AlainD's reviews
-
Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 II
7 out of 10 points and recommendedcheap cheap cheap - at $65 what can I say. Fun to play for DOF, low lightnone at that price. But check your copy for front/back focusing issueswas told this was a must have given the price, and sure is. Even though I have a sigma 18-200 on my Xt most of the time, I always take this little gem in case I need low light shooting. Granted I don't use it much...
reviewed January 12th, 2007 (purchased for $70) -
Canon EF 75-300mm f/4-5.6 III
7 out of 10 points and recommendedcheap - good for figuring out what range you use. Decent stoped to F8-10. Light weightcheap! very soft wide openThis lens is actually pretty decent stopped to F8-10 so it works well in good light. Wide open it very soft compare to say a Sigma 135-400, btu so much lighter and compact (fit into small over the sholder bag, while the sigma is big).
reviewed January 12th, 2007 (purchased for $75)
I bought this lens for not much (with rebate on XT) to figure out what range I needed, and got some very decent shots out of it. It is actually better than people make it sound.
I now know I need a 400-500+ range.
Not a bad entry level lens -
Canon EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 USM
4 out of 10 points and recommendedkit lens can be cheap addition to body onlytoo short a range. Feels like a toy. Need to be stopped down.I have the regular (non USM) version. Getting it on the my 300D then later on the 350D as the additional cost was something like $40-50, and it's a ok lens to gets started and see what works.
reviewed January 12th, 2007 (purchased for $40)
at $100+ I would save my money and get a Sigma 17-70 or 18-200 (which I have - havn't used kit in a year) -
Sigma 18-200mm f/3.5-6.3 DC
9 out of 10 points and recommendedlove the range. My everyday walkaround lens. very compact travel. better than kitnoisy AF, soft wide open but good stopped down 1 stop (no surprise given 11x zoom)I absolutely love this lens - it's on my camera 99% of the time. very compact when I travel (along with 50mm f1.8). Kit just never had enough reach for me and felt liek a toy.
reviewed January 12th, 2007 (purchased for $220)
This lens is relatively heavy for it's size (balance 350D nicely) and feels and looks good with supplied hood.
Picked this over the tamron 18-200 for the sharper center (but worse on edges), and non rotating front, and was cheaper used.
great lens. figure I'll use it for a while and see what range I use the most then upgrade, but I can't seem to depart with it... -
Sigma 135-400mm f/4.5-5.6 Aspherical APO
5 out of 10 points and not recommendedcheap, reachvery stiff zoom ring, 135 not very wideI had this lens for only about a week (bought used and returned it) as mine had a bad back focusing issue (so check for that!), but also the zoom ring is VERY stiff and couldn't use it on the field easily with just 1 hand while holding on a monopod for sport.
reviewed January 12th, 2007
The pictures are pretty soft wide open at 400mm (expected for the price) but get better stopped 1 or 2 down. but much better at 300mm than the cheapo canon 75-300mm which also have (quite a size difference though!)
All depends on how much you want to spend.
The next up were a lot more money (like 3x).
Looking at tokina 80-400 which is much more compact as well and wider end, which I need. We'll see.