New Sigma 30mm f/1.4 DC HSM Available For Pre-Order

Sigma 30mm

B&H has the new Sigma 30mm f/1.4 DC HSM (part of Sigma’s “Art” line-up) available for pre-order for $499 (click here). The lens is expected to ship starting from March 31st.

  • Standard Focal Length Prime Lens
  • Aperture Range: f/1.4 – 16
  • Minimum Focus Distance: 11.8″ (30 cm)
  • Hyper Sonic Motor for Smooth Autofocus
  • Brass Bayonet Mount
  • For APS-C Format Cameras
  • Fits Canon EF-S Mount Cameras

From the product description:

The 30mm f/1.4 DC HSM Lens for Canon DSLR Cameras from Sigma is a prime lens designed for Canon APS-C format cameras. Its 35mm focal length equivalent is 45mm which places it in the category of standard focal length lenses. With its particularly fast maximum aperture of f/1.4, the lens will perform very well in low light situations and provides shallow depth of field focus. With updated optical configurations (9 elements in 8 groups), as well as rounded aperture blades, the lens delivers sharp detail and nice background bokeh. Its minimum focus distance is 11.8″ (30 cm).

The lens’ optimized light distribution helps to minimize field curvature preventing a loss of image quality at the edges of photographs and its double-sided aspheric lens element minimizes spherical distortion. A rear focusing system combined with a newly developed autofocus algorithm and Hyper Sonic Motor provide smooth and accurate autofocus. Fulltime manual focus is also supported. As part of Sigma’s “Art” line of lenses it is compatible with Sigma’s new USB Dock, which enables firmware updates and focusing adjustments.

Fast maximum aperture of f/1.4 allows fast shutter speeds for clear low-light imaging and shallow depth of field focus.
A Hyper Sonic Autofocus Motor (HSM) offers fast, smooth and quiet autofocus.
Compatible with the Sigma USB Dock which enables firmware updates and focusing adjustments.

A Bit Of Everything

A Bit Of Everything

Get Close With The Canon EF 400mm f/2.8L IS II Lens

EF 400mm f/2.8L

The Canon EF 400mm f/2.8L IS II lens ad campaign was developed at Mohawk College, Hamilton ON, Canada, Art Director: Stephen Sandian. It appears the ads are trying to suggest you can get close to a subject without risk when using the EF 400mm. :-)

The EF 400mm f/2.8L IS II is a rather pricy lens, it sells for $11,500 ([shopcountry 112]). If this is too much for you, and you want to get close and intimate (at least photographically speaking) with bears and tigers, you can always rent the lens at borrowlenses.

EF 40mm f/2.8L

EF 400mm f/2.8L

EF 400mm f/2.8L

[via adsoftheworld]

Canon EF-M 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS STM Review (slrgear)

[shoplink 6095]EF-M 18-55mm[/shoplink]

Lens specs:

  • Standard Zoom Lens for EOS M Camera
  • Compact & Lightweight Design
  • Movie Servo AF Function
  • 4 Equivalent Stops of Shake Correction
  • Dynamic IS (Movie Shooting Mode Only)
  • Three Aspheric Lens Elements
  • Minimum Focusing Distance: 9.8″ (25 cm)
  • Max Magnification: 0.25x

slrgear reviewed the Canon EF-M 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS STM lens [shoplink 6095](price & specs)[/shoplink], part of the Canon EOS M [shoplink 6091](price & specs)[/shoplink] ecosystem. For the time being there are only two lenses for the EOS M, the other one being the EF-M 22mm f/2 STM [shoplink 6093](price & specs)[/shoplink], but there should soon be more lenses.

Some excerpts from the review:

  • The Canon EF-M 18-55mm ƒ/3.5-5.6 IS STM provided surprisingly sharp results. When used wide open at ƒ/3.5, there is some slight corner softness, but the majority of the frame is very sharp. Stopping down to just ƒ/4 (or after 24mm, ƒ/5.6) provides very sharp images
  • The [lens] provides acceptable performance between 24mm and 45mm, but we note some obvious chromatic aberration present in the extreme corners of the frame at the wide and tele settings (18mm and 55mm – take a look at [slrgear’s] sample images for further detail)
  • There is some slight corner shading […]: used at the ƒ/3.5 (at 18mm) setting, the corners show up around a half-stop stop darker than the center of the frame.
  • The EF-M 18-55mm is equipped with Image Stabilization, which works quite well for this lens.
  • [Conclusion:] For a small and relatively inexpensive lens, the Canon EF-M 18-55mm ƒ/3.5-5.6 IS STM provides very good results, typically of kit zoom lenses.

Canon EF-M 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS STM price check: [shopcountry 6095] Canon EOS M price check: [shopcountry 6091] [shoplink 6095]EF-M 18-55mm[/shoplink] [via slrgear]