Standard lenses and main zooms

• see also:

  • my notes:

    • other lenses for dSLRs:

      • super wide lenses for Canon digital

      • super tele

      • portrait lens

      • macro

      • image stabiliser

      • perspective control lenses

    • Olympus E digital

    • Canon

    • Nikon

    • Pentax

  • comparisons of Canon 50mm lenses:

    • http://www.astrosurf.com:80/~buil/50mm/test_us.htm 

      • edges poor at f/1.8 for both the f/1.4 & f/1.8 lenses but they both almost match the f/1.2 lens at f/2.8 although the edges of the f/1.8 lens really need f/4 to match the other lenses performances.

      • f/1.4 lens has more vignetting than the f/1.2 lens at apertures wider than f/2.8

      • the image quality of the 50 mm f/1.2 at f/1.8 is equivalent to the 50 mm f/1.4 at f/2.8.

      • the three lenses produce identical results from f/4

  • comparisons of various 50mm lenses on Olympus dSLRs:

    • E330 lenstests 3 - Carl Zeiss 50mm f/1.7 vs Olympus OM 50mm f/1.4 & f/1.8

Introduction:

• lenses here are those in the range of 24-80mm in 35mm camera terms

• image stabilised options:

  • Canon:

    • Canon EF 24-105mm f/4 IS USM

    • Sigma 18-250mm F3.5-6.3 DC OS HSM

    • Tamron 18-270mm f/3.5-6.3 Di II VC LD Aspherical (IF) MACRO

  • Nikon:

    • DX Zoom-Nikkor AF-S 18-200mm f/3.5-5.6G ED IF VR

    • Zoom-Nikkor AF-S 24-120mm f/3.5-5.6G ED IF VR

    • Sigma 18-250mm F3.5-6.3 DC OS HSM

    • Tamron 18-270mm f/3.5-6.3 Di II VC LD Aspherical (IF) MACRO

  • Olympus: 

    • all lenses by virtue of CCD-IS on the E510/E520/E30/E3, such as:

      • ZD 12-60mm f/2.8-4.0 SWD

      • ZD 14-35mm f/2.0 SWD 

    • optical stabilised for use on all Four Thirds dSLRs:

      • LEICA D 14-50mm/F2.8-3.5 OIS ASPH

      • Leica D 14-150mm f/3.5-5.6 OIS XSM

Canon APS-C dSLR options (1.6x crop):

• autofocus lenses:

  • EF-S lenses:

    • high grade:

      • Canon EF-S 17-55mm f/2.8 IS USM:

        • $A1999; 645g; 77mm filter; 27-88mm; closest focus 0.35m

    • consumer grade:

      • Canon EF-S 17-85mm f/4-5.6 IS USM:

        • $A1099; 645g; 67mm filter; 27-136mm; closest focus 0.35m, a bit slow; only medium quality;

      • Canon EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS & Canon EF-S 55-250mm f/4-5.6 IS kit lenses:
        • introduced 2007/2008;
        • 1st EF-S lenses to have "4 stop" IS in a simpler analogue IS design
        • circular aperture
        • at last it seems APS-C buyers will have some reasonable kit lenses.
        • 18-55mm equates to 29-88mm.
        • 55-250mm equates to 88-400mm lens.
        • http://www.dpreview.com/news/0708/07082007canonefs18-55and55-250.asp 

      • the older Canon kit lenses are pretty crappy, poor build, average optics

  • EF lenses (see under Canon APS-H but remember the 1.6x crop)

• manual focus options:

  • see under Olympus below

Canon APS-H dSLR options (1.3x crop):

• autofocus lenses:

  • pro grade:

    • Canon EF 35mm f/1.4L USM:

      • 46mm (56mm on 1.6x)

      • $A2400

    • Canon EF 50mm f/1.2L USM:

      • 65mm (80mm on 1.6x)

      • $A2700

    • Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8L USM:

      • 31-91mm (38-112mm on 1.6x)

      • introduced late 2002

      • 0.29x macro

      • $A2400

      • http://www.luminous-landscape.com/reviews/lenses/24-70-review.shtml 

    • Canon EF 24-105mm f/4 IS USM:

      • 31-137mm; (38-168mm on 1.6x)

      • introduced in 2005

      • more distortion, vignetting than the 24-70mm but more contrast, and lighter & with the IS makes it a better general purpose lens to carry around

      • 0.23x macro;

      • $A2000

      •  http://www.luminous-landscape.com/reviews/lenses/28-105.shtml 

  • high grade:

    • Canon EF 35mm f/2:

      • 46mm (56mm on 1.6x)

      • $A490  

    • Canon EF 50mm f/1.4 USM:

      • 65mm (80mm on 1.6x)

      • $A660 

    • Canon EF 28-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS USM:

      • 36-176mm (45-216mm on 1.6x)

      • $A870 

    • Canon EF 24-85mm f/3.5-4.5 USM:

      • 31-111mm (38-136mm on 1.6x)

      • $A660 

  • consumer grade:

    • Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 II:

      • $A150 

    • Canon EF 28-105mm f/4-5.6 USM:

      • $A300

    • Canon EF 28-90mm f/4-5.6 II USM:

      • $A270 

    • Canon EF 28-80mm f/3.5-5.6 II:

      • $A150 

    • Canon EF 35-80mm f/4-5.6 III:

      • $A130 

• manual focus:

  • Olympus OM lenses:

    • Olympus OM

  • Nikon F mount lenses:

    • see under Nikon

Canon dSLR full frame options:

• as for Canon APS-H above BUT lens resolution on the L series zooms is becoming THE limiting factor in 35mm full frame sensors with 16mp or more, thus, can expect a new range of ultra-high resolution lenses to come out to match the expected 22mp sensor in the forthcoming Canon 1Ds (presumably in 2008).

  • see http://www.luminous-landscape.com/reviews/cameras/digital-view.shtml

Nikon dSLR options:

• see http://www.nikonusa.com/template.php?cat=1&grp=5 

• autofocus lenses:

  • designed for DX dSLRs (will not give full frame on full frame cameras):

    • DX Zoom-Nikkor AF-S 18-55mm VR kit lens:

      • 27-83mm VR kit lens coming 2008

    • DX Zoom-Nikkor AF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6G ED II:

      • 27-83mm

    • DX Zoom-Nikkor AF-S 18-70mm f/3.5-4.5G ED IF:

      • 27-105mm

    • AF-S DX 18-105mm f/3.5-5.6G ED VR:

      • 27-158mm with 3 stop VR II image stabiliser;

      • introduced late 2008 with the Nikon D90 dSLR.

      • rounded 7 blade diaphragm; SWM AF; 67mm filter; 450g;

      • http://www.dpreview.com/news/0808/08082701nikkor_18-105lens.asp 

    • DX Zoom-Nikkor AF-S 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6G ED IF:

      • 27-203mm

    • DX Zoom-Nikkor AF-S 18-200mm f/3.5-5.6G ED IF VR:

      • 27-300mm image stabilised - perhaps the most popular Nikon general purpose lens

      • very versatile

      • http://www.kenrockwell.com/nikon/18200.htm 

    • DX Zoom-Nikkor AF-S 17-55mm f/2.8G ED IF:

      • 25.5-83mm - a better image quality lens with decent aperture and wide angle

      • more distortion than the cheap 18-55mm lens though.

      • http://www.kenrockwell.com/nikon/1755.htm 

      • http://www.bythom.com/1755lens.htm 

  • full frame lenses:

    • Nikkor AF 35mm f/2D:

      • 53mm

    • Nikkor AF 50mm f/1.4D:

      • 75mm

    • Nikkor AF 50mm f/1.8D:

    • Zoom-Nikkor AF 24-85mm f/2.8-4D:

    • Zoom-Nikkor AF-S 24-85mm f/3.5-4.5G ED IF:

    • Zoom-Nikkor AF-S 24-120mm f/3.5-5.6G ED IF VR:

      • kit lens for D700 but its inferior image quality does not do a Nikon D700 justice, so probably best to avoid and buy a better lens if you are buying the D700 or D3.

      • http://www.luminous-landscape.com/reviews/cameras/d700.shtml 

    • AF-S 24-120mm f/4 G ED VR:

      • 5x zoom with VRII for full frame; 710g; 9 blades; 2 ED and 3 asph. elements; 77mm filter; £1049.99 / €1099

      • some weather sealing; Nano Crystal coating; introduced late 2010;

    •  

    • Zoom-Nikkor AF-S 28-70mm f/2.8D ED IF:

    • Zoom-Nikkor AF 28-80mm f/3.3-5.6G:

    • Zoom-Nikkor AF 28-105mm f/3.5-4.5D: 

    • Zoom-Nikkor AF 28-200mm f/3.5-5.6G ED IF:

    • Zoom-Nikkor AF 35-70mm f/2.8D:

• manual focus lenses:

  • Nikkor F mount:

    • Nikkor AI-S 35mm f/1.4 

    • Nikkor AI-S 50mm f/1.2 

    • Nikkor AI-S 50mm f/1.4 

    • macro

    • Carl Zeiss ZF lenses for Nikon F mount:

      • Distagon T* 35mm f/2

      • Planar T* 50mm f/1.4

      • Planar T* 85mm f/1.4

    • Voigtlander AI-S Ultron 40mm f/2 SL Aspherical (2007)

      • 9-blade pancake lens with 52mm filter

      • 60mm equiv. on 1.5x crop

    • Voigtlander AI-S Nokton 58mm f/1.4 SL II 9 blade lens (2007)

      • 87mm equiv. on 1.5x crop

      • 9-blade, 58mm filter

  • Hasselblad C & CF mount

Micro Four Thirds:

• see lenses for MFT's

• Panasonic 14-140mm f/4-5.8 OIS HD - the only lens in the world optimised for HD video

• Panasonic 14-45mm f/3.5-5.6 OIS

• Olympus M.ZD 14-42mm f/3.5-5.6 collapsible lens

• Olympus M.ZD 14-150mm f/4-5.6 - coming 2010

• Panasonic 20mm f/1.7 pancake - excellent compact lenses - a must have!!

• any other lens you would like to put on it!

Olympus dSLR options:

• autofocus lenses (all image stabilised with the E510):

  • very high end:

    • Olympus ZD 14-35mm f/2.0 SWD (2008):

      • equiv. to 28-70mm lens

      • world 1st standard zoom with f/2.0 throughout zoom range

    • LEICA D VARIO-ELMARIT 14-50mm/F2.8-3.5 ASPH:

      • 28-100mm equiv. with Mega O.I.S image stabilisation built in, has aperture ring as well as zoom and focus rings. 72mm filter; 494g; closest focus 11"; $US950 at B&H Photo; 

    • Leica D 25mm f/1.4 (ie. 50mm standard lens) 

      • macro to 38cm; 4 ED lenses; 510g;

      • avail. April 2007 at RRP £749.99

    • Leica D 14-150mm f/3.5-5.6 OIS XSM 

      • ie. 28-300mm

  • high grade:

    • Olympus ZD 12-60mm f/2.8-4.0 SWD (mid-2007):

      • equiv. to 24-120mm lens

      • if you love the legendary lens on the Oly C8080, then this one promises to be even better and would make the perfect travel lens, but will the SWD work on current Oly bodies and at what price?

    • Olympus ZD 14-54mm f/2.8-3.5  

      • equiv. to 28-108mm; 

      • some vignetting at f/2.8 in extreme corners but less than the Leica; $A840

      • when compared to the Leica D 14-50mm (see here and open the pdf):

        • very similar performance but Zuiko has less vignetting and better corner resolution wide open at wide angle while the Leica has better corner resolution at wide angle at telephoto.

  • consumer grade:

    • Olympus ZD 14-45mm f/3.5-5.6 - budget kit lens but better quality than Canon's 18-55mm EF-S kit lens

    • Olympus ZD 17.5-45mm f/3.5-5.6 - budget kit lens but better quality than Canon's 18-55mm EF-S kit lens

    • Olympus ZD 14-42mm f/3.5-5.6 - compact budget kit lens with E400/E410/E510

    • Olympus ZD 18-180mm f/3.5-6.3 - ~$A780;

    • Sigma 24mm f/1.8 macro - 77mm filter; £299.99

    • Sigma 30mm f/1.4 EX DC HSM - equiv. to 60mm; 62mm filter; 0.41kg; 

      • see John Foster's review here 

    • Sigma 18-50mm f/2.8 EX DC - equiv. to 36-100mm; 67mm filter; 0.46kg;

    • Sigma 18-50mm f/2.8 macro - 72mm filter; 0.52kg; £369.99

    • Sigma 18-125mm f/3.5-5.6 DC - 62mm filter;

• manual focus options for Olympus dSLRs (all image stabilised with most Olympus bodies):

  • Olympus OM lenses:

    • Olympus OM

  • Nikon F mount lenses:

    • see under Nikon above.

  • Contax/Yashica mount Carl Zeiss lenses:

    •  

  • Konica Hexanon lenses (with modification)

  • Samyang manual focus lenses in Four Thirds mount:

    • 35mm f/1.4 aspherical

    •