flyingdutchman's reviews

  • Canon EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS STM

    10 out of 10 points and recommended
    Non-rotating front element, pretty sharp at all settings, fast and silent AF, nice close-up performance.
    Plastic mount

    I got this lens as a replacement for the dinky EF-S 18-55 II that came with my 400D. I wanted a stabilized lens so I could take pics for documentation purposes in available light without bothering with a tripod.
    Reviews of this lens are overwhelmingly positive, and it can be bought second hand at a very reasonable price. I was not disappointed. Despite being a very lightweight "plastic fantastic", the optical performance is actually quite good. The close-focus performance was a nice surprise, at 55mm it has a reproduction ratio of 1:2.8, sharp and with very little distortion. Not quite a true macro, but very good for a kit lens.
    The only thing it doesn't do well is low-light photography of things that move, but hey ;)
    Build quality is decent, tight assembly, but such a nice lens would deserve a metal mount.

    Overall this lens gets a 10, for its amazing bang/buck ratio.

    reviewed February 23rd, 2020 (purchased for $65)

  • Sigma 18-35mm f/1.8 DC HSM Art

    10 out of 10 points and recommended
    Excellent image quality, excellent build quality
    Weight

    I needed good low light performance at shorter focal lengths. Given the fact that there's very little choice in reasonably fast primes for APS-C, I have considered the EF-S 17-55/2.8 which has a wider zoom range and IS, but is one stop slower and has lousy bokeh. Eventually I found the Sigma for sale locally and had the possibility to try it out before committing my hard earned cash. It was love at first sight, having read the reviews I knew it should be an excellent piece of glass but it still exceeded my expectations.
    All aspects of image quality easily match or exceed those of primes in its range, and the build quality is second to none. Zoom and focus rings are smooth and well damped, with a lovely feel. AF is quick, accurate and almost silent.
    The Sigma is a large and heavy lens, and carrying it around is a nice workout. On the plus side, you'll get like 1 stop of stabilization for free due to sheer inertia ;)

    reviewed February 23rd, 2020 (purchased for $540)

  • Canon EF-S 24mm f/2.8 STM

    10 out of 10 points and recommended
    Sharp, compact, very affordable
    More than average vignetting wide open

    This little lens is surprisingly versatile, and an excellent cure for "zoom-itis", a malady that afflicts many beginning photographers who only ever used the kit zoom that came with their camera.
    The focal length is very similar (on APS-C) to that of popular rangefinders and compact cameras of the film era, slightly wider than "normal". With its compact size, it shines on entry-level bodies where it makes for a very compact, lightweight combo that's easy to carry around and quite unobtrusive.
    For any beginning photographer, if you'd be interested in becoming familiar with primes, this is the prime you want. You won't have to break the bank, you get a level of image quality that zooms don't even dare dream of, and its versatile fixed focal length will most likely change the way you frame and compose your pics.

    It has been said that Canon should offer this lens as a kit option with their entry level bodies, and I wholeheartedly agree.

    reviewed February 24th, 2020 (purchased for $110)