dSLR Dad

Canon USA’s current summer Instant Rebate program is quickly coming to an end.  For those dSLR Dads looking to pick up a new lens or flash in time for your next vacation, now is your time to save a little. The best part, no annoying mail-in forms to forget about, everything is taken off the price at your retailer of choice.  Canon’s current promotion will end on Saturday, July 11, 2009.

The following Canon Lenses are eligible:

• EF 200mm f/2L IS USM
• EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS USM
• EF 85mm f/1.2L II USM
• EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS USM
• EF 16-35mm f/2.8L II USM
• EF 50mm f / 1.2L USM
• EF 24-70mm f/2.8L USM
• EF 70-200mm f/4L IS USM
• EF-S 17-55 f/2.8 IS USM
• EF-S 10-22mm f/3.5-4.5 USM
• EF 17-40mm f/4L USM
• EF-S 17-85MM f4-5.6 IS USM
• EF 70-200mm f/4L USM
• EF 100mm f/2.8 Macro USM
• EF-S 60mm f/2.8 Macro USM
• EF 28-200mm f/3.5-5.6 USM
• EF 28-105mm f/3.5-4.5 II USM
• EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS

The following Canon Speedlite’s are available:

• Speedlite 580EX II
• Speedlite 430EX II
• Speedlite 220EX
• Macro Twin Lite MT-24EX
• Macro Ring Lite MR-14EX

You can find all of the above at Amazon, Adorama, and B & Photo. As always, any time a dSLR Dad clicks over to these fine retailers, it also helps keep this site going, so thank you.

Imaging Resource has published their review of the SIGMA 18-250mm F3.5-6.3 DC OS HSM lens:

Like most ”vacation” zooms, the trick is to know the parameters where they function best. Sigma’s latest iteration of this lens offers a bit more telephoto performance, for which the integrated optical image stabilization is crucially useful. Unfortunately the lens’ maximum aperture decreases quickly as the lens is zoomed out, to the point where at 80mm, you’re using a ƒ/5.6 lens. This design allows the lens to be kept as small as it is, but at that point you’re needing either a sunny day, an external flash, or a steady hand (even with the image stabilization) to get reasonably sharp photos.

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Popular Photography Magazine has published their lens test report of the Sigma APO 50-150mm F2.8 II EX DC HSM:

Rest on its laurels? Not Sigma. Just look at the updated version of its bright 50–150mm f/2.8 digital-only (DC) zoom ($675, street), part of the company’s top-drawer EX family of glass. Its predecessor performed admirably in the Pop Photo Lab just two years ago (January 2007). Since then, the company’s engineers have twisted, squeezed, and tweaked its design in an attempt (we’re guessing) to catch up to the optical superiority of Tokina’s remarkable 50–135mm f/2.8.

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Photozone has published their review of Canon’s EF 70-200mm f/4 USM L Image Stabilized (IS) Telephoto Zoom Lens:

The Canon EF 70-200mm f/4 USM L IS is an amazing lens. It is truly outstanding when used on APS-C DSLRs and it suffers only from a minor quality deteriorations on full format DSLRs.

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Photozone has published their review of the Canon EF 28-300mm f/3.5-5.6L USM Image Stabilized (IS) Lens. This full frame lens is a push-pull zoom lens that is a Canon Luxury (L=$$$) design:

The Canon EF 28-300mm f/3.5-5.6 USM L IS is an impressive piece of engineering. However, its immense zoom range doesn’t come without compromises – especially on a high resolution full format DSLR. The resolution figures are actually pretty good in the 28-100mm range but there’s an obvious penalty beyond 200mm with rather soft borders at large apertures. This is acceptable in some situations (e.g. for portraits) but if you need a high resolution across the frame you need to stop down to f/8, better f/11 here. The vignetting characteristic isn’t great but, frankly, this doesn’t really differ from most mainstream standard zoom lenses either.

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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 Tamron 18-270mm f/3.5-6.3 Di II VC Macro AF Lens:

As the Tamron 18-270mm and the ”name-brand” competition are all floating around the same price point, the decision of whether to buy this lens or a Nikon / Canon equivalent comes down to how badly you need the extra 70mm of distance. Image quality is fairly consistent between these lenses, with perhaps a nod towards the Tamron, but autofocus speed and quality is better with the competition. For what it’s trying to be though, the Tamron produces good results, an excellent alternative to carting around several lenses.

You can read the entire review at SLR Gear.

Photozone has published their latest review of the Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 II dSLR Camera Lens .  They have reviewed Canon’s most affordable 50mm 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 50mm f/1.8 II may be a “cheap” lens but it is undoubtedly a capable one. It shares its characteristics with most other 50mm lenses, reads: it’s somewhat soft at f/1.8 but at medium aperture settings it is hard to beat with respect to resolution. Distortions as well as lateral CAs are basically non-issues. Vignetting is a significant problem at f/1.8 and even at f/2.8 but that (heavy vignetting at max. aperture) is something to get used to on full format DSLRs anyway. A more significant weakness of the lens is the rather nervous bokeh (out-of-focus blur) which may spoil the game in some shallow depth-of-field situations. At around 100EUR/90US$ you can’t expect superb build quality but frankly it’s “good enough” here anyway and it’s certainly one of the value kings out there.

You read the entire review over at Photozone.

Popular Photography Magazine as published their review of the Canon EF-S 18-200mm f/3.5-5.6 Image Stabilized (IS) Zoom Lens:

In the past two years, the 11X IS superzoom has become the ideal general-purpose lens — certainly for shooters whose cameras don’t have on-board shake reduction. This Canon fits the mold. Very light and compact, it’s a gracious and adaptable traveling companion. Impressively sharp, it’s also an obvious choice for handheld low-light pictures, including event and theater work. Its real fortes, however, are close-up macro subjects, distant wildlife, and almost everything in between. Sports? Go for it!

You can read the entire review at PopPhoto.com.  You can also find more reviews at the dSLR Dad Canon EF-S 18-200mm f/3.5-5.6 IS Lens Resource Page.  Of particular note, for those of you who may be interested in this lens, there is a $50 instant rebate on this lens through January 17, 2009.

Well, I guess you could say better late than never.  Canon has finally filled one of the largest holes in their consumer lens lineup.  The Canon EF-S 18-200mm f/3.5-5.6 Image Stabilized (IS) Zoom Lens offers dSLR Dads an option for an everyday, ‘walk-around’ vacation lens.  What is somewhat perplexing, is that this is built upon Canon’s entry-level EF-S lens platform.  This means that Canon will be speaking highly of ‘value’ when it describing the features of this lens.  Value, in this case, both for the consumer and Canon’s business case.  The highlights of this lens include: (more…)