Samyang 12mm f/2.8 Fish-Eye Lens For Full-Frame DSLRs Announced

Samyang 12mm f/2.8 Fish-Eye

[via SonyAlphaRumors]

Samyang just announced a new 12mm f/2.8 Fisheye Full Frame lens.

Samyang press release:

Samyang Europe announces the upcoming Autumn release of the full-frame Samyang 12mm 1:2.8 ED AS NCS Fish-eye lens. The new model is yet another product of the Korean manufacturer and its widest 35mm film format lens. The lens will be officially introduced during Photokina fairs in Cologne on September 16th 2014.

Samyang 12mm 1:2.8 ED AS NCS Fish-eye is a bright, super wide-angle fish-eye lens designed especially for full-frame cameras. It offers the image area in 24 x 36mm format and the diagonal angle of view of 180 degrees. In terms of the optics, it is one of the most advanced “fish-eye” lenses. The product’s sophisticated optics consists of 12 lens elements arranged in 8 groups. This includes three elements made of low dispersion ED glass and two aspherical lens elements to ensure perfect image depth and minimized chromatic aberration. Samyang 12mm 1:2.8 ED AS NCS Fish-eye is the third lens of the brand (along with 10mm f/2.8 and 12mm f/2.0) with highly effective nanocrystal anti-reflection NCS coating applied together with standard UMC coatings. Owing to this solution and the fast aperture ratio (f/2.8) the lens can be used as a perfect tool in diverse lighting conditions, as it provides great focus, high contrast and natural colour reproduction even with the fully opened aperture. The premiere of Samyang 12mm 1:2.8 ED AS NCS Fish-eye is like a dream coming true for professional photographers and filmmakers who seem to have an increasing demand for this type of lenses since the release of 8mm and 7.5mm models, which are considered to be the best “fish-eye” lenses on the market.

Samyang 12mm f/2.8 Fish-Eye

Pics and samples after the break 

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Zeiss Otus 85mm f/1.4 DxOMarked

Zeiss Otus 85mm f/1.4

Zeiss´new Otus 85mm f/1.4 lens has been DxOMarked.

Conclusion:

The new Otus 85mm is without question the most desirable and best performing 85mm portrait lens available but at $4,490 it’s not for those without deep pockets. It’s also rather large and bulky […]  and it lacks the convenience of autofocus. While that may not be an issue for most enthusiasts or professionals (particularly as AF is at best difficult with f1.4 models) it’s likely to further limit its appeal, even if the real reason is obvious.

The Zeiss Otus 85mm f/1.4 sells for $4,490 and can be pre-ordered at B&H Photo and Adorama. Sample pics can be seen on Zeiss’ Flickr album.

Zeiss Otus 85mm f/1.4

Specs and description after the break.

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More Tidbits About The EOS 7D Mark II Specifications (not same sensor as 70D, pro build quality, more on AF, €1800)

EOS 7D Mark II Specifications
The glorious Canon EOS 7D

I got some new EOS 7D Mark II specifications (thanks) that contradict the specs I got previously.

These specs are largely identical with the spec list posted by CR, with a few differences. The source told me that:

  • The EOS 7D Mark II sports a 20.2 MP sensor but it is not the same sensor as featured on the EOS 70D
  • The AF has 65 points but only 32 are cross-type. Center point is dual cross. f/8 on center point
  • The EOS 7D Mark II has a “pro build quality” (whatever this means in detail)
  • Price in EU will be €1800 (that could mean something around $1,990 in the US)

Moreover, the source told me that the EOS 7D Mark II has already been presented to resellers.

This is the spec list posted at CR:

  • Kit lenses: 18-135 IS STM and 15-85 IS (no STM)
  • CF, UDMA mode 7 + SD, UHS-I
  • GPS is in the camera
  • No WiFi
  • Fixed LCD, with no touch function.
  • 20.2MP APS-C Sensor
  • Dual Pixel CMOS AF
  • Dual DIGIC 6 Processors
  • 65 AF points “All Cross-type”. Dual cross on the center point.
  • f/8 on center point at least, could be on more points.
  • 10fps
  • ISO 100-12800, ISO Boost mode 25600 and 51200
  • 1080p/720p both get 60fps
  • Servo AF for video shooting.
  • Anti-flicker mode, eliminates flickers under flickering lights (e.g. fluorescent lamps).
  • Spot metering size 1.8%
  • Built-in flash
  • Mic and headphones connectors
  • Can sync time between 7D II cameras.
  • Lens electronic MF
  • About 100% coverage OVF
  • New Battery – LP-E6N
  • New Battery Grip BG-E16

 

Canon and WWF Share Arctic Climate Change Research Results

Arctic Climate Change

Canon press release:

Canon and WWF share results of research into the impact of climate change in the Arctic
LONDON, 3rd September 2014 – Canon Europe, world leader in imaging solutions, and WWF International have released findings from two of their research programmes recording the state of the environment and climate change in the Arctic. As part of its role as Conservation Imaging Partner, Canon sponsored WWF International’s recent scientific expeditions to the islands of Svalbard (April 2014), near Norway, and Laptev Sea in Russia (August 2013).
The WWF-Canon & Norwegian Polar Institute’s expedition to Svalbard this year aimed to collect critical data about Europe’s most westerly polar bear population and how the locations of their dens for giving birth are changing. Just three of the 29 adult females encountered by the research team had a cub born that year. Although the researchers cautioned against reading too much into that fact, it is known that in other parts of the Arctic, disappearing sea ice is affecting the bears’ reproductive success.
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