Canon EF 24-70mm f/4 L IS USM Flare Test

Canon EF 24-70mm f/4 L IS USM Flare Test

The Digital Picture added a lens flare test to their Canon EF 24-70mm f/4L IS USM (price & specs) review.

The review can be accessed here, the lens flare test is here.

Adorama's product description:

The Canon EOS 24-70mm f/4L IS USM is designed for full-frame DSLRs like the Canon EOS 6D. With 2 aspheric and 2 UD elements, the EF 24-70mm f/4L IS USM is said to deliver high- quality images with excellent detail throughout the entire zoom range. A 9-blade circular diaphragm should produce pleasingly soft backgrounds. It offers a minimum focusing distance of 1.25 ft./0.38m across the entire zoom range and has a macro mode at the telephoto end with up to 0.7x magnification (minimum focusing distance becomes 7.87 in./0.2m) and is easily accessible with a one-touch switch. It features a Hybrid IS system with up to 4 stops of stabilization, compensating for both angular and shift types of camera shake, delivering effective stabilization even in macro. Inner focusing and ring-type USM deliver, fast, quiet AF, and full-time manual focus is available for manual focusing even while in AF mode. The durable EF 24-70mm f/4L IS USM is sealed for excellent dust and water resistance plus has fluorine coating on the front and rear elements reducing smears and fingerprints.

Canon EF 24-70mm f/4L IS USM price check: B&H Photo, Adorama, Amazon USA, Amazon Canada, Canon Canada, Canon USA

 

Metabones Speed Booster Ships Via Metabones’ Site

Finally the Metabones Speed Booster ships via the Metabones website and also on for the regular price. Get notified when more adapters are in Stock saving the following search on Slidoo eBay (login and change your root country if required).

GetDPI user Brianc discovered that the Speed Bosster and “Tilt Shift combo optical axis decoupling results in some unexpected results.“. And another test is available at Japanese DC.watch (translation here).

Check our previous coverage of the Speed Booster adapter here, here, and here.

[via sonyalpharumors]

 

Canon EF24-70mm f/2.8L II USM DxOmarked (a Peerless Performer)

Canon EF24-70mm f/2.8L II USM DxOmarked The Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8L II USM (price & specs) has been analyzed by DxOMark. And it scores really really good, they call the lens a «peerless performer». If it wasn’t for the price (it’s $2500), this would be a dream lens, even without IS (my take)! DxOMark writes in the conclusion (emphasis mine):

With an DxOMark score of 26, the Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8 MkII is the highest scoring professional fixed-aperture mid-range kit zoom of any brand in the DxO Mark database and comfortably outperforms rivals as well as the firm’s earlier Mark I version, particularly with regard to the sharpness levels across the frame. We’re used to seeing a noticeable deterioration in performance in the outer fields at longer focal lengths even with high-quality optics from the big-name marques but the new Canon bucks that trend. As for distortion and vignetting, it manages to hold its own against rivals even if it hasn’t quite managed to improve on those over the outgoing Mk I version.  In spite of the complex optical construction, some chromatic aberration is visible in the corners that may require additional removal in post-production software but levels remain in line with the best of rival offerings. The main downside, however, is the very high price. At $2,500 the lens is far less accessible than the model it replaces, but the reduction in weight and size coupled with the boost in optical performance looks set to satisfy future demands from as yet unannounced high-resolution cameras.

Interesting, and plausible: the EF 24-70mm has been designed with future DSLRs in mind. Please Canon let us know what is in your labs.

The pros and cons of the EF 24-70mm f/2.8L II USM seconding DxOMark:

Pros

  • Good sharpness (16P-Mpix), only equalled by the Sony Zeiss equivalent.
  • Distortion well controlled
  • Transmission improved
  • 805g total weight (145g lighter than predecessor).
  • Compact design.

Cons:

  • CA noticeable in corners.
  • Large (82mm) filter diameter (though front/rear element are protected with a fluorine coating)
  • Very high price

Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8L II USM price check: [shopcountry 2160]

Canon EF24-70mm f/2.8L II USM DxOmarked

[via DxOMark]

Raw Converter Showdown By DPreview (LR4, Capture One Pro 7, DxO Optics Pro 8)

Raw Converter Showdown By DPreview

DPreview posted an exhaustive review comparing three of the most used RAW conversion softwares: Adobe Lightroom 4, Capture One Pro 7 and DxO Optics Pro 8. The following features are tested and reviewed:

  • Speed
  • Image quality and editing tools
  • Imaging workflow
  • Output options
  • Asset management
  • Additional features

The review is thoroughgoing and touches a lot of aspects. Check it out. A sort of final verdict by DPreview:

[…] the choice of which of these raw converters to use comes down to how you work. Shoot primarily in the studio and need robust tethering capability? Then you’ll be very happy with Capture One Pro 7. If you work on a relatively small number of images and/or already have an existing asset management system in place, DxO Optics Pro 8 offers perhaps the best starting point for your edits. And if you’re all about workflow efficiency, need tight integration with Adobe Bridge or Photoshop and want the most feature-rich cross-platform app on the market, Lightroom 4 can fit the bill. As raw-shooting photographers we’ve really got an embarrassment of riches at our disposal right now. You can create some great images no matter which one you choose.

Adobe Lightroom 4 price check: B&H Photo, Adorama, Amazon USA, Amazon Canada, Canon Canada, Canon USA Capture One Pro 7 price check: B&H Photo, Adorama, Amazon USA, Amazon Canada, Canon Canada, Canon USA DxO Optics Pro 8 price check: B&H Photo, Adorama, Amazon USA, Amazon Canada, Canon Canada, Canon USA [via dpreview]