dSLR Dad

Popular Photography Magazine has published their review of the Nikon AF-S DX NIKKOR 35mm f/1.8G Lens:

The first DX Nikkor with the classic advantages of a high-speed “normal” lens…

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Photozone has published their review of the Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 50mm f/1.4G dSLR lens:

Normal primes have a long standing reputation of high quality for an affordable price and the Nikkor AF-S 50 makes no exception in this regard. The lens is able to deliver ver sharp images, at least slightly stopped down.
However it’s not without flaws. Wide open, it lacks a bit sharpness and most of all contrast, vignetting is very high wide open, but that is to be expected on a full frame camera with a moderately priced fast prime. The bokeh is smooth from f/2 to f/2.8 onwards, but a bit nervous wide open, where the lens also shows considerable amount of LoCAs

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Imaging Resource has published their review of the SIGMA 18-250mm F3.5-6.3 DC OS HSM lens:

Like most ”vacation” zooms, the trick is to know the parameters where they function best. Sigma’s latest iteration of this lens offers a bit more telephoto performance, for which the integrated optical image stabilization is crucially useful. Unfortunately the lens’ maximum aperture decreases quickly as the lens is zoomed out, to the point where at 80mm, you’re using a ƒ/5.6 lens. This design allows the lens to be kept as small as it is, but at that point you’re needing either a sunny day, an external flash, or a steady hand (even with the image stabilization) to get reasonably sharp photos.

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Popular Photography Magazine has published their lens test report of the Sigma APO 50-150mm F2.8 II EX DC HSM:

Rest on its laurels? Not Sigma. Just look at the updated version of its bright 50–150mm f/2.8 digital-only (DC) zoom ($675, street), part of the company’s top-drawer EX family of glass. Its predecessor performed admirably in the Pop Photo Lab just two years ago (January 2007). Since then, the company’s engineers have twisted, squeezed, and tweaked its design in an attempt (we’re guessing) to catch up to the optical superiority of Tokina’s remarkable 50–135mm f/2.8.

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Popular Photography Magazine has published their review of the Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 50mm f/1.4G dSLR lens:

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Imaging Resource has published their review of the Nikon AF-S DX NIKKOR 35mm f/1.8G Lens:

The 35mm ƒ/1.8G DX fills an obvious hole in Nikon’s lineup, and with its very reasonable price point Nikon may have found a way to ride out the recession. In our tests, the lens performs very well, with good results for sharpness at ƒ/1.8, becoming excellent at ƒ/2.8. Chromatic aberration is visible but not overly objectionable and light falloff is nicely controlled. Distortion is a little high for our tastes, especially if the lens is to be marketed as a ‘’standard” lens. But for the money you can’t beat it, especially if what you’ve had to work with has been an 18-55mm kit zoom.

You can read the complete review at SLR Gear.  As always, you can find more news and reviews at the dSLR Dad Nikon AF-S DX NIKKOR 35mm f/1.8G Lens Resource Guide.

Photozone has published their test of the Nikon AF-S Micro NIKKOR 60mm f/2.8G ED Lens:

The AF-S 60 Micro Nikkor is a worthy successor to a highly regarded lens. It is able to deliver very sharp images (allthough, given Nikon’s recent lens track record, some probably had hoped for even higher resolution figures), the bokeh in general is smooth, vignetting is no issue on a DX camera and the AF is as fast as you’d expect an AF-S drive to be. So except the relatively high CA values and the potentially challenging hood design (for close-up work) there’s nothing really to complain about. Given its moderate price tag, you can’t go wrong with this lens if you’re looking for a decent macro lens that doubles as a moderate and relatively fast tele on your DX camera.

You can read the entire lens test at Photozone.

Digital Photography Review has published their review of the Nikon AF-S DX NIKKOR 35mm f/1.8G Lens:

The AF-S Nikkor 35mm F1.8G DX is a lens which certainly caused a degree of dismay on its release, with many Nikon fans disappointed by the decision to make it compatible with the DX format only. However the main benefit of that decision is plain for all to see – even at its introductory price the lens costs rather less than the venerable AF-Nikkor 35mm F2.0D, despite the addition of an AF-S motor to allow autofocusing on Nikon’s entry-level D40 / D40X / D60 bodies. It’s also less than half the price of the few other DX format standard primes currently on the market (such as the Pentax 35mm F2.8 Macro, Tokina 35mm F2.8 Macro and Sigma 30mm F1.4 EX DC HSM), so Nikon has managed with this lens to produce the first genuinely inexpensive (sub-$200) fast standard prime designed specifically for digital SLRs.

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Imaging Resource has published their review of the Tamron 18-270mm f/3.5-6.3 Di II VC Macro AF Lens:

As the Tamron 18-270mm and the ”name-brand” competition are all floating around the same price point, the decision of whether to buy this lens or a Nikon / Canon equivalent comes down to how badly you need the extra 70mm of distance. Image quality is fairly consistent between these lenses, with perhaps a nod towards the Tamron, but autofocus speed and quality is better with the competition. For what it’s trying to be though, the Tamron produces good results, an excellent alternative to carting around several lenses.

You can read the entire review at SLR Gear.

Imaging Resource has published their review of the Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 50mm f/1.4G Lens:

Released in 2008, the Nikon 50mm f/1.4G AF-S is a significant update to the existing Nikkor 50mm f/1.4 AF-D, adding weather sealing, rounded diaphragm blades and AF-S focusing (and thus, compatibility to consumer-level Nikon dSLRs). We’ve finished our tests on the lens; for Nikon shooters, will it be time for an upgrade?

You can read the entire review at SLR Gear. As always, you can find more reviews at the dSLR Dad Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 50mm f/1.4G Lens Resource Guide