Tag: macro

Venus Optics Launches Laowa 25mm F/2.8 2.5-5X Ultra Macro Lens

Posted on by Dr Koh

Venus Optics‘ Japanese distributor Sightron announced two new lenses: the Laowa 9mm F2.8 Zero-D and 25mm F2.8 2.5-5x Ultra Macro. And while the 9mm F2.8 Zero-D still hasn’t made its way onto the English language Venus Optics site yet, today did see the official announcement of the strange Laowa 25mm F2.8 2.5-5x Ultra Macro.

Nothing has changed about the lens’ design since last week’s debut: the 25mm F2.8 2.5-5x Ultra Macro is still made from 8 elements in 6 groups—including an ultra low dispersion lens and multilayer coating on each element—which allow for a max working distance of 40 mm (5x) to 45 mm (2.5x). Ultimately, this lens was designed to be as portable as possible, as this comparison between it and the Canon MP-E 65mm F2.8 1-5x Macro demonstrates:

Size comparison: Laowa 25mm F2.8 2.5-5x Ultra Macro vs Canon MP-E 65mm F2.8 1-5x

The Venus Optics Laowa 25mm F2.8 2.5-5x Ultra Macro will be available starting in March for the price of $400 USD. You can also purchase an optional tripod collar ($30), Micro Four Thirds adapter ($30), or Fuji X mount adapter ($30).

For more information, if you’d like to pre-order your own, or if you want to scroll through a series of official sample images, head over to the Venus Optics website.

SIGMA 70mm F2.8 DG MACRO – First ART Series Macro Lens

Posted on by Dr Koh

SIGMA 70mm F2.8 DG MACRO

Stunning resolution and clarity for a breathtaking visual experience—a razor-sharp macro lens joins the Art line

1. Design prioritizing optical performance

2. Focus-by-wire system for comfortable and precise focusing

3. Compatible with Sony E-mount cameras with full-size sensors

4. Compatible with Canon Lens Aberration Correction

5. Compatible with SIGMA ELECTRONIC FLASH MACRO EM-140 DG (adapter required)

6. Compatible with SIGMA TELE CONVERTERS (Not available for Sony E-mount lens) Launch: TBD Accessory: Case, Hood (LH708-01) Available AF mounts: SIGMA, Canon, Sony E-mount Note: Appearance and specifications are subject to change without notice.

The long-awaited first macro lens in the Art line In recent years, macro lenses in the standard range have tended to employ inner focusing with the goal of maximizing autofocus speed. In contrast, the new SIGMA 70mm F2.8 DG MACRO | Art lens is designed to prioritize optical performance, fulfilling the demanding image quality requirements that define the Art line. In the standard to mid-telephoto range, it delivers stunning resolution and incredible clarity that greatly exceed expectations for a macro lens. The coreless DC motor further enhances image quality, while an optimized algorithm helps offer extremely smooth autofocus performance for a weightier, high-performance lens. Photography enthusiasts will recall a certain legendary, razor-sharp macro lens—the SIGMA MACRO 70mm F2.8 EX DG—and be glad to learn it is available in a new form, updated with outstanding Art line quality.

Key features
1. Design prioritizing optical performance In order to realize top-level performance at every shooting distance, the lens features an extending, floating, two-group focus mechanism. This configuration minimizes aberration to produce optimal results at any focus distance. To minimize axial chromatic aberration, the optical system incorporates two FLD glass elements, two SLD glass elements, and one element with a high rate of anomalous partial dispersion and a high index of refraction. In addition, two aspherical lens elements help increase resolution at close shooting distances. This optical system makes possible a razor-sharp in-focus area contrasted with a bokeh area free of color streaking.

2. Focus-by-wire system for comfortable and precise focusing The focus-by-wire system eliminates the direct mechanical connection between the focus ring and the focus drive system. Controlled by SIGMA’s latest algorithm, a newly developed coreless DC motor adjusts focus with optimal speed and low noise. Full-time manual focus is available even during autofocus, allowing the photographer to make minute focus adjustments simply by turning the focus ring. In addition, the focus ring’s large angle of rotation helps the photographer achieve the extremely precise focusing required for effective macro photography.

3. Compatible with full-frame Sony E-mount cameras The version of this lens compatible with Sony E-mount mirrorless cameras contains the same optical system as for SLRs. SIGMA MOUNT CONVERTER MC-11 is not required, as the lens performs the same functions as the converter, including in-camera image stabilization and in-camera lens aberration correction. In addition, the lens is compatible with Sony’s Continuous AF, which is not addressed by MOUNT CONVERTER MC-11. SIGMA plans to offer over time Sony E-mount versions of every full-frame prime lens currently available in the Art line, from 14mm to 135mm.

Note: This product is developed, manufactured and sold based on the specifications of E-mount which was disclosed by Sony Corporation under the license agreement with Sony Corporation.

4. Compatible with Canon Lens Aberration Correction The Canon mount lens is compatible with the Canon Lens Aberration Correction function.* Matching the optical characteristics of the lens, this function performs in-camera corrections of peripheral illumination, chromatic aberrations, distortion, and more, further enhancing image quality. *Function not available on all Canon cameras. Further, available corrections may vary by Canon camera model.

5. Compatible with ELECTRONIC FLASH MACRO EM-140 DG (adapter required) Exclusively for SIGMA 70mm F2.8 DG MACRO | Art, the 65mm MACRO FLASH ADAPTER makes the lens compatible with ELECTRONIC FLASH MACRO EM-140 DG (both accessories sold separately). Thanks to the 72mm filter thread, a 72mm MACRO FLASH ADAPTER can also be added so as to accommodate 72mm macro flash products and accessories, including macro flashes other than EM-140 DG as well as ring lights.

6. Compatible with SIGMA TELE CONVERTERS The lens is compatible with SIGMA TELE CONVERTERS (sold separately) designed for the company’s new lens lines. SIGMA TELE CONVERTER TC-1401 allows the lens to be used as a 98mm F4 mid-telephoto macro with autofocus functionality,* while SIGMA TELE CONVERTER TC-2001 allows the lens to be used as a 140mm F5.6 mid-telephoto macro with manual focus.
*Autofocus available at 0.5m to infinity.
*Not available for Sony E-mount lens

Other features

  • Mount with dust- and splash-proof design*
    *SIGMA mount lens does not include sealing, since sealing is present on compatible SIGMA cameras.
  • Rounded diaphragm
  • Fast AF with full-time manual override*
    * The operation of full-time MF may vary based on mount type.
  • Compatible with SIGMA MOUNT CONVERTER MC-11*
    *SIGMA and Canon mount lenses
  • Available SIGMA USB DOCK makes customization and flexible adjustment possible*
    *Not available for Sony E-mount lens
  • Available Mount Conversion Service
  • Brass bayonet mount
  • Evaluation with SIGMA’s own MTF measuring system: A1
  • “Made in Japan” with outstanding craftsmanship

For more information about the SIGMA GLOBAL VISION lineup of fine products, please visit the official SIGMA global website: SIGMA GLOBAL VISION: https://www.sigma-global.com

Specifications
All figures calculated for SIGMA

Lens Construction: 13 elements in 10 groups | Angle of view (35mm): 34.3° | Number of diaphragm blades: 9 (rounded diaphragm) | Minimum aperture: F22 | Minimum focusing distance: 25.8cm/10.2in. | Maximum magnification ratio: 1:1 | Filter size: ø 49mm| Dimensions (diameter x length): ø70.8mm x 105.8mm/2.8in. x 4.2in. | Weight: 515g/18.2oz.

Voigtlander 65mm F2 E-Mount Macro Lens – The Finest Ever?!

Posted on by Dr Koh

Voigtlander has a legendary 125mm Macro lens, which was selling at over RM3500 after it discontinued in production.

It is an exciting news that Voigtlander is going to produce another macro lens. Although 65mm seems a bit short, but it has F/2 aperture and is actually a nice portrait lens as well!

Is this the finest lens from Voigtlander? We hope so, and from the photo, it does looks like a full metal body construction. It is sad that the lens is only available in Sony E Mount. Let’s hope that Voigtlander will introduce at least Canon and Nikon mount of the lens in the near future.

MACRO APO-LANTHAR 65mm F2 Aspherical

Announcing the release of the Voigtländer MACRO APO- LANTHAR 65mm F2 Aspherical, a Sony E-mount macro lens for full frame sensors incorporating an apochromatic optical design and inscribed with the designation “APO-LANTHAR”

We announce the release of the Voigtländer MACRO APO-LANTHAR 65mm F2 Aspherical, a Sony E-mount macro lens for full frame sensors. The APO-LANTHAR designation is given to especially high performance lenses in the Voigtländer lens lineup. The legendary APO-LANTHAR lens that continues to enthrall photographers with its outstanding imaging performace and beautiful rendering was born in 1954, but its origins can be traced back around 120 years (see additional info about the APO-LANTHAR below).

A need for apochromatic optical designs that reduce the longitudinal chromatic aberrations of the three primary colors (RGB) of light to practically zero arose with the increasing popularity of color film. Now, with the current range of high- resolution digitals sensors, this need for extremely high-level control of chromatic aberrations is even more pertinent than when film changed from monochrome to color. So rather than just being for already solved old technologies, apochromatic optical designs are indeed a subject requiring serious consideration in the digital age.

The Voigtländer MACRO APO-LANTHAR 65mm F2 Aspherical, which inherits the designation “APO- LANTHAR”, is a high performance manual focus macro lens optimized for the imaging sensors of Sony mirrorless cameras. The optical performance of this lens, which provides an image circle capable of covering a full frame sensor, rates as one of the finest in the history of Voigtländer. Sharp imaging performance is obtained from maximum aperture where you can enjoy blurring the background, and by utilizing a floating mechanism this lens delivers outstanding image quality for subjects from the minimum focusing distance of 31cm (reproduction ratio of 1:2) through to infinity. This lens is a manual focus and manual aperture design, but also features electrical contacts that enable the lens settings at image capture to be included in the Exif information of the image data. Furthermore, the lens is installed with a distance encoder to enable support for 5-axis image stabilization on bodies with this feature, for example by providing distance to subject information used in X,Y shift compensation. Focus peaking while manual focusing is also supported.

Main features

  • Full frame Sony E-mount with electrical contacts
  • Apochromatic optical design that eliminates chromatic aberrations
  • Enhanced high performance utilizing aspherical lens surfaces
  • Optical design optimized for digital imaging sensors
  • Extremely solid and durable all-metal barrel
  • Manual focus for precise focusing
  • Maximum reproduction ratio of 1:2 at a minimum focus distance of 31 cm

Additional info about the APO-LANTHAR

The history of the APO-LANTHAR begins with the HELIAR invented by Hans Harting in 1900. Despite its simple optical configuration of five elements in three groups, the HELIAR was a lens with superb depictive performance. As an example of the HELIAR optical formula still being valid in the present day, it is used in the currently available HELIAR Vintage Line 50mm F3.5, a lens known for its superb depictive performance. Furthermore, a HELIAR is recorded as being the lens used to take imperial portraits of Emperor Showa, and it is said the HELIAR lens was extremely highly regarded for its beautiful depictive performance and even treated as a family treasure by portrait photography businesses during the Showa period.

Moving forward about half a century from the birth of the HELIAR to 1954, Albrecht Wilhelm Tronnier developed a lens using the same five-elements-three-groups configuration as the HELIAR utilizing new glass types to achieve performance that exceeded the HELIAR. That lens was the APO-LANTHAR. The APO in APO- LANTHAR indicates an apochromatic optical design. The main characteristic of such a lens is that longitudinal chromatic aberrations caused by the different wavelengths (frequencies) of the three primary colors (RGB) of light are reduced to practically zero to achieve high-level color reproduction. Color film slowly gained popularity after its release in 1935, and one reason why the APO-LANTHAR was developed was to address a growing need to capture light more faithfully than possible with monochrome film.

The first camera to be fitted with an APO-LANTHAR lens was the 6 x 9 roll film rangefinder camera representative of post-war Voigtlander, the Bessa II. There were three different lens variations of this camera: APO-LANTHAR 4.5/100, COLOR-HELIAR 3.5/105, and COLOR-SKOPAR 3.5/105. The APO-LANTHAR 4.5/100 variation has red, green, and blue (RGB) rings indicating the apochromatic optical design engraved around the front of the lens barrel to differentiate it from the other versions as a special lens. Due to the rarity and high performance of the Bessa II fitted with APO-LANTHAR lens, this camera has become a legendary camera traded on the used market at high prices and the envy of camera collectors.

As homage to the RGB colors that differentiate the APO-LANTHAR from other lenses beginning with the BESSA II, the MACRO APO-LANTHAR 65mm F2 Aspherical also features three colored dashes indicating the RGB colors at the front edge of the lens barrel.