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Tokina 12-24mm f/4 AT-X 124 AF PRO DX SD
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Review Date: Aug 2, 2008
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Recommend? yes |
Price paid: $475.00
| Rating: 9
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Pros:
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Price, performance, build quality
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Cons:
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Somewhat heavier than the Canon alternative
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After hemming and hawing about the Tokina 12-24 versus the Canon 10-22 and the new Tokina 11-16, I decided to go with this lens.
After about a month of shooting, I don't regret the decision.
It's a great lens for the price. Maybe even regardless of price.
I'm not a pro but I have been around. I would hesitate to recommend this lens. A pro might find grounds to be disappointed, but for everyone else, don't worry. Be happy with this one.
Here's a link for more comments and sample photos:
http://ilind.net/reviews/tokina12-24.html
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Canon EF-S 17-85mm f4-5.6 IS USM
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Review Date: Jan 21, 2007
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Recommend? |
Price paid: Not Indicated
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Pros:
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Solid all-around lens.
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Cons:
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I commented positively on this lens some time back and continue to find it one of my most useful lenses. In terms of image quality, I would rate the Canon prime 50mm f/1.4 and 85mm f/1.8 higher, but for all around utility this is the lens I rely on.
I was out with some of our cats this morning and shot a series of photos, all with the 17-85. If you're interested, here's the link:
http://ilind.net/gallery_2007/cats012107
-Ian Lind, Kaaawa, Hawaii
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Canon EF 50mm f/1.4 USM
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Review Date: Sep 24, 2006
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Recommend? yes |
Price paid: Not Indicated
| Rating: 9
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Pros:
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Sharp, good color, nice build.
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Cons:
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I do love this lens and feel like I should use it more.
Today, with a bit of time available, I put it on my Digital Rebel XT and tracked several of our cats. Here's an assortment of shots that resulted. I'm pleased, as usual, with the results.
http://ilind.net/gallery_2006/cats092406/
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Canon EF 85mm f/1.8 USM
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Review Date: Sep 10, 2006
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Recommend? yes |
Price paid: Not Indicated
| Rating: 9
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Pros:
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Sharp, clear, good color. Reasonably priced.
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Cons:
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None that I can see.
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I love this lens.
So far, I haven't been able to afford an "L" lens to use with my Canon 350, but this lens gets excellent results. It is sharp, clear and handles well.
I grabbed it a couple of days ago and headed out on the back deck with some of our cats.
Here are the results, all shot with the 85mm f/1.8.
http://ilind.net/gallery_2006/cats090906/
-Ian Lind
Kaaawa, Hawaii
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Canon EF-S 17-85mm f4-5.6 IS USM
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Review Date: Apr 25, 2006
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Recommend? yes |
Price paid: $525.00
| Rating: 8
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Pros:
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Good all around performance, color and contrast, quiet focusing.
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Cons:
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Somewhat bulky.
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After using the Sigma 18-125 mm for a number of months with reasonable results, I yielded to Canon envy and bought this 17-85 zoom for comparison.
Here are my initial reactions:
http://ilind.net/reviews/canon-v-sigma/
The short version of this is that I prefer the Canon, mostly on vague or subtle comparisons. But when I put several photos side by side, the results surprised me. I was hard pressed to see a difference.
The Canon just feels a bit more sure, with slightly better color and contrast in some delicate lighting conditions. It seems to require less post-processing for best results.
I will probably keep the Canon and sell the Sigma, but after looking at these results I'll probably give them another round of comparisons before making the final decision.
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Sigma 18-125mm F3.5-5.6 DC
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Review Date: Apr 25, 2006
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Recommend? |
Price paid: Not Indicated
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Pros:
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Compared to Canon 17-85, the Sigma is smaller, lighter, compact, with solid build and very reasonable price.
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Cons:
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Focus is a bit noisy, still zoom ring on my sample.
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I've now had a chance to compare this lens with the Canon 17-85mm IS zoom, which is about the closest comparable lens to replace the digital rebel kit lens.
Here are my observations (the results surprised me):
http://ilind.net/reviews/canon-v-sigma/
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Canon EF 24mm f/2.8
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Review Date: Dec 28, 2005
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Recommend? yes |
Price paid: $280.00
| Rating: 8
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Pros:
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Sharp images, good color, small and unobtrusive, relatively inexpensive.
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Cons:
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A few instances of missed focus.
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The 24mm joins the 50mm f/1.4 and 85mm f/1.8 in my Digital Rebel XT bag.
After a week of use in a variety of settings, I'm very pleased with this lens. I was worried that it wouldn't be wide enough for use as an everyday lens, but it fills that niche just fine and yields good images.
I've posted some sample images and a few additional comments at:
http://ilind.net/reviews/24mmsamples/
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Sigma 18-125mm F3.5-5.6 DC
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Review Date: Nov 14, 2005
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Recommend? yes |
Price paid: $269.00
| Rating: 5
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Pros:
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Solid build quality, reasonable images. Low price.
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Cons:
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Very stiff zoom ring, and zooming is not smooth. Generally soft images.
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Overall, I would rate this lens as "adequate".
It isn't a great performer, but not terrible. Taking into account it's low price and moderate reach, it's a reasonable addition to the amateur's camera bag. If you want more (quality, speed, etc.) you'll have to pay for it. This lens gives me a chance to see how much use I will actually make of the longer focal lengths.
I've posted more extensive comments and a few sample photos at:
http://ilind.net/reviews/sigma18-125a.html
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Domke F-3X
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Review Date: Sep 16, 2005
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Recommend? yes |
Price paid: $89.00
| Rating: 8
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Pros:
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Carrying capacity.
Shape.
Size.
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Cons:
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Not waterproof.
No zipper, so won't seal against dust between uses.
Internal lens pockets are not moveable.
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I chose this bag to carry my Canon Digital XT, two extra lenses, flash, and other stuff. It does an excellent job and is a pleasure to use.
It's a very useful size, feels large when stuffing things into it, but feels smaller when carrying it. I've got the black nylon version so can't comment on the canvas one. I don't have a whole lot of gear, but it all fits here.
I have a few photos at:
http://ilind.net/gallery2/domke081905/
The floppy shape grows on you, and just seems to work.
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