Canon EF-S 60 mm Macro great for macro photos

With a Canon EF-S 60 mm Macro there is a further special lens only for Canon EOS APS-C-cameras. Furthermore specially constructed for macro photography. While it is not cheap, and while you can use only with APS-C-sensors: Is this lens worth the money?

Canon EF-S 60 mm 1:2.8 USM macro: great for macro photos

See my video about the Canon EF-S 60 mm 1:2.8 USM macro. I present some comparisons to show the strong or weak points of this lens – in macro use. Over and above that comparisons I show you some photos as examples of use. Main theme of that video is reviewing the EF-S 60 mm Macro, second theme is additional… the spring. While spring time is macro time!

Not the spring only, but the nature in general is a breathtaking perfomance of the thousands and millions of millions of details. Therefore springtime is an occasion to enjoy to take stirring macro photos!

EF-S 60 mm Macro passes the exam very good!

The Canon EF-S 60 mm 1:2.8 USM macro is a lens, that in view of it’s price may not be of inferiority! However, I was able to discover a great macro lens with only some and little points of poorness.

Canon’s EF-S 60 mm 1:2.8 USM macro is not as strong as the EF 100 mm 1:2.8 USM macro, but does not need to fear the comparison: The lightly weakness of the little brother is not crucial – and in my opinion: not relavant. Furthermore the aquivalent of 96 mm is an advantage for many uses. So, if you use an APC-C-camera of Canon’s EOS-series, and if you like to have a versatile macro lens, then the EF-S 60 mm Macro is a really good choice for you.

amazing ultrawide angle for APS-C

The Samyang 10 mm F2.8 is an amazing ultrawide angle lens, specially made for cameras with a so called crop-sensor. You can’t use this lens at a full-frame body.

a real ultrawide angle lens for APS-C – plus non-fisheye!

 

First time presented to public in the year 2013, this lens is an up-to-date optical tool. It is a simple tool, while there is not any comfort of automatic functions. You need to handle this lens completely manual. Only users of Nikon bodies are able to control the aperture via their camera. The optical abilities of the Samyang 10 mm F2.8, however, reveal a high-end tool.

The more it is interesting to have a detailed look at this lens, while crop sensors are often smiled at – as if they where the little and impertinant brother of full-frame. The more, as well, it is worthwhile to have a look at this lens, while Samyang does understand, that the smaller sensor with the same resolution of pixels needs the better optical tool. – Last but not least it is worthwhile to have a look at the Samyang 10 mm F2.8, while it is the only fix-focused ultrawide angle lens of this very short focal length – being a non-fisheye!

See my videos about this lens: Review and additional material – both via Youtube.

It is possible to take a photo like this with a zoom lens, reaching 10 mm… or less:

However, can you take a photo like that with a zoom lens plus such a quality? I talk about a great sharpness, very low distortion and very low chromatic aberrations.

This way the Samyang 10 mm F2.8 makes more of your APS-C-sensor: a real ultrawide angle for highest expectations.

 

I’m sorry – this template does not accept big photos, neither within the blog nor at an external graphic sight. But you can learn more about the Samyang 10 mm F2.8, while watching my video review and my additonal video.

Why ALWAYS use RAW-formate on camera!

I did produce a new video about, why you should always and only use RAW-formate, if your camera is able to save RAW.

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First, this is to keep control to the contrast.

RAW-formate is the only, you should take photos with!

Very often contrast is by far to strong for prints, and even to strong for your screen. Once Ansel Adams developed something we call the „zone system“. That is a system to treat your negative film with specific exposure and a specific chemical developement. Ansel Adams was not the only one who know about that: it was a common knowledge for former photographers. However, Ansel Adams was the one who made it up to his mastery – and book published, so that everyone could know, who was interested in.

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With sensors in your digital camera, however, that are able to care about high contrast you can manage contrast without taking the long way through „zone system“. The only thing you have to do is to save your shots in RAW-formate.

Second, it is to keep any and every detail of the image you’ve shot with your camera.

JPEG is not for use on camera data space!

The intension of JPEG is to handle your digital space economically. That is the reason why JPEG kills details and why JPEG kills your photos! JPEG is only good and right to save a completed photography after digital processing – and in highest quality and lowest compression. JPEG is never good for saving a fresh camera shot on data space of your camera.

Ever and always you need to take home the rough data in any RAW-formate! Never be satisfied with less than RAW!

See my video on Youtube to see examples and to hear some comments on why you should never use JPEG to save your shots on camera!

EF 35 mm 1:2 IS USM as APS-C standard lens

The Canon EF 35 mm 1:2 IS USM is not meant to be a standard lens, while offered as a medium-priced light wide-angle-lens for full-frame cameras. – Apart from this it is a remarkable standard lens for APS-C-cameras!

Great standard lens for APS-C: the Canon EF 35 mm 1:2 IS USM!

Maybe the f/2.0 is a blaming detail for a standard lens. 50 years or more have passed since we obviously accepted apertures like that on a standard focal length. So maybe you wonder why I call this lens a great choice, when looking for a standard lens for your APS-C.

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See my video on youtube to find different examples of use, to find test shots, to find 100-%-outcuts to show you great strengths and very low and less weaknesses of this lens. See and let me explain why I think this lens to be a great standard lens for Canon-EOS APS-C-cameras – furthermore at a medium pricerange.

Let me have a look back: Once starting with an FL-lens, in the 1970s Canon tried to establish the renewed FD 55 mm 1:1,2 lens as a standard lens for enthusiastic photographers and professionals. Canon was not the only enterprise to try to make the 55 mm for the former so called 35-mm-cameras (the nowadays full-frame) to be an accepted standard focal length. Already when Canon came along with it’s NEW F-1 – that was in the beginning 1980s – they stopped their engagement and accepted the demand for only 50 mm as a standard focal length.

But now I say: Here it is! The 55-mm-lens for anyone using APS-C!!!

Klick onto the photography to see my video review:
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A 35-mm-lens is a 56-mm, mounted on Canon’s APS-C-cameras.

However, before watching my video let me give you my summery about the Canon EF 35 mm 1:2 IS USM – used with an APS-C-camera:

The lens is free from vignetting; chromatic aberations are really not relevant and can be found sometimes, when going down to the last pixel. Diffractions are unknown to this lens. Sharpness is good at any aperture; it is very good from f/2.8 up to f/9 – at last excellent between f/4.0 and f/7.1. Contrast is a bit weak at f/2.0, f/2.2, f/2.5 – and extraordinary from f/3.2 up to f/5.6.
Furthermore the lens is great in shorter distance: e.g. to reproduce paintings. Normally you would choose a 50-mm-lens at an APS-C-sensor. However, if you do not have the room to get enough distance for medium sized paintings, the 35-mm does not disappoint you! Choose an aperture of f/6.3 or best f/8 to be able to use it including the last of the corners. If the medium area is enough, you can start with f/2.5 to enjoy very good contrast and great sharpness.
Using this lens as one’s standard lens in conjunction with an APS-C-camera is neither honouring nor decoration. Unlike, in contrast to this your results are outstanding.

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See my video to find out why the Canon EF 35 mm f/2 IS USM is a really great 55-mm standard lens on APS-C-cameras.