Irix released a bunch of high performance ultra wide angle and fast primes at the end of the DSLR era. Because of this rather bad timing I don’t have the feeling their lenses have been exactly popular. Their 11mm 4.0 and their 45mm 1.4 proved to be very capable lenses in my reviews, so I thought I give this 30mm 1.4 a chance as well. With its 30mm focal length it sits between 28mm and 35mm – my favourite focal lengths – so nothing can go wrong here, right?
Released in 2007, the Nikon AF-S 14-24mm 2.8G was way ahead of its time. It pushed the limits of what can be expected from a very wide f/2.8 ultra wide angle zoom – by a lot actually – and not only rendered a bunch of primes in the 14mm to 24mm range useless, it also survived three generations of 70-200mm 2.8 zooms and two generations of 24-70mm 2.8 zooms, because it was simply so good, that it wasn’t necessary to replace it. Is it still a lens worth considerng today? Let’s find out in this review!
Continue reading Review: Nikon AF-S 14-24mm 2.8G – Way ahead of its time
In this review, we take a look at the Nikon Z 35mm f/1.4, released several years after the original Z-series 35mm, the Z 35mm f/1.8 S. It brings the long-sought f/1.4 aperture typically found on Nikon’s pro lenses, which is always an exciting option, but without the “S” designation used for the company’s higher-end optics.
The pricing is what really stands out: the f/1.8 S is actually more expensive, despite being about two-thirds of a stop slower. So which one makes more sense? A direct comparison should help clarify which lens is the better fit—and what compromises, if any, come with the faster option.
I tested this lens on a 46 Mp Nikon Z7ii (Sample images were taken with a Nikon Zf)
You can see this review as a YouTube video here!
Sample images in high resolution here.
Continue reading Review/Comparison: Nikon NIKKOR Z 35mm f/1.4 (vs. 35/1.8 S)
For 36 years this Nikon Nikkor 105mm 1.8 Ai-S has been the fastest 105mm photography lens. Despite its fast maximum aperture it is made of only five elements, can that actually be enough for appealing image quality? Let’s try to find out in this review.
From 2004 to 2018 Nikon produced 14 different AF-S primes from 20 to 200mm for fullframe with maximum apertures ranging from f/1.4 to f/2.0. Among those the “Gold Ring” primes were the highlight of the F-mount lens lineup, mostly aimed at professional photographers, who were not satisfied by the light gathering capabilities of the f/2.8 zooms. The f/1.8 primes on the other hand were aimed at consumers looking for more affordable options. Some of these lenses can be found at very attractive prices on the used market today, so after having used all of them personally, I thought it was time to give you this overview.
Continue reading The Rated list of the fast Nikon AF-S f/1.4 | f/1.8 | f/2.0 F-mount Primes