Canon EOS 10 D
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Subjective rating 9/10
This was my best buy ever since I started with photography. At least it is the piece of gear that taught me the most about taking picture. To anyone thinking about going digital I would advice to save enough money to buy a DSLR. With this camera one can shoot just like he or she was doing with film with the invaluable ability to control the result on the LCD display and learn by trial and errors like never before. It is built almost like a pro and withstood Iceland's filthy weather without any probleme during a 3 week trekking (see my Iceland album).
In my opinion this cameras has every thing it needs, once you get to know it you should stick to it and stop surfing the internet for more pixels and faster autofocus...
Here are some links to other reviews of this camera:
www.dpreview.com
www.luminous-landscape.com
www.fredmiranda.com
www.bobatkins.com
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Canon EOS 30
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Subjective rating 9/10
A great body, I loved it... Until the EOS 10 D arrived. Exposure was very accurate and autofocus was fast. I tended not to use Eye control, mostly because I was wearing eye glasses in the moutains...My flash unit Canon's Speedlite 420 EX served me well on this body for fill in and I think the flash functioned better on this camera than it did on the EOS 10 D now.
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Canon EOS 100
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Subjective rating 8/10
I have used this camera as a second body. You can still find it on second hand for some 200-300$. To my opinion it is very reliable, autofocus is fast (only one centered sensor) and exposure accurate. The body is made out of polycarbonate an thus very light. It is also reputed to be one of Canon's most silent cameras. Is is the ideal camera for shooting wildlife during long hike in the mountains.
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Canon EOS 50 E
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Subjective rating 8/10
This was my first serious piece of gear together with Canon's EF 24-85mm and EF 75-300mm IS zooms. Build quality was good, exposure was accurate but autofocus was a bit slow. This body and the two lenses served me well under patagonia's wicked weather conditions.
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Konica Hexar RF with 50mm f/2 Hexanon
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Subjective rating 10/10
I bought this one used at B&H during at trip to New-York. It was my first range finder camera. I appreciated the clarity of the viewfinder and the ability to really capture the moment although I often forgot to manually focus because the image was always sharp in the viewfinder. I soon bought a used Summicron 35mm for this camera and got a bad case of "Leica fever". So I sold it and got me a used Leica M6. Nevertheless I think it is a very good cammera and the 50mm lens that came with it was really sharp and pleasing to use. I would recommand this kit to anyone wanting to try range finder cameras.
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Leica M6 with Summicron 35mm and 50mm
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Subjective rating 10/10
I had to try the legend... When I saw one of these used in my usual Store in Neuchatel, I quickly sold my Konica Hexar RF and gave the Leica a try. Soon after I got me a Summicron 35mm Asph and 50mm to go with it. It was a pleasur to use due to is built quality. I wont't dare to emit any opinion on the superlative opitical quality of the Leica lenses. Low light ability of this camera was great and I have never tried the Sumilux lenses... Unfortunately I don't have an endless support of money and I had to sell it to finance my migration to digital photography. On looking back I don't regret it because the digital taught me so much and really made me progress. The Leica is great but doesn't not me you a better photographer. Remember it.
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Horizon 202
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Subjective rating N/S
I found this camera used and had to give it a try, just for the fun of it. It has a cheap plastic look but build is very tough. It does not have any meter and very few speed and aperture values to choose from. Nevertheless was able to use it with both B&W print and color slide film. It produces 24x58mm frrames so remember to ask for uncut slides when processing and cut the frames yourself. I then scanned the slides with a Canoscan D2400UF or enlaged the B&W negative in my Durst 670.
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Home made 4x5" folding field camera
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Subjective rating N/S
I build this 4x5" to try large fomat photography. I was interested in the possibilities offered by camera movements and by the possibility to use Polaroid B&W Film to use the negative to make enlargements from it.
This Camera design was inspired from the various models displayed on Doug Bardell's site and I took advantage of his detailed intructions on how to make bellows.
Even if I don't use it often, I really the way you have to slow down and think about what you are doing, taking only a few pictures at a time.
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Canon EF 20-35mm f/2.8 L
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Subjective rating 8/10
This was my first L lens. I found it used for ca.800$. This was also my firste very wide lens. It soon became addictive and I bought Sigma's EX 17-35mm f/2.8-4 soon after. Build quality of this lens was superlative as it is for all L lenses I suppose. The only drawback to my opinion was that it suffered major drop ao optical quality in the corners and visible distortion.
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Canon EF 24-85mm f3.5-5.6 USM
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Subjective rating 7/10
This was a part of my first kit together with canon's EF 75-300mm IS zoom and the EOS 50E body. I liked the range of this lens a lot. It was on the EOS body for more than 90% of my shots. Ideal for landscape (most of my pictures from Patagonia, Bolivia and Peru, and Galapagos were shot with this lens) as well as for portrait. Its main disavantages was that it was kind of soft wide open and in the corners even when stopped down. I think the later shouldn't be a problem with a digital body though.
Here are some links to others reviews of this lens:
www.fredmiranda.com
www.the-digital-picture.com
www.photozone.de |
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Canon EF 75-300 IS USM
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Subjective rating 6/10
This was a part of my first kit together with canon's EF 24-85mm zoom and the EOS 50E body. This lens had the convenience of image stabilisation, but it was slow focusing and the IS induced a major delay between the moment you press the shutter and the moment the picture is effectively taken. Definitely not a lens for action shots. It was also soft at its longer end and had some visible chromatic aberation. But never to complain about.
I hope Canon will produce something like a 50-200 IS with apochromatic correction for its digital bodies. It would sell like hot cake
Here are some links to others reviews of this lens:
www.fredmiranda.com
www.bobatkins.com
www.the-digital-picture.com
www.photozone.de
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Canon EF 28-135 f/3.5-5.6 IS USM
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Subjective rating 8/10
I had already used IS technology with Canon's 75-300 IS zoom and tried this lens because its range seemed appealing as an allround lens. In fact I used this lens a lot during various trips to new-York, Morocco and while Hiking and climbing in the Alps. It actually died in the field as I fell on it as it was in my backpack. The lens litterally broke in two pieces... I would definitely recommand this lens to anyone not wanting to carry lots of gear. It range together with IS technology make this lens the ideal backpacker lens. Beware that IS technology induce a little delay between the moment you press the shutter and the moment the picture is actually taken. I found this annoying when photographing people and the mainly why I didn't bought another one after the crash.
Here are some links to others reviews of this lens:
www.fredmiranda.com
www.bobatkins.com
www.the-digital-picture.com
www.photozone.de
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Canon EF 24mm f/2.8
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Subjective rating 9/10
As 24mm was sort of my favorite focal lenght when shooting film and I used this lens for casual street shots as well as for indoor parties. Now with the 1.6 cropping factor it is a bit too long. I kept it anyway for its excellent optical quality and use it to shoot B&W with the EOS 600.
To get the same field of view with the EOS 10D or EOS 20D, one should use a 15mm f/2.8. Let's hope Canon will soon produce something like a small light EFS 15mm f/2.8...
Here are some links to others reviews of this lens:
www.fredmiranda.com
www.bobatkins.com
www.the-digital-picture.com
www.photozone.de |
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Canon EF 28mm f/2.8
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Subjective rating 8/10
I have not used this lens for a very long time. Build quality as well as optical quality were good. It was light and discrete, ideal for casual street shots (see some pictures taken with this lens in the New-York album). Autofocus, not being USM, was a little noisy. Nevertheless I prefered the Canon's shorter EF 24mm f/2.8
Here are some links to others reviews of this lens:
www.fredmiranda.com
www.the-digital-picture.com
www.photozone.de |
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Canon EF 35mm f/2
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Subjective rating 8/10
I have not used this lens for a very long time. Build quality as well as optical quality were good. It was light and discrete, ideal for casual street shots, "Leica Style". (see some pictures taken with this lens in the New-York album). Now with digital sensor being smaller then film this lens would be too long for me. I sold this lens and bought Canon's EF 24mm f/2.8 for this purpose.
Here are some links to others reviews of this lens:
www.fredmiranda.com
www.the-digital-picture.com
www.photozone.de |
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Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 II
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Subjective rating 6/10
This is a cheap plastic made normal lens. On the EOS 10D it becomes a decent portrait lens (equivalent to 80mm on 35mm film). AF is noisy and kind of slow, the manual focus ring is almost inexistant. But still for its price I think it is a must have for the beginer. A first step in the fast lense world. I have sold it and bought the faster EF 50mm f/1.4.
Beware: fast lenses are addictive.
Here are some links to others reviews of this lens:
www.fredmiranda.com
www.the-digital-picture.com
www.bobatkins.com
www.photozone.de |
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Canon EF 50mm f/2.5 Compact Macro
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Subjective rating 8/10
I have not used this lens for a very long time. Build quality as well as optical quality were good but the lens only give a 1:2 enlargement and I soon found it limiting. I sold the lens for Sigma's excellent EX 50mm Macro and never looked back.
Here are some links to others reviews of this lens:
www.fredmiranda.com
www.the-digital-picture.com
www.photozone.de |
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Canon EF 50mm f/1.4
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Subjective rating 9/10
I bought this lens to win 2/3 stops over the slower 50mm f/1.8 It has got a faster and quieter autofocus. The image quality is very good but not in a significant manner compared to its slower sibling at the same aperture. The bokeh is also much flattering at f/1.4 than at f/1.8. Great lens too for portraits on the EOS 10D
Here are some links to other reviews of this lens:
www.fredmiranda.com
www.the-digital-picture.com
www.photo.net
www.photozone.de
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Canon EF 85 f/1.2 L USM
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Subjective rating 10/10
I fell on a used copy of this lens as I was looking for a new EF 85mm f/1.8 to replace the one I had sold long ago. I had to quickly made my mind up and I and bought it and got rid of a few stuff I didn't needed anymore on ebay... As said on many forums on the web this os the ultimate lens for available light picture and specially portraits. At f/1.2 the depht of field is so shallow thet it can blur any background into a beautifull blend of colour. This can be somewhat of a problem as this lens is very unforgiving: any small movement of the photographer or subject forward or backward or reframing between the moment the focus is achieved and the moment the picture is actually taken will result in a badly out of focus picture. I had to get used to this. Another little problem with this lens is that its autofocus is really slow and thus unable to track any moving subject in low light. Still it is a very very sharp lens when stopped down a little (f/2...). All the pictures on the live music page were taken with this lens: This one is a diamond.
Here are some links to other reviews of this lens:
www.fredmiranda.com
www.the-digital-picture.com
www.wlcastleman.com
www.photozone.de |
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Sigma 17-35mm f/2.8-4 EX HSM
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Subjective rating 7/10
This was one of my most used lens while shooting film, probably I used it for more than 90% of the shots. In this time my kit also included Sigma's EX 70-200 f/2.8 HSM and Canon's EF 50mm f/1.8. To me it was a great allround lens, to shoot landscape or street scenes or while climbing. I wish it had a little longer focal at its longer end though and a shorter minimal focusing distance. It was 50cm and to me it is too long for a lens this wide. It is also very prone to flare and ghosting. That's why I sold it to get Canon's EF 17-40mm L USM.
Here are some links to others reviews of this lens:
www.fredmiranda.com
www.photozone.de |
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Sigma EX 70-200 f/2.8 HSM
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Subjective rating 9/10
This one was truly a great lens... but not for me. This is how I could summary my experience with this lens. I bought it thinking it would replace my trusty Canon EF 85mm f/1.8 as a portrait lens with a plus due to its broader focal range. I bought it together with its converters x1.4 and x2. Optically this lens was amazing. Autofocus was deadly fast and silent but I felt like aiming a bazooka at people... Not very discrete while shooting portaits. And way too heavy for long hikes or mountain climbing. I sold it and got me the lighter, cheaper Sigma 70-300mm f/4-5.6 APO Macro Super.
Anyway I am not a long lens guy.
Here are some links to others reviews of this lens:
www.fredmiranda.com
www.photozone.de
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Sigma 70-300 f/4-5.6 APO Macro Super
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Subjective rating 8/10
I'm not a long lens fanatic so I didn't wanted to spend major bucks on a super fast tele zoom. I already had Sigma's excellent 70-200mm f/2.8 but thought it was cumbersome and heavy. I just wanted a light telezoom with macro ability to take along with my Canon EF 17-40mm when I need to go light but do not want to lose the oportunity to shoot some distant wildlife or flowers. And this one does the job. Optical quality and build is more than OK for the price.
Here are some links to other reviews of this lens:
www.photozone.de |
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Sigma 24mm f/2.8 Macro
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Subjective rating 6/10
24mm being my favorite focal lenght, I had to give this lens a try. It is very cheap (around 250$ new). It is in no way a macro lense even if Sigma calls it so but minimal focussing distance was 25cm (enlargement 1:4). The lens was very light, build quality was average and the lens hood fixation absurd... Autofocus was noisy and slow. Optical quality was OK though. I sold it to get the more serious Canon EF 24mm f/2.8 which I sold the to get the faster sigma EX 24mm f/1.8. And I am still dreaming of the f/1.4 version of this lens...
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Sigma 24mm f/1.8 EX DG
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Subjective rating 8/10
I needed a fast wide prime to use on my EOS 10D and tired to buy the Sigma 20mm f/1.8, but they were all out of stock so I ended buying this one. The image quality is very satisfying, the 18cm closest focusing distance comes in very handy for macro work. This lens is quite big but seems well build but too bad they didn't put an HSM motor in it.
As said in other reviews the switch between the AF and MF is not the best thing I have ever seen.
Here are some links to other review of this lens:
www.fredmiranda.com
www.photozone.de |
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Sigma 30mm f/1.4 EX DC
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Subjective rating 10/10 (with APS sensor size DSLR)
As a fast prime freak I had to give this lens a try. I have always dreamed of the Canon EF 35mm f/1.4 L USM but couldn't justify the expense. So I have bought this lens and I have to say it was really good. Autofocus was fast and dead on with my EOS 20D. Image quality and bokeh were amazing. This lens was way better than my EF 17-40 f/4 L at the same aperture.
The only reason I sold it was that I wanted to have lenses covering the full frame for when full frame DSLR will be getting cheaper... And this is starting to happen! |
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Sigma 50mm f/2.8 Macro EX
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Subjective rating 9/10
After having used Canon's 50mm Compact Macro I bought this one to get down to 1:1 enlargement. I also use this lens as a portrait lens and for close-ups and for macro shot in the fields. I also used it with the EOS 10D on a repro bench to duplicate slides. optical quality of this lens is to my opinion outstanding as it was for Sigma's EX 105mm Macro. Two very good macro lens that only suffer from slow autofocus.
Here are some liks to other reviews of this lens:
www.fredmiranda.com
www.photozone.de |
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Sigma 105mm f/2.8 Macro
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Subjective rating 9/10
One great macro and portrait lens. To me optical quality was superlative. On the EOS 10D it became equivalent to 160mm, a bit too long for me so I bought canon's EF 50mm f/2.5 Compact Macro and then the sigma's EX 50mm f/2.8 Macro the get life size enlargement.
Autofocus is really slow on this lens though.
Here are some links to others reviews of this lens:
www.fredmiranda.com
www.photozone.de
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Tamron 28-200 f/3.5-6-6 (old version)
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Subjective rating 7/10
I bought this lens to have an allround zoom when hiking or climbing. The 28-200 range was convenient to shoot landscape, climing scenes or occasional wildlife. optical quaalitiy was not top and autofocus was slow. This lens was also very prone to flare and ghosting specialy when shooting with the sun in the frame (which I like to do a lot). I missed also a widest angle... I sold it for peanuts and bought the Tamron 24-135mm zoom
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Tamron SP AF24-135MM F/3.5-5.6 AD Aspherical (IF)
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Subjective rating 8/10
Nice allround lens, specially when shooting film, the 24-135mm range was ideal for me. It is said to suffer from distortion at its widest end but to me that was not annoying. When compared to Canon's EF 17-40mm L, it does show a significant lack of contrast and color saturation due to excessive flare... Short minimal focussing distance and 1:3 enlargement were the other strengths of this lens.
Here are some links to others reviews of this lens:
www.fredmiranda.com
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Canon Speedlite 380 EX
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Subjective rating 7/10
This was my first flash ever. I am not really fond of flashes and use them mostly for fill-in when shooting outside in the harsh sunlight. I sold this flash because I wasn't using it much I thought I could do without it. But soon after I bought the Speedlite 420 EX. These were both compact and light flashes, nice to carry along when trekking or in the mountain but I found out that they were not powerful enough for what I needed. Then I bought the Metz Mecablitz 54MZ3 which is a lot more powerful and also a lot bigger.
Here are some links to others reviews of this flash:
www.fredmiranda.com
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Canon Speedlite 420 EX
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Subjective rating 8/10
I bought this one after having got rid of the Speedlite 380EX as I found out I was not using it enough. I got rid of this one for the same reasons. I also found out that this flash unit gave inconsistant results with the EOS 10D. These were both compact and light flashes, nice to carry along when trekking or in the mountain. I bought the Metz Mecablitz 54MZ3 which is a lot more powerful and also a lot bigger.
Here are some links to others reviews of this flash:
www.fredmiranda.com |
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Metz Mecablitz 54MZ3
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Subjective rating ?
After being frustrated with my former canon flashes I decided to give a try to this one. It is a lot bigger and heavier ans also more complicated to use but offers more possibilities. It has E-TTL with High speed syncro, Auto mode, and manual with power reduction etc... Metz also has a wireless system so that you can control other flashes with this one. I recently upgraded the 3102 SCA module to the M3 version for maximum compatibiliyty with my canon EOS 20D and noticed some issue when using the second curtain sync in the Auto mode: the flash tends to fire on the first curtain the first time it fires after turning the flash on (???)
Here are some links to others reviews of this flash:
www.fredmiranda.com |
