Canon Speedlite 580EX II Flash Review

Accessory flashes such as Canon Speedlite 580EX II Flash are some of the most important pieces of equipment in my kit. The 580EX II is Canon's top-of-the-line, professional grade external flash - There are very few features missing in this one.

The Canon Speedlite 580EX II Flash announcement was a surprise to me - I was surprised to hear that the not very old Canon Speedlite 580EX Flash was being replaced already. And the first thing we need to deal with regarding this new flash is the name - The original flash was touting its ETTL-"II" capabilities in its name and now we have the 580EX "II" - which is still E-TTL II. (For the purposes of this review, 580EX refers to the original 580EX).

As I am writing this, I need to personally decide if I will replace my three 580EX flashes with the new version. And since image quality is ultimately important to me, my biggest concern is what my flash-exposed shots look like. So, getting down to business ... Since the flash head working area size is nearly identical between the two flashes, original size of the light thrown by them is going to be the same. The amount of light thrown; however, is always the question. How well does the E-TTL exposure work?

As usual, I shot a lot of direct comparison tests for this review. Using my original 580EX flashes and a new 580EX II, I tested various scenario, camera, lens and setting combinations (including the Canon EOS 1D Mark II DSLR, Canon 1D Mark III DSLR, Canon EF 24-105mm f/4 L IS USM Lens and Canon EF 50mm f/1.2 L USM Lens). With the camera in M mode, the 580EX II is giving me images that are .3 stops darker on average - with a rather small standard deviation. I didn't notice any change in exposure comparisons with the flash head in the bounce position. Of course, a little flash exposure compensation results in identical results in most circumstances.

The biggest deviation occurred in a frame mostly filled with a black subject that had white highlights. In this scenario, the original 580EX completely blew the highlights, while the 580EX II exposed at over 1.5 stops lower - slightly too low, but retaining the highlights. In nearly all cases, would pick the 580EX II exposure over the 580EX without FEC by a slight margin.

Most (but not all) of the Canon Speedlite 580EX II Flash's other changes from the 580EX are good ones ...

The 580EX II recycles approximately 20% faster than the 580EX. What is more noticeable to me is the lack of sound during the recharging phase. I've grown accustomed to listening to the whine of the charging flashes - I can audibly tell when they are at full power and know when the batteries are nearing the end of their charge. I definitely like the new, very-professional quiet charging, but I need to relearn my flash-ready indicators. I'm told "they switched the voltage boost oscillator to an ultrasonic frequency". I should note that the flash is not sound-free as the zoom flash head still makes noise. The flash head zoom noise is higher-pitched. I wouldn't call it louder, but it is possibly more noticeable sometimes.

The Canon Speedlite 580EX II Flash sports a more-rugged build quality with a metal foot being one of the most noticeable changes. But the good news/bad news is that the metal foot is attached to a plastic mount inside the flash. Bad in that it will still be the part that breaks, but good that your camera likely will not be the part that breaks (a broken flash beats a broken camera any day from my perspective). The metal will certainly hold up better to repeated mounting/dismounting. The long-time standard plastic foot is shown above left - the new metal 580EX II metal foot is shown above right.

Visible dust and water resistance indicators denote another update this flash has received. This is Canon's first weather-resistant flash. Dust and water resistance is a feature that is going to be in heavy demand from sports and photojournalism photographers. The final sealing at the camera's hot shoe requires the changes implemented in the announced-at-the-same-time and appealing-to-the-same-photographers Canon EOS 1D Mark III Digital SLR. Users of older and non-sealed bodies will not get this final sealing protection, though the rest of the flash is sealed. A little tape can probably remedy this issue for older weather-sealed bodies. Rubber covers seal the external ports - for external power and the new, greatly needed receive-only PC terminal - Pocket Wizard RF remote users know what this port does for them. The PC terminal is located just above the foot on the flash's left side.

 The long-time standard large round foot locking screw (above left) has been replaced with a very nice lever lock (above right). Simply thumb slide the lever from left to right until it clicks into locked position. Feet lower to tighten the flash solidly onto the hot shoe and the locking pin is lowered. A lock release button is located just to the right of the lever making unlocking easy. The new lever is faster to use - I like it.

What is not faster to use - what I don't like - is the now-menu-located off/master/slave remote flash setting (notice the switch is missing in the above picture - more about this function later). To get to this menu setting requires the zoom button to be held for 2 seconds - I could change the old switch in much less time than it now takes just to pull up the menu setting. Newer Canon DSLR bodies have the ability to control the flash from their menus - this becomes the easier method of controlling this flash option. Note: the adhesive Velcro shown on the original 580EX (above left) is an accessory used to hold certain flash modifiers in place.

There are many subtle changes in size/shape/texture in the new Canon Speedlite 580EX II Flash. As can be seen in the comparison pictures throughout this review, the new flash is slightly larger/bulkier than the older flash. The reshaped flash body immediately reminded me of the 580EX's predecessor, the Canon Speedlite 550EX. Small changes include a repositioned wireless slave sensor and a reconfigured AF assist beam emitter - which now includes a small round hole containing the Auto and Manual External metering sensor. The 580EX II weighs 1 lb 2.6 oz (525g) with 4 NiMH batteries installed compared to 1 lb 1.4 oz (490g) for the 580EX (actual tested weights). The Canon Speedlite 580EX II Flash sports a new power switch design - this one rotates instead of sliding. The new one is a little nicer (and likely easier to seal), but the physical change is not significant from a user perspective. The

Those of you familiar with Canon's recent flashes will correctly recognize Auto and Manual External metering as being new. Tell the 580EX your camera's ISO and aperture (F/stop) settings and it will calculate its own flash output. The built-in meter measures reflected light and turns off the flash when the proper amount is detected. To use the Auto External ("E") mode, a compatible body must be used - the Canon EOS 1D Mark III Digital SLR is the first to offer this feature. Compatible cameras will pass the ISO and aperture to the flash "auto"matically. Other body users can still use external metering, but will need to use the External Manual ("EM") mode which requires the camera settings to be manually entered into the flash. Metered (off a gray card) manual flash is also available. A custom function menu setting is used to select the external metering modes. High speed synch is not available and no preflash is fired in the external metering modes. My comparisons showed external metering, even from a 1D Mark III, to be significantly underexposed (typically 1.5 stops or so) unless the subject was very dark.

Of course, the normal E-TTL-II (or ETTL), TTL and M modes are still present. E-TTL II and the previous E-TTL are Electronic-Through-the-Lens metering modes that fire a preflash to determine how powerful the immediately-following actual flash needs to be. This is Canon's very easy-to-use automatic flash. Some people love it and some don't (I personally like it very much). E-TTL is compatible "with all EOS digital SLRs; PowerShot G2, G3, G5, G6, G7 and Pro1; and the following EOS film cameras - EOS-1v, EOS-3, Elan 7N series, Elan 7 series, Elan II series, Rebel T2, Ti, K2, GII, G. Non-electronic TTL operation is compatible with all other 35mm EOS film SLRs and the Canon T90." And likely many more models by the time the 580EX II is retired. ETTL II advances E-TTL by incorporating distance information from newer Canon lenses into flash exposure calculation. This flash also passes color information to the camera.

The E-TTL/E-TTL II flash output is dependant on the camera mode being used. I primarily shoot with my camera in M mode or Av mode. With the camera in M mode, the flash will provide the light necessary to get a proper exposure. This is the easiest mode to use for flash as the main light - stopping even the fastest action in the dark. In Av mode, the camera will set its exposure for the ambient light level and the flash will provide fill/subject light. Camera and subject motion can be issues in this mode - unless a custom function (provided only on some cameras) is selected to increase the shutter speed. Tv mode is similar to Av mode. I'll let you explore the rest of the modes available on your camera (see your camera's manual).

One more flash mode: Manual mode. If your subject distance is consistent (formal portraits for example), a manual flash output setting can eliminate shot-to-shot exposure variations. Using the control dial, it is easy and fast to set manual flash power output. Manual flash output can be controlled in 1/3 stop increments - 1/1, 1/2, 1/4, 1/8th, 1/16th, 1/32nd, 1/64th & 1/128th. Become familiar with this mode.

Another interesting mode available on the Canon Speedlite 580EX II Flash is Multi Mode - or Stroboscopic flash. In this mode, the 580EX II fires a rapid series of flashes as setup in the menu. Unleash your creativity with this one. Modeling flash is available with the DOF Preview button.

In addition to being the first camera to support the Auto External mode, the EOS 1D Mark III is also the first to be able to control the 580EX II's custom functions settings from its own menu. This is a very nice feature.

Communications reliability is supposed to be improved though I can't say if it has or hasn't as I haven't had problems with camera/flash communications in the past. I'm sure a dry foot/shoe connection is going to help when compatible cameras are used.

More physical changes ... Every time I change batteries in the 580EX (above left), I have this little fear that I am going to break the battery door off while trying to get it open. Fear no more - the 580EX II has a new door (above right). Slide the round button sideways and then down - the battery door springs up for clear access to the 2x2 square (not staggered) oriented AA batteries. This is the way it should have been in the first place.

While on the battery topic ... The Canon Speedlite 580EX II Flash is rated for approximately 100 to 700 shots from new AA-size alkaline batteries which deliver a fast recycling time of approximately 0.1 to 6 seconds. For quick flash (firing a not-completely-charged flash), recycle times range from .1-2.5 seconds - again from new AA-size alkaline batteries. Canon's manual states "Using size-AA batteries other than the alkaline type may cause improper battery contact due to the irregular shape of the battery contacts." A couple of bullets later, it states "Size-AA Ni-MH or lithium batteries can also be used."

Don't use alkalines - NiMH batteries will save you lots of money and will work better. NiMH batteries have much less internal resistance than alkaline batteries resulting in significantly shorter re-cycle times (up to 50% faster). NiMH batteries also give more consistent (full) power until they are discharged while alkalines will recycle the flash more and more slowly as they expend their life. Adding environmental concerns and cost to this equation should make the decision to use NiMH batteries a no-brainer. Buy lots of them and use them in everything you own that accepts them (get a smart charger such as is made by Powerex). Eneloop AA batteries come highly recommended. A new-at-the-same-time weather-sealed Compact Battery Pack CP-E4 or the older non-sealed CP-E3 can be used for faster charging and more flashes-per-battery-change.

The Canon Speedlite 580EX II Flash auto power-off occurs after 1.5-15 minutes or can be disabled using custom function 01 (C.Fn-01). Chuck Westfall (Canon USA) clarifies this for us:

Auto Power-Off on the Speedlite 580EX II normally kicks in after 90 seconds of inactivity when the flash is not set up as a slave unit. However, there is a thermistor inside the Speedlite that prevents the flash from firing when internal temperature exceeds a certain unspecified level. If the thermal cutoff kicks in, the flash cannot be fired until it cools down sufficiently. This usually takes about 15 minutes. C.Fn 14 disables Auto Power Off, but it does not disable the thermal cutoff.

A total of 14 custom functions (C.Fn-00 through C.Fn-13) can be set on the flash.

C.Fn-00: Distance indicator display (ft/m)
C.Fn-01: Auto Power Off (enabled/disabled)
C.Fn-02: Modeling Flash
C.Fn-03: FEB (Flash Exposure Bracketing) auto cancel
C.Fn-04: FEB sequence
C.Fn-05: Flash Metering Mode
C.Fn-06: Quickflash with continuous shot
C.Fn-07: Test firing with autoflash (enabled/disabled)
C.Fn-08: AF-assist beam firing
C.Fn-09: Auto zoom for sensor size (enabled/disabled)
C.Fn-10: Slave auto power off timer
C.Fn-11: Slave auto power off cancel
C.Fn-12: Flash recycle with external power source
C.Fn-13: Flash exposure meter setting

As can be expected from Canon's top-of-the-line flash, the Canon Speedlite 580EX II Flash features a wide range of controls including FEC (Flash Exposure Compensation), High Speed synch, FEB (Flash Exposure Bracketing), FEL (Flash Exposure Lock), first/second curtain synch ... Use High Speed synch when you need a shutter speed higher than your camera's max flash synch speed (typically 1/200 or 1/250) - such as outdoors with a decent amount of light. At certain shutter speeds, the second curtain starts to close before the first curtain is completely open - standard flash mode needs a wide open aperture for the instant it flashes light. In HS mode, the faster the shutter speed, the shorter the effective flash range will become.

Use second curtain flash synch when taking an exposure with subject motion blur - the motion will flow to the end of the exposure which will be accented by the flash. FEC overrides the camera setting while other settings are determined by the location of the last adjustment.

Like the 580EX, the 580EX II features a zoom-capable flash head. The zoom setting can be set manually (for creativity) or automatically by the camera communicating with the flash. Included in the communication is the FOVCF (1.0x, 1.3x or 1.6x) of the compatible digital camera body being used (film cameras are 1.0x/full frame). The zoom setting is optimized for the camera and lens being used - Less light is wasted, battery life is maximized. This means that the Canon EF-S 10-22mm USM Lens is supported on EF-S compatible Canon bodies. A lens wider than 24mm (or equivalent framing) requires the pull-out and flip-down diffuser panel to be used for complete frame flash coverage. A lens wider than 14mm (such as the Canon EF 15mm Fisheye Lens requires bounce flash or an accessory diffuser such as a Sto-Fen Omni-Bounce. Rotating the flash head to bounce position results in a 50mm zoom position.

Using one button, the Canon Speedlite 580EX II Flash rotates 180 degrees to both sides as well as 90 degrees upward and 7 degrees downward. When using bounce flash, consider also using the retractable catch light panel. This is a white, semi-rigid plastic-like panel meant to create a bright reflection in the subject's eyes. The catchlight panel is only useful to a certain distance as the reflection size becomes too small to be useful at some point.

Canon's better Speedlite flashes include an AF-Assist Beam to enhance autofocus performance in low light conditions (see the red window on the front of the flash?). AF assist projects a red pattern of light that creates enough contrast for the camera to autofocus on even a solid-colored wall. The AF assist beam is functional within its range: 2'-32.8' (.6m-10m) in the center, 2'-16.4' (.6m-5m) at periphery. The Canon Speedlite 580EX II Flash's AF-Assist Beam is aligned with the focus points on all of Canon's EOS bodies - with 1, 3, 5, 7, 9, or 45 AF points.

The Canon Speedlite 580EX II Flash can control (master) and be controlled by (slave) compatible Canon Speedlites as well as the Canon ST-E2 Wireless Transmitter for a very portable and flexible lighting system. This is a powerful feature that I use a lot. The 580EX II is able to control ratios in up to 3 groups (A/B/C - C is for background light only) and is able to enable/disable its own flash in the mix. Note: Even when disabled, the master flash will fire a preflash - making it appear to be enabled. Canon Speedlites use light (not RF) from the flash head for simple wireless flash communications.

FEC, High Speed synch, FE Lock, FEB, manual flash and Stroboscopic flash settings on the master flash are automatically set on the slave flashes. This is basically a line-of sight system though indoor use can include non-line-of-site remotes if the light bounces off objects in the room sufficiently to communicate with the remote flash(es). The transmission range for wireless communication are (periphery-center) 39.4'-49.2' (12m-15m) indoors and 26.2'-32.8' (8m-10m) outdoors. The extents of periphery wireless reception are +-40 degrees horizontally and +-30 degrees vertically. Four slave channel IDs are available to avoid conflicts with other photographers.

External flashes such as the Canon Speedlite 580EX II Flash are one of the most popular accessories among Digital SLR (and film SLR for that matter) owners. Why? Why use an external flash? The answer may be obvious to owners of camera bodies without a built-in flash, but not so clear to those using bodies with a built-in flash. The built-in flash is great for fill flash to light the shaded areas (such as people's eyes) in a pictures. To use fill flash, set your exposure for the ambient light, then dial in -1 to -2 EV FEC (Flash Exposure Compensation). The built-in flash is also useful for adding catchlights (sparkle) in a subject's eyes.

The next most-obvious answer is to raise the flash high enough from the camera that the lens and lens hood do not block the light - creating shot-ruining dark half moons in pictures.

Because the light source is very small and is located very close to the imaging axis, using the built-in flash as a main light often results in a harshly-lit picture (often with red-eyed subjects). Items close to the flash are often overexposed, the background often becomes black, harsh shadows typically abound and subjects tend to become flat looking. I use direct-flash-as-main-light (typically in "M" mode) only as a last resort, much preferring to use a higher ISO, wider aperture, slower shutter speed, image stabilization, tripod ... But, sometimes there is no choice - it is simply too dark, the subjects are in action ... In this case, you simply must use the flash for the main light. But, this does not mean the flash must be fired directly toward the subject.

The better grade accessory flashes feature tilt and swivel heads which allows them to redirect the light toward a larger white (or other similarly-neutral-colored) reflective surface such as a ceiling, wall, piece of white foamcore, commercial reflector ... Thus, the main light becomes the wide reflecting surface and the broad light source creates a much softer, less flat and far more pleasing image. The swivel and tilt features allow the Canon Speedlite 580EX II Flash to be aimed as desired.

In addition, a huge range of flash modifiers can be used with accessory flashes to create a broader lighting surface for direct flash, bounce flash or a combination of both.

Getting the flash out of the camera hot shoe is a great step toward better flash pictures. Using an E-TTL compatible Canon Off Camera Shoe Cord OC-E3, mount the 580EX II on a flash bracket. This allows specific placement of the flash in relation to the camera. Keeping the flash mounted higher above the lens to send the subject's shadow lower - where it is not as unpleasant. A bracket is also useful for macro photography.

The wireless remote capability of Canon's Speedlite flashes (discussed above) offer even far greater advantages. An accessory flash can be mounted in a softbox or umbrella for superb lighting. Multiple wireless remote flashes can be setup for a highly portable, complete professional lighting setup. Visit the links at the end of this review for more ideas and information on off-camera flash use.

An additional significant reason to use an external flash over a built-in flash is the amount of lighting output the external flash can provide. For example, the EOS Rebel XT/350D DSLR's built-in flash effective range (Guide Number) is 42' (13m) vs. up to 190' (58 m)(ISO 100 at 105mm) for the Canon Speedlite 580EX II Flash (same as the 580EX). Wider lenses will have a shorter effective distance, for example ... The Canon EF 50mm f/1.4 USM Lens has a range of approximately 98.4' (30m) with the 580EX II.

Once you know why you need an accessory flash, the decision becomes "Which one?" The Canon options in my opinion are the Canon Speedlite 430EX Flash or Canon Speedlite 580EX II Flash (or possibly a used 580EX). Canon makes a Speedlite 220EX, but it is rather featureless - good mostly for fill flash.

Compared to the 430EX ...

One of the primary differences between the 430EX and the 580EX II is the amount of light each can provide. The 430EX has a Guide Number of 141' (43 m) while the 580EX II has a Guide Number of 190' (58 m) (both at 105mm). The 430EX is not under powered for many uses, but the 580EX II's significant power advantage can become important when using a flash modifier such as an umbrella, softbox or diffuser - or bouncing light off a high ceiling. In addition to being more powerful, the 580EX II allows 1/1 (full power) to 1/128 power in 1/3-stop increments while the 430EX allows power settings from 1/1 to 1/64 in more granular 1-stop increments.

The other primary difference is that the 580EX II can be used as a master to trigger remote Canon wireless slave flashes while the 430EX can only act as a slave flash. Any number of Canon 430EX , 420EX, 580EX II, 580EX and 550EX Speedlites can be combined as slave units but only the Canon 580EX II, 580EX and 550EX Speedlites can act as slave masters. In addition, the Canon Macro Ring Lite MR-14EX, Macro Twin Lite MT-24EX, or Speedlite Transmitter ST-E2 can be utilized as wireless slave flash masters. Many people start out with a Canon Speedlite 430EX Flash (or started out with 420EX) and later move up to a 580EX or 580EX II. The 430EX can then be used as a remote flash.

Those using Canon bodies with 45 focus points (1-Series bodies) should take note that the Canon Speedlite 430EX Flash's AF assist only covers up to 9 focus points. You can still utilize the 430EX's focus assist, but need to know that all focus points are not covered as in the 580EX II.

The fact that the 580EX II can be powered from an external power source will be important to photographers expecting heavy flash use. The 430EX does not have this capability, nor does it have the PC terminal.

While the Canon Speedlite 430EX Flash head moves up/down from 0 to 90°, left from 0 to 180°, and right from 0 to 90°, the 580EX II allows an additional -7° down and a full 0-180° rotation right. While both flashes feature a pull-out/flip down wide angle diffuser to cover lenses out to 14mm (FOVCF equivalent), the 580EX II includes a white plastic pull-out catchlight reflector panel in addition. The Canon Speedlite 430EX Flash features 6 custom flash function settings, the 580EX II features 14. Instead of a dial for adjusting settings, the 430EX utilizes rounded parenthesis-shaped buttons. I can understand making buttons safe from accidental changes, but these buttons are narrow and require an excessively deep press to make changes. The dial is much easier to use.

If any of the 580EX II's advantages are important to you, buy the 580EX II. Otherwise, the 430EX is a very nice flash as well. It is about 15% lighter and more than 25% smaller in overall volume. Perhaps most important is that the Canon Speedlite 430EX Flash is less expensive.

The Canon Speedlite 580EX II Flash comes in a nice nylon padded case (similar to the case the 430EX is shipped with, same as the most recent 580EX flashes shipped with, nicer than the vinyl case the first 280EX flashes shipped with). The hook & loop closure is not as robust as I'd prefer. Also included is a slightly-modified-from-the-580EX shoe stand for remote flash operation. the bottom of the stand is threaded for mounting on a stand.

The Canon Speedlite 580EX II Flash's official dimensions are 3.0" x 5.3" x 4.5" (76mm x 134mm x 114mm). Official weight is listed as 13.2 oz (375g) without batteries (4 AA alkaline batteries add 3.5 oz/100g).

If you want Canon's most powerful and most-capable flash, the Canon Speedlite 580EX II Flash is it.

Nikon 80-400mm f/4.5-5.6D ED AF VR Nikkor Lens Review

While I hope to create a full Nikon 80-400mm f/4.5-5.6D AF VR Lens, my first priority is to include results from this lens in the lens comparison tools available on the site. This page currently exists because it is required by the database and content management systems for me to post information and standard results for the Nikon 80-400mm f/4.5-5.6D AF VR Lens.

It is going to take me a long time to fully evaluate all of the Nikon lenses, but in the meantime, check out the standard Nikon 80-400mm f/4.5-5.6D AF VR Lens review features currently available.

Samyang 85mm f/1.4 Lens (Rokinon/Bower) Review

No promises, but I would like to write a full Samyang 85mm f/1.4 Lens review in the future. In the meantime, I think that you will find the standardized Samyang 85mm f/1.4 Lens results currently available to be helpful.

Canon EF 20-35mm f/3.5-4.5 USM Lens Review

The Canon EF 20-35mm f/3.5-4.5 USM Lens features a short wide angle focal length range with decent build quality at a relatively low cost.

The Canon EF 20-35mm f/3.5-4.5 USM Lens utilizes a metal mount and has decent feel to it. It is a reasonably well built lens.

Pictured above from left to right are the Canon EF 20-35mm f/3.5-4.5 USM Lens, the Canon EF 16-35mm f/2.8 L USM Lens and the Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8 L USM Lens.

The Canon EF 20-35mm f/3.5-4.5 USM Lens is rather small and light. It does have a rather large 77mm filter size though. This is good for filter sharing if you also own some of Canon's L Zoom Lenses which typically feature a 77mm filter thread.

Featuring USM (Ultrasonic Motor), the Canon EF 20-35mm f/3.5-4.5 USM Lens focuses fast and quietly. However, I must note that I had some low-light focusing issues with this lens even on a Canon 1-Series Pro body.

The Canon EF 20-35mm f/3.5-4.5 USM Lens' aperture is medium-wide starting at f/3.5 at 20mm, quickly going to f/4 around 23mm and finally to f/4.5 at 29 or 30mm.

A 5-blade aperture produces 5-pointed OOF (Out Of Focus) highlights when the Canon EF 20-35mm f/3.5-4.5 USM Lens is stopped down.

Although I don't consider it quite as good optically as the Canon EF 16-35mm f/2.8 L USM Lens or the Canon EF 17-40mm L USM Lens, the Canon EF 20-35mm f/3.5-4.5 USM Lens performs reasonably well.

It is reasonably sharp wide open and improves slightly when stopped down (narrower aperture selected). Corners are a bit soft wide open. Vignetting is strong at wide open apertures - especially at the widest angle focal lengths.

The Canon EF 20-35mm f/3.5-4.5 USM Lens shows some CA (Chromatic Aberration) but it is rather well controlled as is flare.

The Canon EF 20-35mm f/3.5-4.5 USM Lens' biggest problem (in my opinion) is barrel distortion on wide end even on a 1.3x FOVCF body. I found it to be very noticeable at 20mm and still noticeable at 24mm.

Who does the Canon EF 20-35mm f/3.5-4.5 USM Lens make sense for? For those who are not interested in the Canon EF 16-35mm f/2.8 L USM Lens or the Canon EF 17-40mm L USM Lens (price or size being the likely reasons) and need a slightly wider angle than the 28-xx or 35-xx normal zoom they already own (or plan to buy). An alternative for consideration would be the Canon EF 20mm f/2.8 USM Lens.

The Canon EF 20-35mm f/3.5-4.5 USM Lens is a decent value in a short focal length range wide angle zoom lens.

Canon EOS 300D Digital Rebel SLR Camera Review

Since the Canon EOS 350D Digital Rebel XT Digital SLR has been introduced, the price for the Canon EOS 300D Digital Rebel has dropped significantly.

When Canon introduced the EOS 10D, we were impressed at how much camera was available for the price. Now Canon has introduced the Canon EOS 300D Digital Rebel - at a MUCH lower price. I couldn't resist taking a look at what may be the best digital SLR camera value going.

My review will primarily focus on comparing the Canon EOS 300D Digital Rebel to the Canon EOS 10D as that is what I am currently using - and what the Canon EOS 300D Digital Rebel most closely relates to.

The most obvious differences are the size, weight, price and color.

The Canon EOS 300D Digital Rebel is significantly smaller and lighter than the 10D. It seems (to me) to balance best with the lighter lenses. With the 18-55mm kit lens installed, this is a very small DSLR. One benefit is that it requires less effort to take with you. The downside to the weight issue is that the body is plastic. Plastic (vs. magnesium) results in a less rugged design and a cheaper feel.

I think everyone would agree that the Canon EOS 300D Digital Rebel wins in the price category - by a wide margin! The silver vs. black color issue is simply a personal preference - I prefer black.

A slightly less noticeable difference is the Canon EOS 300D Digital Rebel's lack of FEC (Flash Exposure Control). The 300D does not allow the built-in flash or the Canon 420EX Flash to be exposure compensated. The Canon 550EX has its own FEC control - but at a higher purchase price. The relatively large 550EX does not balance well on the light Digital Rebel. Also, because the Digital Rebel is missing a PC Synch Terminal, workarounds are required to use studio lighting.

The Canon EOS 300D Digital Rebel's built-in flash raises higher than the 10D's. This helps the flash fire over/above a greater list of EF lenses - fewer black half moons in your shots. Moving the flash farther from the camera usually results in less red-eye and generally better pictures.

The Canon EOS 300D Digital Rebel has an infra-red remote available for it. I prefer the infra-red remote to the standard tethered Canon RS-80N3 Remote Switch. It is much more convenient for me.

The Canon EOS 300D Digital Rebel's status LCD is located on the back - the Canon 10D's is on the top. I don't know which I prefer - they both work fine. The mode dial on the 300D is on the top right vs. top left for the 10D. I like the 10D's round back dial much better than the 300D's buttons.

The 1.6x field of view crop factor means that the outer 40% (approx) of a standard EF lens is not used. Starting with the Canon EOS 300D Digital Rebel, Canon is making an EF-S lens available. The EF-S lens basically omits the unsed portion of an EF lens - and is currently only compatible with the Digital Rebel.

The Canon EOS 300D Digital Rebel is missing some of the 10D's autofocus and exposure control in the creative modes. These (in my opinion) are some of the biggest disadvantages of the 300D. Also missing are the Canon 10D's custom functions.

The EOS 300D uses a pentamirror instead of a pentaprism. The advantage of a pentamirror is lighter weight and lower cost. The disadvantage is slightly more light loss in the viewfinder.

The Canon EOS 300D Digital Rebel's shutter is somewhat louder than the Canon 10D. Also, the Digital Rebel can shoot 2.5 frames per second for 4 frames in continuous shooting mode compared to the EOS 10D's 3 fps for 9 frames.

The Canon EOS 300D Digital Rebel's significant similarities to the Canon EOS 10D include the image sensor, the image processor and Canon EF lens compatibility.

The two cameras share some significant similarities.

You get the same incredible DiGiC processor handling the same incredible 6.3 megapixel image sensor. All other things being equal, the Canon EOS 300D Digital Rebel should yield the SAME great pictures as the Canon EOS 10D. Keep in mind that some of the default parameters such as sharpness are turned up higher on the 300D.

Canon is renowned for its lenses. The Canon EOS 300D Digital Rebel can take advantage of a huge selection of lenses from wide angle to extreme telephoto.

The Digital Rebel and 10D also share the same 1.8" LCD review display.

The 300D and 10D share the same 1.6x field of view crop factor. Wildlife photographers rejoice, landscape photographers keep waiting.

If you are looking for the basics in a DSLR - or your budget can only be stretched far enough for the Canon EOS 300D Digital Rebel - I highly recommend this camera. For those looking for more fine control over their photography, I recommend the Canon EOS 10D

 

Canon EF 50mm f/1.4 USM Lens Review

Ask a bunch of photographers what their favorite lens is - and you will likely hear the Canon EF 50mm f/1.4 USM Lens mentioned. It is sharp, small, light, inexpensive and with an f1.4 aperture, fast.

The Canon EF 50mm f/1.4 USM Lens finds a home with many photographers - from pro to casual - for several reasons.

The first reason for the popularity of this Canon lens is image quality.

Although it is soft wide open, the Canon EF 50mm f/1.4 USM Lens is sharp at f/2 and very sharp when stopped down to f/2.8 or narrower. Corners are soft until f/2 for 1.6x FOVCF bodies and f/2.8 on full frame bodies. Strong halation is present at f/1.4 (a soft, dreamy look) with some CA (Chromatic Aberration). Colors and contrast (after the halation diminishes at f/2 or so) are very nice. The 50 f/1.4's 8-blade aperture creates a good foreground/background blur quality. Light fall-off is noticeable through f/2 on a Full Frame body, When mounted on a 1.6x FOVCF body, light fall-off is noticeable only through f/1.6 or so. My exposures with this lens run about 1/3 stop brighter than with most of my other lenses.

 The small size (WxL: 2.9" x 2"/73.8mm x 50.5mm) and light weight (10.2 oz/290g) are partially responsible for the popularity enjoyed by the Canon EF 50mm f/1.4 USM Lens. This lens is not a bother to carry mounted - or in a jacket pocket for use as needed. Overall build quality is decent but not excellent. While the metal lens mount is good, the focus ring fit and function is only adequate. The Canon EF 50mm f/1.4 USM Lens features a quiet but not-so-well-damped Micro USM (Ultrasonic Motor) motor - this is good but not as good as the Ring USM motors in many of the higher quality Canon lenses. FTM (Full Time Manual) focusing is supported. The 50 f/1.4 extends up to 5/16" during focusing - the filter does not rotate.

One of the most influential factors of this lens' popularity is the low price. Most of us care deeply about this factor. The 50 f/1.4 is a really good value lens

Over and over, the Canon EF 50mm f/1.4 USM Lens (above center) is compared to one of Canon's other 50mm lenses - the Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 II (above left) and the newer Canon EF 50mm f/1.2 L USM Lens (above right). The same lenses are shown below with their lens hoods in place (optional with the two non-L 50mm lenses).

 Moving your lens selection from the left-most lens to the right-most lens makes a huge difference in your wallet. I'll outline some of the differences between these three models ...

The Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 II Lens is the low end 50. It delivers very good image sharpness - especially for the extremely low price. It is even slightly sharper than the f/1.2 from f/2.8 through f/8 or so. It is very light (4.6 oz/130g) and very small (2.7" x 1.6"/68.2mm x 41.0mm - WxL). CA is minimal.

The downsides ... First, the 50mm f/1.8 lens feels like a toy (for the relative price, it is practically disposable). It has all-plastic construction including the lens mount (the optics are glass of course). A 5-blade aperture delivers a very harsh background blur quality and flare is a problem for this lens. It delivers only adequate color compared to the two other 50s. AF is noisy and the MF ring is barely useable - there is no FTM and no distance window or markings. But, it is a very sharp lens for a price that is a small fraction of the cost of the 50 f/1.4.

The Canon EF 50mm f/1.4 USM Lens falls in the middle of the three 50s I am discussing in many ways. It has the middle price, the middle build quality, the middle weight, the middle size ... It delivers the middle background blur quality - much better than the f/1.8 but not as good as the f/1.2. It shows the middle amount of CA, but often shows strong halation at f/1.4. It also shows the middle amount of flare - noticeably less than the f/1.8 and noticeably more than the f/1.2. Again, in the vignetting category, the 50 f/1.4 delivers better performance than the f/1.8 but does not perform as well as the f/1.2 (at the same aperture settings). It is slightly sharper than the 50 f/1.2 from f/2.something through f/8 or so and slightly sharper than the 50 f/1.8 at all comparable apertures (the f/1.8 wins some Full Frame corner comparisons). The 50 f/1.4 quietly focuses slightly faster than the f/1.2, but is not well damped. The f/1.4's MF ring is much more usable than the 50 f/1.8's but is not nearly as nice as the 50 f/1.2's. My 50 f/1.4 exposes 1/3 stop brighter than the other two 50s (the other two being correct). The Canon EF 50mm f/1.4 USM Lens delivers excellent image quality for the price.

The Canon EF 50mm f/1.2 L USM Lens is by far the most expensive of the three lenses. My biggest disappointment with this lens is its lack of sharpness. For the price, I would expect to see it easily beat the other two 50mm lenses in this regard. Below f/2 or so, it is the sharper lens at the same aperture settings. Beyond this, it is not. Focus speed is not faster than the f/1.4 but it does utilize Ring USM and the manual focus ring is very smooth and well damped. It does not extend during focusing. The 50 f/1.2 has better flare control with far less halation at wide apertures, but it shows the most CA wide open. The 50 f/1.2 is a far-better built lens than either of the other 50s - as you would expect for a Canon L Series Lens. It also is larger (3.4 x 2.6" / 85.4mm x 65.5mm) and weighs more (19.2 oz / 545g). The 50 f/1.2 is weather-sealed (when equiped with a filter). Unlike the other two 50mm lenses, I don't regard this lens as a great value - but it is worth the price to those who need/want its advantages.

 Although the maximum aperture opening differences between these lenses is obvious, the affect of the lens design and aperture blades on the background blur is not. In the above comparison image, the background blur of the Canon EF 50mm f/1.2 L USM Lens (left), Canon EF 50mm f/1.4 USM Lens (middle) and Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 II Lens (right) are presented. These pictures were taken using identical (neutral) settings (that include an f/2.8 aperture). A tripod was used - the camera was focused on a stationary test target. In the top row of pictures, the difference in background blur harshness is easily seen. In the lower row of pictures, the effect of the shape and quantity of the aperture blades can easily be seen even at the relatively wide f/2.8 aperture. As I noted before, the f/1.2 performs best in the bokeh category - followed by the f/1.4.

The image quality of the Canon EF 50mm f/1.4 USM Lens is similar to that of the far more expensive Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8 L USM Lens at 50mm at the same aperture settings. In fact, I would give the edge in corner image quality to the 50mm f/1.4 from f/2.8 to f/4.0. Otherwise, the two lenses are similar. Color was also similar between the two. If you are choosing between these two lenses, image quality should not be a differentiator for you.

 Positioned above from left to right in their fully retracted positions are the following lenses:
Canon EF 50mm f/1.4 USM Lens
Canon EF 85mm f/1.8 USM Lens
Canon EF 100mm f/2.0 USM Lens
Canon EF 135mm f/2.0 L USM Lens
Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8 L USM Lens

The same lenses are shown below in their fully extended states with their lens hoods in place.

 With a minimum focus distance of 1.5' (.45m), the 50 f/1.4 has a relatively low maximum magnification of .15x. Adding extension tubes take maximum magnification to .39x and .68x for 12mm and 25mm tubes respectively.

The Canon EF 50mm f/1.4 USM Lens takes the optional ES-71 II Lens Hood and ships with no lens pouch/case. A Lowepro Lens Case 1W works very well for this lens with the hood installed. Without the hood, a Lowepro Lens Case 1s would provide a more compact solution. The 50 f/1.4 has a small 58mm filter size - a relatively inexpensive size.

 The Canon EF 50mm f/1.4 USM Lens is very useful for low-light indoor photography when a flash is not permitted, appropriate or desired. It works very well in a church or gym for example.

The Canon EF 50mm f/1.4 USM Lens is a good lens and focal length for full-body portraits. Keep in mind that when mounted on a 1.6x FOVCF body, you need some extra space to accomplish the full-body portrait. On these bodies, this lens makes a fine head/shoulders portrait lens as well.

The Canon EF 50mm f/1.4 USM Lens makes a good travel lens - especially for low light situations not easily handled by a general purpose lens. When space is tight and light weight is important, this lens might be the right one for you.

The Canon EF 50mm f/1.4 USM Lens is shown above mounted on a Canon 1D X DSLR and compared the higher quality Canon EF 50mm f/1.2 L USM Lens.

If you only need a 50mm focal length, this lens is a great choice. Overall, I think the Canon EF 50mm f/1.4 USM Lens is a good lens - and a very good value.

Peugeot 508 & RCZ

Went to service my 407…waited 2 hours there…so might as well check out the cars there. Not many variants…and two of my favorites!
Both are dark colour, and no…not my favorite colour. Can see scratches easily.

A very nice car the Peugeot 508. Interior design is modern. Price from RM140k+ to RM170k+, depending on specs. All same engine (1600cc for Petrol or 2000cc for Diesel). I heard most are buying the RM170k+ variant.
Me? No, am not buying.


Not black, but charcoal black, or something like dark grey. A very nice design car, won the title of best design of the year in 2010 and 2011.
RM220k, most are buying the Automatic Transmission version (156hp), what a waste. Must go for the manual version (200hp), but the salesman said there is no more stock for manual version, and all their newly arriving stocks are all AT type. I guess it is not easy to sell such car…most who can afford are family guys…and 2+2 seats are just not enough.
Anyhow…sweet dream…can drive a Ferrari 458 in dream…

Wonderful Beauty Of The Nature