Third Party Lenses
Derek Smith • 31 May 2024
Poppies
Sony NEX 3N with Sigma 60mm f/2.8 lens by Derek Smith
Bollards
Fuji XS-20 with TT Artisans AF 27mm f/2.8 lens by Derek Smith
Girl and Horse
Sony 5100 with Tamron 18-200mm lens by Derek Smith
Sam
Olympus OM EM5 II, with Sigma 56 f/1.4 prime lens by Derek Smith
Choosing a lens for a camera system is never an easy task, selecting the right focal length for your needs, whether to buy a zoom lens, or prime lens and then what aperture is required. For some camera systems the manufacturer may even provide a different aperture in the same focal length as an example a Canon RF 50mm prime lens f/1.8 can be purchased for around £200 but choosing the 50mm f/1.2 version might cost ten times this.
Many cameras when purchased new will be available with a “kit” lens, these are very often good value for money, and get you started with the new camera. The “kit” lens supplied with a camera system can often be of an inexpensive build quality, sometimes the widest aperture will be f/3.5, and have a lower optical quality than more expensive offerings. I used the Sony 16-50mm PZ compact zoom lens for many years on my APS-C cameras. At that time Sony did not offer much in the way of E-mount APS-C lenses, just a longer zoom 55-210mm, and a 35mm f/1.8 prime, and this is where a third party lens can be of a real benefit, I bought a Tamron 18-200mm f/3.5 – f/6.3 zoom lens, (when Sony introduced a 18-200mm f/3.5-f/6.3 lens it was rumoured that it was manufactured by Tamron), and a Sigma 60mm f/2.8 prime to add to my camera kit.
Tamron, and Sigma dominated the third-party lens market for many years and provided lenses that often filled gaps in a propriety manufacturers offerings. Sigma has produced a widely acclaimed trio of f/1.4 lenses the 16mm, 30mm, and 56mm available for many APS-C mounts. As an example when Canon introduced the M mount mirrorless series of cameras, such as the M50, as far as I am aware Canon developed only 2 zoom lenses, and a nice 22mm prime pancake lens, this system had a lot of potential, but Canon dropped the system in favour of the RF mount digital mirrorless cameras, all three of the Sigma f/1.4 prime lenses are available for the M mount cameras, filling the gaps that Canon left in the system.
Samyang manufactures a wide range of lenses for various mirrorless camera mounts, the 12mm f/2 APS-C wide angle lens is well renowned for build, and optical quality, and I’ve used this lens on my Sony A6300, and now on the Fuji system, I’ve created some incredible images with it such as at Mam Tor, Whitby, the night sky images, and all of the last years churches project. For full frame cameras I used the Samyang 45mm f/1.8 on my Sony A7 ii and took some amazing portraits with this lens.
Chinese lens developers have come to the fore with some very inexpensive third-party lenses to fit various mirrorless camera mounts. Viltrox, 7 Artisans, TT Artisans, Meike, and Pergear are some of these Chinese brands, initially a lot of lens offerings were, and still are manual focus, but many more autofocus lenses are now being produced. Sigma, and Tamron manufacture quality products in Japan, and Samyang are a South Korean company.
Currently, I’m using the TT Artisans AF 27mm f/2.8 pancake lens with my Fuji system, the lens is on sale for around £160, and I’ve just purchased the TT Artisans AF 56mm f/1.8 bought for £130, which I’m very pleased with. I replaced my Fuji 18-55mm f/2.8-4 lens (the optical quality of this Fuji lens was superb) but the Sigma 18-50mm lens has a constant f/2.8 aperture, is smaller, lighter, and focuses closer making it a great little travel lens.
In summation then a third-party lens may have the advantage of providing more choices of lenses for different camera mounts, at a competitive price point. The disadvantages of choosing a third-party lens could be a reduced resale value, less reliable product support, and may have inferior image quality, but if I can get 90% of the image quality at a third of the price then it’s a choice I’m prepared to make.
Louth Photographic Society
Good Morning All I was having my lunchbreak on the Wolds last week and spotted this tree in a field next to me, it does give the impression it's looking at you. I hope you're all enjoying the summer break, time does fly by and it's time to get ready for returning to the club on the 9th of September. We start with mini lecture, 15 minutes on what you have been doing over the summer. If you want to take part, please email me and we will see how many we have. The September PDI competition is coming up as well on the 23 rd of September, Objects in the air and open, Harry will now start taking your entries, three entries in each subject with an (R) after one of them to be removed if there are too many entries. Derek sent the N&EMPF Exhibition entry forms out; I will again act as organiser for our club. The standard is very high so it's one for your best PDI's. We will view some last year's PDI's that made the grade on the 16 th of September. Regards Graham
NELPS organised an outing to the Trolleybus Museum at Sandtoft, there was some confusion with opening times, and a few of us arrived to find the gates closed, we went for a coffee!! Once inside and parked up we were welcomed by the volunteer staff, and began to take some photos around the site. A Grimsby trolleybus was running this morning, this bus had been painstakingly restored from a bare chassis, with great attention to detail, even down to sourcing the original moquette fabric to upholster the seats, it was great to be able to ride in a trolleybus again. Trolleybuses have a particular nostalgic memory for me, I lived in Uxbridge, on the outskirts of London, and the 607 trolleybus route ran past the end of my road, with a usual frequency of 5 minute intervals the buses were a common sight gliding along the main road. The 607 route was one of the longest in the country 11 miles to Shepherds Bush, taking about an hour for the journey. The trolleybus was whisper quiet, comfortable, and pollution free, and I took several trips on these. In comparison the conventional London bus the “RT” was not as quiet for longer journeys. The London trolleybuses, and eventually the London “RT” buses, were replaced with the iconic diesel fuelled Routemaster “RM” bus. I had an enjoyable visit, and many thanks to NELPS for organising the outing.
When we see a photograph what do we actually see? Does the image grab our attention? Does the image tell a story, or do we have to fill in the blanks with our own memories, and experiences? If we see a complete picture, or just a detail, which stirs our emotions most? At a recent competition a print was shown of fishing boats pulled up on the beach at North Landing, Flamborough, it was an excellent print, but the judge remarked “it’s just boats on a beach”. Do we feel the same emotion with a “normal” view, or do we want more, a storm raging, or fishermen launching the boats? Anyway, here are a few of my “abnormal” photos, first up a rusted bolt, you see I ask “who put that there?”, “what did it once hold?” Second, a vehicle excise disc, surely that stirs memories? Thirdly, a stone carved column, who carved the details? Was it shaped according to an architect’s brief, or a stone masons pattern? What emotions were felt by the stone mason? Lastly, a door handle. Where does this lead? How old is it, and how many hands have opened this door? Finally, I think that I’ve got my “mojo” back, I’ve been out more with my camera, and enjoying the experience, and surely that’s what photography is all about, the joy of capturing an image that pleases me.
The Exhibition will be in place from 10th - 29th September 2026
I was scrolling through the archives yesterday, and found these "Still Life" images. Still Life is an interesting photographic genre that requires good lighting, and compositional skills, but the results can be amazing. Here are four images of the genre, "Breakfast" showing cereal falling into a bowl, "Four Candles" (no not the ones from the Two Ronnies sketch), the moody "Decaying Tulip", and the simple but effective monochrome "Opener". Perhaps these images might give you some inspiration.
I joined the NELPS outing at Chambers Farm Woods on Wednesday. The NELPS visit to Chamber Farm wood and butterfly garden was well attended, with several members from NELPS, Grimsby, Dunholme and Louth, kind thanks to all that came, although it was very hot the butterfly garden, being rather full and slightly unkept did not let us down with butterflies, two less common were seen, a Comma butterfly and a humming bird moth, with loads of very lively common blue butterflies. Most of the insects in the butterfly garden were highly active, and by the time an insect was spotted, it was off!! I managed to just about get an image of the Comma butterfly, and nobody stood a chance with the humming bird moth, it was too fast. The dragonfly was more accommodating remaining fairly still posing for us. The next NELPS outing will be to the Peoples Park in Grimsby on Wednesday 19th, I'm busy on that day, but I will be attending the meeting at the Sandtoft Trolleybus Museum on Wednesday 26th. Many thanks to NELPS for organising these outings, it was a thoroughly pleasurable morning.
A visit to Whitby for a sunset picture didn't quite go to plan. Unknown to me today is the last day of the Whitby Regatta. Whitby in the summer is usually busy, but today it rivaled Time Square in New York. My planned shoot of the East Pier was a non-starter because for tonight only there's a fun fair along West Pier where I planned to shoot from. I had to re-think and resort to plan b, which was also a non-starter because the East Pier was closed as it was packed with fireworks. Plan c was OK though and I got an image I'm pleased with.
I've been up to RSPB Bempton Cliffs this week, and have taken some excellent photographs, the weather was fine, and the lighting was less harsh than usual. This pair were on the cliff top, obviously well established, and saw off this interloper trying to muscle in on their space, those beaks look very vicious. I hope that everyone else is having a productive summer break.
For club interaction, we are invited to these NELPS photo shoots. So lets start this club interaction, NELPS are now on there summer break, but it does not stop there. The NELPS club president has put together some outdoor photo shoots:- Lincoln 5th Aug meet at the Cathedral 11am Not forgetting the photo exhibition by Lincoln Camera Club in the Usher Gallery! Chambers Farm Wood & Butterfly Farm 12th Aug meet at 10am. Peoples Park Grimsby 19th Aug meet at 10am. Trolley Bus Museum Sandtoft 26th Aug meet at 10am Cadwell Park 10th Aug motorbikes, 24th Aug cars and both are track days so free to get in.
Sutton & Trusthorpe Camera Club have their annual Exhibition at the Meridale Hall, Sutton on Sea, on 29th / 30th August. Drink and a Home-made cake only £3!
