SETI's reviews

  • Sigma 17-70mm f/2.8-4.5 DC Macro

    5 out of 10 points and not recommended
    Size, Macro capability
    Too hard images ! Macro images are too flat and expressionless

    I got that lens after reading so much positive reviews in our magazines. I was greatly disappointed because of harsh pictures. Avoid to shoot mid-aged women with that lens =) All skin deffects will be visible twice strong !
    Sold it with a great pleasure.
    Thank you !

    reviewed April 26th, 2007 (purchased for $400)
  • Sigma 18-125mm f/3.5-5.6 DC

    10 out of 10 points and recommended
    Lightwight, size, sharp, cheap
    no for that price

    I got that baby in 2005 right after purchasing Nikon D50. All that I can say - it's very very good deal ! For a bargain price you get quite big range of focal length. The lens was very sharp... maybe I got a true Sigma ? =) I sold it some time ago, but still like the images produced by 18-125.
    Thank you

    reviewed April 26th, 2007 (purchased for $275)
  • Tamron 90mm f/2.8 Di Macro 1:1 SP AF

    7 out of 10 points and recommended
    Lightweight, sharp, non-expensive, amazing bokeh !
    chromatic aberrations, slow focus

    Got it for my old D50. Great... portrait lens =))) Macro is good too, but it's 9 rounded aperture blades makes very expressive images !
    It's weak point is ability to catch CAs ! I had even long correspondence with Tamron about it and they tried to tell me that it's impossible. I had change it to another and got same problems (tried it at my D200 too). So... I sold it =)
    Also AF is slow... So, I can recommend it as a portrait lens with good macro included =)

    reviewed April 26th, 2007 (purchased for $400)
  • Nikon 50mm f/1.8D AF Nikkor

    8 out of 10 points and recommended
    Price !!! Aperture ! Size, weight
    soft at 1.8, yellow cast

    Changed 3 of them =) Tried to get sharpness at 1.8. Good if you have only 100$. At f4 is extremally sharp ! Don't know what to add... it costs that 100$... maybe even 120 =)
    Thank you.

    reviewed April 26th, 2007 (purchased for $100)
  • Sigma 10-20mm f/4-5.6 EX DC HSM

    10 out of 10 points and recommended
    Great image quality, close and fast focusing, really wide angle, bargain price
    distorsions

    First wide-zoom was Tokina 12-24. I didn't like it because of great CA and awfull corner softness. So I got Nikkor 12-24. That was good in distorsions but had soft spot in right side at 12-18mm. I changed it and new one had soft right/down corner. So I gave it back and bought Sigma 10-20. The photo quality is REALLY same like Nikkor and better than Tokina. Wider angle, good built, close focusing and very nice color rendition. Distorsions and vignetting are not a problem for my Photoshop =)

    reviewed July 16th, 2007 (purchased for $600)
  • Nikon 60mm f/2.8D AF Micro Nikkor

    10 out of 10 points and recommended
    Sharp !!! Exellent bokeh
    Not so fast

    Great lens. I use it for portraits and have exellent results ! Sharpest lens I ever had. Not so fast, don't have VR, but it's hard to unmount it from my body =)

    reviewed July 16th, 2007 (purchased for $465)
  • Nikon 12-24mm f/4G ED-IF DX AF-S Nikkor

    5 out of 10 points and not recommended
    No distorsions, vignetting
    price, built quality

    First one had soft spot in the right side at 12-18mm. Got another from service with soft corner ! Got money back and bought Sigma 10-20 with no problems. So bad quality for so big money... Test it very thoroughly !

    reviewed July 16th, 2007 (purchased for $1,100)
  • Nikon 55-200mm f/4-5.6G IF-ED VR DX AF-S Nikkor

    6 out of 10 points and not recommended
    Lightweight, price, size, VR
    Image quality is so-so, cheap plastic

    I don't like this lens. The images are very "cheap"-looking. Even my vacation Nikkor 70-300G can match with it. I'm sad I have sold my 70-300 VR... I tried it on my D200 and D70s and the results are very same. Thanx

    reviewed August 15th, 2007 (purchased for $400)
  • Nikon 24-85mm f/2.8-4D IF AF Nikkor

    10 out of 10 points and recommended
    Image quality, build quality, macro
    Little bit soft at 24mm/f2.8

    It's my second 24-85/2.8-4 lens. I sold the first in order to upgrade to 17-55mm/f2.8. After I saw the picture of 17-55, I sold it and got that new again =) There's no rivals for this. Great picture, beautyful bokeh and outstanding macro... it's all in one lens =) Made in Japan

    reviewed December 30th, 2007 (purchased for $580)
  • Nikon 17-55mm f/2.8G ED-IF DX AF-S Nikkor

    7 out of 10 points and recommended
    All but picture
    picture is dull, price

    Too much said about that lens, so I just wanna say that I don't like it's dull picture. It's not a portrait lens for me. But ideal for journalists.

    reviewed December 30th, 2007 (purchased for $1,650)
  • Panasonic 20mm f/1.7 ASPH LUMIX G

    10 out of 10 points and recommended
    Lightweight, sharp, fast
    no

    No doubts it's good lesson for all competitors. "That's what I call the lens" =) Small, sharp and fast. Very good, contrast images ! BTW colors from my G1 + 20mm much better than for my D700 and 5D, I mean without processing. And in spite of 2x crop I like it's pictures more than from Canon and Nikon 1,5 crops.
    Amazing little jewel !

    You can see some of my shots here:

    http://www.flickr.com/photos/photodrug/sets/72157622881853782/

    reviewed January 27th, 2010 (purchased for $500)
  • Panasonic 14-45mm f/3.5-5.6 ASPH MEGA OIS LUMIX G VARIO

    10 out of 10 points and recommended
    Lightweight, sharp, versatile, stabilized !!!
    no

    Not much to say - one of the best kit lens I ever saw. 28-90 equivalent of 35mm - very versatile. I love 28mm wide lens and 85-135 portrait lens, so that's what I mean. Of course forget about bokeh =)

    reviewed January 27th, 2010 (purchased for $400)
  • Panasonic 45-200mm f/4-5.6 MEGA OIS LUMIX G VARIO

    10 out of 10 points and recommended
    Lightweight, sharp, stabilized !!!
    no

    I always shoot in RAW and never have any problems with this lens. Yes, it can't create that POP images that can do 70-200/2.8 from both Canon and Nikon, but it's not that lens aim. It's just the best coupling with my G1 for street and candid shots ! Rotating LCD and 90-400mm is all what I could ever dream !

    reviewed January 27th, 2010 (purchased for $450)
  • Canon EF 85mm f/1.8 USM

    10 out of 10 points and recommended
    Lightweight,lighting fast AF,sharp
    no

    With no doubts it's the best Canon price/quality lens. Great bokeh included =)

    reviewed January 27th, 2010 (purchased for $360)
  • Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 II

    6 out of 10 points and not recommended
    Cheap
    all other

    It's not bad bayonet cover, but I had never see more harsh images from other primes.

    reviewed January 27th, 2010 (purchased for $120)
  • Canon EF 35mm f/1.4L USM

    10 out of 10 points and recommended
    Focusing distance,AF speed,bokeh
    no

    The best Canon L !!! No need in words

    http://www.flickr.com/photos/photodrug/sets/72157615975932888/

    reviewed January 27th, 2010 (purchased for $1,500)
  • Canon EF 135mm f/2L USM

    8 out of 10 points and recommended
    Optics quality, sharp,very special picture
    build quality

    Great lens, but I can't understand why Canon can't control quality. In 3 months I got loosy focus ring. And it's not the one problem from my L lenses... very sad =(

    reviewed January 27th, 2010 (purchased for $1,100)
  • Canon EF 24-105mm f/4L IS USM

    9 out of 10 points and recommended
    Sharp, stabilized, fast AF
    harsh bokeh

    Perfect lens for journalism or studio works. Amazing focusing speed. Good contrast. No bokeh =)

    reviewed January 27th, 2010 (purchased for $1,100)
  • Olympus 14-150mm f/4-5.6 ED M.Zuiko Digital

    10 out of 10 points and recommended
    Lightweight, sharp,small
    no sunshade

    I have Panasonic GH2 kit with 14-140mm lens and have read a lot of positive opinions about that lens. Now I can compare panasonic and oly and want to say that I like Olympus 14-150mm more but only for still pictures. Sharpness is noticeable better especially on the long end. So I can recommend it to all who want light and versatile lens.
    Best regards. Dmitry
    http://www.flickr.com/photos/photodrug/

    reviewed March 12th, 2011 (purchased for $500)
  • Panasonic 14-140mm f/4-5.8 ASPH MEGA OIS LUMIX G VARIO HD

    7 out of 10 points and recommended
    Silent work,good construction,sunshade
    soft,price

    Great lens for video ! Absolutely silent, fast. But not as good for still pictures - need to use f/9 to achieve best results
    Best regards. Dmitry
    http://www.flickr.com/photos/photodrug/

    reviewed March 12th, 2011 (purchased for $700)