Canon EF 600mm f/4L IS USM Super Telephoto Lens for Canon SLR Cameras

Buy Cheap Canon EF 600mm f/4L IS USM Super Telephoto Lens for Canon SLR Cameras

Buy Low Price From Here Now
This lens is ideal for sports and wildlife photography. The newly designed optical system has one fluorite element and two UD-glass elements to obtain high resolution and high contrast. Also, the minimum focusing distance was reduced to 18 ft. (5.5m). Extender EF 2x II can be attached to increase the focal length to 1200mm while retaining AF (at the center focusing point with the EOS-1v and EOS-3).
Readmore

Technical Details

- EF mount; super telephoto lens
- Fluorite and Ultra-low Dispersion-glass; image stabilizer; internal focusing; full-time manual focus
- 600mm focal length
- f/4 maximum aperture
- Micro UltraSonic Motor (USM)
See more technical details

 "Worth the Weight!" 2009-05-29
By Charlie MacPherson (United States)
I've owned this lens for most of a year now, and I am completely satisfied with it.



Downsides - it's heavy at almost 12 pounds, and it costs half as much as a small car.



It's like adopting a 12 pound child - if you're on a photo shoot, you have to take it everywhere. You can't let it out of your sight. It's a lot to carry, you certainly don't want to bang it around, and it's always in the back of your mind that somebody might like to snatch it when you're not looking.



But all that said, this is one incredible lens!



After a year of shooting a competitor's 500mm f6.4 zoom - and agonizing over whether it would be worth the cost, I upgraded to the Canon 600mm.



The improvement in image quality is stark. Bokeh is superb. The f4 combined with the IS allows me to get images that were out of reach with the other lens. And the extra 100mm in focal length - especially when combined with Canon's matched 1.4X extender really fills the frame with whatever it is you're shooting.



I've shot it in temperature extremes from -3F to +90F and in over 20K images, it has never given me the slightest problem.



The autofocus is FAST and the dual-mode IS works extremely well.



Invest in a decent tripod and gimbal head (Manfrotto's works very nicely at a fraction of the cost of the Wimberly) and you'll be happy. Try to hand-hold this beast and you won't.



But if you're thinking about moving up to this lens, take it from an avid bird & wildlife photographer - you will NOT regret it!

 "Big Guns!" 2009-02-02
By Longhorn (Big country)
This is a great lens for bringing things up close and personal. Has image stabilizer that works great. Bit on the heavy side. Recommend it as worth the expense and weight.

 "Impressive, depending on your copy" 2008-12-20
By BirdPhotographer (Pacific NW, USA)
The good news is that this lens is capable of producing some very sharp, quality images. The bad news is that it depends on your copy (thus 4 stars instead of 5). Don't necessarily believe those who tell you that you have "bad technique".



I went through 3 lenses before finally getting one that performed as one would expect for a $7,000+ lens. The first copy had obvious defects, produced soft images lacking detail, and was returned to the seller. The 2nd copy had something resembling bad chromatic aberration (also with soft images lacking detail once again), and went in to the California Factory Service Center twice. Both times, the FSC returned it to me in worst shape than when it went in. After contacting a Canon executive, my lens went to Canon's engineers and I was issued a loaner within 24 hours (something the head of the California FSC never offered). Canon's executives obviously care; I'm not so sure about their FSC.



Canon eventually told me they were going to use the lens to find ways to improve their manufacturing process. They offered to let me keep the loaner they had sent me, but I declined due to visible metal casting flakes on the outermost element. Canon ended up sending me a copy that was first inspected by their engineers. I've had that copy for 5 months now and it has performed superbly - sharp, good contrast, etc.



So if/when you buy this lens, buy from a seller you trust, and a seller that you know will work with you. I bought from Canoga Camera in southern California. With the first lens, they were supportive. With the second lens, they told me I could not return it, and then had their Canon sales rep call me. The sales rep insulted me (literally), told me I did not know what I was talking about, stated, "Are we done here?", and then essentially hung up on me. I was on my own when I contacted Canon executives in NY. Fortunately, they were extremely professional and responsive, but it was a long ordeal that was quite stressful considering how much money was at stake.



Using live view at 10x, the visible shake of 840mm (600mm + 1.4x TC) is evident, even when the lens appears to be steady. Yet with IS, the results can be impressively sharp.



In addition to a very sturdy tripod and good tripod head, I have gotten excellent results using the molar bean bag filled with 20+ pounds of pinto beans. This lens produces much better images than my Canon 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6 L IS lens. Even with a 2x TC, the results from this lens are superior to my 100-400mm.



For reference, I own Canon's 24-70mm f/2.8 L, 70-200 mm f/2.8 L IS, and 100-400 mm f/4.5-5.6 L IS. The 600mm is my only prime, so it should come as no surprise that it performs the best of all the lenses in my collection. The 70-200 is a close second in terms of performance.

 "Wow!" 2008-01-26
By RM (Magnolia, TX)
Increditable images. Forget the 600mm's, the images from this lens are very impressive, better than my other two Canon L lens - the f/2.8, 28-70mm zoom and the f/4, 300mm.

Before getting this lens in my hands, I thought I would be able to handhold shots using image stabilization. While this is possible, to get the full use from this lens a high quality tripod with Wimberley Mount is really a requirement. I have found this lens is really just too big to reasonably handheld. So unless you know a machinist, expect to spend another $1400. This adds not only to the price, but also to the equipment that you will need to carry to your shooting location, which brings up my next point.

In my research before getting this lens, numerous writers were complaining about carrying this lens to location. In my personal experience (I'm a 62-year-old retiree) I have not found this to be a problem. Yes it is heavy, but easily carried by the handle or inside a Lowes backpack if going a greater distance.

It should be noted that once you have all this equipment carried to a location, you are pretty much restricted to just taking pictures with your 600mm lens. Carrying this lens is a full time job requiring all your attention.

And taking about attention, you will attract a lot of it. Everyone, yes everyone will take notice of you, which as far as I am concerned is never a good thing, especially if you find yourself isolated along with some bad guys who realize the value of the equipment you are carrying.

 "excellent!" 2007-07-06
By lemmy shoyu (So Cal, USA)
Canon's 600mm F4 IS super telephoto lens is the ultimate tool for sports and wildlife photography. A quiet micro ultrasonic motor powers the world's fastest autofocus that gives the user the option of manual override, recalling a preset focus position or limiting focus distance to prevent hunting out of range. Ultra low dispersion glass and fluorite elements create high definition images with excellent contrast. Fast f/4 maximum aperture allows high shutter speeds in less than ideal lighting and facilitates the use of teleconverters. Optical image stabilization designed specifically for this lens operates in two user selected modes. Dust and moisture resistant construction make it ideal for the outdoors.



This lens has approximately 12 times magnification when used with Canon's full frame 5D DSLR, approximately 16 times magnification when used with EOS 1D Mark II or Mark III, and approximately 20 times magnification when used with Canon's 20D or 30D bodies. At Amazon's current price, this lens plus a Canon DSLR body costs less than other brand's 600 F4 lens that sadly is not equipped with VR.


Images Product

Buy Canon EF 600mm f/4L IS USM Super Telephoto Lens for Canon SLR Cameras Now

Canon EF 500mm f/4L IS USM Super Telephoto Lens for Canon SLR Cameras

Buy Cheap Canon EF 500mm f/4L IS USM Super Telephoto Lens for Canon SLR Cameras

Buy Low Price From Here Now
Next-generation super telephoto L-series lens with an Image Stabilizer, it's one of the world's best lenses for wildlife and nature photography. The optical system is newly designed with a maximum aperture of f/4. One fluorite element and two UD-glass elements effectively correct aberrations resulting in sharp and excellent delineation.
Readmore

Technical Details

- EF mount; super telephoto lens
- Fluorite and Ultra-low Dispersion-glass; image stabilizer; internal focusing; full-time manual focus
- 500mm focal length
- f/4 maximum aperture
- Ring-type UltraSonic Motor (USM)
See more technical details

 "Great lens for the price/weight!" 2010-01-13
By Bryan Matthew
Deciding between this lens and the 600/4L IS was indeed a chore - but I convinced myself that if I were to buy the 600/4, I would not even bother taking it on hikes due to the extreme weight. I would also need to upgrade my tripod to a heavy Gitzo GT3541LS Series 3 Long 6X Carbon Fiber 4-Section Systematic Tripod with G-Lock - Replaces GT3540LS, and get a full proper Wimberly II Gimbal Head.



(I currently use a Gitzo GT2542L Series 2 6X Carbon Fiber 4-Section Tripod with G-Lock - Replaces GT2541L, and a Jobu Design BWG-LW2 Black Widow Lightweight MK-II Gimbal Head for 200 f/2.8, 300 f/2.8, 70-200 f/2.8 Lenses for my gimbal needs)



Though if I had the money, i'de go for the 800/5.6L IS instead due to the extreme reach on a FF body, and no longer the need to use a crop body (you lose the outer "bokeh" and vignetting).



==============

1-month update

==============



After being able to use it for 1 month now, it simply confirms that the 500mm f/4L IS was the right choice over the 600mm f/4L IS. Though often I wish I didn't have to use extenders on my 1Ds III, I quite like the fact that I can hand-hold this lens all day for nature photography.



One day soon i'll get the 800mm f/5.6L IS, but until then the 500mm f/4L IS is an excellent lens for the price you pay.

 "You get what you pay for" 2009-12-24
By Marsha Elder
I don't know what I could say that has't already been said but here goes. This is an absolute beast of a lens in quality, price and weight. It's 8.6 lbs put it just on the edge of being handholdable, which I've managed to do on a two hour boat wildlife safari (with breaks of course). If you need 500mm, get it because once you get the hang of shooting with a supertele, you won't be disappopinted with the photos.



The biggest problem with the lens is the unwanted attention and questions. I've already missed some opportunites because I was answering questions instead of paying attention to the action, a raptor and shorebird aerial fight!! Oh well, I've come to accept that the attention is just going to come with the territory. I'll have to work on my game face so I don't get interrupted too much.

 "This is a big lens ..." 2009-12-13
By DocKayT (Danbury, CT)
I ordered this lens via Amazon from Calumet and it arrived ahead of schedule and was perfectly wrapped. I have not had a chance yet to shoot in the field but "tested" the lens in the backyard. Image quality is what I expected after having read a lot of reviews here and elsewhere.

For those considering this lens, however, it appears worth mentioning you be aware of the consequences: You will most probably need another tripod since this lens is heavy. Only high quality heavy duty tripods will do it. Also, like me, you may not have owned a premier class ballhead or gimbal head. This will cost you a lot. Carefully look if you can mount a 500mm f4 on either. Some manufactures explicitly recommend not to use with this lens although the reported weight load would allow to do so. You will need to research a lot. Further, you need another backpack! Honestly, there is not too much to chose from. The Tamrac 5589 Expedition 9x Backpack for DSLR Camera, Flash with Accessories, Black is a good option but some airlines will not accept its size for cabin luggage.

In conclusion, this lens is a major upgrade in your telephoto portfolio but may require an upgrade of your overall gear. Certainly well known to Pros but a learning process for enthusiasts like me.

 "Just fantastic, no other words can describe it" 2009-07-06
By Digital Wizard (U.S.A.)
This lens is simply to die for. Yes, it's big, heavy and expensive, but it does the job incredibly well. If you've never shot with a super-tele the heft and reach take some getting used to at first but once you are comfortable with it be prepared for stunning images.

Hand holding isn't exactly a lot of fun. It's possible if you're not a 97lb. weakling, but not the best way to get quality shots. For sports shooters a monopod is almost manditory, and if you're a bird or nature photographer a good tripod at bare minumum and even a gimbal head are wise investments.



Buy it, use it, love it.

 "Amazing Telephoto Lens!" 2009-06-25
By Joe West (Hawaii)
I debated between the Canon 500mm and 600mm and, finally, decided to go with the 500mm as it actually can be hand held for short periods of time if you are fairly strong and athletic. Long story short... this lens is about as good as it gets for wildlife photography. Amazing image quality, even with a 1.4 converter. I have recently made the jump from Canon back to Nikon primarily because of Canon's inconsistent flash metering (are you listening Canon??)... but the 500mm stays in my bag. Even though I'm switching over to Nikon gear for most of my portrait / event / landscape work, I will keep one Canon body just to shoot with the 500mm f/4.0... it's that good -even though it's a bit of hassle working with two different camera systems.


Images Product

Buy Canon EF 500mm f/4L IS USM Super Telephoto Lens for Canon SLR Cameras Now

Canon EF 300mm f/4L IS USM Telephoto Lens for Canon SLR Cameras

Buy Cheap Canon EF 300mm f/4L IS USM Telephoto Lens for Canon SLR Cameras

Buy Low Price From Here Now
Compact L-series telephoto lens with an Image Stabilizer, which compensates for camera shake with the equivalent effect of a shutter speed two stops faster. Two Image Stabilizer modes are provided: Stabilizer Mode 1 (the same mode featured on the EF 75-300mm f/4-5.6 IS USM) and the new Stabilizer Mode 2, which steadies the image during horizontal or vertical panning. Mode 2 detects the panning direction automatically. The closest focusing distance is 4.9 feet (1.5 m).
Readmore

Technical Details

- EF mount; telephoto lens
- Ultra-low Dispersion glass with Fluorite elements; inner focusing ring; full-time manual focus; image stabilizer
- 300mm focal length
- f/4 maximum aperture
- Micro UltraSonic Motor (USM)
See more technical details

 "Excellent Lens" 2010-01-23
By G. Berger (Bellerose, NY USA)
I bought this because I sometimes need greater reach than provided by my 70-200 f4 L. It's a very sharp lens, and because of its relatively light weight and IS I've been able to get some stunning shots hand-holding it when a tripod is not practical.

The only negative I've noticed is that the IS is noisy when it first kicks in, but other than sounding a bit like 'elves moving furniture around' (not my words, but apt), it's not a problem.

There is no doubt that the 2.8 version is a sharper lens - it's a legend in its own time. But I don't make a living from this so I really can't justify the extra $3,000.00.

I haven't had any problems with focusing - it's fast and accurate. This is a great lens and well worth the money.

 "Very sharp and IS works" 2010-01-22
By Ching-Hsiang Lin (Irvine, CA)
This is my first lens longer then 135mm in focal length and with IS feature. I am not a professional, but just take pictures for family occasions.



Before I got this lens, I could not understand why people always like to have IS (or equivalent) for telephoto lenses and only believed safety shutter speed and tripod. But after I received this lens, I realized that neither of them is really applicable. First of all, with telephone, the shutter speed drops a lot. It's not easy to maintain the minimum shutter speed, even in outdoor. Secondly, the field of view is much narrower, a tripod will not help on following fast moving object. The IS really provides a solution to those problems. With its superb optics, I ever got a clear shot at 1/50(of course, the object was not moving). Its performance is way beyond my expectation.



Before I ordered it, I also read lots of reviews. Some reviews mentioned that its AF speed is not fast. The fact is that it depends on light condition. In low light, its AF is really really slow. But when in the outdoor and it's bright, the AF is super fast. I don't see it any slower then my any other EF lenses. The difference is so noticeable and significant, but I think it's because of its long focal length.

 "my favorite prime lens" 2009-11-09
By Nachtpfauenauge (Mainhattan)
My preferences are tele and macro photos, currently I use an EOS 50D body and as a backup an EOS 450D (Rebel XSi). After several thousand shots out in the wilderness the 300 mm/ f4.0 IS USM turned out to be my favorite lens - to my own suprise even for macros if I cannot get quite close. It's closest distance of 1.5 m makes it very useful for that purpose. In particular it is interesting to compare it with another lens that I use in such "keep distance" macro situations: Tamron's 70-200 mm f/2.8 macro as this zoom has an excellent optics and is very sharp (according to many reviews sharper than Canon's 70-200 mm f/2.8 L IS USM). But it has a disappointingly old fashioned, slow, loud and inaccurate autofocus (AF) drive, combined with the lack of any image stabilization.



So I end up to only use this zoom if I have enough time to focus manually and I carry a mono- or tripod with me. Shooting with the EF 300 mm beams me then from the stone age of photography to the current state of the art. It is such a pleasure to use! It is still light enough for hand-held shots, the AF is so quick that you really can try to catch flying birds, and it works silently and precisely. The IS system is not Canon's latest generation but very reliable. In practise you win about 2-3 aperture stops, i.e. even hand-hold shots at about 1/100 s are basically sharp (if the subject isn't too fast of course).



The most important argument in favorite of the EF 300 mm f/4L IS USM is its superiour picture quality. In particular I love it's soft, harmonic bokeh (background blur). The Tamron zoom does not meet this nice bokeh completely though it is not bad and - like many zooms - it can produce some visible chromatic aberration (CA) under bright contrasty conditions. With the EF 300 mm you never have to worry about CA. Since the pictures are so sharp I can well accept in macro situations, that Canon's 300 mm provides "only" a 0.24 magnification (the Tamron 1:1), because crops of the 300 mm tele pictures still look very good. Personally, I can accept light-hardedly the limitations of a prime lens. If I cannot catch the whole bird within the frame I shoot its portrait and am happy with the fantastic result.



Pros:

- extremely sharp already with open aperture

- no issues with chromatic aberration

- no issues with vignetting (at least not with a crop DSLR such as a EOS 40/50D or a Rebel body)

- wonderful bokeh (background blur)

- silent, fast and accurate AF

- very good 2-mode IS (one mode for standard situations, one for quickly moving objects)

- professional L quality, perfect look & feel

- closest distance of 1.5 m opens up serious macro potential (versus 2.5 m of the faster and bigger 300 mm f/2.8 L IS USM)

- makes effectively a decent 480 mm tele lens on a crop DSLR with a smaller sensor (such as the 50D)

- f 4.0 is still fast enough to combine it with a tele extender: I use Kenko's very sharp Kenko 1.4X PRO 300 TeleconverterDG-Canon EOS which delivers effectively a huge 672 mm tele lens on a crop DSLR (it slows down AF but still can produce acceptably sharp results)

- still light enough for hand-held shots

- nice retractable "slide and screw" lens hood

- very well balanced in the hand, even with a small rebel body

- expensive, but still good price-performance ratio.



Cons:

- AF sometimes hunts if the background is vivid: therefore I programmed my 50D so I can stop this with its AF-ON button

- f 4.0 is okay but faster f 2.8 would be, of course, sometimes better (freezing fast movements in particular drives crop DSLR users quickly to noisier ISO 800+ settings)

- well, finally: it's a pity that physics will never allow to create any zoom with such a prime lenses' amazing image quality!



So, if you can accept the limits of a prime lens and it's price level, I can highly recommend you this 300 mm tele.

 "Leave The Monopod Collar Attachment on when hand holding" 2009-09-14
By J. Gwinn (West Virginia USA)
It is hard to imagine the f2.8 version being superior in most shooting conditions. The fact this lens is so much lighter & portable you open up a whole vista of angles very quickly due to hand holding vs the monopod dependent big brother version. Sharpness & color saturation is excellent. I have used this lens in extreme light deprived situations..e.g.,amphitheatre after dark shooting 200+ feet from subjects on a concession building rooftop. Could quickly pan the stage from either side. The image stabilizer was great. With a good brace 1/20-30 of a second is possible. With a full frame sensor camera at high ISO you get great results from this little gem.



Sports photography? Are you kidding me? This is a great lens. I took shots from the upper deck/40 yard line at the University Of Tennessee/Neyland Stadium with my canon rebel XT...even from that vantage point you can crop down & see the eyes/ expressions of the players @ midfield during the coin toss.



Why leave the collar on? For me at least it aids in helping with a more steady brace while hand holding. The bottom part of the collar is flat & helps to balance/acts as a fulcrum to balance the body & lens.

 "Handheld telephoto!" 2009-07-30
By Comdet
I prefer using my telephoto lenses while on the hoof (rather than plant myself somewhere with it fixed on a tripod) so I was in the market for a reasonably priced ($1000-$2000) Canon telephoto with image stabilization. This one, the 300mm, was the longest range I could get for my target price with IS. I worried it wouldn't be long enough and I'd miss the extra 100mm (I sold my 400mm without IS in order to fund the purchase of the 300mm) but what I gained is so much more valuable to me - I can now, with the lens on an APS-size sensor camera, have a handhold-able, walkaround 480mm-equivalent lens (it was impossible for me to handhold the 400mm) - and as a result, I take it out to play much more often than I did the 400mm.



Add a 1.4x teleconverter to that and you have well over 600mm - and this lens is of such a good build quality that it easily handles a teleconverter with no noticeable loss of image quality (although I hear that with the 2x teleconverter the loss in quality is noticeable).



This is quite simply an excellent lens, good contrast and sharp, sharp, sharp. I've been very pleased with this purchase.




Images Product

Buy Canon EF 300mm f/4L IS USM Telephoto Lens for Canon SLR Cameras Now

Canon EF 35mm f/1.4L USM Wide Angle Lens for Canon SLR Cameras

Buy Cheap Canon EF 35mm f/1.4L USM Wide Angle Lens for Canon SLR Cameras 

Buy Low Price From Here Now
The L-series professional f/1.4 wide-angle lens comes with an aspherical lens element to correct aberrations. The floating system enables high picture quality to be obtained over the entire focusing range. Autofocusing is quick and quiet with rear focusing and ring USM. Full-time manual focusing is also possible.
Readmore

Technical Details

- EF mount; wide-angle lens
- Inner focusing; floating system; aspherical lens; full-time manual focus
- 35mm focal length
- f/1.4 maximum aperture
- Ring-type UltraSonic Motor (USM)
See more technical details

 "A perfect all around lens" 2009-12-21
By S. Li (Lehi, Utah)
Got this lens from Adorama. It's super sharp at even f1.4, IQ is also superb in terms of contrast and color saturation. I use this almost for everything, landscape, portrait. Have not unmounted it from my 5d2 yet since I got it. I use to have a 50mm f/1.4 and it's very soft wide open, although I know it's not a fair comparison against 35L.

 "EF 35mm f/1.4L USM vs. EF 50mm f/1.4 USM" 2009-12-18
By Y. L. Machinsky (Seattle)
This EF 35mm f/1.4 L USM has one remarkable feature that is not widely reviewed.



Recently I had an opportunity to compare (thanks to Glazer's Camera in Seattle) this lens to other prime from Canon EF 50mm f/1.4 USM which is roughly thousand dollars cheaper than 35mm L lens.

Canon's 50mm f/1.4 is a 20+ year's old proven technology in new EF package. Let us set aside the difference of 35mm vs. 50mm.



Is there a reason to spend around $1,400 for EF 35mm f/1.4L USM?

You can have "non L" 35mm lens or EF 50mm f/1.4 USM for $400.

The short answer is. I do not have 50mm lens anymore.



The reasons are:



1. Both lenses are sharp. Just forget all the zooms. Zooms are convenient, but have much more glass elements in the path. Honestly, that 50mm prime was even sharper in a pristine way. It has fewer elements in the path. But for some reason sharpness was not as consistent. Maybe L lens has better autofocus motor. L lens is heavy as well, so "Ease of use" attribute has four stars.

2. The main reason I do not have 50mm lens and kept EF 35mm f/1.4 L USM is;

There is something about consistency in picture quality when working with

EF 35mm f/1.4 L USM lens. And this is not about sharpness alone.



Here are some problems with EF 50mm f/1.4 USM.

This lens has somewhat shallow light latitude. When the light is on the low side, colors of the faces tend to be more reddish. (Too much work on Photoshop to fix 200+ pictures).

When there was too much light, my highlights were blown really fast. (White, white spots on faces). With film that was not a problem; film could handle light overloads better, but digital sensors have less tolerance to those extremes.

To my surprise EF 35mm f/1.4 L USM did not have that problem. Colors of the faces were consistent throughout several stops. I am talking about using the same camera body and all settings auto. Go figure.

 "Awesome." 2009-11-30
By Laplace Transform (Baltimore)
Awesome lens, 'nuff said. You'll know when you're ready for it, and when you are, just buy the damn thing and stop thinking about it.

 "delightful, especially for outdoor photos" 2009-10-05
By Neurasthenic (New York City, New York)
I expect many people buy this as a "L" equivalent to a 50mm lens on a camera with an APS-C sensor. However, I use it with a full frame digital camera or with 35mm film, and for me, this is one of Canon's essential primes. Together with their 135mm f2L, and a good 50mm lens, the 35mm f1.4L completes the kit. The angle is sometimes too wide for good coverage with a single flash, and I almost never use more elaborate lighting setups, so I am typically left using this lens in natural light. It is best in those cases where you can get relatively close to the subject (else the background becomes overwhelming). As with all L lenses, it feels solid and produces excellent results. The crispness of the image all the way to the corner of the frame allows me to compose an image however I like without worrying much about optical 'sweet spots' in the lens.



I have also photographed urban settings with this lens -- Times Square at night; the ruins of the Renaissance ballroom at dusk. Such photos don't drive my photography but I take them sometimes for context or because an image strikes me, and this lens handles them beautifully.

 "My favorite L Prime Lens" 2009-08-16
By Hidenori Inagaki
I have this lens for very long time, and it is still one of the most frequently used L Prime for my assignment.

Indeed, this lens has been very popular among commercial photographer who are doing full body portrait, in the particular market, this lens is often considered as premier portrait lens.



I will not go into the wisdom of using 35mm as a portrait lens since it is really up to the judgment of individual photographer.



In general, there are two type of people using this lens for professional purpose.



Former is people who are shooting architecture/landscape and latter is people shooting portrait.



While I do not use this lens much for commercial landscape photography purpose, I used this lens a lot for commercial portrait purpose.



For the particular type of model...very often female model, I often do the model interview with this lens alone to determine how well this model will work with my project.





This lens works really well with particular type of model. And since I worked with Far East market frequently on commercial/magazine assignment, this type of lens work out very well and indeed became workhorse of my production.

You have to be mindful, 35mm focal length is bit tricky to do portrait. So, you have to be careful with type of model you are using.





It is also very useful for low available light situation, so I see some wedding photographer used them.

Some of events photographer also love to use this for similar reason, and it seemed to work well with capturing child etc.



However, I only see limited satisfied amateur user of this lens... while I am teaching photography lesson.



It is may be because it makes very little economic sense for amateur user who are shooting landscape or family portrait.

This 35mm lens focal length are well covered by many reputable L zoom lens including 16-35, 17-40, 24-105, 24-70 and other. All of them are excellent L lens, and will do wonder for the most of landscape or portrait project. Zoom lens actually makes better economic argument in many occasion.



As far as difference from L zoom lens concern, you won't notice much until you started to enlarge to considerable size.



To be honest, not all of my 35mm focal length shoot on commercial assignment used this prime lens either... and that is even for the people who shoot staged subject in studio. So, you can guess how often prime lens is used for journalistic type of photography.



So, be sure you need this particular lens or you will be disappointed.



Faster Aperture alone normally won't justify this lens.



But if you know you need this lens, and your assignment or project demand this lens. Why wait.



You really have to look at its performance when it is stop down to f2.8~f4 where many of money shot using this lens are created.

For people who are not sure about taking plunge to the L prime lens, I strongly suggest to rent this lens for a week or more, so you will be sure you needed this lens for your particular style.





Major Advantage are:



1. F1.4 Aperture really help for low available light portrait situation, and ideal for indoor use.

2. Very nice portrait lens for particular type of production.

3. Work wonderfully on both full size sensor camera as well as 1.6x body.

4. Build quality is excellent

5. Very sharp, sharp enough to convince you that your L lens prime is worth the price. Very useful for spread or any other large assignment.





Major Disadvantage are:



1.Cost as much as L zoom lens that does not sit well for many people.

2.Prime lens is inherently limited as a workaround lens, so I wold go for L zoom lens if I have to choose lens on the travel.

3.35mm is not going to work well with particular type of people as head portrait lens, so if you are going to buy your first L prime lens for portrait purpose, it is might be safer to buy 50/f1.2 or 85/f1.2




Images Product

Buy Canon EF 35mm f/1.4L USM Wide Angle Lens for Canon SLR Cameras  Now