Although we would all love to use the high octane optics of Canon’s L-series lenses, their price points can be out of the range of many photographers. In the distant past, cheap lenses used to be… well, cheap. But not anymore, as Canon has been stuffing more and more optical quality and features into their
The usual state of affairs is that if you cannot justify the cost or need the extra light-gathering abilities of the Canon 70-200mm f/2.8 lens, the Canon EF 70-200mm f/4L USM is the next wisest choice. The f/4 version has all the fun of the f/2.8 version, just with a smaller aperture. It benefits from
Before all the pro photographers out there get sniffy about standard kit lenses, they do have their place and can be quite useful in the right situations. One lens that is bundled with many Canon APS-C DSLR cameras is the Canon EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS STM. This lens doesn’t just represent good value for money,
I quite honestly didn’t even know that lens cap holders were a thing until very recently. I used to follow the usual course of action as used by most photographers when storing lens caps and that’s improvisation. Like most, lens cap storage usually involved any spare pocket that was available, stuffing it somewhere in my
The Canon EF-S 17-85mm f/4-5.6 IS USM lens came out in 2004, so it’s been around for a while. Most photographers like to have at least one zoom lens in their kit, and the EF-S 17-85mm covers a good range of view from wide-angle to telephoto. It also boasts Canon’s second-generation optical image stabilizer (IS).
Wide-angle lenses generally have to do a lot of optical juggling to make sure those large views points have accurate lines and definition. This is especially true when lenses like the Canon EF-M 11-22mm f/4-5.6 IS STM are almost verging into fisheye lens territory. While there are rather expensive wide-angle lenses on the market, they
The Canon EF-M 22mm f/2 STM lens is one of two lenses created for the Canon EOS M mirrorless camera. The EF-M 22mm isn’t compatible with other Canon camera bodies, so DSLR owners will have to give this pancake lens a miss. It’s a fast prime lens featuring a constant aperture of f/2, along with
For Canon users who want all the fun of a high spec, wide-angle zoom lens without the high price tag, the Canon EF-S 17-55mm f/2.8 IS USM has been a long-standing first choice. The lens is designed specifically for APS-C-format cameras, offering an equivalent focal length of 27.2-88mm. Also included in the set up is
The range of official Canon EF-M lenses is ever-expanding, and doubling up the features of a regular lens is always beneficial. One of the most recent additions to the Cannon mirrorless lens series is the Canon EF-M 28mm f/3.5 Macro IS STM. This is the first official EF-M macro lens, and it’s also relatively wide.
Some of the best third-party lenses under $500 can provide great results if applied correctly. While it’s fine to own expensive, all singing and dancing cameras and lenses, there are scenarios where a solution under $500 is needed. This may simply be down to budget, it being your first interchangeable lens, or you may require
Once you’ve made the decision to purchase a fisheye lens, then there is the option of which type. The extreme wide-angle view and distorted characteristics are a given, but fisheye lenses also have different projections. In the case of the Rokinon 12mm f/2.8 ED AS IF NCS UMC, this is a stereographic viewpoint which essentially
Although Samyang has been producing lenses since the early 1970s, it feels like their DSLR and mirrorless lenses have only popped up on peoples’ radars in the last few years. The Samyang AF 50mm f/1.4 FE is one such lens, being a fast prime lens with autofocus for the Sony E mount. The lens can
The reality of camera ownership is that a large proportion of the market consists of crop sensor camera bodies. Therefore, it makes sense for each camera maker to have a wealth of lenses specifically for the APS-C format. In this case, we are looking more closely at the Canon EF-S 60mm f/2.8 Macro USM. This
If you’ve never come across the Canon EF-S 35mm f/2.8 Macro IS STM lens before, then it could be the exact solution you need. Specifically designed for APS-C sensor camera bodies, this lens packs in a lot of features above and beyond a normal 35mm prime lens. The EF-S 35mm doubles up nicely as a
Once you’ve been on the photography horse for some time, you’ll soon realize that a 35mm prime lens is an essential part of your kit. A 50mm prime is a good standard, but the 35mm provides a slightly wider viewpoint, with arguably more scope for creativity. For the Fujifilm platform, one of the contenders in
If there’s one zoom lens you should own above the rest, it’s a 24-70mm. There is the argument for a wide-angle zoom or the very capable 70-200mm zoom, but the 24-70mm covers the most useful and common focal lengths. This is why we’re taking a closer look at the Sigma 24-70mm f/2.8 DG OS HSM
When photographers need the help of a telephoto zoom lens, all roads seem to lead back to the tried and trusted 70-200mm lens. Canon’s own version now comes in the form of the Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS III USM, being the third iteration of this lens. Equally capable on full-frame and crop sensor camera
I have to admit that I am quite partial to a Sigma Art lens these days. Like many, I love high-end same-brand lenses, but the Sigma Art series simply won me over for the image quality they provide for the price. Sigma lenses may not have the full weather-proofing of some brands, but in every
Back in the day when I predominantly produced virtual tours, a fisheye lens was a must. Without naming names, I bought into a cheap fisheye lens which did the job as intended, but suffered from tons of flaring. Image quality was okay with this lens, but it wasn’t until I got my hands on the
I have to admit that in the past Samyang wouldn’t have been my first choice for a prime lens, simply from the point of view that same-brand and popular third-party makers are usually at the top of the list. However, the company has been producing some great quality prime lenses recently, which is the case
A prime lens is an important piece of equipment for most photographers. These lenses are preferred over zoom lenses for a number of reasons. A 35mm lens on a full-frame DSLR camera body represents almost the same view as what you see with your own eyes. Another thing that makes these lenses popular is their
It’s almost amazing how certain lenses can stand the test of time, while others fall by the wayside. Generally, it’s the better quality lenses with the best performance which last the longest. This includes the Canon EF 85mm f/1.8 USM. This lens isn’t fancy by any means. It does have a reasonably wide aperture, but
As Canon starts to round out the lens range for the Canon EOS R and EOS RP bodies, it makes sense to have a top-quality zoom that covers the most useful focal lengths. For the DLSR version, it was the 24-70mm focal length and now for the mirrorless format, it’s the Canon RF 28-70mm f/2L
As photographers, we don’t realize how spoiled we are with lens choice and cost until we venture past the 200mm focal length. Past the 200mm zone we are into the specialist area of super-telephoto prime lenses which are large and expensive, but also the best way to capture professional quality images at long distances. There
If we’re speaking in general terms, one zoom to rule them all would be a 24-70mm f/2.8L USM. Classed as a standard zoom lens, the 24-70mm focal length covers the most useful focal lengths, with a nice large aperture and high-quality optics. However, the f/2.8 version may be a touch too expensive for most or
High-power zoom lenses are fantastic devices that allow you to experiment with multiple focal lengths without changing lenses. The Tamron 18-200mm f/3.5-6.3 Di II VC is one such device that provides a superb focal range of 18-200mm. This allows you to cover many different photography styles including wide-angle landscape, and even macro photography. If you
Owning a high-quality wide-angle lens is always a great addition to your kit bag. If you’re in the Nikon camp, there are a bunch of options, like the 20mm, 24mm, and 28mm, with the 24mm being a happy medium. Neither too wide or too narrow, the 24mm lens can fit a range of scenarios from
If you want to progress into ultra-wide-angle photography, a dedicated wide-angle lens is ideal. You could use a standard kit lens – like a 24-70mm zoom, but the overall quality may not be as sharp as a professional wide-angle option like the Tamron SP 15-30mm f/2.8 Di VC USD G2. A lens like this is
If you’ve never had the pleasure of trying out a fisheye lens, then the most descriptive word to use is ‘fun.’ The ability to capture almost 180 degree images is pure joy, but it can have limited applications. Due to the very stretched out perspective, it’s not the most flattering lens to use for portraits,
Throughout a manufacturer’s range of lenses there will always be the case for a cost-effective zoom. Something with good optics that has a bunch of features from top-end lenses like VR, but that still produces satisfying images. The Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 24-85mm f/3.5-4.5G ED VR fits this bill. This is a consumer-grade lens, which ticks
