Lenses

Gear Check: Canon EF 400mm f/2.8 L IS III

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In 2018 Canon launched an updated EF 400mm f/2.8 that shaved 26% off the weight of the previous version, bringing it down to a relatively svelte 2840g. Ok, that’s still quite heavy, but it’s 1KG lighter than the 400mm f/2.8 L IS II, and 2.5KG lighter than the original 400mm f/2.8 L IS. Having spent some time with this lens now, I thought I’d offer up some initial thoughts on what can certainly be thought of as the flagship lens in the Canon EF L-Series lineup. The Good This lens is not a whole lot heavier than the lightweight EF …

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Gear Check: Canon Drop-In Polarizer

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Circular polarizing filters are used for cutting down reflected light from water, wet surfaces, foliage and the sky. Most avid photographers are at least aware of their regular usage in landscape photography, and smart ones have one in their bag because it can totally transform an image when used correctly. Polarizer usage doesn’t have to stop at landscape images though! On a recent wildlife photography trip I was reminded just how useful they can be in wet environments when the light is harsh and high in the sky. If your long lens has a regular filter thread on the front …

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The Best Lens for Aerial Photography

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A recent aerial photography flight in Whistler reminded to tackle the subject of the best lens for this kind of work. Without a doubt, it needs to be a zoom lens because objects pass quickly and you simply can’t be wasting time switching prime lenses. For me the clear choice is a 24-105mm zoom with image stabilization, assuming you’re working with a full frame body. If you have a crop body of some sort, a lens with a 15-70mm zoom range or similar, will provide the same field of view. All the major brands offer their own lenses in this …

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Canon 100-400 IS II – Aperture Vs. Focal Length

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It’s rare that I go anywhere without the Canon 100-400 f/4.5-5.6 L IS II in my bag. It’s a versatile and extremely sharp lens that’s just as capable at capturing detailed landscapes as it is with wildlife. One of the reasons I love it is that it fits such a large zoom range into a relatively small package, although at 5.1lbs you’ll definitely notice it in your bag after a long day. The reason that it’s possible to get such a wide range into a small lens is of course because this lens has a variable aperture. At 100mm, the …

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In My Bag: Quick 2018 Edition

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I posted this photo on my Instagram Stories and Facebook last week as I was getting on a flight, but I thought I would share it here as well because it sparked good conversation in both places. A lot of people said things such as “good luck carrying that” – which struck me as odd. Yes the bag has a lot of camera gear in, but there’s also 15 litres of additional space for other items too. What you’re seeing here isn’t even nearly the full capacity of the backpack. I’m not going to pretend it’s not heavy, but when …

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My Favourite Canon Multipurpose Lens Trifecta

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These are the three lenses I usually grab if I’m heading out for a day of photography and want to be prepared for anything! With this kit I have a focal range from 11-400mm and can tackle everything from landscapes to astrophotography, portraiture, sports and wildlife.

Question: Have Your Lenses Ever Developed Less Accurate Focus in Severely Cold Temperatures?

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I’m going to do something on the blog today that I’ve never done before, and that’s ask a question to the ENTIRE INTERNET! Well, ok, that’s a slight exaggeration, but this can’t hurt to try. I’m doubtful that I’ll find the answer immediately from regular readers, but by putting this question out there publicly, I hope that perhaps one day someone else might be searching Google for the same information, and then stumble upon this post. Many of you know that I shoot with the wonderful Canon 400mm f/4 DO IS II  super telephoto lens. This lens is sharp as …

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Can You Use Canon Lenses With the Sony A9? Kind of…

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There’s been so much buzz around the Sony A9 recently that I’m sure you’re aware of the camera even though I haven’t talked about it myself on this blog. The blazing fast 20fps autofocus system has many sports photographers excited, but Sony’s lens selection is currently, at the time of writing this, severely lacking. There’s no 300mm f/2.8, 400m f/2.8, 500mm f/4 or 600mm f/4. All lenses that are used in droves by professional sports and wildlife photographers – the exact people Sony are targeting with this camera. Aha! You might say. The short flange distance of the Sony FE mount means …

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Gear Check: Fuji X100F WCL-X100 II Wide Angle Converter

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I’m still loving the experience (and images) from the wonderful Fujifilm X100F! The X100F has a 23mm f/2 lens on it which provides a field of view that’s equivalent to that of a 35mm lens on a full frame camera. It’s a great lens, but Fuji also make a couple of conversion lenses (WCL-X100 II and TCL-X100 II) that allow you to change it to a 28mm FOV or a 50mm FOV (Field Of View). I contacted my friends at B&H Photo and asked if I could borrow these conversion lenses for a few weeks to put them through their paces. When Fuji …

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Gear Check: New Lens – Canon 24-105 f/4 L IS II

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I’ve added the Canon 24-105 f/4 L IS II to my kit recently, so I thought I’d write a little about that decision, and explain what I’m most likely to use it for. When the Canon 5D Mark II came out many years ago, I purchased it as a kit with the original 24-105 f/4 L IS and used that lens for some years. It was responsible for creating some of favourite images back then, although you could not call it an absolutely stellar performer in terms of image sharpness. It was adequate for professional use, but never blew my …

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The Lens I Wasn’t Sure I Could Love: Canon 11-24mm f/4 L

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I picked up the Canon 11-24mm f/4 L earlier this year, and at the time it was a bit of a rushed decision. Canon was about to implement a significant price increase, and I’d had it in mind that I might buy the lens later in the year anyway. I had two worries about this lens before I bought it. Firstly, I knew it was huge compared to my other small zooms like the 16-35 f/4 L IS, and the 24-70 f/2.8 L II – lenses that are basically always in my bag. Secondly, the bulbous front glass element prevents you …

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