#EF lens test

[michaelwriston]

Hey Micheal what camera would you reccomend to some one starting out taking photos & what’s your set up?

Hey!

I'm a firm believer in buying an inexpensive DSLR or mirrorless setup with interchangeable lenses. You don't have to break the bank on a starter setup — just focus on buying a camera with a robust selection of first- and third-party lenses.

My usual advice is to start simple and only upgrade gear once you run into a physical or technical limitation that stops you from realizing your vision. For example, if you're not getting the shallow depth of field you want with your current lens and body, then maybe it's time to consider buying a lens with a larger maximum aperture (e.g., f/1.8 or f/1.4).

I started out with a Nikon D50 and a Nikkor 50mm f/1.8. That served me well for nearly five years, before I started running into technical limitations with the sensor that made shooting night photos difficult. That's when I switched to shooting medium format film for a spell, before ultimately settling on a full-frame Canon digital body. All-in-all, that experimentation period took about 17 years (I'm still not done).

That said, shop used for your first camera. Places like KEH or MPB have a great selection of tested and used gear. I personally shop from MPB. Here are a few great beginner full-frame camera bodies. I'll break out lenses later on in this post.

Why full frame? I think you get superior image quality, better depth of field, better image resolution for printing, and phenomenal dynamic range.

Canon EOS 5D Mark III ($714)

Nikon D750 ($774)

Canon 6D Mark II ($884)

Nikon D810 ($819)

Anyone of these are going to get the job done and then some.

The world of lenses is complicated and varied. You'll have “prime purists” that will tell you to eschew zoom lenses and only shoot prime (a lens with no zoom capabilities). You'll have people that say longer telephotos are all you need. The truth is, you'll find your niche the more you shoot. I prefer prime lenses for their simplicity (and the less I have to think about, the better).

I'll break these out by purpose.

Portraiture

Canon EF 85mm f/1.8 ($259)

Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 ($134)

Nikkor 85mm f/1.8 ($184)

Nikkor 50mm f/1.8 ($78)

Landscapes

Canon EF 24mm f/2.8 IS ($294)

Nikkor AF 24mm f/2.8 ($134)

Multipurpose

Canon EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-f/5.6 IS STM ($54)

Nikon AF-P DX Nikkor 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6G ($73)

I could go on and on, but this is enough to get you a start in the right direction.

If I were to put together a beginner kit with the above options, I would snatch up the Canon 5D Mark III with the Canon 50mm f/1.8 and the Canon EF 24mm f/2.8 IS. Total cost before taxes and shipping would be $1,142. You would have an incredibly flexible kit that lends itself to portraiture, landscapes, and street work, all for the same price as a new “prosumer” kit with only one lens from Amazon or other big box stores. If you don't know which direction you want to go, or you want to save on cost, there's nothing wrong with swapping out the two primes and grabbing the 18-55mm kit lens for next to nothing. That will at least let you dabble with different focal lengths and see what suits you.

I'm happy to answer any other questions here!

P.S. I shoot with a Canon EOS 6D Mark I and usually have a Sigma 35mm f/1.4 lens mounted on it for street portrait/street landscape work. My other carry-around camera is a Ricoh GR III.

[mrswhozeewhatsis]

Hello! Sorry to bother you, but I saw your picture of Philemon and started poking around your photography blog... and loved how you were able to capture the moment in a lot of them. I'm going to be attending my first con ever in about a month, and am looking for tips/advice partly because while I have done some manual shooting for sports/street, it's been predominantly outdoors and during the day and also partly because I love your photos and would love to hear some of what works for your if you are willing to share (please don't feel obligated to share if you don't want to or don't have the energy!).

While I have a ton of questions, maybe the one I'm most curious about is if you've found the lighting at cons hard to work with. I don't have a particularly fast tele zoom lens (f4-5.6), and pretty much all I've seen online (besides up iso) is to buy a fast lens. I have a 56mm f1.4, but I'm pretty sure I'll be sitting too far away to get the detail and dof I want with that. Is it worth bringing a slow telephoto zoom lens for the con though or will the lighting just make taking my 56mm make more sense? I don't want to buy a new lens that I don't need otherwise for this, and I also am a bit unsure about what/how much to pack given that I've never been to a con and am not experienced enough shooting indoors to guess based on the con videos how bad the lighting is.

I know it's not only the gear that makes the photo, but if you have any advice for a novice, I'd be happy to hear it. Thank you for making it through my ramble ask. Sorry again for bothering you...

First of all, thank you so much for your comments in my photos! I consider myself one of the least experiences photographers you'll find at a con, so Knowing that someone likes my work really makes my day! 😍😍😍

Gonna put the rest of this under a cut cuz it got long. lol

To give you an idea of what I'm working with, I was in seat B40 this year. That's all the way on the side aisle. My camera is a Canon EOS Rebel T6i, and the lens I used was a Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8 lens. Occasionally, I sat in empty seats that were closer and snapped a few shots, but not many. (I sat in the front row for the shots I posted of Tom Welling and Michael Rosenbaum. Tom was on stage, Michael was just... EVERYWHERE. 🤣)

The lighting at Creation cons is not great. Also, it can change from panel to panel. It would be lovely if they could mount their lights higher so the guests don't get blinded and ask for the lights to be brought down. But, since that will probably never happen, we work with what we've got.

Personally, I love a zoom lens because I'm always zooming in and out, trying to catch different things. I know other photographers favor not zooming because they get better quality photos in other ways, but I'm not clear on how that works.

Now, for my first suggestion: rent a lens. It's fairly inexpensive to rent a lens, and you get to try different lenses out without spending a fortune on lenses you later figure out aren't what you want. I believe a few of the other con photographers use a site called lensrentals.com. I rented a lens last year from Unique Photo in Philly, since they're not too far from me. You can also rent from UP online at uniquephoto.com. I went in person to talk to one of their experts to help me decide what kind of lens I wanted to try since I'm so new to this. They also have a store in Fairfield, NJ, so if you're close to either of those places, I would definitely suggest you head in there and check them out!

The reason why I'm suggesting that you rent a lens is because I think you'll want a lower f-stop than your zoom lens has, and if you're further away than the first 3-4 rows, you're going to want to zoom. (Gotta get up close and personal with the pretty!!! And good lord, but they're all so freaking pretty.) Renting a lens is a relatively cheap way to test things out. It's possible you may rent a lens and then later realize that your own lenses would have done the job. You'll only be out a hundred bucks or so by renting. (UP did require a deposit of half the retail value of the lens, but they were great about getting that back to me quickly.)

ISO - I'm always trying to use the lowest ISO I can get away with because noise is a pet peeve of mine. (I adore Lightroom's new Denoise AI!!!!) I know other photographers aren't as picky about noise and raise their ISO. I try to keep mine at or below 3200. One of my friends shoots at an ISO I didn't know existed, it's so high. (She yells at me. "You need to increase your shutter speed and your ISO, Michelle!") She's got a Nikon, though, and I sometimes wonder if camera make and model might also affect things like that.

As far as packing is concerned, I'm a bad person to ask. I bring freaking everything, even when I know darn well I'm not gonna use it. Seriously, the only thing I left at home this con was my lens balls. I'm terrible.

The biggest thing I learned early on is that you can always lighten dark photos in processing, but it's really hard to darken overly light photos.

Renting a lens and shooting darker are the two big suggestions I have. Every photographer I know at cons does things a little differently though. Most are willing to stop and chat about what settings they use, too. @mandileaphotography, @brooksba, and @ditchlilytiger are three awesome photographers and people that I know are here on Tumblr and I can tag them. lol! They each may have their own tips and tricks to suggest! Mandi has helped me and countless other newbie photographers over the couple of years I've known her.

Something that Chris Schmelke said to me about editing, but I use it when shooting, too: If you're not sure where to start, see what Auto does, and then make changes from there until you're happy. If I'm really not sure where to start with my camera settings, I take a burst or two of photos in auto mode and see what settings the camera thinks are right. Then, I adjust until I'm happy.

Non-photography tips for your first con: Take snacks because forgetting to eat is totally a thing. Hydrate hydrate HYDRATE. Have a binder or something to keep your photo ops in. Drink more water. Wear comfortable shoes. Take a water bottle with you. Take Chris Schmelke's photography class because he's a sweetie and loves to answer any questions you might have about photography of all kinds. And don't forget to drink plenty of water. Have I mentioned staying hydrated? You think I'm kidding, but I failed at both eating and drinking water last weekend and then wondered why the room started spinning. And that was my 9th Creation con. I know better and I still did it! More tips like this can be found at @spncontips!

If you're on Twitter, check out @spnconphotogs there. A bunch of us run that account and we have lists of con photographers you can follow and get to know. We also have a Discord server that we don't use much, but it's there if the ex-bird app ever truly dies. DM me or one of the others for an invite!

Sorry for the babbling, but this is everything I can think of off the top of my head to help you out! Even the "big name" fandom photographers are all nice and sweet as pie and willing to help you out if they're not running from one place to another. Just find someone with a really big lens and say hi!!

[goronska]

This is a vent post, you don't have to continue, just scroll past.

Recently all my life has been turning upside down and then shaken for good measure. We're splitting with my partner after 10 years, so I started to be on a lookout for a new job (no success so far) and new place to live (neither). The prices are ridiculously high, by the way, compared to how ridiculously low are the salaries of educators over here. My depression and ADHD are pulling me between anxiety attacks and just stupor while I'm trying to get the ball rolling with my Buymeacoffee. Just this week I wanted to go for a blood test on Monday because I was starting work late, and at dawn a had hipoglicaemia, so I couldn't go, because you are supposed not to eat anything prior to the blood drawing, but I HAD TO not to pass out. Not to waste the day I paid for a visit at the beautician and hairdresser, so I could take a photo to my new Disable Person Verfied ID (/sarcasm), but the next day while I was running late to my therapist - my head had a close encounter with the effing PAVEMENT of all things, not only smashing my nose and giving me bruises, but also destroying my new glasses. Today I went to them to get the one badly scratched lens replaced, I learned that they have to do two and I am NOT ELIGIBLE for any discounts anymore this year, because OF COURSE I SLEEP ON CASH NOW. Life has run out of lemons to throw at me and now is hurling granades my way, I swear to gayness.

[georgemathew8899]

Reasons to Invest in a Wide-Angle Lens

The photography world is continually developing, and Canon Singapore stays at the forefront of this advancement with its impressive range of EF lenses. Among these, the wide-angle lens is imperative for photographers hoping to capture sweeping scenes and bring a sense of depth and scale to their images.

The wide angle lens, with its unique ability to remember more of the scene for the frame, is perfect for landscape, architectural, and road photography. By lessening the distance between the foreground and background, these lenses make images with more noteworthy depth, causing viewers to feel as though they are important for the scene.

The Canon EF lens lineup is especially imperative for its adaptability and elite performance. These lenses are compatible with Canon's range of DSLR cameras, pursuing them a popular decision among photographers who request the best from their stuff. The EF lenses incorporate a variety of focal lengths and openings, taking special care of different photographic requirements. The EF series has something for everybody, from wide angle lenses perfect for capturing huge landscapes to telephoto lenses that bring distant subjects closer.

One of the furthest down the line increases to the Canon lens family is a perfect representation of the organization's devotion to pushing the limits of optical innovation. This new wide-angle lens offers an impressive mix of a wide field of view and negligible distortion, making it ideal for architectural and inside photography. Consolidating progressed lens coatings and optical plan guarantees that images are sharp and free from undesirable flares and ghosting, in any event, while shooting in testing lighting conditions.

Canon Singapore keeps on supporting photographers by giving great lenses and exceptional help and assets. Their neighborhood presence implies that photographers in Singapore approach the most recent Canon lenses and can benefit from the expertise and support offered by Canon professionals. Whether through studios, administration focuses, or direct client assistance, Canon Singapore guarantees photographers have all that they need to succeed.

The most recent progressions in Canon lenses testify to the organization's continuous obligation to development. By ceaselessly further developing lens innovation, Canon empowers photographers to push the creative limits and achieve already unfathomable outcomes.

The wide-angle lens, especially inside the EF lens lineup, addresses a significant tool in any photographer's munitions stockpile. Canon Singapore's nonstop development and arrival of the most recent Canon lenses guarantee photographers can get to the best tools to capture dazzling images. With their cutting-edge innovation, superior performance, and the support given by Canon Singapore, these lenses empower photographers to explore new creative possibilities and elevate their craft.

[shlomolevi]

New old Canon EOS 6D 20.2MP Body - C Grade with Battery Grip and Charger EO9495+80-200mm f/2.8 canon telephoto lens, ef mount

тест чисто технический, так сказать пальценажимание, без каких либо претензий на искусство. 3 дня пешей прогулки одна камера одна линза. НУУУУ ТАК СЕБЕ((( почти сразу отказался от интеллектуального авто режима После люмикса просто смех . Так же как на всех кэнонах главная задача открыть диафрагму пошире. В итоге даже на ярком солнце диафрагма закрывалась максимум 5.6. Поэтому поставил 8 и вперёд. фокус по всему полю имеет тенденцию как у олимпус убегать на самый неподходящий объект. С объективом довольно странно хорош на лицах и вблизи, хотя и мягкий для Л серии, а вот на 200 на максимальном удалении мылит так что автофокус не срабатывает ни в одном из 2х режимов, приходится переходить на мануал. Что вообщем то в очередной раз объясняет почему так называемые профессиональные фотографы с пеной у рта отстаивают применение только мануальных настроек и фокуса…ребята вы просто люмикс не пробовали)))) П.С. JPEG прямо из камеры не понравился, блекло для камеры такого уровня. P.s.s у меня сложилось впечатление что если есть возможность и дешевле надо выбрать просто 200 мм Л серии New old Canon EOS 6D 20.2MP Body - C Grade with Battery Grip and Charger EO9495 + 80-200mm f/2.8 Canon telephoto lens, ef mount test is purely technical, so call fingerpressing without any pretensions to art. 3 days of walking, one camera, one lens. WELL SO SO(((I almost immediately gave up on the intelligent auto mode. After Lumix, it’s just a laugh. Like on all Canons, the main task is to open the aperture wider. As a result, even in the bright sun, the aperture closed to a maximum of 5.6. Therefore, I set it to 8 and then focus across the entire field, which tends, like an Olympus, to run away to the most inappropriate object. With the lens, it is quite strangely good on faces and close-ups, although it is soft for the L series, but at 200 at maximum distance, it is soapy so autofocus does not work in any of the 2 modes, you have to switch. on the manual. or down to 135-150 Which, in general, once again explains why so-called professional photographers foam at the mouth and defend the use of only manual settings and focus… guys, you just haven't tried Lumix)))) P.S. I didn’t like JPEG straight from the camera; it was faded for a camera of this level. P.s.s I got the impression that if you have the opportunity and it’s cheaper, you should just choose the 200 mm L series

[ericlwoods]

Analog Therapy: Kodak Gold 200 (Take 2) + Canon EOS A2 + EF 85mm f/1.8 US.

Had a new to me SLR I wanted to get a few test rolls through. Canon EOS A2 Roll 1 I paired with a favorite zoom. Tamron 28-75mm f/2.8 A great film (Kodak Gold 200), camera, and lens so all should go well. For reasons that stumped me at first the roll developed blank. My thoughts on possible culprits: Camera? No. I just finished a roll of B&W film without issue. Lens? Not likely. Worked…

[nerdsworld]

SONY CREATIVE SPACE NYC 🗽

Sony announces the Alpha 9 Mark III at this year's event held in New York City.

This will be the world's first full frame camera with a global shutter,it can shoot at 120 FPS with no blackout.

Once again members, photographers (all are welcome) to meet up with other members of the Alpha Community,where you could participate in photo walks,hands on photography and panels with the top Sony Alpha Photographers in the industry while also checking out the latest Sony Gear.

Free Sony swag the first 200-500 guests.

Sony lenses and cameras.

Photo sets to test out Sony cameras and lens or shoot with your own to add to your portfolio.

Photos taken with:

Canon M6 Mark I (mirrorless)

24mm f2.8 Canon SLR pancake lens

Canon EF-EFS Adapter

Friday

11.10.2023

L.George

[nusrika]

Ultimate Deals Canon EOS 2000D (Rebel T7) DSLR Camera w/Canon EF-S 18-55mm F/3.5-5.6 Zoom Lens + Case + 32GB Memory Card + TopKnotch Kit (Renewed)

Price: (as of – Details) This pre-owned or refurbished product has been professionally inspected and tested to work and look like new. How a product becomes part of Amazon Renewed, your destination for pre-owned, refurbished products: A customer buys a new product and returns it or trades it in for a newer or different model. That product is inspected and tested to work and look like new by…

[paincorpsrarefinds]

Canon EOS Elan 7 35mm SLR Camera Body with Canon 28-80 EF Lens - Battery Tested

CAMERA DEALS: Seller: donalbe-0 (100.0% positive feedback) Location: US Condition: Used Price: 170.00 USD Shipping cost: 6.00 USD Buy It Now https://www.ebay.com/itm/394630113658?hash=item5be1c9a97a%3Ag%3A588AAOSwPJlkZOoy&mkevt=1&mkcid=1&mkrid=711-53200-19255-0&campid=5338779481&customid=&toolid=10049&utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=tumblr

[all2collectmore]

Check out this listing I just added to my Poshmark closet: Canon EF 75-300mm f/4-5.6 III Telephoto Zoom Lens Tested Working.

[mi5018abifiges]

Filming

Locations

Since I first got the idea of the cat walking along the wall I have been panicking about finding the right location. 

Here are some of my ideas for possible locations: 

Outside uni:

I decided against this as I believe there may be too many people around. 

Leafy path:

I decided against this as the wall on the left side doesn't look thick enough to have a cat wall cycle on top of it.

Final location ideas:

Images taken from google earth, - Jesmond Dene, The red walk

Cat:

Plant:

Bird:

Filming plan:

Filming:

The camera: I had originally planned to borrow a camera from my parents as they were meant to visit me. However they had to cancel. Luckily one of my friends had a camera and they let me borrow it for a few days.

The camera: Cannon EOS 250D

The lens: Cannon EFS 18-55mm

Once I received the camera I played around with the settings and tested out the different settings to practice:

I planned to film my footage on Thursday March 9th as I had to give the camera back on Friday 10th. When Thursday came around I noticed that the weather was bad.

This was concerning as I didn’t want to damage the camera or not be able to film what I need to. I have learnt that overcast dry weather is the best to film in. Luckily when I went outside the snow wasn’t bad and I was able to film.

I walked to Jesmond dene and I found some nice locations on my way. I filmed these locations just in case filming the planned locations didn’t work:

I started with the cat one. Due to the lens being long I had to get far away from the wall to be able to fit it where I wanted it in the shot. After multiple tries I managed to get what I wanted:

Then I did the plant footage. I got close to the ground and tried to stay still as this was a static shot. This took multiple tries as I was a bit shaky due to the cold weather:

I then did the bird footage. This was difficult as I had focusing issues. I did manage to get what I wanted after a few tries:

On my way back home I got a random idea. I decided to film a different location/idea for the cat animation. I did this just in case the footage for the cat doesn’t work well, as I am a bit nervous about it. I filmed my feet walking and then the camera panning upwards. I thought I could animate a cat walking in front if me. I will only use this footage if the original footage for the cat doesn’t work.

The main problem I had with filming was the stabilization. I didn’t have a tripod so all the footage is handheld and a bit shaky. It took multiple tries before I got footage I was happy with.

Another problem I faced was a focusing issue. I struggled to get the footage I need for the bird animation to not go out of focus. This also took multiple tries.

[laternae-magicae-297]

Serie Testing Canon EOS M50 & Lens 55-200mm EF-M Souvenir of the Picasso exhibition @ Royal Fine Arts MuseumBrussels 👍 #2023 #canonphotography #canonphoto #exhibition #poster #posterdesign #posterart #royalfineartsmuseum https://www.instagram.com/p/Cozx-akIB5t/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

[ultralowoxygen]

Puppy nap by John Bradford Via Flickr: Our pup loves relaxing on the ottoman in the evening sun. I was given a couple rolls of unknown expiration Superia 400, and this roll was a test of sorts to see what condition it was in. Camera: Canon Elan 7 Lens: Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 Film: Expired Fuji Superia 400 at ei 200 Dev: Cinestill CS41 Scan: Plustek 8200i w/ Silverfast 9

[dogsaver-blog]

Puppy nap by John Bradford Via Flickr: Our pup loves relaxing on the ottoman in the evening sun. I was given a couple rolls of unknown expiration Superia 400, and this roll was a test of sorts to see what condition it was in. Camera: Canon Elan 7 Lens: Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 Film: Expired Fuji Superia 400 at ei 200 Dev: Cinestill CS41 Scan: Plustek 8200i w/ Silverfast 9

[miraltrax]

Canon 35mm f2

#Canon 35mm f2 professional#

Leavitt blogs at Shooting on a Budget, where this article was also published. With many budget constraints around him at times, he does what he can to not let them hold him back at all. Be sure to check that out to see more thoughts and discussion on this lens.Ībout the author: Jay Leavitt is a hobbyist photographer who tries to push himself as far as he can go. Soft (badly) in the corners, but decent all around.Įditor’s note: We posted a different in-depth review of the Yongnuo 35mm f/2 earlier this week. It features a 1635mm focal range for superb perspective control, with a fast, constant aperture and the outstanding image quality you can expect from a Canon L-series lens.

#Canon 35mm f2 professional#

Read more reviews, see if future copies improve, etc.Īll in all… it’s a good lens so far. The EF 16-35mm f/2.8L III USM is an ultra wide-angle zoom lens for professional and enthusiast photographers. You have to determine yourself if this impacts you. I shoot portraits, so sharp enough in the center, and soft in the corners is a nonissue, this shouldn’t affect me much, if at all, softer, more bokeh’ed corners could be a good thing. It is ideal as an everyday lens and is very effective in low. There are some distinct differences between the two… The Yongnuo (at least the two copies I have to test) are not as sharp as the Canon, especially outside of the center, though is a strong competitor in all other elements. The EF 35mm f/2 IS USM Lens from Canon is a wide-angle prime lens with a fast maximum aperture. The Canon 35/2 also has a 5 bladed aperture setup, does it suffer the same? (Again, these shots are f/2 – f/4 – f/8) The Canon 50/1.8 II had some pretty harsh bokeh stopped down, with its 5 bladed aperture it was pretty ugly. I think the Yongnuo gets washed out a little less (and that’s my experience with the wider apertures too, overall) – again, not a fancy test, it’s a wider lens, so flaring is expected when shooting in the general direction of the sun, I wanted to include a shot that shows the characteristics of sun flares for those who like to involve those in shots (as I am wont to do). Even stopped down to f/16 there’s little difference (please excuse the mess, I’m building a fire pit, this corner of the yard is messy). I tried to test out flaring when shooting against open sun, but being as wide as it is, anything shot at f/2 in a situation where you’d expect flare when shot at f/2 ends up just being a general wash with no distinct difference between the two.