Lens Reviews Archives - Page 3 of 6

April 2, 2019

Carl Zeiss Jena Flektogon Wide Angle Lens History and Review

https://i0.wp.com/casualphotophile.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/zeiss-flektogon-review-11-of-27.jpg?fit=2375%2C1336&ssl=1 2375 1336 Cheyenne Morrison Cheyenne Morrison https://casualphotophile.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/cheyenne-morrison.jpg April 2, 2019 June 4, 2020

“After a few weeks with a Pentax 50mm lens, I had the feeling of suffocating. I realized that I needed a wide angle. As soon as I had my Zeiss Flektogon, the world looked very…

Cheyenne Morrison
16

March 10, 2019

A History of the Xenon Lens

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In the pantheon of fast Double-Gauss lenses from the 20th century, the Sonnar, Biotar, and Planar, are well known. But there’s also a lesser-known lens that is their equal; the Xenon. This lens was invented…

Cheyenne Morrison
44

February 13, 2019

Carl Zeiss Jena Biotar 58mm f/2 – Lens Review

https://i0.wp.com/casualphotophile.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/0-Rocío-Biotar-10-blades-1958-M42-2-biotar-58mm.jpg?fit=2400%2C1601&ssl=1 2400 1601 Cheyenne Morrison Cheyenne Morrison https://casualphotophile.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/cheyenne-morrison.jpg February 13, 2019 June 1, 2020

A review of the Carl Zeiss Jena 48mm F/2 Biotar lens. A classic lens with amazing bokeh, rich history, and amazing images.

Cheyenne Morrison
30

January 30, 2019

Carl Zeiss Jena Biotar 75mm f/1.5 – The Legendary “King of Bokeh”

https://i0.wp.com/casualphotophile.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/Carl-Zeiss-Jena-Biotar-75mm-F1.5-Tomek-Sliwinski-@swiatlografia-23.jpg?fit=2400%2C1600&ssl=1 2400 1600 Cheyenne Morrison Cheyenne Morrison https://casualphotophile.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/cheyenne-morrison.jpg January 30, 2019 June 4, 2020

I’ve been shooting all sorts of classic lenses for many years, but for a long time I sought one legendary portrait lens above them all, the Carl Zeiss Jena Biotar 75mm f/1.5. Zeiss originally dubbed this…

Cheyenne Morrison
42

December 19, 2018

Olympus Zuiko 40mm F/2 Lens Review – Maitani’s Smallest Zuiko

https://i2.wp.com/casualphotophile.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/olympus-zuiko-40mm-f2-lens-review-2.jpg?fit=2800%2C1575&ssl=1 2800 1575 Dustin Vaughn-Luma Dustin Vaughn-Luma https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/d452873019feb96e92541b86495af830?s=96&d=mm&r=g December 19, 2018 June 4, 2020

I’ve spent the past few months shooting a rare and interesting lens from Olympus’ glory days, the Olympus Zuiko 40mm F/2 in OM mount. This lens combines many of the things that photo geeks (past…

Dustin Vaughn-Luma
16

December 5, 2018

Leica Elmarit-TL 18mm F/2.8 Aspherical Lens Review

https://i0.wp.com/casualphotophile.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/leica-elmarit-tl-18mm-lens-review-products-5.jpg?fit=2400%2C1350&ssl=1 2400 1350 James Tocchio James Tocchio https://casualphotophile.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/james-square.jpg December 5, 2018 June 4, 2020

Leica has just revealed a cosmetic update to its digital mirrorless Leica CL, and this time, it’s silver. But I’ve already reviewed that camera. Can I really request a test camera based on a new…

James Tocchio
4

November 14, 2018

Nikon Nikkor 55mm F/1.2 Lens Review – The Fast and the Spurious

https://i0.wp.com/casualphotophile.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/nikon-nikkor-55mm-1.2-photos-1.jpg?fit=3000%2C1688&ssl=1 3000 1688 Josh Solomon Josh Solomon https://casualphotophile.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/kodak-ektachrome-samples-josh-9-of-9.jpg November 14, 2018 June 5, 2021

After shooting the Nikon Nikkor 55mm f/1.2 fast prime for the past month, I’m reminded of my old, high school jazz instructor. He would always tell our band, ”Speed isn’t everything.” Our problem was that…

Josh Solomon
13

September 25, 2018

Voigtländer Ultron 35mm f/1.7 Leica Thread Mount Lens Review

https://i1.wp.com/casualphotophile.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/voigtlander-ultron-35mm-f-1-7-ltm-lens-products-samples-5.jpg?fit=3000%2C1688&ssl=1 3000 1688 Chris Cushing Chris Cushing https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/cca55b43890ad3ce76075bd1999eef4d?s=96&d=mm&r=g September 25, 2018 June 5, 2020

My foray into the world of Voigtländer started off as a lark, and I can blame this Voigtländer Ultron 35mm f/1.7 LTM lens for that. I wanted a 35mm lens to use on my Canon…

Chris Cushing
5

September 19, 2018

Rubinar 1000mm Mirror Lens Review

https://i1.wp.com/casualphotophile.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/Rubinar-1000mm-sample-photos-1.jpg?fit=2400%2C1350&ssl=1 2400 1350 James Tocchio James Tocchio https://casualphotophile.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/james-square.jpg September 19, 2018 June 5, 2020

In MotoGP, the world’s highest level of professional motorcycle racing, the bikes that riders ride are called liter bikes because their motors have an engine displacement of 1,000 cubic centimeters (cc). Since cubic centimeters are…

James Tocchio
10

September 3, 2018

Helios 44M 58mm F/2 Lens Review – Another Round of Russian Roulette

https://i2.wp.com/casualphotophile.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/helios-44m-review-2.jpg?fit=2400%2C1350&ssl=1 2400 1350 Josh Solomon Josh Solomon https://casualphotophile.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/kodak-ektachrome-samples-josh-9-of-9.jpg September 3, 2018 June 5, 2020

Our frequent coverage of lenses and cameras from the former Soviet Union might make us seem like ardent fans of the subgenre, but I can assure you it’s not the case (true at least for…

Josh Solomon
22

July 30, 2018

Industar 61 L/D 55mm F/2.8 Soviet Rangefinder Lens Review

https://i2.wp.com/casualphotophile.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/industar-61-ld-lens-review-3.jpg?fit=2400%2C1350&ssl=1 2400 1350 Josh Solomon Josh Solomon https://casualphotophile.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/kodak-ektachrome-samples-josh-9-of-9.jpg July 30, 2018 June 5, 2020

Writing for a photography website comes with some interesting side-effects. Aside from getting to shoot and own some of film photography’s greatest machines, you also end up with a few that leave you scratching your…

Josh Solomon
12

July 16, 2018

Speed Isn’t Everything – Voigtländer 90mm f/3.5 APO-Lanthar Review

https://i1.wp.com/casualphotophile.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/voigtlander-90mm-lanthar-review-3.jpg?fit=2400%2C1350&ssl=1 2400 1350 Chris Cushing Chris Cushing https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/cca55b43890ad3ce76075bd1999eef4d?s=96&d=mm&r=g July 16, 2018 June 5, 2020

The world was a confusing place in the lead-up to the year 2000. Computers and stock markets the world over were destined to crash due to two-digit date codes, though the valiant efforts of Peter…

Chris Cushing
10

June 4, 2018

Ten Years Later Zeiss’ Distagon T* 18mm F/3.5 Ultra-Wide for Nikon F and Canon EF Mount is Still Pretty Great

https://i2.wp.com/casualphotophile.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/zeiss-18mm-lens-samples-etc-26.jpg?fit=2400%2C1350&ssl=1 2400 1350 James Tocchio James Tocchio https://casualphotophile.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/james-square.jpg June 4, 2018 June 5, 2020

I realized with sudden terror that I’d been yanked away from everything I loved. My family, my cappuccino, the delicious key lime tart I’d been eating just moments before raising the camera to my eye,…

James Tocchio
5

May 4, 2018

A Year with the Leitz Summicron R 50mm F/2 Lens

https://i1.wp.com/casualphotophile.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/leicaflex-SL2-product-photos-7.jpg?fit=2200%2C1467&ssl=1 2200 1467 James Tocchio James Tocchio https://casualphotophile.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/james-square.jpg May 4, 2018 June 5, 2020

Made to fit Leica’s R mount SLR cameras, Leitz R series lenses don’t enjoy the fanfare heaped on their M mount brethren. No surprise; Leica shooters skew toward rangefinders, and sticker shock keeps kids looking…

James Tocchio
32