Zeiss offered a wide variety of manual focus lenses for Nikon F-mount and Canon EF. Many of these lenses have been famous not only for being purely manual focus lenses, but also for being pretty big compared to the competition. Sitting inbetween the huge Zeiss 15mm 2.8 and 21mm 2.8, this Zeiss 18mm 3.5 was Zeiss’ “compact” ultra wide angle prime. It also has a reputation for being the worst of them, is that justified? Let’s find out in this review!
As only the Leica/Minolta CL and the Minolta CLE feature 40mm framelines, 40mm has never become one of the most popular focal lengths in the M-mount world and the only manufacturer that caters the needs of the 40mm fans these days is Cosina, offering no less than three different 40mm options. The smallest (and slowest) of the three is the Voigtländer VM 40mm 2.8 Heliar. Let’s have a closer look.
This lens will be reviewed on the 42mp Sony A7rII and the 24mp Leica M10.
In my recent quest to review some of the zoom lenses in the Nikon Z series, we’ve arrived at the NIKKOR Z 14-30mm f/4 S — an ultra-wide-angle zoom and one of the first in the “S” line after the 24-70mm f/4 S. The other two f/4 S zoom lenses I reviewed (24-70mm f/4 and 24-120mm f/4) delivered impressive performance, but this one is an ultra-wide — a category that has historically been more challenging to get right. That said, Nikon has marketed it as part of the “S” line, which promises higher quality. Let’s see how it performs!
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.
Released at the end of 2024, this Sirui 85mm 1.4 Aurora was Sirui’s first non-cine fullframe lens aimed at photographers. It is one of the most affordable and compact 85mm 1.4 lenses, but is that enough to pick it over the strong competition? Let’s try to find out in this review!
Update June 2025: Comparison to Viltrox AF 85mm 1.4 FE Pro added
IntroductionThe Laowa 15mm f/4.5 0.5x macro is one of the very few lenses that combine an ultra-wide angle of view with close focusing capabilities, offering up to 1:2 (half life-size) magnification.
Laowa previously introduced a 1:1 macro version back in 2019, but it came with a few quirks. It featured a shift mechanism that added bulk, the full 1:1 magnification required you to get extremely close, almost touching the subject, and its sharpness at infinity focus left much to be desired.
With this newer lens, Laowa has aimed to address all those issues in a more compact, practical design. Have they succeeded? Let’s find out in this review, as I compare it to its predecessor in each section.
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: Laowa 15mm f/4.5 Macro 0.5x (vs. 15mm f/4 1x)