Canon SLR Reviews

Posts Tagged ‘Canon Slr Cameras’

Canon EF 24 70mm f 2 8L USM Standard Zoom Lens for Canon SLR Cameras

This new lens does what many pros thought couldn’t be done – replace the previous L-series 28-70 f/2.8 lens with something even better. Extended coverage to an ultra-wide angle 24mm makes it ideal for digital as well as film shooters, and the optics are even better than before with two Aspherical elements and a totally new UD glass element. It’s now sealed and gasketed against dust and moisture, and a new processing unit makes the AF faster than ever. Zoom System – Rotating type Filter Size – 77mm Max. Diameter x Length, Weight – 3.3 x 4.9, 2.1lbs. / 83.2 x 123.5mm, 950g Item includes – 77mm Snap-On Lens Cap; Lens Dust Cap E (Rear); EW-83F Lens Hood for 24-70 f/2.8L Lens; LP1219 Soft Lens Case, Canon 1-Year Warranty

User Ratings and Reviews

5 Stars Love this lens!
I had been looking for a fast lens in which to

use for photojournalism. I wanted a lens that

could handle low light situations. I rented

different lenses to see which would produce the

clarity, the color, etc. I was torn between

the Canon EF 24mm f 1.4L USM and the 24-70mm f2.8L.

I decided I could get better use of the 24-70mm

since it was zoom and it worked well in low lights.

5 Stars A superb lens
I bought this lens to replace an old Tokina 28-70mm f/2.8 that I had been using since about 2001. The Tokina was a very good lens, but on digital cameras it had serious problems with ghosting whenever something like a light bulb or a flourescent tube was in the frame. It also had a very annoying mechanism for switching between auto-focus and manual focus that had to be worked just right or it wouldn’t let you switch.

The Canon EF 24-70mm L USM is even more of an improvement on that lens that I had expected. Not only does it extend down to 24mm, focus faster, control flare and ghosting much better, and implement manual-focus sensibly (including, like all ring-USM Canon lenses, the ability to adjust focus manually even in auto-focus mode), but it’s much sharper. I had no idea how sharp a zoom lens could be until I bought this lens! It is just a bit soft wide open at the long end of its range, but from 24-50mm or so it’s quite sharp even at f/2.8, improving to stunningly sharp by f/5.6. Softness creeps in again at about f/11 due to diffraction limiting, but that’s a natural optical restriction, not a flaw in the lens.

Ergonomically, the lens is excellent. The zoom and focus rings are well-placed and move easily, with a comfortable level of resistance. It is a fairly large, heavy lens, but typically so for Canon L-series lenses, and not much more so than the Tokina that it replaced in my setup. I don’t find it uncomfortable to hold, but I do tend to keep my left hand under it for extra support when in use.

Aside from the minor softness at the long end that I mentioned above, the only significant negative of this lens is the lack of image stabilization (IS), which would come in handy in low light situations.

One interesting property of the EF 24-70mm is that it reverse-extends when zooming — that is, the inner barrel is extended more at the shorter focal lengths, and fully retracted at 70mm. This seems counter-intuitive until you notice how this interacts with the lens hood, which is mounted on the outer barrel and so does not move with the inner barrel. The EF 24-70mm has a much deeper hood than I have seen on other standard-range zooms, and the extension of the barrel at shorter focal lengths means that the hood optimally covers the lens at all focal lengths. At 70mm, the lens is fully retracted, so the hood provides an appropriately narrow field of view; at 24mm, the lens is maximally extended, and the hood provides correspondingly less coverage.

To sum up, the EF 24-70mm L USM is an excellent lens, fully worthy of the L-series designation. The only improvements I would hope for in a future update would be IS and a little more sharpness at wide apertures near 70mm. Until that lens comes into being, I’ll happily continue using this one.

5 Stars A must have lens for those who…
This is a must-have lens for those who appreciate great quality photos and the fixed f2.8. It could also be useful for photographers working on their biceps considering how heavy it is.

5 Stars Wonderful Lens
Pros:

- Solid construction

- Outstanding optics (sharpness, contrast, saturation)

- Complementary zoom range if you carry a telephoto lens like the 70-200.

- 2.8 aperture

- Focus is as expected on a USM 2.8, quick

- Lens hood & soft carrying case included*

Cons:

- Heavy, nicknamed “The Brick” (2-3 pounds) for a short lens

- Lack of IS

- Awkward lens hood*

I would like to first say that I recommend this lens – it is outstanding. I fancy this as a good walk-around lens. It is an excellent complement to a telephoto lens (such as a 70-200) which covers the my field needs – except macro and longer zoom.

Just understand what you are purchasing when you buy it. Quality is not a question in this lens and I will not discuss it. The decision is between the 27-70 F/2.8 and the 24-105 f/4 IS as they are very comparable (but not precisely identical in use) quality lenses.

Compare the 24-70 F2.8 and 24-105 F4.0 IS:

- The aperture difference means the 24-70 is superior in motion freezing and to an extent in lower light.

- Camera movement during longer exposures is less of a concern between the 24-70 and 24-105 as the IS and 2.8 tend to offset (remember that IS does NOT resolve subject movement)

- The 24-105 is more versatile by having 50% more zoom.

- I understand the 24-105 is significantly lighter. The 24-70 was disturbingly heavy for such a short lens having never held a 24-105.

- No comment between the 24-70 and 24-105 optics due to not personally encountering a 105. Ratings on the 105 are good, however.

Pay close attention to the fact that the 24-70 2.8 lacks IS and the 24-105 does have IS but at a cost of F/4 – a precarious trade-off situation. That trade-off decision likely determines what lens you should purchase unless low-weight is a major factor.

I chose the 24-70 because I preferred F/2.8 over the 105’s IS – I’ll suffer through my camera jitters as I have done in the past. The weight of the 24-70 was more of a surprise to me than an annoyance.

*: The lens hood functions adequately but attaches to the fixed portion of the barrel. The hood extends 70% of the total lens length when the lens is retracted. You can reverse the hood but it prevents use of the lens controls. This is why I call it “awkward”.

Now to save up for that 70-200 2.8…

4 Stars Great lens, but is it worth the premium?
I wanted this lens for a long time and finally bought it. Its a great lens and the other reviewers point out all the great attributes.

But to be honest, I also have a Sigma DC 17-85 F2.8 for my crop sensor 20D. That lens is nearly as sharp at all apertures. Sigma also makes a DG version for full frame cameras and is about $300 to $400 cheaper.

In the end, I’m not sure the Canon L’s price premium justified it because its performance in my experience isn’t that much better than the Sigma DG. Read up on the Amazon reviews on the DG and you will see that the Sigma is also a great lens but 30%+ cheaper.

No regrets, but my next lens may be a Sigma instead. Canon seems to keep increasing their prices with little improvement in product quality to justify those repeated increases.

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Canon EF 50mm f1 4 USM Standard and Medium Telephoto Lens for Canon SLR Cameras

The CANON EF 50MM f/1.4 USM is a standard lens featuring superb quality and portability. Two high-refraction lens elements and new Gaussian optics eliminate astigmatism and suppress astigmatic difference. Crisp images with little flare are obtained even at the maximum aperture. Max. Diameter & Length – 73.8mm x 50.5mm

User Ratings and Reviews

5 Stars Great lens -challenging to use
I have been reading reviews of this lens for many months and finally decided to take the plunge. As an amateur I was hesitant to buy this because of the fact that its zoom was “fixed”, but after a couple of weeks I am as happy as can be. The other issue was that my camera body is a Rebel XT -hardly capable of getting the most out of this lens, but when I upgrade I will not be out the investment.

Having a prime lens sure is challenging. I actually took this on a couple oh hikes, which normally would have begged for a much more wide angle view in order to best capture the sweeping vista’s, but you know what? This one forced me to really think about my composition far more than the kit lens and have been pleasantly surprised by the quality of the images after getting home and viewing them on the PC.

The one thing this lens is best at, indoor photography, is the one thing I have not really done. Can’t wait for the Christmas season and the pictures I am able to snap of various light displays!

5 Stars Love it so much!….
I came across this lens simply by accident!…I like to shoot in very low light, without using the flash, so I really didn’t know how to

solve this problem. I”m a self taught passionate amateur with tons of digital camera questions that needed to be answered.

So, one day, I asked a photographer how could I solve this “low light” problem… he spoke highly of the Canon 50mm 1.4 lens…

I use it for shooting in very low light with great results. And, I never use the flash because I don’t like it!..

For portraits, it can’t be beat!. And the “Bokeh” is always on target! (meaning backround blur)

I constantly use it for my Macro work. I attach a Kenko extension tube to it and the macro results

are stunning!…

A few weeks ago, this lens was “stolen” from me and I immediately ordered another one.

Not all people may have a use for this lens, but for me, its “priceless!”…

5 Stars Canon 50mm f/1.4 takes amazing pictures!
I bought the Canon 50mm lens about a year ago when my daughter was born. This lens is now my only walk about lens. It takes amazing pics in low light conditions and has gorgeous bokeh. I thought about buying the 50mm/f1.2 but couldn’t justify paying over $1000 for that lens. I’m very happy with the 50mm/f1.4.

5 Stars one of my favorite lens!
very nice bokeh separating the subject from the background. very sharp picture. very fast focusing.. i just loves this lens!

4 Stars Great lens for a great price!
This was the first lens I bought after my kit lens. I was going to shoot indoor sports so wanted the wide aperture. This lens produces great pictures that are very sharp. The bokeh is also quite nice. Considering this one is $800 less than the 50 1.2, I think it’s a steal. This lens almost never leaves my camera. I shoot portraits now and it is great for shallow DOF shots! I would buy it again.

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Canon EF 75 300mm f 4 5 6 III Telephoto Zoom Lens for Canon SLR Cameras

Provides up to 4x / For use with Canon SLR Cameras / Accepts 58mm Filters / AutoFocus compatible Accepts Filter Size – 58mm Unit Maximum Diameter x Length, Weight 2.8 x 4.8, 16.8 oz. / 71mm x 122mm, 480g For use with Canon SLR cameras only

User Ratings and Reviews

4 Stars great lense
My first interchangeable SLR Lens,Very smooth and capable of taking great photos,I just took it for my first safari at corbett National Park,I took stunning images of wildlife in dense and wild jungle with this canon beauty.

Images are very sharp in daylight even at dawn and dusk(low light) even it produces

excellent pictures in indoor shooting.

Value for money.

5 Stars Canon Zoom Lens
This is an excellent all-purpose zoom lens for the Canon family of digital cameras. I recommend it to all, beginners to professionals.

4 Stars image stabilization
just remember that at this price there is no image stabilization. So bright light and fast shutter speeds are called for. a good lens none the less.

5 Stars Excellent helping tool
I am just an amateur photographer and this telephoto lens is really helpful for portrait or scenic pictures.

5 Stars Excellent
This camera is very good. It takes very good pics and is easy to use.

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Sigma 70 300mm f 4 5 6 DG Macro Telephoto Zoom Lens for Canon SLR Cameras

Sigma DG lenses are large-aperture lenses with wide angles and short minimum focusing distances. With an abundance of peripheral illumination, they are ideal lenses for Digital SLR Cameras whilst retaining suitability for traditional 35mm SLRs.

User Ratings and Reviews

2 Stars just —ok—-
i sent the lens back…. didn’t do what i wanted it to do…. macro keep getting stuck…. and when zoomed all the way out pic too soft. i wanted it for my sons sports and it just didn’t do the job. even though i sent it back the company was quick on the return.

4 Stars Good Utility lens
I bought this lens based on reviews here and my budget. I was just stepping up to a DSLR and wanted a long reach lens but I didnt have the budget for much. I went back and forth between the Sigma and the Tamron and ended up with the Sigma, again based on reviews here.

The Good:

This is a great starter lens or budget lens. With a 1.5 crop factor it is a 105mm-450mm lens with true macro from 200-300mm (250-450 converted). Thats a lot of lens for $150. The macro is good but takes some getting used to. First you have to go past 200mm, then flip a switch to go to macro focusing. When you are done, you have to do all of that in reverse or it wont retract. The macro focusing is good but most of the time you will want to switch to manual. The zoom ring has a nice positive feel that lets you stop when you want to and go when you want to. Some zooms are a little too “lose” for my taste. Because of its size, hand held shooting needs daylight and even then if you can use a tripod, do. With a tripod, the sharpness is excellent. This lens has a definite sweet spot between 135mm and 200mm, f/8. Shoot in this range and you will get amazing results.

The Bad

This thing is BIG and HEAVY. At 300mm and the full macro focusing, this lens is HUGE!! Do not try using it on a cheep tripod. I did, its frustrating. Because of the size and weight, it flops around more than some lenses. BE CAREFUL! Focus at either end is not a strong point. There is softness and CA at 300mm and at the low end of the f-stops. IF you can shoot f/8 or better, you will get better results.

This is not a “digital” lens. It is a full frame, 35mm film lens that works great on new Pentax digitals. AS long as you understand and accept its limitations, you will get a lot of value from it.

4 Stars very satisfied customer
I bought this lens to use with my Nikon D60. I needed a lens that I could use to take close up action shots of my son playing football. The lens has turned out to be a great buy for the money. It takes great, sharp, clear pictures. I recommend the lens to anyone that needs to keep their purchase price down, and wants quality pictures.

1 Star This lens has taken great shoots until the motor stop working
I have had this lens for less than a year. I have used it for son ball games and outdoor shoot. I have not used for an ever day lens. Yesterday the lens would not focus. It looks like the motor only turns one way and stops. I have not contacted sigma yet I will keep you posted. Would of been a great lens for the price, but you get what you pay for.

5 Stars Great value
So far this lens has proved to be a great value. While I am new at photography and haven’t figured out all of it’s capabilities, this lens has been great for my purpose. Shooting photos of my kids’ football games has been great. The zoom gets you very close action shots on the field that my (great) little point and shoot digital can’t get.

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Sigma 70 300mm f 4 5 6 DG APO Macro Telephoto Zoom Lens for Canon SLR Cameras

The high performance telephoto zoom lens is ideal for digital SLR cameras. This lens has two SLD glass elements in the front lens group and one in the rear lens group It is able to shoot with maximum magnification 1: 2 at the focal length of 300 mm. It’s the ideal lens for portraits, sports photography, nature photography, and other types of photography that frequently use the telephoto range.

User Ratings and Reviews

1 Star Blur pictures. need tripod if used for nikon.
I bought this with amazon.com for nikon. Before I bought it, I reviewed the great pictures on this site. Unfortunately, these are misleading because those pictures were taken by Canon rebels.

The pictures I took with this lense for nikon are blur. Nikon needs VR function on lense to stabalize pictures.

I later bought a nikon VR lense that takes pictures with much better qualities.

This is for review “Sigma 70-300mm f/4-5.6 DG APO Macro Motorized Telephoto Zoom Lens for Nikon SLR Cameras”. Amazon.com mixed reviews for Nikon with Canon. If you search for “Sigma 70-300mm f/4-5.6 DG APO Macro Telephoto Zoom Lens for Canon SLR Cameras”, you get the same reviews.

Nikon has VR lenses. I have to use tripod when I use this sigma lense.

5 Stars FANTASTIC LENS
I received this lens literally hours before I wrote this review, and I must say that it has more than exceeded my expectations. all I can say that i have a bit of a problem with, is the switching from macro to telephoto.

My brother and I sometimes work together for photo jobs and once I got the chance to rent an 70-200mm L series for a wedding shoot, The difference? the sigma lens is lighter, has a greater range, and macro. Yes the L series has a faster AF, and yes the Sigma does not have image stabilization. But you won’t care about those things once you’ve practiced keeping a steady hand for a bit, then looking in your wallet to see you’ve saved a bucketload of cash.

recommended

good job sigma!

4 Stars Excellent beginner telephoto, macro function decent
I purchased this a few months ago and have been playing around with it in a variety of environments. It’s fairly lightweight, the pictures come out well, and the macro mode does let you get closer to what a true macro lens would give you (obviously not quite as good). The only real problems I’ve found, and they are minor, is the autofocus being a bit slow or inaccurate (but not terrible) in moving object situations and the fact that when you’re finished with macro mode, you need to switch to manual focus, twist the front in, switch the macro off, and then put your autofocus back on. It’s not that big of a deal, really just a bit of a hassle, but it seems tedious. Overall I’ve been very pleased with the performance and it’s been a great first telezoom for the price.

4 Stars Sigma 70-300 Zoom Lens
only had lens a short time. it has takes night pics without flash. which is a plus at sporting events. have not used all feaures of lens , but overall i am satisfied with the performance.this lens will see alot of use in the future for diffrent photo applications. does not add alot of weight unlike my 35mm slr lens did to the canon t-50 camera.

5 Stars Great for camera for price
Pros: I took it out to photograph birds and it did wonderful. The lens has the distance’s as well as the focusing numbers written out to take the guessing game out. Also the lens came with its own protective case. I have a cannon zoom lens EF 75-300, and the sigma lens has already impressed me more then the cannon.

Cons: I got the camera for the macro, and you can only use the macro between 200-300 mm.

Over all, if you have the money to buy a high quality telephoto zoom lens and a macro lens go for it, but this lens has given me good quality for a lot cheaper then those routes. I highly recommend this lens to any hobbiest or aspiring photographer who is just starting out.

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