lynnb
Veteran
thanks Brett! Your advice prompted me to do some research and the 630 seems to be a bargain. I'll keep my eye out for one.
Andy, I use the EF50/1.4 a lot for portraits. If the detail is too sharp I just use some negative adjustment with LR's Clarity slider, as in this picture (shot at f2.8 on a 5D)
Andy, I use the EF50/1.4 a lot for portraits. If the detail is too sharp I just use some negative adjustment with LR's Clarity slider, as in this picture (shot at f2.8 on a 5D)
Any time Lynn.thanks Brett! Your advice prompted me to do some research and the 630 seems to be a bargain. I'll keep my eye out for one.
Andy, I use the EF50/1.4 a lot for portraits. If the detail is too sharp I just use some negative adjustment with LR's Clarity slider, as in this picture (shot at f2.8 on a 5D)
Here are a few resources to bookmark and trawl through.
Canon's own online virtual museum has all the specs for their bodies and lenses, both EOS and older types. If you want to compare Eg. metering ability or viewfinder coverage etc. it's an easy way to cross-reference the different models.
NK Guy's site has some detailed discussion about the functionality of the film models. It's possibly the best resource on the web about flash photography with 35mm EOS cameras (of the earlier types, the 630, RT and EOS-1 are definitely the most sophisticated in this regard).
Step by step details on how to redeem an early EOS with a sticky shutter at this web page, should you be unlucky enough to acquire one afflicted by the problem or have your camera develop the fault.
If you hit Tassie at any stage, give me a heads up, we must meet!
Cheers,
Brett
HuubL
hunter-gatherer
I've had the f2.8/100mm macro USM and can attest that it's superb! I sometimes regret I sold most of my EF-L lenses since I switched to a lighter system (OMD) and only kept the 24-105 L for occasional use on the (now antique) 40D and the EOS 30 film body. Although the f/2.8 100mm is no L lens, the glass definitely performs like one and mechanically it's good also.
BTW Lynn, that's a wonderful portrait!
BTW Lynn, that's a wonderful portrait!
gavinlg
Veteran
The 100mm f2 is a sweetheart, you won't regret it. As for 50s, I've had almost every one available for EF mount. The canon 50L is probably the best 50mm lens I've ever used - it's sharp at f1.2, has wonderful rendering, accurate fast AF, and is just generally lovely.
The 50mm f1.4 is a piece of crap - it glows wide open, has buckets of coma, and focus is inaccurate. The 50mm f1.8 is lovely and optically much better, but is built like crap and noisy.
The Sigma 50mm f1.4 is 99% as good as the canon 1.2L, and IMO a better value lens overall. I had no focus problems with mine. If anything it might be sharper than the 1.2L at f1.4.
jmilkins
Digited User
heh I agree with the 630 body recommendation by Brett above and in particular the EOS RT - a familiar experience for RF users in that you see the split second of exposure. I enjoy mine with a beattie intenscreen, an EOS- OM adapter and some great zuiko fast primes like the 24/2 28/2 50/1.4 85/2 ...
Though the OM finders rock I have to say.
Though the OM finders rock I have to say.
f16sunshine
Moderator
Thanks again all or your input.
Brett the 650 is the model I'm using now. I am having trouble using adapted lenses with it.
Maybe I need to try an older chipped adapter.
By chance I did buy an RT although it's not here yet. I sure looks like an interesting beast!
I wonder if there resolution loss from the mirror glass between the lens and the film.
It must at least loose some light. What should one expect -1/2 stop loss or so?
Lynn your Portraits are always a joy to view. I'm going to stick with the lowly 50mm f1.8 for as long as I can handle the racket it makes while focussing.
One thing I do like about the nifty fifty is the tactile feel of manual focusing.
It's not a silky as a real manual focus lens but, the focus ring does give some feedback.
Gavin your comments on the f2/100mm are very encouraging. I hope I like it as much as you do.
Years ago I owned a Sigma f1.4/30mm for my 40D. This was a DX lens.
I really liked the materials and build of that lens. I imagine the Sigma 50mm f1.4 has a similar build.
I'll keep my eyes open for deals on that lens as well.
Luckily 50 and 100 are my main FL's for SLR cameras.... Trying AF lenses now will not change that.
Cheers!
Brett the 650 is the model I'm using now. I am having trouble using adapted lenses with it.
Maybe I need to try an older chipped adapter.
By chance I did buy an RT although it's not here yet. I sure looks like an interesting beast!
I wonder if there resolution loss from the mirror glass between the lens and the film.
It must at least loose some light. What should one expect -1/2 stop loss or so?
Lynn your Portraits are always a joy to view. I'm going to stick with the lowly 50mm f1.8 for as long as I can handle the racket it makes while focussing.
One thing I do like about the nifty fifty is the tactile feel of manual focusing.
It's not a silky as a real manual focus lens but, the focus ring does give some feedback.
Gavin your comments on the f2/100mm are very encouraging. I hope I like it as much as you do.
Years ago I owned a Sigma f1.4/30mm for my 40D. This was a DX lens.
I really liked the materials and build of that lens. I imagine the Sigma 50mm f1.4 has a similar build.
I'll keep my eyes open for deals on that lens as well.
Luckily 50 and 100 are my main FL's for SLR cameras.... Trying AF lenses now will not change that.
Cheers!
Turtle
Veteran
The 100mm f2 won't be razor sharp wide open, but that's no bad thing in a portrait lens. f2.8 will give the bite you need when you want it, as it would with the current 100mm f2.8 IS Macro, only the latter cannot give you a slightly gentler rendering or f2. I think you have made a good decision. 100mm is also a very nice focal length.
FA Limited
missing in action
i think out of canon's current lens lineup, almost all the lenses are pretty good to excellent. especially on the tele side, pretty much everything is covered and can hardly go wrong.
filmtwit
Desperate but not serious
Something to remember about older EOS camera's is that many have gummed up or are in the midst of having their shutters gummed up.
http://photo.net/canon-eos-digital-camera-forum/005uhx
http://photo.net/canon-eos-digital-camera-forum/005uhx
f16sunshine
Moderator
Yes, I read about that too. So far so good. My 650 is fine. There are 100's of thousands of these things out there. It's not difficult or expensive to find one.
filmtwit
Desperate but not serious
I had a 650 for about 20 years. Loved that camera as whole and did have the problem in question after 10 years usage. I tried cleaning myself, but still had some problems so paid to get the shutters replaced in the end ($100 at the time).
edge100
Well-known
I shot the 100 f/2 on my 5D2 for several years. GREAT lens, and not too big; also, the price is very reasonable. I also rented the 100L macro on several occasions. It's amazingly sharp, but wouldn't be my first choice unless I really needed an AF macro lens.
Hi,
The RT is a very technically interesting design. The pellicle mirror reflects about two thirds of a stop of light through to the viewfinder, at the expense of light hitting the film plane. It excels at many things, but for really low light work the 630 it is based on is a better option, or indeed a 650, 620 or EOS-1. The basic control layout of the later EOS models 620, 630 (600) RT are all identical to the 650 (except that the 650 lacked the multiple exposure button on top left of the body the later ones have). There are also custom functions that can be set on the later types, but as far as the business of making images goes you would be hard pressed to notice which one is which in use as they handle identically.
To exploit the near instant response cabability of the RT, the on/off switch has to be turned anti-clockwise to "RT". The difference between "RT" mode, and the normal mode of operation shared by the EOS models equipped with "normal" mirrors is that with the dial set to "RT", once focus confirmation is made, the aperture stops down to the pre-selected f stop, so that when the button is depressed the only thing the mechanism has to do is actuate the curtains. If the attached lens is not being shot wide open, the viewfinder will dim a little (or a lot, if the lens is stopped right down), but, you enjoy uninterrupted vision through the finder during the exposure. The most impressive aspect is pressing that button in RT mode, the shutter response is fast as lightning.
The RT also has the "normal" non-RT mode of operation that you can select (rotate the main switch clockwise). In this setting it behaves exactly like Eg. the EOS 650. The reason for the normal mode of operation is that, with the main switch set to RT mode, servo focus tracking isn't available but in the normal setting, it is.
Re: loss of resolution, according to the wikipedia article on the RT, Modern Photography opined a loss of sharpness from the pellicle mirror. In normal use, I don't think you would consider it a factor, I've used my 650, 620, 630 & RT interchangeably, and I've never noticed a difference. I'd be interested to read the review in question though. The same mirror introduced in the RT was subsequently used in the EOS-1N RS, a camera that found popularity with professional sports photographers, so personally I wouldn't worry. On the plus side, for tripod work the RT has an added benefit of a smoother shutter action because that fixed mirror means no mirror slap. There is a very small sub-mirror assembly for focus or metering purposes, (I forget which) that must retract prior to exposure (in RT mode it does this once focus has been achieved, before the shutter releases). It's tiny, and adds very little vibration indeed to the mechanism, (you can see it flip up if you fire the camera unloaded, with no lens fitted). As a result the RT has a smoother mechanism than other EOS models with conventional mirrors.
The RT pellicle mirrors age well. Providing owners have kept their fingers away from them they seem to age very well. It's good to be careful swapping lenses in dirty conditions of course, as you want to keep that mirror as clean as possible. But you can give it a gentle blow clean with a blower, and I've even cleaned mine a couple of times, (very carefully) with no ill effects at all. They're fragile, and demand respect, but are not nearly as fragile as some would have you think.
Cheers,
Brett
f16sunshine
Moderator
Hi all!
Hey my EF f2/100mm arrived in the mail yesterday. What a beautiful lens!
I did a few test images on my 5Dii and it looks great. Comments by members left me without too high of expectations.
It's not soft wide open but does not bite either. Just one stop down gets very sharp indeed.
It's much smaller than the macro. Perfect for my need.
Thanks again for all the replies. Now I just need time to run a few rolls!
Cheers
Hey my EF f2/100mm arrived in the mail yesterday. What a beautiful lens!
I did a few test images on my 5Dii and it looks great. Comments by members left me without too high of expectations.
It's not soft wide open but does not bite either. Just one stop down gets very sharp indeed.
It's much smaller than the macro. Perfect for my need.
Thanks again for all the replies. Now I just need time to run a few rolls!
Cheers