Canon EF-S 10-18mm f/4.5-5.6 IS STM Review (Photozone)

EF-S 10-18mm f/4.5-5.6 IS STM

The new Canon EF-S 10-18mm f/4.5-5.6 IS STM already got Photozone’s attention.

And once more the very good performance of this inexpensive lens are stated. The Canon EF-S 10-18mm f/4.5-5.6 IS STM sells for $299 and is in stock at Adorama and B&H Photo.

In the conclusion, Photozone writes:

The mirrorless gang may have all the attention at the moment. However, Canon showed once more that the quality crown still belongs to DSLR systems – even and especially regarding low cost lenses. The Canon EF-S 10-18mm f/4.5-5.6 IS STM may be very slow but it is darn sharp in the relevant aperture range. In fact it is every bit as good as the Canon EF-S 10-22mm f/3.5-4.5 USM here … at half the price! The amount of lateral CAs is well controlled. In critical scenes (e.g. architecture) you will be able to spot some barrel distortions at 10mm but we’ve seen a lot worse here. The only significant weakness is vignetting especially at 10mm.

Yeah, Canon once more showed what they can do with this lens.

Canon EF-S 10-18mm f/4.5-5.6 IS STM price check for you country: [shopcountry 20920] [via Photozone]

Nanoha x5 5:1 Super Macro Lens Review (LensVid)

The folks at LensVid reviewed a very unique lens, the Nanoha x5 super macro lens with a 5:1 magnification.

The review is also an excellent introduction to super macro photography. It’s a long article with many samples, very well done. The (hand-made) Nanoha x5 is available for the Canon EOS M mount, and sells for $499 (B&H Photo | Adorama). A super-specialised studio lens that will not break your bank.

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The leds in front are charged via USB

From LensVid’s conclusion:

During our time with the lens the Nanoha functioned exceptionally well. The build quality was very good, its small and relatively light and its optical quality was very good even at a closed aperture […]

Like more or less any lens, the Nanoha has some drawbacks as well. The most obvious one is its short working distance. If we measure from the front of the plastic element (where the LEDs are located) you get only about 5 mm to your subject. We definitely believe that this distance should be increased (4-5 cm is much more sensible). A second drawback, although arguably less important, has to do with the range of the macro magnification. While the Canon MP-E 65mm goes from 1:1 up to 5:1, the Nanoha 5X can only do 4:1 up to 5:1 […]

To sum things up, the Nanoha 5X is a pretty unique lens with a very specific target audience. If you already have some experience with super macro, reversed lenses, extension tubes etc. and anything beyond 1:1 macro magnification and you are using (or considering) going mirrorless, the Nanoha will be a useful high quality option with a price tag that will not break the bank […]

Be sure to check the many sample pics that come with the review. If you own a Canon EOS M and would like to explore super macro photography, then this is the lens for you.

[via LensVid]

Want To Know What The Canon EOS M Can Do? Then Read This Review

canon eos M
Canon EF-M 22mm f/2,0 STM – Iso 100 f/3,5 – 1/750 sec – EV +0,5

All pics © by riflessifotografici.com and used with permission.

After the sad fact that Canon removed the EOS M from their USA site, this review is more than appropriate. The Canon EOS M got so many unfounded critics, often made by people that did barely use it. It started badly because the not-so-good auto-focus performance of the original firmware (which became much better with the firmware update). And most reviewers never considered all the other virtues of this fantastic camera, i.e. color rendition, solid build, light-weight, and much more. Not to mention that you can use all Canon EF and EF-S lenses thru the adapter.

At riflessifotografici.com they posted a serious and well done review, testing the EOS M in real world settings with a lot of lenses (not only with native EF-M lenses). This is a review I totally agree about, and what they write is what I experienced with the EOS M. The reviewer writes that he just can’t stop using it – same for me. I think there is no other camera manufacturer that invest so much resources as Canon when it comes to color accuracy.

Some more good points:

We’re on the same level of the Fuji X series and Sony Nex cameras as far as the sensor is concerned. What really makes the difference here is the lens lineup, or rather the lack of a lens lineup in Canon’s system compared to what the other manufacturers can offer.

[…] the camera’s best performances are “hidden” behind what justifies a camera to exist, the image quality itself.

[…] there is no reason to worry up to ISO 1600. ISO 3200 is still usable

Canon EF-M 18-55mm f/3,5-5,6 IS STM @55mm - Iso 100 - f/8 - 1/250 sec. - Macro mode
Canon EF-M 18-55mm f/3,5-5,6 IS STM @55mm – Iso 100 – f/8 – 1/250 sec. – Macro mode

In the conclusion the reviewer writes:

The camera itself with the three dedicated lenses is already capable of producing great results and it’s a pity Canon decided to provide only these three lenses. It’s even worse that the prime lenses lineup is not a lineup, there’s only the 22mm F2.0 that showed to be a great perfomer.

Despite all of that the M system is already enough to cover many shooting conditions with a small and inexpensive package.

A great addition to the system is the EF mount adapter that allows to use the existing EF and EF-S lenses with this camera. As I said before this allows to have a small and inexpensive package that can be easily used when the speed and accuracy of a DSLR is not needed.

Be sure to check riflessifotografici’s review. There is more information about the EOS M and the review comes with a massive set of sample images, shot with the native EF-M lenses and some EF and EF-S lenses. Definitely worth to be read and seen.

Finally, consider that the EOS M and EOS M kits are a bargain for the time being. Check the links below to get an idea about the price for your country:

Canon EOS M price check: B&H Photo, Adorama, Amazon USA, Amazon Canada, Canon Canada, Canon USA EF-M 18-55mm IS STM price check: B&H Photo, Adorama, Amazon USA, Amazon Canada, Canon Canada, Canon USA EF-M f/2 22mm IS STM price check: B&H Photo, Adorama, Amazon USA, Amazon Canada, Canon Canada, Canon USA EF-M 11-22mm IS STM price check: B&H Photo, Adorama, Amazon USA, Amazon Canada, Canon Canada, Canon USA

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Crop Factor Issue – Tony Northrup Answers To Critics

Days ago I posted a video by Tony Northrup about crop factor and how some companies are (supposedly) misleading their customers when it comes to crop factor, ISO and aperture, and about how these interact one with the others.

Well, the post started a sometimes overheated discussion with lots of comments. Now Mr. Northrup posted a new video where he answers to critics and adds some corrections to his previous video.

What do you think about this issue?

Canon EF-S 10-18mm f/4.5-5.6 IS STM Sample Pictures Published

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Blogging from Dubai International Airport while waiting for my connection :-)

Canon China published a set of sample pics shot with Canon’s new ultra wide angle lens for APS-C cameras, the Canon EF-S 10-18mm f/4.5-5.6 IS STM ($299, pre-order at B&H Photo | Adorama). The EF-S 10-18mm f/4.5-5.6 IS STM was announced on 5/13.

This lens has an amazingly good price, and – it may sound weird – it comes with a lens hood even if it is not an “L” lens.