Tag: lens

New Horseman SLR conversion lenses

Nicolai Grossman Leave a comment

Horseman press release:

Direct Source Marketing (DSM), the sole U.S. distributor of Horseman photo products for professionals and high-end consumers, today announced unique multi-coated conversion lenses for DSLR cameras. [Of course they should work on any film body, too. — ed]

"What makes the Horseman lenses unique is that they provide wide-angle and macro photography easily and comfortably, without changing lenses," said Richard Dischler, DSM President. "They are easily and quickly attached in front of the taking lens, much like attaching a filter. The lenses are also very portable and offer an affordable solution for the end user who is looking to extend the use-function of their DSLR."

Street pricing is expected to range from $60-$120, depending on the model, of which there are seven.

Among the numerous models is the Horseman 0.7 Wide, which is designed exclusively for 18-55mm zoom lenses. The 0.7x wide conversion lens is thin, lightweight and can be attached in front of the taking lens of your camera, quickly and easily.

Another is the Horseman 0.6 Wide/Macro, a 0.6x wide conversion lens that also serves as a macro lens. The lens delivers crisp images without chromatic aberration in the periphery of images, enabling you to enjoy wide-angle photography over the entire focal length range of your DSLR zoom lens.

The Wide Macro lens is particularly effective in shooting wide angles from confined spaces or when you’re in a tight spot and can’t step back. Other examples would be shooting scenic vistas or towering buildings. The lens gives you perspective and allows you to capture near-by objects larger and distant subjects smaller.

The Horseman 0.25x Superwide/Macro is a 0.25x super-wide conversion lens that enables you to enjoy super-wide-angle photography just like a fish-eye lens. In addition, the lens incorporates a macro lens so you can get real close to your subjects for frame-filling impressive macro shots.

Both the Horseman 0.6x Wide and the 0.25x Superwide conversion lens turn into a macro lens when its front part is removed. Macro photography lets you take close-up shots and bring out the minutest details of the smallest subjects.

The Horseman 0.45x WIDE conversion lens serves as a wide lens when it’s used as is, but it turns into a macro lens when you remove the front portion. It’s a uniquely versatile conversion lens that enables you to enjoy wide-angle and macro photography with just one lens.

Other models include the Horseman 08x SUPERWIDE conversion lens, which lets you make the most of a fish-eye lens’ barrel distortion; the Horseman 4.0x Macro, which is designed primarily for medical applications, and the MiniDigi AF5.0, which allows you to have super-wide and macro photography on the Rollei MiniDigi AF5.0.

Horseman products are manufactured in Japan by Komamura Corporation.

The Horseman conversion lenses will be available at professional photo dealers. MSRP is expected to be in the [USD] $60-$120 range.

For more information visit http://www.komamura.co.jp/e/CVL/index.html

Via ArtBistro

2 new Holga converter lenses & fisheye viewfinder

Nicolai Grossman Leave a comment

Holga just officially released two plastic lenses that attach over the existing Holga lens to change the focal length

The two tele-converter lenses, models HT-25 (tele lens) and HW-05(wide lens) fit onto you holga and either lengthen(HT-25) or shorten (HW-05) the focal length, therefore creating a tele or wide lens.

Another new release is a fisheye viewfinder that sits on top of your holga enabling you to see the subject ‘fisheyed’ before taking the photo. This viewfinder is a companion piece to the holga fisheye lens.

More info at Holgablog

2 new Canon tilt/shift lenses

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Canon launched two new tilt/shift lenses today:

TS-E 24mm f/3.5L II

A superb refinement to a true Canon classic, the new TS-E 24mm f/3.5L II offers enhanced functionality and image quality in its most popular tilt-shift focal length. Designed with UD glass to minimize and compensate for chromatic aberrations and specially coated aspherical elements for the highest possible glare-free image quality, this tilt-shift lens features an angle of view of 74°. New TS revolving lets users freely combine tilting and shifting within the range of +/- 90° in the direction of movement. It has an enhanced range of movement of up to +/- 8.5°, a revolving construction for both portrait and landscape shooting modes, locking, ergonomically designed and easily operated tilt and shift knobs, uses a circular aperture for beautiful out-of-focus areas, and is constructed using only lead-free glass and has an SWC lens coating that controls ghosting and flare to a far greater degree than earlier coating technologies.

TS-E 17mm f/4L

The widest tilt-shift lens in Canon’s lineup, the new TS-E 17mm f/4L lens expands shooting possibilities exponentially on EOS Digital cameras. Designed with UD glass to minimize and compensate for chromatic aberrations, with specially coated aspherical elements for the highest possible glare-free image quality, this tilt-shift lens offers an angle of view of 93°. New TS revolving lets users freely combine tilting and shifting within the range of +/- 90° in the direction of movement. The lens also has an improved tilt & shift knob with an enhanced range of movement of up to +/- 6.5° and revolving lenses for better operability, it uses a circular aperture for beautiful out-of-focus areas and has an SWC lens coating to control ghosting and flare to a far greater degree than with earlier coating technologies.

New $11,000 Leica f/0.95 50mm Noctilux ASPH lens

Nicolai Grossman 1 Comment

According to Wired, a French magazine leaked details of a new Leica aspherical f/0.95 50mm Noctilux, coming in at a predictably heavy 8,000 euros.

While that’s cool and all, I’m not sure I see the point… as the article points out, the depth of field is "ridiculously small — focus on a pupil and the edge of the eye will blur". I don’t equate sharpness with goodness, but if you want to make blur, there are a lot cheaper ways to do it. Quality of blur does matter—greatly, in my opinion—but this seems like it’s going to be marketed as a tool for taking very low-light photos in. Or maybe they don’t care about the actual utility and are counting on the people who will undoubtedly buy it just because the numbers will be limited and it says Leica on it.

Also rumored to be announced at Photokina [photo equipment trade show] by Leica are:

M Summilux 21mm f/1.4, 5,000 Euros
M Summilux 24mm f/1.4, 5,000 Euros
M Elmar 24mm f/3.8, 1,800 Euros

New Zeiss lenses for Canon

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Zeiss are [finally] releasing Canon EF mount versions of their Z series manual focus 35mm/digital SLR lenses! First out will be the Planar T* f/1.4 50mm (SRP of 579 euros) and the Planar T* f/1.4 85mm (SRP of 999 euros (both prices include 19% German VAT)).

From the current "issue" of Carl Zeiss Camera Lens News:

Carl Zeiss is expanding its successful line of SLR lenses: ZE lenses with EF bayonet for all analog and digital EOS camera models. As with all EF lenses, the new ZE lenses from Carl Zeiss transfer all information exclusively via electronic contacts. This means that all exposure modes such as programmed auto exposure, shutter priority, aperture priority and manual setting are supported. The camera’s automatic focus confirmation also remains available to an unlimited extent with these manual focus lenses. With digital SLRs, the lens data and all exposure data can also be accessed via the camera’s EXIF file. Even E-TTL flash metering is supported. The first lenses to be available will be the Planar T* 1,4/50 ZE and the Planar T* 1,4/85 ZE in the last quarter of this year. Further focal lengths will be added to the line within the next few months.

Fujinon discontinue production of XPan and some LF lenses

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This is from month or two back, I somehow got it stuck as a draft and forgot about it. Anyway, the following large format lenses are now out of production, so whatever is left in the supply chain is it if you want to buy new:

  • Fujinon-SW 90mm f/8 (shipment ended August 2006)
  • Fujinon-T 300mm f/8 (shipment ended in August 2006)
  • Fujinon-CMW 300mm f/5.6 (shipment ended in December 2006)
  • Fujinon-SWD 65mm f/5.6 (shipment ended in December 2006)

and all of the Hasselblad XPan/Fuji TX lenses stopped shipping in November 2006:

  • 30mm f/5.6
  • 45mm f/4
  • 90mmm f/4

Via Kerry L. Thalmann on the Large Format Photography Forum

If you’re interested in Fujinon large format lenses, check out Thalmann’s Unofficial Fujinon Lenses page. No historical information seems to be available from the manufacturer, and this is far and away the best resource I’ve seen.

MTF charts demystified

Nicolai Grossman Leave a comment

MTF charts are graphs of lens resolution that are meant to give you an idea of how a given lens performs at different points across the frame. (Most lenses are sharpest in the centre and get a bit softer as you go out, and these charts illustrate that characteristic.) They’re easy to read once you understand them, but unfortunately they’re usually explained very badly.

Mike Johnston has put together the first sane and easy-to-understand breakdown I’ve ever seen. Check it out at The Online Photographer.