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Digital Camera News, Reviews and Tips

Sigma 18-250mm F3.5-6.3 DC OS HSM

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Today, Sigma announced a new super-range zoom lens, the 18-250mm F3.5-6.3 DC OS HSM.  The new Sigma 18-250mm F3.5-6.3 DC OS HSM will be available in March 2009 in Canon, Nikon, Pentax, Sony and Sigma mounts.

The combination of optical stabilization (OSM) and the hypersonic motor (HSM) makes this lens very attractive as a consumer-level all purpose lens.  In my opinion, Canon really botched the opportunity to make solid super-zoom lens with its new EF-S 18-200mm IS lens by failing to put a USM motor inside it, which has resulted in a slower and noiser autofocus.  If the price is right, perhaps this Sigma 18-250mm lens can fill that void with a fast focus speed and optical stabilization.

Sigma 18-250mm f/3.5-6.3 DC OS HSM IF Lens for Canon Digital SLR Cameras

Sigma 18-250mm f/3.5-6.3 DC OS HSM IF Lens for Nikon Digital SLR Cameras

Sigma 18-250mm f/3.5-6.3 DC OS HSM IF Lens for Sony Digital SLR Cameras

Sigma 18-250mm f/3.5-6.3 DC OS HSM IF Lens for Pentax Digital SLR Cameras

Sigma 18-250mm f/3.5-6.3 DC OS HSM IF Lens for Sigma Digital SLR Cameras

More details in the press release below. [Read more…]

 

Tamron SP AF90mm F/2.8 Di MACRO – With Built-in Motor for Nikon

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As with the Tamron 10-24mm the 90mm f/2.8 Macro has been updated to include a built-in motor for the Nikon mount in order to accommodate the Nikon D40, D40x and D60, which do not have an AF motor in the body of the camera.

Press Release

Tamron Co., Ltd (Mr. Morio Ono, President) has successfully renewed the existing SP AF90mm F/2.8 for Nikon and is now pleased to announce the availability of the lens with a built-in AF motor for Nikon. (The lens is already available in mounts for Canon, Pentax and Sony.) [Read more…]

Tamron SP AF10-24mm F/3.5-4.5 Di II LD Aspherical (IF) – Now With Built-In Motor for Nikon Mount

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Tamron has updated its 10-24mm wide angle lens to include a built-in focusing motor to accommodate the Nikon D40, D40x and D60 cameras, which do not have a focusing motor in the body of the camera.

Press Release

September 1, 2008, Saitama city, Japan- Tamron Co., Ltd (Mr. Morio Ono, President) announced the SP AF10-24mm F/3.5-4.5 Di II LD Aspherical (IF) featuring an unprecedented 2.4X zoom ratio in its class of ultra wide-angle zoom lenses. The innovative, high-performance ultra wide-angle zoom lens (model B001) is designed exclusively for Canon and Nikon digital SLRs with APS-C sized image sensors. Pentax and Sony mount models will be announced at a later date. [Read more…]

Tamron SP AF70-200mm F/2.8 Di LD [IF] MACRO for Pentax and Sony

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Tamron has added Pentax and Sony to the stable of compatible DSLRs for its 70-200mm f/2.8 lens.  The lens will be available later this month in Japan initially.  The lens carries a street price of about $700 for the existing Canon and Nikon mounts.

Press Release

As previously announced, Tamron Co., Ltd (Mr. Morio Ono, President) has developed SP AF70-200mm F/2.8 Di LD [IF] MACRO (Model A001), a lightweight and fast F/2.8 tele-zoom lens designed for full-size SLR cameras. Tamron is pleased to announce the availability of the zoom lens in mounts for Pentax and Sony SLR cameras. [Read more…]

A Zoom Lens For Your iPhone

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If you have an iPhone 3G and aren’t satisfied with its photography abilities, there’s now something of a solution on the market. Brando, primarily a company catering to mobile needs, is selling a zoom lens for the iPhone. They’re calling it a phone telescope, saying that it’s capable of 6x zoom, although more precise specifications don’t seem to be available.

Brando’s selling the lenses for $19.00. It’s approximately six inches long and is mounted to a crystal case that your iPhone slides into. Despite Brando’s name for the device, it does not appar to telescope.

Despite the fact that other cell phones have the same camera quandries as the iPhone, I don’t think we’ll be seeing lenses for other phones.

Tamron AF18-270mm F/3.5-6.3 Di II VC LD Aspherical (IF) MACRO

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July 30, 2008, Saitama City, Japan – Tamron Co., Ltd., under the leadership of Mr. Morio Ono, President, has announced the development of a unique ultra high power zoom lens-the Tamron AF18-270mm F/3.5-6.3 Di II VC LD Aspherical (IF) MACRO (Model B003), the first(1) digital SLR lens in the world that delivers a remarkable zoom ratio of 15X (28-419mm equivalent) and is equipped with a highly effective Vibration Compensation (VC) mechanism. Designed exclusively for digital SLR cameras with APS-C sized image sensors(2) , the new lens delivers outstanding image quality over its entire zoom range and its exclusive VC anti-shake system facilitates sharp handheld photography even at the longest telephoto settings.

With its vast zoom-range, the Tamron AF18-270mm F/3.5-6.3 Di II VC lens enables the user to cover virtually any photographic subject from wide angle to ultra telephoto simply by turning the zoom control. It covers angles of view equivalent to 28mm to 419mm when converted to the 35mm format(3) . In addition, this breakthrough lens is equipped with Tamron’s exclusive, proprietary tri-axial Vibration Compensation (VC) mechanism that eliminates or substantially reduces the effects of handheld camera shake. As a result, the user can enjoy the convenience of handheld photography in virtually any situation, from shooting candid images, to covering sporting events, to news photography, without worrying about camera shake having an adverse effect on image quality. The new lens will be made available in Canon and Nikon mounts. The price and launch date of the new lens will be announced at a later date. [Read more…]

Nikon 70-200mm VR – New Version Coming

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I’ve seen two different sources indicate the coming of an updated Nikon 70-200mm VR lens at Photokina. Nikon Rumors published a story yesterday regarding word from a Nikon VP. Additionally, I recently read a quote from Graham Watson (renowned Tour de France photographer and Nikon shooter) as he spoke in a matter of fact way that a replacement 70-200mm lens was coming from Nikon.

The 70-200mm will be replaced in September by a newer version, the ‘N’ series – I can’t wait to get hold of one!

(GW via NR)

Nikon AF-S 50-150mm f/2.8 G

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In the above image found on dc.watch.impress.co.jp, the EXIF info in the left panel indicates that the lens used was a Nikon AF-S 50-150mm f/2.8 G lens. That’s all well and good, except there’s no lens with that focal length in Nikon’s current line up.

While I can’t make out all the text, I’m pretty confident on the assessment that this is a Nikon lens, given “G” moniker follow the f/-stop. Although Sigma has a 50-150mm lens, it has a DC moniker, which indicates that it is for cropped-sensor DSLRs only.

The inclusion of a 50-150mm lens in Nikon’s line signals their commitment to the DX sensor format and the alternative to the popular 70-200mm full frame focal length.

Perhaps we’ll see this lens at Nikon’s Photokina 2008 showing. For now, this will remain a rumor.

UPDATE:  Apparently, the Sigma lens appears as a “G” lens Nikon’s software EXIF data.  Why? I don’t know.  But I suppose that a Sigma lens was used for this Nikon ad.  [via]