Nikon created this beautiful video promoting Nikkor lenses, and included interesting looks into how their lenses are manufactured. Previously we shared a post showing how Canon manufactures their 500mm lens.
(via Nikon Rumors)
Looks like Nikon has a new 50mm lens primed for announcement. Earlier today a AF-S NIKKOR 50mm f/1.8G product page appeared on Nikon’s website, but was quickly pulled — but not before it was already widely reported (here’s a screenshot of the page). The lens features a Silent Wave Motor for quiet focusing, and a “newly developed optical system employing an aspherical lens element”. It will be compatible with both DX and FX format cameras. No word on when this lens will become official or how much it will cost.
(via Nikon Rumors)
Nikon announced yesterday that the 60 milionth Nikkor lens came into existence sometime in March 2011, a month after Canon announced the 60 millionth Canon EF lens. Canon has had a faster growth rate though — while the first Nikkor lens was made in 1959, Canon’s EF mount didn’t show up until 1987.
(via Popular Photography)
If Adam Elmakias’ lens bracelets aren’t retro enough for you, photographic.ly is now selling these f/stop lens bracelets featuring a colorful design based on old Nikon/Nikkor lenses.
Read more…
A special limited edition set of three Nikon f/1.4 lenses is being sold in certain European countries (currently Belgium and Sweden). Limited to only 100 sets, each set includes a Nikkor AF-S 24mm, 35mm and 85mm.
What’s strange is that unlike what you typically see with limited edition gear, these sets are actually selling for considerably less than if you purchased each lens separately. In Belgium the set is priced at €4,899, or about €1,000 (~$1,370) less than the sum of the individual lens prices on Amazon. No word on whether we’ll ever see this kind of thing in the US.
Luxury Box f/1.4 (via Nikon Rumors)
Nikon and NASA are showcasing some amazing photos taken aboard the International Space Station with Nikon equipment. According to Nikon, NASA took over 700,000 photos with the Nikon gear kept on board, which includes one Nikon D3S DSLR, eight Nikon D2XS cameras, 36 NIKKOR lenses including three teleconverters, seven SB-800 Speedlights, and other gear. Nikon notes that the D3S is unmodified, and is the same quality as available on the consumer market.
Nikon has a long history with NASA since sending a Nikon F camera with Apollo 15 in 1971. Since then, Nikon’s enjoyed exposure while helping NASA get image exposures. Most recently, the D3S that is currently on board was delivered to the ISS via the Space Shuttle Discovery, launched April 10, 2010. NASA says each shuttle launch costs approximately $450 million — that is one expensive delivery! Here are more images from the International Space Station taken with Nikon gear:
Nikon has a couple neat interactive tools that make it easy to explore and compare lenses. Their lens simulator lets you see what resulting photographs might look like with any lens and camera combination, while their new lens positioning map displays the NIKKOR lineup on a grid with aperture and focal length as the two axes.
Once you’ve found lenses or combinations you like, you can save them for future reference.
If you have deep pockets, Nikon has a wonderful new $6,999.95 lens for you. They’ve just announced the new Nikon AF-S 200-400mm f/4G ED VR II, a super telephoto lens for sports, nature, and travel photographers. Nikon claims that the latest Vibration Reduction technology, VR II, provides the equivalent of an extra four stops of light, which is one stop more than the previous version of this lens released in 2003. Additional improvements include Nikon’s proprietary Nano Crystal Coat, which reduces ghosting and flaring, and Automatic Panning Detection and an Active VR Mode, which allows the lens to be used at unstable locations such as in a moving vehicle.
The old lens is still being sold for ~$6,000 online, but you can expect the price to plummet once this lens is available in late May 2010. For more information on this lens, check out the press release put out by Nikon.
Nikonians rejoice! Nikon has just announced two new lenses: the AF-S NIKKOR 24mm f/1.4G ED and the AF-S NIKKOR 16-35mm f/4G ED VR.
The new 16-35mm is huge news for full frame Nikon users, as it is the widest FX-format focal range with VR at 16mm. 16mm without a crop factor is pretty darn wide — that’s a wide angle view of 107°!
Nikon’s 24mm is also nothing to overlook for FX and DX users. It joins Nikons array of prime lenses, but boasts the widest aperture in a wide angle lens.
Photographer Bob Krist had one of the first hands-on shooting with both lenses, and he’s got some photos with the 24mm f/1.4G ED on his site.
Both of the new lenses utilize Nikon’s Silent Wave Motor (so none of that angry-robot whirring like the f/1.8 nifty 50), a Nano Crystal Coat to reduce internal “ghosting” and flaring, and ED glass. (Confused by all the numbers and letters? Here’s a helpful article: Lens names explained.)
But of course, all this fantastic gear comes at a pretty price. Nikon will release the 16-35mm f/4 later this month, with an estimated price of $1259.95. The 24mm f/1.4 will be available late March 2010 for around $2199.95.
Even if you’re not planning on dropping bills on the new lenses, keep an eye out for quality lens resells. The 24mm f/1.4 will likely effectively replace the comparatively cheap but trusty Nikon 24mm f/2.8, and it’s likely that there will be more DX lenses available on the resell market.
