06-06-2010, 09:09 AM
Of the mentioned lenses I only have the 85mm f/1.8, which I've only given limited use.
Easy one first, the lens hood. It clips onto a ring at the front of the lens. Personally I prefer a bayonnet fitting as it feels more secure. In practice, the lens seems well resistant to flare even with filter fitted and no hood, so I wouldn't rate this as essential. I don't bother with one even in direct sunlight.
The lens' biggest weakness is colour fringing. High brightness areas (such as near-blown highlights) have a purple fringe at or in front of the plane of focus, and green fringing behind. This is significant even when stopped down to f/2.8 or so. Small white objects and reflections can be a nightmare in direct sunlight. Putting aside the colour fringing, the bokeh looks good to me as long as you have enough subject to background separation.
My sample front focuses, but this was easy to tune out with body micro-adjust. I don't have any complaint on sharpness even wide open (on 7D).
Easy one first, the lens hood. It clips onto a ring at the front of the lens. Personally I prefer a bayonnet fitting as it feels more secure. In practice, the lens seems well resistant to flare even with filter fitted and no hood, so I wouldn't rate this as essential. I don't bother with one even in direct sunlight.
The lens' biggest weakness is colour fringing. High brightness areas (such as near-blown highlights) have a purple fringe at or in front of the plane of focus, and green fringing behind. This is significant even when stopped down to f/2.8 or so. Small white objects and reflections can be a nightmare in direct sunlight. Putting aside the colour fringing, the bokeh looks good to me as long as you have enough subject to background separation.
My sample front focuses, but this was easy to tune out with body micro-adjust. I don't have any complaint on sharpness even wide open (on 7D).
<a class="bbc_url" href="http://snowporing.deviantart.com/">dA</a> Canon 7D2, 7D, 5D2, 600D, 450D, 300D IR modified, 1D, EF-S 10-18, 15-85, EF 35/2, 85/1.8, 135/2, 70-300L, 100-400L, MP-E65, Zeiss 2/50, Sigma 150 macro, 120-300/2.8, Samyang 8mm fisheye, Olympus E-P1, Panasonic 20/1.7, Sony HX9V, Fuji X100.