Reviewed by Ben Lee, http://dslrlensesonline.com editor.

Canon EF 100mm f 2.8 Macro USM

Buy the Canon 100mm Macro f/2.8 USM from Amazon and receive FREE shipping.

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The Canon 100mm Macro f/2.8 USM is one lens that you should not look past if you are at all interested in macro photography. It is an awesome macro lens producing high quality macro images and it will not break the bank.

With a 1:1 magnification factor, subjects will appear in your photos as big as they do in real life. There are other dedicated macro lenses out there (such as similarly named Canon EF 100mm f/2.8 L IS, the Sigma 150mm and Canon 180mm) but I truly believe that the EF 100mm f/2.8 USM is the best of the lot.

For its price, it is a more than competent achiever. Auto focus is lightning fast, accurate and dead quiet.  As expected in a dedicated macro lens, the barrel does not extend when focusing. A non extending lens coupled with 100mm worth of reach gives you the best chance of getting your shot without disturbing the subject.

This can sometimes be a real pain when you are trying to capture something like an insect only to have it fly away at the last second because of the movement of your lens. At least with a Canon 100mm Macro f/2.8 USM, you don’t have to be as close to the subject as you would otherwise have to be with say the Canon 50mm macro lens.

This lens is tack sharp wide open, and there are yet more improvements in image sharpness when it is stopped down somewhat. Of course, the lack of an image stabilization (IS) function will limit the lens being stopped down too frequently, but rest assured the results are still superb at f/2.8. Vignetting is something that is also apparent at f/2.8, but can be removed by simply stopping down.

I am happy to report that all of the vital signs of a good lens are here – good color and contrast, minimal flare and distortion. This lens can also be used in portraiture photography thanks to its ideal fixed focal length and maximum aperture.

I imagine that the Canon EF 100mm f 2.8 Macro USM is going to be popular with both macro and non-macro dedicated photographers alike.  Its capabilities are sure to bring a lot of people into the discipline thanks to its superior image quality and low cost.

The lens is that good that it is probably worth just going out and buying it to see if your excitement is justified, even if you only have the slightest interest in doing so.

Why do I say this? Macro photography is one of those things that doesn’t necessarily require you to be at Uluru before dawn.

Sometimes when it is a nice day outside I just like to head into my own backyard and take photos of flowers, insects and other things that take my fancy. Now, it’s a lot easier to do this with a Canon EF 100mm f 2.8 Macro USM than it is with a Canon 17-40 L, especially if you live in a house with a small backyard or have no backyard whatsoever.

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There will be a small percentage of photographers who, for whatever reason, will not be satisfied with the lens.

For those looking for a macro lens with image stabilization and L series quality, the Canon EF 100mm f/2.8L IS is worth a look.

If extra reach or lower cost is your go, then consider the Canon EF 180mm f3.5L Macro USM Lens and Sigma 150mm f/2.8 EX DG HSM APO HSM IF Macro Lens respectively.

Reviewed by Ben Lee, http://dslrlensesonline.com editor.

Canon EF 24-70mm

Buy the Canon EF 24-70mm from Amazon today and get 43% off!

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The Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8L USM Standard Zoom Lens for Canon SLR Cameras is the highly anticipated successor to the Canon EF 28-70mm f/2.8 L IS lens, which was a stellar performer in its own right.

On the surface there does not appear to be much difference between the two lenses (apart from the obvious fact that the 24-70mm is 4mm wider).

Dig a little deeper however, and you start to see that the newer lens has much better contrast reproduction as well as being largely free from the vignetting issues which affected the 28-70mm.

So is it worth upgrading to this lens if you already own the 28-70mm? In my opinion, probably not – but that is up to the individual photographer really.

If however you are looking for one of the finest zoom lenses available, then look no further. The Canon EF 24-70mm is ideal for all types of photography including landscapes, weddings/portraiture and even things like indoor sports and photojournalism thanks to a constant maximum aperture of f/2.8.

As you would expect, this lens exhibits low to negligible levels of all of the imperfections we hate as photographers. Vignetting is very well controlled for the most part, only really becoming apparent at the wide end, wide open on a full frame body. More often than not its effect can be greatly reduced by stopping down.

One thing to note about the 24-70 is that the lens hood is in a fixed position, that is, it does move in or out with focal length change on your part. As a result, the lens hood sticks along way in front of the front element at 70mm (whereas at 24mm the front element is closer to being flush with the lens hood).

Therefore it is doubly important to make sure that the lens hood is fixed to the lens at all times to stop the almost certain lens flare that would result at 24mm without it.

When the long awaited 28-70mm came out almost a decade ago, it did not disappoint the many photographers who had been anxiously waiting for a top notch general purpose zoom lens with a decent maximum aperture.

It is still a great lens in its own right, and thats why I said earlier that unless you want an extra 4mm and a bit less vignetting, stick with what you have and just fix the rest in Photoshop.

Generally speaking, the optical performance of the 24-70mm and 28-70mm are virtually identical once you hit 50mm anyway, but some people just like to have the latest gear (don’t worry, I’m one of them too!).

Many photographic purists will revel in the fact however that the Canon 24-70mm is better still than its predecessor.  It is as close to owning 3 prime lenses in the 24 to 70mm range as you are ever going to get in this day and age.

Canon EF 24-70mm – no image stabilization

I suppose I have to touch on the fact that this lens has no image stabilization function. All I’m going to say is that if you are going to buy this lens, then you are good enough to shoot good images without it. F/2.8 makes obtaining sharp images easy and the focus will find something straight away. It needn’t be an issue, especially when you consider a 24-70mm lens with IS.

Whether you are a pixel-peeping perfectionist or not, you will definitely appreciate the quality, craftsmanship and ease of operation that the Canon EF 24-70mm has to offer, especially if you don’t mind a bit of extra weight and length.

Like I have said before, I personally enjoy the extra weight – it makes me believe that I’m holding something that is solid and well built and that will last a long time. It’s also something I’m willing to put up with knowing that I will get great images each and every time.

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Those wanting a lens with more reach may want to consider my taking a look at my Canon 24 105mm review or for something wider have a look at the Canon EF S 17 55mm f2 8 IS USM Lens.

Reviewed by Ben Lee, http://dslrlensesonline.com editor.

Buy the Canon EF 28-135mm from Amazon and receive FREE shipping.

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Today I want to review the Canon EF 28-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS USM Standard Zoom Lens for Canon SLR Cameras. Go into just about any photography forum and you will always come across questions along the lines of what is the best general purpose DLSR  lens, or what is the best beginner DSLR camera under $500?

While I believe there is no best lens per se, there are a couple of lenses that tick most of the boxes in each of the beginner, intermediate and professional categories. The Canon 28 135mm IS has two things that photographers love but rarely see together – decent quality at an affordable price.

Of course, many of this lenses benefits can be gleaned from looking at the product name. A highly workable zoom range of 28-135mm and image stabilization technology are the obvious points here. Simply put, you can cover more photographic situations with more assurance.

What you might not have known about this lens is that it is relatively lightweight and small for a lens which spans over 100mm. This is due largely to the plastic construction, but this does not take anything away from the good things about the 28-135mm IS.

So, who is this lens best suited to? It is probably best suited to photographers who are entering the world of DSLR photography for the first time and want a great lens that will ease them into the transition from point and shoot or film SLR photography.

Reasonably priced at just over $400 US, this lens is obviously not comparable to say the Canon 24-105mm L IS, the fact is they are worlds apart in price, image quality and the caliber of photographers who use then. I would say this lens is ideal for photographers who are trying to develop their style, but aren’t sure what direction they are heading in just yet. The large focal range gives you the best of wide angle and telephoto – the latter is amplified on a 1.6x FOVCF body where the reach extends to 216mm.

At a glance..

• Close focusing distance of 20 inches; 75- to 18-degree diagonal angle of view
• Measures 3.1 inches in diameter and 3.8 inches long; weighs 18.9 ounces; 1-year warranty

• Minimum Focal Range: 1.6 feet
• Maximum Aperture Range: F/3.5-5.6
• Camera Magnify Power: 0.19
• Lens System Special Functions: Zoom
• Focus Type: auto-focus, manual-focus
• Real Angle Of View: 76
• Weight: 17.6 Ounces
• Item Display Diameter: 3.8 inches
• Length: 3 inches

It could be argued that, dollar for dollar, this lens is the best that Canon has to offer. What I like about this lens is its affordable price coupled with important features like image stabilization and fast auto focus that should be in any lens, especially one ideal for photographers trying to find their feet in the industry.

To add to what has been said above, the Canon 28 135mm IS also has a pseudo-macro capability. It offers a surprising (if not refreshing) amount of detail that entry level photographers who love macro will enjoy. Obviously it is not a dedicated macro lens and as such should not be expected to be, but it is just another string in the bow of this very versatile lens.

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As for shortcomings of this piece of equipment, I would hazard a guess and say that most people in the market for the 28-135mm are not worried about a slight amount of vignetting or chromatic aberration at certain focal lengths. Those that are concerned probably have the knowledge to remove these imperfections in something like Lightroom anyway.

This lens is extremely popular for a reason, and most enthusiasts in the entry level niche who buy this lens will choose to forgive the minor bad points for the overwhelming number of good points.