dseidman's reviews

  • Canon EF 17-40mm f/4L USM

    9 out of 10 points and recommended
    Sharp, lightweight, build quality, inexpensive for an L, weather sealed
    Corner sharpness, but it's not too bad

    When I upgraded to a full-frame camera, I had to find a replacement wide angle lens for my Tokina 12-24. After doing a little research, this lens appeared to be the best value out of all my options (which were pretty much limited to either this or the 16-35). Now that I've had more than 6 months to use it, I can say that I definitely made the right decision for the type of photography I do. I don't need to the f/2.8 of the 16-35 and I don't think the difference in sharpness justifies spending double the money. In fact, there seems be very little difference in sharpness at all judging by comparisons I've made between images produced with my 17-40 and a friend's 16-35.

    Here are some samples of the work I have produced with this lens:

    http://www.danseidmanphoto.com/keyword/1740

    reviewed February 22nd, 2010 (purchased for $700)

  • Sigma 100-300mm f/4 EX IF HSM APO

    10 out of 10 points and recommended
    Sharp, good range, solid build, fast and accurate autofocus.
    No IS/VR and the lens is a little heavy but that's to be expected.

    I bought this lens a few years ago after reading lots of reviews. From what I had read, it appeared that this lens is comparable in image quality to Canon's telephotos of similar zoom range. Well after owning this lens for three years and using plenty of Canon's lenses during that time, I can say that this lens really is as good but at a much better price. I have been extremely pleased with its performance. So far it has survived three camera bodies (20D, 40D, and now 5D2) and it's still going strong.

    I mostly shoot landscapes with the camera mounted on a tripod so the f/4 aperture is something I don't have to worry about but I can see it being of some concern for sports photographers. Also, the lack of image stabilization can make it a little tough to use handheld. Other than that, I have nothing bad to say.

    Here is a gallery full of images I've taken with it over the years:
    http://www.danseidmanphoto.com/keyword/100300

    This lens is worth every penny.

    reviewed February 22nd, 2010 (purchased for $950)