I was hoping someone could direct me to where I can find a complete list of prime lens specs, or maybe even zoom lenses too. I found the official Canon site not very helpful. They only have specs for a select number of lenses. I actually got more useful information from B&H's web site. What I am looking for specifically are which primes have ring USM if any (so nice and quiet), IF, filter sizes, weight, etc. I am looking to purchase 35mm, 50mm, 85mm, etc. for various types of photography. Any recommendations?

Thanks a lot.

-- (Bill_Lee@telus.net), June 09, 2001

Answers

Try this site, it has a lot of information on prime and zoom lens as well as all the camera produced by Canon.

http://www.canon.com/camera-museum/index.html

Hope you find what you looking for.

-- Pascal Harvey (harveypascal@hotmail.com), June 09, 2001.

Try this site. Fairly complete info on Canon lenses, bodies and Speedlites. - http://www.techphoto.org/photo/equipment/canon/fd.html

Canon makes two 35mm lenses an f/1.4L and an f/2. Both are very sharp & distortion free. I'd recommend either, depending on your budget. The f/2 is about $300, uses a 52mm filter, weighs 210 grams, is not USM & not IF but focuses quickly & the filter ring does not turn. The f/1.4L costs $1300, uses 72mm filtes, don't know it's weight, is a ring type USM.

Canon makes three 50mm lenses the f/1.8 does not have USM, uses 52mm filters, weighs about 100 grams (130 for the original version) & costs $80. The f/1.4 is the only lens that offers full time manual focusing with a micro USM, uses 58mm filters, weighs 290 grams and costs $350. The f/1.0L uses ring USM, 72mm filters, weighs 985 grams and costs $2500. It's not as sharp as the f/1.4. I wouldn't get it unless you really needed fast optics. The other two are also very good lenses. The f/1.4 is a bit sharper at equivilent f/stops. Again, it depends on how much money you have to spend.

Canon makes two 85mm lenses. The f/1.8 uses 58mm filters, weighs 425 grams, has ring USM & costs $400. The f/1.2L has ring USM, 72mm filters, weighs 1025 grams & costs $1800. They are both very sharp, quality products but unless you really need the speed, I can't see getting the f/1.2L

I don't know if any of them have IF. Maybe some of the "L" stuff. But I don't believe any of them rotate their filter rings.

-- Jim Strutz (jimstrutz@juno.com), June 09, 2001.

I have the EF 85 1.8 USM and it's a great lens. It has the ring USM and achieves focus by moving an internal lens group, i.e., it is an IF lens design (the barrel doesn't rotate, expand or contract when focusing).

The "EF Lens Work" from Canon is a good reference book to look up specs. Also, "Canon Lens" by George Lepp & Joe Dickerson (Magic Lantern) is useful for older EF lenses but isn't current.

-- Puppy Face (doggieface@aol.com), June 09, 2001.

Here.

-- Willie Ju (wju@mediaone.net), June 10, 2001.

i have the 85 f1.8 it's a great lense. like jim and puppy face said, it's a great lense.

as far as the 50mm goes, i have the older of the 50 f1.8, or the mk I. although the optics are the same, the mk I has a distance scale, metal lens mount, larger manual focus ring, and is generally better built then the current mk II version. i would look around for an used mk I rather than a new mk II, you are going to pay about the same amount for either one.

canon also makes 2 35mm lenses... the 35 f1.4L and the 35 f2. the 1.4L goes for around $1200 and the f2 goes for around $220. so there you go...

-- howard shen (hshen@dsgnmnky.com), June 10, 2001.