Category: Gear

Superior Wide Angle (Nikon mount) Lens for under $300?

January 17, 2018 Published by

A number of months ago, Keith became frustrate with carrying a filter holder, numerous filters and the extra weight in his pack as a result of all the gear.  In an effort to pair down any unnecessary weight, he traded in his very expensive and heavy Nikon 14-24 for the Tokina 17 – 35.

You can read more about it in his post, Halo Effect.

We have just been made aware that as of the date of this post, Tokina had 4 refurbished 17-35’s with a Nikon mount.  We love this lens and consider it one of the sharpest we’ve ever used.  Don’t wait long and if you find that they are out of stock, check back at the Tokina site often.

Check it out here:  Tokina 17-35mm

Nikon Announces 180 – 400mm F/4E TC 1.4

January 9, 2018 Published by

Hey folks!

Nikon just announced this new telephoto lens and if you have a cool $12,399.95 laying around this might just be the lens for you!  Check out the press release below!

Nikon Announces New AF-S NIKKOR 180-400mm F/4E TC1.4 FL ED VR Super Telephoto Zoom

LAS VEGAS – Today at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES), Nikon Inc. announced the new AF-S NIKKOR 180-400mm f/4E TC1.4 FL ED VR super-telephoto zoom lens, which is ideally suited for photographing sports and wildlife with astounding speed and clarity. This professional level FX-format lens is more versatile than ever, and has been updated with the newest NIKKOR lens technologies including Nikon’s first ever built-in teleconverter and an advanced optical formula to enhance performance and minimize weight.“This lens is a great example of how Nikon continues to push the boundaries of innovation and what’s possible with pro-level optics and high-end imaging equipment,” said Kosuke Kawaura, Director of Marketing and Planning, Nikon Inc.

 

Popular Pro-Level Lens Gets Even More Versatile

This new NIKKOR lens is a professional super-telephoto zoom lens, which is even more versatile with an extended wide range of 180-400mm, and a constant f/4 aperture to easily isolate a subject from the sidelines, even in challenging light. This is also the first NIKKOR lens to include a built-in 1.4X teleconverter, allowing photographers to seamlessly swap to a 252-560mm1 (FX-format) focal range. The teleconverter is engaged at the flick of a switch, and is easily operated with a single finger while looking through the viewfinder. When used on the Nikon D500 and other DX-format DSLRs, the focal length is the equivalent of 270-600mm (378-840mm with teleconverter engaged).

Whether capturing fast-moving winter sports on the slopes or elusive wildlife at a distance, photographers can shoot with confidence from this high performance NIKKOR lens.  The new 180-400mm f/4 is optimized for high-speed capture, and features an electromagnetic diaphragm, helping to create smooth and consistent exposures while shooting high-speed bursts of images. What’s more, the AF tracking algorithm controlling the motor drive has been enhanced to increase tracking performance of fast moving subjects. When using cameras equipped with Nikon’s advanced 153-point AF system (D5, D500, D850), the outer row of AF points are activated as cross-type sensors to significantly enhance the AF coverage throughout the frame.2

 

Enhanced Performance with the Addition of New Technology

The lens now uses a fluorite element, which contributes to improved balance while minimizing weight. To further enhance handling and agility, the lens has adopted a new ball-bearing tripod collar ring to create a seamless transition from shooting horizontal to vertical composition.  The VR mechanism offers a normal and sports mode, with up to four stops3 of compensation to help create sharp images, even when handheld.

The lens construction includes the use of durable magnesium alloy for weight reduction, while the lens is also sealed against dust and moisture. A fluorine coating is also used to help repel water droplets and dirt.

The optical formula of the lens uses eight Extra Low Dispersion (ED) elements, doubling the amount of ED elements used by its predecessor, the NIKKOR 200-400mm. These help to provide extremely sharp and detailed images and 4K UHD / 1080p video, and is ideally mated to high resolution Nikon DSLR cameras.  Nikon’s exclusive Nano Crystal Coat is used to effectively suppress instances of ghosting and flare.

 

Price and Availability

The AF-S NIKKOR 180-400mm f/4E TC1.4 FL ED VR lens will be available in March 2018 for a suggested retail price of $12,399.954. For more information on this NIKKOR lens and other Nikon products, please visit www.nikonusa.com.

Gear Trends: Necessary or Distraction?

November 26, 2016 (updated January 23, 2018) Published by

It’s Thanksgiving week, and Black Friday ads, commercials, newspaper inserts and popups on our internet browser are all blaring the hottest gift ideas, discounts and deals.

This morning while in the office and fielding through emails we came across something that grabbed our attention.

Do ya’ll remember the Lytro that was introduced last fall as the first camera that records the light?  The technology that they have created allows you change the focus point and perspective of the pictures after the point of capture.  What this means is that if you’ve taken an image of a flower in the foreground and there’s a barn in the background, you can decide at a later time which you would like to be in focus.

Here’s the question we ask ourselves: “Is this cutting edge technology that will change the game, or is it simply a passing trend?”

Although the jury is still out on that question for the Lytro specifically, our eyebrows raised when we were directed to this website this morning to find that the regularly high priced item in question was reduced from $1,299.99 to $349.99 on this website.

In our opinion, at $349.00 this could be a really fun Christmas gift for yourself or your photographer.   What’s Christmas without gifting unnecessary techy toys?

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