I thought some readers might like to see me defending good old SMC - from another (unmentionable) list :
--------------------------------------------- On 2/9/05, James B.Davis, discombobulated, unleashed: >My experience are that Canon makes top notch lenses and I do not see >why people try and find something better that is not really made for >the job. There may be slight differences but the Canon lineup is deep >and I have found even the cheaper lenses go well beyond most >photographers' needs. Sure the Contax name is cool to have on the >front of your camera, much more than Yashica eh... > >I'd like to have a Canon wide zoom, say the 17-40L would do for me. > >I sold my 20-35 USM and miss it so. Sure it wasn't super wide on my >10d but it was wider than my 28. I do need something wider many times. My experience is that I use the right tool for the job that suits me. My lens lineup for a 1DmarkII: 15mm 20mm 65mm macro 85mm 24-70mm 70-200mm 2X extender Of those lenses, all except two are Canon, and here are the reasons why they are not. 1. 15mm is a Pentax SMC-K 15mm f/3.5 <http://www.bdimitrov.de/kmp/lenses/primes/ultra-wide/K15f3.5-ii.html> I use this lens primarily for landscape, and so it would normally be used on a tripod, along with a remote release, angle finder (C), and in a methodical and considered way. I can only use it on my Canon in stop-down mode, but this makes no difference as I only use the viewfinder for composing. The lens focus is set manually according to depth of field desired, and aperture obviously will be minimum/optimal for the situation. Program metering plays no part here. In fact I can use the lens on aperture priority, as here: <http://pug.komkon.org/05aug/duki.html> The reason I have not replaced it with an EF 14mm 2.8 L is primarily one of cost, but also because the Pentax SMC lens is a first rate performer, and I enjoy old manual focus lenses. Even if I did buy an EF 14mm, I wouldn't part with the 15mm. 2. 85mm is a Pentax SMC-A*85mm f/1.4 <http://www.bdimitrov.de/kmp/lenses/primes/short-tele/A85f1.4.html> I use this lens primarily for minimal depth of field portraiture, and so it would normally be used handheld, wide open at f/1.4, low ISO, fast shutter speed. Again, in stop-down metering mode, it's academic as I use it at maximum aperture, although it will work in aperture priority just fine. The focus is manual and it's a joy to use: <http://www.cottysnaps.com/snaps/portraits/images/pic26.html> The reason I have not replaced it with an EF 85mm 1.2 L is primarily one of cost, but also because the Pentax SMC lens is a first rate performer, and I enjoy old manual focus lenses. I bought an EF 85mm f/1.8 lens and was disappointed with the results and buidl quality of the lens, and sold it after a couple of months. I have the EF 20mm 2.8 and i like it for a quick around town grab lens (I don't like wide zooms) but it is a poorer performer than the Pentax 15mm. My most used and favourite lens is the EF 24-70 2.8 and I love using that. In the end it's all down to individual choice through personal experience. As my wife says, 'the world would be a boring place if we were all the same' ;-) Regards, Cheers, Cotty --------------------------------------------- Cheers, Cotty ___/\__ || (O) | People, Places, Pastiche ||=====| http://www.cottysnaps.com _____________________________
