Venus Optics introduced a new manual lens for Micro Four Thirds lens mount. The Laowa 17mm f/1.8 MFT lens is a compact fast prime lens with 46mm front filter thread and a very interesting price tag. It is available now for around $150 (€180 plus VAT). Laowa 17mm f/1.8 MFT Lens. Image credit: Venus Optics Venus Optics is a Chinese camera lens manufacturer based in Hefei, Anhui. They manufacture and distribute camera lenses under the brand name of Laowa, which has gotten quite popular over the last few years also thanks to their unique lenses lineup. They announced another new very affordable lens for Micro Four Thirds lens mount (MFT, M4/3) – Laowa 17mm f/1.8. Let’s take a quick look at its specs. Laowa 17mm f/1.8 MFT Lens This lens is the 4th wide angle lens that Venus Optics designs for MFT mirrorless cameras – following the 7.5mm f/2 lens, 9mm f/2.8 lens, and 4mm f/2.8 fisheye lens. The new Laowa 17mm f/1.8 is also the most affordable lens Venus Optics has ever released – the price has been set to around $150. Just like the rest of the Laowa lineup, this lens is fully manual. Laowa 17mm f/1.8 sample image. Image credit: Richard Wong The 17mm gives the equivalent to a 34mm angle of view on a full-frame sensor. The lens houses nine elements in seven groups and has a seven-blade diaphragm for pleasing bokeh and sunstar rendering. The lens has a minimum focus distance of 5.9″ (15cm) so it enables interesting close-up shots with shallower depth of field, smooth out-of-focus rendering and good subject separation from the background. Laowa 17mm f/1.8 Close focus sample image. Image credit: Jimmy Chan The high-performance optical design incorporates one ED (extra-low dispersion) glass element that delivers high definition images with minimum ghosting and flare. According to Venus Optics, this lens produces sharp images even at f/1.8 An ultra-fast f/1.8. The front element has adopted premium FEC (Frog Eye Coating) to repel water droplets and pollutants from sticking onto the lens, enhancing its durability in frequent outdoor shooting. Laowa 17mm f/1.8 MFT Lens – MTF Chart and optical structure. Image credit: Venus Optics It is a very compact lens – it weighs 6oz (172g) – and it comes with a 46mm filter thread. Thanks to its low weight, this lens is also drone-friendly. It is compatible with the DJI X5 camera, making it an alternative lens for aerial photography and videography. Laowa 17mm f/1.8 MFT Lens – Key Spec Format compatibility: Micro Four Thirds (MFT, M4/3) Focal length: 17mm (34mm full-frame equivalent) Angle of view: 65° Aperture: f/1.8 – 22 Lens structure: 9 elements in 7 groups Aperture blades: 7 Min. focusing distance: 15cm Max. magnification: 1:5(0.2X) Front filter thread: 46mm Dimensions: Φ55mm×51mm Weight: 172g Price, Availability, and Competition Laowa 17mm f/1.8 MFT Lens. Image credit: Venus Optics Laowa 17mm f/1.8 MFT Lens is available now for pre-order. As I previously stated, the retail price has been set to around $150 (in Europe around €180 plus VAT), which makes this new manual lens really affordable. The first shipment is expected to start in late October 2019. Laowa 17mm f/1.8 sample image. Image credit: Richard Wong The main competitor for the new Laowa is the Olympus M.Zuiko Digital 17mm f/1.8 Lens, which offers autofocus and even lower weight (4.2oz / 120g), but costs more than double (currently $350 at B&H). The Olympus also does not offer such a short minimum focusing distance. It can only focus as close as 9.84″ (25 cm). What do you think about the new Laowa 17mm f/1.8 MFT lens? Do you have experience with other lenses from Venus Optics? How do you like the image quality? Let us know in the comments underneath the article.

Canon released two new full-frame lenses for the RF mount. The first new release is the RF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS USM telephoto lens, which is the third addition to Canon’s f/2.8L trinity (along with the RF 15-35mm f/2.8L and RF 24-70mm f/2.8L). The second lens is a fast portrait prime lens – the RF 85mm f/1.2L USM DS. Both lenses are now available for pre-order. New RF 70-200mm f/2.8L and 85mm f/1.2L lenses. Source: Canon Canon is making sure their full-frame mirrorless RF mount cameras have enough high-quality native glass to attract more customers. They delivered on their commitment to introducing six RF lenses for the EOS R System to the market in 2019. In August 2019 they announced both 15-35mm and 24-70mm f/2.8L RF zoom lenses. Now Canon released the third zoom lens to finalize the f/2.8L trinity – Canon RF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS USM. They also released a fast portrait prime lens RF 85mm f/1.2L USM DS. What are the features of these new lenses? The RF zoom lenses Trinity. Source: Canon Canon RF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS USM The RF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS USM (official product page) completes Canon’s F2.8L zoom trinity lens series. The combination of these three lenses enables users to capture subjects in practically any scenario with the large, bright f/2.8 aperture and zoom range between 15mm and 200mm. New RF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS USM lens. Source: Canon The new RF telephoto lens weighs approximately 1,070g and it is 146mm in length at its shortest. That is around 28% lighter and 27% shorter than the existing EF mount model. Unlike the EF mount model, this telephoto lens has a retractable design – the length changes when zooming. The RF 70-200mm is the first RF lens with a white heat shield coating, which makes it more weather resistant. New RF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS USM lens. Source: Canon The RF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS USM is the first Canon lens to support an electronic floating focus control that drives the two lens groups individually with Dual Nano USMs. This design made it possible to keep the compact size while maintaining quiet, power-saving, high-speed operation. The Dual Nano USMs help this lens achieve high-precision still image AF and smooth movie AF in combination with the EOS R series Dual Pixel CMOS AF. This combination reduces focus breathing for video shooting. The RF 70-200mm also boasts 5 Stop IS (Image Stabilizer) which expands the possibilities for handheld shooting. New RF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS USM lens sample photo. Source: Canon The aberration is being corrected by glass-molded aspherical lenses, UD lenses, and Super UD lenses. Canon also equipped this lens with SWC coating which achieves anti-reflectivity and reduces flaring and ghosting. The RF 85mm F1.2L USM DS Canon already has the RF 85mm f/1.2L USM lens in their portfolio. What this new lens (official product page) brings, is Canon’s original DS coating. The DS coating is a vapor-deposited coating technology that has a high transmittance at the center and a low transmittance toward the periphery. Without compromising on quality, the DS coating applied on the front and rear surfaces of the lens softly and smoothly blurs the entire outline of bokeh – not just on one side which is common of similar lenses on the market. New RF 85mm f/1.2L USM DS lens. Source: Canon Its strongest area is portraiture photography, but Canon claims that the resulting bokeh effect this lens produces is great for achieving a “cinematic” look. This lens should make the subject “pop” from the background much better and more naturally. (See the Canon video below explaining how Defocus Smoothing works inside the  new 85mm lens). The lens features a minimum focusing distance of 85cm. Just like other high-end Canon lenses, the RF 85mm f/1.2L USM DS features ASC anti-reflective coating reducing flaring and ghosting and the effective arrangement of ground aspherical lenses to provide great image quality. New RF 85mm f/1.2L USM DS lens sample photo. Source: Canon Both lenses are dust and water-resistant. The customizable control ring of the RF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS USM and RF 85mm f/1.2L USM DS makes it possible to assign aperture, shutter speed, ISO speed, and exposure compensation as desired. The RF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS USM features a newly designed compact tripod mount that can be removed with a simple operation. Price and availability The RF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS USM and RF 85mm f/1.2L USM DS will start shipping at the beginning of December. Both lenses are now available for pre-order. Price has been set to $2,699 for the RF 70-200mm and to $2,999 for the RF 85mm. What do you think about the new RF lenses? Are you using Canon’s RF mount camera? Do you prefer having native lenses or adapt to existing lenses? Let us know in the comments underneath the article.

Nikon releases the NIKKOR Z 58mm f/0.95 S Noct manual-focus lens, which is currently the fastest lens for the Z-Mount and one of the world’s fastest lenses ever. It covers full-frame sensors, offers a function button, and comes with a dedicated case. This unique lens is now available for pre-order for slightly under $8,000. NIKKOR Z 58mm f/0.95 Noct lens released. Image credit: Nikon Nikon works hard to extend their mirrorless Z-mount lineup. The Japanese company recently announced the new APS-C camera Nikon Z50 along with two new budget DX lenses. Nikon also released an announcement including the fastest lens in the Z-mount lineup – NIKKOR Z 58mm f/0.95 S Noct lens. Let’s take a look at its features. Nikon NIKKOR Z 58mm f/0.95 S Noct Lens The NIKKOR Z 58mm f/0.95 S Noct is an ultra-fast, standard prime, manual-focus lens for the Nikon Z mount system’s full-frame (Nikon FX-format) mirrorless cameras – the Z 6 and Z 7. It takes advantage of the large-diameter (inner diameter of 55 mm) of Z-mount and 16 mm flange focal distance to realize an f/0.95 maximum aperture. NIKKOR Z 58mm f/0.95 Noct lens released. Image credit: Nikon In a way, this lens pays homage to the original AI Noct NIKKOR 58mm f/1.2 standard prime lens, which was released in 1977 and so well received for its ability to reproduce sharp and clear point images. It was a lens named after musical compositions known as nocturnes and optimized for nighttime photography with a fast maximum aperture and very good point-image reproduction characteristics. The optics for this lens are constructed of 17 elements in 10 groups, for which four ED glass elements and three aspherical lens elements are employed. These elements realize a high degree of correction for various types of aberration, including distortion and spherical aberration. NIKKOR Z 58mm f/0.95 Noct lens optical structure. Image credit: Nikon The lens is equipped with a lens info panel that can be used even in dark surroundings to confirm information such as aperture value, shooting distance, and depth of field. It has been designed with consideration given to dust- and drip-resistance, featuring a fluorine coat that effectively repels dust, water droplets, grease, and dirt. When it comes to coatings, Nikon used anti-reflection coatings, ARNEO Coat and Nano Crystal Coat. The combination of these two coating technologies effectively reduces ghost and flare generated by incident light for sharp and clear images. The lens features unique spatial expression with ideal blur characteristics as the degree of bokeh transitions smoothly and naturally with increasing distance from the focal plane. NIKKOR Z 58mm f/0.95 Noct lens case. Image credit: Nikon The lens is designed with machined metal exterior components and a yellow engraved “Noct” logo. It is equipped with focus and control rings that rotate smoothly for operation with a precision feel. The NIKKOR Z 58mm f/0.95 S Noct would really shine in portrait, night landscape, and starscape photography and cinematography. The lens comes with a dedicated trunk case bearing the Noct logo. NIKKOR Z 58mm f/0.95 S Noct – Key Specs Focal length: 58mm Aperture: f/0.95 – f/16 Lens mount: Nikon Z Format compatibility: Full-frame Angle of view: 40° 50′ Maximum magnification: 0.19x Minimum focus distance: 1.64′ / 50 cm Optical design: 17 elements in 10 groups Diaphragm blades: 11 L-Fn (lens function) button with a variety of assignable functions Dust and drip resistance Focus type: Manual focus Image stabilization: No Tripod collar: Fixed and rotating Filter size: 82 mm (front) Comes with a felt-lined lens hood Dimensions (ø x L): 4.02 x 6.02″ / 102 x 153 mm Weight: 4.4 lb / 2000 g Price and Availability Nikon NIKKOR Z 58mm f/0.95 S Noct lens is available now for pre-order. It should start shipping at the end of November 2019. Price has been set to slightly under $8,000 which only reflects the uniqueness of this lens. The NIKKOR Z Lens Lineup Expansion to 2021 Along with the ultra-fast Noct lens, Nikon also released the following table showing their existing and planned lens lineup for Z-mount. Please mind, that information in this Lens lineup table, including release dates, are subject to change. NIKKOR Z-mount lenses roadmap. Image credit: Nikon What do you think of the new ultra-fast NIKKOR Noct lens? Would you invest in such a lens? Let us know in the comments underneath the article.

If you value endgame-performance and money is nothing to worry about, Cooke has everything you need when it comes to cine lenses. At this year’s IBC, the company had two new lenses on display: The Cooke S7/i 16mm T2.0 Full Frame Plus (spherical) prime and the Cooke Anamorphic/i 135mm T2.3 cine prime. High-end glass for the high-end cine market. The new Cooke S7/i 16mm T2.0 cine prime (spherical). Image Credit: cinema5D Yeah, I know. I won’t spend a cool $25.000 on a single lens, either. But there is a high-end, money-no-object market in which you just want to get that perfect shot. Check out the shotoncooke.com website for a brief overview of productions shot on Cooke glass. Do you want that Cooke-look? Well, you better get some Cooke glass, then! At this year’s IBC, Cooke introduces two new primes to their lineup. Cooke S7/i 16mm T2.0 Full Frame Plus Complementing their already impressive set of Full Frame Plus capable S7/i series of cine primes, the new 16mm T2.0 stays true to Cooke’s standards: It is a beast of a lens! Tipping the scale at 4 kg (8.82 lbs), you certainly know what you get for your dollars. All in all the S7/i lineup now covers the following focal lengths: 16mm T2.0 18mm T2.0 21mm T2.0 25mm T2.0 27mm T2.0 32mm T2.0 40mm T2.0 50mm T2.0 65mm T2.0 75mm t2.0 100mm t2.0 135mm T2.0 The 16mm T2.0 Full Frame Plus is the 13th lens and it won’t be the last one eventually. According to Cooke, they will develop and build every possible focal length as long as there is enough demand for it. Another aspect of the popularity of Cooke Cine Glass is the already mentioned Cooke Look, of which Cooke is quite proud (and rightfully so). It takes the edge of modern sharp and clean digital images and adds some warmth to the image, which is particularly desirable when reproducing skin tones. And that distinct look and feel are consistent through all the lenses since the very early days of the company, which is quite impressive. You can mix’n'(colour-)match them with all Anamorphic/i, S4/i, miniS4/i, 5/i and Panchro/i Classic lenses. Obviously, the new S7/i 16mm 2.0 includes the /i technology for recording all kinds of lens date (per frame), just as all the other lenses on the S7/i line, hence the name S7/i. All S7/i Full Frame Plus cine primes cover an image circle of at least 46.31 mm (RED Weapon 8K). These lenses come in PL mount only. Cooke Anamorphic/i 135mm T2.3 There’s another new lens in town, and it’s an anamorphic one. The Anamorphic/i 135mm T3.2 also sports the /i technology, and it is the 4th lens of the Anamorphic/i Full Frame Plus lineup. Cooke Anamorphic/i 135mm T3.2. Image Credit: cinema5D The complete Anamorphic/i FF+ lineup now covers the following focal lengths: 32mm T2.3 (not yet available) 40mm T2.3 50mm T2.3 75mm T2.3 100mm T2.3 135mm T2.3 180mm T2.3 (not yet available) These anamorphic prime lenses cover the so-called Full Frame Plus, which translates to a 24 x 36mm sensor coverage. The Cooke Anamorphic/i FF+ line of cine primes offer a 1.8x squeeze and again, they can be mixed and matched to all other Cooke lenses for painless post-production (especially grading) workflow. The iris and focus markings come two-fold on this lens, both full stops and 1/3 stop increments are engraved on each side of the lens barrel. The same is true to the S7/i lenses, of course. Price and Availability Yeah, this might hurt a little. But there is good news, too. Both the new Cooke S7/i Full Frame Plus 16mm T2.0 and the Anamorphic/i FF+ 135mm T2.3 will be available very soon, that’s the good news. Then there is the price and the sheer numbers target these lenses more towards rental houses, I guess: S7/i comes in at around  $27,000 and the Anamorphic/i 135mm at $32,000. ‘Nuff said. If you want to learn more about Cooke and great cinematography in general, you might want to head over to cookeoptics.tv, where A-list DPs talk all things cinematography (not only with Cooke lenses). Links: cookeoptics.com | shotoncooke.com | cookeoptics.tv What do you think? Did you ever shot something on a Cooke? Share your experiences in the comments below!

SIGMA FF Classic Prime Lenses add a new element coating to create creamy, traditional flaring for a unique cinematic look. Fitting the increased proliferation of full-frame cinema cameras, earlier this year SIGMA has announced two new lines of 10 full-frame PL mount cine lenses each, namely the new “Classic” line and the updated high-speed primes. Both lines are based on the same optical designs, ranging from 14mm to 135mm and differing in their coatings, the resulting light transmission values and the inclusion of Cookes /i Technology in the latter line – providing metadata to cameras able to take advantage of it. SIGMA “FF Classic Prime Line” Image credit: cinema5D The new SIGMA “FF Classic Prime Line”, although it is based on the same glass, differs quite a bit from their “FF High Speed Prime Line”. While the HS primes are going for sharpness, speed, and control, the “Classic” line seems to be open to a more free and open way of expression, allowing for the creative use of flaring and ghosting, in a way that looks rather vintage and yet not soft or inconsistent. SIGMA’s promo video, included in our previous report on these lenses, nicely illustrates these characteristics. The downside of the vintage characteristics of the SIGMA “FF Classic Prime Line” is the slightly lower speed: where the HS primes mostly come in at T1.5, with the outer limits of the focal range, the 14mm and 135mm being slightly slower at T2.0, the “FF Classic Prime Line” is a full T-stop slower at T2.5, again with the 14mm and 135mm coming in at a slower T3.2. The SIGMA “FF Classic Prime Line” is available only as a full set of 10 lenses, which means it is highly likely that theses lenses are primarily aimed at rental houses. Image credit: cinema5D SIGMA “FF High Speed Prime Line” PL mount update The SIGMA “FF High Speed Prime Line” is being updated with PL mount versions of their previously available EF- and E-mount lenses. Included are the same 10 lenses ranging from 14mm to 135mm, at T1.5 (except for the 14mm and 135mm at T2.0). The coating on the lenses has also been refreshed to be more durable and thus able to help your lenses stand the test of time a little better. Cooke /i Technology included Both the SIGMA “FF High Speed Prime Line” as well as the SIGMA “FF Classic Prime Line” have Cooke’s /i Technology (the “i” stands for “intelligent”) included into their PL mounts. This technology enables digital and film cameras to record important camera and lens data for every frame up to 285fps, synced to timecode, such as focal length, focus distance, f-stop, and frame rate. Among the cameras able to utilize this are the ARRI Alexa & LF, RED, SI 2K, Sony Venice, F55, F5, F65, F35, F3 and more. The applications for this technology are manifold: Continuous remote readout: in conjunction with Cooke’s /i Lens Display Unit focus pullers will be able to use continuous remote readout to more reliably pull focus in difficult situations, relying on actual measurements instead of just their eyes Metadata: VFX teams will greatly benefit from the extensive metadata created for each shot, making it easier to calibrate the DI and create more natural-looking 3D models for shots using both actual actors as well as CGI Software integration: additionally the continuous remote readout can be integrated with software allowing for sheer endless modes and possibilities of manipulation SIGMA is really entering the big leagues here. The new “Classic” line and the updated PL mounts with Cooke’s /i Technology are pushing SIGMA’s already impressive cine lineup to new heights, allowing for use in the highest budget productions out there, while still retaining the moderately priced DNA that got them started in the world of cine primes. What do you think about SIGMA’s new cine prime lines? Are you excited to test them, or use them in your next production? Let us know in the comments!

Hot on the heels of the all-new SIGMA Classic Cine Primes (which comes in PL mount flavor) and the addition of Cooke’s /i Technology, another handy accessory arrives: The SIGMA MC-31 PL-L mount converter. The arrival of this product might answer your burning questions about the lack of SIGMA branded L-mount cine primes. SIGMA MC-31 PL-L mount converter (along with a 40mm T1.5 PL cine prime and the new SIGMA fp camera). This PL-L mount converter bridges the gap between pro PL lenses and the aspiring L-Mount (read all about it here). With it, all the freshly announced SIGMA cine primes Classic and the existing high-speed cine primes with PL mount (now with Cooke /i tech inside) will play nicely with your L-Mount camera, such as the already available Panasonic S1, S1R or S1H or the new SIGMA fp (pictured above). SIGMA MC-31 PL-L Mount Converter This PL-L mount converter is really just a mechanical converter. No fancy electronics to be found here. It offers sturdy support for heavy PL  (Positive Lock) lenses and will attach to any L-Mount camera. Since flange distance is a very important thing to adjust properly in order to maintain accurate focusing, SIGMA even engraves written advice right into this converter: Shims Adjustable. Use ARRI Shim Set With these shims, you can micro-adjust the flange back distance of our given lens in order to align it with the sensor plane perfectly. It’s worth noting that adjustments can be made with an included shim kit on the camera side of the converter or with shims provided by ARRI for their digital cameras on the lens side of the mount. That’s why SIGMA added the advice on the PL-L mount converter. In order to support the added weight of an attached PL lens, the SIGMA PL-L mount converter can be secured to their own fp camera with a screw thread, resulting in a very sturdy connection between mount converter and camera. When used with other cameras, an optional tripod adapter can be added to the bottom of the MC-31 PL-L mount converter in order to support it with a camera cage or other accessories. When using a tough-to-tighten PL lens, you can remove the screw thread and therefore the stopper of the locking ring. That way you can tighten down a given lens even further resulting in a very sturdy connection between lens and mount. The markings on top of the mount converter sport the same luminous paint finish as the markings of the SIGMA cine primes. Lens swapping in the dark shouldn’t be a problem! Pricing and Availability Both pricing and availability are yet to be determined, but this MC-31 PL-L mount converter will be on display at IBC 2019 in Amsterdam along with the new cine primes Classic and the new high-speed cine primes with Cooke /i tech built into the PL mount variants. As an alternative to the SIGMA PL-L mount converter, you can take a close look at Wooden Camera’s offering: Wooden Camera PL-L mount converter. Links: Website Do you need PL lenses for your jobs? Would this mount converter a piece of kit to consider? Let us know in the comments below!

Today, SIGMA has officially added three new lenses to their already impressive lineup of full-frame primes and zooms: The A (as in ART) line of lenses now sports a new prime lens, the SIGMA 35mm F1.2 DG DN and a new zoom lens, the SIGMA 14-24mm F2.8 DG DN. Under their C (as in contemporary) line, SIGMA released the new 45mm F2.8 DG DN prime. UPDATE: There’s also a new line of cine primes under development, the so-called SIGMA Classic Art Primes will be officially announced at IBC 2019. Check out the last paragraph for more information! These three new lenses by SIGMA come in two flavors: Sony E-mount and L-mount for playing nicely with cameras of the freshly formed L-Mount Alliance (SIGMA, Panasonic and Leica). SIGMA 35mm F1.2 DG DN (ART) This lens is a top-end performer in terms of light sensitivity and that’s why it’s basically a huge piece of glass. As it seems, SIGMA has created a no-compromise lens here and in order to give you that fast F1.2 aperture in tandem with autofocus capabilities (!) plus high-end image quality the resulting lens is.. big. The lens comes with an aperture ring on the lens itself which can be set to automatic, or, more importantly for indie filmmakers, to manual mode. And to answer your question: Yes, the aperture ring can be de-clicked for smoothly adjusting the iris (11-blade rounded diaphragm) while filming. Same goes for the focus ring: In AF mode a large HSM (HyperSonicMotor) will quickly adjust focus for you while you can pull focus manually by switching to fly-by-wire mode. Within all these lenses names you’ll note DG (Digital) and DN (Digital Neo). DG is used by SIGMA to indicate that the lens is designed to perform best on cameras with full-frame sensors while DN branded lenses are optimized for mirrorless cameras (i.e. short flange focal lengths). Three SLD glass elements and three aspherical lenses including a double-sided aspherical lens are optimally arranged in a lens construction of 17 elements in 12 groups. By taking advantage of the specialized short flange focal length design, this 35mm lens not only is optimized for mirrorless cameras, it also takes advantage of the correction function inside the camera to correct distortion and peripheral illumination. In summary, the 35mm F1.2 can resolve over 50 million pixels. The AFL button on the lens itself which can be assigned with various functions is a nice addition to the feature set of the 35mm F1.2. Furthermore, the lens features a dust- and splash-proof structure, along with a water- and oil-repellent coating on the front element. It also comes with a locking hood. Swapping mounts between the Sony E-mount version and the L-mount version is possible but you have to send in you lens to an authorized SIGMA facility in order to do that. Specifications of the SIGMA 35mm F1.2 DG DN (ART) – calculated for L-mount: Lens Construction: 17 elements in 12 groups Angle of view (35mm): 63.4° Number of diaphragm blades: 11 (rounded diaphragm) Minimum aperture: F16 Minimum focusing distance: 30cm / 11.8″ Maximum magnification ratio: 1:5.1 Filter size: 82mm Dimensions (diameter × length): 87,8mm × 136,2mm / 3.5″ × 5.4″ Weight: 1,090g / 38.4oz SIGMA 14-24mm F2.8 DG DN (ART) This is the second lens of the newly developed DG DN series and it seems to be a beautiful lens for some starry nights astrophotography. Why? Well, because the super-wide 14-24mm range of this zoom is perfect for vast landscapes, the reasonable fast F2.8 aperture is a good match for the milky way above that vast landscape you’ve just framed up and the included rear filter holder will conveniently accommodate the filter needed for that perfect starry night shot. That’s why. This lens is also part of the A (ART) line and it also comes with the aforementioned DG and DN branding. One FLD glass and five SLD glass elements are arranged to suppress chromatic aberration and other nasty stuff. Three aspherical lenses, including a large-diameter aspherical lens at the front, are used to minimize coma flare. The multi-layer coating is combined with a newly developed NPC (Nano Porous Coating) in order for the lens to be less susceptible to strong incident light. Filter holder of the SIGMA 14-24 lens Just like the SIGMA 35mm F1.2, this new zoom lens offers an assignable AFL button on the side so you can customize this lens to match your workflow. Autofocus is handled by a stepper motor, which is also available for face/eye detection during video shooting, depending on your camera of choice. The housing also shares the same rugged design as the 35mm F1.2 ART lens. Specifications of the SIGMA 14-24mm F2.8 DG DN (ART) – calculated for L-mount: Lens Construction: 18 elements in 13 groups Angle of view (35mm): 114.2° – 84.1° Number of diaphragm blades: 11 (rounded diaphragm) Minimum aperture: F22 Minimum focusing distance: 28cm / 11.0″ Maximum magnification ratio: 1:7.3 Filter: rear filter holder Dimensions (diameter × length): 85mm × 131mm / 3.3″ × 5.2″ Weight: 795g / 28oz SIGMA 45mm F2.8 DG DN (Contemporary) To make this a threefold of new lenses, we need one more: The SIGMA 45mm F2.8 DG DN is not part of the ART family. It bears the C (Contemporary) logo on its side to indicate a versatile and performing, yet compact and lightweight lens. And just like the other two, it covers a full-frame sensor without any problems. Because this lens is intended for everyday use, it is a really lightweight piece of glass. It’s compact and won’t get into your way while shooting. It sports a dedicated iris ring (which can’t be de-clicked, though) and a stepper motor for handling AF operation. Minimum focus distance is just 24cm (9.4″) so this lens could become a very versatile lens, indeed! According to SIGMA the 45mm F2.8 renders smooth, classic looking, bokeh when used with a wide-open iris but it will produce tack sharp, more modern-looking imagery when stopped down a little. Again, versatility seems to be key with this lens. Specifications of the SIGMA 45mm F2.8 DG DN (Contemporary) – calculated for L-mount: Lens Construction: 8 elements in 7 groups Angle of view (35mm): 51.3° Number of diaphragm blades: 7 (rounded diaphragm) Minimum aperture: F22 Minimum focusing distance: 24cm / 9.4″ Maximum magnification ratio: 1:4 Filter size: 55mm Dimensions (diameter × length): 64mm × 46,2mm / 2.5″ × 1.8″ Weight: 215g / 7.5oz Silver version of the 45mm SIGMA Contemporary New SIGMA Classic Art Primes As a sneak peek, SIGMA also introduced a whole new line of cine primes today. The so-called Classic Art Primes come as an additional option along their already available Cinema Primes (see our extensive review here). This new line of primes bear the label Classic so you might guess where this is heading: SIGMA removed the coating of the front element in order to create a more silky/dreamy vintage look to these primes without compromising on performance. SIGMA 40mm Classic Art Prime on the new SIGMA pf camera. SIGMA will officially announce them at IBC later this year. It will be a whole set just like the existing Cinema Primes. And, as you already might have noticed, these new primes are a bit slower than the Cinema Primes. T1.5 becomes T2.5 (20mm – 85mm) and T2 becomes T3.2 (14mm & 135mm). If you think the SIGMA Cinema Primes are too sharp and produce a kind of clinical look, maybe this new set is worth a shot. We’ll keep a close eye on the further development, for sure. I think, just like with the ARRI Signature Primes, there’s a trend away from ultra sharp lenses towards lenses with a distinct character. Let’s wait and see how these new primes will perform (and handle flares etc). Links: Website What do you think of this new trio of full-frame lenses? Are you a SIGMA shooter already? What are your favorite lenses? Share your experiences in the comments below!

After last year’s exclusive sneak peak, Leitz/Leica recently finally unveiled their new LEITZ PRIME lenses and LEITZ ZOOMs. While the PRIMEs come in a full set of 11 lenses, the ZOOMs come as two lenses covering focal lengths from 25mm to 125mm. And all 13 lenses are color-matched! Just a brief history course before we get started about these new primes and zooms: Regarding the company names Leitz and Leica, there might be some confusion, but to clarify things, here it is in a nutshell: it’s basically the same company. It was founded as Ernst Leitz Wetzlar GmbH and –much later, in the 1980s– transformed into Leica (Leitz Camera). Leica and Leitz logos. Spot the difference! That’s why the logos of Leitz and Leica look so similar. In 2008, CW Sonderoptic was founded in order to develop and manufacture Leitz-branded cine lenses, though now the name is Ernst Leitz Wetzlar GmbH once again. Ok, back to our set of new prime lenses and two new zooms! Leitz has just introduced a new set of primes, simply called LEITZ PRIME. They cover full frame/vista vision sensors and are color-matched to each other, plus to the other new line of zoom lenses Leitz unveiled, consequently called LEITZ ZOOM. LEITZ PRIME Lenses Leitz/Leica have some reputation regarding cine glass: Summilux-C, Summicron-C, Thalia and M 0.8 primes are their take on high-end cinema lenses. And now, the new PRIMEs and ZOOMs. Here’s a list of features of the set of the 11 prime lenses: 11 lenses ranging from 18mm to 180mm T1.8 Choice of PL or LPL mount Support for Cooke/i and Arri LDS-2 data Color Matched with LEITZ ZOOM Breathing is minimal Distortion is exceptionally low Chromatic aberration is not visible LEITZ PRIME 135mm T1.8 with Macrolux +1 diopter attached. In order to decrease the minimum focus distance, you can deploy the newly designed Macrolux 114 adapters, which –just like the existing Macrolux 95 diopters– come in +0.5, +1 and +2 strengths. They are stackable and Leitz claims that they won’t present any chromatic aberration. LEITZ ZOOM Lenses In addition to the full set of prime lenses, Leitz has introduced two new cine zoom lenses, called LEITZ ZOOM. The first lens covers focal lengths from 25-75mm, the second one takes over at 55mm and ranges all the way up to 125mm. More features include: 25-55mm T2.8 and 55-125mm T2.8 Choice of PL or LPL mount Support for Cooke/i and Arri LDS-2 data Color Matched with LEITZ PRIME No light loss (no ramping) over entire zoom range Parfocal Breathing is minimal Distortion is exceptionally low Chromatic aberration is not visible LEITZ ZOOM 25-75 T2.8 and 55-125mm T2.8. The major benefit of using these primes in conjunction with the two new zoom lenses is the fact that they match perfectly in terms of color. So you end up with a set of 13 lenses, which you can mix’n’match to taste and will always match on your timeline. Neat! Pricing and Availability No word on availability, yet. Pricing is not confirmed, either, but don’t expect these lenses to be cheap. We’re talking high-end cine lenses here and these usually come at a price. Maybe these lenses are targeted more towards rental houses than to individual customers, but in the end, it’s nice to have some choice, isn’t it? Pick the lens that suits your taste/budget/project best and off you go! Links: Leitz What do think of these new additions to the Leitz/Leica lineup? Share your thoughts in the comments below!