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A slip at Nikon HQ has prematurely revealed a new 50mm ƒ1.8 lens

Nikon is all set to launch a new 50mm lens for its SLRs, according to a page which popped up and then promptly disappeared from its website. The new lens is the long-awaited 50mm AF-S Nikkor 50mm ƒ1.8G.

Nikon historically has a pair of fast 50mm lenses in its lineup. The always cheap ƒ1.8 (I own one. It is excellent) and the more expensive, faster ƒ1.4. The these decades-old designs have aperture rings and lack the internal AF motors of the more modern S lenses. Recently, Nikon added the AF-S 50mm ƒ1.4G lens, which ditched the aperture ring and added the fast, internal motor.

Why is this important? Because almost all new Nikon SLR bodies lack the motor and spindle to focus these older lenses. This means that the entry-level cameras can only use these older lenses with manual focus. That would be fine, but the viewfinders in these bodies just aren’t designed to make manual focusing easy.

The specs are similar to the older ƒ1.8 G lens, although the internal layout has changed, adding an aspherical lens element and grouping seven elements in six groups (the older lenses groups six elements in five groups). The lens can be used on both FX and DX bodies, and will turn into a nice 75mm portrait lens on the crop-sensor DX bodies.

It looks like a great entry-level lens, just like the 50mm has always been. The only thing we don’t know is price. That wasn’t revealed on Nikon’s short-lived product page. So here, to give you a guide, are the current prices from B&H Photo:

1.4D $370

1.4G $550

1.8D $135

1.8G $?

Nikon AF-S 50mm f/1.8G Lens . . . It’s About Time! [Photography Bay]

See Also:

• Nikon Launches 50mm Silent Wave Lens. At Last.
• $11000 Leica Lens Sees in the Dark
• Nikon Announces Hot, Fast 35mm “Standard” Lens

You’ve probably taken a photo before where the sunset looked beautiful, but the landscape was too dark. By placing a black card over part of your lens, and taking a slow exposure shot, you can take photos like these: More »

Nikon Coolpix P500 reviewed, zooms to infinity but not beyond originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 06 Apr 2011 03:10:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Okay, so Nikon kind of spoiled the surprise with this one, but we can now enlighten you with the full details of its upcoming midrange (or “advanced beginner” as Nikon calls it) DSLR refresh. The D5100 takes the spot of the venerable D5000, but follows the previous generation’s recipe for success pretty closely. The D5000 was a stripped-down D90 in a simpler, smaller package that came with an articulating LCD, and the D5100 just so happens to feature the same mighty 16.2 megapixel sensor as the D7000 (Nikon’s current high-end consumer DSLR) augmented with a flipout screen. Having the D7000’s internals helps the new shooter churn out 1080p video at 24fps, 25fps, or 30fps, depending on your preference for up to a maximum of 20 minutes. The D5000 is only capable of five-minute bursts of 720/24p video and isn’t able to continually autofocus, which the D5100 can. The D5100 also betters its predecessor in terms of physical fitness, coming in at a healthy 10 percent lighter and smaller, while a good number of the physical controls have been repositioned in order to allow for a new horizontal opening mechanism. That’ll be a well appreciated tweak for tripod users. The new screen’s also 17 percent thinner, we’re told, and steps up to a 3-inch diagonal with a 920k-dot resolution. Solid stuff. After the break you’ll find a full spec sheet along with some video action with the D5100. Pricing for this camera is set at $800 / €777 / £670 for the body only or $900 / €904 / £780 for the body plus an 18-55mm VR kit lens. The ME-1 external mic introduced alongside it — did we not mention the D5100 has an external mic input — will cost $180 / €139 / £120 and both are expected in stores on April 21st.

Continue reading Nikon D5100 and ME-1 external mic coming April 21st, we go hands-on (video)

Nikon D5100 and ME-1 external mic coming April 21st, we go hands-on (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 05 Apr 2011 00:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Devastating. There are no words to effectively convey the human catastrophe suffered in Japan. Engadget would like to express our sincere condolences to those readers personally affected by recent events.

As a tech publication, we’re obviously focused on the impact recent events will have on Japan’s vast consumer electronics industry — an industry that has responded with millions of dollars in cash, equipment and services to help with the relief effort. Thus far, Canon, Panasonic, and Sony have each pledged ¥300 million ($3.67 million) in donations. Sony is also matching employee contributions as will Mitsubishi who’s donating a whopping ¥500 million ($6.1 million) in aid. On the equipment side, Sony is donating some 30,000 radios to relief efforts while Panasonic is providing 10,000 radios, 10,000 flashlights, and 500,000 batteries. NEC, Kyocera, and Epson are each donating ¥100 million in funds, computers, and telecoms and IT equipment.

While it’s still too early to quantify the exact impact the earthquake, tsunami, and ongoing nuclear troubles will have on the global tech industry, the scope of the issues is becoming clearer now that the initial chaos has passed. Click through to see how everything from laptop batteries to iPads are at risk.

Continue reading Japanese quake will likely affect the global supply of gadgets

Japanese quake will likely affect the global supply of gadgets originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 14 Mar 2011 09:24:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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