We're doing a countdown the 12 days of Christmas with our rundown of the 12 months of 2024 when it came to lenses. Today we're looking at September, and Canon doing something a bit radical…
Following in the footsteps of Tamron and Nikon, to name but a couple, September saw the arrival of the Canon RF 28-70mm f/2.8 IS STM. As with others, it’s like a trinity standard zoom in that it has a constant f/2.8 aperture rating but with a slightly more modest overall zoom range (compared with regular 24-70mm standard zoom lenses).
It also follows suit in being relatively compact and lightweight, and much more affordable to buy.
Speaking of unconventional trinity lenses, we also saw the launch of the Sigma 28-105mm f/2.8 DG DN | Art. It has the constant f/2.8 aperture of a trinity, but significantly stretches the reach of a standard zoom – reaching into serious short telephoto territory.
Crossing the streams somewhat, Sigma released its next zoom for the Canon mirrorless system. The Sigma 10-18mm f/2.8 DC DN | Contemporary is a new wide-angle zoom, again with a constant f/2.8 aperture, but designed specifically as an RF-S lens for APS-C EOS R cameras.
Nikon went for prime time again, following up its recent Z 35mm f/1.4 with a new companion Nikon Z 50mm f/1.4 lens. Again, it’s ideally suited to both stills and video and comes at a more inexpensive price than the 50mm f/1.8 S-line lens.
Arguably bigger news for Nikon Z as well as Sony Alpha shooters was the reinvention of old favorite Tamron macro lenses, this time for mirrorless cameras, in the shape of the Tamron 90mm f/2.8 Di III VXD Macro.
And if full 1.0x macro magnification isn’t enough, there was also the launch of the 7Artisans 60mm f/2.8 2X Ultra-Macro that doubles things up with 2.0x magnification. A fully manual lens, it became available for Canon RF, Nikon Z and Sony E mount cameras. The company also relaunched the 7Artisans AF 85mm f/1.8 autofocus prime in Nikon Z mount.
In a not-too-distant camp, there was a new manual TTartisan 75mm f/1.5, designed to give distinctive swirly bokeh, and an autofocus TTartisan AF 14mm f/3.5, a super-compact wide-angle prime for Sony APS-C format cameras.
Taking downsizing to the extreme, the sliver-thin Viltrox AF 28mm f/4.5 VCM ASPH ED pancake lens weighed in at just a couple of ounces, despite featuring autofocus. Driving the price down, a similarly cost-effective lens was the new Meike 35mm F2.0, in Nikon Z, Sony E and L-mount flavors.
At the more expensive end of the price range there came a brand new Leica Vario-Elmarit-SL 70-200 f/2.8 Asph trinity telephoto zoom for the Leica SL system.
For something a little different, there was a world-first in the guise of the new Samyang Modular Lens Kit with autofocus, that comprised a single mount unit and 21mm f/3.5, 28mm f/3.5 and 32mm f/2.8 full-frame optic modules.
September also saw three new additions to the Leitz Hugo II cine lens line-up, with 66mm, 75mm, and 90mm T2.1 lenses coming onstream.
A tasty review menu in September served up many of the month’s launces, including the Canon RF 28-70mm f/2.8 IS STM, Sigma 28-105mm f/2.8 DG DN | Art, Sigma 10-18mm f/2.8 DC DN | C, 7Artisans 60mm f/2.8 Macro 2x and Viltrox AF 28mm f/4.5 FE.
We also reviewed the AstrHori 120mm F2.8 Macro 2x, Canon RF 35mm f/1.4L VCM and the sublime Hasselblad XCD 20-35E.
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