The Photocrati Blog

Nikon 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 G ED DX II AF-S Review Round-Up

If you own or have used this lens, let us know what you think! Leave your comments and thoughts below.

Photo Zone

The Nikkor AF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 G ED DX II is a marginal update to the original mk I variant. The optical design has not been changed so the general observations regarding image quality remain the same. The tested mk II sample has a sightly better centering thus resulting in an improved center quality… The resolution figures are actually very good … The contrast level at large apertures (primarily wide-end) leaves something to be desired though. The distortion characteristic is about average, whereas vignetting is surprisingly well-controlled for a DX-type lens (APS-C image circle). Chromatic aberrations are quite high and can be field relevant in some situations. Naturally this has all to be seen in the context of the extremely low price tag so all-in-all it is almost surprising what the lens is capable to deliver. If you use ~f/6.7-f/11 you’ll be a happy camper in most situations. … READ FULL REVIEW

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Sigma 50mm f/1.4 EX DG HSM AF Review Round-Up

If you own or have used this lens, let us know what you think! Leave your comments and thoughts below.

Get information and user reviews for this lens from Amazon: Sigma 50mm f/1.4 EX DG HSM Lens for Canon Digital SLR Cameras

Photo Zone

The new Sigma AF 50mm f/1.4 EX DG HSM is a refreshing alternative in the long-ignored standard AF lens market. The lens is fairly big and heavy due to unusually big glass elements but thanks to the design efforts it is already capable of delivering very sharp images straight from f/1.4 and the resolution is truly impressive at medium aperture settings. Distortions, vignetting as well as CAs aren’t overly relevant in field conditions. The bokeh can be a bit nervous at f/1.4 but it’s smooth and buttery from f/2 onwards. The build quality of the lens is excellent. The HSM AF drive is very fast and virtually silent. All-in-all – highly recommended but watch out for focus accuracy problems. READ FULL REVIEW

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Canon 14mm f/2.8L II USM EF Review Round-Up

If you own or have used this lens, let us know what you think! Leave your comments and thoughts below.

Get information and user reviews for this lens at Amazon: Canon 14mm f/2.8L II EF USM Ultra-Wide Angle Lens for Canon Digital SLR Cameras

Photo Review

Canon’s EF 14mm f/2.8L II USM lens replaces an existing lens with similar specifications. Designed for professional photographers and usable on both ‘full frame’ DSLRs and models with smaller (‘APS-C sized’) image sensors, it has many of the same specifications as the lens it replaces. READ FULL REVIEW

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Bogen 3001 Tripod Review Round-Up

The 3001 is the “baby” of the line. It’s not tall enough to reach eye level for most adults without the center column extended, and even with it fully extended, those over about 5ft 6in will have to bend a little. So why is it useful? Well, it’s light (3.6 lbs) and very sturdy for it’s size. It’s also cheap. It’s a low cost alternative to the Gitzo 1227/1228 carbon fiber tripods which are a little lighter (3.3 lbs), extend a little higher, are a little more stable, but cost about $500 more. READ FULL REVIEW AT BobAtkins.com

If you own or have used this tripod, let us know what you think! Leave your comments and thoughts below.

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Nikon 24-120mm f/3.5-5.6G AF-S IF-ED Review Round-Up

If you own or have used this lens, let us know what you think! Leave your comments and thoughts below. Get information and user reviews for this lens from Amazon: Nikon 24-120mm f/3.5-5.6G ED IF Autofocus VR Nikkor Zoom Lens

Photo Zone

A general-purpose lens that covers a useful focal length range for Nikon’s FX DSLRs. Nikon’s AF-S Nikkor 24-120mm f/3.5-5.6 G IF-ED lens covers a 5x zoom range and provides a suite of convenient focal length settings for owners of the company’s D3 and D700 cameras but is also usable on DX models where the 1.5x crop factor gives it an equivalent focal length range of 36-180mm. Its affordable price tag makes it attractive to amateur photographers. … READ FULL REVIEW

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Nikon 18-70mm f/3.5-4.5G IF-ED DX AF-S Review Round-Up

If you own or have used this lens, let us know what you think! Leave your comments and thoughts below. Get information and user reviews for this lens at Amazon: Nikon 18-70mm f/3.5-4.5G ED IF AF-S DX Nikkor Zoom Lens

Photo Zone

The Nikkor AF-S 18-70mm f/3.5-4.5G IF-ED DX is a lens with many souls. The lens is capable to deliver very good resolution figures and low CAs but on the other hand distortions as well as vignetting are very pronounced specifically at 18mm. However, most users will rarely use large aperture settings at 18mm so the vignetting problem is usually no show stopper. The build quality of the lens is very decent and the Silent-Wave drive provides a speedy and silent AF. All-in-all the price performance ratio of the Nikkor is very sound. … READ FULL REVIEW

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Sigma 50mm f/2.8 EX macro DG AF Review Round-Up

If you own or have used this lens, let us know what you think! Leave your comments and thoughts below.

Photo Zone

The Sigma AF 50mm f/2.8 EX macro DG is an excellent lens without any significant optical flaws. Compared to the Canon EF-S 60mm f/2.8 USM macro it shows less vignetting at wide-open aperture – other than that both lenses perform quite similar. Mechanically the Canon has an edge though thanks to a fast USM AF drive combined with a true IF design (constant length). However, the Sigma is earns some points due to its lower price tag and a more future-proof full-frame design. As such it can be highly recommended. READ FULL REVIEW

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Nikon 18-105mm f/3.5-5.6G ED VR AF-S DX Review Round-Up

If you own or have used this lens, let us know what you think! Leave your comments and thoughts below. Get information and user reviews for this lens at Amazon: Nikon 18-105mm f/3.5-5.6 AF-S DX VR ED Nikkor Lens for Nikon Digital SLR Cameras

SLR Gear

The Nikon 18-105mm Æ’/3.5-5.6 definitely raises the bar for Nikon’s current lineup of kit lenses; consistently sharp, even at large apertures, with good resistance to chromatic aberration. Corner shading is prevalent, but it’s not a noticeable problem. Distortion is evident and irregular, but again, you’re probably only going to notice it if you need your straight lines to be absolutely straight. The inclusion of VR to this level of lens is a welcome addition; we don’t have pricing for the lens individually, but There will finally be an alternative to the 18-200mm VR for users who don’t need that range of focal lengths. Nikon was able to improve the optical quality, reduce the weight, and presumably, the end price. It’s easy to recommend the 18-105mm to Nikon shooters as an excellent walk-around lens. READ FULL REVIEW

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Manfrotto 485B NeoTec Tripod Review Round-Up

Manfrotto has introduced what they call the world’s first fully automatic self-regulating tripod – the NeoTec. The NeoTec line of Pro Photo Supports, currently comprising the 458B tripod and 684B monopod, is built around an innovative self-regulating mechanism inside the leg that is said to deliver unmatched speed, stability and ease-of-use. The 458B is also equipped with a number of new features, including a new split column with built-in low angle adapter, enabling users to set up a camera as low as 3.94 inches off the ground. When the center column height impedes the tripod setup, the adapter allows users to switch from normal to low-angle set-ups without having to remove the camera and head each time they change position. The center column can also be used for horizontal settings for unusual angles and macro work. Closing the NeoTec is just as easy. By simply pushing a single release button, the user can disengage the internal mechanism and effortlessly collapse the leg. This design is accomplished without the use of external levers, knobs or screws. In addition, the internal locking mechanism actually enhances the stability of the support as more weight is added, making it the ideal support product for virtually any camera or photo application. READ FULL REVIEW AT Shutterbug.net

If you own or have used this tripod, let us know what you think! Leave your comments and thoughts below.

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Sigma 12-24mm f/4.5-5.6 EX HSM DG AF Review Round-Up

If you own or have used this lens, let us know what you think! Leave your comments and thoughts below.

Get information and user reviews for this lens from Amazon: Sigma 12-24mm f/4.5-5.6 EX DG IF HSM Aspherical Ultra Wide Angle Zoom Lens for Canon SLR Cameras

Photo Zone

The Sigma AF 12-24mm f/4.5-5.6 EX HSM DG is the most extreme full format ultra-wide zoom lens around and it is still a “mainstream” ultra-wide lens when used on APS-C DSLRs. If you’re looking for a future-proof “duo-format” lens in this class – well, here it is. However, there’re a couple of further good arguments in favor of the lens. In the APS-C scope the resolution is very high and even throughout the tested aperture and focal length range and as such more harmonious compared to dedicated APS-C zooms which tend to suffer from edge problems. Distortions are extremely well controlled for a lens in this class and vignetting is generally not a problem except maybe at 12mm @ f/4.5. The only significant issue are lateral CAs at and below 17mm – you better shoot RAW files and correct the issue in your RAW converter, otherwise CAs are too extreme. The build quality of the Sigma is excellent and the fast and near-silent HSM (ultrasonic) AF drive is a welcome feature. The price tag of the lens is fairly moderate in relation to what you get for your bucks. Highly recommended … if you can get a good sample (the tested sample in Canon mount wasn’t quite as good). “¦ READ FULL REVIEW

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