dSLR Dad

Imaging Insider has completed their review of the smc PENTAX DA Star 55mm F1.4 SDM Prime Lens:

There isn’t much to add that we haven’t already covered: excellent results for sharpness, great resistance to CA, little to no corner shading or distortion. Quick and silent autofocus; rounded aperture blades; and to top it all off, a great lens hood that you probably won’t even need given the lens’ shrouded design. Pentax has produced a fantastic lens with the 55mm ƒ/1.4 DA*, however the only sticking point could be its high price point: at over $700, it’s one of the most expensive 50mm-style lenses of any manufacturer. Based on our test results however, you definitely get your money’s worth.

You can read the entire review over at SLR Gear.com.

Photozone has published their review of the Canon EF 24-105mm f/4L IS USM Lens. They have reviewed 24-105mm f/4L lens before on an APS-C sensor.  Now they have taken a look through the viewfinder of a full-frame Canon EOS 5D Mark II:

The Canon EF 24-105mm f/4 USM L IS is surely one of the better standard zoom lenses for full format EOS DSLRs but it’s not perfect within this scope nonetheless. The resolution figures are generally very decent except for a pronounced border softness at 70mm @ f/4. Neither distortions nor vignetting are something to rave about at 24mm although these are no real issue at other focal lengths. Lateral CAs can be visible at times but the problem is generally well controlled (relative to other lenses in its class). The quality of the bokeh (@ 105mm) is very usable – within the limits of a lens with a moderate max. aperture. As to be expected from a modern Canon L lens the construction quality is up to pro standards. The AF is exceptionally fast, accurate near silent. The image stabilizer works well within its specifications although some may miss a panning mode which is implemented in Canon’s IS L tele lenses. The EF 24-105mm is a pricey lens but also a substantial one.

You can read the entire review over at Photozone.

Imaging Resource has published their review of the Sony SAL-1118 DT 11-18mm f/4.5-5.6 Super Wide-Angle Zoom Lens:

The Sony DT 11-18mm f/4.5-5.6 is respectably sharp in the central region of the frame, even when used wide open, but its design produces corner softness and barrel distortion. Chromatic aberration is quite high, even for a wide-angle lens, and its lack of a modern autofocus motor makes it somewhat slow to focus, and noisy.

It’s hard to recommend the Sony 11-18mm with the newer, better-performing and less expensive Sigma 10-20mm ƒ/4-5.6 lens hovering on the sidelines. As well, Tamron’s own 11-18mm ƒ/4.5-5.6 exists as another budget alternative, not to mention the older Konica-Minolta version; there are plenty of ways to get the performance this lens offers, without spending top dollar. But for the brand-loyal, the 11-18mm f/4.5-5.6 offers pleasing wide-angle performance.

You read the complete review at SLR Gear.com.

Something for you Sony dSLR Dads. Photozone.de has added a review of the Sony SAL-50F14 50mm f/1.4 Lens (available at Amazon and B&H Photo):

The Sony 50mm f/1.4 Lens is a typical representative of the standard lenses that were designed back in the 70s to 80s. The max. aperture (f/1.4) should be generally avoided due to weak contrast, poor borders and a significant amount of longitudinal chromatic aberrations (LoCA). The image quality is already vastly improved at f/2 including a technically better (smoother) bokeh. The truly excellent peak performance is reached around f/4. As to be expected neither distortions nor vignetting are real issues but lateral CAs could be lower for a fix-focal length lens.
The build quality is pretty decent and the conventional screw-driven AF is very fast although somewhat dated regarding Sony’s SSM (supersonic motor) ambitions. At around 320€/US$ the lens is priced at the upper end compared to the other major brands – maybe some food for thought over at Sony.

You can read the entire Sony SAL-5014 50mm f/1.4 Lens Test Report here .

Photozone has reviewed the Sigma 100-300mm f/4 EX DG IF HSM Zoom Lens for Nikon (available at Amazon and B&H Photo).

The Sigma 100-300mm f/4 EX DG is one of the most impressive Sigma lenses tested to date. It is capable to deliver a near-flawless performance with great resolution figures, low vignetting, low distortions, low CAs and a very decent bokeh (albeit slightly underdeveloped regarding the moderate max. aperture unless your main subject is fairly close). It works reasonably well with the Sigma AF 1.4x DG EX converter but there’s no free lunch here for obvious reasons. The Sigma is quite a monster of a lens but the combination of speed and focal length range simply takes its toll regarding size and weight requirements. The build quality is exceptionally high and combined with the snappy AF it was a joy to use the lens in the field.

I have used this lens on my Canon 20D before and it really is fantastic. It is an excellent value alternative to Sigma’s ‘Big-Ma’, the Sigma 120-300mm f/2.8 EX APO DG IF HSM Zoom Lens . Optically it’s extraordinary, but I disagree on his size complaint. At 3.2 pounds and 8.8 inches, the Sigma 100-300mm f/4 EX DG is only slightly larger than a Sigma 70-200mm f/2.8. However, the 82mm filter size is quite large (and $$$$) for a full frame camera, but I just use a 77mm step down ring on my digital SLR.

You can find Photozone’s full Sigma 100-300mm f/4 EX DG IF HSM APO Zoom Lens for Nikon Review / Test Report here.

An earlier Photozone review on the Canon EOS model is here.

Jeff Revell has posted his review of Nikon’s AF-S VR NIKKOR 200mm f/2G IF-E lens. This review may also be of interest to you Canon dSLR Dads who are wondering the uses of a 200mm f/2 prime.

This is one magnificent lens! It is undoubtedly one of the sharpest lenses I have ever used. The excellent color rendition and saturation instantly improves your images without further processing. The bokeh is incredibly smooth and the shallow depth of field allows for some amazing isolation of your subject. As one reviewer on the B&H site noted, “objects transition from in-focus to out-of-focus in such a smooth and natural manner that it is almost imperceptible and makes viewing the images effortless.”

You can read more about it here.