Tamron Super Zoom 18-400mm f/3.5-6.3 VC HLD Lens Coming Soon

Tamron Super Zoom 18-400mm f/3.5-6.3 VC HLD lens

Tamrom will be announcing their Super Zoom 18-400mm f/3.5-6.3 VC HLD for APS-C cameras and 24-70mm f/2.8 VC G2 lenses this week.

Canon also has plans to announce their Super Zoom lens some time in 2018. Currently the Super Zoom market is dominated by Sigma, Tamron and Nikon with their offering ranging from 150mm to 600mm.

I have the Canon EF 28-300mm f/3.5-5.6L IS lens and like it a lot for wildlife photography when the action is not too far. This lens is very versatile and has gone with me on global photo tours many times. You can follow my travels on Facebook and Twitter. See my equipment bag and works on MichaelDanielHo.com

When Is The Canon Super Zoom Lens Coming?

Canon EF 200-400mm f/4L IS USM Extender 1.4x lens

* * *  Two new Canon Super Zoom lens patents uncovered  * * *

Back in 2015, I reported Egami discovered a new Canon patent for a 200-600mm f/4.5-5.6 Super Zoom lens. Unfortunately, Egami has since been off the Internet and no more new patents have been reported.

However, Canon is definitely work on this technology. As you know, they rarely try to be the first, just the best. Currently, the Super Zoom space is occupied by Sigma and Tamron. Both companies have the 150-600mm lens out for a few years now with mediocre to good results.

Canon has the EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS II and EF 200-400mm f/4L IS USM Extender 1.4x lens out for some time but they are not readily affordable to all photographers. The new Super Zoom model Canon is perfecting now may not be an 'L' lens but it will be of high quality and more affordable, perhaps in the $1,000 to $1,500 list price category.

There is a chance Canon may decide to really wow photographers and turn this Super Zoom design into a SuperTelephoto zoom lens. If that is the case, I expect some industry breaking innovation. Perhaps a two stage built-in extender, like 1.4x and 1.7x. Stay tuned and keep checking back for the latest development.

I anticipate the new lens will be announced some time in the first half of 2018. The EF 600mm f/4 DO BR lens is also expected to arrive some time in 2018. These are the two lenses I am interested in buying. My readers know me as The Wildlife Ho-tographer and I have been testing Canon equipment on wildlife tours for years. You can follow my travels on Facebook and Twitter. See my equipment bag and works on MichaelDanielHo.com

Sigma 150-600mm f/5-6.3 Lens - $839 With Free Shipping

Last month, I came back from my Polar bear photo tour in Hudson Bay, Canada. It was quite a successful trip even though the weather was 'mild' by sub Arctic standard and the bears were not able to find sea ice to hunt seals even in mid November. Came across sows with cubs, sub adult and full grown males with reasonably healthy looking weight, this time of the year.

In past years, they would have been able to start heading out to the bay and try and replenish their weight by actively hunting seals. I came across the BBC2 film crew filming and broadcasting the Arctic Live series on the tundra. See more of my Polar bear photos from past trips.

You can follow my travels on Facebook , Twitter and see my works on MichaelDanielHo.com. For those who are into wildlife photography, Tamron and Sigma make some good long zoom lens at an affordable price, like the 150-600mm. I am not recommending these manufacturers but like the focal length of these design. Canon is expected to announce their Super Zoom - EF 200-600mm f/4.5-5.6 IS some time in 2017 as well.

There is a large, online camera retailer in New York City selling the Sigma 150-600mm f/5-6.3 lens (Contemporary model) for $839 with free expedited shipping. The offer is good for today, till midnight. Act fast if you want a good, consumer grade zoom lens for taking sports and wildlife photos.

You will not find a link to this retailer because I do not accept any advertisement or commissioned link on my Blog or website and do not solicit your email address for future spamming. I am completely unbiased in my reporting, have no conflict of interest and do not endorse any particular company. Find this company on Google yourself easily.  You can see my equipment bag, upcoming wildlife photo tours and works on MichaelDanielHo.com

Sigma 150-600mm f/5-6.3 DG OS HSM Lens On Sale

Polar bear sow and cubs napping on the tundra in Hudson Bay

Recently, I came back from my Polar bear photo tour in Hudson Bay, Canada. It was quite a successful trip even though the weather was 'mild' by sub Arctic standard and the bears were not able to find sea ice to hunt seals even in mid November. Came across sows with cubs, sub adult and full grown males with reasonably healthy looking weight, this time of the year.

In past years, they would have been able to start heading out to the bay and try and replenish their weight by actively hunting seals. I came across the BBC2 film crew filming and broadcasting the Arctic Live series on the tundra.

You can follow my travels on Facebook , Twitter and see my works on MichaelDanielHo.com. For those who are into wildlife photography, Tamron and Sigma make some good long zoom lens at an affordable price, like the 150-600mm. I am not recommending these manufacturers but like the focal length of these design. Canon is expected to announce their Super Zoom - EF 200-600mm f/4.5-5.6 IS some time in 2017 as well.

There is a large, online camera retailer in New York City selling the Sigma 150-600mm lens (Contemporary and Sport model) with a free USB Dock and a $140 promo saving, till Friday, November 27 (Saving Code is LENSFRIDAY). There are other Sigma lenses on sale as well.

You will not find a link to this retailer because I do not accept any advertisement or commissioned link on my Blog or website and do not solicit your email address for future spamming. I am completely unbiased in my reporting, have no conflict of interest and do not endorse any particular company. Find this company on Google yourself easily.  You can see my equipment bag, upcoming wildlife photo tours and works on MichaelDanielHo.com


Canon Australia is proud to announce that Season One of the brand’s locally conceived and produced photography adventure series, Tales by Light will be available to the global Netflix audience from 11 November.

Shot in stunning 4K resolution, Tales by Light Season One is a six-part series that follows five extraordinary photographers as they push the limits of their craft in little-known, little-covered and little-understood corners of the Earth.
“Having Tales by Light Season One available on Netflix is a wonderful acclamation of the quality and broad appeal of our Australian-made photography series and we are excited that it will now entertain millions of subscribers around the world,” says Canon Australia Director of Consumer Imaging and Executive Producer of the series Jason McLean. “This series is unique and started from our simple aim of celebrating the amazing visual storytellers who push the creative boundaries and it’s great that this concept resonates so well across regional divides.”

Prior to joining the Netflix documentary content line-up, Tales by Light Season One screened initially on the National Geographic Channel subscription network in Australia and New Zealand. Uniting exploration, photography and the natural world, Tales by LightSeason One was produced locally in 2015 and offers a rare glimpse into the eyes and minds of some of Australia and the world’s best photographic storytellers.

WHERE TO VIEW

Click here to watch Season One.

For additional content visit www.canon.com.au/talesbylight

Sigma 85mm f/1.4 Art Lens Coming Soon

I have just returned from my Upper Amazon/Peruvian Highlands Photo Tour testing the Canon EOS-1D X Mark II camera in hot, steamy jungles and cold, two miles plus high, Andean mountains. Overall, I am quite impressed by the new body but now I have to take some time to get back to the daily routine, process the photos and get ready for my next trip to again test the camera in a whole new part of the world and environment.

Sigma is expected to wow photographers again during Photokina in Cologne, Germany this September. My sources informed me they are ready to announce the 85mm f/1.4 Art lens, plus other glass, just before the big show.

My readers know Sigma has been one of the more innovative lens manufacturers in the last few years. Their 'standout' lens include the 50mm f/1.8 Art, 200-500mm f/2.8 APO EX DG, 50-100mm f/1.8 DC Art, etc. The 85mm f/1.4 Art is now out for field tests and should be ready in a couple of months.

Canon is also ready to announce more lens and cameras for the remainder of the year. This will be a bumper year for photographers. Keep checking back for the latest news and development. More to come. 

Canon Super Zoom Lens Coming in 2017

Canon EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS II zoom lens

Late last year, I reported Canon has filed a patent for the EF 200-600mm f/4.5-5.6 IS super zoom lens. Word is Canon may now be ready to release this lens to compete with the Sigma and Tamron 150-600mm models on the market.

Unless, the new lens comes in the professional 'L' grade model, the price point (presumably just slightly higher than or equal to the competing third party models) will not make economical sense for Canon to make the lens a great weather-sealed performer. I am not impressed by the current 'super zoom' models on the market. Adding the Canon name to another consumer model will not make it any better, albeit perhaps a solid performer for its price. There may even be a custom extender as an option to add on the new glass.

The current EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS II is a great performer. Even with a 1.4x extender added, the image is still quite acceptable. I hope Canon will release the EF 200-600mm in the 'L' grade and the EF 600mm f/4 DO BR some time this year. I will be a buyer of both glass. You can see my equipment bag and works on MichaelDanielHo.com 

Sigma Announces 50-100mm f/1.8 and 30mm f/1.4 DC Lens

Sigma 50-100mm f/1.8 DC HSM Art lens

KANAGAWA, JAPAN — February 23, 2016 – Sigma Corporation of America, a leading DSLR lens, camera, flash and accessories manufacturer, today announced the addition of two high-performance APS-C format lenses to the Sigma Global Vision product line : Sigma 50-100mm f/1.8 DC HSM Art Lens and the Sigma 30mm f/1.4 DC DN Contemporary Lens.

“Sigma’s aim is to provide high-performance lens options that lead with innovation and break new boundaries for every photographic scenario our customers can dream up,” states Mark Amir-Hamzeh, president of Sigma Corporation of America. “These new lenses build on Global Vision’s great IQ technology and reflect this goal, delivering immense value, quality and performance that the Sigma brand is known for.”

Sigma 50-100mm f/1.8 DC HSM Art

Building on the groundbreaking Sigma Global Vision 18-35mm F1.8 DC HSM Art Lens, the new Sigma 50-100 F1.8 (75-150mm on 35mm format) mid-range zoom lens embodies the same engineering prowess to deliver outstanding prime lens-like results. Factoring in the APS-C image circle of 1.5x, the 50-100mm F1.8 covers three popular short tele prime focal lengths: 85mm, 105mm and 135mm. Like the 18-35mm F1.8, the new 50-100mm F1.8 maintains a constant F1.8 aperture yielding exceptional brightness and resolution throughout the zoom, while simultaneously maintaining focus as the lens is zoomed, a feature videographers will greatly appreciate.

Sigma Art Line Image Technology Innovation

• Features three FLD (F Low Dispersion) glass elements, one SLD (Special Low Dispersion) glass element, and one high-refractive index, high-dispersion glass element to minimize aberrations.
• Redesigned and enhanced, the new Hyper Sonic Motor is 30% slimmer and provides fast and accurate AF.
• Highly durable polycarbonate diaphragm made with fluorine; blades feature carbon feather film offering exceptionally smooth operation even during continuous shooting.

Outstanding Zoom Lens Maneuverability

• Inner focusing and zoom design offer versatile shooting options
• Tripod socket for stable, comfortable operation
• Features 21 elements / 15 groups, Minimum Aperture: F1.6, 82mm filter thread, Minimum Focus Distance: 37.4in, Dimensions: 3.7×6.7, Weight: 52.6oz

The new Sigma 50-100mm f/1.8 Art will be available in Canon, Nikon and Sigma mounts. For more information, please visit www.sigmaphoto.com/50-100mm-f1-8-dc-hsm-art

Sigma 30mm f/1.4 DC DN Contemporary 

Combining outstanding optical performance and compact design, the new affordable Sigma 30mm f/1.4 DC DN Contemporary Lens brings immense value to mirrorless cameras. Boasting superior image quality with F1.4 brightness, the versatile lens covers a wide range of photo and video capture scenarios, delighting users with its beautiful bokeh effects.

Contemporary Line Performance and Value

• Represents first affordable f/1.4 performance lens for the mirrorless market
• Sigma engineered quality within a sleek compact design
• Fast, smooth AF stepping motor designed to support video
• Features one aspherical element and one double-sided aspherical element producing imaging quality comparable to the Art line.
• Features 9 elements / 7 groups, Minimum Aperture: F16, 52mm filter thread, Minimum Focus Distance: 11.8in, Weight: 9.3oz, Dimensions: 2.6×2.9in.

The new Sigma 30mm f/1.4 DC DN Contemporary Lens will be available in Sony E-Mount and Micro Four Thirds mount. For more information, please visit www.sigmaphoto.com/30mm-f1-4-dc-dn-c

Sigma Global Vision lenses including the new 50-100mm f/1.8 DC Art and 30mm F1.4 Contemporary lenses can be updated with the latest lens software from a workstation or laptop using the Sigma Optimization Pro software and Sigma USB Dock (sold separately).

Tested for Optimum Performance

Sigma lenses are born of well-thought-out design concepts, exceptional Japanese craftsmanship and manufacturing, and advanced lens performance testing and evaluation. To this end, Sigma has developed its own A1 proprietary MTF (modulation transfer function) measuring system using 46-megapixel Foveon direct image sensors. Even the most elusive high-frequency details are within the scope of Sigma’s quality control inspections. Every Global Vision lens is A1 tested, analyzed and approved before leaving the factory ensuring maximum performance out of the box.

For more information on Sigma’s industry leading testing, please visit http://blog.sigmaphoto.com/2012/a1-mtf-testing-for-new-sigma-lenses/

Specialized Mount Conversion Services

Ensuring continued ROI, Sigma will convert the current mount of your Sigma Global Vision lens to another of your choice. Sigma lenses currently from the Contemporary, Art or Sports line, in Sigma, Canon, Nikon, Sony, Pentax mounts can be converted to Sigma, Canon, Nikon, Sony or Pentax*.  Mirrorless lenses can be converted to Micro Four Thirds and Sony-E Mount. They cannot be converted to either an APS-C or a Full Frame format.  *For specific details, please visit http://www.sigmaphoto.com/service-support/mount-conversion-service

Sigma Plans For Their Art Line of Lens In 2016

Sigma 200-500mm f/2.8 APO EX DG lens

Zeiss is known as the third party lens maker that charges 'an arm and a leg' for those who want to own German glass. The recent announcement of the Sigma 20mm f/1.4 Art lens and their other offerings in the line in the past couple of years have many photographers sit up and take notice of this Japanese lens manufacturer. Zeiss recently introduced a 'lower priced' Milvus line of lens to try and blunt the appeal of the Sigma Art line.

Sigma will build on their recent success and continue to introduce more Art lens in 2016. This will certainly coincide with the big German trade show Photokina next year. Among the sought after Art lens will be the 85mm f/1.4, 24-70mm f/2.8 OS and the 70-200mm f/2.8 OS Sport.

All told, Sigma may be working on about 10 new Art lens, including wide angle primes and Super Telephoto models and will announce more models in the next 12 to 18 months. There is no plan to replace the Sigma 200-500mm f/2.8 lens, which is mostly a conversational piece of glass. The company that should be most worried is Zeiss.

Canon is already readying their venerable EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS III model for a 2016 announcement. Their Series II Super Telephoto lens lineup is in good shape, except for the replacement of the EF 800mm f/5.6L IS, which may be announced some time next year. The recently featured prototype EF 600mm f/4 DO BR lens during the Canon Expo 2015 will be the most anticipated lens for me in 2016 if they decide to release it.

Canon Developing New Slower Super Telephoto Lens?

Recently, I came across a post with the headline, 'Canon developing a new, slower Super Telephoto lens'. It read as follows :


We’re told that Canon is developing a new supertelephoto lens that is slower than f/4. One immediately thinks about an update to the EF 400mm f/5.6L, but we’re told that is not the case and it’ll be a new lens altogether.

While the source couldn’t nail down the exact focal length, speed or even if it was going to be a L lens, they did say the hope was to have such a lens to be announced some time in 2016 and that it would be “affordable”.

Frankly, that does not make sense to me. Yes, Canon is planning to introduce a replacement to the venerable EF 400mm f/5.6L some time in the future but this is technically a "L' lens with a long focal length in my book, not a Super Telephoto lens. Canon already had a slower, Super Telephoto lens, the EF 500mm f/4.5L. It was replaced by the EF 500mm f/4L IS in 1999.  Currently, only 2 companies offer affordable, super telephoto wannabe zoom lens, like the Tamron 150-600mm f/5-6.3 Di VC USD lens and the Sigma 150-600mm f/5-6.3 DG OS HSM lens.

Of course, these lens are more affordable for a reason. They are slower, less well-built and do not have the same image quality as the top-of-the-line Canon or Nikon lens. In my opinion, Canon already has a winning technology on their hands. It is the Diffractive Optics lens, the latest model is the EF 400mm f/4 DO IS II. This is my favorite Super Telephoto lens in my equipment bag. 

Diffractive Optics technology helps Canon lower the weight of the lens without sacrificing image or build quality. It also keeps the price of the lens quite 'affordable'. They should be developing more lens with DO technology in different focal lengths. The ultimate glass of course, would be a DO version of the EF 200-400mm f/4L IS USM 1.4x Extender lens but I am not holding out hope for that any time soon.  

More Sigma DG Art Lenses Coming In 2015

Sigma 200-500mm f/2.8 APO EX DG lens

Recently, I have reported Sigma is planning to launch a new line of Cinema lenses. Their 24-105mm f/1.4 Art lens has received very good reviews and now Sigma is ready to go on a row in 2015.

Rumor has it they are planning to offer a host of new DG Art lenses - 14-24mm f/4 ; 16-20mm f/2 ; 24mm f/1.4 and 85mm f/1.4  This is an aggressive agenda and Sigma is bent on giving companies like Canon, Nikon and Zeiss a run for their money. Photographers can only benefit from a healthy competition.

Sigma 150-600mm f/5-6.3 DG OS HSM Sports Lens

Sigma 150-600mm f/5-6.3 DG OS HSM Sports lens

* * *  Sigma announced 150-600mm Sports lens for Photokina 2014  * * *

Late last year, the Tamron 150-600mm f/5-6.3 lens was announced and it is still not widely available in the United States. I managed to put the lens through a quick test in January 2014 and wrote a post about it.

Now Sigma wants to join this space by announcing their own 150-600mm f/5-6.3 DG OS lens. Ever since the revolutionary Canon EF 200-400mm f/4L IS 1.4x Extender USM lens was released last year, third party lens manufacturers are trying to emulate the versatility of this Super Telephoto lens but for a fraction of the price.

Sigma’s new lens has 24 elements compared to Tamron’s 20, and weighs a little over 6 pounds. Minimum focusing distance is also a bit shorter, and the lens has optimized AF and OS. The Sigma lens will be available in Sigma, Canon and Nikon mounts, with Sony A-Mount coming later. I will reserve judgement on this lens until I have a chance to try it out.

Sigma 150-600mm Lens Specs, Tamron 150-600mm specs in bracket for comparison :

•     Construction : 24 elements, 16 groups (20 elements, 13 groups)
•     Filter diameter : 105 mm (95mm)
•     Minimum focusing distance : 260 cm (270 cm)
•     Dimensions : 121 x 290.2 mm (105.6 x 257.8 mm)
•     Aperture blades : 9, rounded (9, rounded)
•     Maximum magnification : 1:5 (1:5)
•     Weight : 2860 g / 100.88 oz.  (1951 g / 68.8 oz.)
•     Available mounts : Canon, Nikon, Sigma (Canon, Nikon, Sony)
•     List price : less than $2,000