If you’re in the market for a new lens, it may be hard to decide whether to go for a third-party option, or stick with the same brand as your camera. The Sigma Art series has received a lot of praise, and photographer Julia Trotti put it to a test. She used the Sigma 85mm f/1.4 Art and compared it to the Canon 85mm f/1.2L II. In the video below, you can see how the lenses compare on Canon and Sony bodies.
The ultimate 85mm lens shootout: comparing seven lenses from $99 to $4,500
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The 85mm lens is the to-go lens of many portrait photographers. In this video, Matt Granger compares seven 85mm lenses from different manufacturers and with a huge difference in price. They are all between f/1.2 and f/1.8, and the prices go between $99 and $4,500.
This vintage Russian spy lens is perfect for portraits, and it costs $40
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Photographer and videographer Mathieu Stern is known for his passion for weird lenses. He recently repurposed a Russian spy lens Cyclop h3t-1. It comes attached to a night vision device, and it was used by the Russian army and even the KGB. However, Mathieu tested how it performs for shooting portraits- and the results are surprisingly good.
Meike announces 85mm. autofocus medium telephoto lens
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Meike recently announced its new 85mm. medium telephoto lens for Canon EF mount. Unlike their previous lenses, this particular model is the first to incorporate an autofocus function. [Read More…]
Four 85mm lenses resolution compared: Sigma, Tamron, Canon and Zeiss
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85mm is a commonly used lens, very much loved by portrait photographers. If you’re thinking of buying one, photographer Dustin Abbott is giving quite a detailed comparison in his two new videos. He compares four top 85mm lenses: Canon 85mm f/1.4L IS, Sigma 85mm f/1.4 ART, Tamron 85mm f/1.8 VC and Zeiss Otus 1.4. So if you still haven’t made the decision which one is right for you, this video might answer some questions.
These are the two lenses every portrait photographer should own
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No matter what genre of photography you’re into, I’m sure you have your favorite lens(es). Manny Ortiz does mainly portrait and has two lenses he’d recommend to any portrait photographer out there. The 50mm and the 85mm are his lenses of choice, and he explains why he thinks every portrait photographer should own them. Let’s see if you agree.
Hands On Review of the Lensbaby Velvet 85mm Classic Portrait and Art Lens
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A couple months ago, Lensbaby provided DIYP with a new Lensbaby Velvet 85mm Classic Portrait and Art Lens for review.
I happened to be on my way to Europe at the time, so I took the opportunity to try out the Lensbaby Velvet 85mm along the way.
Up until this point, I had never used a Lensbaby lens, so I was pretty excited to see what I could do with the Velvet 85mm – so much so that I left my usual 85mm (the Sigma ART f/1.4) at home in favor of the Lensbaby.
In total I spent six weeks photographing with the Lensbaby Velvet 85mm – in this review I will present my thoughts.
Yongnuo launch budget 100mm f/2 lens with an 85mm on the way
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Chinese manufacturer Yongnuo is well known for its inexpensive flash units and radio triggers. More recently, the company have turned their hand to lenses. Adding to their fairly small 50mm f/1.8 and 35mm f/2 lineup, Yongnuo have now announced a 100mm f/2 lens. Outwardly reminiscent of the Canon 100mm f/2 USM, the lens is initially available on Canon only. We can probably expect a Nikon version to come along at some point in the future.
The best thing about it, though, is the price. Costing around $170, this is a little over a third of the $499 Canon. At this price point, it could be a great option. A potentially ideal portrait lens on a very low budget. How well it stands up to scrutiny side-by-side with the original Canon remains to be seen.
Zeiss expands its Sony E-Mount Loxia range with a new 85mm f/2.4 lens
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Zeiss have announced a new telephoto lens in their Loxia lineup for Sony full frame cameras. The new lens is the Zeiss Loxia 2.4/85. Adding to the Loxia family that includes the 21mm f/2.8, 35mm f/2 and 50mm f/2, the new 85mm f/2.4 rounds off the selection quite nicely. For now, anyway. I still think they need to add a 105mm.
The new lens has been designed specifically with digital sensors in mind. It’s based on the Zeiss Sonnar design, and has seven elements in seven groups. It also features the aperture “De-Click” function, making it ideal for video use. Zeiss lens gears also allow it to be easily used with a follow focus system on a rail rig. The manual focus ring also turns a full 220°.
Tamron Announces New 85mm f/1.8, 90mm f/2.8 Macro and DIY Firmware Updates
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The lens leaks and announcements are coming through thick and fast at the moment, aren’t they?
You might’ve noticed Tamron’s teaser image floating around lately suggesting that some new lenses might be coming, but now Tamron officially joins Sigma, Sony, Samyang, SLR Magic, Canon, and others launching new glass in 2016 with the announcement of two new lenses.
