 |
Canon EF 135mm f/2L USM
|
|
Review Date: Jul 17, 2010
|
Recommend? yes |
Price paid: Not Indicated
| Rating: 8
|
|
Pros:
|
fantastic tool, very good to excelent performance, lightweight and cheap compared to other options, long range on APS-C, great value for money overall
|
|
Cons:
|
corner sharpness and vigneting could be improved, no IS, could be f1.8 or 1.4 for more DOF control
|
|
Hello
This is obviously an excelent lens that pelases it users a lot and does what it is made for. It will not fail you and is - and will stay - a very good buy. Do not hesitate !
Still, I will only give it an 8 for my needs. Here is why :
As of today I have a few points to raise and hope canon will make a new version (not replace the current one because price may rise quite a lot unfortunately).
I happen to use a lot 85II and 200 2.0. I dropped the 70-200 that are very good workhouse of excelent level but do not allow the DOF control I am looking for. The latest 70-200 also has great IS and at 2.8 has similar sharpness to the 135 (but more vignetting), the 200 2.0 also shows how much the latest lens versions can deliver : the 135 starts to show its age.
I wish I had something intermediate : IS, great DOF control, sharpness of the 200 2.0, macro ability. I bought the 100 IS but only use it for object close up since the DOF control is not so great for my needs.
So I wish for a "baby 200 2.0" or a "85II on steroids" : latest 4-speed IS (200 2.0 style), sealed (85 is not), great DOF control (1.8 or 1.4), reasonable weight (1.5kg max) and size, some close up ability (not a pure macro), latest sharpness performance (200 2.0 style).
Once again it does NOT means current version is bad, on the contrary at its performance level it should be in any bag and the price level only add more arguments to that ! Just try it and love it !
It simply means Canon could do significantly better and has shown it in the latest lens. So I hope for a new version.
I hope that helps
Alain
http://www.alaindavreux.com
|
|
|
|
|
Canon EF 85mm f/1.2L II USM
|
|
Review Date: Aug 21, 2008
|
Recommend? yes |
Price paid: Not Indicated
| Rating: 10
|
|
Pros:
|
can deliver incredible images
|
|
Cons:
|
nothing important (heavy, big, expensive, slow focus, wierd manual focus drive, expensive ...)
|
|
this lens is not legendary by mistake !
yes, on the paper you might question yourself about the crazy tradeoff you have to make versus the fantastic 85 1.8 !
yes, it's very expensive, big, heavy (1kg), the focus is not really the sport type (get noticably better with a pro AF though) ... all have been said here ... on paper yes, you have many reasons not to go for it
but it's a wonderful piece of glass, maybe the best available, who will produce wonderful images, can achieve focus in extremly low light, and who is really sharp at 1.2 !
so you will get less in-focus shot, but the images who will be in focus will be really better than any other lens can offer, so you'll take the trade-off
beware, if you try this lens, you'll want it. badly.
Alain
http://www.alaindavreux.com
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 |
