This 75-300 is not a fast lens. A long lens not only magnifies subjects, but also the effects of the photographer’s movement. When hand-holding a lens this long, a fast shutter speed is essential to counteract blur. The 75-300’s small max aperture means raising your ISO will often be necessary to let in enough light to utilize those fast shutter speeds. Especially indoors.

The 75-300′s max aperture varies according to focal length. It starts at 70mm at f/4 and closes down to f/5.6 at the 300mm end. When exposing manually, you need to be conscious of your focal length because zooming may change your exposure. I suppose some people don’t mind variable max aperture lenses; they irritate me. The lenses, that is.

This lens is small, light and feels fragile. Its light weight makes it easy to carry around, keep in a bag, and hang around your neck without causing too much strain. At the same time it doesn’t feel very strong and I would be careful not to abuse it too much. I didn’t own it long enough to see exactly how much punishment it could take.

EOS Digital Rebel XTi w/ EF 75-300mm f/4-5.6 III @ 75mm, f/8, 1/1250 sec., ISO 400

I was never impressed with this lens’ image quality. It’s not incredibly sharp and I thought it produced average color. Of course it doesn’t hold a candle to L zooms like the various 70-200 lenses, but that comparison is unfair since the L zooms are extremely expensive professional-grade gear.

A comparison that makes more sense is the EF 70-300 f/4-5.6 IS USM. That lens has a similar focal length range, the same variable max aperture, a USM focus motor and Image Stabilization. It’s heavier, feels much more durable, and I think it produces a much better image.

EOS Digital Rebel XTi w/ EF 75-300mm f/4-5.6 III @ 80mm, f/7.1, 1/400 sec., ISO 100

Where does the 75-300mm f/4-5.6 III excel? Telephoto for cheap. The main reason most people buy this is the reason I originally did: 4x zoom to 300mm for only about $200. This is a very affordable lens that will produce decent photos of kids running around outside, animals at the zoo, and such.

Being telephoto at all focal lengths, the 75-300 makes it easy to produce background blur. Set the aperture wide open, zoom in and you will be able to achieve singular focus, isolating your subject from most reasonably distant backgrounds.

This was one of the least liked lenses I have owned. I bought it in August and sold it four months later for a few reasons:

1. My shooting style doesn’t often necessitate 300mm.
2. I didn’t like the image quality.
3. I didn’t like the variable max aperture.
4. I do most of my photography in low light, where this lens doesn’t excel.

If you want the most zoom for the least amount of money, consider the EF 75-300mm f/4-5.6 III. If you shoot in low light, abuse your gear or are critical of image quality, consider other options.

The EF 24mm f/1.4 L is one of the most frequently used lenses in my collection. It’s small, lightweight, rugged, has a fast f/1.4 max aperture and exceptional image quality.

Like many other prime lenses, the EF 24mm f/1.4 L is small and light. It doesn’t take up much room in your camera bag. It’s very easy to carry around all day, and not a problem to pack for trips. Small lenses also make you less conspicuous, which is key for going unnoticed on the street and getting natural, relaxed reactions when documenting people in social situations.

Mark II Upgrade

My lens is the first version 24mm f/1.4 L, which Canon has replaced with the EF 24mm f/1.4 L II. The new one is a little bigger, has a different hood and one more aperture blade. I have not used the newer version, but 100% and 50% crop comparisons over at The Digital Picture reveal significant improvements in image quality.

My equipment reviews are far less technical than other sites’, so much of this review will apply to both versions of the lens. Since general qualities like focal length and max aperture haven’t changed, my discussion of these things as they relate to real world shooting aren’t version-specific.

So on to the review…

Focal Length and Field of View

So, speaking of people, remember that this is a wide angle lens. When you get in close, the distortion can do weird things to facial features. But take a few steps back and it’s great for making images of people in their environment… or fitting a lot of bodies in the frame.

Canon EOS 5D w/ 24mm f/1.4 L @ f/8, 1/80 sec., ISO 320

This lens’ field of view is “kind of” wide on APS-C and very wide on full frame. When used on a cropped sensor camera such as a Digital Rebel or any of the prosumer models, you get a 38mm equivalent f.o.v. that sits somewhere between wide and normal. Pop it on a full frame camera like the 5D or 1Ds and you get the widest possible f.o.v. without crossing into ultra-wide territory.

The 24L does a nice job of keeping lines straight. Lesser wide angle lenses will make straight lines bulge out, but the distortion seen here is minimal.

The following image is uncorrected for distortion. Hover your mouse over it to see the corrected version.

Uncorrected Version | Corrected Version

Wide f/1.4 Max Aperture

An f/1.4 max aperture means the opening through which light passes into this lens can open up very large. Letting in lots of light at once means faster shutter speeds are possible than with smaller apertures, making this a fast lens.

Shooting wide open at f/1.4 can create blurry out-of-focus backgrounds. The 24mm focal length emphasizes distance between near and far objects which means you won’t get quite as blurry a background as fast portrait lenses like the 135mm f/2 L will produce, but blurry backgrounds are still possible.

To get the most blur possible, bring your subject close and put as much distance between them and the background as possible. Example:

Canon EOS 5D w/ 24mm f/1.4 L @ f/1.4, 1/4000 sec., ISO 100

Great in Low Light

This lens can open up and let in a lot of light. The combination of short focal length and large max aperture means you can hand-hold in low light at very slow shutter speeds.

Unlike long lenses that magnify your own body movements along with the scene, wide angle lenses are much easier to hold still for sharp images. Consider this image of the NYC skyline which was done at night without a tripod, handheld at just one fifth of a second.

Canon EOS 5D w/ 24mm f/1.4 L @ f/3.5, 1/5 sec., ISO 400

Here’s an even more extreme example, shot handheld at f/1.4 and again 1/5 sec. That’s not a post-sunset blue sky… I made this image at 1 AM. That’s moon light.

Canon EOS 5D w/ 24mm f/1.4 L @ f/1.4, 1/5 sec., ISO 1600

I Really Like This Lens

I can never decide which is my favorite lens because that changes depending on what there is to shoot, but going by the numbers this is currently the lens I get the most from. According to my Lightroom database, 97 out of my 500 favorite photos were made with the 24mm f/1.4 L. That’s 19.4%, more than any other lens in my collection, and includes my favorite photo to date:

Canon EOS 5D w/ 24mm f/1.4 L @ f/16, 6 secs., ISO 500

Here are a few more:

Canon EOS 5D w/ 24mm f/1.4 L @ f/10, 15 secs., ISO 200

Canon EOS 5D w/ 24mm f/1.4 L @ f/3.2, 1/125 sec., ISO 1250

Canon EOS 5D w/ 24mm f/1.4 L @ f/2, 1/25 sec., ISO 1600

As I wrote in the beginning of this review, I’m using the older “Mark I” version. Canon has since discontinued that version and replaced it with the EF 24mm f/1.4 L II.

Canon Equipment Eligible for Rebates

The following Canon photography equipment is rebated for the length of the promotional period.

How to Get Double Rebates

The double rebate amount is applied when you purchase one of these items in conjuction with one of the following EOS HD DSLR cameras:

• EOS 1D Mark IV
• EOS 5D Mark II (body only)
• EOS 5D Mark II kit with 24-105mm lens
• EOS 7D (body only)
• EOS 7D kit with 28-135mm lens
• EOS 7D kit with 18-135mm lens
• EOS 60D (body only)
• EOS 60D kit with 18-135mm lens

The promotion lasts from Oct. 24^th, 2010 – Jan. 8^th, 2011. Again, both the camera and lens/flash purchase must appear on the same receipt in order to be eligible for the double rebate. Double savings only apply to the rebated items.

Canon EOS 60D specs

In comparison to its predecessor the 50D, the new EOS 60D boosts the high end of the normal ISO range from 3200 to 6400 and jumps from 15.1 to 18 megapixels. New features include a 3″ articulating LCD screen, full HD video recording, a built-in wireless flash transmitter, SD card storage (no more CF) and advanced in-camera post processing capabilities. While the 50D was capable of shooting up to 6.3 frames per second, the 60D can only do 5.3 fps.

Some photographers across various message boards have expressed disappointment in the 60D’s specs (such as here), reasoning that what was previously a midrange line of camera bodies is now more closely related to the entry level Digital Rebel series so as to make more room for the new “high-end prosumer” 7D.

The EOS 60D will sell for $1,099 USD in late September 2010.

Four New Canon Lenses

Canon has also announced four new professional grade lenses:

• The EF 8-15mm f/4L Fisheye USM is a fisheye zoom lens with a constant f/4 aperture.
• The EF 70-300mm f/4-5.6L IS USM is an L version of the 70-300mm IS telephoto zoom lens, also aimed at advanced amateurs.
• Two fast professional prime telephoto lenses have gotten upgrades: the EF 300mm f/2.8L IS USM and the EF 400mm f/2.8L IS USM. Among their features are significantly reduced weight — 8% for the 300mm and a big 28% for the 400mm.

Upgraded Extenders

Rounding out this announcement are upgrades to two of Canon’s extenders: the Extender EF 1.4x III and Extender EF 2x III. Design changes have been implemented to increase image quality and autofocus.

Prime lenses are often known for their image quality and the EF 100mm f/2 USM is no exception. This was one of my first prime lenses and I was thoroughly impressed with its results. Colors look nice, and subjects are particularly very sharp.

Focal Length

At 100mm this fast telephoto lens is directly in the “portrait range” of focal lengths. It will get you in pretty close to your subject, enabling tight potraits. You can move in close for head & shoulders shots, or put some distance between you and the subject for upper-body portraits.

I also like telephoto lenses for landscape photos. Wide angles are popular in this genre, but telephoto compression can really make a landscape look fantastic. Here’s a sunset over the mountains in upstate New York that I nabbed with the EF 100mm f/2 USM:

Digital Rebel XTi, 100mm f/2 USM @ f/6.3, 1/250, ISO 400

I say “nabbed” because this was not carefully shot with precise settings and a tripod, but rather it was a quick grab from the passenger seat of a car going 65 mph.

Fast f/2 Aperture

This is a fast lens that is capable of a wide f/2 maximum aperture. This makes it great for shooting in low light conditions such as gymnasiums and theaters, or on the street in the evening. The depth of field at f/2 is shallow and will give you a nice blurry background behind the subject. Here is a sample of its background-blurring capabilities:

Canon EOS 5D, EF 100mm f/2 USM @ f/2, 1/80, ISO 1600

Autofocus

The USM in its name stands for Ultrasonic Motor, which is Canon’s high performance AF motor. The EF 100mm f/2 USM focuses fast! You will especially notice the focusing speed if you are stepping up from kit lenses — when you hit the button the 100 f/2 really locks on quick.

The AF on this lens is also quiet. Unlike cheaper lenses such as the 50mm f/1.8 II which lacks USM and has a whine to its AF, the 100mm f/2 makes very little noise while locking onto the subject.

Size

This lens is small and light. It is roughly the size of my hand and does not take up much real estate inside a camera bag. Since it is small in size and dark in color, you probably will not draw much attention shooting with it out in public. It’s always nice to have a telephoto lens that doesn’t scream “photographer here!”

Here is the EF 100mm f/2 mounted on both a small-sized Digital Rebel and a medium-sized EOS 5D:

Conclusion

This was one of my favorite lenses on both my Digital Rebel and 5D for a long time due to its wonderful image quality and the unique point of view you can get working with the 100mm focal length. I eventually upgraded to the 135mm f/2 L, which is a much more expensive, professional lens with more reach and a more rugged build quality. The two are very similar — if you have had your eye on the 135mm but have a hard time justifying the price, the EF 100mm f/2 USM is a very good alternative. The EF 100mm f/2 USM is much cheaper than the 135L, but still has pleasing image quality, sharpness and fast autofocus.

Where to get it

• Canon EF 100mm f/2 USM at B&H
• Canon EF 100mm f/2 USM at Adorama
• Canon EF 100mm f/2 USM at Amazon.com

Making purchases through these links helps support this site.

Since camera vendors don’t release the exact specifications for their sensors, the only software that can natively get a camera’s raw image data absolutely correct is the vendor’s software. Although some of this software is very good, many photographers prefer Adobe’s products. Third party image editing software such as Lightroom is unable to get this image data exact due to the lack of a widely adopted open RAW spec, so it does the best job it can. In order to replicate the colors and contrast we see in-camera, we need to calibrate and tweak Lightroom’s settings on a per-camera basis.

Lightroom Camera Profiles

With the stock Adobe settings, RAW images look a bit flat. Specifically for the 5D, I find that the reds look very poor. By using a color profile calibrated for your specific camera, you can improve the image quality. Adobe includes DNG Camera Profiles that do a very good job of improving the color. These are included by default with the latest Lightroom distributions. Users with older versions will have to install them manually.

If you make frequent use of the recovery slider, you will notice that doing so tends to wreck havoc on skin tones. Jacksonville Florida Wedding Photographer Thomas Lester released some Untwisted Camera Profiles that correct this problem. I installed them and they worked well, but I thought the Untwisted Profiles gave my images a green color cast. Thomas’ Invariate Camera Profiles solve this problem — I find them to be a great middle ground of corrected recovery slider performance without the green color cast. These are the profiles I’m using on all my 5D RAW files, specifically the Invariate Camera Standard profile.

Tweaking Lightroom for the Canon 5D

The RAW images look a lot better with a proper profile, but we’re still not done. The reds and oranges look really intense, especially in tungsten light. In order to get them under control, go to the HSL panel and pull the red and orange saturation sliders down to -10, then push the red and orange luminance sliders to +10. I got this tip from Lansing and Grand Rapids Michigan Wedding Photographer Brett Maxwell. Some people also like to push the blues up a little, but that doesn’t look necessary to me.

I’ve used these same settings to process RAW .CR2 files from both the original EOS 5D and the 5D Mark II. I was happy with the results for both cameras without any additional adjustments.

Sample Images

Take a look at these sample photos. Both have the exact same development settings, including white balance and a slight s-curve. The only difference is that the one on the left has its saturation and luminance HSL sliders set to 0 and uses the stock Camera Standard calibration profile, while the image on the right uses the HSL settings and invariate untwisted profile described in this article. When you look closely you’ll notice that the image on the right has much nicer colors, especially in the tulip petals and the yellow cab.

While it kills me to write about a camera without including sample images, I’ve chosen not to publish any here since my impressions are based on a single, commissioned job. Perhaps if I pick up a Mark II of my own I’ll write a full, illustrated review.

I would not call this a full review since I only used the camera for a short time. Consider this a quick rundown of my initial impressions and observations. Instead of attempting a thorough write-up, I’m just going to jump through a handful of assorted things that stood out when I reflected on the camera’s performance.

Image Quality

This is the reason I originally chose the 5D as my camera — it had a reputation for excellent image quality. I don’t spend much time shooting sports or fast-moving animals, but my library contains frame after frame of landscapes, portraits, events and candid shots. The majority of these images are shot in low light environments.

The 5D II continues to excel in the image quality department. Just like the classic model, this version produces excellent colors, contrast and sharpness, especially with good glass attached. 84% of the shots I took over the course of this job were with the EF 24-70 f/2.8 L and EF 85mm f/1.2 L II — two lenses renowned for their image quality.

Photos were even impressive with my Sigma 12-24mm lens which, while also being designated by Sigma as a solidly built, professional quality lens, sometimes leaves me wanting a little more in terms of IQ. But with a little extra attention in Photoshop, I was able to get what I wanted out of those shots as well.

Low Light IQ

Here’s where this camera really shines. The original 5D was a great low light performer and the Mark II continues the tradition. I could easily use ISO 400 for wide aperture, available light indoor shots and get wonderful, clean images. The reception was very dimly lit, for which I sat at ISO 1600 with on-camera bounce flash all night. The photos came out better than I had hoped for, extremely clear and sharp with minimal noise.

I went up to ISO 6400 for a few frames in which I need to use a slow lens and while they were acceptable, the noise was noticeable. I can still see shooting at 6400 if the need arises though — careful attention to proper exposure should keep noise levels down, and at the end of the day I’d rather get a grainy shot than a blurry shot, or no shot.

Resolution

The 5D Mark II outputs tremendous 21 MP images. I’m not one for extreme cropping in post, but I do it from time to time and the resolution of this camera really leaves a lot of room to work with. I came across one frame that had a “photo inside a photo”, and I was able to crop a perfectly acceptable image from about 20% of the total area of the frame.

Ergonomics

This is one of the departments where Nikon shooters often boast about having the upper hand over Canon. And while I don’t doubt that Nikon cameras have great ergonomics, and certainly haven’t spent enough time shooting with them to claim otherwise, I will say that I’ve never had a problem with Canon’s design.

The 5D II feels more solid that the original model, even though they are both constructed from magnesium alloy. Both cameras also have the exact same weight of 1.8 lbs. The right-hand grip of the Mark II is sculpted with more indentations to fit the photographer’s fingers.

The button layout is very similar to the original 5D. There is the addition of the AF-ON button for focus control. The 5D classic does not have this button, so focus control can be assigned to the * button. After the first dozen or so frames with the 5DII I kept hitting the exposure lock (*) button when I meant to focus, so I re-assigned focus control to the * button through the custom functions. It would probably take a little more time to get used to the new AF-ON button, and I didn’t have that luxury.

Battery Life

Battery life on the 5D Mark II appears to be very impressive. I went through 1.5 batteries on my 5D classic, and while I did run the Mark II’s charge down pretty low, I never changed the battery.

Auto ISO

This is a really nice feature, one which sometimes make me jealous of Nikon. While I was glad to see that the 5D Mark II can do auto ISO, the implementation could use some improvement. It would be nice to set minimum shutter speeds at which the ISO bumps up instead of leaving that decision to the camera, and I would love to be able to use Auto ISO in manual mode with manual on-camera flash. As it stands, it’s a nice feature to use in Av mode, but I turned it off rather than fight with it for the majority of this job.

Autofocus

Not much to report here. The Mark II as the same AF system as the original 5D, so all the same issues apply. To an extent, you can make the system behave if you know how to work it.

Conclusion

I chose the original 5D because it had a reputation for excellent image quality and low light performance. The 5D Mark II continues that tradition and improves on its predecessor. Some features and finer details could use some work, and the line is in desperate need of a new autofocus system. Overall, this is one of the smartest buys for a Canon shooter who spends a lot of time with people and landscapes, but isn’t tracking fast moving subjects.

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

• Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 II at B&H
• Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 II at Adorama
• Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 II at Amazon.com

Making purchases through these links helps support this site.

In “The Canon Powershot G9 in Japan” by Luminous Landscape, Nick Devlin discusses shooting almost excusively with a Canon Powershot G9 over his Leica M8 during a trip to Japan. Forgive us for posting an article that is almost a year old, but an enthusiastic comparison of a high-end point & shoot camera to the legendary Leica brand is fascinating.

When Devlin traveled to Japan in December of 2007, a friend suggested he try out the Canon G9 instead of his Leica M8. He was so pleased with the G9′s size, controls and image quality that his Leica spent most of the trip in the hotel room.

I will leave the Leica talk to the pros, but I can write with regard to the Powershot G9. I bought one last summer as a compliment to my Canon 5D, specifically for those times when I would prefer not to carry a DSLR. My favorable review of the Canon Powershot G9 at Of Zen and Computing contains some sample images, low-light high-ISO shots and movie clips.

Link via “The Canon G9: Better than a Leica?” by CrunchGear.

Canon’s brand new 5D Mark II camera is currently out of stock almost everywhere, and the high demand is putting prices through the roof. B&H — considered one of the most reputable retailers of camera equipment — lists the 5D Mark II at $2,699.95 for the body only, and $3,499.95 for the 24-105 f/L kit. In contrast, Pavilion Electronics is offering the 5D Mark II (body only) on Amazon for $4,899.99.

Prices for the popular digital SLR camera are quite high on eBay as well.

Link via Jeremy Hall on Twitter. Photo by stuartde used under a Creative Commons license.