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Canon TS-E 24mm f/3.5L II
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Review Date: May 2, 2011
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Recommend? yes |
Price paid: $2,050.00
| Rating: 10
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Pros:
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IQ. Extremely versatile.
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Cons:
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Cost
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Fantastic IQ. Excellent for landscape work. It's really excellent for anything that calls for 24mm. I would ramble about how spectacular it is...but you get the idea. It's worth it. If you are thinking about buying it...buy it.
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Canon EOS 1Ds Mark III
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Review Date: Dec 30, 2009
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Recommend? yes |
Price paid: $3,750.00
| Rating: 10
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Pros:
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Sturdy, Ergonomics, AF, Customization, Resolution, IQ
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Cons:
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I can't really fault much, I mean the price at normal cost is outrageous but I got mine for >50% off. For the price I paid, bargain.
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Amazing. Beautiful. The exact tool I need for anything I ever want to shoot and I absolutely love it. My Nikon 14-24 is sick on this thing and the 24-70 is just beautiful. Makes my 85L (mk I) focus fast! Yeah seriously it of all lenses focuses pretty fast now! The AF is so good that it practically reads your mind. I miss the higher ISO performance of my 5D2...except for the fact that I don't miss the crap AF/sealing. If you are in the market for a real deal camera body, get this. The 1Ds2 is a solid peformer but is a real step back in time compared to this thing. The 5D2, while newer and prettier, is the flashy cousin to this the do it all extremely well all-substance beast. The shutter sounds just awesome. The camera is ridiculously responsive. Everything about this camera is what I want in a body and fixes what I did not care for in the 5D2. Peace of mind is worth the money to me, and I finally have some peace of mind even over the 1D4 (this was a hard decision over that body, but ultimately this wins to me). Go buy yourself one already!
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Nikon 14-24mm f/2.8G IF-ED AF-S Nikkor
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Review Date: Dec 25, 2009
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Recommend? yes |
Price paid: $1,625.00
| Rating: 10
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Pros:
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Works fantastically well on my Canon cameras. Much better than any wide offerings made by Canon. Absolutely love this lens even if I have to manually focus & do the aperture - a very small price to pay. The adapter works very well
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Cons:
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Not sealed, but that is my own fault for using it on a canon body. Not super heavy. The front element being a little exposed is scary. The lens cap is pretty dicey - don't pick it up by that thing or you are begging for an insurance claim.
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I absolutely love this lens when used with a 16-9.net adapter on my Canon bodies. The width is absolutely fantastic and opens a lot of creative doors. The corners are sharp, the center is sharp, the color is great, the contrast is great. I was thinking about the Zeiss 21/2.8, which is in it's own right a great lens, but I am glad that I stuck with a zoom (I am just not a prime person - I need versatility). What a fantastic piece of glass, I wish Canon would step up to the plate and deliver something this good. Until then, I will be happy manually focusing this beautiful behemoth.
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Canon EOS 5D Mark II
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Review Date: Dec 5, 2009
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Recommend? yes |
Price paid: $2,300.00
| Rating: 10
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Pros:
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Total package. Takes fantastic pictures. Honestly a bargain at it's price.
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Cons:
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Wished it had a higher FPS rate and wish it had better sealing; I bought 1D3 for that.
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Unbelievable. I had an XTi then a 1Ds II and this puts those to shame. If you don't need the build quality/sealing or focus of a 1D series camera, this is your winner. Absolute beast of a camera. This paired with a fast FPS body (1D4, 1D3, 1D2/n, 7D, xxD) is the perfect combination. If you just need one body - buy this. It's fantastic.
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Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8L USM
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Review Date: Nov 2, 2009
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Recommend? yes |
Price paid: $1,055.00
| Rating: 10
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Pros:
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IQ, Sharp, Color, Contrast, Build, Feel, Image pop. I don't feel like this lens is all THAT heavy honestly, feels nice on my 5D2
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Cons:
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Well, it ain't the cheapest. It's worth it though.
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I had the 28-75. I had the 24-105L. They are good. They are not quite as good as the 24-70L though. Yes the 28-75 is cheaper. Yes the 24-105 has range and IS. The IQ and sharpness of the 24-70L trump those to me. If you value image quality above other factors, this is the choice without hesitation.
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Tamron 28-75mm f2.8 XR Di Zoom AF
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Review Date: Oct 30, 2009
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Recommend? yes |
Price paid: $330.00
| Rating: 8
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Pros:
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Constant 2.8, Small, Light, Focus Lock at 28mm. Inexpensive. Good for travel or budget photographers.
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Cons:
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Not sharp. No weather seal. AF is kind of slow, really hunts in low light. No red ring ;)
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I sold this lens when I bought a 24-70L. It was worth it to me. The weather sealing and IQ outweigh the weight of the L lens. This is a good lens - as good as my 24-105L was. It, however, is not a 24-70L and that is what I was truly after.
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Tamron 180mm f/3.5 Di LD IF Macro Autofocus SP AF
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Review Date: Jun 1, 2009
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Recommend? yes |
Price paid: Not Indicated
| Rating: 10
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Pros:
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Incredibly sharp, not too heavy, very very very high IQ, contrast and colors are beautiful and accurate, absolute bargain
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Cons:
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AF takes a while if you are not already in the ballpark. I usually AF and then fine tune my MF.
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I used EF-s Canon 60mm F/2.8 and needed more working distance. I did not want to sacrifice IQ or 1200 dollars for a specialized lens. After reviewing all sorts of samples, charts, internet forums, etc. I realized that the Canon is better built. It's sexier. It has the red ring. Optically, however, it is no better than the Tamron. The DOF is really small at 3.5, but even wide open the lens takes amazing shots. I can't recommend the lens highly enough; it feels very solid in hand. It is not as solid as my 70-200 F/4L, but it's in the ballpark; more solid than my Sigma 50/1.4. If you need working distance and you don't plan on spending 700 more dollars for the same performance (most tests indicate the Tamron is actually the superior lens optically), then do the right thing and buy this lens. You will love it.
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