Two great whites were spotted from the news desk in February, as Canon announced a brace of RF 800mm F5.6L IS USM and RF 1200mm F8L IS USM lenses, with a combined selling price of $37k. The $20k 800mm was the more newsworthy, becoming the world’s longest autofocus lens for mirrorless cameras and being 1.3kg lighter in weight than its EF-mount forebear.
In comparatively tiny news, Sigma launched a new wide-angle I-Series lens in the diminutive, featherweight shape of the 20mm f/2 DG DN. It became the fourth in the series, measuring just 72mm in length and tipping the scales at a mere 370g, ideally suiting svelte E-mount and L-mount mirrorless cameras.
Sigma wasn’t losing focus on the APS-C market either, launching three Fujifilm X mount f/1.4 prime lenses. The Sigma 16mm f/1.4, 30mm f/1.4 and 56mm f/1.4 lenses give effective focal lengths of 24mm, 45mm and 84mm on Fujifilm cameras, all with the same bright aperture rating.
See other installments in our 12 lenses of Christmas series
With an eye on beating inclement winter weather, we also ran a story on camera lenses that have the all-time best weather-sealing. The starring attractions were from OM Digital Solutions, boasting the best weatherproofing of any camera lenses, namely the OM System M.Zuiko 12-40mm f/2.8 Pro II and OM System M.Zuiko 40-150mm f/4 Pro, both rated at IP53.
In other news, Tokina announced an SZ 8mm f/2.8 fisheye lens for Fujifilm X and Sony E mount cameras. Voigtländer said that a 23mm f/1.2 lens for APS-C Fujifilm X and Nikon Z mount cameras would be coming soon and Irix launched sets of cine lenses with hefty price tags.
And finally in February’s news, Meyer Optik Görlitz launched Canon RF and Nikon Z-mount versions of its Trioplan 100mm f/2.8.
The highlight of February’s lens tests was the Tamron 150-500mm f/5-6.7 Di III VC VXD, a mighty super-tele zoom for Sony full-frame E-mount cameras. It’s a strong performer and, at 1,725g reasonably lightweight for a lens with such powerful reach.
At the other end of the focal length scale, we reviewed the Laowa 6mm T2.1 Zero-D Cine for Micro Four Thirds cameras, delivering an effective 12mm focal length with a remarkable lack of aberrations, but also lacking in any electronic communication with the host camera.
We also tested the Olympus M.Zuiko 14‑42mm f/3.5‑5.6 EZ and crowned it king of pancake lenses.
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