At the beginning of the 1990s Nikon released two special portrait lenses featuring a “Defocus Control” mechanism, which allows you to make the bokeh smoother or harsher. This Nikon AF-D 105mm 2.0 DC is the shorter of the two DC lenses and In this review I will tell you how it works and if it is actually useful.
Today we look at one of the first lenses released for Nikon’s Z mount full-frame mirrorless cameras: the Nikkor Z 50mm f/1.8 S. This standard lens is versatile enough to be used in street, travel, and everyday photography. it is also a good choice for portraiture, especially on an APS-C camera or on a fullframe camera in DX mode. Combined with a fast f/1.8 aperture, it’s the right choice whenever you don’t know what to expect and want to be prepared for anything, as it gives you both fast shutter speeds and pretty out-of-focus background blur. Lenses with this focal length and maximum aperture combination have been known as Nifty Fifties, but for $630 it sits between the traditionally affordable ‘Nifty Fifty’ lenses and the more expensive f/1.4 professional options. So, the question remains: is it a traditional Nifty Fifty or a sophisticated high-end lens? Let’s find out!
I tested this lens on a 46 Mp Nikon Z 7II (Sample images Nikon Z 7 II, Nikon Z fc, and Nikon Z f)
You can see this review as YouTube video here!
Nikon Z 7II | Nikon Z 50mm f/1.8 S | f/1.8
This Harman Phoenix 200 is said to be a newly designed colour negative analogue film that hit the market in early 2024. Many people did not expect anyone except for Kodak and Fuji even being able to produce a (new) color negative film, so it created quite the buzz. I am all for more competition, but I am not really sure this is the film we were hoping for, let me tell you why.
Processing (C.41) and scanning was done at urbanfilmlab in Germany. The pictures in this article are from two rolls of film.
Continue reading Analogue Adventures – Part 33: Harman Phoenix 200
The Nikon Nikkor 200mm 2.0 IF-ED Ai from 1977 is not only one of Nikon’s most famous lenses, it is also one of the few super fast tele lenses in the ~200mm range I did not yet get my hands on. I have been watching the eBay auctions for this lens for years and at the end of 2023 I managed to find one in mint condition at a price I could afford. So finally, here we are, to have a closer look at the first of its kind.
Continue reading Review: Nikon 200mm 2.0 IF-ED Ai – The first of its Kind
Nikon Z 26mm 2.8 has an unconventional focal length that falls between two classic wide-angle focal lengths for candid street photography, 24mm and 28mm. It is remarkably compact, making it the smallest and lightest Z prime lens for full-frame cameras from Nikon. Not only is it one of the most compact Nikon Z lens ever, but also it currently holds the title of the world’s slimmest mirrorless autofocus fullframe lens produced by any manufacturer. It can also be used on an APS-C camera as a prime standard lens, providing an equivalent focal length of approximately 40mm, my favorite standard focal length. While not part of Nikon’s premium S-line lenses, it is well-regarded for its performance. Let’s see how it performs!
I tested this lens on a fullframe Nikon Z 7II (with its 46 Mp sensor) and on an APS-C Nikon Z fc (with its 21 Mp sensor).
Hereafter, for ease of writing, I will use Nikon’s designations “FX” for fullframe and “DX” for APS-C.
You watch see this review in video format on YouTube.
