Sigma 12-24mm f/4.5-5.6 EX DG Aspherical HSM Lens Review

February 28th, 2010 by Tom

The Sigma 12-24mm f/4.5-5.6 EX DG Aspherical HSM is an incredibly ultra-wide angle lens available for a variety of cameras. It is part of Sigma’s EX series which boasts top optical quality and a rugged build. Image quality is nice, and you are not going to find a rectilinear lens with a wider field of view than this beast.

Canon EOS 5D, Sigma 12-24mm f/4.5-5.6 @ 12mm, f/11, ISO 400, 1/400

Image Quality

The Sigma 12-24 is a rectilinear lens, meaning that straight lines stay straight. Think of the bulging, curved lines characteristic of photos taken with fisheye lenses — the 12-24 is wider than some fisheyes but it keeps those lines realistically straight. This makes it well suited for photographing things with… what do you think? … straight lines. Think architecture.

Corners sometimes look dark when shooting near this lens’ max apertures of f/4.5-5.6. You can fix that with the vignette controls in your post processing software. And while we’re talking about the corners, that is where some of the more severe distortion takes place with this lens. Be mindful of subject placement, e.x. putting a person’s feet near the corners of the frame can make it appear as though they are walking around on skis.

I consider the 12-24 to have very good image quality and sharpness for a lens of its kind. Colors and contrast are all satisfying, and sharpness is good. It can be a little soft wide open, but when you close the aperture down to around f/8 or smaller sharpness gets much better. There are a lot of lenses sharper than this one, but most of them are completely different types of lenses and so comparisons really don’t make sense — it takes a lot to make a lens this wide.

The 12-24 features HSM, Sigma’s high performance auto-focusing motor. Focusing is fast and accurate and I have no complaints. Then again, this is not a lens with which I shoot moving subjects. Virtually everything I’ve ever photographed with this lens was stationary.

Flare can be an issue with this lens — it gets picked up very easily, and you’ll need to move your composition around in order to get rid of stray light. Notice the flare in the bottom left corner of the following image.

Canon EOS 5D, Sigma 12-24mm @ f/4.5-5.6 @ 12mm, f/5.6, ISO 1600, 1/8

Ultra Wide Angle

The Sigma 12-24mm is as wide as it gets. This is the widest rectilinear lens available for full frame cameras. There are others such as the Canon EF-S 10-22mm f/3.5-5.6, but that lens is only compatible with APS-C crop cameras.

When you look into the viewfinder through the Sigma 12-24, you may find it hard to believe how much area is actually captured in the frame. At times, you may struggle to keep your feet or the legs of your tripod out of your photos! Be mindful of the angle of your light source, or you’ll start seeing your shadow at the bottom of many photos.

Build Quality

The Sigma 12-24 is built rugged. The mount is metal and the barrel is heavy. The front element bulges out like a bubble and so you are not able to attach traditional filters. It also features a built-in petal-shaped hood that helps to protect that large, bulbous front element.

The 12-24’s lens cap gets on my nerves a lot. It is made up of two parts — a holder that slides around the built-in hood, and then a lens cap that attaches to the holder. When full assembled the lens cap easily slides on and off. I wouldn’t hang a camera with this lens attached over my shoulder with the cap on, as it would probably slide off and get left behind.

Conclusion

The Sigma 12-24mm f/4.5-5.6 EX DG Aspherical HSM is the widest lens you can get, especially on a full frame camera. This of course is the main draw of the 12-24. It’s not made for low light photography and it doesn’t have world-class image quality, but it takes ridiculously, unbelievable wide photos. And it does that job very well. It doesn’t have a permanent place in my bag and I don’t use it often, but it comes along when I have specific ultra-wide photos in mind.

Where to buy the Sigma 12-24mm f/4.5-5.6 EX DG Aspherical HSM

I buy most of my camera gear from B&H because they have competitive prices, great customer service and a fair return policy. Sigma makes this lens for a variety of lens mounts, so choose the version that matches your camera:

If you choose to make a purchase using these B&H links, we earn a commission. The cost of your gear doesn’t change, but the income helps to support myself and this site. If you have any questions about the nature of this review, please read the disclosure policy.

Posted in Gear, Lens Reviews

What is a Prime Lens?

February 28th, 2010 by Tom

A prime lens is a lens whose focal length does not change. When a photographer using a prime lens wishes to change the framing of his subject, he must physically move. That may sound inconvenient, but prime lenses have many positive qualities that certain photographers find desirable.

Photo by xmoto3 used via Creative Commons.

Defining “zoom”

It is a misconception that the word “zoom” describes a lens that gets very close to distant subjects. Lenses that magnify distant objects are called “telephoto”. A zoom lens is one that offers the capability to change focal lengths — by pressing a button or turning a ring the photographer “zooms”, changing the field of view and re-framing the subject without having to reposition the camera.

A prime lens is the opposite of a zoom. It has only one field of view and does not have the capability to change its focal length (zoom). Instead when the photographer wants to get a different framing on the subject, the camera must be repositioned.

What makes prime lenses desirable?

Lacking the capability to zoom sounds like a serious downside to prime lenses, so there must be a good reason why many photographers prefer them, right? Right.

Prime lens construction is much less complicated than zoom lenses, making them cheaper to manufacture and often significantly lighter than comparable zoom lenses.

The simpler construction of prime lenses means less interior elements to affect light passing through, making it possible to get very good image quality out of affordable lenses. Professional-grade lenses usually have excellent image quality regardless of whether they’re prime or zoom, but when you’re talking affordable consumer-grade lenses, very satisfying image quality is usually found at a reasonable price in prime lenses.

Prime lenses are capable of much wider maximum apertures than zoom lenses. This means the opening through which light passes can be opened up to a very large diameter, opening the door to low-light photography and selective focus (making single subjects pop with blurry, out-of-focus backgrounds). While the fastest zoom lens you’ll find goes to f/2.8, it’s not uncommon for prime lenses to be capable of f/1.8 or f/1.4 (the smaller the number, the larger the opening).

Here is a sample photograph that was made possible by a prime lens, specifically the Canon EF 24mm f/1.4L USM.

  • Shot hand-held at 1/30 sec., any slower at we would start seeing blur from my shaking hands. The small size and light weight of this lens made holding it steady much easier.
  • Shot at ISO 1600, this setting is near the limits of where my camera begins to generate serious noise.
  • These settings were made possible by the lens’ ability to shoot at f/1.4, a very wide opening that let in lots of light. Getting as much light as possible in through a wide aperture makes it possible to use blur-eliminating shutter speeds and lower ISO settings for higher image quality.

Other Down Sides

Not being able to change focal length means that if you want a different field of view, you need to use a different lens. As a prime lens user, you will get used to changing lenses. You need to be careful not to drop your glass, and try your best to keep dust and other foreign elements from entering your camera and damaging the sensor.

Are prime lenses right for you?

Only you can answer this question. Lens selection is a key element of photography and often one of the defining factors of a photographer’s personal style. Some photographers need the versatility of changing their framing in an instant with zoom, and cannot afford to miss shots in the time it takes to change lenses. Others seek results that require the specific features of prime lenses.

If you are wary of having to change lenses often, consider that using prime lenses is an entirely different mindset. It involves making a conscious choice to make very specific types of photographs. It’s not about changing lenses fast and often to get every shot imaginable, but rather going out with the knowledge that you want to make specific types of images and have made a deliberate choice of lens to suit your vision.

If you have never used a prime lens and are curious what they’re all about, I suggest considering a “nifty fifty” — a 50mm f/1.8. These are small, light, and extremely affordable prime lenses available for almost all modern DSLRs. This is a gateway lens for many photographers, offering impressive results in a small package that costs very little. The Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 II is just $99. Nikon’s version is $115, but we don’t have a review of that lens yet. Nikon users should also check lens compatibility with their cameras, as some lenses lose auto-focus on certain cameras.

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Posted in Photography Tutorials

Eastern State Penitentiary Photography Guide

February 27th, 2010 by Tom

Eastern State Penitentiary is a former prison in Philadelphia, PA that was in use from 1829 until 1971. This intimidating structure was once used to force criminals to seek penance, and now is a national historic landmark that is open to the public 10am – 5pm, 7 days a week.

Eastern State Penitentiary

As you will learn from the tour materials, Eastern State was a fearsome place whose architecture was built with the purpose of mentally and physically isolating prisoners so that they would be forced to dwell on their crimes. While there are no longer any prisoners, this purpose is quite evident to all who visit.

There were a few famous criminals incarcerated here, the most famous of whom was probably Al Capone. Here’s a shot of his luxurious cell:

Speaking of Al Capone, Eastern State Penitentiary is said to be one of the most haunted places in the United States and Capone was rumored to have been troubled by spirits in his cell. A number of “ghost hunter” television shows have filmed episodes here.

Visiting Eastern State Penitentiary

Eastern State is located at 21st Street & Fairmont Avenue, Philadelphia, PA. If you plan on driving, there is a lot right next to the prison. The ESP website has a print-able page of driving directions. The prison is also accessible via bus and trolley.

Eastern State is open from 10 am – 5 pm, 7 days a week. Many outdoor areas are closed in the winter. During the summer, hours are extended to 8 pm (you must enter by 7 pm) on Wednesdays for a twilight tour. Guided tours are available, however I suggest you take the self-guided audio tour so that you are free to wander and stop wherever you please.

Gear

Eastern State Penitentiary is a dark place. I shot the entire prison at midday and jumped around between 500 and 1600 ISO. Fast lenses (wide apertures), image stabilization and short focal lengths will all be very useful.

Wide angles are very useful for putting emphasis on the expanse of Eastern State. Although it is a large building, hallways and cells are tight and you may end up with your back to the wall more than a few times. I used my Canon EF 24mm f/1.4L lens almost exclusively.

Tripods and monopods are permitted but may require an additional entrance fee. I saw many tripods in use, and even spoke to another photographer who was working on some HDR shots of the prison. For complete details, read the Eastern State Penitentiary photography policy.

Commercial and model shots, and anything with equipment more extensive than a single tripod or monopod requires special permits.

Worth the visit

Eastern State Penitentiary is quite photogenic. In particular, photographers interested in desolate, abandoned and dark imagery will have a field day here. The structure is large, dark and frightening. It’s also huge — we dropped by for a “quick visit” and spent three hours wandering the penitentiary.

In addition to the prison itself, there are also a number of art exhibits found throughout the complex.

Posted in Photographer's Travel Guide

Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 II Lens Review

February 26th, 2010 by Tom

The Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 II autofocus lens is affectionately referred to as the “nifty fifty”. It’s small, it’s light, it does not cost much and it enables wonderful photos. The large f/1.8 maximum aperture is great for shooting in low light and achieving selective focus.

Image Quality & Performance

The EF 50mm f/1.8 II gets very good image quality, and when you take its price into account — $99 — it has astounding image quality for the price. One of the first things many people notice about this lens is its sharpness. Its results at f/1.8 are decent in terms of sharpness, but that’s often magnified by the selective focus. Shooting at an f/1.8 aperture creates blurred out-of-focus backgrounds which can make the subject really pop out of the photo. This is often a very impressive result for photographers who have never used a lens such as this.

Canon Digital Rebel XTi, 50mm f/1.8 II @ f/1.8, ISO 100, 1/500

The quality of the blur in out-of-focus areas is not great. The shapes and highlights can often appear to be harsh. This is a side effect of the lens’ internal construction, and you won’t see improvement until you spend more money on expensive lenses.

The focusing capabilities of the 50mm f/1.8 II in extremely dim environments is not good. This lens does not have USM, which is short for Ultrasonic Motor, Canon’s high performance auto focus system. It does auto focus, but tends to hunt around and have trouble finding your subject in low light. Switching to manual focusing helps, but the focusing ring is very small and EOS digital cameras make it difficult to accurately see focus at wide apertures through the viewfinder without a special focusing screen which is sold separately.

One slick way to deal with a lens that has trouble focusing in low light is to use a shoe-mount external flash. These flashes will shine an auto-focus assist light on your subject that the lens will pick up on and lock focus.

Large f/1.8 maximum aperture

The large f/1.8 maximum aperture means that you can make the opening through which light passes onto the camera sensor very large. One effect is the selective focus and background blur mentioned in the previous section. Another advantage of a large maximum aperture is that it opens the door to low light shooting.

Canon Digital Rebel XTi, 50mm f/1.8 II @ f/1.8, ISO 1600, 1/40

The photo you see above was shot in a dark backyard at 9:30 PM with trees overhead and a single, dim light over the back door.

Having a lens with a large opening for light to enter means that more light gets to your camera sensor at once. Shooting “wide open” at f/1.8 lets you take advantage of faster shutter speeds in low light environments, which helps prevent blur from both shaking hands and moving subjects. Say hello to sharper, less blurry photos indoors, in gyms, bars, clubs, restaurants, theaters and such.

50mm Focal Length

Traditionally this is a “normal” lens which means that its field of view resembles what humans are accustomed to seeing with the naked eye. This is still true on a “full frame” digital camera such as the EOS 5D and 1Ds series. On a “cropped” camera, one with an APS-C sensor such as the Digital Rebel series, 30D/40D/50D and 7D the field of view changes to being slightly telephoto. On these cameras, the EF 50mm f/1.8 II will bring you a little closer to your subject. Indoors, you may sometimes end up with your back to the wall, and will sometimes struggle to fit more than one or two people in the frame. Head-and-shoulders portraits of single subjects are easier to get.

This is a prime lens. It does not zoom. If you want to get closer to or further from your subject, it is incumbent upon you to physically move yourself and the camera. I do not view this as a con, as I prefer prime lenses for a great deal of situations. They tend to be smaller, lighter, and capable of larger max apertures than zoom lenses. And in the case of lenses such as this, prime lenses can have great image quality at a lower price.

Build Quality

The EF 50mm f/1.8 II is built cheap. Then again, it is cheap. Everything except the glass, even the lens mount, is made from plastic. It is very easy to break; if I’m remembering my track record correctly, I’ve personally busted two of these.

This photo shows my first 50mm f/1.8 with a broken lens mount. I dropped it on a tile hotel room floor in the Caribbean and the lens mount cracked and separated from the barrel. I put it on the camera to take test shots without thinking, and it got stuck. I ended up forcefully snapping the lens off the camera, and was lucky enough to have my camera survive. I seem to have a talent for breaking camera lenses whilst abroad.

Aside from ruggedness, the 50mm f/1.8 has a very small manual focus ring that is difficult to use. Also, there is no window for distance markings.

Conclusion

The Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 II the best bang for the buck you’ll find in Canon’s lens lineup. Its costs a fraction of what other lenses go for, gets good image quality (excellent for the price), enables blurry out-of-focus backgrounds and opens the door to low light photography.

On the down side, its construction is very poor. If you want this lens to last, you need to take very good care of it. Autofocusing suffers in low light, and the background blur at wide apertures is not always pleasing.

The 50mm f/1.8 II is a gateway lens — great for photographers who are looking to venture beyond their kit lens and experiment with new gear. It will introduce you to the concept of a special purpose lens designed to excel in very specific situations. Best of all, this experimentation does not cost much.

When considering that camera lenses sell for hundreds and even thousands of dollars, many people conclude that the 50mm f/1.8 II is a “no brainer” purchase. In terms of dollar-for-dollar image quality, this lens is hard to beat. And for some, that value makes the cons of this lens easier to overlook.

Where to buy it

I buy the majority of my camera equipment from B&H because of their great prices, fast shipping and excellent customer service. I bought this lens independently at full retail price… multiple times. The Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 II autofocus lens is available from B&H.

If you use these B&H links to make a purchase, we earn a commission. This does not add anything to the total of your purchase. If you have any questions about the nature of this review, please read the disclosure policy.

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Posted in Gear, Lens Reviews

O’ahu, Hawaii Photo Tour by Car

February 25th, 2010 by Tom

The majority of visitors to the Hawaiian island of O’ahu stay on Waikiki Beach in Honolulu and while that’s a nice vacation, it’s only a small commercialized part of the island. By far my favorite memory from my first visit to O’ahu was renting a convertible and driving the perimiter of the island, seeing sights and shooting photos along the way.

If there’s only one thing you do in O’ahu besides relax on the beach, I suggest that be a tour of the island. This page is an outline of my driving tour. It is by no means complete, but it includes a lot of sights, is extensive, and took an entire day to complete. I left the hotel in Waikiki at 4 AM and returned some time in the evening.

First off, the chariot. What better way to cruise Hawaii than in a convertible?

A note about safety

A lot of theft occurs around beach parks in Hawaii. Leave absolutely nothing in your car. Don’t try to hide things under the seat. Don’t even leave a towel in the car — someone may break the window to see what’s under the towel. The rental car agent will probably deliver this lecture, but I’m including it here to be sure you stay safe.

Driving Directions

I’ll provide general driving directions in each section of this page, but they’re not complete by any means. I’m not a resident of Hawaii and have no way of knowing if routes have changed. Don’t use my directions as your only source of information — get yourself a map or even better, a GPS. I have a TomTom GPS and bring it on any trips where I plan on renting a car.

Although some sections of this drive are steep and over uneven ground, the majority of it is not very hard. Some parts are both challenging and beautiful — there are portions of the Kamehameha Highway with narrow lanes that follow so close to the shore that water from breaking waves washes across the road.

In general, you’ll be traveling east out of Honolulu, then north around the island in a counter-clockwise direction. After hitting the last stop in Hale’iwa, you cut across the interior of the island and take the major highways back towards Honolulu.

Stop 1: Sunrise at Kailua Beach Park

The Pali Highway takes you out of Honolulu towards Kailua. Take Kailua Road into town, then navigate your way through the local streets to Kailua Beach Park.

This beach park on the eastern side of the island will give you a great view of the sun rising over the Pacific Ocean. If it’s a nice day you’ll probably see a few scattered locals walking on the beach and paddling kayaks and canoes.

Stop 2: Valley of the Temples

Valley of the Temples Memorial Park is quiet and serene, surrounded by mountains and filled with wildlife. You’ll see various birds including peacocks, and water filled with Koi fish. The centerpiece is a replica of a 950 year-old Japanese temple Byodo-In.

Please be mindful that Valley of the Temples Memorial Park is a final resting place for many people. Be respectful of the environment and maintain the peaceful setting.

Route 72 leads out of Kailua. Take Route 83 (Kahekili Highway) north of Kane’ohe to Valley of the Temples.

Stop 3: Chinaman’s Hat

Take 83 North to Kualo Park at the edge of Kane’Ohe Bay to get a look at Chinaman’s Hat. The official name of this island is Mokoli‘i, but it’s referred to as “Chinaman’s Hat” due to its resemblance of straw hats that were worn by Chinese immigrants.

The island is actually open to the public from dawn until dusk and since it’s only a one-third of a mile off shore, it’s accessible by kayak, boat, surfboard, or even swimming. Weather, currents and wildlife can be unpredictable though. I wouldn’t suggest heading out there on anything other than a boat unless you’re an experienced waterman.

Stop 4: La’ie Point Sea Arch

Continue on 83 to the town of La’ie. Make a right on Anemoku, another right on Naupaka and drive to the end. Be careful walking out onto the point — the ground is uneven and the rocks are sharp. Cliffs can suddenly drop off.

The Sea Arch on Kukuihoolua Island was created in an instant by nature. A tsunami hit this area in 1946, and one of the results was this natural rock formation.

Lunch at the Shrimp Trucks

If you’re on pace with my own trip, it should be around midday at this point. Route 83 (Kamahameha Highway) passes through Kahuku where you’ll find the famous shrimp trucks. The trucks are hard to miss; parked along the side of the road, they’re painted in bright colors and some have interesting decorations.

Stop 5: The Banzai Pipeline

One cannot venture to the North Shore of O’ahu without visiting the famous Banzai Pipeline. This is perhaps the most well-known surf spot in the world. During the winter, large swells break on the reef forming barrel-shaped waves that draw surfers from all corners of the globe.

Lifeguards may or may not be on duty, but swimming is not advised either way. Venturing into these waters can very likely end in injury or death for an inexperienced swimmer or surfer.

The official name of this area is Ehukai Beach Park — the Pipeline is an area located off shore where the waves break over the reef. The Kamahameha Highway (83) rounds the northernmost tip of O’ahu and takes you along the North Shore. Look for the Ehukai Beach Park sign on the side of the road not long after you pass Sunset Beach.

Stop 6: Pu’u o Mahuka Heiau Temple

It’s time for a change of scenery. Pu’u o Mahuka Heiau was a spiritual place for Hawaiians and this was one of the locations where wives of ancient chiefs gave birth. There is a lot of ancient stonework and pathways laid here.

Take Kamehameha Highway (83) past Waimea Beach Park, then drive up PuPukea Road (just past Shark’s Cove). Follow signs for Heiau, park in the designated area then hike up to the top. Part of this drive is challenging as it goes uphill and over uneven ground.

Stop 7: Waimea Valley Audubon Center

The Audubon Center is located across the road from Waimea Bay and is a fun place to explore and hike. There are many different varieties of plants, and the trail ends at a small waterfall. You can enter the water and swim under the waterfall, however it’s likely that many other people will be doing the same thing. I chose to hang back, enjoy the view and shoot some photos.

Continue along Kamehameha Highway (83) and follow signs for the Waimea Valley Audubon Center.

Stop 8: Hale’iwa

Next, Route 83 leads you to the town of Haleiwa. You can’t miss the sign on the side of the road. For one, it’s enormous. Also, you will probably see visitors pulling over their cars to take pictures underneath the sign.

There are no shortage of surf shops and souvenirs in Hale’iwa. Enjoy the laid back North Shore atmosphere with a cone of Shave Ice at one of the famous refreshment stands.

Next Stop: Honolulu

At this point, you’re likely tired of driving. That’s good, because going much further along these roads on the western portion of O’ahu requires 4WD, proof of insurance and some serious driving skills. Most rental cars are forbidden from going further anyway. This is probably a good time to take Route 99 (Kamehameha Highway) across the interior of the island, towards the major highways (H1, H2) and back into Honolulu. If you’re still looking for more stops, you’ll pass the Dole Pineapple Plantation along this route.

Photo Gear

I did not mention cameras and lenses for a good reason: I did not have much in the way of photography gear when I made this trip. Don’t get me wrong — I was very much into photography as evidenced by the hundreds of photos I have of O’ahu, but at this point I was still a few months away from putting any serious money into any serious gear. All of these photos were taken with a simple, pocket-sized Sony Cybershot.

If I were going back I’d surely bring a DSLR, but I am also fond of minimizing gear in order to travel light. I would probably pack a general-purpose zoom lens with a wide angle, a light telephoto such as the Canon EF 135mm f/2L USM, and a fast 50mm f/1.4 lens.

Posted in Photographer's Travel Guide

Canon EF 24-105 f/4L IS USM Lens Review

February 23rd, 2010 by Tom

The Canon EF 24-105 f/4L IS USM is a professional-grade zoom lens with image stabilization, a useful focal length range and constant f/4 max aperture. It’s classified as an L-series lens, meaning that it is manufactured for top image and build quality, and is not cheap.

Focal Length Range

The EF 24-105 f/4L is a general purpose zoom lens. Its range of focal lengths is very useful, going from wide angle at 24mm to telephoto at 105mm. You can shoot sweeping landscapes with the short end, then zoom in close for portraits, detail shots and the like.

Canon Digital Rebel XTi, 24-105 f/4L IS USM @ 24mm, f/5, ISO 400, 1/20

Photographers whose cameras have APS-C sensors will not see a wide field of view on the 24mm end of this lens due to their cameras’ crop factor. This includes the Digital Rebel series, prosumer series (30D/40D/50D etc…), and the 7D. If you have one of these cameras and are looking for a wide angle field of view, you’ll need to look at lenses around 20mm or less.

Aside from its effects on the wide angle field of view, a crop factor will give you a lot more reach on the 105mm telephoto end of this lens which most people usually appreciate.

A DSLR with a crop factor has a sensor smaller than traditional 35mm film. This has the effect of “cropping out” a smaller area of the scene, hence the name. Crop factors don’t change focal length or make this any less of a lens, but they do change your field of view and so you should be aware of their effects.

Wide Angle Distortion

The 24-105 suffers from very noticeable distortion at wide angles. Lines will curve and bulge out — depending on your position and angle on the subject, the effects range from very slight to pronounced.

Canon EOS 5D, 24-105mm f/4L IS USM @ 24mm, f/8, ISO 800, 1/5

Notice how the columns of the building bulge out like a barrel. This effect is sometimes apparent at the short end of this lens and disappears as you zoom in.

Image Stabilization

The Image Stabilization of the EF 24-105 f/4L IS USM is extremely useful. The IS enables 3 extra stops before you see blur from hand movement. I’ve made extensive use of this feature in dark environments and can attest to its effectiveness.

Canon EOS 5D, 24-105mm f/4L IS USM @ 24mm, f/4.5, ISO 1600, 1/6

Take a look at the details in this image. The lines on the barrel and in the writing are all sharp, and yet this photo was shot hand-held at 1/6 sec. Besides hand-holding at slower shutter speeds, IS is also the gateway to more depth of field in dark situations, and using lower ISO ratings to improve image quality and reduce noise.

Keep in mind that although IS reduces blur resulting from hand movement, it cannot reduce motion blur. In order to freeze moving subjects you must use a fast shutter speed.

Constant f/4 Max Aperture

The EF 24-105 f/4L IS USM features a constant maximum aperture of f/4. This is a welcome advantage over kit lenses and consumer zooms which usually have a variable maximum aperture in the f/3.5-5.6 range.

What?

In a kit lens, the maximum diameter of the opening through which light passes shrinks as you zoom in. This affects your exposure — you need a slower shutter speed or higher ISO in order to get a telephoto shot than you do when shooting the same subject zoomed out to a wide angle.

I cannot stand having to re-think my exposure settings as I change focal lengths, and so lenses like the 24-105 with a constant maximum aperture are a welcome upgrade. The 24-105 can shoot at f/4 at 24mm, and it still shoots at f/4 when zoomed in to 105mm. A kit lens might have f/3.5, or even f/2.8 at the short end, but will likely go to f/4.5 or 5.6 when zoomed in.

Background Blur

An f/4 lens usually isn’t associated with diffuse, out-of-focus backgrounds (“bokeh”), however the telephoto capabilities of this lens make subject isolation a little more possible. Get close to your subject, zoom in to 105mm, shoot wide open at f/4, put some distance between the subject and the background and you’ll get some nicely blurred out-of-focus backgrounds.

Image Quality

The EF 24-105mm f/4L IS USM has very good image quality. It is respectably sharp starting at f/4, gets nice colors and contrast. Its wide angle distortion can be frustrating, but is also fixable if you’re willing to spend a few seconds doing perspective correction in Photoshop.

Build Quality

Like other L lenses, the 24-105 is built tough. The lens is weather sealed (requires a filter on the front element to complete sealing) and the barrel is rugged. How rugged? I dropped my 24-105 from chest height onto asphalt while in Europe. It hit the ground, took a bounce and rolled to my feat. After making sure the mount was not damaged I took it back to the hotel, put it on my camera, did a few test shots and discovered the IS, auto focusing and other features were still in perfect working order. I continued using the lens throughout the remainder of the trip. The only evidence of the incident are a few nicks on the barrel. I’d call that impressive.

Please do not try this at home.

Conclusion

The 24-105 is an extremely versatile zoom lens. The image stabilization makes low light photography much more accessible to photographers without top-of-the-line cameras, and the focal length range leaves you ready for almost any situation. This is an excellent travel lens — I’ve gone on many trips with the 24-105 as my only gear.

I cannot end this review without mentioning the Canon EF 24-70 f/2.8L. If you spend any amount of time on photography social networking sites and message boards, you know that the two of these are compared constantly. Many Canon photographers looking to upgrade their kit lens and move into “L territory” often consider these two similar lenses. The 24-70 lacks IS and does not zoom as far as the 24-105, but it does have a larger maximum aperture of f/2.8.

Both the 24-70 and 24-105 are excellent lenses, and your decision between the two depends entirely upon your shooting style. Photographers looking for an all-around solution, a lens to put on the camera and leave there, would probably prefer the 24-105. On the other hand, prime lens shooters may prefer the optical quality of the 24-70.

I own both of these lenses. The 24-105 got constant use for a number of years, but I’ve recently switched to the 24-70 because I feel its image quality is closer to my prime lenses, which are what I prefer the most. In my opinion the 24-70 gets better color and contrast than the 24-105. The 24-70’s f/2.8 also makes it more possible to capture moving subjects, which suits a photojournalistic style.

Where to to Buy the EF 24-105 f/4L IS

I purchase most of my camera equipment from B&H, and highly recommend them for the prices, policies and customer service. The Canon EF 24-105mm f/4L IS USM is available from B&H.

I independently purchased the lens reviewed here at full retail price, and the opinions expressed here are my own. If you choose to make a purchase from B&H using my link, I receive a commission which helps to support myself and this site. If you want to know more, read the Disclosure Policy.

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Posted in Gear, Lens Reviews

Canon EF 135mm f/2.0L USM Lens Review

February 23rd, 2010 by Tom

The Canon EF 135mm f/2.0L USM is a prime telephoto lens that focuses fast, shoots well in low light situations and produces extremely sharp results. Its L-Series designation and trademark red ring mean that it is manufactured with high build and optical qualities, and is found near the high end of the Canon lens price spectrum.

Focal Length

The Canon 135mm f/2 L is a prime, telephoto lens. Its focal length is fixed at 135mm and does not change — if you want to recompose a frame, you’ll need to physically move yourself. Being a telephoto lens, it brings you in close to distant subjects. It also compresses objects in the frame, making it appear as if subjects at varying distances from your position are closer together. For example, take a look at the following frame and note how the city skyline seems to be very close to the bridge, despite those buildings being miles away in reality.

Canon EOS 5D, 135mm f/2L USM @ f/10, ISO 200, 8 sec.

Portrait photographers often agree that the perspective compression qualities of telephoto lenses are pleasing to facial features, making this lens a great choice for photographing people… just make sure you can get far enough away, as it won’t focus on anything closer than 9 tenths of a meter.

Fast f/2.0 Max Aperture

This lens boasts a very “fast” f/2.0 maximum aperture, meaning the opening through which light passes through the lens and onto the camera’s sensor can be opened up very wide to allow a lot of light to enter at once. This is said to be “fast” because using a larger aperture allows for faster shutter speeds, which is essential for eliminating blur caused by hand movement. This is especially useful in low light situations which often demand slower shutter speeds in order to get enough light into the camera.

Using a large aperture also decreases depth of field, giving you the ability to isolate subjects from backgrounds. Take a look at the photo below and note how the subjects are in focus while the background is blurred out of focus. This scene was shot at f/2.0, which is the largest maximum aperture of the EF 135mm f/2L USM.

Canon EOS 5D, 135mm f/2L USM @ f/2, ISO 200, 1/8000

The combination of a long, telephoto focal length and wide f/2.0 maximum aperture in this lens results in very diffuse, blurry out-of-focus backgrounds. Of course you can always stop the lens down to a smaller aperture to get more of the scene in focus as well.

Image Quality

If there’s any category where this lens is going to disappoint, it’s certainly not the image quality department. With the EF 135mm f/2L USM, you’ll see great colors, excellent contrast, and perhaps most notably, incredible sharpness. The first few frames I saw out of this lens were astounding — photos taken with this lens are so sharp they’re dangerous. You’ll see sharp results at it’s widest f/2.0 aperture, and things get even better as you stop it down. Things especially pop in scenes with tiny details like architecture and landscapes.

Size & Build Quality

Like other L-Series lenses, the EF 135mm f/2L USM is manufactured with a rugged build quality. It is weather resistant (a lens filter is required to complete weather sealing), and features solid construction.

As far as fast telephoto lenses go, this one is small and light. It doesn’t add much weight to your bag, and its dark color and small size won’t have people staring at you on the street. I find that these factors make it a great travel telephoto lens.

Applications

The most commonly heard application for this lenses are indoor sports and performing arts, since it gets you close to the action and does very well in environments with little available light. Gymnasiums, theaters and auditoriums are all places were this glass will shine.

The EF 135mm f/2L USM is also a star when it comes to street and urban photography. If you’re shooting people, they’re less likely to notice or be intimidated by this small, black lens than say, a huge white Canon telephoto zoom like the 70-200 series of lenses. Its long focal length and ability to isolate subjects with a shallow depth of field give you the ability to capture images of individual elements — walk down a city block and you’ll find endless photo opportunities. Or, use it on a parade or performance to pick out individual participants, performers and other elements.

As I’ve already mentioned, this lens’ small size and light weight makes it a great travel telephoto lens. It makes street shooting and tight landscapes in far off lands much easier to capture.

Conclusion

The Canon EF 135mm f/2.0L USM is an excellent lens, and one that I use frequently. It’s easy to carry, unobtrusive, features excellent image quality and performs extremely well in low light. Remember that this is a prime lens — the only zooming that will happen with the EF 135mm f/2 is you walking closer to your subject. The 135mm focal length may also feel a bit foreign if you haven’t used telephoto lenses much. In that case it may take some getting used to, and might not fit everyone’s style of shooting. But if you do put in the time to shoot with and learn this lens, its results will leave you satisfied. And if you are a telephoto shooter looking for something like this, I think you’ll be very happy as well.

Where to Buy the Canon EF 135mm f/2.0L USM

I purchase most of my camera equipment from B&H, and highly recommend them for the prices, policies and customer service. The Canon EF 135mm f/2.0L USM lens is available from B&H.

I independently purchased the lens reviewed here at full retail price, and the opinions expressed here are my own. If you choose to make a purchase from B&H using my link, I receive a commission which helps to support myself and this site. If you want to know more, read the Disclosure Policy.

Posted in Gear, Lens Reviews

The Cliffs of Moher Photography Guide

February 22nd, 2010 by Tom

The Cliffs of Moher make up the enormous, awe-inspiring shore line in Liscannor, County Clare, Ireland. The Cliffs are one of the top tourist destinations in Ireland and were even part of an ad campaign pushing the Cliffs as one of the new 7 Wonders of the World. Recently, the Cliffs of Moher were seen in a scene in the major motion picture Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince.

Getting to the Cliffs of Moher

If you’re driving, the Cliffs of Moher are located off R478 from Liscannor to Doolin. Visitors who are not familiar with roads in Ireland may find this drive extremely challenging. Roads in western Ireland are very narrow and often do not feature a shoulder. Additionally, the roads leading to the Cliffs are winding and steep. Depending on your approach, you may encounter one section colloquially referred to as “corkscrew hill”. These routes can be dangerous for novice drivers, and their difficulty level is compounded if you are not accustomed to driving on the left side of the road… and compounded again if you’re staying for sunset and will be driving home in the dark.

There is a parking fee of €8.

If you do not have a car or are not confident enough in your driving abilities, you can buy a ticket on one of the many tour buses that go to the Cliffs of Moher. There are a few that leave from Eyre Square in Galway City. In this case you are subject to the tour’s schedule and time limit.

Photographing the Cliffs of Moher

The walk from the parking lot past the visitor’s center takes you to the viewpoint you see in the photo above. Hang a right and climb the stairs up the hill to the highest point of the Cliffs: O’Brien’s Tower. It appears that you can go inside the tower and take the stairs to the top during the day; I was at the Cliffs after operating hours and the Tower was closed.

There are a number of signs posted warning people not to climb to the edge. Obey this warning – soil is unstable and winds are powerful. A number of people have unfortunately lost their lives at the Cliffs.

A moderately wide, standard or moderately telephoto lens should allow you to include the entirety of the cliffs in a single frame. General purpose zoom lenses as well as the kit lenses that come packaged with DSLR cameras fall into this category. I used the Canon EF 24-105 f/4L IS for most of my photos of the Cliffs of Moher.

A telephoto lens would make for some interesting detail shots of the cliffs, or perhaps finding an angle that compresses all of them closely together. I was able to fill the frame with some detail shots using the long end of my 24-105 lens, shooting from the area below O’Brien’s Tower.

If it’s a cloudy day, an ultra-wide angle lens can play with the clouds in interesting ways. Keep in mind though that extreme wide angles will push the Cliffs off into the distance and make them appear small… which is sort of the opposite of what the actually are — quite significant natural wonders. But again, this might be useful if you have a specific framing in mind. My shot of O’Brien’s tower seen above was taken at 12mm on a full frame camera. The image below is also ultra-wide angle.

My UWA lens here is the Sigma 12-24mm f/4.5-5.6 EX.

A tripod would be useful at the Cliffs during sunset. The IS on my Canon 24-105 lens, and the extremely short focal length of my Sigma 12-24 allowed me to get away with hand-holding at high ISO, but I definitely over-shot to ensure a few frames turned out sharp. I was not able to find any information on the Cliffs of Moher site regarding whether tripods are permitted, but this page does indicate that permits are required for commercial filming and photography. Nevertheless, there are definitely many places where a serious accident could occur if someone were to trip over your equipment.

If you are a fan of landscapes you will not regret a visit to the Cliffs of Moher. Their sheer massive size is something that cannot be fully understood until you’ve stood at the top in person.

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Posted in Photographer's Travel Guide

Nikon Rumors Were Real: 24mm f/1.4 & 16-36mm f/4 VR

February 9th, 2010 by Tom

AF-S NIKKOR 24mm f/1.4G ED

It turns out the rumors of Nikon making moves on Canon’s lens territory were true. The ‘net is buzzing with Nikon photographers talking about the two new lenses: the AF-S NIKKOR 24mm f/1.4G ED and the AF-S NIKKOR 16-35 f/4G ED VR.

As I previously wrote, these new lenses fill out two gaps that separated Nikon’s lens lineup from Canon’s: the lack of wide fast primes and light f/4 zooms. Both lenses feature Nikon’s nano coating which improves image quality by reducing glare.

AF-S NIKKOR 16-35mm f/4G ED

Now that we know what this means for Nikon’s lense lineup, what does it mean for your wallet? About $2,200 for the 24/1.4 and $1,260 for the 16-35.

Where to get these lenses

At the moment, the 24mm f/1.4 is marked as “unavailable” and B&H while the 16-35 VR is “available for pre-order”. If you’re thinking of picking up either of these lenses, consider using our B&H links:

I get most of my own gear from B&H, although I don’t plan on buying these specific lenses because I don’t shoot Nikon.

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Posted in Photo Gear & Products

Nikon Rumored to be Making Moves on Canon with New Lenses

February 1st, 2010 by Tom

This is a rumor and usually I don’t spend much time speculating about this sort of thing, but I’ve been hearing this one a lot, it’s allegedly 100% confirmed, and very interesting: Nikon to release 16-35 f/4 VR and 24mm f/1.4 lenses tomorrow. The gear in and of itself sounds cool, but what’s more important is that if this is true, it’s a significant move by Nikon into Canon’s lens territory.

If you spend any amount of time researching the differences between Canon and Nikon, you’re guaranteed to hear the following in Canon’s favor:

  • Canon has a strong line of high-quality f/4 zoom lenses, many of which feature image stabilization.
  • Canon has a solid lineup of fast, high-quality wide angle prime lenses.

The f/4 zooms are lightweight and versatile. The 24-105 f/4 L is the kit lens for Canon’s prosumer EOS 5D line, and considered one of the best all-around lenses one can purchase. And then there’s the fast, wide primes — lenses like the 24mm f/1.4 L and 35mm f/1.4 L are pretty much like carrying around night vision for your camera.

So now Nikon is rumored to be coming out with a 16-35mm f/4 VR and a 24mm f/1.4. If that is so they are doing a great job of listening to the photography community and using that information to close up whatever gaps their may be between them and their main competition.

So … when will we see a full-frame professional body from Canon with a high frame rate and mind-bending ISO capabilities?

Link via Calanan Photography.

Update: The rumors were true

It turns out the rumors were true and Nikon did release these two lenses. If you’re looking to pick these up when they become available, consider getting them from B&H:

I don’t have a review of these lenses available and I don’t plan on buying them (seeing as I shoot Canon), but if you plan on it I suggest B&H. That’s where I get most of my equipment.

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Posted in Gear

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