Canon Lens Review News (Page 2) Report News & Deals

The Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8 L II USM Lens Review will be completed in two parts. Here is why.
 
I often preorder more than one copy of Canon's new lenses as I like having at least two sets of image quality results to work from. I seldom see much variation between the multiple copies, especially between Canon's higher grade L lenses. Unfortunately, two copies of the Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8 L II USM Lens were not enough.
 
Copy 1 is extremely sharp - until 70mm at f/2.8 where its performance is only average and even trails the original Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8 L USM Lens in the center of the frame. An ISO 12233 chart retest delivered identical results. Real world shooting confirms the test results. This lens is so sharp at the rest of the focal lengths and at 70mm f/4 that I was hesitant to return it.
 
A significant backfocus problem at 70mm (note that manual focus is used for image quality evaluation) made the keep or return decision a no-brainer as I need to be able to use this lens on non AFMA-capable DSLRs.
 
Copy 2 of the 24-70 L II is very sharp in the center of the frame at f/2.8 throughout the entire focal length range - including 70mm. The problem with this lens is that the mid and outer portion of the image circle is not as sharp at f/2.8 as copy 1 (example). This is perhaps a decentering problem.
 
I think lens 1 properly examples what we should expect up until 70mm. I think lens 2 shows what we should expect in center-of-the-frame image quality at 70mm. Since lens 2 is soft in the corners at the other focal lengths, I think it is also softer in the corners at 70mm than it should be.
 
My conjecture is that the Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8 L II USM Lens is incredibly sharp across the entire focal length range and at least the vast majority of the image circle.
 
I expect to get past the unfortunate QC anomalies I've initially encountered and expect to show you how great this lens really is. I'm not sure when I'll have a replacement lens (or lenses) available (the 24-70 L II is impossible to find right now), but hope to complete part 1 of the Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8 L II USM Lens review next week.

Flare test results have been added to the Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8 L II USM Lens Review page and to the Canon EF 28-70mm f/2.8 L USM Lens Review.

ISO 12233 chart results are now available on the Canon EF 28-70mm f/2.8 L USM Lens Review page.

ISO 12233 chart results are now available on the Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8 L II USM Lens Review page.
 
Results from two copies of this lens are presented. Lens sample 1 is very impressively sharp/contrasty wide open from the center into the full frame corners save 70mm where it becomes that at f/4. Lens sample 2 is slightly softer in the corners than sample 1, but it is sharper in the center at 70mm f/2.8.
 
Note that results for the older 28-70 L will also be available soon.

Many product images including the standard images (useful for comparison) have been added to the Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8 L II USM Lens Review page. Some direct comparisons are available on that page - including a comparison between the 28-70 L and the 24-70 L version 1.
 
Standard product images were also added to the Canon EF-S 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS STM Lens Review page.

Roger at LensRentals.com has posted his first impressions of the new Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8 L II USM Lens.
 
I think that you will like what Roger is seeing.
 
Preorder the Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8 L II USM Lens at: B&H or Adorama.

Just posted: Canon EF 24mm f/2.8 IS USM Lens Review

Standard camera lens product images (useful for size and feature comparisons) have been added to the following review placeholder pages:
 
Canon EF 24mm f/2.8 IS USM Lens Review
Canon EF 28mm f/2.8 IS USM Lens Review
Nikon 28mm f/1.8G AF-S Lens Review
Nikon 85mm f/1.8G AF-S Lens Review
Nikon 18-300mm f/3.5-5.6G AF-S DX VR Lens Review
Nikon 24-85mm f/3.5-4.5G AF-S VR Lens Review
Sigma 24-70mm f/2.8 EX DG HSM Lens Review
Sigma 50-150mm f/2.8 EX DC OS HSM Lens Review
Sigma 70-200mm f/2.8 EX DG OS HSM Lens Review
Sigma 105mm f/2.8 EX DG OS HSM Macro Lens Review
Sigma 150mm f/2.8 EX DG OS HSM Macro Lens Review
Tamron 24-70mm f/2.8 Di VC USD Lens Review
Zeiss 15mm f/2.8 Distagon T* ZE Lens Review
Zeiss 25mm f/2.0 Distagon T* ZE Lens Review

Finally, I am hearing reports that the Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8 L II USM Lens is shipping (with deliveries occurring in certain parts of the world).
 
According to dc.watch.impress.co.jp, Canon will be releasing this lens on Sep 6th.
 
Canon Japan is warning of expected initial shortages of this lens. (thanks Kaz)
 
Adorama is accepting preorders.

ISO 12233 Chart results have been added to the Canon EF-S 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS STM Lens Review page.
 
This lens is sharper than its predecessor at the wide end. Here is a direct comparison between the Canon EF-S 18-135mm IS STM Lens and the older Canon EF-S 18-135mm IS Lens.

The Canon EF 28mm f/2.8 IS USM Lens was among the pile of gear I hauled up to Northern Maine two weeks ago. I'm sharing a sample picture of Rocky Brook Falls in Northern Maine taken with this lens along with some information about the capture of this photo.

Measurements along with flare, distortion and vignetting test results have been added to the Canon EF 24mm f/2.8 IS USM Lens Review and Canon EF 28mm f/2.8 IS USM Lens Review pages.

ISO 12233 resolution chart results have been added to the following review pages:
 
Canon EF 24mm f/2.8 IS USM Lens Review
Canon EF 28mm f/2.8 IS USM Lens Review

Check out the just-posted Canon EF 40mm f/2.8 STM Pancake Lens Review.

Just added to the site: Canon EF 500mm f/4.0 L IS II USM Lens Review
 
The 500 L IS II review is going to sound similar to the Canon EF 600mm f/4.0 L IS II USM Lens Review.
 
These lenses are more similar than different, with size, weight, price and focal length being the significant differentiators.

Flare, vignetting and distortion test results along with specs and measurements are now available on the Canon EF 40mm f/2.8 STM Pancake Lens Review page. This lens continues to looks very good.
 
More product images are also available on that page.

Just finished: Canon EF 600mm f/4.0 L IS II USM Lens Review
 
As you probably expected, this is an incredible lens.

ISO 12233 Resolution Chart sample crops have been added to the Canon EF 40mm f/2.8 STM Pancake Lens Review page.
 
These results would be quite good for a lens at any price, but they are very impressive for a tiny $200.00 lens.
 
The Canon EF 40mm f/2.8 STM Pancake Lens is in stock at B&H, Adorama and Amazon.

As Neuroanatomist points out, Canon has re-designated the meaning of "-S" portion of the "EF-S" moniker.
 
"EF-S" initially stood for "Short-back Focus". One example of this designation comes from the 20 Years of Canon EOS document that states:
 
"The launch of the EOS 300D also saw the debut of the new EF-S lens mount, the ‘S’ standing for ‘Short-back Focus,’ due to the fact that rear element of the lens is closer to the image sensor than in a regular SLR."
 
Neuroanatomist says:
 
"If you look at the Canon Technical Report for the EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 USM, you'll see the notation, "*The "S" in "EF-S" comes from "Small image circle.""
 
Also, if you look at p. 128 of EF Lens Work III (it's in section 7, The Basics of Interchangeable Lenses...), there's a notation that, "* Some of the EF-S lenses does not employ a short back focus optical system." Yes, that's grammatically incorrect, but correctly quoted, and highlights the fact that while all EF-S lenses have a small image circle, not all of them have a short back focus design (I believe, for example, that the EF-S 17-85mm does not have a short back focus optical design)."
 
(thanks Nuero and Sean)

Lens specs and measurements, distortion test results and vignetting test results have now been added to the Canon EF 500mm f/4.0 L IS II USM Lens Review and the Canon EF 600mm f/4.0 L IS II USM Lens Review pages.

Here is a roll-up of the planned new Canon DSLR and lens availability dates that I am aware of:
 
Canon EOS 1D X
 
Canon Japan is stating "June 20, planned" for the arrival of this long awaited DSLR. Expect extremely limited quantities to be available for a long time. (thanks Kaz)
 
Canon EF 500mm f/4.0 L IS II USM Lens
Canon EF 600mm f/4.0 L IS II USM Lens
 
Both lenses are shipping now in the USA including from B&H and Adorama. But, supplies are extremely limited and only the earliest preorders are getting filled.
 
Canon EF 24mm f/2.8 IS USM Lens
Canon EF 28mm f/2.8 IS USM Lens
 
B&H just extended their expected availability date from June 17 to June 27.
 
Canon EF 40mm f/2.8 STM Pancake Lens
 
Retailers are not stating the availability date for this highly-anticipated lens. The USA press release says "end of June".
 
Canon EF-S 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS STM Lens
 
The big USA retailers are not even showing this lens on their websites. The USA press release again says "end of June". Will these initially be available in Rebel T4i kits only?
 
Canon EOS Rebel T4i / 650D DSLR
 
The T4i bodies are now showing up on retailer's shelves in the USA. (thanks "D")
 
The bodies and with-18-55mm IS II Lens kits showed up at Amazon as I was typing this.
 
B&H lists the body and body w/ 18-55 II IS Lens as "Expected availability: June 18 2012".
 
Adorama is saying "Delivery scheduled to start June/18".
 
The Canon USA press release indicates that the Movie Kit bundle is expected at the end of June, but retailers are not listing the availability dates for this T4i version.
 
Canon EF 200-400mm f/4 L IS USM Ext 1.4x Lens
 
Don't ask.

ISO 12233 Resolution Chart sample crops have been added to the Canon EF 500mm f/4.0 L IS II USM Lens Review and the Canon EF 600mm f/4.0 L IS II USM Lens Review pages.
 
Not surprising is that both lenses turn in very impressive results. Comparisons with the older versions of both lenses are available. The 600 L II + 1.4x III compared to the 800 L is interesting.

As with most families, the Canon Big White L Lens family should have its picture taken regularly. Here is the latest:
 
With Hoods | Without Hoods
 
You are welcome to use these images as your wallpaper. Might want to have a stack of napkins handy for that drool issue.

Standard Big Lens Images have been added to the following review placeholder pages:
 
Canon EF 500mm f/4.0 L IS II USM Lens Review
Canon EF 600mm f/4.0 L IS II USM Lens Review
 
A direct link to the standard images tool with these two super telephoto lenses preloaded is here.
 
Special thanks to Adorama for getting me two of the first of these lenses available in the USA.

I intended to have this information available for you on Friday, but ... sometimes your plans get changed for you (my apologies). I have added UK press releases, product images (including comparisons) and comparison charts to the following review placeholder pages:
 
Canon EOS Rebel T4i / 650D Review
Canon EF-S 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS STM Lens Review
Canon EF 40mm f/2.8 STM Pancake Lens Review