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10 Jul, 2008

All in one

How can I start this review ? All macro lenses that can be bought arount this focal lenght are excellent performers optically, even the super cheap cosina 100 3.5 and clones offer exceptionally good image quality when stopped down a bit. The canon version is the most expensive for the EF mount why should anybody choose this over tamron, sigma, tokina if optical quality is not significantly better or equal ? The answer is the canon version has everything what the photographer may need. Exceptional image quality with very good details (eheh all macro lenses are about deails so no surprise here) with very good build quality, fast and silent USM focus motor with FTM, full time manual focusing - this means after a half-press of the exposure button and focus lock the photographer can manually fine tune the focus without the need of switching the focus mode selector to mf. This helps a lot you do not need to get of your eye from the viewfinder, just a simple touch on the broad focus ring and it is done. At the moment it has a unique feature over all third party glass: it is an internal focusing lens what means the lens barrel does not extends when focusing closer. This is a great advantage especially when using special attachments like my homemade macro diffusor or a macro flash (like mr14ex or the twin flashes) - when these attached to a third party lens the weight of these slows down the focusing as it means extra weight to move to the focus motor. Remember, all third party lenses (tamron90 , tokina 100, sigma 105, cosina 100 3.5) extend during focusing. To say something a bad: the lens comes without a lens hood and tripod ring: the latter is not that important, third parties don't even have the option of tripod ring. A little back to the image quality - I had the tamron 90 before I decided to change to canon and to tell the truth I am completely stunned with the canon image quality over the tamron's. This means what I mentioned earlier, both macro lenses offer the possible highest image quality that can be bought for the EF bayonet. Although I haven't done a direct pixel-to-pixel comparision the tamron's colors and contrast are more beautiful to my personal and subjective taste - difference is marginal but I have to mention that. All in all, I would warmly recommend any of these macro lenses to anyone who likes great optical performance and focal lenght (not to mention these focal lenght is also great for portraits) especially the tamron which offers great performance for its price and the canon which has everything what a photographer may ever need at this focal lenght (USM, FTM, IF, great build).

11 of 11 found this helpful

10 Mar, 2008

Flexibility, handholdability, portability

This lens offers great performance in a compact and lightweight package (Of course keeping in mind this is a 100-400 zoom lens). Build quality is excellent. Push-pull time zoom needs some time to get used to but in some cases this means faster zoom action compared to normal twist zooms. It can be fastened in all settings of the zoom so if you do not want it to creep when pointed down just a twist on the ring and it will be fastened in that position. IS helps a lot and offers good handholdability till around 1/200-1/150 but do not expect miracles here - long lenses always benefits if used on a tripod or monopod. Also focusing needs a lot of care - if you check dofmaster.com you will find out the dof is only 10-20 cm deep when pushed to 400 mm (tele end) and used at wide open from 10m away from the subject. Just a little movement back or forward and you are risking the subject will be slightly out of focus. (this affects all long telephoto lenses not only this one!) so be careful with focusing ! The closest focusing distance is about 1.8m (6 feet if I calculate correctly :)). At this this subject distance it can be used for close up photography but at this distance as all tele lenses it needs extremely proper focusing to get sharp results. Again I would like to point at dofmaster dof calc to see the DOF is shorter than 1 cm when used around closest focusing distance wide open. As the subject distance increases the DOF is getting deeper this mins more properly focused pics. Keep in mind this is not the error of the lens it is simple fact that occurs when using long lenses. Otherwise ring USM focusing is silent, snappy and precise. With proper long lens techniques this lens is able to deliver great results. Sharpness could be a little bit better but with proper post processing there is nothing to worry about. Also stopping down a few clicks improves object detail but it is acceptable wide open. Portability: when pulled back to 100mm this lens offers good portability and needs relatively little space in the camera bag. The weight is a bit above 1 kg, with a body and a grip and other things like a quick release plate be prepared to some feelings like P.E. lessons. :) All in all I would recommend this lens to anyone who wants a great long zoom lens at an affordable price.

10 of 10 found this helpful

10 Mar, 2008

Flexibility, handholdability, portability

This lens offers great performance in a compact and lightweight package (Of course keeping in mind this is a 100-400 zoom lens). Build quality is excellent. Push-pull time zoom needs some time to get used to but in some cases this means faster zoom action compared to normal twist zooms. It can be fastened in all settings of the zoom so if you do not want it to creep when pointed down just a twist on the ring and it will be fastened in that position. IS helps a lot and offers good handholdability till around 1/200-1/150 but do not expect miracles here - long lenses always benefits if used on a tripod or monopod. Also focusing needs a lot of care - if you check dofmaster.com you will find out the dof is only 10-20 cm deep when pushed to 400 mm (tele end) and used at wide open from 10m away from the subject. Just a little movement back or forward and you are risking the subject will be slightly out of focus. (this affects all long telephoto lenses not only this one!) so be careful with focusing ! The closest focusing distance is about 1.8m (6 feet if I calculate correctly :)). At this this subject distance it can be used for close up photography but at this distance as all tele lenses it needs extremely proper focusing to get sharp results. Again I would like to point at dofmaster dof calc to see the DOF is shorter than 1 cm when used around closest focusing distance wide open. As the subject distance increases the DOF is getting deeper this mins more properly focused pics. Keep in mind this is not the error of the lens it is simple fact that occurs when using long lenses. Otherwise ring USM focusing is silent, snappy and precise. With proper long lens techniques this lens is able to deliver great results. Sharpness could be a little bit better but with proper post processing there is nothing to worry about. Also stopping down a few clicks improves object detail but it is acceptable wide open. Portability: when pulled back to 100mm this lens offers good portability and needs relatively little space in the camera bag. The weight is a bit above 1 kg, with a body and a grip and other things like a quick release plate be prepared to some feelings like P.E. lessons. :) All in all I would recommend this lens to anyone who wants a great long zoom lens at an affordable price.

13 of 13 found this helpful

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