One of Nikon's most intriguing decisions in the mirrorless era is to sell two different f/2.8 zoom trios - one set of professional, S-line lenses for $2000+, and another set for about half the price but with Tamron-designed optics. In the cheaper trio, the longest lens is the $1250 Nikon...
Post Archive By Spencer Cox - Page 13
Canon RF 24-105mm f/2.8 L Announced: The Holy Grail Midrange Zoom
One of my favorite long-running gags in the photography world is that, whenever someone wishes for an unrealistic lens, another photographer will chime in sarcastically asking for a lightweight 14-200mm f/2.8 with perfect optics, or something just as impossible. Apparently Canon took that as a challenge. The newly released RF...
Sony FE 20mm f/1.8 G Review
The Sony FE 20mm f/1.8 G is an $898 wide-angle, wide-aperture prime lens for Sony full-frame cameras. As you’ll see throughout this review, this small and somewhat unassuming lens has extraordinary performance, making it a top choice for landscape, Milky Way, and other wide-angle photography.
Nikon’s Secret Macro Lens
I love using macro lenses, but that isn’t the only way to focus up close. Plenty of non-macro lenses, too, have enough magnification for small subjects like flowers or dragonflies. In fact, one Nikon lens can reach 1:1 macro capabilities without any third-party accessories, even though “macro” isn’t in its name!
Landscape Photographers – Are You Stopping Down Enough?
What’s the right aperture for landscape photography? Is it the sharpest aperture measured in the lab (usually f/4 or f/5.6), or is it “f/8 and be there”? Maybe something narrower? Of course, it depends on the photo. But, on balance, most landscape photographers don’t stop down enough!
Photographing the 2023 Solar Eclipse from Arizona
I just got back from a trip to the American Southwest where I photographed landscapes, the Milky Way, and a rare annular ("ring of fire") solar eclipse. My bag was filled with lenses that I'll be reviewing imminently - some from Nikon, of course, along with a few Canons and...
Nikon Z 600mm f/6.3 VR S Announced
Nikon just announced the newest supertelephoto lens for the mirrorless Z system: the Nikon Z 600mm f/6.3 VR S. Partly thanks to the phase fresnel (PF) lens element, the 600mm f/6.3 VR S is the smallest and lightest lens in its class – weighing the same as the 500mm f/5.6 PF F-mount lens.
5 Common Landscape Photography Mistakes
To get better as a landscape photographer, I find it very helpful to look back on my photos and evaluate the mistakes I've made. Many of these mistakes are things that I see other landscape photographers do wrong, too - from technical errors to creative pitfalls. Today, I've compiled five...
How to Photograph Fall Colors
Autumn colors are reaching their peak here in Colorado, making it one of the best times of year for landscape photography. I just spent a weekend in the mountains photographing cottonwoods, scrub oaks, and especially aspen trees showing off their deep reds and brilliant yellows. If you also want to...
Nikon Z 135mm f/1.8 S Plena Announced
Nikon just announced the newest lens for the Z system – and their first lens ever with a “Plena” designation. The Nikon Z 135mm f/1.8 S Plena is full of high-end features and will be available next month for $2500. It also has one of the most intense optical construction diagrams I’ve ever seen.