Awards Lenses
BEST WIDE-ANGLE PRIME LENS Sigma 24mm f/1.4 DG DN Art TIPA SAYS
The lens market is a vibrant sector fuelled by several driving forces. A big one is the impetus provided by the mirrorless revolution, causing lens designers to develop whole new systems, notably Canon and Nikon with their very successful RF and Z systems respectively. Fujifilm, Olympus, Panasonic, and Sony are a little more established in the mirrorless sector, and at the point where existing lenses are often being updated, although new focal lengths are still appearing. The independent brands are throwing in their two pence and as mirrorless systems have gained market traction, it made sense for them to produce compatible products – although the Canon RF fitting is the exception here and we’re not seeing third- party brands coming out with AF lenses.
Poll serious photographers about their favourite street, architecture and even landscape prime lens and the 24mm focal length is sure to be a top choice. This fast f/1.4 maximum aperture, 11-bladed diaphragm lens also delivers ideal specs for night-time and low-light capture, including astrophotography, featuring two FLD and one SLD glass elements and four aspherical elements that eliminate distortion and significantly suppress coma flare. PN’S VIEW Sigma is a serial winner of TIPA Awards – 20 since their inception – and the 24mm f/1.4 DG DN Art thoroughly deserves its success. Headline feature, of course, is its f/1.4 maximum aperture, making it a prime candidate for astro shooting among other low-light subjects. An advanced construction of 17 elements including seven advanced elements arranged in 14 groups helps deliver pin-sharp images free of optical aberrations, plus it has a dust- and splash-proof build.
BEST STANDARD PRIME LENS Sony FE 50mm f/1.4 GM TIPA SAYS
BEST TELEPHOTO PRIME LENS Canon RF 135mm f/1.8 L IS USM TIPA SAYS
Offering a superfast f/1.4 maximum aperture, this prime is ideal for low-light and candid shooting. With an 11-blade diaphragm and 40.6cm close-focusing capability, this G Master is ideal as a general-purpose lens that can deliver startlingly smooth backgrounds and rich bokeh. TIPA editors were impressed by the incorporation of new design and control features that make it as ideal for video as it is for still photography, including two focus-hold buttons and a Linear Response manual-focus ring for fine focus control. PN’S VIEW For Sony owners, the FE 50mm f/1.4 GM is potentially the ultimate standard lens. Its fast maximum aperture allows greater control when the light is very poor, and it’s designed to give creamy bokeh when used wide open. The new optical construction which includes two XA (extreme aspherical) and one ED (extra-low dispersion) element delivers excellent sharpness with Nano AR Coating II to prevent flare and ghosting.
This medium telephoto is perfect for people, travel, landscape and candid photography. Its aperture range offers an excellent team for both shallow (at f/1.8) and deep depth-of-field (f/22) capture, plus many benefits for low-light shooting with an Optical Image Stabiliser system offering eight stops of compensation when paired with a body featuring IBIS. PN’S VIEW The usual lens recommendation for portrait photography is to use a short telephoto, typically 85mm in the 35mm format. At this focal length you get a flattering perspective, a comfortable working distance from your subject and a nice shallow depth-of-field if you use a wide lens aperture. Essentially, the RF 135mm f/1.8 L IS USM gives you more of the same, and then some. This is a top-end prime telephoto, and its premium optical construction of 17 elements in 12 groups delivers an impeccable optical performance aided by a 5.5EV optical image stabiliser.
BEST TELEPHOTO ZOOM LENS Tamron 50-400mm f/4.5-6.3 Di III VC VXD TIPA SAYS
The Tamron 50-400mm lens is an ideal choice for a wide range of photographic applications, thanks to its close-focusing distance of 25cm (9.9 inches) at the 50mm setting. Whether you’re shooting sports events, wildlife or landscapes, this lens is compact and easy to transport, with an overall length of only 183.4mm (7.2 inches). To ensure sharp and stable shots, the lens features a VXD linear-focusing mechanism and a vibration-compensation system (VC) that helps reduce camera shake in low light or when shooting at slower shutter speeds. This allows you to take advantage of a wider range of shooting opportunities, even in challenging lighting conditions. PN’S VIEW Versatility is very much a key word of Tamron’s 50-400mm f/4.5-6.3 Di III VC VXD, which is compatible with Sony’s E-mount full-frame and APS-C cameras. Its 8x zoom range starts from a standard focal length through to long telephoto, making it a great buy for photographers with a wide range of interests. It even holds a strong hand for close-up shooting, with a minimum focus of just 25cm at the 50mm end giving a half-life-size magnification. You get all this flexibility in a compact body, and despite its weight it’s very usable handheld with sharp shooting assisted by Tamron’s vibration-compensation system.
BEST SUPER-TELEPHOTO PRIME LENS Nikkor Z 600mm f/4 TC VR S TIPA SAYS The Z 600 is a dream lens for wildlife photographers. Working outdoors often means challenging light and weather conditions, so a newly developed Meso Amorphous Coat offers the greatest anti-reflective performance from a Nikon lens while ARNEO and Nano Crystal coats reduce ghosting, reflections and glare. AF is greatly enhanced with a Silky Swift Voice Coil Motor that uses magnets rather than gears to move focusing groups, benefiting both still and video recording. PN’S VIEW Nikon has been working incredibly hard on its long telephoto offerings, probably encouraged by the success of its incredible Z 9. The Z 600mm f/4 TC VR S has an integral 1.4x teleconverter which instantly extends the focal length to 840mm. Of course, with such a long lens you need fast AF, and this is provided by Nikon’s Voice Coil Motor and an optical ABS encoder, a high-precision sensor that detects and communicates lens position.
OTHER WINNERS
› BEST MACRO LENS AstrHori 28mm f/13 2x Macro Probe
› BEST CONTENT CREATOR LENS Tamron 20-40mm f/2.8 Di III VXD › BEST SUPERZOOM LENS SIGMA 60-600mm f/4.5-6.3 DG DN OS | Sports
› BEST WIDE-ANGLE ZOOM LENS Sigma 16-28mm f/2.8 DG DN Contemporary › BEST STANDARD ZOOM LENS Sony FE 20-70mm f/4 G
› BEST PORTRAIT LENS Nikkor Z 85mm f/1.2 S
18 Photography News | Issue 107
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