The world’s leading camera makers and optical companies have unleashed an unprecedented barrage of new lenses over the last six months or so, most targeted at serious enthusiasts and pros aiming to extend their creative options and capture distinctive images that make their work stand out. This mini-trend is part of a larger, but equally impressive optical transformation that’s been quietly taking place over the past few years—lens innovations that encompass every camera category from mirrorless interchangeable-lens cameras to APS-C and full-frame DSLRs.
Leading Lens Trends for 2016
As shooters become more sophisticated, creative expression and the esthetic quality of the image have become increasingly important. This has given rise to a renewed interest in wide aperture prime (single focal length) lenses that can create beautiful bokeh effects using limited depth of field at wide apertures in the f/1.2-f/2.8 range. Virtually every major lens manufacturers has jumped into the fray, and now offers an enticing assortment of high-speed primes ranging from wide-angles to long telephotos. It’s also a sign of the times that Sigma has added zoom lenses to its Art Line and Tamron has announceda newly designed 35mm f/1.8 and a unique 45mm f/1.8, alsoto serve the hot art market.
- Zoom ranges are steadily increasing too, and there are several enticing new ultra-long telephoto zooms, as well as long-range wide-to-telephoto zooms that are wider at the wide end and provide unprecedented zoom ranges. Other notable trends: An increasing number of sophisticated wide-angle zooms and ultra-high-performance lenses, often at premium prices, aimed at serious shooters, lenses with built-in ultra-quiet stepping motors for shooting video without focusing noise, and exciting new technical advances including the increased use of ED and UD glass, aspheric elements, and Canon’s groundbreaking Blue Spectrum Refractive Optics, said to virtually eliminate chromatic aberration.
- Lenses represent an investment, and a high-value proposition because lenses are “keepers” that retain their value and usefulness as shooters upgrade and migrate to the next, more advanced camera body to take advantage of the latest technology. As a result, lenses have a higher resale value than cameras or practically any other item in the imaging field, and a higher perceived value as well. Indeed, that’s one of main reasons lenses continue to be healthiest and most exciting niches in today’s fiercely competitive digital marketplace.
5 High-tech f/1.4 Prime Lenses
 Fujifilm XF 23mm f/1.4 R |
 Canon EF 35mm f/1.4L II USM |
 Sigma 50mm f/1.4 DG HSM Art lens |
 Leica Summilux-M 28mm f/1.4 ASPH |
 Sony Distagon T* FE 35mm f/1.4 ZA |
Fujifilm XF 23mm f/1.4 R
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This high-performance Fujifilm X-mount lens provides 35mm-equivalent wide-angle coverage with Fuji’s mirrorless cameras. It incorporates a high-torque DC Coreless Motor to control its internal focusing mechanism, one aspheric element to minimize chromatic aberration and enhance sharpness, and a rounded 7-bladed diaphragm to capture beautifulbokeh in out-of-focus image areas, and enhance image control. Its engraved manual focus scales and hyperfocal distance scales allow convenient pre-focusing and its close-up focusing control option gets you down to a near-macro 11 inches.
Canon EF 35mm f/1.4L II USM
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The signature feature of this newly announced full-frame prime is Blue Spectrum Refractive Optics, a system that sandwiches a layer of proprietary organic material between two glass elements to virtually eliminate chromatic aberration and enhance image quality. Other high-tech features: an advanced optical design incorporating two aspheric and one UD element, sub-wavelength and fluorine coatings, an ultrasonic motor (USM) with full-time manual focus, a rounded 9-blade diaphragm for enhanced bokeh, and weather sealed construction. The lens focuses down to 11 (0.21X) inches for compelling close-ups.
Sigma 50mm f/1.4 DG HSM Art lens
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Redesigned with 3 Special Low Dispersion (SLD) glass elements, and by placing the widest elements in the front optical groups for enhanced performance at large apertures, this 13-element, 6-group lens delivers exceptional image quality and beautiful bokeh thanks to it’s rounded 9-bladed diaphragm. It’s optimized for portraiture, still life, reportage, street photography and low-light shooting. Other advanced features: a floating element to reduce lens movement when focusing, 1 molded glass aspheric for enhanced color and sharpness, and optimized AF algorithms for smoother focusing down to 15.7 inches (max. mag. ratio: 1:5.6). Befitting its high-end specs, it features a Solid brass bayonet mount for enhanced accuracy and durability, and an HSM motor for ultra-fast, precise AF and anytime manual focus.
Leica Summilux-M 28mm f/1.4 ASPH
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This superlative new super-speed wide-angle for M-series Leicas promises to provide the sameworld-classlevel of performance as the acclaimed 35mm f/1.4 Summilux ASPH, but at the wider 75-degree coverage angle favored by many reportage and street shooters. Based on an advanced 10-element, 7-group design, it incorporates one aspheric and one floating element and uses Anomalous Partial Dispersion Glass and three cemented groups to achieve an unprecedented level of correction. Designed to deliver extreme sharpness, high contrast, and natural color, its ultra-wide aperture provides enhanced selective focus control for isolating specific subjects, plus beautiful bokeh. Min. Focus Dist., 2.3 feet.
Sony Distagon T* FE 35mm f/1.4 ZA
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Designed and built to Zeiss standards, this classic 12-element, 8-group super-speed wide-angle for full-frame E-mount shooters delivers outstanding imaging performance, effective low-light capability, and shallow depth of field at wide apertures for creative effects. Its cutting-edge optical design includes 3 aspheric and one advanced aspheric (AA) elements to deliver high resolution and superb color correction, and T* anti-reflection coating to enhance contrast and clarity. Its aperture ring can be de-clicked for video applications, and its circular 9-bladed diaphragm yields smooth transitions and beautiful bokeh. Other features: Direct Drive Super Sonic Wave AF motor for fast, quiet, precise AF, and moisture-resistant construction.
4 Fabulous Fast Prime Lenses
 Tamron SP 35mm f/1.8 Di VC USD |
 Tokina 100mm f/2.8 AT-X M100 AF Pro D Macro |
 Panasonic Lumix G 25mm f/1.7 AF |
 Zeiss Loxia 21mm f/2.8 for Sony E Mount |
Tamron SP 35mm f/1.8 Di VC USD
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An advanced new state-of-the-art version of a versatile classic, this full-frame, wide-aperture wide-angle benefits from a sophisticated optical design that includes one Low Dispersion (LD) element, one eXtra Low Dispersion element, and 2 aspheric elements to control aberrations, distortion, and color fringing, and enhance evenness of illumination. It delivers superlative image quality, shallow depth of field for creative effects, extended low-light capability, and employs a ring-type USD motor that provides quick, silent, precise AF. Its internal focusing system delivers enhanced performance at close distances,down to an impressive 7.5 inches for true macro capability down to 1:2.5, and it offers built-in VC image stabilization for sharp handheld shooting, moisture resistant construction, a 9-bladed diaphragm for smooth transitions and beautiful bokeh, and a fluorine coating on the front element to repel water and make it easier to clean.
Tokina 100mm f/2.8 AT-X M100 AF Pro D Macro
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This nicely finished close-focusing medium telephoto has a fast f/2.8 maximum aperture making it ideal for shooting classic portraits that separate the subject from the background, but it also focuses down to 1:1 for breathtaking close-ups of flowers, butterflies, collectibles, etc. Designed for optimum performance with digital sensors, this 9-element, 8-group lens provides a focus-limiter switch for faster AF, and a one-touch focus clutch mechanism for easy switching from AF to MF. The front filter thread is non-rotating, facilitating the use of polarizers.
Panasonic Lumix G 25mm f/1.7 AF
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This sophisticated fast wide-angle provides 35mm-equivalent coverage on Micro Four Thirds System cameras and incorporates one Ultra-High Refractive index element and two aspheric elements in its 8-element, 7-group design to control chromatic aberration and distortion, yielding commendable sharpness and edge-to-edge illumination while achieving a very compact form factor—it’s only 2 inches long and weighs 4.4 ounces. Its stepping motor provides fast, smooth, nearly silent AF, its rounded 7-bladed diaphragm yields smooth out-of-focus image quality, and its wide aperture enhances depth of field control and low-light shooting.
Zeiss Loxia 21mm f/2.8 for Sony E Mount
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Designed for full-frame E-mount cameras and made by Zeiss, this fast, 11-element, 9-group ultra-wide-angle is based on the famed Distagon design and delivers superlative image quality thanks to four Anomalous Partial Dispersion elements, one aspheric element, and T* coating for enhanced light transmission. It features an all-metal barrel with engraved scales, a manual aperture ring that can be de-clicked for video applications, and a weather resistant lens mount gasket. It focuses down to 9.8 inches and can also be used on APS-C-format cameras.
A Trio of Advanced New Zooms
 Nikon AF-S Nikkor 200-500mm f/5.6E ED VR |
 Sigma 24-35mm f/2 DG HSM Art Lens |
 Pentax HD Pentax-D FA 24-70mm f/2.8ED SDM WR |
Nikon AF-S Nikkor 200-500mm f/5.6E ED VR
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Just announced, this impressive 19-element, 12-group long telephoto zoom for FX-format Nikons has a constant maximum aperture of f/5.6 for consistent performance over its entire range and incorporates 3 extra-low dispersion elements to reduce chromatic aberrations and distortion and enhance sharpness and color accuracy. Its Silent Wave Motor (SWM) delivers fast, precise, nearly silent AF and can be manually overridden at any time, and built-in VR image stabilization provides a 4.5-stop advantage in maintaining sharpness in handheld shooting. Other features: internal focus, electromagnetic aperture control, Super Integrated Coating, a rounded 9-bladed diaphragm for enhanced bokeh, and a detachable, rotatable tripod collar.
Sigma 24-35mm f/2 DG HSM Art Lens
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This unique and exceptionally versatile full-frame, high-speed wide-angle zoom combines a groundbreaking f/2 aperture and the focal-length range favored by countless pros and serious shooters. It offers amazing depth-of-field control capabilities, making it ideal for environmental portraiture, landscapes, and low-light photography. It incorporates FLD and Special Low Dispersion elements, and 2 aspheric elements to deliver outstanding image quality over its entire range, a Hypersonic motor (HSM) for swift, silent AF with anytime manual-focus override, a thermally stable composite (TSC) barrel to maintain high performance at all temperatures, and a 9-rounded-blade diaphragm that yields gorgeousbokeh.
Pentax HD Pentax-D FA 24-70mm f/2.8ED SDM WR
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This high-performance 17-element, 12-group wide-angle zoom for full-frame Pentax K-mount DSLRs incorporates 3 aspheric elements, 3 ED elements, one Anomalous Dispersion Element and HD coating to deliver exceptionally sharp, clear images over its entire range. Its Supersonic Direct-Drive motor provides swift, accurate, quiet AF, its Quick-Shift focusing system allows manual focus at any time, a zoom lock lever prevents creep when carrying the lens, and a rounded 9-bladed diaphragm contributes to the pleasing quality of out-of-focus image areas,also known as beautiful bokeh.
