Mamiya RZ67 Professional IID

Medium format MF film SLR camera

Specification

Production details:
Announced:July 2004
System: Mamiya RZ67 (1982)
Format:
Maximum format:Medium format 6x7
Film type:120 roll film
220 roll film
Mount and Flange focal distance:Mamiya RZ67 [104mm]
Shutter:
Type:In-lens leaf shutter
Exposure:
Exposure metering:None
Exposure modes:Manual
Physical characteristics:
Weight:2490g
Dimensions:133.3x108x212.5mm

Manufacturer description

The RZ67 Professional IID is a complete camera system with many world-class standards that just got better. From it's legendary 6×7cm "Ideal Format", perfect for making 8×10 proportional enlargements with no image cropping or format waste, to its unique revolving film back, which provides vertical or horizontal composing, the RZ67 has earned the respect of professional photographers around the world.

Now with the demand from photographers to provide clients with the same quality and performance that they have come to expect, Mamiya introduces the new RZ67 Pro IID. The New RZ67 Pro IID is the result of an evolution into the next generation film and digital medium format camera. It offers advanced microprocessor technology for traditional film capture, while also enabling direct communication of all camera functions to digital capture backs through it's MSC(Mamiya Serial Communication) system.

Offering the professional photographer the same exclusive features of its legendary predecessors such as:

Rack and pinion bellows focusing, with left and right course and fine focusing adjustment knobs plus a locking focus lever. Bellows focusing system that when fully extended provides macro focusing capabilities as well as infinity focusing for aerial photography when fully compressed. Interchangeable Mamiya world-class quality lenses, with built-in leaf shutters offer shutter speeds from 8 to 1/400sec. Electronic flash synchronization is achieved at all shutter speeds and intermediate shutter speeds can be set on the camera's speed dial setting for more critical digital exposure control.

The Interchangeable AE Prism Finder FE701 offers three metering modes, and provides A/S Matrix metering, 1/6 f/stops exposure accuracy plus an LED function display in the viewfinder.

The Interchangeable film holder, featuring twin film counters ensures easy visibility in both horizontal and vertical film back position. An improved film flatness system maximizes edge-to-edge sharpness for even greater image quality.

Many fail-safe system checks, warn the photographer both with visual and audible warning alert signals. And as you would expect, the new RZ67 Pro IID is system compatible with all existing RZ and RB lenses and most accessories.

These desirable and unique features combined with the sophistication of MSC technology makes the new RZ67 Pro IID the most versatile, reliable and desirable professional choice.

Interchangeable Film and Digital back system

With the interchangeable film and digital back system, you can shoot the same subject using color or black and white film, transparency film or digital capture.

The RZ67 Pro IID film back contains a built-in ISO film speed setting dial, dark slide warning and locks to prevent accidental film back removal. In addition, the camera body incorporates Mamiya's MSC (Mamiya Serial Communication) system enabling seamless data communication between the camera and digital back.

Interchangeable Lens System, Viewfinders and Power winder

The RZ67 Pro IID modular component system makes this camera the most useful and flexible imaging tool for the professional. A wide selection of interchangeable lenses from extreme wide angle to telephoto plus special purpose lenses offers the pro focal lengths for every shooting assignment. Interchangeable viewfinders for waist level or eye level viewing with or without a built-in exposure meter and interchangeable focusing screens provide the comfort and conveniences you would expect. Interchangeable film backs for different film formats, Polaroid instant film or digital capture backs increase the choices that professional photographers can offer their clients. Manual or motorized film advance and operation plus many useful accessories makes the RZ67 Pro IID the ideal image capture solution for their workflow today and tomorrow.

Only the RZ67 Pro IID Offers All These Important Features and Advantages

Mamiya pioneered the 6×7cm medium format SLR system camera when it introduced its first model, the RB67 Professional in 1970. The RZ67 Professional followed in 1982 and offered greater automation by combining modern electronics with improved mechanical features. It became the favorite camera of the world's top photographers. Now we are proud to present the RZ67 Professional IID and dedicated accessories, which offer even more improvements, features and advantages.

Intermediate Shutter Speed Settings.

The shutter speed dial of the RZ67 Professional IID with a shutter speed range of 8 sec. to 1/400 sec, permits setting intermediate shutter speeds between 1/250 and 4 sec. This corresponds to 1/2 f-stop (0.5EV) and allows even more precise exposure control without changing aperture settings and without affecting depth-of-field. The pictures on the left show the subtle exposure differences with intermediate shutter speed settings varying by the equivalent of 1/2 f-stop. Paired with the precision AE (auto-exposure) Prism Finder FE701 for the RZ67 Professional IID with its 1/6 f/stop increments, offers photographers with unprecedented exposure accuracy.

6×7cm-The Ideal Format

6×7 is called the ideal format because it enlarges to the standard 8×10" paper size without cropping thus utilizing the entire image area. The 6×7 format of the RZ67 Professional IID (actual image size is 56×69.5mm) is about 5× larger than a 35mm frame and offers far superior image quality for enlargements or full page magazine reproductions. 6×7 transparencies can be viewed on a light table without magnifiers. Having the choice between a 35mm or 6×7 slide of the same subject, an art director or editor will almost always choose the latter.

Electronic Flash Synchronization

Mamiya RZ67 Professional IID lenses are mounted in #1 electronic leaf shutters with shutter speeds from 8 to 1/400sec. and can be flash synchronized at all shutter speeds. Perfectly balanced flash and ambient fill flash exposure can be controlled for natural well exposed results.

Rack & Pinion Bellows Focusing

A precise plane of focus is, of course, at the heart of professional photography. Mamiya knows accurate focusing demands unparallelled mechanical precision, which is why all Mamiya 6×7 format camera have always employed rack & pinion bellows focusing systems. With a 46mm lens rack, the bellows assures pinpoint focusing over the widest possible range. The standard 110mm lens, for example , can focus down to a distance as close as 31.3cm, while the wide-angle 65mm lens focuses to 8.5cm and the tele lens 180mm to 82.9cm.

Form Follows Function

A professional camera should become an extension of the photographer's hands, so that its operation is almost instinctive, leaving his/her mind free to concentrate on the subject and giving creativity free rein. This was the aim of Mamiya's design engineers when they created the full-featured RZ67 Professional IID.

Ergonomic Design

With the most frequently used action controls placed on the right side of the camera body, the functions of the film transport/shutter cocking lever, focusing knob and shutter release button, feel like a natural fit to your hands and make hand holding of the camera and fast operation very convenient. Attaching the accessory L-Grip, with its built-in electronic shutter release, further enhances this option. The dimpled, non slip rubberized covering makes the camera comfortable and secure to hold.

Large Focusing Knob with Additional Fine Focus Feature.

Strategically placed next to the shutter cocking/film transport lever, the large, smooth functioning focusing knob, with its supplementary fine focus collar, offers both fast action focus and precision focus. This is especially useful with wide angle lenses because of their great depth-of-field and telephoto lenses which require critical distance setting.

Mechanical Safetylocks; Visual and Audible Warning Signals.

Realizing that the professional photographer must frequently work under pressure, the RZ67 Professional IID incorporates many failsafe features to prevent operating errors. Thus, the shutter cannot be released if the film is not wound or the dark slide not with-drawn. Lenses cannot be changed unless the mirror is cocked, nor can the film holder be removed from the camera unless the dark slide is in place. Other Safetylocks control the proper setting of the camera's speed dial. Glowing or flashing LEDs, visible in the viewfinder and/or audible electronic sounds inform the photographer of all incorrect camera control settings and are explained in the instruction manual.

Mamiya Revolving Back With Automatic Finder Masking

The Revolving Back - a Mamiya exclusive among 6×7 SLRs - can be rotated for horizontal or vertical format without changing the optical axis. At the same time it also automatically changes the masking frame in the viewfinder to match the format.

Two Film Counter Windows

RZ67 Professional IID film holders feature two film counter windows for easy reading in either horizontal or vertical position.

Single Action, Triple Function, Film Advance Lever

Film advance, shutter cocking and mirror setting are accomplished with a single stroke of this lever.When the optional RZ Power Winder is attached to the camera, pressing the camera shutter release will automatically activate these functions.

***

TYPE: 6×7 format lens-shutter SLR

FORMAT: 6×7cm (56×69.5mm with 120/220 roll film)

FILM HOLDERS: Revolving camera back accepts various holders with film speed index dial and film counter.

LENS MOUNT: Bayonet mount with electronic connections and built-in safety lock.

SHUTTER: #1 electronic lens shutter with speeds of 8" to 1/400" plus mechanical B and T settings, RBL (for RB-series lenses) and AEF (for AE Prism Finder use); accepts X-flash or camera hot-shoe synch.

SHUTTER RELEASE: Electromagnetic with lock. Emergency mechanical operation at 1/400sec. only.

FILM ADVANCE: Single-action lever with 114 deg. stroke; cocks shutter and mirror actions; Power-Winder available.

MULTIPLE EXPOSURE: R/M lever at M position.

FOCUSING: Rack/pinion bellows mechanism with Tension control; bellows extension to 46mm with fixed indicator of film plane-to-subject distance and magnification.

VIEWFINDER: Waist-level with sealed magnifier (2.9×) and operating indicators; other viewfinder options.

FIELD OF VIEW: 95% with automatic revolving mask for vertical/horizontal image.

FINDER SCREEN: Type A matte screen with Fresnel lens standard; interchangeable screen optional.

RELEASE OPTIONS: Electromagnetic cable release contacts on camera body also accepts mechanical cable release, self-timer release, remote control release set.

POWER: One 6V silver-oxide (4SR44) or alkaline (4LR44) battery.

From the editor

The weight and dimensions are indicated for the camera body with the Mamiya-Sekor Z 110mm F/2.8 lens mounted.

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Copyright © 2012-2024 Evgenii Artemov. All rights reserved. Translation and/or reproduction of website materials in any form, including the Internet, is prohibited without the express written permission of the website owner.

Chromatic aberration

There are two kinds of chromatic aberration: longitudinal and lateral. Longitudinal chromatic aberration is a variation in location of the image plane with changes in wave lengths. It produces the image point surrounded by different colors which result in a blurred image in black-and-white pictures. Lateral chromatic aberration is a variation in image size or magnification with wave length. This aberration does not appear at axial image points but toward the surrounding area, proportional to the distance from the center of the image field. Stopping down the lens has only a limited effect on these aberrations.

Spherical aberration

Spherical aberration is caused because the lens is round and the film or image sensor is flat. Light entering the edge of the lens is more severely refracted than light entering the center of the lens. This results in a blurred image, and also causes flare (non-image forming internal reflections). Stopping down the lens minimizes spherical aberration and flare, but introduces diffraction.

Astigmatism

Astigmatism in a lens causes a point in the subject to be reproduced as a line in the image. The effect becomes worse towards the corner of the image. Stopping down the lens has very little effect.

Coma

Coma in a lens causes a circular shape in the subject to be reproduced as an oval shape in the image. Stopping down the lens has almost no effect.

Curvature of field

Curvature of field is the inability of a lens to produce a flat image of a flat subject. The image is formed instead on a curved surface. If the center of the image is in focus, the edges are out of focus and vice versa. Stopping down the lens has a limited effect.

Distortion

Distortion is the inability of a lens to capture lines as straight across the entire image area. Barrel distortion causes straight lines at the edges of the frame to bow toward the center of the image, producing a barrel shape. Pincushion distortion causes straight lines at the edges of the frame to curve in toward the lens axis. Distortion, whether barrel or pincushion type, is caused by differences in magnification; stopping down the lens has no effect at all.

The term "distortion" is also sometimes used instead of the term "aberration". In this case, other types of optical aberrations may also be meant, not necessarily geometric distortion.

Diffraction

Classically, light is thought of as always traveling in straight lines, but in reality, light waves tend to bend around nearby barriers, spreading out in the process. This phenomenon is known as diffraction and occurs when a light wave passes by a corner or through an opening. Diffraction plays a paramount role in limiting the resolving power of any lens.

Doublet

Doublet is a lens design comprised of two elements grouped together. Sometimes the two elements are cemented together, and other times they are separated by an air gap. Examples of this type of lens include achromatic close-up lenses.

Dynamic range

Dynamic range is the maximum range of tones, from darkest shadows to brightest highlights, that can be produced by a device or perceived in an image. Also called tonal range.

Resolving power

Resolving power is the ability of a lens, photographic emulsion or imaging sensor to distinguish fine detail. Resolving power is expressed in terms of lines per millimeter that are distinctly recorded in the final image.

Vignetting

Vignetting is the darkening of the corners of an image relative to the center of the image. There are three types of vignetting: optical, mechanical, and natural vignetting.

Optical vignetting is caused by the physical dimensions of a multi-element lens. Rear elements are shaded by elements in front of them, which reduces the effective lens opening for off-axis incident light. The result is a gradual decrease of the light intensity towards the image periphery. Optical vignetting is sensitive to the aperture and can be completely cured by stopping down the lens. Two or three stops are usually sufficient.

Mechanical vignetting occurs when light beams are partially blocked by external objects such as thick or stacked filters, secondary lenses, and improper lens hoods.

Natural vignetting (also known as natural illumination falloff) is not due to the blocking of light rays. The falloff is approximated by the "cosine fourth" law of illumination falloff. Wide-angle rangefinder designs are particularly prone to natural vignetting. Stopping down the lens cannot cure it.

Flare

Bright shapes or lack of contrast caused when light is scattered by the surface of the lens or reflected off the interior surfaces of the lens barrel. This is most often seen when the lens is pointed toward the sun or another bright light source. Flare can be minimized by using anti-reflection coatings, light baffles, or a lens hood.

Ghosting

Glowing patches of light that appear in a photograph due to lens flare.

Retrofocus design

Design with negative lens group(s) positioned in front of the diaphragm and positive lens group(s) positioned at the rear of the diaphragm. This provides a short focal length with a long back focus or lens-to-film distance, allowing for movement of the reflex mirror in SLR cameras. Sometimes called an inverted telephoto lens.

Rectilinear design

Design that does not introduce significant distortion, especially ultra-wide angle lenses that preserve straight lines and do not curve them (unlike a fisheye lens, for instance).

Focus shift

A change in the position of the plane of optimal focus, generally due to a change in focal length when using a zoom lens, and in some lenses, with a change in aperture.

Transmittance

The amount of light that passes through a lens without being either absorbed by the glass or being reflected by glass/air surfaces.

Modulation Transfer Function (MTF)

When optical designers attempt to compare the performance of optical systems, a commonly used measure is the modulation transfer function (MTF).

The components of MTF are:

The MTF of a lens is a measurement of its ability to transfer contrast at a particular resolution from the object to the image. In other words, MTF is a way to incorporate resolution and contrast into a single specification.

Knowing the MTF curves of each photographic lens and camera sensor within a system allows a designer to make the appropriate selection when optimizing for a particular resolution.

Veiling glare

Lens flare that causes loss of contrast over part or all of the image.

Anti-reflection coating

When light enters or exits an uncoated lens approximately 5% of the light is reflected back at each lens-air boundary due to the difference in refractive index. This reflected light causes flare and ghosting, which results in deterioration of image quality. To counter this, a vapor-deposited coating that reduces light reflection is applied to the lens surface. Early coatings consisted of a single thin film with the correct refractive index differences to cancel out reflections. Multi-layer coatings, introduced in the early 1970s, are made up of several such films.

Benefits of anti-reflection coating:

Circular fisheye

Produces a 180° angle of view in all directions (horizontal, vertical and diagonal).

The image circle of the lens is inscribed in the image frame.

Diagonal (full-frame) fisheye

Covers the entire image frame. For this reason diagonal fisheye lenses are often called full-frame fisheyes.

Extension ring

Extension rings can be used singly or in combination to vary the reproduction ratio of lenses. They are mounted between the camera body and the lens. As a rule, the effect becomes stronger the shorter the focal length of the lens in use, and the longer the focal length of the extension ring.

View camera

A large-format camera with a ground-glass viewfinder at the image plane for viewing and focusing. The photographer must stick his head under a cloth hood in order to see the image projected on the ground glass. Because of their 4x5-inch (or larger) negatives, these cameras can produce extremely high-quality results. View cameras also usually support movements.

135 cartridge-loaded film

43.27 24 36
  • Introduced: 1934
  • Frame size: 36 × 24mm
  • Aspect ratio: 3:2
  • Diagonal: 43.27mm
  • Area: 864mm2
  • Double perforated
  • 8 perforations per frame

120 roll film

71.22 44 56
  • Introduced: 1901
  • Frame size: 56 × 44mm
  • Aspect ratio: 11:14
  • Diagonal: 71.22mm
  • Area: 2464mm2
  • Unperforated

120 roll film

79.2 56 56
  • Introduced: 1901
  • Frame size: 56 × 56mm
  • Aspect ratio: 1:1
  • Diagonal: 79.2mm
  • Area: 3136mm2
  • Unperforated

120 roll film

89.64 56 70
  • Introduced: 1901
  • Frame size: 70 × 56mm
  • Aspect ratio: 5:4
  • Diagonal: 89.64mm
  • Area: 3920mm2
  • Unperforated

220 roll film

71.22 44 56
  • Introduced: 1965
  • Frame size: 56 × 44mm
  • Aspect ratio: 11:14
  • Diagonal: 71.22mm
  • Area: 2464mm2
  • Unperforated
  • Double the length of 120 roll film

220 roll film

79.2 56 56
  • Introduced: 1965
  • Frame size: 56 × 56mm
  • Aspect ratio: 1:1
  • Diagonal: 79.2mm
  • Area: 3136mm2
  • Unperforated
  • Double the length of 120 roll film

220 roll film

89.64 56 70
  • Introduced: 1965
  • Frame size: 70 × 56mm
  • Aspect ratio: 5:4
  • Diagonal: 89.64mm
  • Area: 3920mm2
  • Unperforated
  • Double the length of 120 roll film

Shutter speed ring with "F" setting

The "F" setting disengages the leaf shutter and is set when using only the focal plane shutter in the camera body.

Catch for disengaging cross-coupling

The shutter and diaphragm settings are cross-coupled so that the diaphragm opens to a corresponding degree when faster shutter speeds are selected. The cross-coupling can be disengaged at the press of a catch.

Cross-coupling button

With the cross-coupling button depressed speed/aperture combinations can be altered without changing the Exposure Value setting.

M & X sync

The shutter is fully synchronized for M- and X-settings so that you can work with flash at all shutter speeds.

In M-sync, the shutter closes the flash-firing circuit slightly before it is fully open to catch the flash at maximum intensity. The M-setting is used for Class M flash bulbs.

In X-sync, the flash takes place when the shutter is fully opened. The X-setting is used for electronic flash.

X sync

The shutter is fully synchronized for X-setting so that you can work with flash at all shutter speeds.

In X-sync, the flash takes place when the shutter is fully opened. The X-setting is used for electronic flash.

Unable to follow the link

You are already on the page dedicated to this lens.

Cannot perform comparison

Cannot compare the lens to itself.

Image stabilizer

A technology used for reducing or even eliminating the effects of camera shake. Gyro sensors inside the lens detect camera shake and pass the data to a microcomputer. Then an image stabilization group of elements controlled by the microcomputer moves inside the lens and compensates camera shake in order to keep the image static on the imaging sensor or film.

The technology allows to increase the shutter speed by several stops and shoot handheld in such lighting conditions and at such focal lengths where without image stabilizer you have to use tripod, decrease the shutter speed and/or increase the ISO setting which can lead to blurry and noisy images.

Original name

Lens name as indicated on the lens barrel (usually on the front ring). With lenses from film era, may vary slightly from batch to batch.

Format

Format refers to the shape and size of film or image sensor.

35mm is the common name of the 36x24mm film format or image sensor format. It has an aspect ratio of 3:2, and a diagonal measurement of approximately 43mm. The name originates with the total width of the 135 film which was the primary medium of the format prior to the invention of the full frame digital SLR. Historically the 35mm format was sometimes called small format to distinguish it from the medium and large formats.

APS-C is an image sensor format approximately equivalent in size to the film negatives of 25.1x16.7mm with an aspect ratio of 3:2.

Medium format is a film format or image sensor format larger than 36x24mm (35mm) but smaller than 4x5in (large format).

Angle of view

Angle of view describes the angular extent of a given scene that is imaged by a camera. It is used interchangeably with the more general term field of view.

As the focal length changes, the angle of view also changes. The shorter the focal length (eg 18mm), the wider the angle of view. Conversely, the longer the focal length (eg 55mm), the smaller the angle of view.

A camera's angle of view depends not only on the lens, but also on the sensor. Imaging sensors are sometimes smaller than 35mm film frame, and this causes the lens to have a narrower angle of view than with 35mm film, by a certain factor for each sensor (called the crop factor).

This website does not use the angles of view provided by lens manufacturers, but calculates them automatically by the following formula: 114.6 * arctan (21.622 / CF * FL),

where:

CF – crop-factor of a sensor,
FL – focal length of a lens.

Mount

A lens mount is an interface — mechanical and often also electrical — between a camera body and a lens.

A lens mount may be a screw-threaded type, a bayonet-type, or a breech-lock type. Modern camera lens mounts are of the bayonet type, because the bayonet mechanism precisely aligns mechanical and electrical features between lens and body, unlike screw-threaded mounts.

Lens mounts of competing manufacturers (Canon, Nikon, Pentax, Sony etc.) are always incompatible. In addition to the mechanical and electrical interface variations, the flange focal distance can also be different.

The flange focal distance (FFD) is the distance from the mechanical rear end surface of the lens mount to the focal plane.

Lens construction

Lens construction – a specific arrangement of elements and groups that make up the optical design, including type and size of elements, type of used materials etc.

Element - an individual piece of glass which makes up one component of a photographic lens. Photographic lenses are nearly always built up of multiple such elements.

Group – a cemented together pieces of glass which form a single unit or an individual piece of glass. The advantage is that there is no glass-air surfaces between cemented together pieces of glass, which reduces reflections.

Focal length

The focal length is the factor that determines the size of the image reproduced on the focal plane, picture angle which covers the area of the subject to be photographed, depth of field, etc.

Speed

The largest opening or stop at which a lens can be used is referred to as the speed of the lens. The larger the maximum aperture is, the faster the lens is considered to be. Lenses that offer a large maximum aperture are commonly referred to as fast lenses, and lenses with smaller maximum aperture are regarded as slow.

In low-light situations, having a wider maximum aperture means that you can shoot at a faster shutter speed or work at a lower ISO, or both.

Closest focusing distance

The minimum distance from the focal plane (film or sensor) to the subject where the lens is still able to focus.

Closest working distance

The distance from the front edge of the lens to the subject at the maximum magnification.

Magnification ratio

Determines how large the subject will appear in the final image. Magnification is expressed as a ratio. For example, a magnification ratio of 1:1 means that the image of the subject formed on the film or sensor will be the same size as the subject in real life. For this reason, a 1:1 ratio is often called "life-size".

Manual focus override in autofocus mode

Allows to perform final focusing manually after the camera has locked the focus automatically. Note that you don't have to switch camera and/or lens to manual focus mode.

Manual focus override in autofocus mode

Allows to perform final focusing manually after the camera has locked the focus automatically. Note that you don't have to switch camera and/or lens to manual focus mode.

Electronic manual focus override is performed in the following way: half-press the shutter button, wait until the camera has finished the autofocusing and then focus manually without releasing the shutter button using the focusing ring.

Manual diaphragm

The diaphragm must be stopped down manually by rotating the detent aperture ring.

Preset diaphragm

The lens has two rings, one is for pre-setting, while the other is for normal diaphragm adjustment. The first ring must be set at the desired aperture, the second ring then should be fully opened for focusing, and turned back for stop down to the pre-set value.

Semi-automatic diaphragm

The lens features spring mechanism in the diaphragm, triggered by the shutter release, which stops down the diaphragm to the pre-set value. The spring needs to be reset manually after each exposure to re-open diaphragm to its maximum value.

Automatic diaphragm

The camera automatically closes the diaphragm down during the shutter operation. On completion of the exposure, the diaphragm re-opens to its maximum value.

Fixed diaphragm

The aperture setting is fixed at F/ on this lens, and cannot be adjusted.

Number of blades

As a general rule, the more blades that are used to create the aperture opening in the lens, the rounder the out-of-focus highlights will be.

Some lenses are designed with curved diaphragm blades, so the roundness of the aperture comes not from the number of blades, but from their shape. However, the fewer blades the diaphragm has, the more difficult it is to form a circle, regardless of rounded edges.

At maximum aperture, the opening will be circular regardless of the number of blades.

Weight

Excluding case or pouch, caps and other detachable accessories (lens hood, close-up adapter, tripod adapter etc.).

Maximum diameter x Length

Excluding case or pouch, caps and other detachable accessories (lens hood, close-up adapter, tripod adapter etc.).

For lenses with collapsible design, the length is indicated for the working (retracted) state.

Weather sealing

A rubber material which is inserted in between each externally exposed part (manual focus and zoom rings, buttons, switch panels etc.) to ensure it is properly sealed against dust and moisture.

Lenses that accept front mounted filters typically do not have gaskets behind the filter mount. It is recommended to use a filter for complete weather resistance when desired.

Fluorine coating

Helps keep lenses clean by reducing the possibility of dust and dirt adhering to the lens and by facilitating cleaning should the need arise. Applied to the outer surface of the front and/or rear lens elements over multi-coatings.

Filters

Lens filters are accessories that can protect lenses from dirt and damage, enhance colors, minimize glare and reflections, and add creative effects to images.

Lens hood

A lens hood or lens shade is a device used on the end of a lens to block the sun or other light source in order to prevent glare and lens flare. Flare occurs when stray light strikes the front element of a lens and then bounces around within the lens. This stray light often comes from very bright light sources, such as the sun, bright studio lights, or a bright white background.

The geometry of the lens hood can vary from a plain cylindrical or conical section to a more complex shape, sometimes called a petal, tulip, or flower hood. This allows the lens hood to block stray light with the higher portions of the lens hood, while allowing more light into the corners of the image through the lowered portions of the hood.

Lens hoods are more prominent in long focus lenses because they have a smaller viewing angle than that of wide-angle lenses. For wide angle lenses, the length of the hood cannot be as long as those for telephoto lenses, as a longer hood would enter the wider field of view of the lens.

Lens hoods are often designed to fit onto the matching lens facing either forward, for normal use, or backwards, so that the hood may be stored with the lens without occupying much additional space. In addition, lens hoods can offer some degree of physical protection for the lens due to the hood extending farther than the lens itself.

Teleconverters

Teleconverters increase the effective focal length of lenses. They also usually maintain the closest focusing distance of lenses, thus increasing the magnification significantly. A lens combined with a teleconverter is normally smaller, lighter and cheaper than a "direct" telephoto lens of the same focal length and speed.

Teleconverters are a convenient way of enhancing telephoto capability, but it comes at a cost − reduced maximum aperture. Also, since teleconverters magnify every detail in the image, they logically also magnify residual aberrations of the lens.

Lens caps

Scratched lens surfaces can spoil the definition and contrast of even the finest lenses. Lens covers are the best and most inexpensive protection available against dust, moisture and abrasion. Safeguard lens elements - both front and rear - whenever the lens is not in use.