Sigma Announces Two NEW Lenses - 50mm prime & 18-200mm telephoto zoom

Sigma 50mm F1.4 DG HSM

First up is the Sigma 50mm F1.4 DG HSM lens, which is part of Sigma’s relatively new “Art” line of lenses.

For axial chromatic aberration this prime lens has incorporated “Special Low Dispersion” (SLD) which should ensure high image quality throughout the entire focusing range.

The Sigma 50mm F1.4 DG HSM has each glass element positioned to optimise the power layout at respective positions, and succeeds in minimising distortion.

The lens also incorporates a floating system that adjusts the distance between lens groups while focusing, thereby reducing the amount of lens movement required. This achieves a minimum focusing distance of 40cm and maximum magnification ratio of 1:5.6.

Other features

• Super Multi Layer Coating, which reduces flare and ghosting while providing sharp and high contrast images even in backlit conditions.
• A Hyper Sonic Motor (HSM) which delivers high AF speed and extremely quiet performance.
• 9 blade-rounded diaphragm to create an attractive blur to the out of focus areas of the image.
• A brass made bayonet mount.

Sigma 18-200mm F3.5-6.3 DC Macro (OS) HSM

From the “Contemporary” line of lenses comes the new Sigma 18-200mm F3.5-6.3 DC Macro OS HSM and Sigma 18-200mm F3.5-6.3 DC Macro HSM.

This lens has been redeveloped as the standard zoom lens from Sigma’s new product line, which has higher performance, is even smaller and lighter-weight, and on top of that, includes “the macro features”.

With this lens you can enjoy the variation of different angle-of-views, from a wide-angle of 18mm to a telephoto of 200mm, as well as macro. It is a perfect entry-level interchangeable lens.

This Sigma zoom lens incorporates “Special Low Dispersion” (SLD) glass elements that have a high refractive index, and corrects chromatic aberration at the telephoto-end very well. 

One of the biggest features of this super zoom is that it is possible to shoot subjects as close as macro lens. This lens features a minimum focusing distance of 39cm and a maximum magnification ratio of 1:3.

Other features

• An Optical Stabiliser system, which offers superior stabilisation.
• Super Multi Layer Coating, which reduces flare and ghosting while providing sharp and high contrast images even in backlit conditions.
• 7 blade-rounded diaphragm.
• A Hyper Sonic Motor (HSM) which delivers high AF speed and extremely quiet performance.
• Brass made bayonet mount.

These lenses will be available to pre-order from Digital Camera Warehouse soon.

Read More

Macro Photography – A Good Setup and Patience is all you need

Have you ever wanted to attempt macro photography but weren’t sure where to begin?
If so, read on for some useful tips.

Macro photography is any type of close up photography that magnifies a subject to life size or greater.  This is called the magnification ratio and is seen on lenses like this: 1:1. A proper macro lens will reproduce at this ratio and some, like the Canon MP-E 65  will actually magnify up to 5 times larger than life size.  This would magnify a grain of rice to fill the frame of a full size DSLR sensor!

Successful macro photography can be a challenge and will certainly take practice and a lot of trial and error but when you get that perfect shot it will all be worth it.

Firstly, obtain a proper (1:1) macro lens or extension tube.  A dedicated macro lens  is important as a normal lens will not focus close enough to get any sort of detail in very small subjects.  Keep in mind that a macro lens can be used for general photography as well.  A cheaper alternative are the use of extension tubes (not to be confused with extenders) which increase the distance between the lens and the image sensor to allow you to focus at closer distances.  Either of these will ensure a good start in macro photography.

Manual focus is the name of the game.  A static object like a flower (assuming there is no wind around) or a shell is easier to focus on, simply because the only movement variable is you.  If you are using a good tripod, preferably with a macro slider, then it simply requires a little patience to obtain a sharp image.  Additionally, the use of a relatively small aperture such as f11 or f16 will provide more depth of field in the image.  Keep an eye on your shutter speed and use a remote release or the camera’s built in self timer mode to eliminate camera shake.  If your camera has a mirror lock up mode then this function would also be good to utilize.

Pre-focus is another great option. If you are trying to photograph insects a good tip is to set yourself up in an area where your target is likely to land or pass through and pre-focus on that spot.  A wireless remote release is a very helpful here as it will allow you to step away from the camera and begin firing as soon as your subject lands in the target zone. You may get a lot of unusable shots, but on the flip side you may also capture that perfect shot.

When thinking about lighting, the closer something is to the front of the lens generally means the difficulty to light it sufficiently increases.  In some cases your lens may actually cast an unwanted shadow on your subject.  Macro flash attachments (ring flashes) are very useful as they sit at the end of your lens to illuminate the subject.  You can also get constant light LED attachments that are not as powerful as a ring flash but are cheaper.  If outside, the sun can provide enough lighting for some subjects and you can use a diffuser to soften the light or to bounce light into the shadows.  

Every scenario is different so initially there may be an element of trial and error but hey, that's the fun of it!

 

Read More