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Canon EF 16-35mm f/2.8L II USM
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Review Date: Feb 18, 2013
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Recommend? yes |
Price paid: Not Indicated
| Rating: 10
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Pros:
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Low CAs, 2.8, 16mm, USM, build quality, weather shield
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Cons:
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Flare, filter size, weight
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My very good copy of 17-40L started to have some focus issue after years of heavy use so I looked for another good copy of 17-40L but no luck even after trying several new copies. I gave up and decided to go for 16-35mm 2.8L II instead. I tried just a few new copies and was able to find a very good copy without any decentering issue.
Comparing with 17-40L, I immediately noticed that 16-35L II is more prone to flare but it has less CAs. 17-40L is easier to handle due to its light weight and smaller filter size. However, it is actually nice to have 2.8 for more versatile photography with ultra wide angle.
Here are some sample shots.
16mm at f2.8:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/ippei-janine/7608161602/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/ippei-janine/7822619012/
30-35mm at f8-11:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/ippei-janine/8075548587/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/ippei-janine/7597698790/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/ippei-janine/8073764186/
16-20mm at f8-11:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/ippei-janine/8081338608/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/ippei-janine/7602241386/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/ippei-janine/8079647921/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/ippei-janine/8077093848/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/ippei-janine/7667436148/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/ippei-janine/7655255836/
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Canon EF 35mm f/1.4L USM
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Canon EF 100mm f/2.8L Macro IS USM
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Canon TS-E 45mm f/2.8
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Review Date: Jun 2, 2011
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Recommend? |
Price paid: Not Indicated
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Pros:
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Creativity, sharpness, bokeh quality
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Cons:
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None (Shift can cause CA but you can remove/reduce it very well in post-processing)
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This is definitely the most versatile and useful TS-E lens on full frame for creative photography.
There are not many lenses that can deliver both amazing sharpness and pleasing smooth bokeh in the focal range of 40-60mm, and this is definitely one of them with great T/S function.
If you are after creative photography, this can be your everyday lens as well.
Example of tilt use in everyday snapshot:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/ippei-janine/2753085323
Example of shift use for panorama (4 images stitched):
http://www.flickr.com/photos/ippei-janine/2749072715/
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Zeiss Planar 50mm f/1.4
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Review Date: Apr 4, 2011
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Recommend? no |
Price paid: Not Indicated
| Rating: 5
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Pros:
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Build quality, light weight, size
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Cons:
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Really soft border/corner from 1.4-2.0. Even at 2.8, corners are very soft.
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I tried many 50mm from six different brands (including Leica's summilux and Canon's 50/1.2) and I expected really good results from this lens. However, as some other reviewers mentioned, the performance between 1.4 and 2.8 turned out to be pretty disappointing. I sold this lens and bought Makro-Plannar 50/2 which is very sharp from corner to corner even at wide open! Bokeh is much better as well.
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Sigma 50mm F1.4 EX DG HSM
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Review Date: Mar 3, 2011
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Recommend? yes |
Price paid: Not Indicated
| Rating: 7
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Pros:
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Sharpness from wide open, build quality, contrast
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Cons:
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AF inaccuracy, very nervous foreground bokeh at wide apertures
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This was the only Sigma lens that I thought I would keep for a long while.
After having tested many 50's on 5D Mark II, I was pretty amazed with the center sharpness from wide open with this lens (there seems to some copy variations though). I also liked the build quality and contrast that this lens produced.
However, as many people noted, the AF accuracy of this lens is totally unreliable, especially between 1.4 and 2.8.
Another major issue for me was the very nervous foreground bokeh, which is also mentioned on photozone.
http://www.photozone.de/canon-eos/522-sigma50f14eosff
After a little while, I sold this lens and got Carl Zeiss Makro-Planar 50/2 which is going to stay with me for a long time.
Here are some images taken with Sigma 50/1.4.
You can see the nervous foreground bokeh at wide apertures:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/ippei-janine/4413962586/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/ippei-janine/4413194207/
Sharp throughout the entire frame when stopped down to f8:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/ippei-janine/4413966790/
Great center sharpness even at very wide apertures:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/ippei-janine/4413195811/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/ippei-janine/4413966218/
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Canon EF 24-105mm f/4L IS USM
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Canon EOS 5D Mark II
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Review Date: Jun 2, 2010
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Recommend? yes |
Price paid: Not Indicated
| Rating: 10
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Pros:
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Image quality, noise control (high ISO), lightweight, 21mp, full HD
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Cons:
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None for landscape, portrait, product shooting. Not fast enough for sports.
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For me, camera is just a tool so I'm always willing to change if there is any better option for my use, however, full frame high image quality, superb noise control at high ISO, 21MP, full HD video..all of these in this lightweight yet solid body is just second to none at this moment for travel/landscape/nature photographers who need lightweight gear.
I provide images to various travel/nature magazines including National Geographic and airlines' in-flight magazines, and it would be impossible to do my projects with 1Ds Mark III, Mamiya ZD, Pentax 645D, etc for its weight and size. I'm thinking about getting Pentax 645D for projects which do not require trekking or kayaking.
Examples taken with 5D Mark II (a few shot with 5D)
http://www.flickr.com/photos/ippei-janine/sets/72157623908462041/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/ippei-janine/sets/72157623447125969/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/ippei-janine/sets/72157622346269423/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/ippei-janine/sets/72157621438726306/
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Tamron AF 28-75MM F/2.8 XR Di LD Aspherical (IF)
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Review Date: May 31, 2010
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Recommend? yes |
Price paid: Not Indicated
| Rating: 8
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Pros:
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Weight, size, 2.8, sharpness, price, filter size, bokeh (for zoom)
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Cons:
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Build quality, slow AF, vignetting at wide open
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When I cannot take EF 24-70mm 2.8L due to its weight and size, I take this lens and it has been doing the job. Sometimes you don't know if the image (shot at F11) was taken with EF 24-70mm 2.8L or this Tamron lens. However, you need to get a good copy. If you are not sure, I suggest sending your copy to Tamron for tuning.
The build quality and AF are the downside of this lens. Bokeh is not bad at all for this type of zoom lens.
Quite a few images that I sell thru Getty Images and other stock agencies are taken with this lens.
A few examples:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/ippei-janine/3668212962/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/ippei-janine/3902730550/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/ippei-janine/3901950957/
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Canon EF 85mm f/1.8 USM
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Review Date: May 26, 2010
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Recommend? yes |
Price paid: Not Indicated
| Rating: 9
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Pros:
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Nice bokeh, sharp, light-weight, fast USM
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Cons:
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CA at wide open
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Focus is fast and very accurate. Sharp and nice bokeh.
85mm 1.2L was too heavy and also wide open was not very good so I kept this one.
At wide open, you have to be careful with what you shoot since CA at wide open can get hefty depending on the subject.
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Canon TS-E 45mm f/2.8
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Review Date: May 26, 2010
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Recommend? yes |
Price paid: Not Indicated
| Rating: 10
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Pros:
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Sharpness, creativity (T&S), build quality, bokeh and superb manual focus ring
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Cons:
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None
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This is the most useful TS-E lens for me. I own this lens for many years and I never stop loving it. Just perfect.
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Canon EF 135mm f/2L USM
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Canon EF 17-40mm f/4L USM
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Review Date: May 26, 2010
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Recommend? yes |
Price paid: Not Indicated
| Rating: 10
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Pros:
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Flare-resistance, contrast, colour, sharpness (F11~ @ 17mm), weather sealing, zoom-range, light-weight, USM, price.
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Cons:
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Nothing for landscape photography
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I provide images to various international travel/nature magazines including National Geographic and this lens is by far the best EF-mount full frame lens for landscape photography during outdoor activities.
16-35mm F2.8L II is too heavy/big for traveling/activities in nature such as trekking, kayaking, paragliding, etc.
Some people are not happy with soft corners at 17mm at F4-8. But for landscape photography (which you stop down anyway), this is not an issue as it gets as sharp as 16-35mm F2.8L II at F11 (even better if you get a good copy).
Some examples taken with this lens:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/ippei-janine/4413194709/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/ippei-janine/4606037443
http://www.flickr.com/photos/ippei-janine/3506976914/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/ippei-janine/3071345120/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/ippei-janine/3961264079/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/ippei-janine/3506170351/
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