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| Another Real-World Lens Test | ||||||||||
| Once I got used to the Rebel XT with its 18-55mm kit lens, I began to lust after two things: zoom and clarity. I think that a lot of us new Canonophiles naturally gravitate to the EF 70-300 f/4-5.6 lens, which sports a healthy range and an attractive price. I wanted one. But I had also been reading very complimentary comments about the 50mm prime, which, at (now) less than US$100.00, seemed too good to be true. But for $80.00 at the time, I thought, "Why not?" | ||||||||||
| First impression...
Compared to the kit lens (no offense, Canon, it's a "good" all-purpose lens, but hey...), the clarity is impressive. Now I understand that a prime will almost always beat an equivalent telephoto or wide-angle zoom, but I wasn't expecting this. This may well have been the best $80.00 I've spent in a very long time. With its very clean glass and that 1.8 aperture, this 50mm does very well for close-ups, general photos, and indoors without flash. Without question, it's a "best bang for the buck"! Samples follow. Click any image to see the original file as untouched from the camera. Images below have been slightly enhanced for sharpness, saturation, levels, etc. |
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| This is a crop from the full-size image (4752 x 3168). ISO400, f/5.6, 1/2000, lens mounted on the Canon EOS 50d. |
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| A good subject to check clarity. ISO400, f/5.6, 1/500 | ||||||||||
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| Another crop from a larger image. ISO400, f/8.0, 1/125 | ||||||||||
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| Crop from larger image. ISO400, f/8.0, 1/500 | ||||||||||
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| Crop from larger image. ISO400, f/16, 1/320 | ||||||||||
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| Again, aperture is at f/16, ISO400, 1/80 | ||||||||||
| One of my standard tests - the Money Shot. | ||||||||||
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| The Money Shot... Crop at 100%, showing detail in familiar subjects. For comparison with the 100mm dedicated macro, see here. As with the other Money Shot, the camera is on a tripod pointing almost straight down on the currency, which is beneath one lamp with 75W bulb. (And no flash.) In this setting (and others), the 100mm macro wins running away. |
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| Point and shoot. An overcast day made the greens pop. | 4560.jpg EXIF | |||||||||
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| Did I mention that all photos on this page (so far) were taken on my own property? And did I mention how amazing Spring is, when April finally comes around? | 4562.jpg EXIF | |||||||||
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| The Umbrella Tree. Or, at least, it will be when the foliage grows in. This is one of very few plants that we will keep, as we remake the landscape into our own vision... It's a very cool little tree. | 4564.jpg EXIF | |||||||||
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| The Rebel XT (all digitals?) seems to love greens, but struggles with reds. The 50mm lens, though, has no problem with either. And, okay, this one is not on my property, but it is in my neighborhood, and I've been meaning to shoot this swayback for some time now. | 4569.jpg EXIF | |||||||||
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| May 4, 2007 - This little fellow has been showing off for the past week. | 4729.jpg EXIF | |||||||||
| Was this page helpful at all? | ...back to Top | |||||||||
| I'd like to hear from my visitors as to whether this sort of amateur lens test is worthwhile. We've all seen what the professional photographers can do, but rarely do the rest of us measure up to that standard. In considering whether or not to throw good money at a lens, I thought it would be interesting to see what the average Joe gets from it. Heck, anybody's results should be as good or better than what I've shown here. Drop me a line and let me know what you think. I plan on several more of these Lens Tests as time goes by... If there's a Canon lens you'd especially like to see, let me know. | ||||||||||
| All images throughout the site are ©2008 tfrog.com • Please email for permission to use. | ||||||||||
