As Photokina nears we are getting a pile of announcements- some shipping soon, some just developments. 

Nikon 20mm f/1.8G ED

• F Mount Lens/FX Format
• Maximum Aperture: f/1.8
• Aspherical and ED Elements
• Nano Crystal Coating
• Internal Focus, Silent Wave Motor
• Soft Pouch, Lens Hood Included

The AF-S NIKKOR 20mm f/1.8G ED from Nikon is a wide-angle lens that is compatible with both full frame FX and DX crop sensor cameras. The fast f/1.8 maximum aperture allows a shallow depth of field for selective focus use, as well as shooting in low-light situations.The lens provides a 94° angle of view (30mm, 70° equivalent on DX-format cameras), and has a minimum focus distance of 7.8", allowing you to get close to your subject while isolating it from the background.Aspherical and Extra-low Dispersion elements with Nano Crystal Coating reduce sagittal flare and chromatic aberration, producing sharp images throughout the frame. A Silent Wave Motor provides quick, near-silent autofocusing. A soft pouch and lens hood are included.Nikkor 20mm f/1.8G will be available September 25- Preorder from Amazon | B&H | Adorama 

Nikon SB-500 AF Speedlight

Featuring an LED video light and a compact design, the SB-500 AF Speedlight from Nikon provides users with a portable unit compatible with Nikon's i-TTL metering. The flash has a good power rating with a guide number of 79' at ISO 100, and offers coverage for a 24mm lens with full frame cameras. Also, the 100 lux LED light has three output levels- quarter, half or full power- which is beneficial for both video and close up still photography.Versatility is important in this unit with the ability to tilt upward 90° and rotate left and right 180° for excellent bounce and swivel capabilities. The flash will also function wirelessly as either a commander unit or a remote slave for full compatibility with cameras, other flash units, and wireless flash controllers in Nikon's Creative Lighting System. The SB-500 will also transmit LED and flash color information to the camera for setting an optimal white balance and runs on 2 AA batteries, which provide a recycle time of 3.5-30 seconds. Included with the camera are a soft case and stand.

• Offers test firing, the ability to monitor pre-flashes, and an LED modeling flash function
• Flash compensation is available through camera settings
• Head tilts up 90° with click-stops at 0°, 60°, 75°, and 90°
• Head rotates horizontally 180° to the left and right with click-stops at 0°, 30°, 60°, 75°, 90°, 120°, 150°, and 180°
• Four wireless channels are available in Commander mode while only 1 is available in Remote mode
• Two wireless groups, A and B, are available
• Flash-ready indicator lights up when fully recycled or flashes slowly as a warning
• Receives about 100 flashes from a pair of Alkaline batteries and about 140 from Ni-MH
• A thermal cut-out function protects the flash
• Firmware can be updated

Nikon SB-500 will be available September 25- Preorder from Amazon | B&H | Adorama 

Sigma 150-600mm f/5-6.3 lenses - Yes TWO! And I am not talking about one for Canon and one for Nikon

Sigma announced two new telephoto zooms offering 150-600mm f/5-6.3 with full-frame compatibility.  The share dust and weather proofing, SIgma's Optical Stabilizer (OS), Sigma's fast AF motors (HSM) and offer the excellent build quality that Sigma has used on many of their new lenses. both are also compatible with the Sigma USB Dock for lens adjustments and firmware updates. So why two different lenses that offer the same range? Two versions - Sports prioritizes optical performance and the Contemporary version prioritizes portability.  Designed to offer a higher level of optical precision and contains 24 elements in 16 groups, with two FLD and three SLD elements to control aberrations and distortions. It has a minimum aperture of f/22, minimum focusing distance of 8.5', and maximum magnification ratio of 1:5. The lens measures 4.8 x 11.4", and weighs 6.3 lb. Sigma is targeting photographers who place the utmost value on performance over weight, along with refined handling capabilities. The lens will be available in Canon EF, Nikon F, and Sigma SA mounts.This Contemporary version contains 20 elements in 14 groups, with one FLD element and three SLD elements. It has a minimum aperture of f/22, minimum focus distance of 9.2', and maximum magnification ratio of 1:5 and shaves some dimensions off the Sports version to measure 4.1 x 10.2". Sigma has not determined the final weight yet, but it is safe to say it will be lighter than the Sports version, thanks to it is smaller dimensions and fewer optical elements. It, too, will be available in Canon EF, Nikon F, Sigma SA, and Sony A mounts.

A new All-in-one (AIO) from Sigma 18-300

This APS-C-only, all-in-one zoom lens features a 27-450mm equivalent focal-length range and is targeted at photographers who want to travel as lightly as possible and don’t want to carry around multiple lenses. The lens’s design utilizes four FLD elements and one SLD element to help minimize chromatic aberration while maintaining consistent sharpness and clarity. Sigma has also incorporated a new Optical Stabilizer system, which should help with handheld shooting in difficult lighting, and a Hyper Sonic Motor for fast and quiet autofocus.  I wonder how it will compare to the Tamron 16-300 I reviewed earlier this year.  No word on pricing or release date. 

Tamron Announces Development of Full Frame 15-30mm f/2.8 VC

press release

September 12, 2014, Saitama, Japan. – Tamron Co., Ltd. (President & CEO: Morio Ono), a leading manufacturer of precision optics, announces development of a new ultra-wideangle zoom lens for full-frame DSLR cameras with a fast F/2.8 aperture and VC (Vibration Compensation), the world’s first in its category. The price and launch date are to be determined. The lens will be showcased at the Tamron booth at Photokina 2014, September 16- 21, 2014 in Cologne, Germany (Photokina Booth Number:Hall 4.2 D10 – E19).Since 2012, Tamron has been expanding its lineup of interchangeable lenses for 35mm full-frame DSLR cameras. SP 24-70mm F/2.8 was the first in the series, being integrated with VC, followed by the 70-200mm F/2.8, 90mm F/2.8 Macro, and 150-600mm F/5-6.3. The array of those new lenses have been highly acclaimed among the photo enthusiasts and working pros around the globe. To address the needs for more towards the wider angular field, Tamron spearheaded the development of SP 15-30mm F/2.8 Di VC USD, a fast ultra-wideangle zoom lens with the image stabilization feature, setting itself apart from the rest of zooms in this category.

Interesting highlights here - image stabilization (VC), fast (f/2.8) and full frame- Those that need to shoot wide while on the move or for video work should stay tuned  - this could be a very interesting lens.