Luminous Landscape Forum

Equipment & Techniques => Digital Cameras & Shooting Techniques => Topic started by: bellimages on February 26, 2008, 07:47:26 pm

Title: What fixed (normal) lens is best?
Post by: bellimages on February 26, 2008, 07:47:26 pm
I own these three Canon lens (see below). I'd like to purchase a normal focal length "macro" lens. From what I see in Canon's lineup there are none offered in the "L" series. Any idea why? I've always invested the extra bucks to get the best quality lens.

16-35L f 2.8
24-70L f 2.8
70-200L f 4.0
Title: What fixed (normal) lens is best?
Post by: DarkPenguin on February 26, 2008, 08:44:46 pm
What?!?
Title: What fixed (normal) lens is best?
Post by: Er1kksen on February 27, 2008, 05:43:10 pm
Usually L lenses are exotic for some reason due to large apertures or something of that sort... there are non-L macro lenses from Canon that are probably sharper than many of their L lenses, I believe one was the 60mm macro, and there were some in the 100 to 150mm range as well that are quite good.

L doesn't necessarily designate the highest optical quality, or you could make a cheap 85mm f5.6 and call it an L lens. It might not be the most useful lens ever built, but it could be very, very sharp... there are non-L lenses that match L lenses optically, the difference is in things like speed and versatility.
Title: What fixed (normal) lens is best?
Post by: DarkPenguin on February 27, 2008, 05:54:37 pm
Quote
I own these three Canon lens (see below). I'd like to purchase a normal focal length "macro" lens. From what I see in Canon's lineup there are none offered in the "L" series. Any idea why? I've always invested the extra bucks to get the best quality lens.

16-35L f 2.8
24-70L f 2.8
70-200L f 4.0
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L series lenses are as much about build quality as they are image quality. There are non L's with the same image quality.  Not so the build.