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!
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…)
Well, the good part about an economic downturn is you start to see some good values. Canon is offering up another instant rebate program. You can save up to $125 on select Canon Lenses with their latest new Canon Instant Savings Rebate. Even their just released Canon EF-S 18-200mm f/3.5-5.6 IS Lens is being offered for $50 off!
I’ve begrudgingly kept my Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 II Lens, mainly because the actual lens assembly pops-out of the housing from time-to-time so I can’t sell it. At $80 it is a great value, but it’s not the sharpest knife in the drawer (until f/2.8). I was looking at the Canon 50mm f/1.4 USM Lens (available at Amazon and B&H Photo), but it seems somewhat soft at the corners, even on a digital body. It also doesn’t have the same high quality feel as Canon’s excellent EF 85mm f/1.8 USM Lens (which I loved, available at Amazon and B&H Photo).
Well, leave it to Sigma to announce a quality, large aperture alternative, the new 50mm F1.4 EX DG HSM standard lens. It will be offered in Sigma, Canon, Nikon, Pentax*, Sony* lens mounts. The * means if your Pentax or Sony camera body does not support HSM, auto focus will not be available. With any luck, this 50mm f/1.4 will be match the quality of their fantastic Sigma 30mm f/1.4 EX DC HSM Lens. Hopefully, Sigma will release this at a street price under $300.
A reminder for all of you Canon dSLR Dads looking to buy a new lens or flash. Canon’s Winter Rebate program ends Sunday, February 17, 2008.For those of you who are not aware, the 580 EX II flash and the following lenses are discounted:
Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS USM (Amazon, B&H Photo) save $125
If the 120-300mm f/2.8 EX was called the “Big-ma”, is this the “Tank-ma”
It’s big. Over Twenty-Eight inches long by nine inches in diameter big! It’s the only lens that could make an attached Canon EOS 1D Mark III or Nikon D3 look small.
It’s long at 200-500mm (500-1000mm with the included 2X f5.6 “attachment”) and it keeps a monster f/2.8 aperture all the way to 500mm. But I wouldn’t call it fast. How fast can an f/2.8 lens be when it has to turn glass that’s nine inches in diameter? Oh wait, that’s right, it has it’s own battery to power the zooming and AutoFocus operations.
It has an it’s own built-in LCD panel to display focusing distances and focal lengths. Why? Because it’s so huge you can’t see around it to tell how far away that Grizzly bear really is. But with a minimum focus distance of up to 196.9 inches, I guess you’ll know when to play dead.
It’s painted military green and comes with it’s own dedicated hard case for travel. Good luck getting that past the TSA on your next flight to Washington, D.C..
Price? Do you really have to ask? At under $25,000, you could always choose a Honda Civic as your new rolling camera case.
Canon actually exhibited prototypes of these lenses at PhotoPlus Expo in October 2007. Today they have announced that the production versions will ship this spring. The following is an unedited Press Release:
CANON U.S.A. INTRODUCES TWO HIGHLY ANTICIPATED TELEPHOTO LENSES AT PMA 2008
Great news for you Canon dSLR Dads. Canon has just extended their winter rebate program until February 17, 2008. Now you get a chance to wait until after the big PMA2008 announcements before making your purchase decision. For those of you who are not aware, the 580 EX II flash and the following lenses are discounted:
Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS USM (Amazon, B&H Photo) save $125
Tokina has announced their new fast, Ultra-Wide Angle 11-16mm Lens at a constant f/2.8. This APS-C format only DX lens will begin to ship in late February 2008 for Canon and Nikon mounts. You can read the press release here (English Translation here). Pricing should be (more…)
Just in time for the holidays, Canon has once again started up it’s semi-annual rebate program. From now until January 13, 2008, you can grab rebates on the following products: (more…)
. Even their just released 
They were first to market a high power zoom lens with the 
at Photokina 2004. Then, that focal length was too small to stand out, so they introduced the 
. Introducing the 
I’ve begrudgingly kept my 
, mainly because the actual lens assembly pops-out of the housing from time-to-time so I can’t sell it. At $80 it is a great value, but it’s not the sharpest knife in the drawer (until f/2.8). I was looking at the Canon 50mm f/1.4 USM Lens (available at 
and 
and 
. Hopefully, Sigma will release this at a street price under $300.
, 
, 
was called the “Big-ma”, is this the “Tank-ma”
or 
look 
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