steveygti's reviews

  • Tamron 24-135mm f/3.5-5.6 AD Aspherical IF Macro SP AF

    8 out of 10 points and recommended
    better image quality than Canon's 28-135mm IS USM
    laborious zoom ring

    This is the lowest priced zoom lens in its class and the IQ is much better than the Canon 28-135mm, which i had used before. As you zoom in to 100mm and greater focal length, the image quality diminishes a bit, but if you drop it to f/7.1 (the sweet spot for this lens) the images will still be crisp. At 135mm, the AF can be a little slow. Also the zoom ring is very stiff and laborious to turn compared to Canon lenses. Overall, I am happy with this lens for a 'walk around' lens. I've been using this in on my Canon T2i and am very happy with it. Unfortunately, this lens is discontinued and you will have to purchase this used.

    reviewed June 2nd, 2010 (purchased for $298)

  • Canon EF 85mm f/1.8 USM

    10 out of 10 points and recommended
    very fast AF, super quiet USM, crisp/clear IQ, Beautiful Bokeh, affordable
    IQ becomes slightly soft at f/1.8 ; missing the 'L' symbol & 'red ring'

    The image quality is the best bang for your buck with this lens. I use it on a T2i and the results are always astounding. This lens is perfect for a photojournalist who takes street photos or vertical portraits. The bokeh is superb. I dont have images to share at the moment since i havent uploaded them yet. However, the customer images at
    Amazon are what sold me into buying this 2derful lens! Check out these images:

    http://www.amazon.com/gp/customer-media/product-gallery/B00007GQLU/ref=cm_ciu_pdp_images_all


    If you are looking for an affordable prime lens with excellent image results, then this is the lens for you.

    reviewed June 6th, 2010 (purchased for $378)

  • Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 II

    10 out of 10 points and recommended
    Excellent bokah, sharp images, cheap price
    very loud AF, cheap build quality

    This lens is perhaps one of the best image producing lens for its price. It produces sharp images and wonderful bokeh. The sweet spot for this lens on my T2i is f/2.8 and the images are pretty sharp. Wide open, the images are a bit soft. However, they are almost as sharp as my images from my Canon 85mm prime lens. This focal length is perfect for portraits and works wonderful producing bokeh. Remember that 50mm used was the standard focal length back in the day in which manufacturer's evaluated slr cameras.
    Many people complain about the cheap build qualityfor this lens. It does feel cheap and light in your hands and it sounds cheap when it operates. It does look like it came out of a Cracker Jack Box. Remember, It is only $100.. and excellent for the aspiring and amateur photographers. Just take really good of this lens and dont throw it around in your bag; It should last you years and years.

    reviewed June 8th, 2010 (purchased for $95)

  • Canon EF-S 55-250mm f/4-5.6 IS

    10 out of 10 points and recommended
    Fast AF, good build quality, great IQ for price
    None!

    This lens has great IQ for the price. It produces brilliant colors and great contrast in color and monochrome. The IS makes the lens worth the purchase as it work great in the greater focal lengths still keeping your images crisp. It produces nicer imagesthan my 18-55mm IS kit lens. Iys not too heavy on the camera body and it's build quality feels solid. I'm using this lens on a T2i body. You can't go wrong with this lens for it's price and performance. I highly recommend it to any aspiring/amateur photographer as myself. Canon has proved themselves why they are #1 in the market.

    reviewed July 14th, 2010 (purchased for $250)

  • Canon EF-S 17-55mm f/2.8 IS USM

    10 out of 10 points and recommended
    Sharp, IS, 2.8 fixed aperture, wide angle
    very expensive for ef-s lens

    The image quality is par excellence! I am using this on my Canon T2i and it produces stupendous results. This lens is perfect for indoor low-light, portraits and even outdoor photography. I do notice that the IS makes a low humming sound while it is 'working'. The sound isnt very audible and can only be heard if there is utter silence surrounding you. Other people complain about 'zoom creep'. After 4 months of daily usage, I have no 'zoom creep' occuring with my lens.
    The build quality is pretty good, but it doesnt feel as solid in the hand as an 'L' lens does. however, the build is definitely better than all other ef-s lenses i have used.
    The zoom ring is smooth; the manual focus ring is also smooth. The auto focus is super fast and super silent thanks to USM. People also mentioned that there is some chromatic abberation wide open at 2.8, however, it is very minute and not noticeable at regular size print photos (i.e. 4x3, 5x7, 8x10).

    The negatives for me: the price is a wee bit high for a non-L lens. I'd expect the body to be weather-sealed and/or feel more solid for the price.

    The positives for me: Image quality immediately compensated for the high price. The Constant 2.8 aperture, and the IS and the wide angle of 17mm are all great features.

    If you take care of your lens, dont let the price scare you. This lens is a 'must have' for every Canon APS-C (cropped sensor) owner.

    reviewed March 11th, 2011 (purchased for $980)

  • Canon EF 35mm f/2

    9 out of 10 points and recommended
    Affordable, light, great colors/contrast, great IQ on cropped sensors, great in low light conditions
    noisy AF, AF sometimes struggles in low light

    35mm is the new 50mm! I use it on my T2i (550D) and the results are astounding! Immediately, i noticed that this lens is ubersharp & produces great colors and contrast. It produces wonderful bokeh wide open. The speed of the AF is okay and it has a high pitch buzzing sound just as loud as the 50mm prime f/1.8 lens. This lens is so light and is worth every penny. Great outdoor and indoor lens!

    reviewed December 28th, 2011 (purchased for $285)