Biotar 58mm f/2 Lens Officially Announced



(Koblenz, Germany) An updated version of the Biotar 58mm f2 will join the already announced Biotar 75mm f1.5, as the first two pieces in Oprema Jena’s lineup of modern remakes of classic lenses, the company announced today.

Oprema is offering 58 people the chance to get the Biotar 75 and Biotar 58 – both originally produced by Carl Zeiss — as part of a special rewards bundle in the current Kickstarter campaign for the Biotar 75. The 58 Biotar 58s will be pre-production models with serial numbers between 1 and 58. A pledge of $1,999 USD would allow someone to get both lenses at $2,500 less than the combined projected retail price for the lenses.

The Biotar 75 is expected to go on the market next summer at a projected retail price of $2,499, with the Biotar 58 following by the end of the year at a projected retail price of $1,999.

“This shows that Oprema is not a one-time activity but a strategic effort to bring those great lenses back to live,” said Dr. Stefan Immes, who heads Oprema. “We are following our plan.”

The Biotar 58/2 will be available with mounts for:

  • Canon
  • Nikon
  • Sony-E
  • Leica-M (rangefinder coupling supported)
  • Fuji X
  • M42

Via Photorumors

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m43 Solar Eclipse Coverage Videos

Many photographers photographed the Solar Eclipse yesterday including me, but some of the best videos of the eclipse came from Panasonic GH5 owners. m43 has a huge advantage shooting these kinds of events and a lot of videographers captured some great footage of the event on Youtube that shows a variety of ways the eclipse could be exposed. Solar eclipses are very high dynamic range events that can’t really be captured in a single frame so it’s worth viewing a few photos and videos to get a better idea of what one looks like if you missed totality yesterday.

Panasonic GH5: B&H Photo / Amazon / Adorama

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Panasonic LEICA DG VARIO-ELMAR 100-400mm vs LUMIX G II VARIO 100-300mm

The PANASONIC LUMIX G LEICA DG VARIO-ELMAR 100-400mm F4.0-6.3 ASPH. and LUMIX G II VARIO LENS, 100-300mm are both great lenses that include very capable O.I.S. systems, but is the Panasonic 100-400mm worth almost $1000 more? While the 100-400mm is a little sharper and includes some additional sharpness the 100-300mm is quite capable and I actually made one of my first YouTube videos with one. Shooting a medium format eclipse is a bit crazy, but shooting one with m43 is a breeze.

The size and weight of m43 make it very easy to shoot events like an eclipse on a whim. The below video I made the day I received my 100-300mm (if you don’t like metal mute your speakers) and it came out quite well all things considered. If you want to shoot the eclipse Monday without breaking your bank account a 100-300mm would be great for photographing/videoing totality since you won’t need a filter. Overnighting a lens with Amazon Prime isn’t bad and most areas now have Saturday delivery. Good luck to all those trying to get an eclipse shot Monday and check out what I am doing over at FujiAddict if you want to see my Medium Format setup.

Panasonic Leica DG Vario-Elmar 100-400mm f/4-6.3 ASPH.: B&H Photo / Amazon / Adorama
Panasonic II VARIO LENS, 100-300mm f4.0-5.6: B&H Photo / Amazon / Adorama

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EISA Compact System Zoom Lens 2017-2018 Olympus M.ZUIKO Digital ED 12-100MM F4.0 IS PRO


EISA Compact System Zoom Lens 2017-2018 Olympus M.ZUIKO Digital ED 12-100MM F4.0 IS PRO (Here)

The M.ZUIKO DIGITAL ED 12-100mm F4.0 IS PRO is an incredible travel lens as well as a general-purpose zoom lens. It covers an 8.3x zoom range with a constant F4.0 maximum aperture and built-in optical stabilisation. Built to withstand dust, moisture and rough use, the M.ZUIKO DIGITAL ED 12-100mm F4.0 IS PRO is as sharp as many prime lenses from super wide angle to telephoto, and its smooth and silent focusing makes it a favourite for video as well as still photography. Combined with Olympus’ latest pro cameras, it reduces camera shake with up to 6.5 stops, and at just 562g you can take it anywhere.

Olympus M. ZUIKO DIGITAL ED 12-100 mm F 4.0 IS PRO: B&H Photo / Amazon / Adorama

Posted in Olympus, Olympus lenses, Press releases| Tagged | 3 Comments

LEE Solar Filter Controversy: UPDATED


Earlier today Petapixel published an article about how Amazon is refunding LEE Solar filters because they were unable to ensure that the filter was safe for use, so I reached out to B&H Photo for clarification. While B&H Photo stands by the safety of the filter I continued to push for further clarification about why this might have happened, which led me to a contact at LEE Filters.

It seems Amazons concerns were that DSLR users would use it while looking through the optical view finder and regular viewers would use it instead of proper glasses. So out of unnecessary caution, Amazon is refunding and pushing the cost of the filters on dealers. The dealers will likely file a class action lawsuit against Amazon because there is nothing wrong with the filters if used for their intended purpose.

According to LEE all photographic filters for the Soler Eclipse are designed like theirs and Amazon might end up pulling them all if they realize this is the case. So the lucky people that ordered from Amazon should be perfectly ok using the filter on their mirrorless camera or with live view. Just don’t try to view the eclipse directly through the filter!

Official Statement

Amazon has incorrectly identified our filter as a viewing apparatus. The LEE Filters Solar Eclipse filter is NOT intended for viewing the eclipse but rather to photograph the phases of the eclipse, as clearly stated on our website.

Via FujiAddict

Posted in 3rd Party Lens, Accessories| 6 Comments