Samsung EV-NX100 14.6 MP Digital Camera with 20-55mm Zoom Lens Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)This is a nice little camera. It is no DSLR, but it has LOTS of features. The iLens is a handy feature when you'd like to have control of your lens and pictures. The only downside is the noise in the higher iso range compared to similar cameras. I like the versatility of the lenses. they are all superb quality. The form factor is a little awkard but you get use to it. The on/off switch is in an inconvient position just wonder how it will hold up over time. The battery door is also a little flimsy also concerned about durability, but over all this is a nice alternative to a quick shoot when you don't won't to drag around a full sized DSLR. I am having fun with the camera and can't wait to try out new lenses. The iLens future is superb!


Click Here to see more reviews about: Samsung EV-NX100 14.6 MP Digital Camera with 20-55mm Zoom Lens

Hybrid with expanded lens system

Get 37% OFF

Click here for more information about Samsung EV-NX100 14.6 MP Digital Camera with 20-55mm Zoom Lens

Read More...

Sony Cybershot DSC-H9 8MP Digital Camera with 15x Optical Image Stabilization Zoom Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I bought this camera because the technical specs appealed to me. But when I read all the critical comments I was beginning to feel I made a mistake.
Some critics claim that certain features were missing in the H9 that were listed in the specs before the camera was released. No doubt, that's not cool. Also, I haven't figured out how to set ISO levels. Probably I never will because the H9 insists of doing it for me. And then there is the lack of RAW storage.
I have all these features in other cameras I own. And although it's nice to know it's all there if I want it, I have to admit I don't use these features all that often.
As other bridge cameras with advanced features, the H9 caught the attention of many people in the upper segments of the market who then were dismayed to discover its technical parameters.
On the other end of the spectrum, the H9 may be a bit too sophisticated for the point-and-shoot crowd to take full advantage of what it is capable of. The fact that the manual is almost unreadable doesn't help.
Now to the good part:
1. I haven't had that much fun with a camera in a long time. The H9 is light enough to accompany me almost everywhere, and I get a lot of terrific shots that I used to miss out on because I didn't feel like dragging around my heavy equipment. Because it is a super zoom, no shots are lost because I have to change lenses.
2. The macro function is nothing short of sensational.
3. I have been able to take amazing shots with the lens all the way out to 480.
4. The H9 is fast - no shutter delay and super fast storage of images
5. No matter what I throw at the H9, it seems to handle it beautifully. I am sure I will figure out its limitations
as I go along and learn to respect them. The more I get to know this camera, the more it grows on me.

6. The large semi-flexible screen is a real plus, particularly for candid shots.
Well, as this generation of super zooms go, the plusses more than outweigh the minuses.


Click Here to see more reviews about: Sony Cybershot DSC-H9 8MP Digital Camera with 15x Optical Image Stabilization Zoom

Click here for more information about Sony Cybershot DSC-H9 8MP Digital Camera with 15x Optical Image Stabilization Zoom

Read More...

Panasonic Lumix DMC-GF3 12.1 MP Micro Four Thirds Interchangeable Lens Digital Camera with 3-Inch Touchscreen and 14mm F2.5 ASPH Lens Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)This Panasonic GF3 is a rather impressive camera that can take VERY sharp pictures with really good IQ/Dynamic range, and color overall. Besides my love for Photography I also enjoy using the best of the best cameras in their category if I can afford them. I have owned, or own the Canon S95/Fuji X100/ Sony NEX-5, Had the original E-P1, Had the GF1 prior.
I have been searching forever for a VERY SMALL camera that can take DSLR like pictures. Though the GF1 did have a little bit more manual control than the GF1 does, for instance even flash compensation..I can't seem to find that adjustment on this GF3. Even cheap point and shoots often let you change the amount of flash you will use, That's one con here.
Overall though, though using the same sensor as the older GF1 and GF2 my pictures from my GF3 look BETTER overall as to color, noise, IN focus, virtually no Moire pattern problems..the GF1 had a lot of Moire pattern noise, the GF3 seems much cleaner.
The GF3 has something called pinpoint focus. It works GREAT and so super fast. You choose ANY point on the lcd you want to focus on, drag the POINT where you want it. Press the shutter 1/2 way down..you can focus on just an eye or any small spot you like. The screen will first show you an enlarged view so you KNOW you have perfect focus..that's a great plus being able to have picture after picture IN focus. Also depending upon what focus mode you choose the focus speed is rocket fast on this camera and usually quite accurate. Pictures outdoors look as good as a high quality DSLR as to overall dynamic range, very little highlight clipping, color..and the 14 mm lens has virtually no purple fringing. The reason for just four stars is though the GF3 is pretty good up to 800iso ..you still see a bit too much noise and yellow splotches on jpegs indoors unless the light is rather bright or you use 400 iso and under. It's too bad there's no in camera image stabilization like Olympus does..another con if you are using the 14mm lens or the 1.7 aperture lens here. My Fuji x100 can use iso 2000 in poor light and still look amazing. BUT the x100 has a full sized sensor and is a fixed lens camera..and it's much more expensive and larger than the GF3, so not a fair comparison.
Overall as to overall picture quality, SMALL FORM factor, this camera with LARGE sensor is almost the exact same size as the Pana LX5 which I also own...you just can't beat the GF3 overall,as far as the camera you CAN take with you..vs some bulky heavy camera that will drag you down.
I have not used the video function as it is not important to me so I can't comment about that.
I like the pictures from this GF3 overall a bit more than my NEX-5 because the NEX-5 pics to me all look all a bit too soft..it mis focuses too often..and NEX color seems a bit too saturated..(Just not right). That said, the NEX5 blows away the GF3 on high iso..hence it depends how you are going to use your camera most.
Overall..I think most people will really like the GF3. Sure if you NEED a hot shoe..obviously it doesn't have one. For me if I'm going to use a hot shoe..It's going to defeat some of the SMALL factor, so why bother with a small camera like this in the first place. I applaud Panasonic for getting most things right here. The touchscreen works just fine, you just need get used to it. It's 2011..maybe this will be the way of the future, change is often painful..:)
Overall..this is an excellent camera..maybe a tad overpriced I feel..but an excellent camera on most points.


Click Here to see more reviews about: Panasonic Lumix DMC-GF3 12.1 MP Micro Four Thirds Interchangeable Lens Digital Camera with 3-Inch Touchscreen and 14mm F2.5 ASPH Lens

Panasonic's LUMIX DMC-GF3 realizes all the features you want from a bulky DSLR interchangeable lens camera, only it accomplishes this in an ultra compact point-and-shoot camera body about as wide and tall as a typical smart phone yet is lightweight and simple to master. This remarkable reduction in size and weight is thanks to advancements in new mirror-free camera technology, and large DSLR format sensors that are more compatible with a new class of compact Micro Four Thirds (MFT) System lenses. This new class of Compact System Cameras (CSC) offers a weight and compactness not seen in traditional DSLRs, yielding greater portability and creative control. The DMC-GF3's image quality comes from a large DSLR-sized 12.1-megapixel sensor and newly advanced image processing technologies. The DMC-GF3 provides a traditional DSLR-like experience without the need for complicated external mode dials, yet provides intuitive and quick access to common modes like Program, Shutter and Aperture Priority, Manual via a touch-enabled LCD that operates much like a smart phone. The DMC-GF3 provides a dedicated video button that can be used to switch to video capture quickly without changing modes. At the heart of the DMC-GF3's simplified functionality is a large 3.0-inch LCD (460k- dot) that allows for intuitive touch control of menus and most shooting, focusing, playback and effects controls. Menus can be customized using simple drag-and-drop actions like those on most touch-enabled smartphones. This allows for a custom user interface, giving Quick Menu access to functions that can be tailored to any user's expertise level. Using the touch-screen operation, a user can lock onto a subject, enabling AF Tracking in both still and video modes. When you're ready to shoot, the subject will be in focus and ready to capture.

Click here for more information about Panasonic Lumix DMC-GF3 12.1 MP Micro Four Thirds Interchangeable Lens Digital Camera with 3-Inch Touchscreen and 14mm F2.5 ASPH Lens

Read More...

Tamron AF 180mm f/3.5 Di SP A/M FEC LD (IF) 1:1 Macro Lens for Canon Digital SLR Cameras Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I am professional photographer specializing in botanical and nature photography. I bought the Tamron 180 lens after many years of using the equally great 90mm macro. I love the 90mm but was looking for a lens with greater working distance and better ability to control backgrounds. The 180mm has proven to be excellent optically as well as ergonomically well designed. The light weight, for its size, coupled with the very intuitive af-mf push-pull design are great in the field. I work at Fairchild Tropical Botanical Garden. For images taken with the above lens, please visit [...].
Regards

Click Here to see more reviews about: Tamron AF 180mm f/3.5 Di SP A/M FEC LD (IF) 1:1 Macro Lens for Canon Digital SLR Cameras

Great for a soft, out-of-focus background effect and high contrast, outstanding image quality. An IF system maintains the overall length of the lens while focusing. Two LD glass elements compensate for chromatic aberration. Angle of view: 14°. Macro magnification of 1:1. Item Specifications: Product Description: Tamron SP B01 - macro lens - 180 mm Weight: 32.4 oz Length: 7 in Min Focus Range: 18.5 in Lens System: Macro lens Lens Aperture: F/3.5 Focus Adjustment: Automatic, manual Focal Length: 180 mm Mounting Type: Canon EF Lens Construction: 11 group(s) / 14 element(s) Filter Size: 72 mm Special Functions: Macro

Click here for more information about Tamron AF 180mm f/3.5 Di SP A/M FEC LD (IF) 1:1 Macro Lens for Canon Digital SLR Cameras

Read More...

Pentax DA 40mm f/2.8 Ultra Compact Lens for Pentax and Samsung Digital SLR Cameras Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)After using the old Pentax-M 40mm pancake for a while, I decided to get this DA Limited version. 40mm on a Pentax dSLR is a great focal length for portraits and for regular walk-around use. The 1.5x multiplier of Pentax dSLRs makes the focal length work out to the equivalent of 60mm on a 35mm film camera.
The f/2.8 aperture is nice and fast, especially if you're coming from the kit lenses. It's fast enough to take pictures indoors (shake reduction doesn't hurt either) and creates a pretty narrow depth of field for portraits.
The super compact size makes my K100D feel very light and easy to carry around. It's perfect for outings where you'll end up taking pictures of people and close objects.
The autofocusing is super fast and I haven't seen it hunt around like my DA 18-55mm and 50-200mm lenses.
Pros:
- Very fast autofocus. Doesn't seem to hunt around like the kit lenses.
- f/2.8 makes it pretty fast and very usable, especially with shake reduction. The sharpness is decent at f/2.8.
- Super compact and light. It makes my K100D a lot easier to carry around all day.
- Great focal length for portraits.
- "Limited" means that it's all metal in construction, which definitely helps this diminutive lens feel nice and solid.
- Works great on some film bodies! See below.
Cons:
- The lens is so small that there's nothing to hold on to. I often find myself gripping the focus ring while the lens is trying to autofocus.
- I've seen a good amount of purple fringing with this lens wide open. Stopping down a bit quickly clears it up though.
Overall, this is a great lens for traveling. The cons that I listed can easily be fixed with some practice and good technique.
Edit 11/27/07: One interesting thing to note is that this lens works on film bodies without vignetting. However, keep in mind that this is a DA lens so there is no aperture ring! Cameras like the ZX/MZ-5n, ZX-10, etc. don't have a dial to control the aperture so this lens is really only useful in full auto or Tv modes. This lens works perfectly on the *ist film, ZX-L/MZ-6, MZ/ZX-7, PZ-1(P) or any other Pentax film body that has a dial for aperture control.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Pentax DA 40mm f/2.8 Ultra Compact Lens for Pentax and Samsung Digital SLR Cameras

Click here for more information about Pentax DA 40mm f/2.8 Ultra Compact Lens for Pentax and Samsung Digital SLR Cameras

Read More...

Manfrotto 055CXPRO3 Carbon Fiber 3 Section Tripod with Q90 Column and Magnesium Castings (Black) Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)Really, you won't believe how light this thing is until you see it in the flesh and actually pick it up.
It's very nicely made (100% carbon fiber in the legs, and magnesium castings). It's solid as a rock, too. The base plate has a bubble level in it (moderately useful), and three set screws that push against your tripod head to make the head/tripod connection absolutely tight.
The 90 degree column rotation feature works very well. I haven't used it yet, but I'm guessing that it'll be quite useful for certain shots. You can get the tripod very low via the adjustable leg angles.
I use the tripod with a Manfrotto 488rc2. I think it's a very nice combination. Very light and very solid.
One more thing: this tripod is TALL, and that's a good thing. I'm 6'1", and with the legs extended, my Nikon D300 is right at eye level. Why is that good? Well, it means that for most (if not all) shots, I don't need to extend the center column. That makes the entire setup just that much more unshakeable.
400 bucks is quite a bit of money, but I think I got what I paid for.
P.S. I got Manfrotto's 055SPK2 spiked feet (Amazon). They have rubber feet with an extendable hardened aluminum spike in the middle. Very nice. If you get them, be careful during the install--you need to wedge the feet open so they slide onto the tripod legs without catching. A little water helps here too, and will evaporate when you're done.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Manfrotto 055CXPRO3 Carbon Fiber 3 Section Tripod with Q90 Column and Magnesium Castings (Black)

Click here for more information about Manfrotto 055CXPRO3 Carbon Fiber 3 Section Tripod with Q90 Column and Magnesium Castings (Black)

Read More...

SU-800 Wireless Speedlight Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)First of all if you want a general purpose, reliable, long distance remote trigger, you really should look into Radio Popper, Cactus, PovertyWizard, and such. Don't get me wrong, there's a place and time to use RP, Cactus, PW, and the SU-800. They all have their niches. For example when I go shoot outdoors where I place the flash units far away from the camera, I'll use the PW-- you get superior range over the SU-800, and good reliability. However it is very expensive, and the older PW units don't have TTL so if you don't set your power setting correctly the first time you end up having to walk to/from different flash units to change their power setting. I've not used Radio Popper myself but I've heard good things about it since it preserves TTL functionality. As for Cactus, it's very cheap, but also has limited range and is not as reliable as the other alternatives. In all cases, these are 3rd party vendor solutions with yet one more piece of equipment (battery, configuration, etc) to worry about, and one more point of failure in your day-to-day shoot.
On the other hand... if you're shooting indoors, or doing on-site portrait work, this is THE remote unit to use. In the literature, the range of this commander unit is 66 feet. However, in practice, I've seen it vary between 30-50 feet, and almost always line of sight. If I'm indoors, I prefer this unit because it is very light and you will not feel any extra weight on your camera. So despite the lack of range, I still love the SU800. It offers a fully integrated Nikon CLS solution, and is simply easy to use when you do portrait work. i-TTL is built in with 3 channels so you can adjust power (or not have to think about power at all when you do portrait work). Sure, the built in commander flash in D80/90/200/300/D700 is nice, but they only have 2 channels, and frequently the pre-flash from those cameras makes people blink excessively. On the SU-800 there is no preflash so you can take pictures of people and pets without bothering them with the preflash, and you end up having more usable shots. In addition, this is a must have accessory if you're doing very low light, no flash, walk-around shooting using SU-800's discrete red light focus beam. Yes you can achieve the same on the SB-800/900 by turning off flash and only enabling the red AF-assist, but they weigh a lot more, and make the camera very bulky. Lastly, this is a nice item to have with the R1C1 kit, though not absolutely necessary since you can use the on-camera flash, and macros aren't usually affected by the on-camera flash.
The SB-800 and SB-900 have commander units too, and when you point them towards other flashes in the commander mode, the range is about 50% greater than that of SU-800: I've gotten about 50 feet of range with the SU-800, and about 75-80 feet of range with the SB-800 and SB-900. Clear line of sight (from the commander to the optical receiver) is the key. The down-side to using SB-800/900 as commanders is that they weigh a lot more, and they emit pre-flash making people blink more than necessary.
I'm giving it 4 stars because it does extremely well for what it was designed and built for-- indoor portrait commander device. If Nikon came out with a longer range radio unit, I'd give it 5 stars, but that was not what the SU-800 was originally designed for. For outdoor strobists, I still recommend radio signal commander/receiver alternatives, at a price of course.

Click Here to see more reviews about: SU-800 Wireless Speedlight

Get 26% OFF

Click here for more information about SU-800 Wireless Speedlight

Read More...

Tokina ATX107PRODXC 10-17/3.5-4.5 AT-X 107 Pro DX AF Fisheye Wideangle Canon Digital SLR Zoom Lens USA - Canon EOS Lens Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)Pros:
- This lens is very well built. It feels solid.
- For the price, it goes to F3.5, which is as good or better than similarly priced lenses.
- I wanted a dramatic fisheye effect and this lens certainly delivers.
Cons:
- When used with a camera like the EOS 20D, it does not support flashes like the 550EX. The flash simply becomes disabled.
Overall:
If you usually buy L series lenses, you will find the limitations of this lens as a disappointment. However, if you usually stick to the more budget priced lenses, then you will likely enjoy this lens. It is a fine fisheye for the price.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Tokina ATX107PRODXC 10-17/3.5-4.5 AT-X 107 Pro DX AF Fisheye Wideangle Canon Digital SLR Zoom Lens USA - Canon EOS Lens

Click here for more information about Tokina ATX107PRODXC 10-17/3.5-4.5 AT-X 107 Pro DX AF Fisheye Wideangle Canon Digital SLR Zoom Lens USA - Canon EOS Lens

Read More...

Manfrotto 055CXPRO4 Carbon Fiber 4 Section Tripod with Q90 Column and Magnesium Castings (Black) Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)Aside from being a carbon fiber tripod from a reputable manufacturer the design of this tripod can be a real problem for photographers who need stability. Not too long ago I stopped by my local photography store to buy a new tripod for a mjor interior photography project. The store only had this carbon fiber tripod in stock.
In principle I was open to buying it, but testing it revealed two problems that were compromising stability. First, the fourth, and last from the ground up, telescopic legs were too slim and flimsy to hold the tripod firmly. Any slight bump and the tripod would shift position. If you do commercial photography that can be a nightmare. Second, the pro head while very convenient in its function introduced too much vibration to the center columns which is prone by nature to be a weak point. The pro system made it weaker.
Given I was happy with my previous aluminum (still own it) tripod design I was happy to buy the carbon fiber version of that tripod which is the 055CX3. That tripod closed length is 61cm, the 055CXPRO4 closed length on the other hand is 54cm. That is a 7cm difference only. The 055CXPRO4 was designed with 4 section instead of 3 to make it close shorter, thus the 7cm difference seems just too small. Given the loss of stability and generally higher price of this tripod I found this to be unacceptable and placed a special order for 055CX3 and just continued to use my older aluminum tripod in the mean time.
Based on my experience I can't recommend this tripod for photographers looking for very stable tripod. That being said if you are still very intrigued by its features you might want to check it out in person first before ordering it. Or if you don't mind the shorter maximum height and the lower maximum weight carrying capacity the 190CXPRO3 is very compact closed and lighter in general.


Click Here to see more reviews about: Manfrotto 055CXPRO4 Carbon Fiber 4 Section Tripod with Q90 Column and Magnesium Castings (Black)

Get 31% OFF

Click here for more information about Manfrotto 055CXPRO4 Carbon Fiber 4 Section Tripod with Q90 Column and Magnesium Castings (Black)

Read More...

Olympus 14-54mm f/2.8-3.5 II AF Zuiko Lens for Olympus Digital SLR Cameras Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I have the 11-22mm Oly lens (which is a fabulous lens) but wanted a little longer coverage for day-to-day use. Rave reviews for the original version of this lens convinced me I needed it. The 12-60mm is another highly rated lens, but I have the wide end covered, so this was a great alternative. It's also several hundred dollars cheaper, so it was an easy choice for me.
My E-30 can take advantage of the 'High-speed imager AF' for use in LiveView, but some other Oly cameras cannot so you might as well get the original 14-54mm in that case if you can. That's really the only thing the "II" model brings to the table.
It's a beautiful lens, with superb image quality as its predecessor is well-known for. There are lots of reviews and tests out on the web, they all agree on what a great lens this is. The 12-60mm is certainly a top lens, so if you want things a little wider and longer, it may be the right choice for you if you only have room for one lens. This one would not let you down though!

Click Here to see more reviews about: Olympus 14-54mm f/2.8-3.5 II AF Zuiko Lens for Olympus Digital SLR Cameras

Click here for more information about Olympus 14-54mm f/2.8-3.5 II AF Zuiko Lens for Olympus Digital SLR Cameras

Read More...

Canon EF 180mm f3.5L Macro USM AutoFocus Telephoto Lens for Canon SLR Cameras Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)May I introduce you to one of the least know and yet most superb lenses Canon makes. You probably even stumbled on to this page by accident, looking for another Canon lens, looking at various macros, or even just intrigued by this higher-priced lens you've probably never even considered.
Let me just say this about this lens: Ultra sharp. Ultra colorful. Ultra contrast. Ultra solid.
Like everybody else, I initially bought this lens for its macro. The 60mm and 100mm options were a lot cheaper, but my collection is entirely L-class and I'd learned to trust putting gobs of money into the lenses with the red ring. So I put my money where my L-faith is and went with this lens. Needless to say, my faith was rewarded again.
Yeah, sure it's got the 1.0x macro capability, and this is important. But what I wasn't expecting was the image quality. It is unbelievably good. Now I'm not somebody who's taking his first trip into L land and comparing this lens to the $300 run-of-the-mill glass. I've used six L-class lenses significantly and I'm comparing this lens' image quality to THOSE.
You will find yourself using this lens as much as its 180mm focal length and f/3.5 aperture dictates. The lens is versatile both as a super-fine telephoto and as a 1.0x macro.
The macro capability is the main feature. 1.0x macro literally means that a 35mm wide object will completely fill a 35mm frame. Basically, it's a small microscope. If you dare to dial in the aperture to the wide-open f/3.5, the DOF is approximately that of the thickness of two sheets of writing paper at 1.0x. Needless to say, you'll need a tripod, preferably with macro rails that slide forwards and rearwards for ultimate control.
(For those of you new to macro, focusing the lens changes the magnification factor. So as one focuses the object, the object's size in the viewfinder changes. This is why I mention the macro rails, they allow you to achieve focus and physically move the lens/camera in and out to reachieve the desired composition.)
As a telephoto, due to this lens' superb image quality, it actually produces images of a much greater quality than the 70-200mm f/2.8L IS. (I know firsthand, as I own it too) The difference is in the 70-200mm's versatility. If the light drops too low, the f/2.8 and the IS bests the f/3.5 quite rapidly. If the distance of subjects change quickly or you are unable to move your feet to frame images, the 180mm will be too constricting and the zoom will win. But under conditions where the 180mm f/3.5 can perform unhindered (such as at an airshow or out flower hunting), it will consistantly produce brighter, more saturated, and sharper images than the 70-200mm F/2.8 IS.
There is a complaint that circulates about the slow speed at which this lens autofocuses, expecially annoying when trying to be used as a telephoto. This is actually incorrect. The lens' autofocus drive does infact move very quickly, but it must traverse all the way from infinity to about 4" in front of the lens to find the subject. This is where the wait time comes into effect. Here's the solution: utilizing the AF limiter switch allows you to limit the AF search to only between infinity and about 5' in front of the lens. Consequently, this range is about 10% of the focus range (the other 90% is in between that 5' and the 4"). I no longer experience AF "hunting" problems when trying to use the 180mm as a telephoto.
Some other info about this lens:
The front objective element is actually concave. I think this is the only L lens Canon makes with a concave front element. It's probablyexpensive to replace if an accident should occur, so utilize a UV filter (72mm filter size). I recommend only the B+W or Hoya Multi-coated brands. (Yes they're pricey, but worth it)
The hood for this lens is actually a little too small in my opnion. If shooting a backlit object, I sometimes get the heavy orange glow in the viewfinder soI am forced to use my hand as a "hood extender" and block the sunlight.
For its size, this lens is relatively lightweight. It is much lighter than the 70-200mm F/2.8L IS and easily handholdable for extended periods of time.
This lens is compatible with Canon's extenders. I have personally used it with the 1.4x extender. The results are excellent. While CA and sharpness degrade noticeably on the 70-200mm, this lens shows barely a difference in image quality, except for the change in designation to a 252mm F/5, of course. And add to the fact that the macro capability is now gone from 1.0x to 1.4x, a big bonus.
So for whom does this lens apply?
-Those who neither have a macro or a telephoto prime who desire a single piece that can handle both aspects with excellent results.
-Those who plan on performing professional product photography.
-Those that are looking into serious nature photography (packing this lens with a wide-angle is pretty much all you'll need on a day hike).
What this lens does not do well:
-Low-light photography.
-Event photography.
-Landscapes.
Alternatives:
-60mm/100mm: lesser image quality, less telephoto compression in macro images, no real double-duty as a telephoto, but a whole lot cheaper and wider aperture.
-MP-E 65mm: much greater magnification (5.0x), lower image quality, no telephoto capability, odd design means studio use almost exclusively

Click Here to see more reviews about: Canon EF 180mm f3.5L Macro USM AutoFocus Telephoto Lens for Canon SLR Cameras

Bring small things into full-sized view with the Canon EF 180mm macro USM lens. Macro lenses can uncover detail that would be impossible to detect by the eye and give new perspective to extremely minute subjects such as insects or the petals of a small flower, and this lens is no exception. The 180mm lens offers such features as three UD glass elements and an internal floating system, which combine to minimize aberrations caused by changes in the focusing distance; an advanced ultra-sonic monitor (USM) for high-speed, quiet autofocusing; full-time mechanical manual focusing; and a focusing distance range of 1.57 feet to infinity. Compatible with the EF Extender 1.4x and 2x, the lens carries a one-year warranty.

Focal length: 180mm
Maximum aperture: 1:3.5
Lens construction: 14 elements in 12 groups
Diagonal angle of view: 13 degrees (at 30 feet)
Focus adjustment: Inner focusing system with USM
Closest focusing distance: 1.6 feet
Filter size: 72mm
Dimensions: 3.2 inches in diameter, 7.3 inches long
Weight: 2.4 pounds

Get 41% OFF

Click here for more information about Canon EF 180mm f3.5L Macro USM AutoFocus Telephoto Lens for Canon SLR Cameras

Read More...

Panasonic Lumix DMC-GH2 16.05 MP Live MOS Interchangeable Lens Camera with 3-inch Free-Angle Touch Screen LCD and 14-140mm HD Hybrid Lens (Black) Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)Now I know that is a bold statement and I intend to back it up. However, before I do I need to explain what I mean. I am not saying this camera is the best at everything or even anyone thing. Cameras that are the best at something are usually specialized beasts that can really only do that one thing well. What I am talking about is a camera the is so good in so many categories that it can joyfully be used for just about and photographic or video graphic purpose you may have. The GH2 is that camera.
Now that is out of the way we can get to the meat and potatoes of the review. I shoot mostly Nikon and Panasonic and I primarily shoot stills. I dabble in Video but do not proclaim myself any sort of an expert. I can say if you are looking for the best handling combo/cam with the most features then the GH2 is the one you want. Panasonic went out of its way to make this a video camera so that was its primary focus with this camera. However, there are lots of payoffs for the stills part of this camera so this is the best m4/3 stills camera by a long shot also. I will also say that the hard core video market is a niche market compared to the stills market because shallow depth of field video is hard to shoot properly and hard to edit. The average home user has neither the time nor inclination to properly storyboard and shoot this type of video. However, with that said, it is really nice to be able to shoot stills and video. And basic home videos are a snap to shoot with this camera; much more so than any other DSLR with the exception of the Sony SLT A55/33 which at least has a fast auto focus also. To shoot nice home movies, put the mode dial to iA, press the red button, and you are shooting video.
This camera is the next generation of cameras as it successfully blends the advantages of Point and Shoot cameras with the benefits of DSLRs and creates and incredibly small and powerful camera. Listed below are some of the benefits and weakness you get from this next gen camera.
What's Hot
The handling on the GH2 is bar none the best handling "DSLR" on the market. WIth smart controls, great layout, fast autofocusing, swivel screen, full time double live view, etc. Even with how good the D7000 is, it still feels clunky after using the GH2. I get into most of the details of this down below so I don't want to repeat the info here. What I will say here is that you can do things with this camera you couldn't hope to do with DSLRs and you can generally set up your photo parameters much faster with this camera. The menus on the GH2 are not very good. However, the actual camera controls are so good you will rarely even need to use the menus.
Program Shift - Forget using Aperture priority with this camera. You can leave the camera in Program mode. With program shift you can change the aperture setting and thus the shutter speed while in program mode. To do this you press the shutter release button down half way to set the exposure. Then if the numbers are in yellow you just rotate the rear dial switch to change aperture. Want a shallower depth of field or faster shutter speed, then dial in a bigger aperture (smaller number). If the numbers are not in yellow then you are currently in exposure compensation mode. All you have to do is click the rear dial switch and then rotate it. Snap. What a neat feature.
Extra Tele Convert (ETC) Mode in Video - If you shoot video you are going to love this. This is even great for home/casual video shooters. The GH2 has a 16mp sensor but like every other consumer combo/cam shoots 2K video. That means the picture is usually down-sampled to make it 2K. This has some pluses and minuses. Enter the GH2. With the ETC mode the camera uses only 2K of the sensor. This gives you an extra 2.6x crop factor. Which means your total crop factor is now 5.2x. So that brand spanking new 100-300mm you just got is now 520-1560mm with no light loss. If you put a Nikon 135mm f2 then you now have a 702mm f2! lens for video. There are some drawbacks for using ETC also but they are pretty negligible.
Auto focus - the auto focus on the GH2 is twice as fast as the GH1 and the GH1 was the fastest of previous generation. I have seen some very knowledgeable photographers saying it is as fast as mid-level DSLRs. While I think it is supposed to be a complement I don't think it is a very good comparison. I find the focus speed of DSLRs has most to do with what lens you have on. There are some lenses that focus slowly on even a D3. All of the lenses I have used on the GH1 focus very quickly except the 45-200mm. That lens tends to be my slowest. Non of the lenses I have focus as fast as a 70-200mm f/2.8 but the rest of them focus as fast if not faster than any of the other Nikon lenses I own. The best I can say about this is that you won't notice the focus speed on the GH2 as it is fast enough to get out of your way.
Smaller lighter camera - I recently went on a trip to Egypt and carried nothing but my Panasonic gear. Two camera bodies, 5 lenses, 1 flash, an iPad, and camera bag. Total weight 10lbs (3lbs of that was the bag itself). My Nikon D300 and 14-24mm lens would have weight more just by themselves (I was carrying the Panasonic 7-14mm so I did have wide covered)
Swivel Screen with full-time live view - You won't know what you are missing until you become used to this and how well it works. Want to reach up as high as you can and shoot down; No problems. Want to get as low as possible but can't lay down in the mud or water; No problem. Want to take a picture of you and your daughter but there is nobody around; No problem. Turn the screen around aim the camera at you and use the screen to frame. Something that makes photos interesting is showing the viewer something from a perspective they don't often see. The swivel screen actively encourages this. The other thing the swivel screen does is make shooting from a tripod a joy. Because of how small and light this camera is you can use a much smaller tripod. I have a 3lb tripod that can support 7lbs. Also, you can now set you camera up in all sorts of whacky positions and just rotate the screen to be able to frame and focus. Very nice. Also, with no mirror to flip up you don't have to worry about any vibrations.
Touch Focus implemented as slick as on the iPhone. As I mentioned above you can shoot from many strange angles because you can swivel the screen to almost any angle. However, if the camera did not focus on what you wanted it would be hard to change it. Now you can simply touch the screen on what you want to focus and presto it will focus on that. The GH2 is worth the price just for that.
WYSIWYG - What you see is what you get. Since you are looking at either the screen or the beautiful EVF, you are seeing what the sensor sees. With a DSLR you are seeing what the lens sees. This is an important difference. If you forgot to reset your WB or Aperture or any camera setting, you will see it before you shoot. On a DSLR you would have no idea until you looked at the pictures. Also, if it is a low light situation, the EVF will start to noise up and start to lose some of its smoothness. This is a warning to you that you need to use flash or a tripod. With a DSLR the viewer becomes darker but you don't get a very good visual cue of how your camera is seeing it. For me the most brilliant thing with WYSIWYG is setting exposure. Because I can see what the camera is doing with exposure, I usually leave the camera in P mode. Then I change the exposure by changing where I aim the camera, lock the exposure and then reframe for the subject. It works something like this. I am trying to take a picture of a person but the exposure is picking up to many bright objects, thereby dimming my subject. So, I aim the camera to include more dark areas while keeping my subject in the shoot. Then I press the shutter release button down half way to lock the exposure and focus. Then I reframe back to the original photo. This works so quickly you can try several exposures in less time than you could set one with the exposure compensation dial (which is actually exceedingly well executed on this camera also.) In a DSLR, since you don't see the exposure, you are just basically guessing at what you want and then shooting, view the photo and fix. Much slower.
Shoot about any lens you want - The distance from the lens to sensor is so short, that with the appropriate adaptor, you can put just about any lens you want on this camera. Canon, Nikon, Leica, Voigtlander, Pentax, Sony, you can use them all. Generally you need to use lenses which have aperture rings. Additionally, you do lose autofocus but there are many instances where this just doesn't matter. Macro photography is a good example. You can fit a Nikon 200mm f/4 onto the GH2 and then either get a 2:1 reproduction or a 1:1 reproduction with twice the depth of field. It is like putting on a teleconverter without the loss of light and depth of field. Brilliant.
Great for Newbies - All DSLRs are easy for anyone to use and the GH2 is no exception. The great handling makes the GH2 better for newbies in my opinion. Anyway, all you have to do is put the camera into iA mode and start shooting. This camera gets the subject correct more often then not and will make you look good. In dynamic situation, I actually use the iA mode quite a bit. I do this because the camera is good a recognizing as scene as a person, flower, scenery, etc. The camera then instantly sets numerous setting to make that scene look as good as possible. If you tried to do it yourself it could take a few minuets to set and then a few to set back. Or even worse you forget to reset it and you next pictures look bad. If I have time,...Read more›

Click Here to see more reviews about: Panasonic Lumix DMC-GH2 16.05 MP Live MOS Interchangeable Lens Camera with 3-inch Free-Angle Touch Screen LCD and 14-140mm HD Hybrid Lens (Black)

One of the first cameras in the world to offer an 3D interchangeable lens, Panasonic's Lumix GH2 functions as a dual SLR and 3D device that has more than 10 interchangeable lens options. Shooting with a 10x zoom with a high-speed burst rate at 5fps (16MP) or 40fps, it captures movement with precise, high-resolution clarity. Movie capturing, LCD touch screen, and a 14-140mm lens are among the coveted features included.

Get 4% OFF

Click here for more information about Panasonic Lumix DMC-GH2 16.05 MP Live MOS Interchangeable Lens Camera with 3-inch Free-Angle Touch Screen LCD and 14-140mm HD Hybrid Lens (Black)

Read More...

Panasonic Lumix DMC-GF3 12.1 MP Micro Four Thirds Interchangeable Lens Digital Camera with 3-Inch Touchscreen and 14mm F2.5 ASPH Lens Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I am impressed with Panasonic's innovation of virtually no physical buttons and touch screen menu operation. I personally prefer buttons but this will be some getting use to. If you have used Panasonic camera's in the past there's should be no issues with its cumbersome menu. I give it 4 stars for not having some important physical buttons and the same long drawnout menu schema from the past. Overall a great camera as far as IQ is concerned.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Panasonic Lumix DMC-GF3 12.1 MP Micro Four Thirds Interchangeable Lens Digital Camera with 3-Inch Touchscreen and 14mm F2.5 ASPH Lens

Panasonic's LUMIX DMC-GF3 realizes all the features you want from a bulky DSLR interchangeable lens camera, only it accomplishes this in an ultra compact point-and-shoot camera body about as wide and tall as a typical smart phone yet is lightweight and simple to master. This remarkable reduction in size and weight is thanks to advancements in new mirror-free camera technology, and large DSLR format sensors that are more compatible with a new class of compact Micro Four Thirds (MFT) System lenses. This new class of Compact System Cameras (CSC) offers a weight and compactness not seen in traditional DSLRs, yielding greater portability and creative control. The DMC-GF3's image quality comes from a large DSLR-sized 12.1-megapixel sensor and newly advanced image processing technologies. The DMC-GF3 provides a traditional DSLR-like experience without the need for complicated external mode dials, yet provides intuitive and quick access to common modes like Program, Shutter and Aperture Priority, Manual via a touch-enabled LCD that operates much like a smart phone. The DMC-GF3 provides a dedicated video button that can be used to switch to video capture quickly without changing modes. At the heart of the DMC-GF3's simplified functionality is a large 3.0-inch LCD (460k- dot) that allows for intuitive touch control of menus and most shooting, focusing, playback and effects controls. Menus can be customized using simple drag-and-drop actions like those on most touch-enabled smartphones. This allows for a custom user interface, giving Quick Menu access to functions that can be tailored to any user's expertise level. Using the touch-screen operation, a user can lock onto a subject, enabling AF Tracking in both still and video modes. When you're ready to shoot, the subject will be in focus and ready to capture.

Click here for more information about Panasonic Lumix DMC-GF3 12.1 MP Micro Four Thirds Interchangeable Lens Digital Camera with 3-Inch Touchscreen and 14mm F2.5 ASPH Lens

Read More...

Sony Alpha NEX-3 Interchangeable Lens Digital Camera w/18-55mm Lens (Red)- 14.2 Mpix Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I've never owned an SLR camera, just basic point-and-shoot digital cameras, so my review is coming from that perspective, rather than someone used to the features available on most SLRs.
First off, the "intelligent auto" is by far superior to any automatic mode I've ever experienced before. I've had a tendency to use "programmable auto" or even "manual" mode on my previous cameras any time I really wanted the color balance, shutter speed, and ISO settings to end up the way I'd want. I probably never have to do that with this camera, other than for low-light, slow-shutter photos (the default for the camera is to up the ISO instead of slowing the shutter beyond a certain point). That's not to say that I don't like playing around with the manual settings anyhow -- I do -- but I really don't have to in order to get good photos. Many of the other automatic-type features are also great, such as the facial recognition (which works great about 80% of the time -- has trouble with faces turned at an angle, though) and the smile-detecting auto-shutter.
The video quality is phenomenal, and I like that there isn't some unnatural limit on the length (I want to say the limit is about half an hour or so for HD quality, but I've never come close to reaching that). This will basically serve as my camcorder, and unless I'm planning to record a play or something, I think it'll be more than sufficient for that purpose.
The only downside I've encountered so far is tied to the lens more than to the camera -- I didn't realize how much I'd miss the ability to zoom in and out. There's only so much you can do with cropping, and sometimes getting closer to the target just isn't feasible. So, I'd probably suggest buying the camera with one of the other lenses if you're torn between this one (for compact/portability) and another, more flexible lens. This lens is the smallest, but it's still not really going to be pocket-sized (unless you have massive cargo pockets or something). I'm almost certainly going to get another lens sometime soon, and once I do that I expect I'll be using the other lens a lot more than this one.
Other than that... the battery life improved greatly when I downloaded the firmware update from Sony. Make sure you do that -- it's not clearly explained in the product manual, but it's pretty straightforward if you look it up on the Sony product support website.
In sum, I got this because my wife was going to be giving birth to our first child, and I wanted to be able to take good-quality family photos for the next few years. So far, I think I made the right choice.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Sony Alpha NEX-3 Interchangeable Lens Digital Camera w/18-55mm Lens (Red)- 14.2 Mpix

The performance of a DSLR without the size and weight. The NEX-3 stands apart as the world's smallest interchangeable lens camera.3 Experience gorgeous HD movies,1 astounding low-light pictures, continuous shooting up to 7 fps, incredible panorama shots, and Live View on a tilting 3" LCD4.

Click here for more information about Sony Alpha NEX-3 Interchangeable Lens Digital Camera w/18-55mm Lens (Red)- 14.2 Mpix

Read More...

Panasonic Lumix DMC-GH2 16.05 MP Live MOS Interchangeable Lens Camera with 3-inch Free-Angle Touch Screen LCD and 14-42mm Hybrid Lens (Black) Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)Now I know that is a bold statement and I intend to back it up. However, before I do I need to explain what I mean. I am not saying this camera is the best at everything or even anyone thing. Cameras that are the best at something are usually specialized beasts that can really only do that one thing well. What I am talking about is a camera the is so good in so many categories that it can joyfully be used for just about and photographic or video graphic purpose you may have. The GH2 is that camera.
Now that is out of the way we can get to the meat and potatoes of the review. I shoot mostly Nikon and Panasonic and I primarily shoot stills. I dabble in Video but do not proclaim myself any sort of an expert. I can say if you are looking for the best handling combo/cam with the most features then the GH2 is the one you want. Panasonic went out of its way to make this a video camera so that was its primary focus with this camera. However, there are lots of payoffs for the stills part of this camera so this is the best m4/3 stills camera by a long shot also. I will also say that the hard core video market is a niche market compared to the stills market because shallow depth of field video is hard to shoot properly and hard to edit. The average home user has neither the time nor inclination to properly storyboard and shoot this type of video. However, with that said, it is really nice to be able to shoot stills and video. And basic home videos are a snap to shoot with this camera; much more so than any other DSLR with the exception of the Sony SLT A55/33 which at least has a fast auto focus also. To shoot nice home movies, put the mode dial to iA, press the red button, and you are shooting video.
This camera is the next generation of cameras as it successfully blends the advantages of Point and Shoot cameras with the benefits of DSLRs and creates and incredibly small and powerful camera. Listed below are some of the benefits and weakness you get from this next gen camera.
What's Hot
The handling on the GH2 is bar none the best handling "DSLR" on the market. WIth smart controls, great layout, fast autofocusing, swivel screen, full time double live view, etc. Even with how good the D7000 is, it still feels clunky after using the GH2. I get into most of the details of this down below so I don't want to repeat the info here. What I will say here is that you can do things with this camera you couldn't hope to do with DSLRs and you can generally set up your photo parameters much faster with this camera. The menus on the GH2 are not very good. However, the actual camera controls are so good you will rarely even need to use the menus.
Program Shift - Forget using Aperture priority with this camera. You can leave the camera in Program mode. With program shift you can change the aperture setting and thus the shutter speed while in program mode. To do this you press the shutter release button down half way to set the exposure. Then if the numbers are in yellow you just rotate the rear dial switch to change aperture. Want a shallower depth of field or faster shutter speed, then dial in a bigger aperture (smaller number). If the numbers are not in yellow then you are currently in exposure compensation mode. All you have to do is click the rear dial switch and then rotate it. Snap. What a neat feature.
Extra Tele Convert (ETC) Mode in Video - If you shoot video you are going to love this. This is even great for home/casual video shooters. The GH2 has a 16mp sensor but like every other consumer combo/cam shoots 2K video. That means the picture is usually down-sampled to make it 2K. This has some pluses and minuses. Enter the GH2. With the ETC mode the camera uses only 2K of the sensor. This gives you an extra 2.6x crop factor. Which means your total crop factor is now 5.2x. So that brand spanking new 100-300mm you just got is now 520-1560mm with no light loss. If you put a Nikon 135mm f2 then you now have a 702mm f2! lens for video. There are some drawbacks for using ETC also but they are pretty negligible.
Auto focus - the auto focus on the GH2 is twice as fast as the GH1 and the GH1 was the fastest of previous generation. I have seen some very knowledgeable photographers saying it is as fast as mid-level DSLRs. While I think it is supposed to be a complement I don't think it is a very good comparison. I find the focus speed of DSLRs has most to do with what lens you have on. There are some lenses that focus slowly on even a D3. All of the lenses I have used on the GH1 focus very quickly except the 45-200mm. That lens tends to be my slowest. Non of the lenses I have focus as fast as a 70-200mm f/2.8 but the rest of them focus as fast if not faster than any of the other Nikon lenses I own. The best I can say about this is that you won't notice the focus speed on the GH2 as it is fast enough to get out of your way.
Smaller lighter camera - I recently went on a trip to Egypt and carried nothing but my Panasonic gear. Two camera bodies, 5 lenses, 1 flash, an iPad, and camera bag. Total weight 10lbs (3lbs of that was the bag itself). My Nikon D300 and 14-24mm lens would have weight more just by themselves (I was carrying the Panasonic 7-14mm so I did have wide covered)
Swivel Screen with full-time live view - You won't know what you are missing until you become used to this and how well it works. Want to reach up as high as you can and shoot down; No problems. Want to get as low as possible but can't lay down in the mud or water; No problem. Want to take a picture of you and your daughter but there is nobody around; No problem. Turn the screen around aim the camera at you and use the screen to frame. Something that makes photos interesting is showing the viewer something from a perspective they don't often see. The swivel screen actively encourages this. The other thing the swivel screen does is make shooting from a tripod a joy. Because of how small and light this camera is you can use a much smaller tripod. I have a 3lb tripod that can support 7lbs. Also, you can now set you camera up in all sorts of whacky positions and just rotate the screen to be able to frame and focus. Very nice. Also, with no mirror to flip up you don't have to worry about any vibrations.
Touch Focus implemented as slick as on the iPhone. As I mentioned above you can shoot from many strange angles because you can swivel the screen to almost any angle. However, if the camera did not focus on what you wanted it would be hard to change it. Now you can simply touch the screen on what you want to focus and presto it will focus on that. The GH2 is worth the price just for that.
WYSIWYG - What you see is what you get. Since you are looking at either the screen or the beautiful EVF, you are seeing what the sensor sees. With a DSLR you are seeing what the lens sees. This is an important difference. If you forgot to reset your WB or Aperture or any camera setting, you will see it before you shoot. On a DSLR you would have no idea until you looked at the pictures. Also, if it is a low light situation, the EVF will start to noise up and start to lose some of its smoothness. This is a warning to you that you need to use flash or a tripod. With a DSLR the viewer becomes darker but you don't get a very good visual cue of how your camera is seeing it. For me the most brilliant thing with WYSIWYG is setting exposure. Because I can see what the camera is doing with exposure, I usually leave the camera in P mode. Then I change the exposure by changing where I aim the camera, lock the exposure and then reframe for the subject. It works something like this. I am trying to take a picture of a person but the exposure is picking up to many bright objects, thereby dimming my subject. So, I aim the camera to include more dark areas while keeping my subject in the shoot. Then I press the shutter release button down half way to lock the exposure and focus. Then I reframe back to the original photo. This works so quickly you can try several exposures in less time than you could set one with the exposure compensation dial (which is actually exceedingly well executed on this camera also.) In a DSLR, since you don't see the exposure, you are just basically guessing at what you want and then shooting, view the photo and fix. Much slower.
Shoot about any lens you want - The distance from the lens to sensor is so short, that with the appropriate adaptor, you can put just about any lens you want on this camera. Canon, Nikon, Leica, Voigtlander, Pentax, Sony, you can use them all. Generally you need to use lenses which have aperture rings. Additionally, you do lose autofocus but there are many instances where this just doesn't matter. Macro photography is a good example. You can fit a Nikon 200mm f/4 onto the GH2 and then either get a 2:1 reproduction or a 1:1 reproduction with twice the depth of field. It is like putting on a teleconverter without the loss of light and depth of field. Brilliant.
Great for Newbies - All DSLRs are easy for anyone to use and the GH2 is no exception. The great handling makes the GH2 better for newbies in my opinion. Anyway, all you have to do is put the camera into iA mode and start shooting. This camera gets the subject correct more often then not and will make you look good. In dynamic situation, I actually use the iA mode quite a bit. I do this because the camera is good a recognizing as scene as a person, flower, scenery, etc. The camera then instantly sets numerous setting to make that scene look as good as possible. If you tried to do it yourself it could take a few minuets to set and then a few to set back. Or even worse you forget to reset it and you next pictures look bad. If I have time,...Read more›

Click Here to see more reviews about: Panasonic Lumix DMC-GH2 16.05 MP Live MOS Interchangeable Lens Camera with 3-inch Free-Angle Touch Screen LCD and 14-42mm Hybrid Lens (Black)

Touch-screen convenience with SLR-quality photos is in your hands thanks to the Panasonic DMCGH2KK digital camera. The 3.0" viewscreen puts controls and even shutter control right at your fingertips, while the 3/4 micro SLR style camera brings bright colors, smooth images, high contrast, and fast shutter speed into focus. Intelligent Auto settings let you find your shot while the camera takes care of the rest.

Click here for more information about Panasonic Lumix DMC-GH2 16.05 MP Live MOS Interchangeable Lens Camera with 3-inch Free-Angle Touch Screen LCD and 14-42mm Hybrid Lens (Black)

Read More...

Panasonic 45mm f/2.8 Aspherical MEGA OIS Lens for Micro Four Thirds Interchangeable Lens Cameras Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)The Panasonic/Leica Elmarit 45mm F2.8 macros is a little bit controversial because of it's price. However there are a lot of considerations. Built by Panasonic but designed by Leica and built to Leica supervised quality standards.
This lens is quite small and light, a perfect match for the mFT (Micro Four Thirds) cameras as size and weight are design considerations to match the systems. It is very well built solid construction with a blend of plastics and metal. Compared to better quality Macro lenses it is smaller and lighter by a good margin.It is most often compared to the Olympus Zuiko 50mm F2 which is one of the finest macro lenses built for the four thirds sensor systems or any system for that matter. The 50mm is heavier, larger and requires an adapter to be used on mTF cameras. On olympus mTF 50mm autofocus works erratically, on Panasonic mTF autofocus of the Olympus 50mm does not work at all, you must use manual focus . Auto aperture works with both. This same applies to any other "legacy" macro from other manufacturers. You can get adapters for about 90% of all legacy lenses made to use them with mTF cameras but most will be either fully manual, standard four third lenses will work with auto aperture but only some will provide autofocus. However, as of this writing, the 45mm F2.8 Elmarit is the only macro lens designed and built specifically for the mTF system cameras (Olympus and Panasonic). Some mTF zooms provide some very close focusing but none of the zooms provide true macro.
The 45mm is an internal focus lens. This means that regardless of focus distance the front element of the lens never extends or changes position. The 50mm Olympus, is an extending design (as are most macro lenses), so the front element extends out farther the closer you get to the subject. While I don't have the ability to perform a technical comparison, generally this may means that at 1:2 magnification, an internal design, the front lens element may not be as close to the subject as an extending design. For most photography this is not significant but for macro it is. The actual focus point is internal to the lens optical system, not the front lens element. The closer the front lens element is to the subject, the more it blocks the light reaching the subject (because you are very, close). So internal focus lenses may provide the maximum possible clearance for the front element making it easier to light the subject. There can be exceptions so this is not a hard rule.
Another consideration is "Effective focal length". You may read where advertisers promote a lens or camera based upon "effective focal length" Effective focal length is relative to a 35mm film camera or a full frame digital camera.On a full frame 35mm or digital camera, the optical focal length and effective focal length are the same in most cases, so the field of view is relative to the effective focal length. The shorter focal length, the wider the field of view (wide angle) the longer the focal length, the narrower the field of view (telephoto). Most digital sensors are smaller then full frame and are said to have a crop or magnification factor. For Four Thirds and micro four third sensors, the crop factor is 2X. Therefore the effective focal length of the 45mm is 2X or 90mm. This is a short telephoto and the advantage is it provides a longer working distance for macro shots.
The 45mm also makes an excellent short telephoto and portrait lens. The 45mm has a focus limiter switch on the lens. When turned on under normal use this allows you to restrict focus range to normal distances so the lens does not search through the macro range. It speeds up auto focus in these circumstances.
So there are some top end legacy macro lenses that are technically sharper then the 45mm F2.8 and some that are faster. They are also larger and heavier and currently cannot provide some auto focus or in some cases auto aperture with mTF systems. It is important to understand that this does not make the 45mm a bad lens, quite the Contrary, the 45mm F2.8 is an excellent pro grade lens. It is very sharp, well built, focuses quickly at normal ranges, will search some at macro, typical for almost all lenses in the macro range.I love the lens and it is to me worth every penny.
The lens will focus to 1:1 magnification (life size) directly without an extension tube. Many macro lenses will only focus to 1:2 including the 50mm F2 Olympus lens and therefore require an extension tube to get all the way down to 1:1 magnification. (extra cost, size and weight)
IImage quality for both telephoto, portraits and macro is very good to Excellent wide open at F2.8 to F11. Some deterioration at F16 to F22 due to diffraction but still good to very good (this is common for most digital sensors smaller then full frame and is an excellent performance overall)
Vignetting: (corners darker then center) is noticeable (mild) wide open but insignificant stopped down 1 stop. (Very good)
Distortion: There is none which is optically excellent and better then most. (Excellent)
Chromatic Aberration: Color fringing is very mild at most apertures and not significant or detectable to most people. (very good)
Bokeh: The term bokeh is the blur or the quality of the blur in out-of-focus areas of an image, or "the way the lens renders out-of-focus points of light or highlights. Ideally they should be very smooth and blended with no significant sphering or octagonal shapes. There is no technical specification for Bokeh. It is a subjective evaluation made by the viewer or photographer.For me, the 45mm Bokeh is "Very Good" but not excellent.
Focus speed: I can only evaluate this as used on the GH1 as I haven't used it with other mTH bodies. Extremely fast, almost instant in good light. Fast in low light, Searches some in very dim light or if the subject(s) are of very dark (black) or of very low contrast in low light. Overall, as fast or faster then my Olympus E3 DSLR with 12-60 lens. (an excellent performance) -- I don't shoot much video but did a brief test in my apartment with low to dim lighting, using only 2 60 watt bulbs in one corner, bounced off the wall. I found the video focus to be better then most but not instant. The 45mm has virtually silent autofocus so the autofocus lens produces no noticeable noise when
Overall for features, internal focus, size, weight, match to the system, image quality, focus speed and versatility I rate this lens as Excellent with some exceptions for vignetting wide open, very slight color fringing and Bokeh. Not matter how you measure it, it still comes up as a true professional quality optic.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Panasonic 45mm f/2.8 Aspherical MEGA OIS Lens for Micro Four Thirds Interchangeable Lens Cameras

This Panasonic H-ES045 F2.8 45mm (35mm camera equivalent) macro lens with built-in image stabilizer lets you take close-ups that capture your subjects in their actual size. It also greatly boosts mobility by serving as a medium-length telephoto lens for portraits, telephoto snapshots and landscapes.

Get 23% OFF

Click here for more information about Panasonic 45mm f/2.8 Aspherical MEGA OIS Lens for Micro Four Thirds Interchangeable Lens Cameras

Read More...

Tamron AF 18-200mm f/3.5-6.3 XR Di II LD Aspherical (IF) Macro Zoom Lens for Canon Digital SLR Cameras Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)Like a baseball player with a decent batting average, some power, a little bit of speed and fairly good fielding ability, the Tamron 18-200 lens won't be an All-Star any time soon because it does not excel at any one thing. But, like that $500k/year utility infielder, this lens DOES provide a very good all-around value for what it is. Does it compare to a prime lens at either end? Heck, no. Is it a good lens to use when you can't carry a wide choice of lenses with you? Absolutely.
I've been using this lens on my 20D quite a bit and have only a few minor gripes: it tends to hunt for AF (especially as you get closer to 200mm), and it's not the quietest lens I've used.
An earlier reviewer mentioned that it maxed out at about 160mm. My own analysis shows that it is short of 200mm, but not by that large an extent; I found it much closer to 190. Still, there's no doubt that these zoom lenses with extreme ranges like this have a built-in fudge factor.
Another reviewer described the problems he encountered when using two screw-on filters. There aren't too many primes that I've used that will avoid vignetting when using two filters. Heck, my 10-22 can barely handle one extra-slim. As for darkening the image - well, you're adding two more pieces of glass to a highly-complex lens assembly... just asking for trouble.
As for the concern regarding blur at longer focal lengths, I highly recommend the use of a tripod. I noticed the exact same thing - blur and lack of sharpness - at lengths over 100mm. Keep the old rule of thumb in mind - if you're shooting handheld, your shutter speed should be no slower than the inverse of your focal length. A 200mm lens on a 20D (or Rebel XT for that matter), is an effective 320mm - I wouldn't recommend shooting any slower than 1/500 at max zoom with this lens - UNLESS you're using a tripod. When I mounted it firmly, I got great shots with no blur.
Keep in mind that you get what you pay for here: the convenience of a wide-angle, normal, and moderate telephoto lens in one piece. If you're shooting professionally, or need absolutely perfect images, then carry the three or four lenses that this would otherwise replace in your bag. But if you want one easy-to-use, satisfactory lens, go for this one. It's a jack-of-all-trades, ace-of-none kinda deal.


Click Here to see more reviews about: Tamron AF 18-200mm f/3.5-6.3 XR Di II LD Aspherical (IF) Macro Zoom Lens for Canon Digital SLR Cameras

Tamron AF 18-200mm f/3.5-6.3 XR Di II LD Aspherical (IF) Macro Zoom Lens for Canon Digital SLR Cameras

Click here for more information about Tamron AF 18-200mm f/3.5-6.3 XR Di II LD Aspherical (IF) Macro Zoom Lens for Canon Digital SLR Cameras

Read More...