Fast 135mm lenses live a bit of a wallflower existence compared to their more popular 85mm f/1.4 cousins. For portrait photography, they require extra distance and some users don’t like the more compressed scene. However, yours truly is rather fond of this lens class. i.e. They can often also serve as a viable substitution for comparatively slower 70-200mm f/2.8 lenses. One of these lenses is the Samyang AF 135mm f/1.8 FE. It sells for around $700-800 USD give or take, which is about a third (!) of the Sony FE 135mm f/1.8 GM. If it can deliver, it would be…
Author: Klaus
Overview The Tokina atx-m 11-18mm F2.8 X is the first super wide angle zoom lens in Tokina’s product line-up designed exclusively for mirrorless cameras. It features a fast f/2.8 aperture throughout the zoom range, and a 11-18mm (17-27mm in 35mm equivalent) zoom stored in a compact and lightweight body for hybrid users who shoot stills and video. The atx-m 11-18mm F2.8 X performs impressive resolution from the wide to tele end of the zoom. This lens boasts high contrast and low distortion, and quick and precise AF response in still and video modes. It is fully compatible with Fujifilm camera…
Ref.: https://www.cosina.co.jp/news/%e3%83%95%e3%82%a9%e3%82%af%e3%83%88%e3%83%ac%e3%83%b3%e3%83%80%e3%83%bccolor-skopar-35mm-f3-5-aspherical-vm-%e7%99%ba%e5%a3%b2/ SpecificationsOptical construction6 elements in 4 groups (1x aspherical, 3x AD)Number of aperture blades10min. focus distance0.7m ( max. magnification: 1:? )DimensionsΦ 52.0×14.0mmWeight99gFilter size34mmHoodbarrel-shaped, includedOther featuressilver and black version
Price: $99 USD Ref.: https://viltrox.com/en-au/products/af-28mm-f4-5-x SpecificationsOptical construction6 elements in 6 groups (2x aspherical, 2x ED)Number of aperture bladesFixed aperturemin. focus distance0.34m ( max. magnification: 1:? )DimensionsΦ 60.3×15.25mmWeight60gFilter size-Hood-Other featuresUSB port for firmware updates, slide lever cap
OM SYSTEM M.Zuiko Digital ED 100-400mm f/5-6.3 IS II Price: $1499 USD Ref.: https://explore.omsystem.com/us/en/m-zuiko-ed-100-400mm-f5-0-6-3-is-ii SpecificationsOptical construction21 Elements in 15 Groups (2x ELD, 2x SHR, 2xHR)Number of aperture blades7 (rounded)min. focus distance1.3m (max. magnification: 0.17 x (wide) / 0.57 x (tele))DimensionsΦ 86.4 x 205.7 mmWeight1125g (without tripod mount)Filter sizeφ72mmHoodpetal-shaped, bayonet mountOther featuresIPX1, compatible with converters, Sync-IS up to 7 f-stops OM SYSTEM M.Zuiko Digital 17mm f/1.8 II Price: $549 USD Ref.: https://explore.omsystem.com/us/en/m-zuiko-17mm-f1-8-ii SpecificationsOptical construction9 Elements in 6 Groups (1x DSA, 2x aspherical)Number of aperture blades7 (rounded)min. focus distance0.3m (max. magnification: 0.08x)DimensionsΦ 57.6 x 37.6 mmWeight112gFilter sizeφ46mmHoodbarrel-shaped, bayonet mountOther featuresIPX1 OM SYSTEM M.Zuiko Digital 25mm f/1.8…
Price: $2,799.95 USD Ref.: https://www.nikon.com.au/news/nikon-releases-the-nikkor-z-35mm-f12s-a-fast-wide-angle-prime-lens-for-the-nikon-z-mount-system SpecificationsOptical construction17 elements in 15 groups (including 3xED, 1x aspherical ED, 3x aspherical)Number of aperture blades11 (rounded)min. focus distance0.3m (max. magnification: 1:5)DimensionsΦ 90×150mmWeight1060gFilter sizeφ82mmHoodpetal-shaped, bayonet mount, optionalOther featuresMeso Amorphous Coat, dust- and drip-resistant, dual-STM
Price: $1149 USD SpecificationsOptical construction16 elements in 13 groups (2x aspherical, 4x UD)Number of aperture blades9 (rounded)min. focus distance0.2m (max. magnification: 1:3.8)DimensionsΦ 76×91mmWeight445gFilter sizeφ67mmHoodpetal-shaped, bayonet mount, optionalOther featuresIS (5.5 f-stops)
The Fujinon XF 18-55mm f/2.8-4 R LM OIS has had quite a run since its release in 2012 (!). It was widely regarded as one of the most desirable “kit” lenses on the market. You may debate the correctness of the classification as a “normal” kit lens here because Fujifilm has a couple of other really cheap kit lenses for their budget cameras, but regardless, it is/was a very reasonably priced lens while also being fairly fast, and it even comes with an optical image stabilizer. However, the lens was released at a time when 16 megapixels was the Fujifilm…
Note: Fixed aperture Price: $89 USD Ref.: https://7artisans.store/products/18mm-f-5-6-full-frame-lens-for-e-z-l SpecificationsOptical construction7 elements in 5 groups (2x aspherical, 1x ED)Number of aperture blades-min. focus distance0.3m (max. magnification: 1:?)DimensionsΦ 61×26mmWeight146gFilter sizeφ49mmHood-Other features-
Viltrox is currently busy expanding the “Air” lineup of lenses. As the name suggests, these lenses focus on a compact and lightweight design. We have already reviewed a couple of them, such as the AF 20mm f/2.8 E, AF 40mm f/2.5 E and the AF 56mm f/1.7 XF. The latter is an APS-C format lens – as is the new AF 35mm f/1.7 XF that we are discussing here now. In the APS-C scope, 35mm is equivalent to a 50mm “standard” lens on full-format cameras. The max aperture of f/1.7 is not terribly fast, but neither is Fujifilm’s own XF/XC 35mm f/2…