The Nikon Z 24-70mm f/4 S was the first zoom lens designed for the Nikon Z system. Zoom lenses are known for their convenience and versatility, and this one is often bundled as a kit lens with various Z-series cameras. But does it fit the mold of a typical kit lens? Or does the ‘S’ designation—reserved for Nikon’s high-end lenses—along with its $1,000 price tag, put it in a different league? Let’s find out!
Do you even need a tripod these days? To be honest, the necessity of tripods has been significantly reduced thanks to highly effective in-body image stabilisation, improved image quality at high ISOs and AI noise reduction, super-wide dynamic range of today’s digital sensors, and in-camera HDR modes.
Despite modern tech making tripods less necessary in some situations, they’re still invaluable in plenty of others. Tripods remain essential for long-exposure and astro photography, staging group photos, and focus stacking, to achieve sharp and crisp landscapes from close foreground to infinity, and especially for macro photography. Other applications where tripods are crucial include architectural photography, when you need to set up your camera with supreme precision, or when taking a series of shots with incremental panning to create panoramas. They also free up your hands for attaching or removing accessories like lens filters and microphones. Furthermore, tripods are indispensable for video work and studio photography.
So, which tripod should you choose?
Many of us know about high-end tripods like Gitzo and RRS, but are we always willing to pay a premium for that level of quality and reputation? And what about newer, lesser-known brands? one of them: the Fotopro Origin Plus Travel Tripod, a model that promises innovation and stability at a competitive price. Let’s have a look!
Long exposure on Fotopro Origin Plus tripodPrecise architectural photography in Low light (1/6 s) on Fotopro Origin Plus tripodPanorama made of multiple exposures on a Fotopro Origin PlusThe original panorama of the previous imageMultiple exposures on a Fotopro Origin Plus tripodLong exposure on Fotopro Origin Plus tripod
Having a state of the art 70-200mm 2.8 zoom is something very important for the camera manufacturers, as these are extremely popular lenses – especially among the professional customers. Sadly, Sony’s first generation for the FE system wasn’t exactly a stellar performer and fell noticeably behind Nikon’s and Canon’s offerings. I said it before: Sony is very much aware of what the duds in the lineup are, so also here they released an improved version, the Sony FE 70-200mm 2.8 GM OSS II. Is this finally the 70-200mm 2.8 telezoom Sony customers deserve? Let’s find out in this review.
Sample Images
Nikon Zf | Megadap ETZ21pro | Sony FE 70-200mm 2.8 GM OSS II | 145mm | f/2.8Nikon Zf | Megadap ETZ21pro | Sony FE 70-200mm 2.8 GM OSS II | 200mm | f/2.8Nikon Zf | Megadap ETZ21pro | Sony FE 70-200mm 2.8 GM OSS II | 70mm | f/2.8Nikon Zf | Megadap ETZ21pro | Sony FE 70-200mm 2.8 GM OSS II | 170mm | f/2.8Nikon Zf | Megadap ETZ21pro | Sony FE 70-200mm 2.8 GM OSS II | 70mm | f/4.0Nikon Zf | Megadap ETZ21pro | Sony FE 70-200mm 2.8 GM OSS II | 70mm | f/4.0Nikon Zf | Megadap ETZ21pro | Sony FE 70-200mm 2.8 GM OSS II | 150mm | f/2.8
Nikon AF-S 85mm 1.8G via Monster LA-FE1 on Sony A7rII
One-and-a-half years after the faster – and significantly more expensive – Nikon AF-S 85mm 1.4G, this Nikon AF-S 85mm 1.8G had been released. Two thirds of a stop slower, about half the weight and less than a third of the price – but with very similar imaging characteristics. At the end of the DSLR era this was a very popular lens and Nikon made a whole lot of them, but is it still an interesting option today? Let’s try to find out in this review.
While only lately f/0.95 fullframe lenses have become somewhat wider available and affordable, the first one that was commercially produced was the Canon 50mm 0.95 for the Canon 7 rangefinder cameras and that was in 1961. To put things into perspective, that was 47 years before Leica’s first f/0.95 lens, the Leica 50mm 0.95 Noctilux-M Asph, and 58 years before Nikon’s first, the Nikon Z 58mm 0.95 S Noct-Nikkor. Canon themselves called this the “Dream Lens”, so after already having reviewed most of these f/0.95 fullframe lenses, let’s get back to their roots and have a look at the original! Big thanks to Camera Obscura Elburg for sending me the lens for this review!
Sony α | Leica M | Nikon Z/F New articles every week
This website uses cookies to improve your experience. We'll assume you're ok with this, but you can opt-out if you wish.AcceptRead More
Privacy & Cookies Policy
Privacy Overview
This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.
Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website.
I tested this lens on a 46 Mp Nikon Z7ii (Sample images were taken with a Nikon Z6)
You can see this review as a YouTube video here!
Sample images in high resolution here.
