Radiant Lite Photography

Tokina AT-X 116 11-16mm f/2.8 PRO DX For Canon

enche.zein@gmail.com (Enche Tjin) — Mon, 05 Jan 2009 03:19:00 +0000

Tokina 11-16mm f/2.8 is the best super-wide angle lens up to date. The build quality of the lens is very good. The image quality is excellent in any aperture and focal length. Auto focus is fast and quiet.

Unlike Canon EF-S which have a smaller aperture of f3.5-4.5, and also is not compatible with full frame body, Tokina 11-16mm have a constant aperture of f/2.8 and compatible with full frame body up to 15mm which is great. It is also slightly cheaper.

The constant aperture of f/2.8 made this lens great for low light and also good enough to create shallow depth of field.

The limitation of this lens will be the zoom length. 11-16mm definitely shorter than Canon EF-S 10-22mm, Sigma 10-20mm, Nikon 12-24mm, and ultra wide lens from Tamron. (Tokina is available for Nikon cameras as well).

There is also no manual focus override, you need to push-pull the focus bar to change focusing mode.

Overall this lens is great in super wide angle category. If you are in love with the ultra-wide coverage for landscape, architecture (outdoor and indoor), and some of photojournalistic work (close crowd shots), then this lens is a must have.

Image Quality : Excellent 5/5
Build Quality : Very Good 41/2 /5
Price value: 4/5

Samples: at 11mm - Canon XSi/450D

Canon EF 85mm f/1.8 USM

enche.zein@gmail.com (Enche Tjin) — Sun, 04 Jan 2009 21:38:00 +0000

Canon 85mm f/1.8 USM is probably the best value Canon lens. The quality of the image is very good, big aperture allow low light hand held shot and create a shallow depth of field. The auto focus is quiet and very fast.

Build quality of this lens is very good, feels very solid and definitely a step up from kit lens. It is relatively short and light weight compared to general purpose lens (3.0" x 2.8", 15.0 oz. / 75.0 x 71.5mm, 425g).

Application of this lens will be portrait, indoor sport (basketball, volleyball), art performance and candid photography.

Using this lens for soft and sharp images

Wide open at f/1.8, this lens is soft but create a very nice 'bokeh' great for girls portraits.
at f/2.8, the center of the image is very sharp, my favorite setting for general portraits and sports.
at f/4 and above, the image is very sharp edge to edge, especially f/8 where you get the maximum sharpness.

There is nothing that I can complain about this lens at this price point because it has very good built quality, excellent in low light especially freezing motion, and awesome for portraits. It worth every penny. I recommend this lens in addition to your general purpose kit lens.

Image Quality : Excellent 4/5
Build Quality : Very Good 4/5
Price value: 5/5

Sample image

Close up portrait tips - lens focal length

enche.zein@gmail.com (Enche Tjin) — Sat, 03 Jan 2009 20:22:00 +0000

Choosing the best focal length for portrait is always a debate, is the wide angle is better or telephoto is the best? Is prime or zoom is better?

It is all depend on your taste and your clients. But we especially need to be careful with focal length. Wide angle lens will give some distortion, standard focal length (40mm-60mm) will give you close representation of the model, and telephoto lens will compress the model and also the background.

Most photographer especially glamor and fashion photographers will like telephoto lens instead of wide angle because the compressed look usually make the model look more flattery. Telephoto lens combined with big aperture also will make compressed and produce a nice blur in the background separating background with the model.

Even though telephoto lens is more desirable for portraits, but there is limitation of telephoto lens. One of the limitation is space, you need more space to work around with telephoto lens. If you are working indoor in small studio/room, you can't use telephoto lens effectively.

You will also have problem in incorporating background into your picture because of its narrow view and compressed background.

Prime or Zoom?
Before, prime is desirable lens because of its sharpness. but now many lenses can produce tack sharp image as well. So you can use prime or zoom lens for portraitures. Zoom lens will provide you with more flexibility especially in tight space, while prime lens will give you benefit of portability. Related Post: Prime vs Zoom lenses

Alright, I will show you some differences in picture taken with wide, standard and telephoto lens.

This is the sample of a head shot using Canon EF 135mm f/2 L prime lens in Canon 40D. The focal length is equivalent to (135*1.6) = 216mm

This is the sample of a head shot using Canon EF-S 17-55mm f/2.8 IS USM at 35mm in Canon 40D. The focal length is equivalent to (35*1.6) = 56mm

This is a close representation of what our eyes normally see.

This is the sample of a head shot using Canon EF-S 17-55mm f/2.8 IS USM at 17mm in Canon 40D. The focal length is equivalent to (17*1.6) = 27 mm

at 27mm (wide angle), we can see the model face is distorted from the original look (Above image).

So which close up portrait that you like most? I personally prefer the top one, It looks more flattery, but the top one is not actual representation of the model. The closest to the real life is the second one. The wide angle lens produce distorted look on the model face. It is rarely use except if you want to create funny or weird looking faces.

So what focal length you want to use is basically depend on what kind of portrait that you want to achieve.

Other popular focal length for portraiture : 85mm and 100mm

Related portrait posts:

Canon 135mm f/2L usm mini review

enche.zein@gmail.com (Enche Tjin) — Fri, 02 Jan 2009 21:35:00 +0000

Canon 135mm f2 L USM is regarded as one of the best three prime lenses that Canon produce (Along with 85mm f/1.2 L USM and 35mm f/1.4 L USM).

The images from this lens are very sharp, contrasty and show a lot of details even in wide open at f/2. The depth of field is very shallow at f/2. As a result, the background will be compressed.

Because of that features, Canon 135mm is ideal for portrait, especially candid portrait, street photography and indoor sports.

Build quality is very good, the best Canon can made. The lens is not as big and heavy as telephoto zoom.

But unfortunately, this lens does not have Image Stabilization built-in. Image stabilization in telephoto is quite important so you can shoot with shutter speed lower than the focal length X crop multiplier. For example, when you attach this lens into crop sensor camera such as Canon Rebel series or 0XD series, then you need to set a shutter speed to at least 1/200 or greater to get a tack sharp result. It is also depend on how steady your hand is. If you have steady hand, then 1/160 will be adequate.

This lens have a decent closing focus (1m) this is better than most of the telephoto zoom range. You can also get a extension tube to get the focusing even closer (.6m with 2x extension tube).
Therefore, this lens will be quite good for macro photography.

Application
The application of the lens will be quiet narrow. Candid photography is one in my mind when I think about this lens. It is because the telephoto range, maximum aperture, and the size is not that big and obtrusive.

The second one will be close-up and head-shoulder portraiture, and then for indoor sports such as volleyball, basketball and so on.

The downside
This lens does not have a wide range of application because the inflexibility of fixed focal length lens (prime lens).

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Although the focusing is quite fast, but it is not as fast as EF 50mm f/1.4 USM or EF 85mm f/1.8 USM. So in the fast action sport, expect to miss some shots.

Other alternatives:
Other lens that you might consider to buy is Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8 L or 70-200mm f/4 IS.

They are similar in price. the 70-200mm f/2.8 has more flexibility but bigger. The 70-200 f/4 L IS is great because it has IS but you don't have the luxury of big aperture. The weight of f4L lens is almost the same, but the length is slightly longer.

Other 'budget' telephoto primes alternatives: Canon EF 85mm f/1.8 and 100mm f/2. Both are not as sharp and detailed as the Canon 135mm f/2 but when stopped own to f/2.8-4 they will impressed you.

In conclusion
You will love this lens if you are into close-up portrait, candid photography and indoor sports shooters. With extension tube, you can transform this lens into a super sharp macro lens.

Is it worth it? This lens has a narrow application, so if you are specialized in candid portraiture or indoor sports and want the sharpest lens. This lens is definitely for you.

If you are looking for more versatile lens, then investing on high quality telephoto zoom lens will be better.

Image Quality : Excellent 5/5
Build Quality : Very Good 41/2 /5
Price value: 3/5

Samples:

Brief video tours

Sony vs Canon Lenses

enche.zein@gmail.com (Enche Tjin) — Mon, 29 Dec 2008 12:05:00 +0000

Sony has been pretty active and aggressive in recent years in digital SLR market. Sony DSLR department inherited technology from Konica Minolta that does not exist anymore. In camera section, Sony has any camera for any class. From entry level: Sony A200, enthusiast: Sony A300/A350, Semi-pro: A700 and Professional full frame Sony A900.

In lens department, we can see a huge gap between entry level lens and pro level lens. Let's compare Sony lens collection with Canon lens collection.

Note: The price might change, and if the market price change, it tends to be lower.
BC is build quality, IQ is image quality

As we can see, Sony prime lens collection is not only less compared to Canon lens, but they are also quiet expensive. Most of the lens are for professionals. The most affordable of the crop is Sony 50mm f/1.4 a standard lens which is around $350.

In the wide general purpose lens section, Sony delivers many options for entry level to professionals. For professional, Sony offers 16-35mm f/2.8 and 24-70mm f/2.8. For enthusiasts, there are many to choose, 16-105mm is a affordable versatile lens, and 16-80mm produces great quality image but a bit expensive.

Sony also has superzoom telephoto that is ideal when you only want to travel with one camera and one lens but you still want to have a lens that have wide coverage of focal length. The lens is also great for social events outdoor such as a parade.

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In telephoto zoom lens section, Sony only have several lens in the market. Two of them are entry level lens (usually called kit lens), and the other two are for professionals. So we can see there is a huge gap between entry-level and professional grade lens.

It is also interesting that Sony just launch the 70-400mm lens. This lens focal length is very flexible, mechanically excellent and the image quality is great.

In macro lens category, Sony lenses are overpriced.

In Conclusion
I feel that Sony is focusing in only two kinds of photographer, one is entry level users that buy a cheap digital slr with kit lens and use it for years. The other one is professional photographers.

Looking from lens collection, there are very limited choice for entry level users to grow to enthusiasts level because there is a huge gap on the price between entry level and pro level lenses.

The price of the professional grade lenses are also relatively expensive. It is mostly because Sony have to share the profit with Carl Zeiss, the famous lens manufacturer. Also because of the size of the market share Sony posseses right now, It is quiet hard to find a used or bargain lenses.

The expensiveness of Sony lens is a bit disappointing because Sony cameras offer built-in body stabilization. So the lens should be less expensive than lens-based stabilization that Canon or Nikon offer.

Because Sony digital SLR is still in infant and will keep growing, we hope that in the future Sony makes more lenses to bridge entry level users and professionals, and set a more competitive price.

Related posts:

First video about main camera setup that I use

enche.zein@gmail.com (Enche Tjin) — Mon, 29 Dec 2008 03:31:00 +0000

I recorded and uploaded my first video in youtube. I hope it is informative for you. I talk about Canon 40D, Canon EF-S 17-55mm f/2.8, Canon Speedlite 430EX and Demb Diffuser.

Panasonic Lumix LX3 Review

enche.zein@gmail.com (Enche Tjin) — Sat, 27 Dec 2008 01:01:00 +0000

After using Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX3S (for Silver) for a while, I am impressed of its capability and quality.

Build Quality and Control
LX3 has very good build quality. It feels tough, scratch and the size is smaller and lighter than its competitor Canon G series. It fit in my winter coat easily. The silver version I have looks very classy and shiny.Like other advanced compact cameras, LX3 allow users to set aperture, shutter speed and focus manually. Like digital SLR camera, we have aperture priority (A), Speed priority (S), iA (inteligent auto mode), SCN (Scene selections), Movie mode, Automatic without flash (P) mode, two custom settings and off course full manual mode.

The intelligent mode (iA) is great to recognize the scene and adjust the setting automatically for us. For example, when I am shooting at night, the mode dial automatically adjust to night scene. The image comes up great without blown highlight unlike other entry level compact camera.

The other great thing the camera has to offer is the ability to choose aspect ratio for image and also video. For me it is a great creative tools for any photographers. The aspects ratio we can choose for image is 4:3, 3:2, and 16:9. For movie: 4:3 and wide screen 16:9.

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Image Quality and Video Quality
The main difference between this camera with Canon G series or other compact cameras is the famous leica lens is able to go down to f/2-2.8. This big aperture ensure the camera to take picture in dim light with lowest iso sensitivities as possible. The result is cleaner look.

Even when I took picture in very big aperture of f/2, the depth of field remain very large. This is because the relatively smaller sensor compared to digital slr camera. I feel this is one of great advantage over digital SLR camera where the depth of field was so shallow in lower aperture lens. The lens is also wider than other advanced compact out there (24mm). It is superb for low light indoor large group picture.

In addition, MEGA OIS (optical image stabilization) help to combat hand shake. I am able to take picture without blur up to 1/15 shutter speed easily.

About the noise, The result is relatively clean up to iso 400 which is about equal to iso 800 in dslr camera. In iso 800, the noise start to be a problem. It is about equal to iso 2400 in dslr camera.

Regarding to movie mode, I haven't try it extensively but looking at samples that other took, It was very clean and smooth. The built in microphone did the job well too.

The Downside
The not so good about this camera is the lens cap. Not like other compact, that have built-in lens cap. The LX3 lens cap could be annoying. Also some of the buttons and joystick might be too small for people with a large finger (fortunately I have thin and small fingers).

Built-in flash is provided but the result of the image with flash is not good. Luckily it has hot shoe for external flash.

There is no viewfinder (external viewfinder is optional but very expensive aprox. $140) but the hi-res 460k LCD screen are sharper than any entry-level dslr camera out there.

The last one is the zoom, it is limited from wide to standard length). So users that interested on taking picture from a far (wild life, airplane, candids) will be disapointed.

The RAW picture is not supported by major software such as Adobe lightroom or Photoshop just yet. Except the newest CS4.

In conclusion
This camera certainly is a very unique camera because it is superior for low light (compared to other compact cameras) and have a very wide angle (24mm) which is the best for landscape, large group picture and indoor.

For new users: if you love to take wide angle pictures and don't like to take telephoto pictures then take this cameras. You'll love it. It has many useful application such as family events, travel landscape and even macro.

For Digital SLR users and hobbyists: Because its portability, there is no excuse on not to take this camera around with you in anytime. You will be surely do not miss the moment. While the image quality is not up to par to digital slr camera with "PRO" grade lens, but this camera do produce sharp pictures for regular print or web.

In addition, for all users, the movie mode it provide will be very handy to capture some high quality video clip.

Check the camera out at Amazon.com compact cameras categories.

Related post: Panasonic Lumix DMC-Lx3 compared to Canon G9

Sample image:

Canon 50D vs Nikon D90

enche.zein@gmail.com (Enche Tjin) — Thu, 25 Dec 2008 07:34:00 +0000

Canon 50D and Nikon D90, relatively new announced camera this Fall 2008 is actually fall in different class. Canon 50D is designed more for semi-professional and D90 is more for enthusiasts. But there are many people that ask which one is better for them? This article is trying to explain about their similarities and especially their differences.

Features

On Canon 50D advantages

Canon 50D has bigger image resolution 15 megapixel compare to 12 megapixel of Nikon D90.
Canon 50D has 14-bit conversion for smooth color tones and gradations.
Canon 50D has better continuous shooting speed (6.3 fps vs 4.5 fps).
Canon 50D features high end feature such as AF-adjustment and New Lens Peripheral Illumination Correction which help to optimize image quality for individual lenses.
New Creative auto is very handy for novice and enthusiasts.
Tough magnesium alloy body resistant to dust, moisture and bad weather.

On Nikon D90 advantages

Nikon D90 has ability to record video clip with sound to 720p HD (1280 x 720 pixels).
Nikon D90 features high iso up to 6400 with a very usable 3200, while 50D has iso up to 12800 but 50D's iso 3200 is not as clean as D90.
Nikon kit lens 18-105mm that come with D90 is better than Canon kit lens (either 18-200 or 28-135mm).

Both cameras has auto sensor cleaning and 3 inch hi-res lcd monitor with live view.

Price
By the time I write the article, Canon 50D is about $250 more expensive than Nikon D90.

Built quality
Canon 50D body is built using magnesium alloy, weather resistant but not water splash. Nikon D90 body is significantly less durable which is rugged/reinforced plastic. Both cameras are very ergonomic and fits most hand well. Nikon d90 is lighter and smaller (Try it at store).

In conclusion
Both camera are exceptional cameras in 2008. Canon 50D is a high end camera but it is very friendly to new users (new creative auto, 3 inch lcd screen with live view). Canon 50D also answers many complaints from professional about the lens AF focus system problems by giving the AF-adjustment feature which could be very helpful if you have a broad range of third party lenses. The body of 50D is also tough, able to withstand harsh weather outdoor and couple accidental knocks. It also has higher image resolution that might be helpful to print oversize poster or cropping later in post processing without losing a lot of details.

But Canon 50D is not perfect, Nikon D90 has some features that you might excited to use such as video recording capability that you can use with many Nikon lenses. The new kit lens is very versatile and sharp. If you shoot a lot in low light situation without flash, Nikon has a cleaner image in high iso (1600-3200). D90 is also cheaper.

In making decision, it comes back to what you really need, do you really need pro features and body that Canon 50D offers? or you are more excited to try out video feature D90 has to offer and save some money in the process.

I will say most of enthusiasts will be satisfied with Nikon D90 and kit lens performance but for professional photographer especially photo journalists, Canon 50D will be a better choice because its durability, higher speed in continuous shooting and some other features that I mentioned above. But to get full advantage of 50D, I recommend users to invest on a higher quality Canon lens instead of average kit lens that Canon offers.

Related post:

Canon lenses vs Olympus lenses

enche.zein@gmail.com (Enche Tjin) — Thu, 25 Dec 2008 05:03:00 +0000

Like other big manufacturer of Digital SLR system, Olympus offers full range of lenses for their system. Compared to Canon lens collection, Olympus has a good collection of standard general purpose and telephoto zoom lenses but not so many in low light prime lenses.

Note: The price might change, and if the market price change, it tends to be lower.
BC is build quality, IQ is image quality

As a said before, Olympus does not have many collection of prime lenses. Prime lens is a fixed focal length lenses which are used greatly by photographers in many occasions such as for sports, portraits, social events, etc. For prime and zoom lens differences click here.

In general purpose lens category (wide to telephoto zoom), Olympus offers a good selection of lenses. Some of the lenses are exceptional in image and built quality. One of the star is 12-60mm f/2.8-4 SWD. This lens has a versatile focal length equivalent to 24-120mm or 15-75mm (Canon range). That because Olympus has crop factor multiplier of 2 and Canon has 1.6. This lens has very fast and quiet focusing due to SWD (Supersonic wave drive) technology.

Along with 12-60mm, Olympus also offers other high quality and worth to mention which is 14-35mm f/2 SWD. This lens is very advance because it has a very big aperture and great focusing speed.

Both of the lens come out with a premium price tag of $850 and $2200.

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In Telephoto zoom lens category, Olympus is also have some lenses that are good for wildlife photography such as high power zoom 70-300mm and 90-250mm. Both focal length are equivalent to 87.5 x 375mm and 112.5 x 312mm (Compared to Canon length) respectively.

This focal length of Olympus telephoto zoom lens is significant because Olympus lenses have longer coverage than Canon famous 70-200mm series and also the 90-250mm has big max aperture of f/2.8 while in the same length, Canon only offer 100-400mm lens which has significantly smaller aperture of f/4.5-5.6. Of course the Olympus 90-250mm comes with hefty price tag of $5400 compare to Canon's $1400.

In macro lens category, Olympus only offer two macro lens while Canon offers many more. But do not underestimate Olympus macro lens just yet. The 50mm macro for example can go down to f/2 which is great for low light, and both of the lenses have a decent price tag. Unfortunately, Olympus macro lens built quality and focusing mechanism are not as good as the image quality provided.

In conclusion
Olympus offers many lenses which capable to produce high quality images. It seems to me that the Olympus philosophy are less is good. If you love to use general "all you can do" lens and high quality long telephoto zoom lens in the market, then Olympus collection might be appealing.

The other advantage of Olympus lenses is the fact that most of Olympus digital slr cameras have built-in stabilization (Except E4X0 and some older models). So all lenses that you connect to the camera will have the benefit of image stabilization whereas in Canon only certain lenses have image stabilization feature.

But if you fond of prime lenses and macro, Olympus does not have many to offer. There is also a gap from Olympus lenses for example, to upgrade to a better lenses, the price different between the standard and the professional grade lens is very significant. For example, standard lenses costs around $200-500 but professional grade lenses starts from $850 and many costs thousands. This might be big a turn off for enthusiasts that desire more affordable pro grade lenses.

Related posts:

Pentax lenses vs Canon lenses

enche.zein@gmail.com (Enche Tjin) — Tue, 23 Dec 2008 11:03:00 +0000

Pentax offers a full range of lenses from wide, telephoto, zoom and specialty lenses up to date. Compared to Canon lenses, Pentax has some advantages. In this entry I will evaluate only modern up-to date lenses (not discontinued or legacy lenses).

First, Pentax lenses' price tag is significantly cheaper than the Canon counterpart. For example, Pentax 14mm f/2.8 is $1400 cheaper than Canon 14mm f/2.8. General purpose low light lens Pentax DA* 16-50mm f/2.8 SDM is also significantly cheaper than Canon 17-55mm f/2.8 IS USM or 24-70mm f/2.8. ($600 compare to $1000 / 1200)

When you have to pay quite a lot of money for lens-based Image stabilization in advance Canon lenses, in Pentax, you have built-in stabilization in camera body that work with every Pentax lenses up to date. That is one reason why Pentax lenses are cheaper.

Second, Pentax has exotic pancake lenses collection called DA Limited. These lenses are optimized for its small built yet very durable and produce great image quality. These lenses are affordable (starting at $250) and ideal for photographers who value ultimate portability.

Third, Pentax new DA* (DA Star) is a new breed of Pentax lenses. They are weather sealed and equipped by lens-based motor drive called SDM (Supersonic Motor). In the past, Pentax is quite behind Canon and Nikon in term of speed of Auto Focus, with the introducing of SDM and DA*, then the gap is narrower.

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On the other hand, Canon lenses has advantage of being complete. Practically, it has almost everything that beginner, enthusiasts to professional needs at any of price that they can afford.

Even though Canon IS lenses are expensive, but they are more advance from Pentax built-in stabilization in camera body. It has advantage of 1-3 more stops. Canon Lens-based stabilization also allowerd photographer to see the effect of stabilization from viewfinder immediately after it is activated.

Before you decide on what digital slr camera to buy, it is wise to check out their cameras and lenses at the same time. Because by making decision on camera, means that you decide on their lens collection as well.

Off course, they are also third party lenses that are available for both brands: Sigma, Tokina, Tamron.

Here are table of direct lenses comparison:
BC is Lens build, IQ is Image quality

Comments: Pentax offers a solid line-up comparable to Canon's from super wide angle lens to standard general purpose lenses. Lenses like DA* 16-50mm f/2.8 SDM and DA 17-70mm f4 SDM is very versatile and almost a must have for most Pentax photographers.

Canon outshines Pentax in telephoto ranges. Canon 70-200mm series are awesome along with high range 70-300mm and affordable entry level 55-250mm IS. Canon also have stellar collection for professional sport photographers in low light - super telephoto prime, while Pentax only provide medium telephoto DA* 50-135mm f/2.8 and 60-250mm f4 lens.

In conclusion
In general photography, especially wide to medium telephoto (14-135mm) Pentax has many quality lenses for you, but in telephoto range of 70-400mm, Canon provides many more options especially pro-quality lenses. If you care about portability, Pentax pancake lenses could catch your attention. Overall, Pentax system could save you significant amount of money, but Canon has significantly better collection to deal with low light, sports or fast action photography.

Related post: Pentax System, Canon EOS System, Pentax vs Sony vs Olympus lenses

Music Concert Photography - OAR

enche.zein@gmail.com (Enche Tjin) — Fri, 19 Dec 2008 20:01:00 +0000

Taking pictures of concert photography is tricky, but in the nutshell, you will need a correct equipments for the job, and has the access to the pit (a gap between audience and the band). To get access to the pit, you will need to have a pass. You could ask permission directly, or you can ask a local publication to help you to get a press pass, and usually you need to give them the pictures

Camera and lenses
Equipments that you need are a digital slr camera and low light lens. Low light lens means that the lens should have a maximum aperture greater or same as f/2.8, for example: f/1.8 or f/1.4.

If you are using a crop sensor camera (which is common digital slr camera like Canon EOS Rebel series, Nikon D80, D90, D300, Pentax, Olympus and Sony (except A900), then 50mm f/1.8 or f/1.4 prime will be ideal, more than 85mm will be too long.

If you like wide angle shot, than you will need either 20mm prime or big aperture zoom such as 17-55mm f/2.8.

If you shoot using full frame camera, 70-200mm f/2.8 will be ideal.

Camera setting and the changing light
There are debates whether to use Aperture priority (av) or Speed priority (tv). Before, I like to use shutter priority so I can get consistently non-blurry pictures, but because the concert light is always changing, I will say the ideal might be manual mode and change the setting manually depending on light condition and effects you like to achieve.

For example, when you want to freeze the shot, you will need to set a higher shutter speed up to 1/125 or greater, but if you want to show some motion, than 1/60-1/80 will be good. If you plan to show a lot of motion, then try 1/15. Generally, 1/125 is my favorite.

Most of the prime lenses are sharp in f/2.8 so I would love to keep it on that, but on zoom lens, f/2.8 is usually not that sharp, they are usually significantly sharper if you stop down to f/4 and critically sharp at f/5.6. But to achieve f/5.6 is very challenging because the light is usually dim. So you will need to compensate it with raising ISO. In modern camera and full frame, high iso up to 3200 is very usable.

If you use manual setting, knowing where the buttons and how to change setting quickly is crucial, because the light is very dim, so most of the time, you could press wrong buttons.

We also want to avoid blown highlight, by checking lcd often but briefly. When you notice there are blown highlight, you need to set iso / aperture down or shutter speed up to compensate it.

Also remember to shoot in RAW if possible, because by shooting in RAW, you can adjust white balance, bring up some loss detail and adjust exposure.

Ok that is my tips and experience on shooting music concert and I hope that you can benefited from it.

Suggestion on what to shoot:
1. Band include lead singer.
2. Audience
3. Wide angle shot of the scene
4. detail shot / face expression of the individual band.

Related post: Music Concert Photography Third Eye Blind

My friend Peter Koch '10 is in the pit ready to shoot the concert. He uses 50mm f/1.4 lens. We are taking picture for The Bucknellian, student-run newspaper and L'Agenda, the yearbook.

The audience react to the band. The concert is held in Sojka Pavillion, Bucknell University Fall 2008.

Best dslr camera for semi pro 2008

enche.zein@gmail.com (Enche Tjin) — Thu, 18 Dec 2008 10:42:00 +0000

Camera in semi-pro class has similar characteristics, they are design for their toughness, reliability and top of the line of crop sensor camera. Even they have bigger price tag, but it is still within reach for many consumers.

The competition in this semi-pro class is quite tight and the pricing is about right (market is working pretty well) and because of that, it is hard to determine the best value camera for 2008 in this class.

But after careful consideration, I pick Canon 50D as the best value.
Canon EOS 50D is an upgrade of the favorite camera Canon 40D. It is a respond for Nikon D300 which has more feature set for pro, more customizable auto focus system and noise handling. So, 50D come with higher resolution (15 megapixel), better buffer for continuous shooting, improved noise handling and some useful feature such as AF adjustment to combat lens front/back focus . 50D also has an attractive price. Looking back one year ago, the price is almost the same as Canon 40D which is a great! Canon 50D has 12 points.

Unfortunately Canon 50D comes with no so good kit lens (18-200mm), while the lens are very flexible due to its massive zoom, but the image quality is not so good. At least not for the price point. I will recommend you to look for other general purpose lens such as 17-55mm f/2.8 IS USM, 17-85mm or 28-135mm. Related post: 18-200mm vs 17-85mm

There are several cameras that earns 11 points or runner up. But I decided to pick Nikon D300 as a runner-up. This camera is tough, reliable have many features that usable for pro, and also the famous 51 point Nikon Auto focusing system. It also has above average noise handling. As a result, this camera is ideal for sports. The only problem with this camera is the price, currently it is $300 more expensive than equivalent Canon 50D.

The big underdog camera of 2008 is Pentax k20d. Although this camera is an underdog, but it is definitely a camera capable to deliver high image quality. It has 14 megapixel resolution, water splash proof body, good noise handling and super duper attractive price. Priced around $1400 when it first launched, now k20D price has been discounted half ($750). K20d users are also benefited from built-in image stabilization. This feature will definitely save users a lot of money since lenses with Image stabilization are still relatively high.

The downside of this camera is the continuous burst speed is only 3fps, slightly slower auto focus comparing to competitors and not so intuitive menu control and handling. But overall this camera is worth to look for especially you have limited budget but want superior image and built quality.

Olympus E-3 is the next camera, It is the flagship and the best camera that use smaller crop sensor called micro four thirds. This camera is solid, tough, like k20d it features water splash body, very fast auto focus with it "semi-pro grade" kit lens 12-60mm. It has innovative swivel lcd screen, built in stabilization in body. The downside of this camera probably is the fact of using the small sensor, this camera has a slight problem in handling the noise compare to competitors in the same class, applying noise reduction in camera will wash some detail in high iso. The other disadvantage is the high price. It is priced around $1300 which is still a little bit high in my opinion for its features.

Camera to avoid to buy is Sony A700. Although a little bit unfair to compare because the A700 is not 2008 camera, but it is definitely the only Sony camera in this class. This camera has built in stabilization, good dynamic range, shoots 5fps and high resolution lcd screen. The downside are no live view which is already a norm for camera in this class. The body is not weather shield and the price is relatively high ($1000).

In conclusion, Canon 50D, Nikon D300, Pentax k20d and Olympus E-3 are great cameras in this class and you will get a lot of value from that. The only thing that you will need to consider is your budget, and kind of photography that you will do. For example, if you don't do sport, Pentax k20d will be a very good deal since it is only $750 compared to D300's $1500. We are also waiting for new upgrade from Sony.

Best dslr camera for enthusiasts end of the year 2008

enche.zein@gmail.com (Enche Tjin) — Mon, 15 Dec 2008 12:15:00 +0000

Enthusiasts class is a step up from entry level, providing better features and control for hobbyist and enthusiasts. Although it is labeled for enthusiasts, some professional use this camera for some of their job.

The winner of this class is Nikon D90 - 12 points
Nikon D90 is an exciting camera that replacing the famous Nikon D80. After three years of waiting, D80 users at last got a very good upgrade. Nikon D90 is the first dslr announced that has capability of video recording. Not only that, Nikon D90 has been improved on many areas including the better noise handling. Now users can enjoy usable iso up to 3200. The continuous burst rate has been better from 3fps to 4.5 fps. Unlike Nikon D60, D90 is compatible with all the Nikon lenses. D90 also shines because of the ergonomic, built quality with top lcd which is usually lacking from cameras in this class.

Pentax k200d surprisingly get the runner-up position earning 11 points. This camera has weather shield body, top lcd screen. It has 11 auto focus system, deals with noise pretty good and built-in stabilizer that helps combat hand shake. The downside of this camera might be AF is not as fast as competitor and slightly slower continuous burst (only 2.8 fps), and also no live view. It is definitely not for sport or fast action photography but it will certainly suitable for many other occasions.

Sony A350 is the next with 9 points, the strong point of A350 is it offers 14 megapixel resolution, and tiltable lcd screen, but it suffers from poor noise handling and lens collection.

Canon XSi also earns 9 points, it is slightly better than Canon XS with bigger screen (2.5 vs 3 inch), dedicated iso button, 12 megapixel and compatible with all Canon EOS lens.

Recently announced Olympus E-30 gets 9 points. It inherit most of the good thing from his big brother E-3 without the weather seal body. The strong point is the swivel lcd screen with live view, fairly fast continuous burst 4fps but it is a little bit pricy relatively to the competitor in the same class.

Olympus E-520 also gets 9 points. Even though it has body image stabilization that work with most lenses, it suffers from noise handling problem and 3 points auto focus system.

So there are no exactly least recommended cameras because Canon XSi, Olympus E-30 and E-520 all share the same points. But subjectively I will recommend to stay away from E-30 due to the price. With the same amount of cash, you can get the Nikon D90 instead.

Best entry level dslr camera end of the year 2008

enche.zein@gmail.com (Enche Tjin) — Mon, 15 Dec 2008 06:58:00 +0000

Almost the end of the year now, and it is time to judge what camera has the best value for your bucks this holiday season, of course, straight to the point Radiant Lite style. I evaluate these cameras based on features, image quality, camera body, auto focus, continuous burst, IS availability and off course, price.

In this class, there are Nikon D60, Olympus E-420, Canon XS, Sony A200 and Pentax k-m/k2000.

Canon XS is the winner of this category with 9 points.
Canon XS is the best amongs the crops in noise handling, has Live View mode, compatible with all Canon EF or EF-S lenses, and priced around right at $550 with image stabilized18-55mm lens. This camera will serve entry level digital slr user well and also provide room to expansion and upgrade through Canon extensive accessories and lens collection.

The runner-up is the newly designed ultra-compact dslr, Pentax k-m. Although it has no Live mode, it is good designed, complement well with Pentax tiny pancake lenses. It performs very well and compatible with Pentax lenses and accessories. It has 3.5 fps burst which is a little bit faster than the average of the group (3fps), and has sensor shift stabilization. Pentax k-m receive 8 points.

Sony A200 has built in stabilization but doing poor in noise handling, the kit lens is not awesome, and upgrade for better lenses and accessories will be expensive.

Olympus E-420, the ultra compact dslr camera, suffers from no image stabilization option either in body or in lens. It handles noise relatively poor and like Nikon D60, it only has 3 point auto focus system. Both Sony A200 and Olympus E-420 get 7 points. The upside of this camera is the size and live view mode.

Nikon D60 wins the least recommended camera to buy in 2008. It suffers from compatibility. Nikon D60 auto focus won't work unless you fit it with Nikon AF-S or Sigma HSM lens. Because many of Nikon prime (fixed focal lens) are not AF-S, so Nikon D60 it will be a problem. In the future, Nikon will release more AF-S lenses including prime, but it will be more expensive. D60 also lack of AF points (only 3), and there is no live view mode that could help on manual focusing for accurate focus in macro or still life shooting. D60 earns 6 points.

Pentax 40mm f/2.8 Limited Review

enche.zein@gmail.com (Enche Tjin) — Mon, 15 Dec 2008 05:32:00 +0000

Pentax 40mm f/2.8 limited is an exotic lens which can produce a really nice image quality even wide open at f/2.8. Physically, it is very small and thin even with the lens hood attached. (When you buy this lens you will get the lens hood and also nice small leather pouch). It can focus pretty close 30cm to infinity. When you focus in, the lens will rotate and protrude around 1/2 inch. At around 165g, this lens is very light, basically you'll feel like you are only carrying a camera without lens, which is good for portability.

This lens is capable to produce very good quality image with nice background blur at f/2.8. It is also very sharp that it can capture speckles of dust. The focal length is equivalent to 60mm which is considered a standard lens.

Being a standard lens, there are many things you can do with the lens, portrait, still life, general travel are some of the application. But for indoor, wide landscape or architecture shots, this lens is not wide enough.

Tried with Pentax k100D, the lens focuses accurately but not as quickly as lens with SDM (Supersonic Drive Motor) or other lens-based motor. It takes almost 1 second for the lens to focus. It also create a some noise in the process. So this lens with Pentax k100d is not ideal for action or candid shots. For general photography such as still life, travel, portrait, the lens will do very fine.

Build Quality
The built quality is also impressive, it is all metal construction, no plastic or rubber. Due to the size of the lens, the focusing barrel is quite small, but it is very smooth and easy to work with.

The other not so good about the lens is the lens cap. It is screw cap, means that you need to screw out the cap by hand. It takes me at least 5-10 seconds. the lens cap is very small and if you're not careful, you could lose it.

Sample pic on the above right is taken by Pentax 40mm with Pentax k100d camera, no post-editing, straight out from the camera.

Overall this lens deliver a very impressive image quality, detail and sharpness with reasonable price. I will highly recommend this lens.

Other alternative will be Pentax 50mm f/1.4 which is slightly bigger, longer, sand cheaper but 2 stop faster. Also consider Pentax 70mm f/2.4 Limited pan cake lens which is ideal for portrait.

Image Quality : Excellent 5/5
Build Quality : Very Good 4/5
Price value: 5/5

Related article:
Sigma 50mm f/1.4 EX HSM

Canon EF 100mm Macro Review

enche.zein@gmail.com (Enche Tjin) — Sun, 14 Dec 2008 22:23:00 +0000

I bought Canon Macro 100mm for fun, because of the deep cashback from live.com in the thanksgiving week. First I think if I don't like it, I will sell it, but the lens is just too amazing to be sold.

Canon Macro 100mm is quite affordable and do a fantastic job. No wonder a lot of professional use and recommend it. The lens is primarily use for macro, for small things. The lens have ability to focus really close to object so that the camera can capture a life size image.

The depth of field is very shallow, especially wide open at f/2.8 as you can see in some samples that I have uploaded. So, f/8 or higher is recommended if you want to capture a sharp object.

But the shallow depth of field is not bad thing for many people, it helps the photographer to point out where is the most interesting part of the picture.

The focal length of 100mm, make it ideal for portrait lens because it flattens out the facial features and blur the background making the subject more appealing especially girls portraits.

The color contrast is also very good, it turns everyday boring object becomes interesting.

Physically, the lens are slightly longer and heavier than most general purpose lens, the built quality is almost similar to 17-55mm f/2.8 IS USM and slightly better than 50mm, 85mm primes.

The focusing bar is big make manual adjustment becoming very easy (manual focus is important for Macro work to ensure accurate focusing, although the auto focus is very fast due to USM (UltraSonic Motor). We can adjust the focusing to macro range (close up) or standard to long range.

This lens focal length is bit too long for indoor shot and in crop sensor camera (Rebel series, and X0D series) but ideal for full frame camera (5D, 1D(s) series), but it is perfect for outdoor.

Other alternative for APC-S camera is the EF-S 60mm f/2.8 USM which is smaller more suitable indoor and have almost equal price and image quality. The drawback is the EF-S lens can't be use in full frame camera if you want to upgrade later.

Image Quality : Excellent 5/5
Build Quality : Very Good 4/5
Price value: 5/5

Get your macro lens here

Canon BG-E5 Battery Grip for Canon XSi Review

enche.zein@gmail.com (Enche Tjin) — Sun, 14 Dec 2008 22:01:00 +0000

I bought this Canon BG-E5 because of reading review in Amazon that said this grip will transform the camera. Immediately after I use it, I feel it is definitely true. This battery grip transform the camera in several ways:

First, it become taller and heavier, but feel more solid like pro camera.

Second, now my fingers do not have to cramp in the tight space. Although I have a relatively small hand and thin fingers, I feel a lot better.

Third, it has additional shutter release button, so you can use it for vertical/portrait shots. This is extremely helpful especially when you shoot portrait a lot. Now, the vertical grip become more comfortable than horizontal one.

Fourth, it comes with two kind of magazines which is interchangeable. First is 2 slot for regular Canon XSi's battery, and the other one is for regular AA batteries.

Fifth and the last one is the added weight and size of the camera make it more balance when you equip it with longer or heavier lens.

Who is this for? This battery grip will be helpful for anyone who used Canon Rebel XSi especially who fond of taking picture in portrait orientation and have some long or heavy lenses. It is also for anybody who go to long travel or lengthy photo shoots because they have magazines for batteries especially regular AAs.

I don't see a point on buying battery grip for Canon 40D/50D (heavier semi-pro camera) but for XSi, it is very valuable, especially the price point is relatively cheap compared to battery grip for bigger camera.

I recommend to get it here. They are reliable and I got a very sweet deal last time.

Read More...

Shooting Basketball - Equipments and Techniques Tips

enche.zein@gmail.com (Enche Tjin) — Sat, 29 Nov 2008 08:38:00 +0000

College basketball season has started and I am happy to have chance to practice some shoots. It is one of my favorite sport to take beside soccer.

First, I will discuss about ideal equipments and minimum requirement to take a good basketball pictures.

DSLR camera is a must have because 2 reasons
1. Basketball is held in indoor arena so it is dimmer than daylight
2. Basketball is a fast action sport, require a camera that has high speed auto focus and continuous shooting burst.

In choosing dSLR camera, any camera in the market has a decent performance including budget ones. Any brand will do pretty well but I highly recommend Canon or Nikon and avoid Pentax because the auto focus speed is very slow. Pentax system is great for general photography but not designed for sport just yet.

The entry level dSLRs
Canon 450D/XSi, Nikon D60 and Olympus E-520 will do the job fairly well, they have limitation on continuous shooting burst (usually around 3fps) and the noise handling is usually not as good as higher-end models. The price ranges of these cameras is around $500-$700

If you are serious about sports photography and have some bucks to spare, then I recommend you to look at semi pro model.

Semi pro models
Canon 40D or the new 50D, Nikon D90 or D300, Olympus E-30. They are a solid camera good most kind of photography, usually weather sealed and have average 2x faster continuous shooting burst (5-6.5 fps). The price range of these cameras is around $750-$1500

Pro models
Pro model such as Canon 1d Mark iii, Nikon D3 and D700, Olympus E-3 are the best in 2008. They features a weatherproof body, battery grip built in (except D700 and E3). They have incredible shooting speeds up to 10fps, sophisticated and customizable high speed auto focus system. Other than that, they handle noise very well in high iso setting. These characteristics made them ideal for sport photography either in bright or dim light. The price range of these cameras is around $2500-4500

Lenses
If you are shooting under the basket, I highly recommend 50mm f/1.4. this lens is fast enough and the focal length is perfect in cropped sensor camera (entry level/semi pro cameras). This lens is reasonably priced and great on other photography assignments such as portrait and artistic shots.

Other lenses that I recommend is 70-200mm f/2.8. With this lens, you can work on mid court to the other end of the field. I also recommend 85mm f/1.8 or 135mm f/2

Note: Avoid lens that has big aperture for example 4-5.6, because it require you to boost iso (degrade image quality) to maintain shutter speed to freeze the action.

Special Note: Image stabilization will not work in covering basketball or other sport photography because IS can only battle hand shake on slow shutter speed but can't freeze the action.

Techniques and setting.
My usual shooting setting is as follows:

Manual setting (M)
Aperture f/2.8 ISO 1250, shutter speed 1/640
AI servo (predictive focus)
AWB around 4000-4400 (or white fluorescent setting)
RAW mode.
High speed continuous shoot

Strategy and What to shoot?
I highly recommend you to take a position close to the field arena or under the basket area. This way you will get more chance to capture close action. Getting a media pass will be great too. I volunteer to shoot for student newspaper so I can get media pass for a season. You could save ticket money by getting a media pass.

Usually I will shoot some close action of two players, a player shooting, or blocking, rebound and any action which is interesting for me. Also sometimes I look for coach, players and audience reactions. However, you will likely to need a long telephoto lens to get the coaches expression. You can also use wide angle lens to cover the entire arena in one frame.

Even your lens permit you to go lower beyond f/2.5, I recommend you to avoid it, because the image could be pretty soft except you have a high quality pro model lens such as Sigma 50mm f/1.4 or Canon 85mm f/1.2.

After shooting for a while, don't hesitate to move around if you find your position is far from ideal, for example, the referee keep blocking your way or the players are facing other direction most of the time.

So I hope this entry will help you enthusiast basketball shooters.

Olympus E-30 highlights

enche.zein@gmail.com (Enche Tjin) — Sat, 08 Nov 2008 08:12:00 +0000

Olympus has announced the new mid-range digital slr camera on 5th November 2008. Compare to camera with the same price range ( Canon 40D, Nikon D90, Pentax k20D ) , Olympus E-30 offers something different.

It inherited many features from Olympus flagship E-3. A tilt-swivel 2.7" lcd screen, improved image stabilization up to 5 stops and on board post processing features such as art filter and multiple exposures.

Without further due, this is some key differences between this camera with others
based on their specification.

Olympus E-30 vs Canon 40D

40D has slightly bigger lcd screen but can't swivel.
40D has faster burst rate (6.5fps compared to E-30 around 4-5 fps).
E-30 offers 2 extra megapixel resolution.
E-30 has tilt-swivel lcd screen with improved live view mode.
E-30 offers improved body stabilization (up to 5 stops, 2 extra modes for panning)

Olympus E-30 vs Pentax k20D

Pentax k20d has 2 megapixel extra resolution (14 vs 12 megapixels)
Pentax k20d has water proof body, while E-30 has not.
E-30 has continuous shooting up to 5 fps, k20d only has 3 fps.
E-30 also has swivel lcd screen with improved live view mode.

Olympus E-30 vs Nikon D90

The size between both camera is almost the same.
Nikon's unique feature is ability to record movie.
Nikon D90 has higher iso setting (up to 6400).
E-30 has swivel lcd screen with improved live view mode.
E-30 offers improved body stabilization (up to 5 stops, 2 extra modes for panning)

Olympus E-30 vs E-520

E-30 expand the iso setting up to 3200. Although there is no test yet, but we can expect the E-30 performs better from E-520.
E-30 body is bigger and has tilt-swivel lcd screen.
E-30 body offers greater control, handle and built.
E-30 has faster burst rate (5 fps vs 3 fps)
E-520 is way cheaper, it has only half the price of E-30.

Olympus E-30 vs E3

Olympus flagship camera E-3, around $100-200 more expensive has a slightly bigger body and view finder and it is water splash proof body, while E-30 is not water proof.

Along with this camera, Olympus also announced a new lens Zuiko 14-54mm f/2.8-33.5 II that supports the fast contras detect Live View.

In conclusion, this camera is all around camera that designed for enthusiasts or beginner in dslr. Many features are user-friendly and post processing become easier with art filters and multiple exposure on board. .

From the specification, this camera has some advantages over some camera in $1000 range, and that is why this camera will be price slightly higher in the market $1200-1300. But I think $1100-1200 is a great price. I believe most users will be satisfied of the camera's performance and user friendliness. The camera will be available on January 2009.

Other thing to consider is the lens selection and the fact that Olympus System is a micro four third system which has unique framing 4:3 instead of 3:2 that we find in many others. Also the crop factor is 2 not 1.5 or 1.6 like camera on the other brands.

Flash Difusers reviews: Stofen Omnibounce, lightsphere cloud, demb diffusers

enche.zein@gmail.com (Enche Tjin) — Mon, 03 Nov 2008 01:42:00 +0000

If you have external flash for your digital slr camera, using a flash difusers are highly recommended. The simplest form of flash diffusers are bounce card in the top of the flash. In some model is it included especially a higher model.

The basic idea why flash diffuser matter is because light from the flash unit is too harsh to the object, that is why it causes unnatural look.

You can also create your own flash diffusers in a cheap cost. The tutorial and further information about flash diffuser and why it matters could be found at this website.

If you decided on buying ready-made flash diffusers instead, then there are three products that I have tried and I will tell you about my opinion on each of them.

Stofen Omnibounce
This small omnibounce has many benefits, it is cheap, it is small and portable, and it sticks like a glue, of course if you buy the correct fit. But even it helps to soften the light from your flash unit, the result is not as good as other flash diffusers. Because of its ultimate portability, this diffuser is popular among photojournalists that value portability.

Gary Fong Lightsphere Cloud
This diffuser are big and one of the most expensive in the market. It does distribute and soften the light well, but it still cast shadow. The major drawback of this diffuser is it is not clinging well into my flash unit, so there are couple times that it fell off.

The lightsphere cloud is made to soften the light as much as possible and the lightsphere clear is to pass the light as much as possible and in the same time soften it a little bit.

According to Fong, the lightsphere clear is better to light up wide area such as group picture and the cloud is more suitable for portrait picture.

Fong's products are marketed heavily in the internet and trade shows for wedding or events photography.

Joe Demb Diffuser
This is the diffuser that I like the most, it is simple, fold flat, and it stick like glue to my flash. It is moderately expensive but do the job very well. The other advantage is it has option of directional lighting through the Flip-It. The diffuser will further soften the light.

Because the flexibility of the diffuser, there are many creative things that the users can do with it, for example adjusting the power of the light forward by adjusting the Flip-It, and directing the flash to an angle to create a more dynamic lighting.

The drawback might be it is relatively bigger than the omnibounce, could attract attention, and quite expensive. The website of this diffuser is here. This is my main Diffuser and I mainly use this diffuser for event photography and portraits.

Above is the sample of the demb diffuser in practice.
The camera in self timer so I can be in the group picture. The diffuser (Flip-It) is set 90 degree and the Demb diffuser is tilted forward. It is a very dim living room with tungsten lighting.

Canon EF-S 17-85mm IS USM vs 18-200mm IS

enche.zein@gmail.com (Enche Tjin) — Wed, 22 Oct 2008 04:28:00 +0000

Canon 18-200mm IS is the new general purpose lens released in Fall 2008 with Canon 50D. This lens is ideal for vacation due to its versatile focal length.

Canon also have 17-85mm IS USM f/4-5.6. Both are considered in the same class as 18-200mm. But which is better?

17-85mm auto focus operation is faster and quieter. This lens is also around $175 cheaper. But 18-200mm has 125mm focal length advantage. This allows 18-200 mm users to shoot nature such as birds, ducks etc. Also this lens could be used to shoot outdoor sport. The Image Stabilization of 18-200mm is 1-2 stops better than 17-85mm too.

Here are some observations about these two lenses:

Shooting at 17mm wide open (largest aperture available) both of the lenses as similar sharpness. 18-200mm is sharper in the center but worse in the corner.
Shooting at 24mm-f/4, 18-200mm is sharper in the center.
Shooting at 50mm f/5-6, 18-200mm is significantly sharper in the center
Shooting at 80mm and 85mm f/5.6, 18-200 has worse corner sharpness.
Shooting at 135mm f/5.6, 18-200mm has very bad corner sharpness.
Shooting at 200mm f/5.6, 18-200mm is sharp at f/8 but suffers from high chromatic aberration or color fringing in high contrast areas.

In conclusion

Overall Canon EF 18-200mm is sharper in the center across the focal length but worse in the corner. At telephoto end, from 150-200mm, this lens suffers dramatic color fringing.

Both lenses are not perfect, but they are good enough for casual use. Mechanically, 17-85mm has a better AF operation but 18-200 has better IS. 18-200mm has also longer focal length.

So does investing $175 more for 18-200mm worth it? it depends on your needs. Are you planning to use the lens for outdoor sport / nature? If yes than you will need 18-200mm otherwise, 17-85mm might serve you well.

Other alternative for general purpose lens in the same class (consumer class) are 28-135mm IS USM.

Pentax k20d price drop now at $833 body only and $941 with lens

enche.zein@gmail.com (Enche Tjin) — Sat, 18 Oct 2008 04:14:00 +0000

Pentax k20d has a price drop this week from $1000 (body only) couple months ago to $775. with lens, 1150 to 850 (a $225 price drop).

With this new price point, Pentax k20d will compete directly with Canon 40D and Nikon D90. k20D is weather shield camera, able to withstand rain and dust. It is one of the first camera that introduce 14 megapixel for semi-pro class.

Beside famous on the weather shield body, k20d along with other Pentax DSLR is famous for shake reduction capability. This shake reduction help to combat hand shake, so photographer can have advantage of 2-3 stops on any lens that it mounts.

Pentax k20d produces very good image quality, has many features that might be helfpul for professional use, but its auto focus speed in dim light and continuous burst speed are considered pretty slow (3 fps) relative to other cameras at the same price point.

There is no sign that Pentax will launch any new camera soon, especially full frame camera which is speculated earlier this year.

Tamron vs Canon Lenses

enche.zein@gmail.com (Enche Tjin) — Sat, 11 Oct 2008 11:03:00 +0000

Tamron Lenses are famous for their price and focal length. They provides general consumers with a versatile lens walk around lens. Compare to Canon or other brand name lenses (Nikon, Olympus, Sony etc), Tamron lens are not as good mechanically and image quality because Tamron optimized their production on the price and size.

Some notable Tamron lenses are 17-50mm f/2.8. If you need wide angle fast lens for shooting in low light or want to create a great depth of field this lens is for you. Compare to Canon 17-55mm or Nikon 17-55mm, this Lens is a lot cheaper. Canon lens is sold at $1000, Nikon's at $1200. Canon lens has image stabilizer and fast auto focus motor and Nikon has better built quality and fast auto focus motor (AF-S) also. Both Canon and Nikon lens are sharper especially on the edge. Complete review comparison of Tamron 17-50mm vs Canon 17-55mm IS USM is discussed here

Perhaps one of the most popular lens Tamron will be 18-270mm VC (Vibration Compensation). This new announced lens in photokina 2008 trade show has a massive range of focal length with no competition. The size and weight of the lens is also very reasonable for travel. In addition with VC (image stabilization), this lens is very versatile for day to day use. For Canon and Nikon shooters whereas the cameras does not have built-in stabilization, this lens VC will be helpful especially in long zoom. The price factor is very interesting too. It is cheaper from Canon or Nikon 18-200mm lens ($600 compare to Canon's $700 and Nikon $650).

If you have camera with built in body stabilization, Tamron 18-200mm is a bargain lens for you. It is only $275.

The other thing worth to notice is the new Tamron 70-200mm f/2.8 Macro lens. This lens is also $300 cheaper than Canon 70-200mm f/2.8 usm. I thas decent macro capability and sharpness but it lack of auto focus speed which is essential for sport photography.

For the macro lens, Tamron has an excellent 90mm f/2.8 lens. But because the price differences are not that wide, I will suggest you to get brand macro lens instead.

In conclussion, if you are not into fast action such as sport photography, then Tamron lens give you versatility and price that irresistible. But if you are very picky about image quality and do not mind about price and mechanical quality such as auto focus noise and speed, then Tamron lenses might not be for you.

Related article:

Click on the table below to see the comparison between some Tamron and Canon lenses
BC = Built Quality IQ = Image Quality