standard zoom, although the range covers a wide spectrum of focal lengths and functions for both APS-C and Full Frame camera models. 

Shown at IBC 2019, this new announcement is aimed squarely at videographers however and is sure to get the market excited. Introducing the Tokina Cinema Vista 135mm T1.5 which becomes the seventh model in Tokina's Vista cine lens range - and the seventh in the range with a wide T1.5 maximum iris setting (which is particularly impressive on a 135mm lens).

The 135mm T1.5 will be available in Canon EF, Sony E, Micro Four Thirds, and Arri PL mounts

The lens, which projects an image circle covering an area larger than a standard 36x24mm Full Frame sensor, combines an exciting 135mm focal length with a bright T1.5 aperture. This should enable standard to short-telephoto shots with reduced depth-of-field, for that professional cinematic look many videographers crave, while allowing clips to be made in lower ambient light, without having to increase sensitivity.

Sstandout features from the specification are 8K compatibility, for sharp images at ultra-high resolutions and 9 blade aperture, for silkier bokeh effects and pleasant spectral highlights. The lens construction also incorporates aspherical elements for reduced distortion and special coatings for minimal chromatic aberration. At the front there is a 112mm filter ring.

Geared focus and aperture control rings allow for more precise adjustments. A feature which sets the Tokina Cinema Vista 135mm T1.5 apart as a true professional video lens, is a design which minimizes focus breathing - an effect where a slight change in composition occurs as focus is pulled from infinity towards the minimum focus distance. 

The lens employs an MFT mount, imperial focus markings, a support foot for extra stabilization and weighs in at 3.12 kg. Probably the most notable aspect of the new optic is the price which, while not insignificant, is considerably lower than for competing models such as the $21,750 ZEISS Supreme Prime 135mm T1.5.

The Tokina lens is already available for pre-order for $8,999.

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Sony shooters seeking a new option for portraits and macro now have a new option, with the announcement of the Tokina FiRIN 100mm F2.8 FE Macro (or "FíRIN", as the company lists it) for Sony E-mount cameras. 

This versatile mid-range optic will challenge the Sony FE 90mm f/2.8 Macro G OSS as the best Sony lens for macro photography, but its fast f/2.8 aperture also makes it a solid option for portrait shots, with nine aperture blades producing soft beautiful bokeh and great background separation.  

Its real strengths, though, lie in its macro capabilities. It reaches 1:1 life-size reproduction with a working distance of 114.3mm / 4.5 inches between the subject and the front of the lens. 

Shown originally at Photokina last year, the lens comprises of nine elements in eight groups, the FiRIN's 'flat-field' optics have been engineered to eradicate field of view curvature, delivering superior edge-to-edge sharpness across the focal and aperture ranges. 

Marvelous for macro

It has also been constructed to make maximum use of the powerful macro aids in Sony cameras such as focus peaking, auto image enlargement, electronic distance bar, manual focus assist and image stabilization.

Tokina is also confident enough to claim "perfectly controlled chromatic aberration, flare and ghosting" thanks to the optic's multi-coatings, which render images with a natural color and "extremely low" light falloff. 

The lens boasts a large manual focus ring when you want to take over from its autofocus ability, with the extending barrel taking the lens length from 123 to 163mm. It weighs in at 589.7g / 1.3 lbs, with a 55mm filter size. 

The first two lenses in the Firin series were the Fírin 20mm F2 FE MF and Fírin 20mm F2 FE AF – manual-focus-only and autofocus Sony-mount lenses of the same prime design. 

The word Fírin is apparently a variation of Fírinne, the gaelic word for "truth". Tokina explains this 'represents a promise from Tokina to photographers to help them capture the truth in their images'.

The Tokina FiRIN 100mm F2.8 FE Macro will be available from 26 April at a cost of $599 / £579 and should provide an all-in-one solution for both portrait photographers and macro shooters. 

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Tokina has focused most of its attention on wide-angle lenses over the years, earning a good reputation in this sector of the market. Surprisingly, then, the first lens in the new series of Opera lenses was a Tokina Opera 50mm f/1.4 prime, but the second is a direct replacement for the popular ATX 16-28mm f/2.8 Pro wide-angle zoom for full-frame Canon and Nikon SLRs.

Tokina says the design ethic behind Opera lenses is that they’re ideally matched to the latest high-end, high-resolution SLRs, inspiring photographers to create ‘works of art’. As such the new 16-28mm is aimed squarely at enthusiast photographers, with Tokina’s typically sturdy and robust build quality, along with a fast and constant f/2.8 aperture rating. The metal mounting plate is weather-sealed and the bulbous front element is protected by a permanently fixed petal-shaped hood.

The optical layout is based on 15 elements in 13 groups. Of these there are three glass-moulded aspherical elements, including one large-diameter precision-molded element, second from the front. Towards the rear, three low-dispersion elements are featured with the aim of reducing both lateral and spherical chromatic aberrations.

As with the older AT-X Pro lens, the opera’s autofocus system is based on a 'silent' DC motor coupled with a GMR (Giant MagnetoResistance) magnetic sensor. Tokina says the GMR sensor has been updated for increased speed and accuracy – we didn’t notice any real boost in speed, and autofocus remains slower than in competing ultra-wide zooms that feature ring-type ultrasonic or stepping motor systems. However, autofocus proved more consistently accurate in our tests.

The new lens retains Tokina’s usual ‘one-touch focus clutch mechanism’. This enables you to snap the focus ring backwards and forwards to switch between manual focus and autofocus respectively. It works well enough, but many prefer the full-time manual override facility generally available with ring-type ultrasonic and stepping motor autofocus systems.

Tokina Opera 16-28mm f/2.8 FF: Performance

Image quality is very good overall. At the short end of the zoom range, centre-sharpness and contrast are fabulous even when shooting wide open at f/2.8. At mid to long zoom settings, centre-sharpness is similarly excellent if you stop down to f/4, although corner-sharpness is less impressive throughout the entire zoom range. 

Vignetting is fairly low for such a wide-angle, wide-aperture lens and, again, peripheral illumination is much improved when narrowing the aperture to f/4. Distortions and color fringing are well controlled across most of the frame, but magenta and cyan lateral chromatic aberrations can be quite noticeable towards the corners of images. 

Overall performance is less impressive than in the Sigma 14-24mm f/2.8 DG HSM Art and Tamron SP 15-30mm f/2.8 Di VC USD G2 lenses, both of which offer a wider maximum viewing angle while equalling the Tokina’s f/2.8 aperture rating. Even so, the Tokina is much less expensive to buy and excellent value at the price.

Tokina Opera 16-28mm f/2.8 FF: Lab tests

Centre sharpness at 16mm is great, from wide open through to f/11. As you zoom in, the lens struggles to maintain the same level of sharpness at f/2, but there are no problems at f/4 and beyond.

Inevitably for such a wide-angle lens, corner-frame sharpness is well below centre-frame sharpness. This is largely due to the distance between the lens and the centre of our test chart being significantly shorter than the corners, owing to the lens needing to be positioned very near to the chart to maintain proper framing at such a short focal length. Combine this with a large lens aperture and the corners of our test chart will be slightly blurred due to the shallow depth of field. However, even accounting for this, the Tokina Opera 16-28mm could score better for corner sharpness, especially at 16mm.

We'd expect some fringing from a wide-angle lens, and the Opera 16-28mm is no exception. At 16mm aberrations are quite visible at the edges of frame, but they do become a bit less noticeable as you zoom in, due to the less severe angle that light is entering the lens barrel relative to objects on the periphery of frame.

Barrel distortion is significant at 16mm, resulting an obvious bulging effect that's particularly noticeable when shooting geometric subjects. Fortunately this quickly diminishes at 20mm, and by 28mm the lens produces an essentially distortion-free image.

Tokina Opera 16-28mm f/2.8 FF: Verdict

This second lens in the Opera line-up has a robust build and delivers very good image quality, but it’s not a dramatic improvement over Tokina’s older ATX 16-28mm f/2.8 Pro lens. The latest competing Sigma 14-24mm f/2.8 Art and Tamron 15-30mm f/2.8 G2 zooms perform better, but the Tokina is only about half the price to buy.

Autofocus is neither as quick nor as quiet as in competing lenses with ring-type ultrasonic drive, and some may prefer the constant manual override offered by its rivals. Again, though, the new Opera delivers impressive overall results and offers great bang for buck. 

Tokina has revealed the full specs of the Tokina Opera 16-28mm f/2.8 FF – the second release in its vaunted Opera line of high-definition lenses, for Canon EF and Nikon F-mount cameras. We were quite taken with the debut lens, the Tokina Opera 50mm f/1.4 FF.

The new optic, which we first saw at Photokina 2018, is inspired by the existing Tokina 16-28mm f/2.8 AT-X PRO FX lens from 2010, with which it shares the same focal range and maximum aperture.

The new optic boasts 15 elements in 13 groups – 3 of these elements are aspherical, and 3 are low-dispersion elements to minimize chromatic and spherical aberrations. It reaches optimal performance at f/4 and lower, and with its 9-blade diaphragm "creates gentle bokeh rendering" at the 28mm end of the range. 

The lens employs a Silent Drive DC motor, paired with a new GMR magnetic AF sensor, which work in tandem to achieve quick, quiet and accurate autofocus.

The bulb-like front element and built-in lens hood means that filters cannot be attached (unless you mount this to a Canon EOS R or RP using the Drop-In Filter Mount Adapter EF-EOS R), though Tokina claims that "superior color rendering will allow the photographer to capture the nature scenery in rich blue colors without using C-PL filter".

Far from a delicate lens, at 940g and 89 x 133.5mm, the barrel nonetheless features the One-Touch Focus Clutch Mechanism to switch between manual and autofocus, and the direction of the focus ring matches the direction of Nikon and Canon lenses accordingly.

We would be remiss if we didn't take this opportunity to share Tokina's quite wonderful mission statement for its Opera line:

"In modern society the word 'opera' is commonly used to indicate stage art works that combine drama, music and dance. In Italian, it means work or work of art. As an omitted art genre definition, opera comes from 'opera musicale', which means a piece of music work. In Latin, opera comes from 'opus' that is still used in contemporary language meaning 'great literary, artistic or intellectual work' (e.g. 'magnum opus', 'opera magna'). We chose the name opera for our new premium full-frame DSLR lens series with the idea that it will help the photographer in creating real 'works of art'."

The Tokina Opera 16-28mm f/2.8 FF will go on sale from 15 March for $699 (UK pricing TBC).

Read more:

Tokina Opera 50mm f/1.4 FF lens review

The best wide-angle lenses for Nikon cameras in 2019

Best wide-angle lenses for Canon in 2019: which one should you buy?

Over recent years, Tokina has become something of a wide-angle specialist. Its popular 11-16mm lens for APS-C format cameras dates back to 2008. A Mk II edition was launched back in 2013. This more recent 11-20mm ultra-wide zoom extends the focal length range significantly, and makes it an attractive option – not least because of its fast f/2.8 maximum aperture. It is available in both Nikon F and Canon EF mounts.

Features

This Tokina 11-20mm extends the overall zoom range of the well-respected 11-16mm versions, while still maintaining a constant-aperture design, delivering f/2.8 at all focal lengths. One of the things that made the original 11-16mm lens so popular was its combination of sturdy build and good optical performance at an attractive selling price. 

The 11-20mm feels similarly robust and features a weather-seal ring on its mounting plate. The Tokina has better build quality but unfortunately lacks the image stabilization that is present in its Canon and Nikon equivalents.

An up-market optical design includes two all-glass moulded elements and three SD (Super-low Dispersion) elements. At 560g, the Tokina is nearly two and a half times heavier than the Canon 10-18mm and the Nikon 10-20mm. 

This is partly because of the metal rather than plastic mounting plate, but also due to the forward optical elements having a larger diameter, to enable the f/2.8 aperture compared with the Canon’s f/4.5-5.6 variable rating. As such, the filter thread is also larger, at 82mm compared with the Canon’s 67mm.

By contrast, the Tokina has a more basic electric motor with the company’s trademark ‘One-touch Focus Clutch Mechanism’. This enables you to switch between autofocus and manual focus by snapping the focus ring forward or backward. Either way, you need to be careful not to nudge the ring accidentally, inadvertently switching between auto and manual focusing. On balance, we prefer the manual override facilities.

Sample image gallery

Lab tests

Centre sharpness is impressive even at f/2.8 and corner sharpness is pretty good for a wide-angle zoom.

Amounts of Lateral chromatic aberration towards the edges and corners of the frame are average for this type of lens.

Barrel distortion is a little noticeable at the short end of the zoom range but negligible at or near 20mm.

Performance

The Tokina is impressively sharp, even when shooting wide-open at f/2.8, at the short end of the zoom range. During our tests, however, sharpness was let down by inconsistent autofocus accuracy. The autofocus system is quick considering it’s based on an electric motor, but is still rather noisier than in the competing Canon, Nikon, Sigma and Tamron lenses. Levels of colour fringing are typical for this type of lens but distortion is negligible at the long end of the zoom range

Specifications

• Full-frame compatible: No
• Effective focal length (Canon): 17.6-32mm
• Effective focal length (Nikon): 16.5-30mm
• Image stabalizer: No
• Elements/groups: 16/11
• Minimum focus distance: 0.27m
• Max magnification: 0.12x
• Manual focus override: No
• Focus limit switches: No
• Internal focus: Yes
• Filter size: 82mm
• Iris blades: 9
• Weather seals: Yes
• Supplied accessories: Hood
• Dimensions: 89mm x 92mm
• Weight: 560g

Verdict

This Tokina lens is well built and delivers wonderful image quality. The f/2.8 constant aperture is a bonus but autofocus accuracy proved inconsistent in our tests. Overall, it’s a sterling buy at the price.

Features: 3.5/5
Build & handling: 4/5
Image quality: 4/5
Value: 4/5
Overall: 4/5

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Photokina 2019 has been cancelled, in a surprise announcement by its German organisers. Photokina has long been regarded as the world’s premiere photographic trade fair. It’s been taking place at Koelnmesse in the city of Cologne every two years since 1966 and has become a regular fixture for the whole camera industry.

Last year the organisers announced it would double in frequency to become an annual event taking place in May rather than the traditional September, and this meant that Photokina 2019 would have taken place in May 2019, just eight months after the previous event.

This produced some surprise and concern amongst exhibitors and visitors. Could the industry prepare for another major exhibition so soon after the last one? Would there be enough new products to attract visitors?

The organisers seem to have taken this on board. Rainer Führes, CEO of the German Photo Industry Association (PIV) which heads up the event, says “Photokina 2018 clearly exceeded our already optimistic expectations with groundbreaking innovations and 180,000 visitors from 127 countries. As a result, we set the bar very high for the next event. It is therefore unlikely that, in May 2019 after just over seven months, we will once again be able to create the same enthusiastic atmosphere that characterised Photokina 2018. This is why we have decided to start the planned annual cycle in 2020.”

• 10 amazing cameras launched at Photokina 2018
• 10 fantastic lenses launched at Photokina 2018
• 9 must-have camera accessories launched at Photokina 2018
• 5 fastest lenses at Photokina
• 5 things we learned about Sony at Photokina

This will be disappointing for fans of camera gear, beer and sausages, the three great Photokina specialities, but it certainly doesn’t spell the end for Photokina itself, which should be back, bigger and stronger than ever, in 2020. In the meantime, many in the industry will welcome the news, feeling that eight months was just too short a time interval between shows.

The Photography Show is coming!

But camera nuts needn’t despair because the dates for next year’s Photography Show have been announced. It’s the UK’s biggest photography event, it takes place at the Birmingham NEC from 16-19 March 2019, and tickets are already on sale.

• The Photography Show 2019:  What you need to know – tickets are on sale now!

Tokina is back with this new fast standard prime designed to be the start of a high-end Opera series, positioned above the company's AT-X lens line to rival Sigma and Tamron’s latest premium offerings.

Features

Inside the Opera 50mm f/1.4 FF is a 9-element optical stack that contains three SD (Super-low Dispersion) elements and one aspherical element to minimise chromatic aberrations.

A 9-blade diaphragm is also present to help keep bokeh as smooth as possible, while the Nikon-fit lens benefits from an electronic diaphragm for more precise aperture control during burst shooting.

New to this lens is Tokina's ELR (Extremely Low Reflection) coating that specifically targets the visible light spectrum entering the lens to reduce ghosting, flare and reflections when shooting scenes containing a strong light source.

As you'd expect for a high-end optic, the Opera 50mm is dust and moisture resistant, with seals protecting eight areas of possible ingress.

Tokina is making bold claims about the speed and silence of the AF system in the Opera. It's of the ring-type ultrasonic variety rather than a more modern stepping motor design, but there is full time manual override. It's also nice to see a real mechanically-actuated focus distance window atop the lens barrel.

Included with the lens is a BH-726 petal hood that features a sliding window in the top allowing for the rotation of a polarising filter.

• Weight: 950g
• Dimensions: 80 x 107.5mm
• Filter size: 72mm
• Maximum aperture: f/1.4
• Minimum aperture: f/16
• Minimum focusing distance: 40cm
• Construction: 15 elements in 9 groups
• Aperture blades: 9 

Tokina Opera 50mm F1.4 FF – lab tests

Sharpness

(measured in line widths/picture height)
Centre sharpness is excellent wide open at f/1.4, and the lens reaches an impressive sharpness sweet spot from f/2 right through to f/11. Only at the Opera's minimum aperture of f/16 does diffraction reduce sharpness to a more average score.

Corner sharpness appears disappointing relative to the centre-frame scores, but real world corner sharpness is be much better than the lab data implies. See the sample images below.

Fringing

(nearer 0 is better)
Colour fringing is very well controlled, even right at the corners of the frame (where these scores are recorded). In real world shooting, aberrations are barely visible - see samples below.

Distortion: 0.02

(nearer 0 is better)
The Tokina Opera 50mm f/1.4 FF is as close to a distortion-free lens as you'll find. This score is recorded with all in-camera and Raw-conversion distortion correction options disabled, so the glass can take full credit for this result. 

Sample images

Verdict

With Sigma and Tamron battling hard to win buyers away from Canon and Nikon glass, Tokina needed to deliver a very special lens to compete. Fortunately the Opera 50mm f/1.4 FF is a terrific standard prime.

Image quality is sublime, as the lens is one of the sharpest 50mm primes we've ever tested. Fringing and distortion levels are also impressively low.

The obvious main rival to the Opera is Sigma's 50mm f/1.4 DG HSM Art. Both lenses are of a similar size and weight, and the Sigma is such good all-rounder that it's won awards from us. But if anything the new Tokina is even more optically impressive, though its lens barrel doesn't quite exude the same exquisite feel as Sigma's Art-level build. 

This wouldn't be an issue if Tokina's pricing was line with the Sigma's, but with an RRP of £879/$949, the Opera is nearly £300 more than the Sigma, making it one of the priciest standard primes you can buy for a Canon or Nikon DSLR.

Even so, if you're in the market for an EF or F-mount standard prime and are willing to pay top dollar for the best possible image quality, the Tokina Opera 50mm f/1.4 FF doesn't disappoint.

Our time at Photokina 2018 is now over. What a year is has been, though, with the Cologne-based show packed to the rafters with photography goodies. There have been A LOT of announcements. From full-frame mirrorless beauties to medium-format wonder, with a few monster lenses arriving to grab the headlines, too.

UPDATED: This is the place to find all the latest Photokina news and hands ons from the show.

There were also a number of announcements pre-show and some surprise reveals just before Photokina. What we have done here is round everything (and there's a lot) up. 

Below you will find what’s been shown off already and all the exciting kit that's landed from the likes of Panasonic, Leica, Sigma and more. 

It’s all about new camera kit and who doesn’t love taking the wrappers off a brand-new toy to play with?

What is Photokina 2018?  “It’s the world's leading trade fair for imaging,” according to the folks behind the show. It’s a place where camera manufacturers show off the latest bits of kit to journalists, buyers and the general public. This year is the final year that the show is taking place in September. From 2019, the show will take place in May.

When is Photokina 2018? It takes place in Cologne, Germany, 26-29 September. Head to DigitalCameraWorld on the 25 September, however, as this is press day and when most of the big reveals will be, er, revealed. 

• Nikon's future Z system plans revealed
• Olympus: 'Micro Four Thirds will remain highly relevant'

Photokina 2018: all the latest launches

Photokina 2018 hands-on reviews

Hands on: Nikon Z6 review

There's a lot to like about the Nikon Z6 - a camera that was announced before Photokina but made an appearance there. It's essentially the same camera as the Nikon Z7 but the sensor 'only' packs in around half the number of megapixels - 24.5Mp, compared to an impressive 45.7MP. The actual chassis is identical, bar the branding, and is significantly cheaper than the Z7, at £2099/€2399. Compared to the Z7's £3399/€3899 body-only price, that's impressive.

Read more: Hands on: Nikon Z6 review

Hands on: Tamron SP 15-30mm f/2.8 Di VC USD G2 review

Tamron's G2 lens line-up is now up to three and if the quality of the 15-30mm G2 is anything to go by, the company has some incredible optics on its hands. Tamron's other G2 lenses have performed superbly for us in the past, and we see no reason why this second generation 15-30mm will be any less impressive.

Read more: Hands on: Tamron SP 15-30mm f/2.8 Di VC USD G2 review

Hands on: Leica S3 review

The Leica S3 is a camera to lust after. It's not the biggest medium-format camera around but it has the Leica touch which elevates it above the others. Specs include a pretty tasty 64MP, 4K video and because of its heritage a pretty weighty price tag. But that doesn't stop you from wondering whether this is the way to go when it comes to pro cameras, instead of mirrorless.

Read more: Hands on: Leica S3 review

Hands on: Leica and Zenit’s full frame Zenit M review

This is Leica’s second full frame mirrorless collaboration of 2018, and one of the unlikeliest yet. The team-up between Leica and Zenit has mean that the camera has been designed in Russia but will be assembled by Leica in Germany. It looks an  awful lot like the Leica M, with a 24MP CMOS sensor and is limited to just 500 units. 

Read more: Hands on review: Leica and Zenit’s full frame Zenit M

Hands on: Fujifilm GFX 50R review

We've had a look at Fujifilm’s new medium format camera and our first impressions are that it is simply stunning. The Fujifilm GFX 50R promises the same level of image quality as the higher-end GFX 50S, but in a much slimmer body. It's also got as slimline price, too, which is just as impressive. The GFX 50S offers superb image quality, with a fantastic sense of space that you don’t get from smaller format cameras – it’s not just about the megapixels.

Read more: Hands on: Fujifilm GFX 50R review 

Hands on: Laowa 24mm f/14 2x Macro Probe lens review

The Laowa 24mm f/14 2x Macro Probe lens is a niche lens but one that helps you create fantastically unique shots. Yes, the 24mm Macro Probe is expensive but it's the sort of lens that will bring originality to your photography. Ohm and it's long, really long - deserving of its 'ant eater' name. 

Read more: Hands on: Laowa 24mm f/14 2x Macro Probe lens review

Hands on: Canon PowerShot SX70 HS review

Canon talked a lot about its full-frame mirrorless camera system at Photokina 2018. But this doesn't mean that it is not looking at the enthusiast market and trying to offer something special. And that's what it has done with the PowerShot SX70 HS. This is a camera that has a 20.3MP CMOS sensor, DIGIC 8 processor and 4K video - it packs a great deal of punch and has the same processor as the EOS R.

Read more: Hands on: Canon PowerShot SX70 HS review

Hands on: Phase One XF IQ4 150MP review

We got up close and personal with the $50,000 medium format powerhouse and it offers the ultimate in photographic performance at a mortgage-worthy price tag. It's bigger and bulkier than other medium formats on the market but it also serves a very different purpose. There is attention to detail here, and when it comes to the shots that detail is millimetre fine. 

Read more: Hands on: Phase One XF IQ4 150MP Camera System review

Photokina 2018 camera news

Zeiss ZX1

This was one of the more surprising launches at the show. The Zeiss ZX1 is a full frame compact camera which claims to be as intuitive as a smartphone. It has an in-house 37.4MP sensor, a non-removeable 35mm f/2 lens (so technically mirrorless) and allows you to properly edit images in camera, thanks to Lightroom CC in-built into the system. 

Read more: Zeiss reveals its ZX1 full frame concept camera

Panasonic Lumix S1R and Lumix S

This was the biggie and will probably end up being the star of the show. The Panasonic Lumix S1R and Panasonic Lumix S are Panasonic's first full-frame mirrorless cameras. Thanks to a link-up with Sigma and Leica, there are already a bunch of lenses available for the cameras and they come packing 47MP and 24MP respectively. The full-frame mirrorless camera market is now looking very full indeed!

Read more: Panasonic Lumix S1R and Lumix S full-frame mirrorless cameras revealed

Leica S3

Leica is developing another medium-format camera, the Leica S3. Following on from the now long in the tooth Leica S2, the camera features a 64MP sensor, up for 3fps shooting capabilities and a whole host of new lenses. There's not much else to go on, but this is a big launch from Leica.

Read more: Leica S3: 64MP medium-format camera teased at Photokina

Fujifilm GFX 100S

Fujifilm has revealed a monster of a camera. The Fujifilm GFX 100S is a digital back that boasts a whipping 100MP - it's a variant of its GFX medium format camera that is all set to go on sale next year The price? Well, if you have to ask you may not be able to afford it. But it will hit shops in 2019 for a cool $10,000.

Read more: Fujifilm GFX 100S: 100 megapixel medium format beast is on the way

Fujifilm GFX 50R

For those who like their cameras a little smaller than medium format but still in the same category, the Fujifilm GFX 50R is a Super Full Frame camera that is a smaller, sleeker version of the GFX 50S. It's 25mm thinner and 145g lighter than its predecessor and comes with a new lens for the GFX mirrorless system - a 50mm f/3.5 lens. Price wise, you are looking at $4500, when it goes on sale in November. We've already delivered our initial hands-on verdict.

Read more: Fujifilm GFX 50R hands-on first verdict

Canon PowerShot SX70 HS

Canon has managed to squeeze the same processor as the Canon EOS R, which is an impressive feat in itself and certainly makes this bridge camera one to look out for. Other specs include 4K video, built-in Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connectivity and a 10fps continuous shooting speed. We've had our hands on it at Photokina and delivered an early verdict.

Read more: Hands-on review Canon PowerShot SX70 HS

Ricoh GRIII

Ricoh has updated its modern classic camera for a new age, with the announcement of the Ricoh GRIII. The camera offers 24MP resolution, a fixed touchscreen LCD display and a fixed 18.3mm lens with an APS-C sensor. Given this range is over 20 years old now, it's great to see Ricoh offer up an upgrade.

Read more: Ricoh GRIII – a new classic is born

Phase One XF IQ4 150MP Camera System

With genuinely remarkable resolving power and in-body Capture One integration, the XF IQ4 150MP offers ultimate photographic performance… though obviously, it comes with a mortgage-worthy price tag. We've already got our hands on it and delivered our first verdict at Photokina 2018.

Read more: Hands on: Phase One XF IQ4 150MP review

Sigma full-frame mirrorless camera is coming 

Sigma has announced that it is developing its own full-frame mirrorless camera, which will go on sale in 2019. It will use the L-mount, which it is working with Panasonic and Leica to promote.

Read more: Sigma full-frame mirrorless camera is coming

GoPro Hero 7 Black

The GoPro Hero 7 Black is one of the biggest things that will be at Photokina 2018, but GoPro didn't want to wait till the show to show it off. Packing live-streaming capabilities and some decent software upgrades, it's shaping up to be the action cam to beat.

Read more: GoPro Hero 7 Black beats the shakes with super-stabilised video

Leica Sofort

The Leica Sofort instant film camera is the cheapest way to get yourself a Leica camera, given they usually run into the thousands. First launched in 2016 in fetching pale green mint, the camera is back in black for Photokina 2018.

Read more: Leica's little black number has instant appeal

Fujifilm Instax Square SQ20 

Fujifilm Instax Square SQ20 has arrived, offering up the ability to shoot and print 1:1 photos through the device. It comes packing 16 new filters and you can shoot mini bits of video on it as well. It's only available in the US at the moment but we're hoping it will make a UK appearance soon. 

Read more: Fujifilm Instax Square SQ20 arrives to take Polaroid's instant photo crown

Vuze XR 

The Vuze XR is a 360-degree camera that allows you to switch between 3D and 2D in a quick, one-click process. All you have to do is open and close the camera. Resolution-wise, the Vuze XR can shoot at 5.7K 30p or 4K 60p - for 5.7k you need to use the special software that comes with the cam. 

Read more: Vuze XR Camera shoots 360-degree 5.7K video

Photokina 2018 lens news

• 5 fastest lenses at Photokina

Samyang XP 10mm f3.5

Samyang  has revealed what it believes is the world's widest lens. The super-wide 10mm lens is designed for full-frame DSLRs – and has full-field rectilinear image. Given that lenses with this kind of focal length are usually fisheyes, there are some impressive specs on board here.

Read more: Samyang XP 10mm f3.5 gives world-beating view

Sigma adds five new lenses

As well as announcing a new 60-600mm telephoto behemoth, Sigma also bulked out its other lenses. These are for its Art, Sports and Contemporary collections and including the SIGMA 56mm F1.4 DC DN, SIGMA 70-200mm F2.8 DG OS HSM and SIGMA 28mm F1.4 DG HSM. 

Read more: Sigma adds five lenses to its Art, Sports and Contemporary collections

Sigma 60-600mm F4.5-6.3 DG OS HSM

Sigma has unveiled a beast of a lens, in the form of the Sigma 60-600mm F4.5-6.3 DG OS HSM. This superzoom offer a focal length that caters for the likes of wildlife, aviation and sports photographers. But it will also let you shoot more normal wider scenes without having to change the optics.

Read more: Sigma unleashes 60-600mm supertelephoto superzoom monster

Tokina launched its Opera range at Photokina with the Opera  50mm f/1.4' but it also teased us with what will be the second in this new range of high-resolution lenses for full-frame DSLRs. The 16-28mm f/2.8 is a Tokina classic, and we are excited to see this latest iteration when it arrives next year.

Read more: Tokina Opera 16-28mm f/2.8 hits all the high notes

Fujifilm GFX lenses

What a show Fujifilm has had. Not only did it take the wrappers off a meaty new medium-format camera, the 100MP Fujifilm GFX 100S, and the slimmed down Fujifilm GFX 50R, it has also announced a slew of new GFX lenses. These include the 100-200mm Fujifilm GF100-200mmF5.6 R LM OIS WR, a Fujifilm GF50mmF3.5 R LM WR prime lens and the 100mm Fujifilm GF45-100mmF4 R LM OIS WR. 

Read more: Fujifilm adds three new GFX lenses to roadmap

New Hasselblad lenses

Hasselblad has introduced three new lenses for the X1D-50c. The three new XCD lenses include the line’s fastest ever optic - in the form of the XCD 80mm f/1.9. All these models are set to arrive December 2018. With pricing ranging from £3,960 ($4,845) to £2,090 ($2,750). 

Read more: Hasselblad introduces three new lenses for the X1D-50c

Introducing the L-Mount Alliance

It had to happen: Panasonic, Leica and Sigma go full-frame together, taking on the might of Sony, Nikon and Canon. By pooling their expertise, it means that all three firms will be developing products for the Leica L-mount. This will allow photographers mix up their cameras and lenses at will. Give Leica is an expensive brand, the repercussion of this might actually be that you get those who can't usually afford a Leica product getting this expertise at a lower price. And it means Panasonic and the like now have the Leica seal of approval. 

Read more: L-Mount Alliance – Panasonic, Leica and Sigma go full-frame together

Tokina Opera 50mm f/1.4 lens

Tokina has revealed that its latest lens, the Opera 50mm f/1.4 lens will be available from November and is a lens designed for high-end, full-frame Canon and Nikon DSLRs. It's an upgrade from what we usually see from Tokinas, with a ring-shaped ultrasonic motor driving its autofocus.

Read more: Tokina Opera 50mm F1.4 FF: A new “premium” prime

New Laowa lenses

This new lens range from Venus Optics looks rather tasty, with the 17mm f/1.8, 12mm f/1.8 and 9mm f/2.8 Micro Four Thirds Laowa lenses designed to to fit Olympus, Panasonic and Canon CSCs. It has also announced pricing for the weird but wonderful Laowa 24mm f/14 2x Macro Probe lens, which we've already had our hands on at Photokina 2018.

Read more: Laowa shows three wide primes for MFT mirrorless cameras

 Irix Dragonfly

Irix will be releasing its third prime lens at Photokina and this one is going to be a macro. Packing 1:1 maximum magnification, a minimum focusing distance of 0.35m and it has a detachable tripod collar. The Irix 150mm f/2.8 Macro lens will be shown off at Photokina 2018.

Read more: Irix Dragonfly macro lens set to land at Photokina

Sony FE 24mm F1.4 GM prime lens

The Sony FE 24mm F1.4 GM prime lens will be shown off at Photokina 2018 and it is a lens for full-frame mirrorless cameras. It has been designed with 13 optical elements in 10 groups It is due to go on sale in October, with a retail price of £1,450. 

Read more: Sony 24mm f1.4 G Master is 48th Sony E-mount lens

Photokina 2018 accessories news

• 9 must-have camera accessories launched at Photokina 2018

Miview CND polariser and variable ND filter

An ingenious filter that combines a circular polariser with a variable ND filter with a four-stop range. A great idea for landcape photographers and for movie makers.

Read more: All-in-one polariser and variable ND filter

3 Legged Thing L-bracket for Nikon Z

British accessory maker 3 Legged Thing has come up with another quirky concept, a 'Zelda' L-bracket accessory for Nikon's full-frame mirrorless Z system. The bracket enables a tripod-mounted Z system camera to be quickly switched between horizontal and vertical orientations.

Read more: 3 Legged Thing creates L-bracket for Nikon Z

Lexar 1TB SD and microSD memory cards

Removeable storage has just gotten a lot bigger, thanks to Lexar revealing massive 1TB SD and microSD memory cards. They will be out early next year and offer a speed rating of 633x, and a data transmission of 95MB/s. The video speed rating will be V30.

Read more: Lexar shows massive one terabyte SD and microSD memory cards

Hahnel Modus 360RT

The Hahnel Modus 360RT is a mini version of Modus 600RT but it offers wireless operation and rechargeable battery, just like its bigger sibling. It will be come in Canon, Nikon, Panasonic/Olympus (MFT), Fujifilm and Sony versions.

Read more: Hahnel Modus 360RT: baby wireless flashgun is born

Broncolor LED studio head

Broncolor has added the LED F160 to its range, a lamp that is designed to work in conjunction with other Broncolor lamps. Then there's the Broncolor Scope D50 - this is a ‘surface visualisation’ system, and was developed by Broncolor in conjunction with Swiss firm Truvis.

Read more: Broncolor announces LED studio head and something completely different

ProGrade Digital supercharges microSD cards arrive

ProGrade Digital revealed a new range of ultra high speed UHS-II microSD cards targeted at the latest generation of 4K action cam and drones. Boasting the highest Class 10 U3 speed class ratings, you can expect maximum read rates of up to 200MB/s and write speeds of 80MB/s. 

Read more: ProGrade Digital supercharges microSD cards... and readers

Nassari360

Nassari360 is a new bit of software that turns your images and videos into 360-degree ‘experiences’. This means you can embed images, audio and video into circular panoramic creations. The software has been created by photographer John Nassari and it is hoped that it will stop the stupid file sizes associated with 360-degree photography.

Read more: Nassari360 turns your images and videos into 360-degree ‘experiences’

Tether Tools ONsite Power

Power on location? Yes, please. That's exactly what Tether Tools offers with ONSite Power - whether you go for the bundle or separates, this DC to AC solution means that your laptop, camera and monitor shouldn't run out of juice in the wild again. 

Read more: Tether Tools' ONsite Power may well have solved your camera portable power woes

Cotton Carrier Skout bag

The Cotton Carrier Skout is the latest harness to secure your camera or, if you fancy, binoculars to your body. This is essentially for easy access and safe stowage. While some prefer to have their camera slung elsewhere, its makers will be hoping to convince the crowds when its shown off at Photokina 2018.

Read more: Cotton Carrier Skout keeps your camera close to your chest

Phoneslinger smartphone bags

Smartphone photography has rocketed in the last few years, thanks to phone cameras actually becoming quite decent. Phoneslinger has cottoned on to this fact and created a range of bags which are dedicated to the smartphone photographer. All of which will be shown at Photokina 2018. 

Read more: There's now a dedicated camera kit bag for smartphone photographers

Lowepro ProTastic bags

Not one to miss out on Photokina 2018 goodness, Lowepro has revealed its latest bags: the ProTactic BP 350 AW II and ProTactic BP 450 AW II range. Both bags have been designed for the on-the-go photographer and can fit two DSLRs, with lenses attached, up to eight lenses, laptop and other accessories.

Read more: New Lowepro ProTactic backpacks want to be your ultimate kit holder

Manfrotto BeeFree tripods

Manfrotto has decided that Photokina 2018 will be a good place to show off its latest range of travel tripods, with three new models catering to different needs and users. There's the 2N1 - an all-in-one support that can be changed into a monopod. The Befree Nerissimo that is made from aluminium and the Befree Live QPL which adds fantastic stability to shots.

Read more: Manfrotto adds trio of Befree tripods

These were the things that we expected to launch at Photokina 2018. Some of our predictions came true, other things unfortunately just didn't launch. Here were our predictions for Photokina 2018. 

What we expected from Canon at Photokina 2018

We already know the biggest thing thing Canon will be showing off at Photokina 2018 and that is the mighty Canon EOS R - a full-frame sensor camera that is the beginning of Canon's full-frame mirrorless adventures. In our hands on Canon OES R review we said that the "EOS R has a lot of the EOS 5D Mark IV’s blood in its veins" and can't wait to get more time with the device. 

We should also see the Canon PowerShot SX70 HS, a bridge camera that has the same processing grunt as the Canon EOS R. It was recently announced and should make an appearance on the show floor. 

Oh, and here's hoping we can pick up some more juicy Canon EOS Rx rumors too, by speaking to those at the show.

Read more: 20 things you need to know about the Canon EOS R

What we expected from Panasonic at Photokina 2018

There was a 'big will it, won't it?' situation with Panasonic at the moment with rumors suggesting it was about to launch a full-frame camera at Photokina 2018. And that's exactly what we got, but the news was even bigger than we expected, with not one new camera but two AND the announcement of an alliance between three of the biggest names in photography. 

Panasonic also reiterated its commitment to its Micro Four Thirds system, seeing its two camera ranges as being two distinct propositions. We'll bring you hands-on reviews of the new kit just as soon as we can get, uh, our hands on it.

Read more: Panasonic GH5S review

What we expected from Sony at Photokina 2018

What we would love to see is the Sony A7S III. It has been rumored for a while now and makes sense considering it's been a cool two and a half years since the arrival of the Sony A7S II.

But Sony's Photokina 2018 press conference has been and gone without even a mention of this possible new camera. We also hoped to see the arrival of the Sony A5, too – a lower-cost full-frame mirrorless model. This didn't happen either, and instead Sony simply reiterated its long term strategy and its number one position in both the full frame and full frame mirrorless markets. Watch this space.

Read more: Sony A7S III: what we want to see and what we're likely to get

What we expected from Fujifilm at Photokina 2018

Fujifilm blew us all away with its Fujifilm GFX 50S at Photokina 2016, a not-too-expensive medium-format camera that packed breath-taking image quality, DSLR-like controls and premium-quality lenses.

So we were hoping for a new medium format camera this year, as all the rumors seemed to point this way – instead, we got TWO. The GFX 50R looks amazing, a digital recreation of Fujifilm's classic medium format rangefinder cameras, but we reckon it's the GFX 100 megapixel model that's going to keep people talking for longest.

Read more: Fujifilm camera rumors 2018

What we expected from Nikon at Photokina 2018

Nikon chose to reveal its latest kit before Photokina 2018 so we aren't expecting too much of note from the company. The Nikon Z7 is its biggest launch, a second stab at a mirrorless camera with great results. 

We reckon the Nikon Z7 is an instant classic so are hoping to see some stunning accessories to be launched to accompany it. It also has the Nikon Z6 which offers 4K video with the hope to tempt people away from the likes of Sony and its full-frame mirrorless brigade. 

Read more: Nikon Z6 vs Z7: 7 key differences between the two models

What we expected from the rest at Photokina 2018

We're hoping to see some new things from RED – it has an 8K camera it is readying. Leica stunned the auditorium when it announced its new L-mount collaboration with Sigma and Panasonic, but we've yet to see any new cameras.

Sigma has new lenses at Photokina 2018, but that's likely to be overshadowed by the Leica and Panasonic tie-in. We'll bring you more on the new Sigma lenses and all the other hot products form Photokina 2018 just as soon as we get them. 

We will be updating this page constantly with all the Photokina 2018 news, so bookmark us and keep on coming back. 

• What new cameras are coming out in 2018? The best camera rumors and predictions

If the cameras at Photokina 2018 tended to be full-frame mirrorless models with eye-watering price-tags, the lens market proved itself to be far more real-world.

Alongside glass for the new and soon-to-be-sold mirrorless cameras were third-party lenses for Micro Four Thirds and DSLRs, and from primes and macros to ultra-wide angles and super telephotos. 

Something for everyone? Here’s what went on to your audition list in Cologne.

• 10 amazing cameras launched at Photokina 2018

1. Sony's 24mm G Master prime

No new cameras from Sony were seen at Photokina, but it did use the occasion to show off its new E-mount lens for nightscape photographers, the FE 24mm f/1.4 GM. Going into its line-up of flagship full-frame G Master series lenses for its APS-C sensor mirrorless cameras (such as α6500 and α6300), it's got two XA (extreme aspherical) elements to prevent point light sources – such as stars – fro unnatural spreading. Just as crucial for astrophotography and landscape photographers, it weighs just 445g. It goes on sale in October for £1,450. Sony also said that it would deliver 12 more E-mount lenses during 2019. 

Read more: Sony 24mm f1.4 G Master is 48th Sony E-mount lens

2. Sigma's super-telephoto

As well as announcing a partnership with Leica and Panasonic in the L-Mount Alliance, Sigma used Photokina to unleash five new lenses. The highlight for wildlife, aviation and sports photographers is its versatile 60-600mm F4.5-6.3 DG OS HSM Sports lens; as well as super close-ups, it's also usable for wider shots. Sigma launched another, smaller telephoto, the 70-200mm F2.8 DG OS HSM Sports, as well as two in its Art range – the 28mm F1.4 DG HSM Art and 40mm F1.4 DG HSM Art – and the 56mm F1.4 DC DN Contemporary. 

Read more: Sigma unleashes 60-600mm supertelephoto superzoom monster

3. Fujifilm's GFX Series

After bolstering its GFX medium-format mirrorless cameras at Photokina with the GFX 100S and GFX 50R, it was only natural that Fujifilm gave word of its intentions about compatible lenses, road-mapping a trio of new GFX lenses to take the line-up to 11 lenses in total. The most welcomed will be the GF100-200mmF5.6 R LM OIS WR for launch in 2019, which can be paired with the GF1.4X TC WR teleconverter to boost it to 140mm-280mm. Also talked-up in Cologne was the GF50mm F3.5 R LM WR prime lens for release in 2019 – to become the smallest and lightest GFX lens around – as well as the mid-telephoto GF45-100mmF4 R LM OIS WR, which won’t see its first light until 2020. 

Read more: Fujifilm adds three new GFX lenses to roadmap

4. Panasonic's LUMIX S Mounts

It's official, 2019 will see the debut of the Panasonic Lumix S1R and S1 full-frame mirrorless cameras … and lenses. Three lenses will be available at launch; a 50mm f/1.4 prime, a 25-105mm standard zoom, and a 70-200mm telephoto zoom lens. All of these S-mount lenses will use the L-mount system developed by Leica, which will now be supported by both Sigma and Panasonic. Plenty to choose from, then. 

5. Hasselblad's XCD lenses

Iconic camera-maker Hasselblad arrived in Cologne with a trio of new lenses for its medium format mirrorless camera, the X1D-50c. The headliner is undoubtedly the 80mm XCD 1,9/80 (£3,960); its maximum aperture is the XCD Series' widest yet at f/1.9, which could mean great low-light performance as well as brilliant bokeh. Joining it in Cologne was an all-rounder, the 65mm XCD 2,8/65 (£2,090) with a maximum aperture of f/2.8, and the 135mm XCD 2,8/135 (£3,090), which can stretch to a focal length of 230mm if purchased with the X Converter 1,7 (£3,690). All three go on sale in December, which will bring the XCD lens family to a total of nine lenses. 

Read more: Hasselblad introduces three new lenses for the X1D-50c

6. Laowa's ultra wide-angles 

So what if Photokina was all about the move to full-frame mirrorless cameras? Micro Four Thirds photography is alive and well and in need of a slew of new wide-angle lenses with night-scapes on their mind, according to Chinese manufacturer Venus Optics, maker of Laowa-branded lenses. Designed to to fit Olympus, Panasonic and Canon cameras that use the MFT mount, these Laowa lenses comprise the 17mm f/1.8 (which weighs just 160g), the astrophotography-centric 12mm f/1.8 (165g) and the ultra-wide angle Laowa 9mm f/2.8 Zero-D MFT (215g). The latter is already sold in Fujifilm X, Sony E and Canon EOS-M flavours. Laowa also showed off the brilliantly bizarre Laowa 24mm f/14 2x Macro Probe lens. 

Read more: Laowa shows three wide primes for MFT mirrorless cameras

7. Irix Dragonfly macro

Soon available for Nikon F, Canon EF and Pentax K mount cameras is this macro lens from Swiss company Irix. Its third lens after the super-wide 11mm and 15mm Blackstone and Firefly lenses, the Irix 150mm f/2.8 Macro – also called Dragonfly – is a manual focus-only lens, but with an extra-wide focusing ring that rotates through 270°. Featuring 1:1 maximum magnification and a minimum focusing distance of 0.35m, Dragonfly weighs 840g. Not sure what to use it for? The clue's in the name. 

Read more: Irix Dragonfly macro lens set to land at Photokina

8. Tokina's first Opera

Third-party lens-maker Tokina used Photokina to deliver a new premium prime lens for full-frame DSLR cameras. The first in its new Opera series, the weather-sealed 50mm F1.4 FF features ring-shaped ultrasonic motors for fast, quiet autofocus, as well as Tokina's new ELR lens coating. Available for both the Canon EF mount and the Nikon F mount, the Tokina Opera 50mm F1.4 FF will go on sale in November 2018.

Read more: Tokina Opera 50mm F1.4 FF: A new “premium” prime

9. Samyang XP 10mm f3.5

This is an incredible lens that, according to its makers, is a record breaker. Samyang  reckons the XP 10mm f3.5 is the world's widest lens. It's 10mm and has been designed for full-frame DSLRs. Because of its shape, it offers a full-field rectilinear image. At this focal length, the lenses available are usually fisheyes so Samyang has managed something impressive here. The lens will be available in Nikon F and Canon EF mounts.

Read more: Samyang XP 10mm f3.5 gives world-beating view

Tamron SP 15-30mm f/2.8 Di VC USD G2

The Tamron SP 15-30mm f/2.8 Di VC USD G2 is a fantastic upgrade from Tamron's previous SP 15-30mm f/2.8. Even though the original line-up is just three years old, there's a lot of reasons to get the new optics. The lens comprises an 18-element, 13-group lens stack which has an XGM (eXpanded Glass Molded Aspherical) element, as well as multiple LD (Low Dispersion) lens elements. These help banish distortion and also lateral chromatic aberrations.

Read more: Hands on: Tamron SP 15-30mm f/2.8 Di VC USD G2 review

• These are the fastest lenses at Photokina

Tokina are adding a new wide-angle zoom to its newly-launched range of high-resolution lenses for full-frame DSLRs. The 16-28mm f/2.8 FF will be the second lens in Tokina's new Opera range.

Shown behind glass at Photokina 2018, the full-frame zoom has the same focal length and maximum aperture as the Tokina 16-28mm f/2.8 AT-X PRO FX which was launched back in 2010.

The autofocus lens will be manufactured in both Nikon F and Canon EF lens fittings.

The Opera range was launched with the introduction of the 50mm f/1.4, which is about to go on sale. The lenses are designed as premium optics that will help maximise the resolution of 50-megapixel full-frame DSLRs – such as the Nikon D850 or Canon EOS 5DS.

The Tokina Opera 16-28mm f/2.8 is not expected to reach the shops until March or April next year. 

Read more:
Hands on: Tamron SP 15-30mm f/2.8 Di VC USD G2
Best lenses for Canon in 2018
5 Fastest lenses at Photokina 2018

There were three big takeaways from Photokina 2018. Firstly, everyone has (finally) embraced full-frame mirrorless. Secondly, medium format is a big thing. And thirdly, more and more lenses are breaking the generally accepted speed limit. 

Sony was quick to rubbish the notion of larger mounts at its press conference (projecting a giant slide with the words, “Does a large-aperture, high-quality lens require a large mount diameter?”, followed by a slide in much larger type, “The Answer is ‘No.’”). But this didn't stop manufacturers, with mounts great and small, introducing lenses with wider maximum apertures than usual.

Wide open apertures enable us to shoot in the near-dark or melt a background into a buttery bowl of bokeh, so having a super-fast lens is something that every photographer wants. 

After four days pounding the pavement up, down, inside and outside the hallowed halls of Photokina, here are the five fastest lenses we saw on display at the show…

1) Nikkor Z 58mm f/0.95 S Noct (Nikon Z mount) 

No surprises here – the fastest gun in the west is Nikon’s monster of a lens, the f/0.95 Noct, designed exclusively for its mirrorless Z cameras.

It’s got all the mod cons befitting the company’s flagship S line: Nano Crystal Coating, Arneo Coating, flourine coating… and it has to be said, it looks absolutely killer with the stylised “Noct” script in electric yellow on the side.

All that said, there is one massive asterisk next to this lens: it’s manual focus only. If you’ve ever tried to focus the cigarette paper-thin depth of field on an f/0.95 lens with manual focus alone, you’ll know what we mean.

If you haven’t, or if you don’t care, and you’ve got (according to the grapevine) about $6,000 to spare, you’ll be taking some bokehlicious photos. Better buy a back brace, while you’re at it, because this lens is one big boy.

2) Fujifilm XF 33mm f/1.0 R WR (Fujifilm X mount) 

Arguably the star of the show, following its stonking press conference that announced approximately 1,000 cool new things (despite being longer than Lord of the Rings and with a similar amount of endings), Fuji came out guns blazing with a crop of new XF lenses.

Its biggest gun was undoubtedly the 33mm f/1.0, which Fuji unsurprisingly promises will deliver incredible image quality. And here’s the game changer about this lens: it has autofocus.

Sure, it may be a step behind Nikon’s Noct in terms of aperture speed. In terms of shooting speed and actual use, however, this lens is going to be so much quicker and easier to use. Given the choice, we’ll take an f/1.0 AF lens over an f/0.95 manual lens – we kinda like having all our images in focus when we put the memory card on the computer.

3) Zenitar 35mm f/1.0 (Zenitar M / Leica M mount)

When we heard that Zenit and Leica were teaming up to make a camera, we genuinely had to check the calendar to see if it was April already. 

And when we were told that the lenses were going to be “pure Russian” design, we weren’t sure what to expect. Zenit is, after all, best known for slightly creaky lenses you can get on eBay for a few quid when you’re in your vintage lens-buying phase.

Colour us impressed, then, when we realised that it was a whippet-quick 35mm f/1.0 – one that tag teams incredibly well with the new Zenit M. Yes, it’s manual focus, but no we don’t mind in this case – the Zenit M being a rangefinder and all. 

4) Leica DG Vario-Summilux 10-25mm f/1.7 (Micro Four Thirds)

Panasonic may have given all appearance and indication that it was leaving Olympus in the lurch with the micro four thirds format, but it remained insistent in its commitment to the system. And, having revealed this lens, people should probably stop poking fun. 

“The World’s First Full-range f/1.7 Wide Zoom Lens”, the PanaLeica 10-25mm (20-50mm in 35mm terms) is a constant aperture f/1.7 lens – quite a feat in and of itself, let alone a feat achieved on the much smaller Micro Four Thirds lens mount. 

Perhaps Sony was onto something with those slides, after all. This Summilux lens was a win in an otherwise fairly painful show for MFT users. Hopefully Olympus will give them more reasons to cheer in the new year. 

5) Hasselblad XCD 80mm f/1.9 (Hasselblad X mount)

It may be the slowest lens on the list, but the “XCD 1.9/80” is the fastest lens that Hasselblad has ever made. 

Not that f/1.9 is slow, by any measure; it’s still a lightning quick lens, and paired with the mirrorless Hasselblad X1D-50c you get seriously stunning results that enable the body to keep up in low light situations. 

Paying $4,845 for an f/1.8 lens may still be a bit painful, but if you’re shooting on a Hassy then the chances are you probably won’t blink at the price. 

Read more:

Hands on: Tamron SP 15-30mm f/2.8 Di VC USD G2

Irix Dragonfly 150mm macro lens lands at Photokina

Being a photographer doesn't stop at choosing your camera, and at Photokina 2018 there were plenty of accessories to get excited about. 

From super lightweight travel tripods and camera (and even smartphone) bags galore to ultra-fast micro SD cards and the rebirth of an iconic 35mm colour transparency film, Cologne presented plenty of reasons to get accessorising. Here's what you might have missed.

1. Manfrotto Befree tripods and roller bags

Aren't all tripods 'travel tripods'? They will be if Manfrotto's penchant for lightweight yet strong tripods keeps up. In Cologne the company unveiled three new tripods in its Befree line-up. The Befree 2N1, which converts quickly into a monopod, comes with a Quick Power Lock with levers (£199.95) or an M-Lock (RRP £199.95). The matte black aluminium Befree Nerissimo aluminium twist-lock tripod is a more of an all-rounder for travel photography (£174.95), while its existing Befree Live tripod for videographers has been re-hashed to have a Quick Power Lock lever (£224.95). Manfrotto also used Photokina to launch six pro-grade Pro Light Reloader roller bags designed to act as safe and secure carry-on bags.

Read more: Manfrotto adds trio of Befree tripods

2. Lowepro FreeLine, Powder, Whistler & ProTactic bags

You can always rely on Lowepro to have more camera bags than anyone else, and it didn't disappoint in Cologne. FreeLine is a modular outdoor daypack designed to also act as a work bag, and Powder for protecting gear during shoots on remote mountain terrains. Lowepro also added more interior space and more adaptive divider systems to its Whistler and ProTactic ranges, with the latter's new ProTactic BP 350 AW II and ProTactic BP 450 AW II bags able to fit two DSLRs, with lenses attached, up to eight lenses, and a laptop.

Read more: New Lowepro ProTactic backpacks want to be your ultimate kit holder

3. Kodak Ektachrome E100 film

How do you drum-up some enthusiasm for a dead product? You withdraw it from sale, then relaunch it five years later. That's what Kodak has done with Ektachrome E100, a 35mm colour transparency film that's soon going to be available once again. Known for its vibrant colours, neutral tone scale, and extremely fine grain, Ektachrome E100 will initially be available in the 135/36x camera format, while Kodak Ektachrome 7294 Color Reversal Film in the Super 8 format is coming in October, and a 16mm version later in 2018.

Read more: Kodak Ektachrome film finally here to add retro analogue goodness to photography

4. CineStill TCS-1000

Are you the DIY kind? If you're into precision film processing at home, you will know that controlling the temperature is a big problem. Cue the swanky-looking TCS-1000, an immersion circulator thermostat designed to make things easy. Specially created for those developing black-and-white, colour negative, and slide film, the TCS-1000 mixes and heats up chemicals in seconds, and maintains the temperature for the whole developing session. It’s on sale now for US$99.95. 

5. Gitzo 2 Way Fluid Head

Moving targets aren't easy to capture, and if you're a wildlife photographer or videographer, you will know how important it is to have both stability and precision. Built around fluid cartridges and a precise inner mechanism to make movements much smoother, Gitzo’s 2 Way Fluid Head is designed for wildlife photographers using medium telephoto lenses up to 200mm, and digi-scoping birdwatchers after a very strong, very small, and very light support. It's out now for £289.95.

6. Phoneslinger smartphone bags

Photographers can debate the merits of the move to mirrorless at Photokina all they want, but the fact remains that almost all photography is performed on smartphones. So why not have a dedicated smartphone camera bag? That's what Phoneslinger brought to the show in the form of the Power (with QI-Wireless Powerbank inside), Prime (with space for a smartphone and four add-on smartphone lenses), and Outdoor (a rugged, lightweight that protects your smartphone). Phoneslinger also previewed its Flowbelt Modular Belt System, which can carry all of the above. Expect them in February 2019.

Read more: There's now a dedicated camera kit bag for smartphone photographers

7. ProGrade Digital UHS-II microSD cards & readers

There's a missing link in the 4K revolution in videography – be it via action camera or drone – that few realise when they buy new gear. So ProGrade Digital used Photokina to debut some ultra high-speed UHS-II microSD cards in 32GB ($49.99), 64GB ($74.99) and 128GB ( $114.99) capacities. However, since fast write speed is as important as peak transfer rates when recording high bitrate 4K video, the new cards boast V60 Video Speed Class as well as maximum read rates of up to 200MB/s and write speeds of 80MB/s. ProGrade Digital also announced a microSD Dual-Slot Card Reader and a CompactFlash & SD Dual-Slot Card Reader, both of which offer data transfer rates of up to 10Gb/s (1.25GB/s). 

Read more: ProGrade Digital supercharges microSD cards... and reader

8. Peli Air Case 1507

Peli used Photokina to show-off its recently announced 1507, a hard case for transporting delicate drones, cameras and lenses. Part of its expanding Air line-up of travel cases, 1507 is lightweight yet watertight, crushproof, and dustproof. Coming with a lifetime guarantee, the Peli Air 1507 is available in three configurations; the TrekPak divider system with rigid, customizable panels and locking pins, the Pick N Pluck manually customisable cubed foam, and hi-vis yellow felt-covered Padded Dividers for easily finding gear. It’s also sold without any foam inside. The case is available now in black, orange, silver and yellow for US$177.23.  

9. Cotton Carrier Skout

The trend for smaller-bodied, mirrorless cameras that are easier to manage than DSLRs is undeniable, but they still need some help to be properly mobile. Cue the Cotton Carrier Skout, a body harness that slips over the shoulder and clips around the chest. Complete with a small zip pocket for carrying cash and cards, and a rain cover on hand to protect a camera at a moment’s notice, the Skout will be available in October, in charcoal grey and camo, for £79.99. It also works for binoculars, so may pique the interest of birdwatchers and astronomers, too. 

Read more: Cotton Carrier Skout keeps your camera close to your chest

Has the industry gone mirrorless mad? On look at the launches of Photokina 2018 and you would thinks so. Though 2018 has already having seen the debuts of the Nikon Z6 and Z7 and Canon EOS R full frame mirrorless cameras, the world’s largest photography exhibition nevertheless saw some cutting-edge new cameras both presented and previewed. 

GoPro couldn’t wait until the show began to unveil its Hero 7 Black, but here’s what everyone else launched in Cologne that you need to know about. 

1. Panasonic Lumix S1R

All hail the first full-frame mirrorless cameras from Panasonic. A follow-up to the Lumix GH4 and GH5, the Lumix S Series is topped by the S1R, whose 35mm full-frame image sensor offers a whopping 47 megapixels. However, the bigger news is on the video side, with the S1R able to record in 4K 60fps. Just as interesting for those considering moving to full-frame mirrorless from a full-frame DSLR is the S1R's double slot for XQD and SD cards. It was also announced that the S1R will benefit from the Leica L-Mount Alliance; cue incoming interchangeable lenses from Leica and Sigma.

Read more: Panasonic Lumix S1R and Lumix S full-frame mirrorless cameras revealed

2. Panasonic Lumix S1

Also in Panasonic’s Lumix S Series is the S1, a step-down from the S1R that nevertheless boasts some top specs. You'll have to settle for a 24-megapixel sensor, but the S1 can also shoot video in 4K 60fps, and also packs that double SD card slot, so has plenty going for it. It's also compatible with the L-Mount lenses. The S1 and its bigger brother, the S1R, will both launch early in 2019.

Read more: Panasonic Lumix S1R and Lumix S full-frame mirrorless cameras revealed

3. Phase One XF IQ4 150MP Camera System

OK, so this probably is not going to be your next camera, but it’s always good to keep up with cameras that claim ultimate photographic performance. Cue Phase One’s XF IQ4 150MP,  which as the name suggests, offers 150 megapixels. It also got 15 stops of dynamic range and capture one inside four post-producing your images in camera. Who needs Photoshop? A completely modular camera system, this medium format master will go on sale in late November/early November for US$51,990. 

Read more: Hands on: Phase One XF IQ4 150MP review

4. Leica Sofort

Although it wasn’t new to Photokina, Cologne saw the unleashing of a brand-new colour for Leica’s most affordable camera. Having previously been available in green, this instax print analogue camera is available now in the much more conservative (and, let’s face it, much more likely to sell) black. Using either colour or black-and-white instax mini film to produce credit card-sized prints, the Leica Sofort costs £275. 

Read more: Leica's little black number has instant appeal

5. Canon PowerShot SX70 HS

Away from the fanfare over its previously-announced EOS R, Canon used Photokina to announce the PowerShot SX70 HS – an upgrade of its SX60 – that takes the superzoom concept to even greater lengths. The key feature on this bridge camera is a 65x optical fixed lens zoom lens that’s equivalent to a 21-1365mm focal length. With its DIGIC 8 processor giving a 20.3 megapixel sensor and able to shoot 4K 30fps video, it covers most of the bases for an all-round camera, even capturing images in RAW. It goes on sale in November for £519.99.

Read more: Hands on: Canon PowerShot SX70 HR review

6. Leica S3

Are you a fan of optical viewfinders? And looking to spend five figures on a camera? If so, get eyes-on with Leica's brand new S3, a medium format camera that swerves the trend for electronic viewfinders. It won't be released until spring 2019 and details are sparse, but we do already know a few things about the S3; it will have a 64-megapixel sensor, 4K video recording using the full sensor size, and deliver 3fps burst shooting. No word yet on pricing, but expect it to be at least US$20,000. 

Read more: Leica S3: 64MP medium-format camera teased at Photokina

7. Fujifilm GFX 100S

Despite being touted as a 'concept', this 100-megapixel mirrorless model from Fujifilm will go on sale early in 2019 for an eye-watering US$10,000. For that you get the first medium format camera with both built-in image stabilisation and on-sensor phase-detection pixels. There’s a notable focus on aesthetics and usability; it’s got an integrated vertical handgrip, and despite having a sensor that's 1.7-times the size of a 35mm full-frame sensor, the GFX 100S is a similar size and weight as a high-end DSLR. The GFX 100S also indulges in 4K 30p video recording. 

Read more: Fujifilm GFX 100S: 100 megapixel medium format beast is on the way

8. Fujifilm GFX 50R

An upgrade of its GFX 50S, Fujifilm’s GFX 50R (the R stands for Rangefinder) is a dinky medium format mirrorless camera that's a tad smaller. Key specs include a 51.4-megapixel sensor, Bluetooth for image transfer, and an electronic viewfinder. It goes on sale in November for £3,999 (body only) and £4,500 (with a 50mm f/3.5 lens). 

Read more: Fujifilm GFX 50R hands-on first verdict

9. Ricoh GR III 

For some cameras, Photokina comes too early, and without a price or a release date, the Ricoh GR III certainly seems to fall into that category. The Photokina preview of this cute fixed lens compact revealed little apart from a 24.2 megapixel APS-C sized sensor, a fixed 28mm equivalent f/2.8 lens, and a USB-C connection. However, Ricoh did confirm that the Ricoh GR III would also have a newly designed lens, a new image sensor, and a new imaging engine, and that it would be 'designed to be the ultimate snapshot camera'. Expect it to go on sale in early 2019.

Read more: Ricoh GRIII – a new classic is born

10. Fujifilm instax SQUARE SQ20

Amid all the high-end cameras and cutting-edge mirrorless tech, there were a few fun cameras at Photokina too. Fujifilm's Instax SQUARE SQ20 is the first hybrid in their range, letting you add filter effects, capture video and - crucially - allows you to preview your shots before you print them. Perhaps the most frivolous announcement was Fujifilm's further reveal of some new colours for its popular instax SQUARE SQ6 model: Ruby Red, and Aqua Blue, plus a Taylor Swift-designed version. Using a square 1:1 square format, the SQ6 it is all about simplicity, and selfies; there's even a small mirror to the side of the lens for framing a selfie. The new colours will be available from November this year. Swift’s version will be with us on 20 October. 

Read more: Taylor Swift and Fujifilm team up for new Instax Square SQ6

• Nikon's future Z system plans revealed

Tokina has announced that its new Opera 50mm f/1.4 lens is set to go on sale in November. The lens was first shown at CP+ exhibition earlier in the year, but the update on its availability comes as Photokina is about to open its doors in Germany

The Tokina Opera 50mm F1.4 FF is a lens designed for high-end, full-frame Canon and Nikon DSLRs, slotting above Tokina’s AT-X lenses in terms of quality (and, presumably, price). It’s also weather-sealed, keeping out dust and moisture, which will no doubt interest those who tend to shoot outdoors. Its styling looks very much like that used on the Firin 20mm f/2 lens which Tokina launched in 2016.

The key features of the lens are:

Weight: 950g
Dimensions: 80 x 107.5mm
Filter size: 72mm
Maximum aperture: f/1.4
Minimum aperture: f/16
Minimum focusing distance: 40cm
Construction: 15 elements in 9 groups
Aperture blades: 9

The name 'Opera' is overtly intended to evoke high art and culture, indicating this is a lens intended for great and important work. Indeed, the firm’s explanation for the name is quite enjoyable in its unnecessary detail:

“In modern society the word “opera" is commonly used to express general genres of stage art. In Italian it means work or work of art. As an omitted art genre definition opera comes from “opera musicale” that means a piece of music work. In Latin opera comes from “opus” and in contemporary language “magnum opus”, “opera magna” still has a meaning of “great literary, artistic or intellectual work”. We chose the name “opera” for a new premium full-frame DSLR lens series thinking of a lens that will help photographer in creating real “work of art”.”

To that end, it’s decidedly more sophisticated than Tokina’s usual fare, with a ring-shaped ultrasonic motor driving its autofocus. Both Canon and Nikon versions of the lens have been designed with focus-ring operation tailored to the system they are built for, although the Nikon version also uses an electronic diaphragm mechanism, which is a first for Tokina lenses as a whole.

The Tokina Opera 50mm f/1.4 FF will be available from November for $949 in Canon EF and Nikon F fits.

Read more: 8 bizarre lenses that you can use with DSLRs and mirrorless cameras

As well as the headline-grabbing announcements around its new L-mount alliance and S3 camera, Leica also announced a new FOTOS app for its cameras at its Photokina 2018 press conference.

Stefan Daniel, Leica's Global Director Product Division Photo revealed the Leica FOTOS app, pitched as 'the gallery in your pocket'. 

Replacing Leica's separate camera apps, Daniel explained that the single new FOTOS app has been "redesigned from scratch to match the design our customers know and love from our hardware". It will be available for Apple iOS as well as Android.

As you'd expect, once connected, the camera and app remember each other forever, the app can be used to control supported Leica cameras remotely, and as well as allowing files to be transferred (DNG and JPG formats), it will allow users to access exposure data, and check sharpness at 100% view. 

At launch, the Leica FOTOS app will support a batch of Leica cameras, including the S, SL, M10 and the newly announced S3. Support for other models will follow. It will replace a number of different apps that Leica has previously released.

Slated for public release on October 24th, a beta-test will go live shortly, allowing Leica owners to test the app ahead of release.

Head here to sign up to the beta test of the Leica FOTOS app.

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Innovative lens manufacturer Irix is launching its third prime lens at Photokina 2018... and it is going to be the Irix 150mm f/2.8 Macro. 

Following its 11mm and 15mm super-wide lenses that this new optical company has released so far, Irix has been teasing about the announcement about Dragonfly over the last couple of days – but now the full details of the lens have now been finally revealed.

The lens uses three super-low dispersion glass (ED) elements, plus a further four high-refraction-index (HR) elements. Irix claims that this provides images with near-zero distortion (at a level of 0.1%, we are told).

Focus is manual only, but precise control is offered with a wide focusing ring that rotates through a full 270°. The lens is supplied with a detachable tripod ring for stable shooting from a support. A deep lens hood is also provided.

Irix 150mm f/2.8 Macro – full specs

Lens mounts: Canon EF, Nikon F, Pentax K
Focal length: 150mm
Maximum aperture: f/2.8
Minimum aperture: f/32
Field of view: 16⁰ (diagonal)
Minimum focus: 0.345 m
Focus ring rotation: 270 degrees
Magnification ratio: 1:1
Number of diaphragm blades: 11
Lens construction: 12 elements in 9 groups
Weather seals: yes
Lens hood: supplied
Tripod collar: supplied
Filter size: 77 mm
Weight: 840g
Dimensions: 87  x 135 mm (without tripod collar and lens hood)

The 150mm focal length is longer than usual for a macro lens, but perfect for photographing outdoor subjects such as dragonflies, butterflies and insects – as it allows to photograph them at up to 1:1 magnification from a distance that is less likely to scare off the subject, or cast a shadow over it. Sigma already a 150mm f/2.8 EX DG OS HSM Macro lens.

The lens is the first lens to come with what a new finish it has developed, that it has appropriately called Dragonfly. For this, the aluminium frame of the lens has been enclosed in an external structure made of aluminium-magnesium alloys and composite elements. This is said to combine the the features of the Firefly and Blackstone finishes offered on its previous two lenses.

Pricing and availability have yet to be announced.

Read more:
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