MJG's reviews

  • Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 II

    8 out of 10 points and recommended
    Excellent image quality when stopped down; bright when wide open; light
    Noisy and and somewhat slow AF

    This lens is a no brainer. It's cheap, and stopped down (2.2 or so) the image quality is excellent. At 1.8 it's still OK, and together with the ISO setting of a DSLR it's perfect for available light photography. With the 1.6 crop factor of most Canon DSLR it's more like an 80mm lens, and as such a perfect portrait lens, or a normal lens for the tele inclined.
    The build is cheap but OK. Autofocus is not USM and this shows. Speed is OK since it's a small lens, but's not as quiet as the USM type. Sounds more like a Sigma lens ;)
    Since it's so lightweight it makes for a great macro dioper when reverse mounted in front of another lens, but better check to make sure the image circle is wide enough for the other lens. Reverse mounting directly gives you another good cheap macro option, although it's more difficult to handle (no AF, no automatic aperture).

    reviewed January 14th, 2007 (purchased for $90)

  • Canon EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 USM

    6 out of 10 points and recommended
    Lightweight, value for money
    Slow AF (non USM version), image quality not great

    Included in the kit, or bought separately, the lens provides good value for the money. It's not a great lens regarding image quality as well as build quality, but it's OK as a starter lens, or as a light weight travel lens. The non USM version (kit version) has somewhat slow AF, but it's very quiet for a non USM.
    This lens works great when reverse mounted as a macro lens, image quality is excellent then. The zoom makes for a variable macro diopter.

    reviewed January 14th, 2007

  • Canon EF-S 10-22mm f/3.5-4.5 USM

    9 out of 10 points and recommended
    Image quality, build
    No hood included

    This is a specialty lens, and probably the one where it makes most sense to go for the EF-S line instead of EF - there won't be any EF lens with these focal lengths.

    10-22 (16-35 effectively) is ultrawide and needs to be handled properly, but once you got the hang of it you'll love it - in certain situations.

    Image quality is very good and so is the build quality. I consider this lens almost L like. Unfortunately it's not, which also means that the lens hood and pouch are not include, in line with the usual cheapo Canon policy.

    Note: price is converted from EUR, after special rebate for 350D owners

    reviewed January 14th, 2007 (purchased for $685)

  • Canon EF 70-200mm f/4L USM

    0 out of 10 points and recommended
    Excellent image quality, versatile range, L punch
    None

    This is the cheapest L lens, and there is actually one big Con: It will get you hooked on the L line. I had the very fine 70-210, but that extra notch that the 70-200L has is difficult to describe, but very noticable.

    Image and build quality are excellent, and so is AF speed and accuracy. The zoom is ring type, and as such there is no danger of creeping (the 70-210 does creep). The range is versatile, especially on 1.6 crop where it amounts to 100-320. Also, this lens goes very well with the 1.4 extender, at least in good light conditions.

    Note: price is converted from EUR, after special rebate

    reviewed January 14th, 2007 (purchased for $660)