Herman's Notes & Reviews

Canon 20D User Remarks
Canon Zoom EF 75-300mm f/4-5.6 IS USM User Remarks

Canon 100mm Macro Lens User Rearks

Canon Ring Lite MR-14EX

 
 

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I do not intent to present a complete evaluation of the Canon 20D. I only shall reference the results and opinions of a few test I did in order to establish resolution at given enlargement sizes. For a detailed critique of the Cano 20D see Digital Review, and Reichman's Luminous Landscape websites.
 
For the sake of completeness, I had been considering the acquisition of a Canon (I have the lenses) digital for the past 12 to 18 months. I was impressed with the specifications of the 1D but the price tag disillusioned me and I started to look at the 10D. Then, in October of 2004, I read an article "Digital SLR versus Film Scans" written by Steve Hoffmann Steve Hoffmann's Nature & Scenic Photography it put me over the top although the article used a 10D, I ordered the Canon 20D camera which was introduced by Canon just about a month before. It came a few days ago and must say, "This camera is not your Grandmothers snapshot box!"
 
Canon has out-done them selves with the introduction of the 20D. The camera is well designed, well made, functional and delivers a huge bang for the buck that is, if you can call a 13x19 print sharp in detail and without any visible noise or grain/pixels, a triumph!  No intent here to critique the camera because the above mentioned sites will tell everything there is to know about it. I use ISO 100 for serious shooting which has enlargement limitations due to film grain and I have been irritated by that for many years. Referring to Hoffmann's article, "Digital SLR versus Film Scans," I wanted to see if the 20D's dynamic range is equal to or better in quality than the Canon 10D and /or ISO 100 35mm film scanned @ 4000 DPI. The image sensor dimensions are about the same for each digital camera however, the Canon 20D has about 2 million more (6 versus 8.2) pixels. Hence my curiosity!
 
To make the test, I took several shots of a distant building and with the use of Photoshop, processed from one (1) ISO 100 RAW image and without any further RAW processing, one (1) TIF image and one (1) extracted JPEG. My objective was to find out at what point (size of enlargement) the picture would become unacceptable because of noise or grain (pixels). No tweaking of any kind was done to any of the processed images.

The images (22.5mm x 15mm) @ 3956 Pixels/23.4 MB) were rescaled to 13 x 19.5 about 180 Pix/Inch.

I was unable to find any imperfection on the screen or on the 13 x 19 edge to edge print. This was amazing to me because a print of the same size made from a 35mm processed slide (starting image larger than 20D sensor size) would usually show some film grain, processing scratches and/or chemical development solution pollution. Next, I increased the print size to 16x24 @ 146 Pix/Inch still producing an acceptable print (maybe a very acceptable print with some Photoshop tweaking.) Finally, at 24x36 @ 97 * some deterioration like loosing some detail started to set in although no "grain" or pixels were visible. Below is the original re-sampled image @ 97 Pix/Inch and the 2x3 crop  take from it.

 

24x36 @ 97 dpi enlargement from which crop was taken.

2x3 Crop shows liyttle deterioration

Click on image to see at full screen

The above procedure was completed for both images (TIFF and JPEG) obtaining, as near as I could tell, identical results.

That the Canon 20D and its competitors will make 35mm film photography eventually obsolete is a fact. It is clear that, unless you are a "die-hard," 35 film cameras and film scanners are becoming a thing of the past. I found myself at this cross road when I badly needed to replace an obsolete but still working film scanner. I decided for the Canon 20D rather than investing in a state of the art scanner of similar expense. As it appears, I made the right decision. I ended-up with higher resolution images than I could have obtained from any film scanner, eliminated the film development process with its inherent chemical solution pollution, have instant access to the shots of the day and not to mention, total control over the quality of the process. What a deal!
 
* If the test images @ 97 DPI (26x36 inches) were properly edited and up-sampled to 300 DPI, the result would have made acceptable poster quality images.
 
 
Canon 20D ISO Capabilities
The Canon 20D has a number of unique capabilities. One of them is the exceptional low noise circuitry build into the camera allowing picture taking at extraordinary high ISO settings. We quote from Canon's 20D specification sheet the following;

"The EOS 20D has an extensive ISO range (from 100 to 1600 plus ISO 3200 in extended mode), and the sensor features a newly developed set of narrow-gap micro lenses and noise reduction circuits to improve performance at high ISO's, and optimized photodiode configurations for improved performance at all Isis. This results in larger, clearer, sharper and more detailed photographs right from the start."

The above quote is, by many readers regarded as an interesting "sales pitch" and quickly read-over. Most film users would regard the ISO ability as useless to them. After all, using film with a higher ISO rating is a quality trade-off and a certain limitation for enlargements. ISO 400 ok, but 800, 1600 and 3200? When I read the ISO spec's, I thought that it was interesting but shooting at such high settings will certainly result in a useless image due to pixel grain and noise. So, I parked the idea of evaluating it until I made some pictures at an ISO 200 setting and decided to enlarge the image to 12 x18. I was surprised to see very little quality difference  between images photographed at my usual 100 ISO settings and the ones done at ISO 200 and so a question evolved. Could I shoot large average lit areas without using flash equipment? The areas I had in mind were well lit sports events, stage performances etc..

A few weeks before, I had started a new layout for my web site the subject being "Renaissance Hotels & Resorts." I had the exterior shots of three four-star rebuild local resort-hotels but how about the interior? How do I shoot the large lobbies, lounges and veranda's I wondered. Camera mounted flash gear would not work unless auto triggered slaves would be set-up all around the scene. A big no-no for a four star hotel with its daily traffic and the afore mentioned question began to have an answer. One of the hotels with large open incandescent illuminated areas was within walking distance and I decided to do the ISO evaluation there. The results are amazing, see below.

 

 

 

Canon 20D,  28-135mm IS @ 45mm  f-13 1/30 AF ISO 1600 handheld no

 

Canon EOS 20D, 28-135mm IS @ 45mm f-14 1/6 AF ISO 1600  handheld no flash

  

Above images are web quality (72DPI,) Click on either to enlarge

 

The above pictures were taken with a Canon 20D digital camera using a Canon 28-135mm zoom lens @ 28mm or, (compensated for the Cmos size, 28mm x 1.6 = 44mm) @ 44mm focal length . The lens has IS (image stabilization) and the camera was handheld at 1/6 sec exposure. The aperture was set to f-14, ISO to 1600 and White Balance to Auto. Post processing from RAW format was curtailed to adjusting the White Balance from "Auto" to 3200 Kelvin because the auto setting produced to much orange cast from the incandescent illumination and warm colors of the interior. (Like exposing day-light film to incandescent light without a filter or not using a flash.)

Taking the picture without flash relying on ambient light only, produced an equal tone throughout the scene that being a mixture of incandescent light, some fluorescent above the bar and incoming day light. No fill-in flash or spot lights were used. The larger image, (click on the picture to see the image at 560 x 350 pixels) shows a pleasing picture with significant clear detail (@ 1/6 sec.). So much for image stabilization (IS) technology.

To establish acceptable enlargement quality, in terms of visible grain/pixels and noise, the above image was enlarged to 18 x 24 inches. That is a considerable magnification considering the Cmos image format is 22.5 x 15mm therefore, an 18 x 24 inch enlargement is about an 826 times area increase of the basic Cmos area size. From the 18 x 24 inch enlargement, we selected and cropped an area of 3 x 4 inch detailing the second table lamp on the left indicated by the white window in the above picture. No image processing of any kind was done to enhance it other than the mentioned white balance adjustment. Although the crop is not the best of quality it shows very little grain, pixels or noise at this size. Would we have applied some degree of tweaking and sharpening, it would have produced an acceptable 18 x 24 print whereas a print of same size made from a 35mm equivalent film negative certainly would have exhibited visible grain.

This kind of consumer photographic capability is new and brings about many possibilities for the professional as well as the advanced amateur photographer. Such possibilities include shooting images at locations where triggered flash would be objectionable or indoor arena activity photography where the use of flash equipment is redundant due to distance limitations. Using a 800/1600 ISO setting with low aperture settings could very well result in shutter speeds fast enough to capture a moving subject. 

The picture of the 120 Ft. long hallway above is another interesting example of shooting indoor light balanced images without flash. Note the color of the illumination in the foreground and at the end of the hallway. It is nearly the same from beginning to the end of the hallway. To get this quality of illumination over this distance, width and ceiling height, using artificial means would be cumbersome and expensive. Working with digital RAW & 800/1600 ISO settings, it offers many possibilities..

3 x 4 crop from 18 x 24

 
Canon Zoom EF 75-300mm IS User Remarks
In 1999, Canon introduced the 75-300mm IS low cost zoom lens for the advanced amateur market. For non-professional use, this lens is capable of making some remarkable and even outstanding pictures of distant images. This of course, is contributed to the image-stabilization technology build into the lens. I got mine in 2004 and have used it many times. The lens has been subject to some bad press by some who seem to have forgotten that the lens is not an "L" quality lens. As a whole, this lens is a very respective "piece-of-glass" of excellent capability. If I must deliver bad critique I would like to say that the lens is prone to barrel creep when pointing the camera up or down and when installing the lens hood, hold the barrel to prevent focus ring ratcheting.

If the lens is mounted on a digital camera with a less than 35mm Cmos, multiply the lens setting by the focus factor in order to obtain actual focus length. For instance, this lens mounted on my Canon 20D which has a 1.6 conversion factor, changes the focal length to 300mm x 1.6 = 480mm turning the lens into a respectable tool.

The other day, concrete was being poured on the 26th floor of a new high-rise under construction in my neighborhood. The distance of my view point and the construction activity was about 900-1000 feet or about a small halve-mile. As I observed the activity, I could see the cement pump being positioned but not a lot of detail. I wondered what kind of detail the Canon 20D with a Canon 75-300mm zoom lens would deliver and at full magnification (300mm x 1.6 lens factor = 480mm), took the picture hand held at the following settings;

Camera, Canon 20D, Lens, Canon 75-300 USM IS f4.5 @ 300 (480) 100 sec. f 8 AF 100 ISO Hand held, Distance 2200/2300 ft.

I enlarged the picture to about 22 x 34 and cropped the center building corner. I was amazed to see the detail and the lack of noise/grain and to find three workers in the foreground top-corner of the building. I could count the re-bars sticking up in the air. This is amazing! I always found it tricky to make hand-held long-lens shots and found it cumbersome to carry a tripod for the "occasional" occasion. Hence, I got interested in the IS feature. It sure is working!

 A crop of an 22 x 34 inch enlargement showing detail at 2400Ft barely visible in the 5x 7 above. No sharpening has been applied testifying to the capability of the Canon 20D. Please note the Re-bars which are 1/2 to 3/4 inch in diameter!

 
Canon 100 mm 2.8 Macro lens User Remarks

This lens replaced the older 100 mm non-USM lens. Although I have no experience with the older len, I must say that this lens should have a red ring around the barrel. The quality for the price (+/- $500.00) is excellent. It was near the end of last year (2006) I obtained the Canon 100 mm 2.8 Macro and I must say I have had a ball with this lens. First of all I must explain why I selected the 100 mm instead of any of the other tree available including the 60 mm macro developed for the Canon digital camera line. One of the decision makers was that I also own an Canon Elan 7 film camera and wanted to maintain interchangeability. The other reasons were that the 100 mm had a longer focal range giving me more distance between the subject and the end of the lens as well as the reputation this lens had when used for portrait photography.

A shorter focal length usually presents problems because getting as close as 1:1 means casting your shadow and body movements which can interfere with the subject matter. Getting physically very close to the subject usually results in consequent objection of the item (insect etc.) being photographed. Generally, the further you can stay away from the subject the more you will be successful. A 180mm macro is a great choice for this reason, but they are slower and more difficult to hand-hold. I chose the 100mm as a compromise. This lens features internal focusing without extending the length of the lens with one regret however, the lens should have had IS. Nikon for instance recognized this feature for macro lenses to be important and a few weeks or so ago they (Nikon) announced a Macro Image stabilized lens ( 105mm f/2.8G ED-IF AF-S VR Micro-Nikkor, a macro lens with vibration reduction technology)

Depth of Field
Although DOF is the same for all lenses, it becomes very noticeable however when using a macro lens. The lens delivers excellent and very sharp images throughout its entire focal length however, this lens works easy and smoothly between two and five feet. Recently I tested the lens, shooting Orchids and the like at Selby's Botanical Gardens in Sarasota FL. (see this site, Flower section.) The camera, a Canon 20D, was set to 200 ISO with a shutter priority set for 1/250 seconds. A Canon FP flash was mounted on the camera set to TTL (dedicated high-speed-synchronization) and I spend a few hours shooting.

Although not all pictures are "outstanding" a few are and as a whole, not bad for a first time experience with  this new lens. One of the items that must be considered constantly is the narrow DOF. To appreciate this how narrow this DOF actually is I made the chart below from data obtained from the web.

 

At a 6 inch distance from the subject, the DOF is near zero regardless the F stop. At 3 feet, the best DOF one can get is 1.95 inch @ F-11 (read in-between the lines) any smaller F stop to increase the DOF will result in violating the ideal f stop resulting in loss of sharpness or compromising and the obvious one would be a higher ISO setting. A higher ISO setting, well you know what happens although my Canon 20D delivers good and very acceptable enlargements even at 400 ISO. The loss of "lens sharpness" at a higher f stop is based on the "shoot at your lens sharpest aperture" rule. For most lenses, that is about two to three stops smaller than wide open. The last shooting variable were you can play with is the light source meaning increase the power of the flash unit.

As the chart indicates, the larger the distance between subject and lens, the DOF increases accordingly. When cutting the distance between subject and lens, the DOF becomes extremely narrow and focusing (either auto or manually) without a tripod becomes more difficult.

The left image was shot at about 1500 ft. the right is a crop of the left and reading the crane's name is not a problem. Nice, I think so. Click on the crop!

Other Capabilities
Although this lens is designed for macro use, it has surprising other capabilities. We have mentioned the macro and portrait capability, the telephoto capability is uncanny. Look at the two prints above. One is the structure itself photographed hand-held from about a  quarter of a mile away while to crop on the right details the name of the crane service. (Click on it) Not a bad piece of glass?
No misgivings, this macro lens is of excellent quality and is a first-rate tool for macro, short range, portrait photography and medium telephoto.
 
Macro Ring Lite MR-14EX
The MR-14EX is quite new and incorporates Canon's latest automated E-TTL technology. Frankly, it makes doing macro nature photography a breeze. 

A ring-lite allows you to illuminate small objects with "shadow-less" flash, even at the closest possible distances. The MR-14EX has some unique capabilities that bear mentioning. Firstly, the ring has separate left and right flash tubes, and the light level can be set independently for each up to a 6 F-stop range. As top flash equipment goes, it is not cheap!

 
Canon Zoom EF 28-135mm IS User Remarks
Released in early 1998, the Canon EF 28-135mm f/3.5-5.6 USM IS was the first SLR zoom lens incorporating image stabilization. The IF feature, although not new in principle was a unique Canon first. The IS capability is controlled by two gyro motion detecting sensors who in turn shift a lens group to counteract the movement or camera shake.

The improvement obtained in stability is significant and improves hand-holding of the

camera reducing, near eliminating the need for a tripod. Image stabilization allows one to shoot images to at lower light levels.  I have tested the lens in light conditions where normally a flash is employed. At 1/25 sec. and 135mm, test shots were very acceptable and at magnification, no blur was detected. According to Canon, the IS compensation is equivalent to two F stops or shutter speeds. Therefore, an image shot at 1/25 sec. is actually shot at 1/100 sec. without image stabilization.

Lens quality appears to excellent and the lens is generally referred to by many owners as a "nice-piece-of-glass." I have used this lens frequently under many conditions moving, as well as stationary, as a short or   long focal and have always been pleased with the quality of the image.
   
 

The stabilizer ability however, must be disabled when the lens is used on a camera-tripod. The lens is equipped with an auto-focus macro mechanism for low magnification close-up photography. Thus this work? This Bromeliad was shot at 1/250, sec. f-11, 100mm and auto exp. The distance from camera lens to subject was about two feet. Click on the picture to see the detail. Use Browser back button to return here.

 

 

 
 
I have come across a number of articles rolling the dice on the new Canon 50D when it makes its appearance. www.northlight-images.co.uk/cameras/Canon_50D.html, askthephotographer.com/2008/01/26/canon-50d-rumors, photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=442661, www.dphoto.us/forum/showthread.php?t=5173,

There are a number of tell-tale signs that something is in the works and with the release of the Rebel XSi 450, Canon is the bearer of the news themselves.  Will it be good news depends on what you are looking for in upgrade and monies.

Various guesses have been made with regard to extend of upgrade and you can go to the various web sites mentioned above to read all about it. With regard to pricing, the dollar devaluation will probably play an important role here.

Canon has been "rebating" a good number of their models. Canon Canada  has put a "sell through dealer" rebate for the 40D kits indicating that they wish to reduce stock. If this rebate migrates to the US  that would be an indicator that its replacement is behind the door although a "mid-model-year" introduction (the 40D was introduced in August 2007) would be unorthodox but they have done this before and Canon may very well have good reasons for it.

What will be the timing? Some rumors have it that it will be before August 2008 and from a marketing point-of-view, the fall of 2008 is probably the most likely and the best time to cash-in on the Xmas shopping. What will it be? That is a good question and again read what all the rumors are. As for myself I belief the new 50D will be something the "Prosumers" are looking for which is more resolution and a full size sensor.

Canon has been very successful with the "Prosumer" or advanced amateur photographic line like the Rebel, and the 20D - 40D's all equipped with the C sensor in a variety of MP capability. The introduction of the Rebel XSi 450, 12.2 MP model has many 20D-40D owners wondering what Canon is doing to them and consequently are now expecting a substantial upgrade at a reasonable price. What are they expecting? A full size sensor or a super MP C size, a 3/4 or an H size? Only canon knows!

Here is how I look at it.

I belief that Canon will keep the full size sensor for the professional market as long as possible. I am also sure that cramming 12.2 MP on a C size area (329 sq.mm or 37132 Pixels per sq.mm) results in a fair amount of rejects more so than the 1Ds Mark III 36x24 full size sensor which dons 21.1 MP on an area of 864 sq.mm. The higher the amount of MP/sq.mm the lower the manufacturing yield and that is a quote. So, why did they do it? I have no clue unless Canon, (who produces their own sensors,) had an enormous technical break through!  Putting that aside, what is reasonable?

A 50D with an H size sensor! Canon has the know how, experience and the tooling from the 1D Mark III  and the XSi experience of assembling a lot of pixels into a small area! My guess is, an H size sensor (28x18.5 +/- mm) with about 14.5 MP and some other camera refinements like DIGIC III, live LCD, 14 bit processing and, hopefully a hinged/rotating LCD panel to facilitate macro and "out of the ordinary" angle shooting. Canon build this sensor for the 1D Mark III and has employed it in one model only. This combination would replace the 1D Mark III as well as the 40D. What a prosumer camera would it be! If such am animal could be marketed for about the same price of the current 40D it would have an enormous 20D & 30D upgrade market!

If this scenario is to take place, a problem would arise for those owners who invested in EF-S lenses. It also would signal an end using the C size sensor for the prosumer market dedicating the C size as well as the EF-S lenses to the amateur market. That is an unreal assumption and would create an additional product line. On the other hand, the marketing of the EF-S lens line indicated that Canon would stay with the C size sensor although getting more and more pixels on a C size sensor has its manufacturing limitations. So, what the 50D will be, only Canon knows!

 

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