Canon RF 24mm f/1.8 Macro IS Review (versatile lens, fairly strong macro performance)

Canon RF 24mm F/1.8 Macro IS Review
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Here is a brand new Canon RF 24mm f/1.8 Macro IS review.

At a glance:

  • RF-Mount Lens/Full-Frame Format
  • Aperture Range: f/1.8 to f/22
  • One UD Element, One Aspherical Element
  • Super Spectra Coating
  • STM Stepping AF Motor
  • 1:2 Max. Magnification, 5.5″ Min. Focus
  • Optical Image Stabilizer
  • Customizable Control Ring
  • Rounded 9-Blade Diaphragm

Dustin Abbott posted his exhaustive Canon RF 24mm f/1.8 Macro IS review. From his conclusion:

I didn’t love the Canon RF 35mm F1.8 Macro IS when I reviewed it, and while the RF 24mm F1.8 Macro IS STM is similar in so many ways, I actually feel more positive about it. Yes, it has way too much distortion and vignette, but it also nice and strong in a lot of different areas, including delivering a fairly strong macro performance.

What really stands out is the versatility of a lens like this.  You can do a LOT of different photography with a lens like this, from up close work, to walk around and street, to landscape and environmental portraits.

The RF 24mm  is not going to compete with L series lenses optically, but I also found that images had a fairly good pop to them and I generally liked the look of them other than shots where the bokeh got a little busy.  Some people love the 24mm focal length, and if that describes you, then the Canon RF 24mm F1.8 Macro IS STM is a lens that will probably become a favorite even if also sports a few flaws.

Read the full review at Dustin Abbott’s…

As usual, Dustin Abbott’s reviews come with a large set of test photos, sample pictures, and test charts and then some more. For those inclined to watch a review, the video below with the full review might the right choice.

Canon RF 24mm f/1.8 Macro IS:

America: B&H Photo, Adorama, Amazon USA, Amazon Canada, Canon Canada, Canon USA
Europe & UK: Amazon DE, Amazon UK, Amazon IT, Wex Photo Video, Canon DE, Canon UK

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Canon RF-S 18-150mm f/3.5-6.3 IS STM Review

RF-S 18-150mm F/3.5-6.3 IS STM Review
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Here is a Canon RF-S 18-150mm f/3.5-6.3 IS STM review. This is one of the less expensive lenses for the RF mount.

At a glance:

  • RF-S-Mount Lens/APS-C Format
  • 29-240mm (35mm Equivalent)
  • Aperture Range: f/3.5-6.3 to f/40
  • One UD Element & Two Aspherical Elements
  • Super Spectra Coating
  • STM Stepping AF Motor
  • Optical Image Stabilizer
  • Customizable Control Ring
  • Rounded 7-Blade Diaphragm

Photography Blog posted their full Canon RF-S 18-150mm f/3.5-6.3 IS STM review. They gave it a “recommended” rating and 4/5 stars. From the conclusion:

The effective 4.5-stop optical image stabilisation system makes this lens more versatile in low-light situations, allowing you to hand-hold the camera in situations where you can’t use a tripod or similar support. This is especially important on the EOS R10 which doesn’t have IBIS.

We did miss having built-in weather-proofing, though, which would offer some peace of mind in the more inclement conditions that this lens may be subjected to, and it would have been nice to see the optional lens hood and bag included in the box.

Auto-focusing proved to be quick, quiet and reliable on the Canon EOS R7 camera body that we tested the lens with thanks to the STM motor, while manual focus over-ride at any time is a great feature, and we didn’t miss having a dedicated AF/MF button on the lens barrel because both the R7 and R10 have one.

Read the review at Photography Blog…

Canon RF-S 18-150mm f/3.5-6.3 IS STM:

America: B&H Photo, Adorama, Amazon USA, Amazon Canada, Canon Canada, Canon USA
Europe & UK: Amazon DE, Amazon UK, Amazon IT, Wex Photo Video, Canon DE, Canon UK

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Canon EOS R6 Mark II First Impressions And Hands-On Reviews Round-up

Canon EOS R6 Mark II Review
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Here is a bunch of Canon EOS R6 Mark II hands-on and first impression (video-) reviews.

At a glance:

  • 24.2MP Full-Frame CMOS Sensor
  • 4K60 10-Bit Internal Video, C-Log 3
  • External 6K ProRes RAW Recording
  • Dual Pixel CMOS AF II
  • 12 fps Mech. Shutter, 40 fps E. Shutter
  • Sensor-Shift 5-Axis Image Stabilization
  • 3.69m-Dot OLED EVF
  • 3″ 1.62m-Dot Vari-Angle Touchscreen LCD
  • Dual UHS-II Memory Card Slots
  • Multi-Function Shoe, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth

Preorders for the new Canon EOS R6 Mark II are live (starting $2,499): B&H Photo | Adorama

Canon EOS R6 Mark II world wide preorders:

America: B&H Photo, Adorama, Amazon USA, Amazon Canada, Canon Canada, Canon USA
Europe & UK: Amazon DE, Amazon UK, Amazon IT, Wex Photo Video, Canon DE, Canon UK

And here are the videos. Enjoy.

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Canon RF 135mm f/1.8L IS Hands-on Review

Canon RF 135mm F/1.8L
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Here is a Canon RF 135mm f/1.8L IS hands-on review. The Canon RF 135mm f/1.8L IS was announced last week along with the Canon EOS R6 Mark II.

At a glance:

  • RF-Mount Lens/Full-Frame Format
  • Aperture Range: f/1.8 to f/22
  • Nano USM AF System
  • Optical Image Stabilizer
  • Ultra-Low Dispersion Elements
  • Air Sphere Coating
  • Lens Function Buttons and Control Ring
  • Rounded 9-Blade Diaphragm

DPReview posted their Canon RF 135mm f/1.8L IS hands-on review (using a pre-production model). They also published a sample photos gallery. An excerpt:

[the] field of view is great for medium-distance photographs and its maximum aperture allows photojournalists and sports photographers alike to isolate their subject matter more so than something like a 70–200mm F2.8 lens could. It’s F1.8 aperture also helps in low-light environments, such as dimly-lit basketball courts, hockey arenas and the like, where you otherwise have to crank the ISO up to noisy levels.

Canon RF 135mm f/1.8L IS world wide preorders:

America: B&H Photo, Adorama, Amazon USA, Amazon Canada, Canon Canada, Canon USA
Europe & UK: Amazon DE, Amazon UK, Amazon IT, Wex Photo Video, Canon DE, Canon UK

Here is a short introduction to the lens:

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Canon EOS R6 Mark II First Impressions Review (a solid upgrade)

Canon EOS R6 Mark II Review
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Here is a first impression review about the brand new Canon EOS R6 Mark II.

At a glance:

  • 24.2MP Full-Frame CMOS Sensor
  • 4K60 10-Bit Internal Video, C-Log 3
  • External 6K ProRes RAW Recording
  • Dual Pixel CMOS AF II
  • 12 fps Mech. Shutter, 40 fps E. Shutter
  • Sensor-Shift 5-Axis Image Stabilization
  • 3.69m-Dot OLED EVF
  • 3″ 1.62m-Dot Vari-Angle Touchscreen LCD
  • Dual UHS-II Memory Card Slots
  • Multi-Function Shoe, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth

Photography Blog posted their Canon EOS R6 Mark II first impression review. They say:

Canon have made several notable connectivity improvements to the Mark II R6 including both faster 5GHz wi-fi and Bluetooth 5.0 support, and the ability to operate as a webcam or use the camera for live streaming via UVC/UAC, none of which its predecessor supports.

After using the new EOS R6 II for a couple of hours to try and capture fast-moving dancers, it’s clear that the new R6 II is a solid rather than spectacular upgrade of the original R6.

Considering that the 2020 model was already so good, though, that’s certainly no bad thing, with Canon perhaps sensibly choosing to refine rather than revolutionize what was already a very capable blueprint.

Preorders for the new Canon EOS R6 Mark II are live (starting $2,499): B&H Photo | Adorama

Canon EOS R6 Mark II world wide preorders:

America: B&H Photo, Adorama, Amazon USA, Amazon Canada, Canon Canada, Canon USA
Europe & UK: Amazon DE, Amazon UK, Amazon IT, Wex Photo Video, Canon DE, Canon UK

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Laowa Argus 25mm F0.95 APO Review (a serious lens, D. Abbott)

Laowa Argus 25mm
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Just announced, the Laowa Argus 25mm F0.95 APO lens for APS-C sensors already has a full review.

At a glance:

  • Aperture Range: f/0.95 to f/11
  • 50mm (35mm Equivalent)
  • Internal Focus Design
  • 1 Aspherical Element, 1 ED Element
  • 3 Ultra-High Refraction Elements
  • 9 Aperture Blades
  • 62mm Filter Thread
  • Manual Focus

Dustin Abbott posted his exhaustive Laowa Argus 25mm F0.95 APO review. From his conclusion:

The Laowa Argus 25mm F0.95 APO is both similar and different than the Argus 35mm F0.95 full frame lens that I reviewed. The APO design does alter the formula, which results in more usable sharpness results at huge aperture values like F0.95.

It also means that the bokeh isn’t quite as soft, however, which might turn off some of the core audience that is interested in a lens like this.

These are all a matter of preference, however, and what is definite is that there is always room for more premium prime lenses for APS-C, a space that often gets overlooked.  This is a serious lens, and it is interesting to see Laowa bring some of their APO experience that they’ve developed in their macro lens designs into a more extreme lens like this.  You’ll have to determine for yourself whether or not the end result is something you’re looking for, but I will say this:  the list of F0.95 lenses with an Apochromatic design and a price tag of under $550 USD is a VERY short one.  

Read the full review at Dustin Abbott’s…

All reviews by Dustin Abbott come with test charts, sample pics, dynamic range tests, and much more. D. Abbott also provides a video-review that someone might prefer to the written review. It’s here (below) for your viewing pleasure.

Laowa Argus 25mm F0.95 APO: Venus Optics | Adorama | B&H Photo

More reviews by Dustin Abbott are listed here.

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