Buyers’ guide
Tamron › tamron.eu
Zeiss › zeiss.co.uk
a moisture-resistant construction, fluorine-coated front element to make cleaning easier, and a lock to stop the zoom creeping. In focusing to 15cm at the wide end and 99cm at the long, it delivers magnification of 1:2 and 1:4, respectively, making it a very useful close-up option. A complete offering, and we'll be testing it soon.
Another great option is the Batis 135mm f/2.8. Specially for mirrorless, Batis lenses are designed for Sony E-mount cameras and offer full autofocus. The 135mm version is a classic middle-distance portrait option, boasting great image quality and includes an optical image stabiliser. Unlike many Zeiss lenses, users can continue to deploy AF modes – with eye detection making the most of this model’s exceptional sharpness, to separate the subject against smooth, natural bokeh. Despite being compact and light, it’s weather sealed, too.
since 2018, this is the first lens for Fujifilm X Mount. Giving an equivalent focal view to a 27- 450mm lens in 35mm format, its 16.6x zoom range is nothing if not versatile. Along with any IBIS in the body, the lens’s Vibration Compensation means the tighter aperture at the long end still delivers nice, sharp details. It boasts
One of the most storied names in photography, with a history to rival anyone, Zeiss’s lens range is as compelling as ever. It offers optics for DSLRs, mirrorless bodies and rangefinders. One of our recent favourites is the Milvus 15mm f/2.8 Distagon T* (£2419), available in Canon EF and Nikon F-mounts. The manual focus Milvus family, which is designed to match the performance of high- resolution cameras, has 11 lenses in it. This is the widest of the lot. It uses anti-reflective coatings and special pitch-black internal lacquer, to prevent reflections and minimise fringing around high- contrast edges. Its construction features an advanced floating- element design of 15 elements in 12 groups for edge-to-edge sharpness, even wide open. Its 110° angle of view can tackle almost any subject, and it has a very long focus throw, metal build and weather sealing. The former makes it especially useful for astrophotography. Finally, a detachable lens hood and 95mm thread mean you can mount holders or use screw-on filters.
Now into its eighth decade of lens manufacture, Tamron shows no let-up in innovation, with DSLR models for Nikon F, Sony A, Canon EF and Pentax, alongside a fast- growing mirrorless range for Sony E and Fujifilm X Mounts. One of Tamron’s recent highlights for Sony was the 28-200mm f/2.8-5.6 Di III RXD, the first superzoom with a f/2.8 maximum aperture at 28mm. Top of the class are its SP-branded optics, featuring superb sharpness and excellent, weather-sealed build. A collection like the SP 15-30mm f/2.8 Di VC USD G2, SP 24-70mm f/2.8 Di VC USD G2 and SP 70-200mm f/2.8 Di VC USD G2 will rival first-party ‘holy trinities’ for quality. One of Tamron’s other standout models is the new APS-C compatible 18-300mm f/3.5-6.3 Di III-A VC VXD superzoom (£675). Though Tamron has been producing lenses for Sony E-mount
Irix › swains.co.uk
and a hard case. And although it doesn’t take filters on the front element, there’s a 30x30mm slot for gelatin filters. The 150mm f/2.8 Macro 1:1 Dragonfly (£589) offers something different to macro photographers. Its 150mm focal length allows some distance from skittish creatures, or affords lighting to be added between camera and subject when needed. It’s manual focus, but that’s fine for macro, and there’s a neat focus lock feature, so your focal point won’t accidentally shift between frames. There’s also internal focusing, a
Fast becoming a firm favourite with both photographers and videographers, Irix makes excellent lenses. Its stills range spans 11mm f/4, 15mm f/2.5, 30mm f/1.4, 45mm f/1.4 and 150mm f/2.8 macro options. All these come in Canon EF, Nikon F and Pentax K fits, apart from the 45mm f/1.4, which is also available in Fujifilm GF Mount. The 11mm Blackstone f/4 (£629), is a very capable ultra- wide lens. With its focusing range as close as 27cm and the expansive 126º view, it offers dramatic foregrounds and close-up detail. There are two versions of the optic, under the names Blackstone and Firefly. The former has upgraded features, like a more durable aluminium and magnesium body, engraved fluorescent markings to aid low- light shooting, full weather sealing
SINGLE LENS SOLUTION Tamron’s latest lens is the 18-300mm f/3.5-6.3 Di III-A VC VXD, a 16.6x superzoom. To have that range of coverage in one lens is remarkable – and incredibly useful
weather-resistant build and hardy metal construction.
Issue 93 | Photography News 31
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