Fun day with expensive Canon glass.....

[schmoelzel]

Greetings from London Ontario! We have a very well-established photo store here in town who has a Photo Day every year in July where you can talk to various manufacturers and try out lenses and cameras. Always enjoyable and they invite various musicians, models, etc for you to practice your newly learned skills! I happened to notice that this year the Canon Canada reps had a nice assortment of expensive and rare lenses that one could sign out for 30 minutes at a time and try............I was immediately drawn to 4 lenses......

Canon 50F1.0 L (rare and expensive)
Canon 85F1.2 L (not so rare but very expensive especially here in Canada!)
Canon 300F2.8 IS L (very expensive here in Canada!)
Canon 400F4 DO IS (again a very expensive lens here in Canada)

Here are a few shots that I was able to get with the various lenses and my own humble opinion of each one..........

http://theteahaus.netfirms.com/DRebelPix/nfpicturepro/albums/userpics/10001/50F1L-1D-PhotodayA.jpg

Canon 50 F1.0 L

This shot of my daughter Julia was taken wide-open and it was almost impossible to go at f1 without a filter on the lens (which I don't have). You can see that the colours are slightly washed out because of the over-exposure. It is also very hard (at least for me) to get focus lock on the eyes because at this wide aperature the DoF is so shallow. I found this lens interesting but nothing that blew my socks off.....seems optically the same as my 50F1.4 but much better build and it is HEAVY!! I think this is a lens that might appeal to collectors more than a pro photographer.

http://theteahaus.netfirms.com/DRebelPix/nfpicturepro/albums/userpics/10001/85L-1D-CameraDayB.jpg

Canon 85f1.2 L

I love this lens!! It's excellent build quality makes it a joy to attach to your camera. It almost looks and feels exactly like the 50F1.0. Felt great on my 1D and the shots I got were great. This shot was taken wide-open and shows how good this thing is..........it matches my 35L for colour and contrast. The subject seems to pop from the background. I noticed that the focus was not as snappy as the 85F1.8 but I don't think it would bother 99.9 % of us. This is my next lens for sure and I am glad that I was able to try one for a short time.

http://theteahaus.netfirms.com/DRebelPix/nfpicturepro/albums/userpics/10001/300F2.8L-1D-A.jpg

Canon 300F2.8 IS L

This thing is a beast!! I own a 300f4 and this lens is twice it's weight and with the hood just looks massive!! Interesting story about this shot; I got called away from the Photo Day to fix a problem at my tea shop which is about 10 minutes away. Decided to take the lens with me and on the route back, quickly walked through a local park where Sunfest 2005 was happening.....lot's of world music and performers. This shot was one of the Japanese Taiko Drum musicians........this drum was mounted about 2 metres off the ground and this small Japanese woman was pounding the hell out of it!! I am sure that I was not supposed to take the lens off the Photo Day premises, but oh well!! :) The lens is really nice..........I think the optics are superb and the IS does help with those shutter speeds. I still think that my 300F4 is optically as good and has the same colour and contrast as this lens. A little too pricey for hobbiest.............

http://theteahaus.netfirms.com/DRebelPix/nfpicturepro/albums/userpics/10001/400DO-1D-PhotoDayA.jpg

Canon 400F4 DO IS

This lens looks big but is surprisingly light! It felt like my 300F4.....maybe a little more weight but definitely not as hefty as the 300F2.8. This is one that I could see myself getting used to except that the optics didn't seem as good as what I was expecting from a $7500 lens. Maybe I was just smitten by the 85L but the colour and contrast did not seem as good as the other lenses. The length is nice because I must have been about 15 metres away from this young woman as she was performing.

Anyhow........sorry for the long post but I thought this might be of some interest to many of us who never get to try or even see some of this Canon glass up close. If you ever get the chance to try out various lenses (especially for FREE), it is the best way to determine if you will like any particular piece of glass. Ok, now back to my saving for that 85L!!

[Sean-Mcr]

Thanks for sharing those schmoelzel;)


The 85 looks stunning, i'm seriously gob smacked. I've got the 851.8 and until i saw that photo i never thought about geting the L version.

You take great photos

[AjP]

agree 85 is incredible!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[tommykjensen]

I wish a store in Copenhagen would do something like this too.

[Mohawk]

I'll tell ya, the 85 1.2L is one incredible lens. It has got to be one of my favorite lenses next to my 70-200 2.8L IS. And it looks really cool when mounted on my 1DMKII, a real light sucker! Then there is the bokeh, can you say buttery smooth, just incredible.

Mike

[grego]

I want that 50mm !!!! Although I'd settle for the 85mm. Oh wait, I want any one of those.

[andygrif]

I want them all....please deliver them to me at.....

[schmoelzel]

Thanks for sharing those schmoelzel;)


The 85 looks stunning, i'm seriously gob smacked. I've got the 851.8 and until i saw that photo i never thought about geting the L version.

You take great photos

Thanks for the kind comments!! Glad you found the shots ok and hopefully you will be able to try some of these before you buy!! I know that I will get the 85L but I had planned that even before I tried the lens!!

[GovtLawyer]

I've come up with an interesting lens test proposal. Perhaps, you'll agree to conduct it. I am sure you (all of the readers) have heard cliche's along the lines of . . . "it's not the equipment, its the photographer." Well, you can prove or disprove that notion. Why, simply because your shots are exceptionally well taken. (Took a long while for that compliment, didn't it?)

The test is for you to take some of the less ballyhooed lenses and take some shots with them. If, as I surmise, you apply exactly the same post processing treatments to those shots as you did with these, you should come up with equally appealing captures. I really think you do good work, and if your work comes up short (obviously, you can't control the subjects which may or may not appear for you), then you've proven the lenses make as big a difference as surmised. If your work is equally as good . . . well, you proven the cliche.

Just a thought.

[Michaelmjc]

This is my next lens for sure and I am glad that I was able to try one for a short time.

You better get savin then, its quite expensive. $2759.98, yikes!

Great shots, What was this thing you went to called? I wish I had of known about it :cry:

[C.S.I.]

You better get savin then, its quite expensive. $2759.98, yikes!

Great shots, What was this thing you went to called? I wish I had of known about it :cry:


Where the heck do YOU shop?

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/controller/home?O=productlist&A=details&Q=&sku=12181&is=USA&addedTroughType=search



BEAUTIFUL shots btw........now Ive got to decide getting the 100-400 or the 85 (I know 2 totally different applications, but I was gonna get the 85 1.8....until I observed that outstanding BokeH)

[Michaelmjc]

Where the heck do YOU shop?

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/controller/home?O=productlist&A=details&Q=&sku=12181&is=USA&addedTroughType=search



BEAUTIFUL shots btw........now Ive got to decide getting the 100-400 or the 85 (I know 2 totally different applications, but I was gonna get the 85 1.8....until I observed that outstanding BokeH)

Mine was in Canadian dollars and including tax from Henrys. I've recently discovered how big of a rip off they are... from BH with tax and the currency conversion

2,119.48 Canadian dollars

a difference of $640.53, wow !

[ayotnoms]

Too bad you couldn't try the 50mm in low light.

Did you happen to snap a couple with the lens stopped down?

just curious

Got to agree with the other comments on the 85mm. That is one sweet lens!!

Cheers

[SolPics]

Were the shots with the 300 IS and the 400 IS handheld? Are those lense handholdable?

[BtBam]

seeing that Canon 85f1.2 L honestly makes me want to buy it.. haha thats such a nice picture

[grego]

See, this is why they let people use it. ;) So they can advertise online.

[Andy_T]

I've come up with an interesting lens test proposal. Perhaps, you'll agree to conduct it. I am sure you (all of the readers) have heard cliche's along the lines of . . . "it's not the equipment, its the photographer." Well, you can prove or disprove that notion. Why, simply because your shots are exceptionally well taken. (Took a long while for that compliment, didn't it?)

The test is for you to take some of the less ballyhooed lenses and take some shots with them. If, as I surmise, you apply exactly the same post processing treatments to those shots as you did with these, you should come up with equally appealing captures. I really think you do good work, and if your work comes up short (obviously, you can't control the subjects which may or may not appear for you), then you've proven the lenses make as big a difference as surmised. If your work is equally as good . . . well, you proven the cliche.

Just a thought.

I second that motion :D

Still, I don't know what we all will do if you take images like this with a 28-300 hyperzoom (ok, not wide open, maybe) so we can no longer blame our photographic shortcomings on poor gear :lol:

I am currently eagerly awaiting my 50/1.4 ... then I'll be in the position to find out if I am really able to take better pictures with it than with my old 50/1.8.

Best regards,
Andy

[fetching]

schmoelzel, i'm going to suggest that the admins ban you from the forum. every time you post pics from some lens, everyone wants to buy the lens. we're all going broke! i bet you work for canon...and if not, you should!

:D

gorgeous pics, as usual.

[schmoelzel]

I've come up with an interesting lens test proposal. Perhaps, you'll agree to conduct it. I am sure you (all of the readers) have heard cliche's along the lines of . . . "it's not the equipment, its the photographer." Well, you can prove or disprove that notion. Why, simply because your shots are exceptionally well taken. (Took a long while for that compliment, didn't it?)

The test is for you to take some of the less ballyhooed lenses and take some shots with them. If, as I surmise, you apply exactly the same post processing treatments to those shots as you did with these, you should come up with equally appealing captures. I really think you do good work, and if your work comes up short (obviously, you can't control the subjects which may or may not appear for you), then you've proven the lenses make as big a difference as surmised. If your work is equally as good . . . well, you proven the cliche.

Just a thought.

An interesting proposal but I don't have access to many 'cheaper' lenses!! I do have a few sub-$500 lenses in my bag which I could use but none of the zooms (70-300, 55-200 etc). Thanks for your 'hidden' compliment!:D
While I concur that it is more the operator than the machine, I find that if I am given the correct tools, I can make the machine work much better and more to my specs.........I know, bad analogy but the best I could come up with in short notice!!:D

[schmoelzel]

schmoelzel, i'm going to suggest that the admins ban you from the forum. every time you post pics from some lens, everyone wants to buy the lens. we're all going broke! i bet you work for canon...and if not, you should!

:D

gorgeous pics, as usual.

I hope you don't follow through on that 'threat'!!:)

Don't work for Canon......just stuck using their gear because like many here I have too much invested in that brand to change now...........

If you buy one of these 4 lenses, go with the 85L!! That thing is awesome!!

[schmoelzel]

Were the shots with the 300 IS and the 400 IS handheld? Are those lense handholdable?

All hand-held..........didn't have a tripod with me!

[schmoelzel]

You better get savin then, its quite expensive. $2759.98, yikes!

Great shots, What was this thing you went to called? I wish I had of known about it :cry:

Shop is called Stan C. Reade and here is a link to their Photo Day activities......

http://www.stancreade.com/phoday05.html

[Belmondo]

schmoelzel, i'm going to suggest that the admins ban you from the forum. every time you post pics from some lens, everyone wants to buy the lens. we're all going broke! i bet you work for canon...and if not, you should!

:D

gorgeous pics, as usual.

I'm thinking seriously of banning Schmoelzel, but not for that reason. I already own those lenses (300 f/2.8 & 85 f/1.2), and have yet to get anything close to those shots. Schmoelzel is damaging my ego.

I did own the 50mm f/1.0 for a while but decided it was just too much money to have wrapped up in a lens that wasn't a whole lot faster than my 50 f/1.4.

Maybe Schmoelzel must go. :evil: :lol:

[schmoelzel]

Too bad you couldn't try the 50mm in low light.

Did you happen to snap a couple with the lens stopped down?

just curious

Got to agree with the other comments on the 85mm. That is one sweet lens!!

Cheers

I now wish I had but I was so pumped to see F1.0 in the viewfinder that all I took were shots wide open!! Maybe next year if they have that lens............

[schmoelzel]

I second that motion :D

Still, I don't know what we all will do if you take images like this with a 28-300 hyperzoom (ok, not wide open, maybe) so we can no longer blame our photographic shortcomings on poor gear :lol:

I am currently eagerly awaiting my 50/1.4 ... then I'll be in the position to find out if I am really able to take better pictures with it than with my old 50/1.8.

Best regards,
Andy

Andy......you will enjoy the 50F1.4........great lens especially for portraits! What the heck is a 28-300 hyperzoom??

[ron chappel]

That one of the jap drummer lady looks to me to be INCREDIBLY sharp !!

I know that lens is impractical for anything i want to use it for but man,i just want to get a few shots like that in my life and i'll be a whole heap happier :):)
Ok,i'm babbling ,LOL

Extremely good shots schmoelzel !
I'm sure i remember now that you also had some very good shots from a post where you gave examples from 17-40/4 (?)

[Andy_T]

I now wish I had but I was so pumped to see F1.0 in the viewfinder that all I took were shots wide open!!

No big deal. I always see f/1.0 in my viewfinder (when I use my M42 lenses :lol: )

You have to take a look at this:
Opinions wanted on Tamron 28-300 lens (http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=85128)

Also a Tamron XR DI lens, but with quite different capabilities.
If you want to see a truly scary test, look at the link posted by Skip Souza and check the sample images there.

Best regards,
Andy

[schmoelzel]

I'm thinking seriously of banning Schmoelzel, but not for that reason. I already own those lenses (300 f/2.8 & 85 f/1.2), and have yet to get anything close to those shots. Schmoelzel is damaging my ego.

I did own the 50mm f/1.0 for a while but decided it was just too much money to have wrapped up in a lens that wasn't a whole lot faster than my 50 f/1.4.

Maybe Schmoelzel must go. :evil: :lol:

Please, no ban!! I enjoy the forum too much..........Belmondo, did you use the 50F1.0 wide open or stopped down? I found this thing very difficult to get a good sharp shot because at F1.0 the Dof was so narrow that I had great difficulty in getting the focus point on the eyes. The shot I posted was about the best of 20............some were REALLY bad........maybe I should post my bad shots just to help your ego!!:)

[mpoole]

Schmoelzel:
I was at the same event and have some similar pictures( but not quite as good!) Don't tell me you missed out on all those pretty models wandering around?
It was a really good event, I even managed to come home with a sample pack of Hahnebule fine art paper.
Maybe see ya next year
Mike

[schmoelzel]

Schmoelzel:
I was at the same event and have some similar pictures( but not quite as good!) Don't tell me you missed out on all those pretty models wandering around?
It was a really good event, I even managed to come home with a sample pack of Hahnebule fine art paper.
Maybe see ya next year
Mike

Good to know that there were some others that could attend this event.......I saw the models but I decided to take shots of less popular subjects!!:) I guess I should look at my goody bag that they gave me.......I didn't even know they gave out freebies. I was just happy to be able to use the lenses!!

[mpoole]

To get the paper you had to schmooze a fair bit with the fellow at the table just beyond the Canon lens table, I understand completely if you didn't make it that far!

[schmoelzel]

That one of the jap drummer lady looks to me to be INCREDIBLY sharp !!

I know that lens is impractical for anything i want to use it for but man,i just want to get a few shots like that in my life and i'll be a whole heap happier :):)
Ok,i'm babbling ,LOL

Extremely good shots schmoelzel !
I'm sure i remember now that you also had some very good shots from a post where you gave examples from 17-40/4 (?)

Thanks for the comments! I think you might mean a small review that I did for the 16-35L before I sold it to Drisley!!

[schmoelzel]

To get the paper you had to schmooze a fair bit with the fellow at the table just beyond the Canon lens table, I understand completely if you didn't make it that far!

I will try and remember to schmooze a little more next time!! :)

Were you able to try any of the lenses? I saw a lot of people going for the big zooms.......500F4 and 600F4. I took a pass because they just looked like to much weight for me to walk around with.......next year I'll try those if available!

[BottomBracket]

Thanks for posting your review! I have been eyeing that 85L for sometime now, just waiting for a window of purchasing opportunity from the wifey :) Seeing your pic has firmed my resolve to get it.

[schmoelzel]

Thanks for posting your review! I have been eyeing that 85L for sometime now, just waiting for a window of purchasing opportunity from the wifey :) Seeing your pic has firmed my resolve to get it.

This was the first time I had a chance to try it and while it is an expensive chunk of glass, it takes some amazing shots! Don't delay, get one now before she changes her mind!! I will have one by year's end..........just have to save a few more pennies each month. Thanks for your comments!

[GovtLawyer]

I second that motion :D

Still, I don't know what we all will do if you take images like this with a 28-300 hyperzoom (ok, not wide open, maybe) so we can no longer blame our photographic shortcomings on poor gear :lol:

I am currently eagerly awaiting my 50/1.4 ... then I'll be in the position to find out if I am really able to take better pictures with it than with my old 50/1.8.

Best regards,
Andy

Well, we'll stop listening to a lot of the drivel regarding lenses.

[schmoelzel]

Well, we'll stop listening to a lot of the drivel regarding lenses.

Well, we might and we may not!! I rather enjoy reading about the qualities of all the different glass that is available for Canon DSLR's but I also understand that the art of photography is 90% inspiration and 10% technique. The glass is an important factor and provides not just part of the technique but also a large part of the inspiration. I wish I could test some cheaper lenses but as mentioned, I do not have ready access to many of the sub-$300 glass (I don't have access to the more expensive ones either!) The Photoday that I attended just enabled me to try some glass that a lot of us here (read non-professionals) don't get an opportunity to use. I did not mean for this to be a "L lens is better than the consumer lens' review. I can easily understand that many can not afford or do not want to afford an investment in glass.......but it is there an does offer a quality that can give tremendous results.

[schmoelzel]

I'll tell ya, the 85 1.2L is one incredible lens. It has got to be one of my favorite lenses next to my 70-200 2.8L IS. And it looks really cool when mounted on my 1DMKII, a real light sucker! Then there is the bokeh, can you say buttery smooth, just incredible.

Mike

Mike......do you find that you have to be extra careful with the rear-element when mounting the lens? I was surprised to see that the glass is almost level with the mount at the back......but it sure is a good chunk of glass. The Canon 50F1.0 had the same type of design.......I even thought it was the 85L at first until the Canon rep pointed out what it was........

[internationalmanofmystery]

Schmoelzel,

Thanks for a very interesting post, and some nice pics. I'm also starting to think about getting that 85mm to fill a gap above my 24-70mm

Btw, I am surprised at how many people are judging lens sharpness from a small JPEG image. That tells you almost nothing!

[schmoelzel]

Schmoelzel,

Thanks for a very interesting post, and some nice pics. I'm also starting to think about getting that 85mm to fill a gap above my 24-70mm

Btw, I am surprised at how many people are judging lens sharpness from a small JPEG image. That tells you almost nothing!

Thanks for looking and your statement about sharpness is very true; however, 100% crops are not very interesting to look at and the full-size RAW files are impractical to post!! :D
I can assure you that each of these lenses was VERY sharp in the full size versions as long as my focus was spot on......(which was very difficult with the 50F1).........I wish I could post all the RAW images but my server would blow up!!!

[MDJAK]

I hate to repeat what has been stated in some of the above posts, but I've contacted the world reknowned law firm of Do-we Cheat-em and How. Your posts are causing money to hemorhage from my bank account, and causing me to cavort around my house ripping my pictures from the wall and stuffing them in the round file.

Cut it out.:lol:

[mdenigris]

Include me in the class action; I bought one after reading this tread some time ago.. Here was my first day out...

http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=87559&highlight=f%2F1.2

[schmoelzel]

Include me in the class action; I bought one after reading this tread some time ago.. Here was my first day out...

http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=87559&highlight=f%2F1.2

Sorry to make you decide on such a great lens!! ;) Are you finding the very narrow DoF hard to work with? Some really great shots in the thread that you posted. The contrast and colour from this lens is beyond what my old 85F1.8 could manage......that is really the selling point for me! The subjects seem to burst from the background!

[Toogy]

Crap!! missed this. I need to see if I can attend this next year.

Great shots BTW!.

[mdenigris]

Sorry to make you decide on such a great lens!! ;) Are you finding the very narrow DoF hard to work with?

Yes! The razor thin DOF is a little tricky, but once I got over seeing f/1.2 and 250 in the viewfinder at dusk, I started stopping it down a touch and it's quite manageable. The incredible accuracy of the focusing helps a lot.

One thing I can tell you, it's improving my consciousness of what I'm focusing on.

[Tsmith]

Amazingly sharp photos. Makes me ask the question; would the XT produce that quality of image using the like lens?