Lenses & Accessories

Enough about Angry Birds already!  Real birds don’t strap themselves into slingshots, as any birdwatcher, a.k.a. birder, will tell you. They know because they observe the chirpy critters in the wild or in urban parks. They spy on flocks through binoculars. They snap pictures; they take notes. High-tech birders can think of better uses for their mobile screens than playing games.

If you ask a photographer if they can recommend an easy to use, entry-level DSLR that can shoot stills, HD video and offers an impressive list of pro-level features, there’s an excellent chance that they'll name Canon’s EOS Rebel.

The newest addition to the Lensbaby Optic Swap System is the Sweet 35 Optic, a 35mm focal length lens that along with a wide field of view features a 12-blade adjustable aperture and close-focusing capabilities.  

For professionals, weekend warriors or newbies to the sport of taking pictures, the lure of new gear is a never-ending temptation. And let’s face it; we truly need that new lens, new flash, battery grip and whatever else the camera manufacturers announce on a never-ending basis.

Samsung is going full bore with the expansion of its APS-C format NX mirrorless camera system by announcing the introduction of five new lenses, effectively doubling the number of NX-series optics users can choose from.

Having two eyes allows us to see in 3D. Depth perception, or the third dimension, is formed when the brain combines the slightly different images seen by each eye into a single image.

Not all that long ago, if you mentioned photographic filters to the amateur photographer it was assumed you were talking about traditional glass filters, specifically the round type that screws into the front of the lens.

The first question most people ask when shopping for a new lens is “Is it sharp?”, yet if you were to pop the lens cap off that new lens a month down the line there’s a 50-50 chance you’ll find dust and a fingerprint or two on it.

The Bokeh Masters Kit  contains 21 pre-cut circular templates that enable you to add unique and playful shapes to the out-of-focus highlights in your photographs, especially when used with point light sources such as street lights, spot lights and candles.

Panasonic has added a trio of new guns: a Lumix G 14mm/2.5 ASPH wide-angle, a Lumix G Vario 100-300mm/f4-5.6 OIS super zoom and most intriguing of the three, a "two-eyed" Lumix G 12.5mm/f12.5 3D lens designed to capture 3D imagery when used with Panasonic Lumix G series cameras.

For photojournalists, wedding photographers and others who often find themselves shooting stills or video under less than desirable lighting conditions, the new Nikkor AF-S 35mm f/1.4G completes the trifecta of Nikkor high-speed hotties that include Nikon's previously released AF-S 85mm f/1.4G and AF-S 24mm f/1.4G.

In the right hands, ultra wide-angle lenses can produce awesome images. They can also be awsomely expensive, especially the ones made by the same company that made your camera. If this rings true for you, take a look at Vivitar's Series 1 13mm f/2.8 Aspheric Super Wide lens.

The new Canon EF 70–300 f/4–5.6L IS USM zoom is an image-stabilized 'L'-series zoom designed to deliver sharp imagery over a broad zoom range in a carry-on, baggage-friendly package.

Even though fast super-telephoto lenses are known to be notoriously heavy, the new Canon EF 400mm/f/2.8 IS II USM, even at 8.49 lb, is more than 28% lighter than its predecessor, making it one of the lightest in it's class.

According to Canon, the new Canon EF 300mm f/2.8L IS II USM is 8% lighter and measurably faster than its predecessor, with improved image-stabilization characteristics, which should capture the attention of sports and action shooters alike.

Syndicate content