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Nikon 50mm f/1.4D AF Nikkor Lens
Nikon 50mm f/1.4D AF Nikkor Lens
posted by abcnoonoi 1 day 9 hours 44 minutes ago
Nikon 50mm f/1.4D AF Nikkor Lens for Nikon Digital SLR Cameras (Camera) The legendary Nikkor 50mm f/1.4 D lens is *the* normal lens to get for a film Nikon body. You just can't get faster than this, plus its superb optics has impressed photographers since 1962. (The D version came about in the 90s.) If you have a film body, this is pretty much a must-have. Unfortunately for us digital shooters, the 50mm translates into a focal length of 75mm, beyond the normal focal range. While this is not bad for portraiture -- a little bit of telephoto often flatters the subject -- if you (like me) wanted a real normal lens, this is not it. You'd have to make do with the 35mm f/2 D lens, which is of course one full stop slower. .
Read more...Canon EF 50mm f/2.5 Compact Macro Lens
Canon EF 50mm f/2.5 Compact Macro Lens
posted by abcnoonoi 1 day 9 hours 46 minutes ago
Canon EF 50mm f/2.5 Compact Macro Lens (Electronics) I bought this lens to go with my Canon Digital Rebel XT. I absolutely love this lens. I got it to try some insect and other macro shots and it has served this purpose very well. With some practice this lens will produce fantastic macros with some great bokeh to boot. I read the other reviews and must say that I have never scared an insect away with the noise as mentioned before. And I have taken countless insect shots with this lens. It is a bit louder than the other lenses I have but I don't see it to be a problem. The one problem I do encounter is when using the autofocus in a busy closeup scene it often will focus on the background instead of say a closer insect on a flower. When this happens I just flip it to manual and focus that way. No big deal. Overall, great lens for an even greater price. Definitely worth it. (I submitted a photo of a bee that I took a couple of days ago with this lens as an example.) .
Read more...Tamron AF 18-200mm f/3.5-6.3 XR Di II LD Aspherical
Tamron AF 18-200mm f/3.5-6.3 XR Di II LD Aspherical
posted by abcnoonoi 1 day 9 hours 49 minutes ago
Tamron AF 18-200mm f/3.5-6.3 XR Di II LD Aspherical (IF) Macro Zoom Lens with Built In Motor for Nikon Digital SLR (Electronics) By no means am I living on a stack of money so price was very important when buying an all in one lens. Performance was as important as quality and both weighed against price. Each had to be weighted equally. As the Nikon 18-200mm VR cost as much as the D5000 camera itself placed it out of the question. Let's face it, a great deal is $700 for the 18-200mm Nikon. With the Nikon out, the Tamron and Sigma were the only choices but so many choices in these 2 manufacturers lines. Living in the real world I wanted the VC ( Vibration Control) or OS (Optical Stabilization)but knew a monopod would do as well and I like $30 to $40 versus $100 to $120. The Sigma version was very impressive but at a slightly higher price. Well, the Tamron won! In particular, the Tamron 18-200mm F/3.5-6.3 AF DI-II LD Lens f/ Nikon w/ Built-in motor, 6-Yr US Warranty. When I saw the $100 rebate offer there was no thinking, just ordering. Most of the New York City dealers utilize free shipping and no tax as marketing tools and it works! As I was going to a Car Show on Saturday I decided to have overnight shipping. The lens arrived at 10 am on Friday(thanks UPS!) and was on my camera in 5 minutes. The lens was $189 after rebate! This lens will never leave my camera! Walking around the car show I got many different shots from standing in one place. The lens performed very well. Soon I was in the habit of having the lens focus twice and it was worth the extra thought. Later that night when I went through the photos, I could not believe I took the photos. Crisp and clear with varying angles due to the flexibility in zoom. The wide angle end was exceptional in taking engine shots. Wall to wall engine and sparkling clear. The photos taken with the 200 end of the lens did not show any blur so the VC was not all that important. The monopod search is on with the criteria of a small collapsed size, at least 62" extended and ease of collapse and extension. All these other reviews can go on about this or that but for ordinary guys like me, it is perfect. After reading all these reviews I was worried but after seeing the photos I took, the ease of taking them, the lightness of the lens (lighter than the 18-55, I think) and the price. I am a happy camper! .
Read more...Tamron AF 70-200mm f/2.8 Di LD IF Macro Lens
Tamron AF 70-200mm f/2.8 Di LD IF Macro Lens
posted by abcnoonoi 1 day 9 hours 52 minutes ago
Tamron AF 70-200mm f/2.8 Di LD IF Macro Lens with Built in Motor for Nikon Digital SLR Cameras (Electronics) All of you out there that are reading this review of the Tamron 70-200 are probably in one of two categories. 1) Looking for a fast low light zoom but don't wont to pay the price of the Nikon/Canon 2.8 tele or 2) Your looking for a backup telezoom for your Nikon/Canon. I do wedding, family, sports shoots as a side biz and I'm in category 1. You're probably worried about buying it and it not Auto Focusing fast enough or having some other issues that you've read......because that was a concern of mine. Let me put you at ease.....don't worry, the Tamron 70-200 is fantastic! In fact I was so pleased that I ended up purchasing other Tamron lenses. The 28-75 f/2.8 and also the 17-35 f/2.8-4mm and all 3 have been exceptional to say the least. AF - Lets get to what everyone is concerned about...Auto Focus. I have two Nikons that I've use this lens on. A D5000 (cropped 1.5x sensor) that I use for quick pics of the kids and vacations (non paying gigs) and a D700 full frame for my professional paying gigs and if the kids have very special events like my daughters kindergarten graduation. I'm really not seeing what everyone is fussing about this lens AF's just as fast as my Nikon DX lens....55-200 VR for example. I use this lens for in and out doors and have never had a problem with it auto focusing. It's like any lens you use.....take a person dressed in black standing in front of a black background and any lens will have a hard time trying to find the focus. Adjust your focal point on the face where the contrast is different and boom it finds it. This is only rare occasions but it does happen sometimes and it also happens with my Nikkors. One thing I do notice is my D700 AF quicker compared to my D5000. It's not by much but it is noticeable, but not an issue. I honestly believe it's due to the difference of the AF systems in the two cameras. D700 is known for its superb AF. AF Accuracy - Spot on, never a problem. I have my D700 set where it will not release the shutter unless it's in focus and I've never have had a problem with it being fooled or hunting for focus unless it's in a dark closet. AF loudness - Is the Tamron louder than the Nikkor lenses when Auto focusing? Yes it is. It's not quiet but it's not loud by any means. You have to remember you're the one looking through the viewfinder and of course you're going to hear it. Others won't even notice it. The shutter closing/opening when taking a picture is twice as loud as the Tamron AF system. It's not even an issue. I don't know if I would take it out to the Amazon taking pics of dangerous and exotic animals where my life depended on it......but then again you'd still probably be ok. Remember the shutter is louder than the auto focus.....again it's not even an issue I don't think. Sharpness - Super sharp at all focal lengths. I've actually have been very pleased with all of my Tamrons and the sharpness it produces. When hand held at 200mm 2.8 it is a tad softer but 95% of that is due to camera shake. I've tested this and have mounted it on a tripod at that setting with sharp as a tack results. Vibration Reduction or Tamrons VC would be a huge plus but it's not totally necessary. Construction - Very well made, very hefty and durable. I've used Nikons version and it's a fantastic piece of engineering that is weather sealed, built like a tank and is without a doubt more durable. I think this is where the price difference is. The Tamron is not cheap feeling by any means. When you hold it you know its made very well but the Nikon just takes that to another level which is why its $2000 plus US dollars and the fact this it has Vibration Reduction. If you're going to be going through some rugged terrain on a paid photo shoot it would only make sense to purchase the Nikon. Honestly if you took care of the Tamron and kept it clean I'm sure it could make it out fine also but I wouldn't try it. Overall - Superb sharpness, old school but very effective AF system and AF accuracy, AF noise is not a problem and is really not even loud enough to even mention in this review but I know people have brought it up and are concerned. I'm 100% pleased. Even if I would have paid more I still would have been pleased but that's the beauty of Tamron. Giving you a great professional lens at a great price. Quick story: I was outside under the patio just a couple of days ago taking pics of the massive storm that we had here in Oklahoma using this lens. I would AF on the clouds and press the shutter and to my surprise the shutter would not release. Remember I have it set where it will not take the pic unless it's in perfect focus. After a few times of this I was getting very frustrated and thought to myself........this is what everyone must be talking about when they mean the Tamron has trouble AFing. Few seconds later the shutter goes off taking pics of nothing.
Read more...Nikon 105mm f/2.8G ED-IF AF-S VR Micro-Nikkor Lens
Nikon 105mm f/2.8G ED-IF AF-S VR Micro-Nikkor Lens
posted by abcnoonoi 1 day 9 hours 54 minutes ago
Nikon 105mm f/2.8G ED-IF AF-S VR Micro-Nikkor Lens (Camera) Pros: Excellent image quality, excellent build, excellent VR implementation Cons: pricey, shortens focal length when focusing close, max aperture goes down to f/4.8 at closest focusing distance Impressively, the Nikon 105/2.8 VR shows center and corner sharpness through the entire aperture range. The sweet spot is said to be between f/5.6 to f/11, but inspecting 100% crops did not reveal much loss of sharpness at the larger apertures. This probably has a good deal to do with the ED glass element and Nano Crystal coating showing its worth, but it is also probable that the lens outresolves the 6-megapixel APS-C sensor on the test body (a Nikon D50), so any decrease in sharpness is not as apparent. Likewise, color and contrast are also consistently well rendered through the range of apertures. The only flaws in this gem are flaring and chromatic aberration, which shows up in high contrast scenes from maximum aperture (f/2.8) and is minimized by f/5.6. This is, however, typical of many large aperture lenses at maximum aperture. Bokeh is one of the best traits of this lens, pretty much up there with some of the best Nikkor lenses, like the 85/1.4 AF-D. Out of focus areas are smooth, and the 9-bladed diaphragm helps to render out of focus point lights as circles rather than harsh geometric shapes. My complete review, with sample photos and more detail on VR effect, AF and effective aperture, is on my webpage, check it out! .
Read more...Nikon 85mm f/1.4G AF-S Nikkor Lens
Nikon 85mm f/1.4G AF-S Nikkor Lens
posted by abcnoonoi 1 day 9 hours 57 minutes ago
Nikon 85mm f/1.4G AF-S Nikkor Lens for Nikon Digital SLR (Electronics) I placed my order with Amazon the evening this lens was announced and received the lens today directly from Amazon (not a reseller). They shipped UPS and required a signature. Everything Amazon did was perfect. Although other photographers received their lenses a little sooner, I was happy to wait an extra week. OK..the lens. There are 2 types of buyers of this new lens. Those that own the old Nikon 85mm 1.4 and those who are buying it for the first time. I do not own the old version of the lens and this is my first 1.4mm lens. The decision to buy this lens was based on the outstanding reviews of the older version released now several years ago. There are 3 main reason I bought this lens. One is to have a prime lens used for both portraits and close ups, a low light lens, and of course that thing called bokeh (The soft/blurring areas outside of the depth of field). I personally want a lens that can create this bokeh. Some other thoughts about this lens is that it is not nearly as heavy as I thought it would be and the pictures I've taken so far are a lot brighter than I would have thought. One day is not enough time to properly evaluate this lens (yes I'll update), but after a few dozen shots, I love this lens. Hopefully others can justify the cost for it as well. .
Read more...Canon EF 35mm f/1.4L USM Wide Angle Lens
Canon EF 35mm f/1.4L USM Wide Angle Lens
posted by abcnoonoi 1 day 10 hours ago
Canon EF 35mm f/1.4L USM Wide Angle Lens for Canon SLR Cameras (Electronics) I am going start by saying that I rate this lens as five stars _except_ for vignetting on full frame digital sensors at wide open apertures. I use this lens as my standard lens on a 5d. I find this angle of view to be perfect for general all around photography where I will "step in" to the subject to get the shot. This lens requires more interaction with the subject, but I think it results in more dynamic pictures. This lens is razor sharp, visibly sharper than my mainstay 24-70 f2.8 L zoom. On the 5d, I can shoot at f1.4 ISO 400 indoors without a flash which is pretty cool. Now the downside. All wide angles at wide open aperture have light falloff and even this lens demonstrates this tendency. You may not even notice this on many shots, but under some conditions it is very obvious and this condition is more noticeable on digital than film. You can fix this using the distortion filter in PhotoshopCS. If you shoot at f4 or better, the light falloff is not noticeable even under the worse of conditions. The falloff is not visible when you use this lens on an APS digital sensor like the 20d where it has a "normal" angle of view. .
Read more...Nikon 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6G ED IF AF-S VR Nikkor Zoom Lens
Nikon 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6G ED IF AF-S VR Nikkor Zoom Lens
posted by abcnoonoi 1 day 10 hours 2 minutes ago
Nikon 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6G ED IF AF-S VR Nikkor Zoom Lens for Nikon Digital SLR Cameras (Camera) This a great fun lens to use. VR works terrific, now the tripod stays in the trunk most of the time. I've taken many shots over the years with some of Nikkor's sharpest single focal length, manual focus lenses fixed to a tripod and this one comes very close to the sharpest. In real life photography, photos from this lens can be enlarged to 36" poster size and only an experienced professional could tell the difference between this lens and a pro quality single focal length lens. Even then they'd need a magnifying glass to discern much of a difference. Compared to the 18-200mm VR the 70-20mm VR is much sharper and more contrasty at the 200mm end. The 18-200mm VR is a fun lens and great for traveling light, but it does not compare in sharpness to the 70-300mm VR. Once people begin to see this for themselves I believe this lens will reach icon stature. At $600 this is a truly remarkable lens that will bring many terrific wildlife shots to the net within the years to come. One thing to be aware of (that has been mentioned before) this lens does have some difficulties finding focus in dim indoor light. The easy fix is to get the focus close manually then depress the shutter button half way down to get an autofocus fix. Most gyms are bright enough that capturing your son or daughter's lay up in mid action with autofocus will be no problem at all. Build quality is better than I expected at this price point. Even though this is a plastic lens it is built very well with none of sloppy play that you see in Nikon's lower end plastic lenses. It seems to have a nice smooth, linear feel throughout the zoom range. Unlike the 18-70mm ED wich seems to bunch up at the long end. The build quality of this lens seems to be a step or two up from the 18-200mm VR. One week before purchasing this lens I bought the 70-300mm ED non VR version. I returned it within two days, after mounting it to a tripod and comparing it to some older single focal length lenses I was dissapointed that the image quality was not even in the same ballbark as my sons mid 80's Hoya 200mm f/3.5! Forntunately the 70-300mm Ed and the 70-300mm VR are completely different lens formulas. Conclusion: This lens is capable of producing real world professional quality images when combined with good technique and discipline. I hope to see many fine examples on the net in the near future!! .
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