Canon 50mm Lens
Canon 50mm Lens Choices – Canon Lovers “Love” These Lenses
Photographers (yours truly included) love the 50mm lens for Canon lineup
There are four (4) lenses that fall into the “50mm Lens for Canon” group that are actually made by Canon, and then there are the third party 50mm lenses as well.
The Canon 50mm lens has had a long history, as it was at one time considered the “benchmark” lens in the SLR stable of lenses. The engineers got this one “right” so that all other lenses would be judged in relation to this one.
Now that we are in the digital age, and so many more people are buying cameras and lenses, there has been a strong push to diversify the lens technology. Movement toward zoom lenses with wider and wider ranges has become very popular with consumers. Even so, there are many who still lean toward single focal length, or prime, lenses as the ultimate equipment of professionals. Thus, the Canon 50mm lens remains extremely strong in the buyers’ market.
The Canon technology for single focal length lenses has remained constantly excellent. So, getting a 50mm lens is still a great choice. And 50mm lenses offer such a wide variety of usage, including regular family snapshots, street photography, landscapes. portraits, and even macro photos.
Here is the Canon 50mm Lens lineup:
Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 II Camera Lens
This quote from DPReview (they tend to be very stingy in their praise) is quite a good endorsement.
“The Canon EF 50mm F1.8 II may be one of the cheapest lenses currently on the market, but its optics belie its lowly price. As befits a classic standard prime lens, it’s very sharp when stopped down (especially in the centre), shows minimal chromatic aberration, and has relatively low distortion; APS-C users will also benefit from extremely low vignetting. In most regards it comes very close indeed to its much more expensive bigger brother, the EF 50mm F1.4 USM…”
Here is the “Techy stuff”
- Focal length: 50mm
- Maximum aperture: 1:1.8
- Lens construction: 6 elements in 5 groups
- Diagonal angle of view: 46 degrees
- Focus adjustment: Overall linear extension system with Micromotor
- Closest focusing distance: 1.5 feet
- Filter size: 52mm
- Dimensions: 2.7 inches in diameter, 1.6 inches long
- Weight: 4.6 ounces
Lizzy - taken with Canon 50mm f/1.4 lens
Canon EF 50mm f1.4 USM Lens for Canon SLRs
This 50mm lens for Canon SLRs is a fantastic pick for both amateur and pro photographers. It is obviously a step up from the cheap 50mm lens, but the extra cost buys you more high quality glass and a better build quality. The lens’s wide aperture of f/1.4 is excellent for available-light shooting.
Here’s a bonus – this lens is the only lens in the EF system to offer an extra-small Micro Ultra Sonic Motor (USM) while still providing a full-time manual focusing option.
Additionally (and this is true of all the Canon 50mm lenses) it is an excellent Canon portrait lens.
The “Techy Stuff:”
- Focal length: 50mm
- Maximum aperture: f/1.4
- Lens construction: 7 elements in 6 groups
- Angle of view: 46 degrees
- Focus adjustment: Overall linear extension system with USM
- Closest focusing distance: 1.5 feet
- Filter size: 58mm
- Dimensions: 2.9 inches in diameter and 2 inches long
- Weight: 10.2 ounces
Canon EF 50mm f/1.2 L USM Lens for Canon Digital SLR Cameras
This 50mm lens for Canon SLR cameras is built like the Hubble Space Telescope. Notice that it is an L lens, Canon’s finest quality lens. It is suitable for any photographic situation. It has a the best quality construction that Canon has to offer, with lens coating which is optimized to minimize the ghosting and flare that frequently occurs when lenses are used with digital cameras. With the largest aperture of the 50mm lenses, it produces a very pleasing soft background blur that photographers so love. In addition to the high-performance, it also features a weather-resistant finish. And, of course, it provides the superior image resolution and contrast you would expect from a Canon L Series lens.
More “Techy Stuff”
- Focal length: 50mm
- Maximum aperture: f/1.2
- Lens construction: 8 elements in 6 groups
- Diagonal angle of view: 46 degrees (with full-frame cameras)
- Focus adjustment: AF with full-time manual
- Closest focusing distance: 1.48 feet
- Filter size: 72mm
- Dimensions: 3.4 inches in diameter and 2.6 inches long
- Weight: 19.2 ounces
Canon EF 50mm f/2.5 Compact Macro Lens
This next 50mm lens for Canon macro model is not as widely popular as the others listed here, yet it will still deliver the goods as far as image quality and performance.
One advantage of this lens over the others is that there is the ability to focus at about half the distance, which gives it the macro rating. The down side is the much smaller aperture at f/2.5. However, f/2.5 is still a very fast lens. And the price isn’t too shabby either, considering you get all the perks of an excellent Canon 50mm lens.
The “Techy Stuff”
- Focal length: 50mm
- Maximum aperture: f/2.5
- Lens construction: 9 elements in 8 groups
- Diagonal angle of view: 46 degrees
- Focus adjustment: Front group linear extension system with AFD
- Closest focusing distance: 0.8 feet
- Filter size: 52mm
- Dimensions: 2.7 inches in diameter and 2.5 inches long
- Weight: 9.9 ounces
The Canon 60mm Macro is much more popular than this 50mm macro, so you might want to check the Canon Macro lenses on this site. The reason the 60mm gets more attention is because it can give you 1:1 macro shots, whereas the 50mm macro renders 0.5:1 ratio shots.
Canon 135mm f/2 L USM Prime Lens for Canon EOS Cameras
Description:
The Canon 135mm f/2 L USM Prime Lens is the fastest 135mm telephoto lens in its class. Ideal for indoor sports and portraits with background blur. Two UD-glass elements correct secondary spectrum for outstanding sharpness and color. Compatible with Extender EF 1.4x II and 2x II.
Many argue that this is one of Canon’s best lenses, price not withstanding. It is very sharp and fast. Resulting images are high quality with a high contrast that is very desirable. Typical build quality that photographers have come to expect in the “L” series lenses. Add the USM speedy focus system, and you have a lens that is hard to beat.
What is the Canon EF 135mm f/2 L good for?
It is a great portrait lens (see the Canon Portrait Lens lineup) because of the sharp focus and beautiful bokeh, but it can also be used for some sports when a quick focus and fast shutter speed are essential.
It can be used on ALL Canon mounts, including APS-C, APS-H, and full-frame models.
It rates a 10 in almost everyone’s book, and it is priced right at about $1000.
The Techy Stuff:
- EF mount; telephoto lens
- Ultra-low Dispersion glass with Fluorite elements; inner focusing ring
- 135mm focal length f/2 maximum aperture Ring USM motor
- Comes with Leather bag & lens hood
- Lens Type: Telephoto lens
- Mounting Type: Canon EF
- Minimum focal length: 135 millimeters
- Maximum focal length: 135 millimeters
- Minimum Focal Range: 35.4 inches
- Maximum Aperture Range: F/2.0
- Camera Magnify Power: 0.19
- Lens System Special Functions: Tele
- Focus Type: auto-focus, manual-focus
- Real Angle Of View: 18
- Weight: 26.5 Ounces
- Item Display Diameter: 3.3 inches
- Length: 4 inches
5 out of 5 Stars !!!!
The Canon 135mm f/2 L USM Prime Lens is certainly a lens you want to consider for your photography needs and desires.
The 18-200mm Canon Lens – Superzoom Review
The 18-200mm Canon Lens Does it All
By Wayne Rasku
If you own a Canon Digital Rebel or one of the Canon xxD digital SLR Cameras, the 18-200mm Canon Lens deserves a look from you.
Its official name is Canon EF-S 18-200mm F3.5-5.6 IS telephoto lens. Quite a moniker, huh? The EF-S designation means that It is specifically for what are known as “crop sensor” cameras. Also labeled as APS-C sensors. So, if you are shooting with a Canon 7D or one of the full frame models, the 18-200mm Canon lens will not even mount to your camera.
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Benefits of Owning a Super-Zoom Lens
The obvious main benefit of owning one of these Super-Zoom lenses is that it can stay on your digital SLR almost constantly. This is an excellent advantage for travel and vacations when you don’t want to lug a camera bag or heavy backpack all over the countryside.
It is also great for getting quick shots. You do not have to stop and affix just the right lens to your camera body. Many times the shot is gone by the time you finish setting up to take it.
In fact, having to change lenses is one of the blessings AND the curses of digital SLR owners. We actually buy the cameras so we can change the lens, then we are frustrated when we have to.
Continuing with the benefits, this lens has a few more worth mention.
First, as mentioned is the focal range, which is 11x. Considering the monumental variation in range, the image quality is exceptional.
Also, there is IS (image stabilization) which is supposed to give you an additional 4-stops of aperture without having to use a tripod. This is important because the widest aperture is only f/3.5, and it increases from there to a max of f/5.6. This is typical of the super-zoom lenses, whether Canon or some other manufacturer.
One more benefit is the bokeh that is produced when using a wide aperture. Photographers are always comparing bokeh. Briefly, it is when you try to get the main subject of your photo in sharp focus and have the other areas of the photo in a pleasingly blurred focus. The 18-200 does a pretty good job with this, but it is not considered the best.
The last benefit has to do with a comparison to the “kit lenses” that Canon promotes. Sometimes new buyers purchase the 18-55mm starter lens and an additional 55-250mm lens for the mid-range focal lengths. These two lenses are not bad as far as image quality goes, but they are not high quality construction.
The Canon 18-200mm lens is far better constructed than the kit lenses.
The Down Side
You will find this true of most super-zooms, whether they are Canon, Nikon, Sigma, or Tamron lenses. There is a compromise in image quality in order to get the wide focal range. Most will have barrel distortion at the wide angles and chromatic aberration issues at both the shortest and the longest focal lengths.
This is not to say that the images are bad – the lens produces really good images. The problem areas are quite minimal, and you might not even notice them without someone pointing them out to you. But if you are looking for the pixel-perfect image, you will either need to pay more money or use a more specific focal length lens.
Finally, consider a Canon look-alike.
Third party manufacturers have produced some really good lenses that fit Canon digital SLR cameras. If the benefits and problem areas are identical, why not consider saving some money for one of those? It’s a thought.
As you look at the 18-200mm Canon lens, you will be pleasantly surprised at how well it really does perform.
But do take a look at the other lenses in the same category. You can do that at Canon EOS Lenses.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Wayne_Rasku
Originally published at EzineArticles.com: http://EzineArticles.com/?The-18-200mm-Canon-Lens-Does-it-All&id=4865823
See more about Canon Zoom Lenses here.
