Lenses

We usually think of speed as a good thing. But in photography, sometimes the need for speed comes at a cost we don't want to pay.

Our weekly round up covers gear news you can use, covering accessories, X100VI alternatives, appreciating assets, and authoritative tomes.

My favourite lens is the first prime lens I bought, and the first Leica lens I bought. Some view it as the best 50mm lens ever made.

A new camera is always a thrill. This week's Macfilos Newsround looks at a few new arrivals in summer 2024. And at some lenses, too.

In the second part of his visit to the Monterey Peninsula, Keith takes us on a brief visit to one of the most famous towns, and most famous coastlines, in California. Armed with an M240 and three lenses, he shows us how well a Leica-M kits handles California's most scenic spots.

Back-button focus allows photographers independent control of focusing and shutter release, which offers a number of advantages. Its implementation on the Leica SL2 is particularly elegant.

Leica has fixed the file-overwriting firmware bug and updating is essential for all owners

When the Leica M5 came out in 1971, it was received with much criticism. Too big, too ugly. The built-in light metering got less praise. Even Leica collectors often ignore this ill-fated M model. We give it a try and show what the M5 is capable of.

The author gives us his assessment of a camera that used to be referred to as a stepping stone to more accomplished Leica cameras, but is currently receiving much critical acclaim in its own right.

Sales of photographic film are booming. But, despite shelling out big money on the film itself, it looks like the new cadre of film shooters have some new ideas. Film buffs want scans, not negatives. We take a look at this new and rather perverse trend in this week's Newsround.

Keith travels for the first time with only a rangefinder, visiting one of the most scenic places in California: the Monterey Peninsula.

Leica today announced the acquisition of Fjorden Electra SA, the Norwegian iPhone developer. Simultaneously, a new Leica Lux application was launched in the Apple App Store, representing the first product of the new partnership. Fjorden was founded by Dr Victor Henning in Oslo in 2020 with the aim of developing iPhone apps and accessories for the global market.

If you own an interchangeable-lens camera, chances are you own a couple of third-party lenses, delivering high optical performance at low cost. This week, we have good news from the world of third-party lenses.

The new Sigma 28-45mm f/1.8 DG DN | Art is claimed to be the first full-frame zoom lens with a constant maximum aperture of f/1.8. Sigma says that this fast zoom delivers sharpness and clarity comparable to that of a prime lens throughout the range. Sigma has already pioneered fast zooms with the 18-35mm f/1.8 DC HSM | Art and the 25-35 f/2 DG HSM and the DN (digital native) 28-45mm f/1.8 adds to this impressive line up to join the latest lenses designed expressly for mirrorless cameras.

The debate rages on about the best camera for street photography, but Keith would argue that a discontinued gem, the Leica TL2, is a great option out on the street.