» Canon EF 200mm f/2 L IS USM lens test
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Introduced to replace the EF 200mm F1.8L USM which was announced in 1988, the new Canon EF 200mm F2L IS USM has a smaller aperture but is embedded with Image Stabilization (IS) which is able to give up to 4 stops of image stabilization. In this test, sharp image was achieved at the setting of 1/8s, an extra stop as compared to the 4 stop Canon announced. Common rule for minimum shutter speed is 1/focal length, 1/200s in our Canon EOS 5D test. Read the whole test & see test photos here.
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» Canon EF 300mm f/2.8L IS USM lens test
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 The Canon 300mm f/2.8 is one of the sharpest lenses we've ever tested. This is a lens designed to be used wide open at f/2.8, and it shows in the test results. On a subframe 20D at f/2.8, the far right edge of the frame barely reaches 1.5 blur units, and the rest of the frame edges just above 1 blur unit. This performance improves (as if it had much room to improve) by f/4, where it is essentially tack-sharp across the frame. It's just as sharp through f/5.6-8, and by f/11 we begin to see the effects of diffraction limiting, though at this level to say that the sharpness is degrading needs some qualification. Sharpness hits 1.5 blur units at f/11, and 2 units by f/16. It's possible to shoot at f/32, but here you actually encounter some legitimate softness issues at 5 blur units across the frame. This really isn't a lens you're going to be shooting at f/32, though. Read the whole review here. You can buy the lens here
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» Canon EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS USM lens test
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The Canon 100-300mm f/4.5-5.6 IS USM telephoto zoom lens was released in September 1998. The lens uses an older ''push-pull'' zoom design that extends the lens from its length of 189mm (7.4'') to almost 260mm (10.2'') when set to its most telephoto setting of 400mm. Incorporating both image stabilization and an ultra-sonic motor into the lens makes for a very compact and efficient package, weighing in at just 1,380g (just over 3 pounds).
The lens is fully compatible with full-frame sensors and film bodies, so there are no issues with vignetting. Canon digital SLR cameras with sub-frame sensors have a ''crop factor'' of 1.6x. Thus, for this particular lens, it will exhibit an effective focal length of 160mm to a whopping 640mm. It can also mount 1.4x and 2x extenders, meaning that you could see a potential of 1,280mm, if you're amenable to a maximum aperture of f/11 at that focal length. Read the whole review here. You can order the lens here
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» Canon EF 24-105mm f/4L IS USM for cropped-frame bodies
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The Canon EF 24-105mm f/4L IS USM was announced in August 2005 as a ‘lightweight’ standard zoom lens for professionals. Introduced on the same day as the EOS 5D, it’s an ideal general-purpose lens for Canon’s full frame bodies, although has also become a popular option for owners of Canon cropped-frame bodies like the EOS 400D / XTi and EOS 40D.
Since the lens represents a different proposition depending on whether it’s mounted on a full-frame or cropped frame body, we have two separate reviews of it at Camera Labs. If you’re interested in how it performs on a full-frame body like the EOS 5D. If you’re interested in how it measures-up on a cropped-frame body like the EOS 400D / XTi, EOS 450D / XSi or EOS 40D, then you’re already in the right place. Read the whole review here & you can buy the lens here.
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» Canon EF 100-300mm f/4.5-5.6 USM
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The Canon 100-300mm f/4.5-5.6 USM telephoto zoom lens was originally released in 1990, and while Canon has moved on to a different cosmetic style for its newer lenses, it continues to produce this lens as one of its telephoto series.
Canon digital SLR cameras with sub-frame sensors have a ''crop factor'' of 1.6x. Thus, for this particular lens, it will exhibit an effective focal length of 160-480mm. However, the lens is an older design, created long before digital SLR cameras hit the market, thus the lens is fully compatible with full-frame sensors. The lens takes 58mm filters, and a lens hood is indicated as an optional accessory. Read the whole article here. You can buy the lens here.
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» Canon EF 14mm f/2.8L II USM lens review
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The Canon EF 14mm ƒ/2.8 II USM updates its predecessor of the same name, adding a 'II' designation to reflect the overhaul of the lens. Specifically, Canon indicates that the optical layout of the lenses has been completely redesigned. Where the original EF 14mm had one aspherical element, version two now contains two aspherical elements and two ultra-low dispersion glass elements. The new lens also adds an aperture blade, going from 5 to 6.
The 14mm f/2.8 features an integrated lens hood without a filter ring; filters may be added to a rear element gelatin filter holder. As an EF lens, the image circle is full-frame 35mm. Read the whole review here & you can buy the lens here
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» Canon 1200 f5.6 L USM Telephoto Lense
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The 1000mm Sigma we saw at PMA is nothing compared to this ultra rare Canon zoom. The retailer B&H photo has one of these, a 1200mm, F5.6 USM lens. They've been around since 1993, but are made to order at the rate of 2 per year, and there are less than 20 in existence. What the hell does 1200mm give you on a 35mm camera? A 2 percent field of vision. The cost? $99,000.00...USED. via gizmodo.com
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» Canon U.S.A. introduces two highly anticipated telephoto lenses at PMA 2008
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Canon U.S.A., Inc., a leader in digital imaging, today announced the launch of two new telephoto lenses for use with its EOS SLR cameras: the EF200mm f/2L IS USM*/** and the EF800mm f/5.6L IS USM*/**, the world's longest focal length lens with an Optical Image Stabilizer system.*** The Company, which exhibited prototypes of the lenses during PhotoPlus Expo in New York last October, is launching them at the PMA tradeshow (booth E101) at the Las Vegas Convention Center, January 31 to February 2.
"The development of these two new lenses continues to show how Canon actively responds to the imaging needs of our professional and advanced amateur customers. We are proud to provide the right equipment to help photographers capture the best and brightest images under all conditions," said Yuichi Ishizuka, senior vice president and general manager, Consumer Imaging Group, Canon U.S.A. Read the whole article inside
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» Canon 14mm f/2.8L II USM AF Lens Test
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 A full-frame 14mm f/2.8 has been an anchor of Canon's premier L-series lens line for a quarter-century. This new upgrade, Version II ($2,199, street), has a second aspheric element and two elements of ultra-low-dispersion glass. Coatings to suppress reflections from a digital sensor are also new; so are gaskets and seals for better dust and moisture resistance. Equal to a 21mm on a DSLR with an APS-sized sensor, it has a near-fisheye 114-degree angle of view. That width, along with well-controlled distortion, made the previous version popular with architectural and editorial shooters, despite its high price ($2,900) and so-so sharpness (the earlier lens scored an Average rating in our SQF tests -- unusual for such pricey glass). Read the whole article here
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» Canon EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS lens test
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 Canon dropped an early Christmas present with the announcement of this consumer-level lens. As an upgrade from the 18-55mm ƒ/3.5-5.6 USM EF-S lens that is bundled as the standard ''kit'' lens with many Canon dSLR cameras, many Canon photographers may be looking to Santa longingly. And Santa's budget may not be pushed too far, with an announced price point of $199.
The real news here is the inclusion of Canon's image stabilization, typically seen only in higher-end glass. With a touted performance of four extra stops, it should make a real difference in the photography of the average user. Read the whole test here
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» Canon 24-105mm f/4 L lens test
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 This is Canon's highest performance professional midrange zoom for film, full-frame and 1.3x digital cameras. The Canon 24-105mm f/4L has great optics and works extremely well. My biggest whine is that the zoom ring takes a lot of effort and that the wide end of the zoom range is cramped, making it difficult to set wide focal lengths precisely.
It's silly to use this on a 1.6x sensor camera like the Rebels and 30D because 1.) you're paying a premium for large-sensor performance but using only the center of the image, and 2.) 24mm isn't wide on a 1.6x camera: 24mm on a 1.6x camera gives the same angle of view as a 39mm lens does on a 35mm camera. For 1.6x cameras, the excellent 17-55mm f/2.8 IS makes more sense because it weighs less, is one stop faster, has much less distortion and covers what I find to be a more useful range of focal lengths. Read the very nice article here
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» Canon EF 17-40mm f/4L USM lens, tested with Canon EOS 400D / XTi
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 The Canon EF 17-40mm f/4.0L was announced back in February 2003 as a lightweight ultra wide-angle zoom and has since become a bit of a classic lens for owners of Canon EOS digital and film SLRs.
Its ultra-wide focal range delivers spectacular coverage on film or full-frame digital SLRs, although it’s sufficiently wide to also be considered as a general-purpose zoom on APS-C bodies like the EOS 30D and 400D / XTi. When fitted to an APS-C body, it delivers a range equivalent to 27-64mm, and while the long-end is clearly shorter than general purpose EF-S zooms, it does have the advantage of being compatible with a full-frame body should you wish to upgrade in the future. Read the whole review here
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» Canon 50mm f/1.2L USM AF lens test
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 This speedy full-frame 50mm f/1.2L ($1,400, street) fills a vacancy left by the demise of Canon's 50mm f/1.0L four years ago. The company's only L-series normal lens, it's the fastest normal AF lens on the planet.
Large and hefty, at nearly twice the size of comparable Nikon and Pentax f/1.2 manual-focus lenses, this lens exemplifies how the L-series opts for sharpness over compact convenience. The AF speed is somewhat slow, unsurprisingly, given the amount of glass the motor must move. The lens' unusual design shifts the entire optical assembly within a stationary outer housing to focus. To prevent moisture and dust from coming between the assembly and housing, Canon strongly recommends a protective UV filter. Read the whole article here
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» Canon EF 14mm f/2.8L USM
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 Even on a sub-frame camera, a focal length of 14mm gives useful wide angle coverage, while on a full-frame camera it's close to as wide as you can get. Combined with a f/2.8 maximum aperture, this could make the Canon 14mm f/2.8L lens an in-demand optic, but we found that its corner sharpness suffered somewhat in our testing, and its Chromatic Aberration levels were a good bit higher than average. Read the whole review here
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» Canon EF 85mm f/1.8 USM
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 Prime lenses in this focal length range have always been great choices for portrait photography, because of the tendency of the moderate telephoto focal length to slightly "flatten" facial features, avoiding the problem of too-big noses in frontal shots taken with wider-angle lenses. In the digital era (at least with sub-frame cameras), the 85mm focal length of this lens gets a little long for that usage (you'll end up having to stand off quite a distance from your model), but the favorable effect of a long focal length continues to make the attractive choices for that sort of work. In fact, the Canon 85mm f/1.8 USM seems to be almost ideally suited for portrait shooting, as its very wide aperture really helps to blur out distracting backgrounds, and its soft corners (which might otherwise be considered a defect) can help to isolate a portrait subject near the middle of the frame. While far from a perfect optic, the 85mm may be one of the better portrait lenses on the market: Read on below for all the details from our testing. Read the whole review here
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» Canon EF 70-200mm f/4L IS USM lens test
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 It usually goes without saying that a zoom lens won't come close to matching the performance of a good prime (non-zoom) lens at any given focal length. But is that always the case? When we tested the non-IS version of this lens, we were mightily impressed with its image quality across the board. The new IS (Image Stabilized) version of it is at least as good, prompting senior tech Jim Tanner to look into just how it did stack up against excellent primes at various focal lengths. The results may surprise a lot of readers, but I'll let you read for yourself what Jim found. We also took an informal look at the strength of its IS system, and found that it does seem to live up to Canon's claims of 4 stops(!) of improvement in shake reduction. All in all, a tremendously impressive lens, read on
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» Canon 16-35mm F/2.8 L II Lens Review
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 The Canon EF 16-35mm f/2.8 L II USM Lens is what I consider one of the most important lenses in Canon's lineup. Taking over the ultra-wide angle position of the available professional grade f/2.8 zoom lenses from the Canon EF 16-35mm f/2.8 L USM Lens, the 16-35 L II becomes the new standard for professional and serious amateur photographers alike.
The Canon EF 16-35mm f/2.8 L USM Lens could also make a reasonable walk-around lens if your needs are typically for a wide angle lens - especially on a 1.6x FOVCF body. The short focal length range limits this lens' usefulness as a 1-lens-does-it-all general purpose lens. But, this lens performs excellently as part of a kit. Read the whole review here
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» Canon EF-S 17-85mm f4~5.6 IS USM lens review
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The Canon EF-S 17-85mm f4~5.6 IS USM was announced in August 2004 as general purpose zoom for Canon digital SLRs with EF-S lens mounts; compatible bodies include the EOS 300D / Rebel, EOS 350D / Rebel XT, EOS 400D / Rebel XTi, EOS 20D and EOS 30D. EF-S lenses are not compatible with the EOS 10D, nor any Canon bodies with larger sensors including the EOS 5D, 1D Mark III or 1Ds Mark II.
The Canon EF-S 17-85mm delivers a 5x optical zoom ratio with an equivalent focal range of 27-136mm on a 35mm or full-frame body. This offers both wide angle and reasonable telephoto coverage, and a more useful overall range than the budget EF-S 18-55mm kit lens commonly bundled with compatible bodies. The optical construction consists of 17 elements in 12 groups. The EF-S 17-85mm also features Image Stabilisation facilities which claim up to three stops of compensation against camera-shake. Read the whole review here
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» Canon EF 50mm f/1.4 USM lens test
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 A standard lens on a 35mm camera, the EF 50mm f/1.4 offers excellent light gathering capability and sharpness. (Just not all the way wide wide open, see below.) Use of a gauss type design and two high-refraction lenses, flare at maximum aperture is reduced and astigmatism is negligible. Micro USM motors are fast and quiet, and manual focus is possible with an external ring.
Digital SLR owners looking for an excellent portrait lens need look no further than the EF 50mm. Its f1.4 aperture is superb for low light photography (though the lens is quite soft until you reach f/1.8), and its characteristics are very desirable. It will blur the out of focus background beautifully at wider apertures, allowing the eye to focus on the subject. Read the whole test here
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» Canon EF 50mm f/1.2L USM Lens Test
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 The EF 50mm f/1.2L USM is a peerless new standard lens featuring an ultra-large aperture for a narrow depth of field and soft background blur so loved by photographers everywhere. The EF 50mm f/1.2L USM is suitable for any shooting situation; its lens coating and construction are optimized to minimize the ghosting and flare that frequently occurs when lenses are used with digital cameras. This high-performance, weather-resistant lens delivers all the superb image resolution and contrast you expect in a Canon L Series Lens. Read the whole test here
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