ThePhoblographer

World’s first 1:1 180mm F2.8 macro lens arrives in the US in July for street price of $1,699

Sigma Corporation, a leading researcher, developer, manufacturer and service provider of some of the world’s most impressive lines of lenses, cameras and flashes, has announced that the Sigma APO Macro 180mm F2.8 EX DG OS HSMwill be available in the United States on July 27 for the street price of $1,699.

The new APO Macro 180mm F2.8 EX DG OS HSM lens boasts Sigma’s proprietary Optical Stabilizer (OS) technology and a wide F2.8 aperture to allow faster shutter speeds for narrow depth of field. With the OS feature, the lens offers the use of shutter speeds approximately four stops slower than would otherwise be possible, enabling handheld, close-up photography. Three “F” Low Dispersion (FLD) glass elements, which have a performance equal to fluorite glass, are included to provide excellent correction for color aberrations, and an inner focusing system enables this lens to photograph objects precisely throughout the entire focusing range. Overall length does not change during focusing.

“Macro photography is becoming quite popular and we’ve been growing our lineup of macro lenses as a result,” said Mark Amir-Hamzeh, president of Sigma Corporation of America. “We’re filling a gap in the industry by introducing the world’s first 1:1 180mm F2.8 lens to the market. The Optical Stabilizer technology and the larger focusing distance also provide photographers with more control for highly sensitive subjects that are on the move, like butterflies and insects.”

Equipped with the Super Multi-Layer Coating feature, the APO Macro 180mm F2.8 EX DG OS HSM lens reduces flare and ghosting, and delivers sharp and high contrast images, even in backlit conditions. The incorporation of Sigma’s Hyper Sonic Motor (HSM) ensures quiet and high-speed autofocus, as well as full-time manual focus override capability. The macro lens has a rounded nine-blade diaphragm to create an attractive blur to the image’s out-of-focus areas. At 1:1 magnification, this lens has a focusing distance of 18.5 inches, which is a greater working distance than shorter focal length macro lenses, making it advantageous when taking pictures of highly sensitive subjects. It is also compatible with Sigma’s 1.4x EX DG APO and 2x EX DG APO Tele Converters.

…Combines Practicality with Portability Resulting In A Versatile Portrait Lens

MELVILLE, N.Y. (January 5, 2012) – Today, Nikon Inc. announced the addition of the new AF-S NIKKOR 85mm f/1.8G FX-format lens to its legendary line of NIKKOR lenses. The new 85mm is a fast, fixed focal-length lens with medium telephoto capabilities and a large maximum aperture of f/1.8 that is capable of performing a wide variety of imaging tasks with amazing sharpness and clarity.

“Whether a professional photographer who needs extreme sharpness or a photo enthusiast looking for an affordable, lightweight lens with amazing clarity, Nikon photographers appreciate and rely on the vast selection and dependability of NIKKOR lenses for their imaging needs,” said Lisa Osorio, general manager of marketing at Nikon Inc. “The new 85mm f/1.8 is fully optimized for capturing amazing photos and videos, while providing the ability to utilize background blur to compliment the subject of their photo.”

A welcome addition to Nikon’s growing line of versatile prime lenses, the new AF- NIKKOR 85mm is ideal for travel, general photography, low-light, landscape, portraiture and capturing movies with extreme depth of field. The 85mm is designed to capture photos utilizing beautiful image blur achieved due to its large maximum aperture. Furthermore, the lens is lightweight, easy to carry, and provides an equivalent focal length of 127mm when attached to a Nikon DX-format D-SLR camera body.

The construction of the 85mm f/1.8 consists of nine optical elements, with a seven-blade diaphragm which contributes to a substantially more circular bokeh for a natural appearance to out-of-focus background elements. Additionally, instances of lens flare and chromatic aberration are suppressed using Nikon’s exclusive Super Integrated Coatings, which also help ensure vividly accurate color balance.

The new lens also comes equipped with a carefully engineered optical system optimized to deliver superior image quality. The integration of an ultra-compact Silent Wave Motor (SWM) ensures fast, whisper-quiet AF operation, which is essential when recording movies. The 85mm also features two focus modes, M/A (manual-priority autofocus) and M (manual) to further enhance versatility and adapt to a shooters needs. Additionally, Internal Focus (IF) design prevents the front element from rotating, allowing for the use of filters and attachments.

Price and Availability
The lightweight AF-S NIKKOR 85mm f/1.8G will be available in March 2012 for a SRP* of $499.95. For more information, please visit www.nikonusa.com.