I’m still fond of lenses with a 28mm focal length, despite having other lenses (in different systems) that are wider, but sometimes all you need to get the job done is a 28mm. The Canon FD 28/2.8 fits that bill; it is essential and no-nonsense, with nothing overly interesting about the lens or optics. The FD 28/2.8 gets the job done without any fanfare. There are two versions of this lens available in Canon’s FD-Mount: the original collar-lock version (FD) and the button-lock version (FDn), which allows for easier mounting and dismounting of the lens from the camera body. After picking up the AE-1, whichRead More →

Regarding historically significant lenses, exact lens models like the Nikkor 85mm f/2 are abnormal. Usually, these historic lenses are designs like the Tessar, Petzval, and Planar. But in this case, this lens put Nikon on the map. Nippon Kogaku released the first 85mm f/2 as part of their original five-lens setup for the Nikon I. Although they also had versions in the LTM or M39 Mount. While Nikkor enjoyed popularity within Japan, they had yet to produce a camera that could be exported. But the lenses helped Nippon break out of the domestic market. The story goes that a chance meeting of two LIFE photographers,Read More →

Not all my lenses are the best out there, and I have had some stinkers in the past that have come across my desk. Now in some cases, I have not reviewed these, but this time I need to get this one off my chest. Meet the Tamron 100-300mm lens; this is a budget lens in every sense. Tamron has produced some excellent optics, sometimes under their name, but quality optics are all the same. This lens is not one of them; there are a lot of issues with the build quality, optical quality, and even the features of this lens. But if you canRead More →

If there is one lens that helped put Nikon on the map, it is an 85mm lens. This lens traces back to when Nikon stepped into the camera market but had yet to make a worldwide splash. A Japanese and American photographer helped take the company to worldwide status, and a simple 85mm lens in Leica Thread Mount showed them the way. The 85mm f/1.8D helped continue that legacy and is one I have a unique viewpoint on. While I did use this lens in the past, I wasn’t too fond of it despite producing some fantastic results. The problem I only recently found outRead More →

But wait, don’t I already have this lens? I do, after a fashion, of course. Suppose there is a single lens that changed my work as a photographer, especially within my urban exploration work. In that case, it is the Nikkor 14-24mm f/2.8G, a lens that was a bit limited on my D300 but came into its power on the F5 and D750. But let’s admit it; the 14-24/2.8G is a heavy and big lens. I knew in the back of my mind that Nikon had several wide-angle lenses, but it was a chance that a fellow podcaster who picked this lens up for herRead More →

Say what you will about kit lenses; some are good, some are bad, and some are fine. This lens is among those ‘fine’ lenses, they do the job, but there’s nothing special about the Canon 28-80mm f/3.5-5.6 II, but it does a good job and does what it says on the tin. And while I did not go into this with a good view of the lens expecting troubles at open apertures or softness at the 80mm focal length. But the lens had none of these common elements I’ve found on other kit lenses, which is certainly surprising. Lens Specifications Make: Canon Model: Zoom LensRead More →

During my earliest days in photography, the terms nifty-fifty and thrifty-fifty were tossed around to describe an affordable and fast 50mm lens. As someone who shot Nikon, that was the 50mm f/1.8D, but when you look at the new lens price compared to the Canon copy, the Canon was the less expensive lens. Some fellow photographers swore by this lens, especially in the Urban Exploration community, where low-light photography was the game’s name. I didn’t think too much as I was a Nikon shooter. But after getting one of the original copies from my wife’s Great-Uncle, I soon realised that the lens is a solidRead More →

My experience with pancake lenses is fairly limited, having only used a couple of this classification of lenses, and in both cases, with excellent results. I’m talking about the Nikon 50mm f/1.8 and Minolta 45mm f/2. So when I started to build up an EOS lens system, the EF 40/2.8 was at the top of my list of lenses to get. And the best part is that you can get them either new or used to save a few bucks. And don’t let the small size fool you; this lens packs a big punch, proving that size matters not. Size matters not. Look at me.Read More →

When it comes to lenses, I enjoy working with wide-angle offerings, and they can genuinely tell you how dedicated a company is to manufacturing and designing quality optics. And even with my limited experience with Canon EOS lenses, the 28mm f/2.8 surprised me. It’s a tremendous carry-around lens that, despite being a first-generation model, still stands up today as delivering quality results in an affordable lens. And this was the second EOS lens I picked up, as I knew I wanted something fast and wide that wasn’t a zoom lens. Lens Specifications Make: Canon Model: EF 28mm 1:2.8 Focal Length: 28mm Focal Range: ∞ –Read More →

The gift of a Nikon F80 kickstarted my deep dive into photography and a return of film as a medium in my toolkit. With the F80 came a selection of lenses; some were good, and others were cheap. And only one of the lenses (AF Nikkor 35mm f/2D) I got with that F80 remains intact in my kit today. But there was one lens from that kit that I missed the most, the AF Nikkor 24mm f/2.8D. As I mentioned in last month’s lens review, the D-Type lenses can carry a high price on the used market, but the Non-D lenses can be had forRead More →