MalteR's reviews

  • Canon EF 20mm f/2.8 USM

    4 out of 10 points and not recommended
    good case, fast AF
    very poor corner sharpness, generally unsharp when not stopped down

    Those who believe primes tend to outperform zoom lenses in general, should take a closer look on that one to find out they are wrong. Sorry, folks, this is one of the worst lenses i ever had.

    I must admit i tried to use it mainly for architecture and landscape photography on a full format Canon 5D/Mk II and the first thing i demand from such a lens is sharpness. Not a good idea, you may use it wide open or stopped down, you won´t get the corners sharp while only a small area around the center looks like one expect it from such a lens, tack-sharp. It also suffers from chromatic abberations.

    Okay, this might not be a problem if you use it on a body with smaller sensor and only publish your photos on a 15" screen. On the other hand, the lens is fast both in terms of AF and using it at 2.8 - but that´s not what i demand from a prime lens in this category.

    I found the 17-40mm Canon Zoom outperforms this one in nearly every respect. And if you are looking mainly for a sharp superwide lens, not an extremely fast one, a Zeiss 21mm or 20mm, even an old, used one from GDR production, will demonstrate how bad this Canon is.

    Kind regards,

    M.

    reviewed January 4th, 2010 (purchased for $350)

  • Canon EF 100mm f/2 USM

    10 out of 10 points and recommended
    super sharp, fast, nice Bokeh
    none

    I bought this one as a portrait lens capable of producing some kind of ´medium format look´, working with a very selective sharpness wide open. I wasn´t disappointed, this one is perfect for shooting people wide open and creating effects of totally blurred out-of-focus areas. The nice Bokeh and the ´clean´ overall-image might have helped to forget my Hasselblad.

    But is does more than that: I found it to be the sharpest tele lens in my lineup, great for architecture and landscape shots, street photography, whereever you need such a 100m. The AF is extremely fast and accurate. Even its behaviour when shooting available light situations is great, although one might wish to have an IS system on board.

    Nevertheless from an optical point of view the best lens i own.

    reviewed January 4th, 2010 (purchased for $490)

  • Canon EF 70-300mm f/4-5.6 IS USM

    7 out of 10 points and recommended
    sharp, contrasty image from 70 - 250mm, light weight, good IS
    AF not so fast, decreased quality at 30mm

    After reading all former reviews, i felt a bit uncertain. Can it be true that one can only love or hate this lens? Because of a got offer from my dealer (and a forthcoming holiday trip), i did not hesitate and bought it.

    After all, this is a sharp, practicable and good working lens, being capable of producing astounishing photographies if handled right. It has a few limitations. I wouldn´t recommend it for action, sports or animal photography: The AF works quite well for common purposes, but fails if the object you are targeting moves fast.

    It´s also true that is is not the sharpest one wide open and at the tele end of the range. Stopped down to 6,3 and used at 100mm, i got results sharp enough for a wall printing (with my 5D/Mk II). Above 250mm, i detected problems with CA´s and unsharp areas, so it is a good idea to stop down to f 11.

    Beyond these limitations it is a great lens and became my favourite one for fast street shooting as well as for architecture and landscape photography from a safe distance. The IS works pretty well, and folks, don´t forget the price tag! It´s a true bargain if you don´t expect things that might be possible with a $1500 lens.

    reviewed January 4th, 2010 (purchased for $580)

  • Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS II USM

    10 out of 10 points and recommended
    perfectly sharp, ultra fast AF, built like a tank, strong IS
    a bit heavy

    I just got the chance to try out that lens and, folks, i found nothing to critizise at all. This one is simply outstanding in every aspect.

    When i first used it on a 5D Mk II, i was wondering why it felt so heavy, there is obviously more mass in front than in the 70-200/4IS. But if you manage to hold it properly, you wont get any problem.

    Weight/price is the only point against that lens at all. It is perfectly sharp at all apertures and all focal lengths, on the level of a superb prime (like my 100/2.0). Contrast, Bokeh, Abberations - simply outstanding. The AF is the fastest i have ever experienced in a tele zoom, and finds its target immediately. The IS seems to be even superior to the ones in the 70-200/ 4.0 IS oder the 70-300/4-5.6IS.

    reviewed April 27th, 2010 (purchased for $2,950)