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Is consumer and 'L' series lenses very different
- Thread starter asneem
- Start date
There are plenty of Canon non-L lenses that are also extremely sharp. This is particularly true of Canon's prime lenses (for example, 35 f/2, 50 f/1.4, 85 f/1.8, 100 f/2, 100 f/2.8 macro, etc, etc-- none of which are "L", but all offer extremely good quality quality). The "L" designation really refers to Canon's "Luxury" line of lenses, offering a higher level of construction, exotic specs (like ultra-fast apertures like the 85 f/1.2 "L", for example) and exotic optical materials (like fluorite lens elements as found in the 70-200 f/4 "L"). And most consumer lenses still offer excellent picture quality, if you just stop the aperture down a bit.
Wm. Bates
Senior Member
Overall "L" series lenses are excellent. Even the worst of the L lenses are pretty good. Buy one and you will want more. I don't think any of Canon's consumer zooms will produce an image with the same qualities you will get from a L zoom.
Things are a little murkier if your talking about primes. There are some excellent Canon consumer primes such as the 50f/1.4, 50f/1.8, 85f/1.8, EF MP-E 65mm f/2.8 1-5x Macro, 100 f/2.8 macro, and the 45 and 90 Tilt Shifts(only the 24 TS gets an L and it is the softest of the 3) I'm sure there are others that will produce L quality photos.
And those tilt shifts bring up something. What makes an L lens? All it has to have to get the L is one of theses things: Ultra-low Dispersion UD glass, Super Low Dispersion glass, Fluorite elements, and Aspherical elements. Do one of those things and the lens gets that red racing stripes. The 24 TS L has one Aspherical element that neither the 45 or 90 TS have; but, build quality is the same for all three and all will produce a great image. So don't over look a lens because it doesn't have that red stripe.
Also there are Non Canon third party lenses that will approach "L" quality> So you will want to look at Tamron, Tokina and Sigma too.
For specific lens information check over in the Canon Lens Forum. those guys are very helpful.
Bill
http://www.pbase.com/slowpokebill
'The fact that no one understands you doesn't mean you're an artist.' Unknown
'Every man dies; but, not every man lives' Braveheart
'Sometime the magic works. Sometimes it doesn't' Little Big Man
J2D2
Senior Member
Lets not forget that printed up to about A3, there is no discernable difference between L class and a good consumer lens. Even bigger prints may not reveal much difference.
Consumer lenses are fine for 99% of jobs, including weddings, portraits and products.
If in doubt, then you arent in the L league.
(Neither am I, and I never want to be).
HTH
Consumer lenses are fine for 99% of jobs, including weddings, portraits and products.
If in doubt, then you arent in the L league.
(Neither am I, and I never want to be).
HTH
Thanks for the help. I might look into 3rd party good optics. Canon seems to be very much on the higher side. I have a 10D about a month old and two zoom lenses comsumer. What I am looking out for is a very wide lens because of the crop factor. And a 500m telephoto or a zoom to caputure the Surfers here.
'trying hard to get the picture'
--Overall "L" series lenses are excellent. Even the worst of the L
lenses are pretty good. Buy one and you will want more. I don't
think any of Canon's consumer zooms will produce an image with the
same qualities you will get from a L zoom.
Things are a little murkier if your talking about primes. There are
some excellent Canon consumer primes such as the 50f/1.4, 50f/1.8,
85f/1.8, EF MP-E 65mm f/2.8 1-5x Macro, 100 f/2.8 macro, and the
45 and 90 Tilt Shifts(only the 24 TS gets an L and it is the
softest of the 3) I'm sure there are others that will produce L
quality photos.
And those tilt shifts bring up something. What makes an L lens?
All it has to have to get the L is one of theses things: Ultra-low
Dispersion UD glass, Super Low Dispersion glass, Fluorite elements,
and Aspherical elements. Do one of those things and the lens gets
that red racing stripes. The 24 TS L has one Aspherical element
that neither the 45 or 90 TS have; but, build quality is the same
for all three and all will produce a great image. So don't over
look a lens because it doesn't have that red stripe.
Also there are Non Canon third party lenses that will approach "L"
quality> So you will want to look at Tamron, Tokina and Sigma too.
For specific lens information check over in the Canon Lens Forum.
those guys are very helpful.
Bill
http://www.pbase.com/slowpokebill
'The fact that no one understands you doesn't mean you're an
artist.' Unknown
'Every man dies; but, not every man lives' Braveheart
'Sometime the magic works. Sometimes it doesn't' Little Big Man
'trying hard to get the picture'
The Big Bad
Senior Member
before you can speak regarding printed images, you first need to be able to capture the image. Shooting natural light for a wedding using a consumer zoom is near impossible as they are very slow, mainly on the longer end. So your image quality is going to be different due to the consumer zoom either having camera shake or needing higher ISO and thus more noise.
Same goes for AF performance, your not going to be able to focus in alot of situations unless you have a very fast lens. Indoor sports such as gynastics are a good example of this. A 5.6 lens just isnt going to cut it.
Canon simply does not make any fast consumer zooms so theres no real point to discuss. You can of course make due very well with some of the non L primes, which can be excellent, but at the same time, typically the L primes are even faster.
Canon 24mm 1.4L vs 24mm 2.8 consumer prime, big difference in natural light shooting there for example.
Image quality is really not something you can compare since they arent used at similar apatures. You dont spend the money for an ultra fast lens just to shoot it at f8.
http://www.pbase.com/bigbad
Wm. Bates
Senior Member
For a very wide take a look at the Sigma 12-24 or 15-30 but don't forget the excellent Canon 17-40 L. I have a Sigma 15-30 and it is a very nice lens. I'm not looking to replace it anytime soon.
For those 500mm surfer shots here is my list of from favorite/most wanted to least.
Canon 500mm f/4 IS L (this one is on my short list of lenses to get for wildlife)
Canon 500 f/4.5L in good used condition.
after that it is 400mm and teleconverters
Canon 400 f/2.8 IS L about as good as it gets
Canon 400 f/5.6L what I have now and its a fantastic lens for $1000
Canon 100-400IS L is a really nice zoom
and last I know the Sigma guys will argue the Sigma 50-500zoom
--
Bill
http://www.pbase.com/slowpokebill
'The fact that no one understands you doesn't mean you're an artist.' Unknown
'Every man dies; but, not every man lives' Braveheart
'Sometime the magic works. Sometimes it doesn't' Little Big Man
Wm. Bates
Senior Member
As to sharpness I would say you are correct. But the L lenses also tend to have much better micro contrast and color and that shows up in any print.
And when it comes to zooms Canon doesn't make a single fast consumer zoom and the add speed of the f/2.8 zooms can make the difference between getting a shot and not getting the shot. if your using a zoom.
--
Bill
http://www.pbase.com/slowpokebill
'The fact that no one understands you doesn't mean you're an artist.' Unknown
'Every man dies; but, not every man lives' Braveheart
'Sometime the magic works. Sometimes it doesn't' Little Big Man
J2D2
Senior Member
Yes, of course. You are right. I bow to the knowledge of experts and professionals.
Yawn.
Yawn.
Bill,
I have visited your gallery a couple of times now and wanted to let you know that the photo titled "Wanda Glows" is a very nicely composed shot. The subject's clothing and expression provide a nice contrast, yet familiarity to the environment the photo was taken. I am still new to the game but have learned quite a bit from the galleries and tips posted here.
Thanks!
--
http://www.pbase.com/trooperhughes/galleries
I have visited your gallery a couple of times now and wanted to let you know that the photo titled "Wanda Glows" is a very nicely composed shot. The subject's clothing and expression provide a nice contrast, yet familiarity to the environment the photo was taken. I am still new to the game but have learned quite a bit from the galleries and tips posted here.
Thanks!
--
http://www.pbase.com/trooperhughes/galleries
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