compatible with select Canon digital SLR cameras * rated at 7.2V, 1800mAh * no “memory effect” — may be partially charged without reducing battery capacity * compatible with Canon LC-E6 battery charger *

User Ratings and Reviews

2 Stars just a battery that does what it should
WAY too expensive for what it is: just a rechargeable battery that is worth about $5. Canon should be proud of themselves for EXTREME price gouging. They could charge $10 for this item, make a huge profit doing so, and not alienate their customers.

The electrical capacity is ok, but not great. And the “smart” feature is slightly better than useless. Yes, it is nice to see how much charge is remaining, but that feature is not worth the $50+ that Canon robs you for.

I tried a generic battery for about $10 (including its own charger), but that battery was physically slightly too big and it jammed in the camera and had to be pried out. This Canon battery fits properly, so I’m stuck buying Canon batteries until I can find a generic that fits.

5 Stars One just isn’t enough…
For anyone who thinks this battery is expensive, I say “You must be new to digital photography!”. Ever since I got a camcorder a decade ago, then later started using little digital cameras, and now finally the Canon EOS 5D Mark II, battery power has been an issue. Gone are the days of mechanical SLR’s with little button batteries for the meter!

Today’s electronic image-making devices use major power. Without a good battery, you have nothing but a brick. I have developed a habit of having plenty of power available. I purchased the battery grip so I could put two batteries in the camera, and have the AA-battery clip in reserve. I want to take pictures not drive tent stakes with my brick!

These batteries provide plenty of power to shoot. But as the manual warns, the more you review your images, the more you use Image Stabilization; the more you auto-focus, the faster the batteries will drain. And if it’s cold outside…. You want to have power to spare if you’re serious about making images. These are the batteries you want. Don’t fool yourself into saving a couple dollars on a generic battery – you will not get a real savings. They don’t provide as many charge cycles and they don’t report their status as well. It’s not worth the savings!

5 Stars Buy Canon or go home!
Buy this Canon brand battery for you 5D Mark ll. It’s worth the price for the battery info feature of your Mark ll. Go Canon or go home!

5 Stars Great product
Great product from Canon. Very satisfied.

Canon LP-E6 Battery Pack for Canon 5D Mark II Digital SLR

5 Stars good and high quality battery for reasonable price
I bought this one for ~$60 on amazon. It’s a bargain already since its original price (last year) was $120 and up. This is a high quality, high capacity battery with some integrated information chip (which show you the history of battery, recharge, no. of shots taken, etc.). It’s not something luxury – just a “nice to have” feature.

Buy/More Info

This 5.8x zoom, designed exclusively for use with Nikon’s DX-format, features Nikon’s VR image stabilization and is perfect for portraits and action. The wide-ratio 5.8x zoom
Compact, versatile and ideal for a broad range of shooting situations, ranging from interiors and landscapes to beautiful portraits–a perfect everyday zoom. Vibration Reduction is engineered specifically for each VR NIKKOR lens and enables handheld shooting at up to 3 shutter speeds slower than would otherwise be possible, assuring dramatically sharper images.

User Ratings and Reviews

5 Stars Super People Shooting Lens
If I know I’m going to be shooting people, you know, a wedding, bar mitzvah, baptism, birthday party, especially one with children and clowns, then this is the lens I use. If I take both bodies, I’ll have a wide angle on the other one, so I can get good group shots inside. The 16-85mm range of the camera translates to 24-127mm in real world photography and that’ll give you good wide angle shots and allow you some pretty good closeups from across the room or yard, plus the 80 to 120mm range is perfect for portraits.

This lens isn’t all that expensive and you’re buying better than excellent optics, Nikon quality (the build on this lens is as good as you’ll find on any lens made today) and VR that works (it’s almost like going a couple stops lower).

You might wonder why I’d opt for this lens for people shooting events over the very nice Nikon 18-200mm or the Tamron 18-270mm, well this lens weighs less, focuses faster, takes sharper photos and I’ve never ever wished I’d had a longer lens at an event, well once, when I shot a wedding in Huntington Beach. It was a beach side condo and there was some good surf action going on, great waves, but that had nothing to do with the wedding.

If you want a longer range than the kit lens, this could be a good walkabout lens and there have been days when I’ve used it for that, though I prefer the more compact Nikon 18-55mm for everyday use and one of the above mentioned wide to long telephotos for vacations. Still if you shoot a lot of people or are planning to, you’ll find this lens will serve you well.

5 Stars A great upgrade and overall excellent lens
I want to say that when I first got this lens for Christmas I was utterly disappointed, not because it wasn’t a good lens, but I had my heart set on a prime lens. Well, I pushed my sadness aside and mounted it on my D60. The first thing I noticed about it was the size, it was significantly larger in every way possible over the 18-55mm kit lens that came with the D60. The only thing that didn’t change was the f-stop. It was sort of heavy mounted on the D60′s tiny body but that is something that is easily overcome. The picture quality and the overall use of the lens is where it started to win me over.

I was shooting inside all day with f/3.5, ISO 800 and shutter speed of 1/6 of a second. The pictures came out crisp and clear with the aid of the vibration reduction, whereas my 18-55mm would be a hit-or-miss. I found it great that I could go from shooting wide angle shots to mid-range telephoto shots without having to switch between lenses. I began to see a difference between the quality of my old 18-55mm and the 18-105mm. The 18-105 is the older brother of the 18-55mm kit lens, and it is more useful/ The focusing ring on the lens can override the auto focus. If you are someone in my situation with a three point AF D60, then this comes in handy considering that the focus isn’t always where you want it to be. The feel of the lens was different. It felt like it was made of plastic and rubber on the outside, which isn’t bad and doesn’t inhibit the ability of the lens to do its job, it just feels sort of cheap if you are obsessed with having the best built thing possible. The feeling of cheapness, isn’t something to be concerned about, so long as you realize that the lens is meant for picture taking and not groping. The sheer portability of the lens doesn’t seem to be an issue, it is just bulkier then the 18-55mm, especially on the puny D60.

The lens is the kind you want to have if you enjoy having versatility in your range but don’t want to put more money towards the 18-200mm lens. I look forward to using this lens a lot more and seeing what it can do. Like everything else, it’s flaws are just something that the user will have to learn to overcome. But if you are looking at buying D40, D60 or D5000 I strongly suggest buying the bodies only and buying this lens.

5 Stars Bought this for a short vacation
I originally got a 18-55mm lens with my Nikon camera and decided to buy the 55-200 as my second lens but found that changing out the lenses was a hassle. When I decided to take a short vacation that was about 2000 miles away, I didn’t want to deal with carrying the different lenses around so I bought the 18-105mm. It was one of the best things I ever did. I almost feel like it is the only lens needed for general photography. I chose this particular one because the customer reviews were so good. All my photos with this lens are wonderful. They look professional and that is the point when you buy a good lens from Nikon.

5 Stars Great all-purpose at the right price
Seems like everyone recommends the 18-200 mm VR lens, but at a cost of over $600-700!

Instead, this lens for about half the cost will cover most of the useful range of the 18-200. The VR works great on this lens, especially at 105 where the lens performs admirably.

A very good upgrade to a kit lens with more versatility, a more solid feel and VR to make your telephoto shots much better.

5 Stars My perfect lens
I had been looking for the perfect lens for portraits. This lens covers the exact zoom length I need, while retaining the wide angle.

I was nervous about getting a refurbished camera lens. No problems at all. In fact, you would never even know it’s a refurb.

It’s not a “fast” lens. But, you won’t get a fast lens with VR. That’s ok. It’s easy to make up the difference with shutter speed. And for doing photos in a church, where it’s rude to use a flash, it opens up enough. Again, shutter speed helps there. Plus, shooting in RAW makes all the difference in the world.

Lenses are personal. Just do your research, and figure out what you need.

Buy/More Info

10.2-megapixel effective recording * APS-C-size CCD image sensor (23.6 x 15.8 mm) * DT 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 Sony zoom lens (35mm equivalent focal length: 27-82.5mm) * 3X optical zoom (approximate) * DT 55-200mm f/4-5.6 Sony zoom lens (35mm equivalent focal length: 82-300mm) * 3.6X optical zoom (approximate) * built-in sensor-shift SteadyShot INSIDE image stabilization (provides image stabilization with all attached lenses) * 2-11/16″ tilt-screen LCD with live view mode for composing shots on-screen in real-time * optical SLR viewfinder (with diopter adjustment) * Eye-Start

EF-S 15-85mm f/3.5-5.6 IS USM extra wide-angle to telephoto zoom lens with 35mm equivalent of 24-136mm * compatible with Canon APS-C format digital SLR cameras * Image Stabilization allows in-focus shots with longer exposure times (up to four stops slower shutter speed) * ring-type Ultrasonic Motor for fast, silent autofocus * available full-time manual focusing (automatically overrides autofocus) * minimum focus distance: approximately 14 inches * lens is 3-7/8″ long, 3-1/4″ in diameter *

User Ratings and Reviews

5 Stars Good walkaround lens
I bought this lens to make it one of two lenses to walk around, being the other one the Canon EF-S 17-55 f2.8 IS USM.

This lens has a good color saturation, sharp image quality and fast Autofocus. the 85mm focal length is very useful to zoom at something without having to carry your longer zoom around. I use this lens mostly at day time, and the 17-55mm F2.8 is my inside-night time lens, although I can stretch the IS and make good pictures in low light.

After having lenses from Tamron and one Sigma, I can really say that Canon is the best way to go if you aren’t in a tight budget.

4 Stars Excelllent Lens, Heavy
I bought this lens because I had dropped my Cannon Rebel XSi and damaged the lens that came with the original camera kit. I am an amateur. This lens is easy to use, hardy, takes pictures very quickly and gives me great close-ups. It does definitely add more weight to the camera.

5 Stars Fantastic Walk-around for APS-C dSLRs
I was one of the early fans of this lens, and to my knowledge, one of the first guys to get their hands on one and play with it, from the moment I held this lens, I knew she was a winner

Lets start with the build quality, its fantastic, ok its not quite L-level, but it is considerably better than the old 17-55 f/2.8 IS I owned, as in its put together much better, the build is similar to a midrange Nikon lens [Such as the 16-85 VR] which is a good thing, the zoom and focus rings both operate smoothly, but are also reassuringly firm, there is a slight bit of zoom creep between 24-35 I’ve found, but nothing major to worry about

AF-wise, its a very quick performer, probubly one of the faster USM lenses out there, and its also very quiet, even for a USM lens the soft noise is well..softer…and the IS functions completely silently and smoothly, and as advertised, its good for at least 4 stops of stabilization, I’ve managed 1/4 shots with ease at 85mm for instance…

Optically, this lens impresses, people may criticize its variable aperture nature but its tack sharp wide open, even at 15mm, distortions are very good [They test even less than the 24-105 f/4L on a full frame camera] and the colors have a very nice zest to them, The only down side is the chromatic aberration, which is a tidge high, but its also easily correctable from what I’ve seen, and certainly not as bad as some people would make it sound, overall I’ve been very impressed with this lens optically, its one of the best lenses I’ve had [And I've owned the 24-105 f/4L IS and the 17-55 f/2.8 IS] and its my favorite walk-around lens ever

My only other complaints are the fact that it should include a hood for the price, Canon is still the only manufacturer who forces you to buy $45 lens hoods for $700-800 lenses just because they’re not an L lens…Its quite annoying to be honest..but again, I knew that going into this..

Overall, its a fantastic lens, don’t mock it till you try it

4 Stars good not great
This lens is the perfect walkabout lens covering 23-135 with the 1.6 factor.

Distortion is at a minimum, and although not a fast lens, the IS makes even hand held shots sharp.

The downside of this lens is that both in sunlight, and in studio flash conditions chromatic aberration (purple/green fringe) is evident in all shots. Granted it is less pronounced than with the cheap kit lens (for the 7D) but none the less at 1:1 resolution there is chromatic aberration in every shot where dark and bright come together in high contrast.

The Canon software that comes with DSLRs does a very good job of removing the fringe from photos, however that means unlike Nikon’s in-camera processing of the image to remove fringe, an extra manual step of doing that on the Canon is necessary for any images that are more than casual snapshots.

If you want 1 lens for a very wide to slight tele range, this is probably the best thing available for 1.6 crop factor. However even if the price is near L lenses, this is not an L lens and it will be apparent when zooming in 1:1.

4 Stars Excellent walk-around lens
If you have to pick one high-quality walk-around lens for your Canon APS-C (1.6x) dSLR, this is it. I debated between this one and the Canon 17-55m f/2.8 IS; the additional range won over (the extra 2mm on the wide end helps noticeably, and longer telephoto reach is nice too), and being 25% cheaper didn’t hurt. The big advantage of the other lens’ f2.8 max aperture could be important to some. I shoot a decent bit of video and don’t mind the smaller aperture for a little more latitude in focusing errors; even my stills are rarely shot below f5.6, though I do have other lenses to cover other needs (50mm f/1.4 USM and 70-200 f/2.8L IS).

Coupled with the EOS 7D, this lens is perfect as a fairly compact and very capable kit. Images are sharp and colorful, focusing is quick. Build quality feels solid. No issues at all!

Why 4 stars only then? Dunno, found it hard to give 5 stars when I compare it with my faster L lenses, even though those are much more expensive. Guess it’s an absolute rating scale for me

Buy/More Info

The EF 100mm f/2.8L Macro IS USM lens could very well be the essential multipurpose lens for every camera bag due to its ability to capture sharp close-up images of small objects as well as beautiful portrait-length telephoto shots. The incorporation of Canon’s new Hybrid IS in this L-series macro lens allows it to compensate more effectively for camera shake during close-up shooting and marks a significant improvement for professionals and advanced amateurs utilizing macro photography for portrait, nature or wedding shoots.

New Hybrid IS Technology: Designed Especially for Macro Photography
The world’s first* optical image stabilizer for SLR cameras was introduced in the EF 75-300mm f/4-5.6 IS USM in 1995. Since then, Canon has made continual advancements in IS systems to enhance panning capability and improve compensation for camera shake. Now, in a move aimed at extending image stabilization to the macro realm, Canon introduces its Hybrid IS in the new EF 100mm f/2.8L Macro IS USM another first for Canon and the world.

Conventional image stabilization technology is useful for reducing the effects of camera shake in non-macro shooting situations. When shooting handheld close-ups at 1x, however, camera shake makes it difficult to achieve acceptable results even with lenses incorporating conventional image stabilizers. Now, thanks to the Hybrid IS found in the EF 100mm f/2.8L Macro IS USM, Canon extends IS technology to the macro realm, making it easy to obtain clear handheld close-ups a world first* and a definite advantage in environments where use of a tripod is not an option.

User Ratings and Reviews

5 Stars Effectively two lenses for the price of one
I bought this lens as a macro lens, for close up work. Wow, what a lens. My 11-year-old daughter picked it up the next day while I was at work and took some spectacular photos of her bearded dragon lizard. She got right up to it, 1:1, and got amazing shots of the lizard’s scales. Please note that I did not give her any training on the lens. She just picked it up and started shooting in manual focus, image stabilization on. We’ve been wandering around the house and yard taking closeups of everything we can think of.

What I was not expecting was the value this lens provides for portraits. It is so amazingly sharp, it gives amazing results. This is a benefit I was note expecting, but wow. I’ve effectively gotten two lenses for the price of one. You’ll want good lighting, as with all portrait shooting.

My sole complaint, which almost feels petty, is the weight. We have a Canon EOS Rebel T1i, an EOS small-body SLR. Strap on this lens and a Canon Speedlite 580EX II Flash, and you have a lot of weight on a smallish SLR body. Please note that my hands are large, while my daughter’s hands are small. She loves the feel of the camera and doesn’t feel the lens is to heavy. Big performance in a lens means its going to be heavy, so no points off for this.

5 Stars Great!
Great lens! We had been looking for a new lens for portraits and decided on this one. Picture quality is great! Crisp, clear, quick focus (and we have a fast moving toddler)! Price on Amazon was by far the best that we found. A great addition!

4 Stars Wonderful Pictures, (not quite perfect function)
To start off, this lens deserves 5 stars on outstanding picture quality alone. I currently own the 70-200 F/2.8 IS, the 50mm 1.4 and now the 100mm L Macro. I was always weary of reviewers that say primes are the only way to go….but after 3 different 70-200mm lens’s, I am learning why. The zooms have a niche, but PQ is alway better on my primes. That being said…

I really really like this lens. It re-inspires me to get out and take pictures; it is fun all over again. The color contrast is just the way you like it. The bokeh, as others have mentioned, is very smooth in transition (see my sample pictures). The lens is made of a newer plastic barrel, but it is far from the cheaper non L variety. It is very acceptable for its size.

I hear the IS isn’t very useful up close and personal. It is my opinion that it is VERY useful for everyday real world applications. I was shooting baby pictures in very low light from 7 inches away, and most my pictures were keepers (of course I positioned myself to be stable). The IS is very quiet and smooth. I think it is worth the money.

There is a reason I gave it 4 stars. I have noticed on several occasions that the auto focus travels and doesn’t lock. This only seems to happen in low light and on objects that aren’t dynamic, for example baby pictures (smooth skin, no hard lines). However, for this price, it shouldn’t happen as much as it has.

I have had this lens for about a month and I think it is my favorite, no wait, it IS MY FAVORITE. I will update my review as I get the opportunity to judge it on true macro work, bugs, plants etc.

I cannot compare it to the former 100mm, but so far, I don’t think I would go without the IS. I just find that I need it more often than I don’t.

Hope this helps. If you can afford it, this will be one of your favorites too.

4 Stars Excellent Lens but IS not a cure-all
I upgraded to this lens from the EF 100mm 2.8 non-IS Macro. As others have stated, the IS with this lens is not a cure-all. Extreme macros (especially with extension tubes) will still have to be done on a tripod. I have been able to get keeper shots hand held with anything over about 2 ft. Others may have more luck closer as I am pretty shaky.

I’ve used it a couple of times for portraits, and I have to say it’s beautiful. The bokeh is velvety smooth and the sharpness, color and contrast are just outstanding! Much better even than some of my other “L” lenses and well worth the upgrade from the non-IS version.

My main reason for buying this lens is nature/flower/insect macros. Once we actually have bright sunlight again (it’s Winter now) I have no doubt I’ll be getting the sharpest flower macros I’ve ever gotten hand-held. I’ll update on that later.

5 Stars This is an amazing new macro lense of Canon!
I bought this lense recently on Amazon and immediately in love with it. The build quality & its “look&feel” is good enough for a L-series lense. According to Canon, this is the first L lense that made of “engineer plastics” instead of traditional aluminum metal. But I see no difference in the build quality. In fact, this is even better in term of weight (this one is one of low weight L-series lense).

For quality, it really significant & invaluable to have the IS on a macro lense. I did test two lense (the original 100mm f/2.8 Macro and this new 100mm f/2.8L IS lense). The IS made the difference:

- At the same aperture (let say 3.2); the new 100mm 2.8L IS produced nicer bokeh and better contrast, color.

- At low speed (below 1/60) – the new 100mm 2.8L IS obviously defeat the non-IS. A picture at 1/20s with IS enable is sharper than 1/100s of the old lense (without IS).

In my opinion, this lense is also usable for many other purposes (other than macro) for example: portraiture – this will be in between the 85mm and 135mm lenses, with the IS feature and nice bokeh & sharpness, this lense is also very nice for portraits, especially for kid portraits (if you already had three 85mm 1.2L-II, 100mm 2.8L, and 135mm 2L lenses – I have nothing to say; but if you can have only one of them, then 100mm can be a good choice since it can fill a lot of jobs!)

I wish Canon will release 135mm f/2L with IS enable soon. Otherwise, this one will be my first lense in the three lenses: 85mm 1.2L, 100mm 2.8L IS, 135mm 2L.

Buy/More Info

This lens offers fast aperture, f/2.8 zoom features VR II image stabilization, ED glass and Nano Crystal Coat. It excels at low-light sports, fashion, portraits and more.

User Ratings and Reviews

5 Stars Excellent!!
I also owned the older version VR1 and this new 70-200mm VR2 has faster AF and better picture quality than the previous model. This is simply awesome and worth the buck……I like the lens because it is also shorter than the previous version…it won’t be much of a head turner when lugged around town as the previous model…….if money is not an issue…..get this lens….it’s worth every penny!!! Since this is new, this lens will be a keeper for a long long time….I am amazed at how the drifter gave one star to this outstanding lens…….if you look at the many 5 star rating on this lens…I wonder if the drifter got a bad copy of what?????? This is one heck of a lens period!!

5 Stars Incredible lens
Very sharp lens. The lens is tack sharp at 2.8. The copy of the VR1 I had tried (did not own that) was tack sharp stopped down 2 stops.

The VRII technology allows for sharp shots at up to 1/8 of a second which is incredible. Yes, I said sharp shots at 1/8 of a second. Just jaw droppingly good.

The build is outstanding and consistent with prior iterations of this lens. The bokeh is stunning.

Lots of discussion in forums online debate the effective focal length but that is really only an issue for a select group of photographers (see G Lo’s review for details of the issue if shooting at distances of <10').

For my needs, the incredible IQ, VR and fast autofocus more than make up for this alleged shortcoming. For the first week I had this lens, I spent so much time with it, my girlfriend actually got mad at me, and she is usually pretty supportive of my hobby. That gives you an idea of how much I love this lens. If it were legal, I would marry it. Just dont tell my gf I said that…

4 Stars Greatest lens but – beware, beware of focal length change!!!!
Speaking as professional photographer – I have been using the original 70-200mm VR 2.8 for a while now and loved every moment of it. It’s almost magical at times to use it to separate subject and background while magnifying the backdrop. As most pros will tell you, the 70-200mm VR 2.8 “is” the bread and butter wedding portrait lens and more. That was then. This is now – as soon as I saw the anouncement of this “new version”, I pre-ordered it. While reading our famous colleague Cliff Mautner’s review, I simply couldn’t wait for it’s arrival!! After it’s arrival early this month(12/2009), I did some quick in-home test and was extremely impressed!! Not to reiterate on the amazing optical quality, the new version VR allows me to get a sharp image at 1/5th!! (The best $2400 I’ve ever spent – I said to myself, since I’ll be shooting about 40 weddings in the coming year!) I packed up the original version and was getting ready to eBay it the following week!

I then took the lens for a real-world test drive a few days later on my last wedding of the year. I always use this lens during ceremonies and in churches while knowing my movements are limited. I usually try to capture journalistic ceremonial action as well as the reactions from the pews at about 10-20 feet distance or so to get some intimate images. Something struck me as odd this day. I initially felt the reach was inadequate, especially at 200mm, but, being partially in denial, I quickly attributed this to the large church I was shooting in. However, after reading some reviews, I reluctantly compared this new version to my original 70-200mm VR 2.8 and then the 70-300mm 4.5-5.6 ED (as a second opinion) and found out that at 200mm, this lens indeed comes in shorter. It’s like a 65mm-155mm equivalent at about 7 feet distance comparing to the other two lenses. The original 70-200mm VR 2.8 and the 70-300mm 4.5-5.6 ED was about the same at 200mm which the latter zooms in just a tiny bit closer. I may post images on my blog in the near future. Unfortunately for those who doesn’t owned the original 70-200mm VR 2.8, it would be hard to compare. But if you have the original on hand, please try it for yourself. Put the camera body on a tripod and shoot a fix subject with all these lenses. It’s easy to compare the older and the newer versions, simply turn both to 200mm and shoot it. As for the 70-300, dial the ring to 200 and align the middle zero to the indicator dot on your focal ring, you should get a solid 200mm reading from your EXIF data. The difference should be obvious. If you don’t get the same results as I have, please leave me a comment and send me your images. I tested with my both D3 and D700. I am well aware that there’s going to be variations between lenses, but as from the same manufacturer, the differential here from essentially the “same” lens is simply too great for me to accept. So as for now, this lens is in my “return bin” because it simply isn’t a 70-200mm in short range and I’m so thankful that I haven’t eBayed the original.

(It breaks my heart to rate this “new version” 4 stars not because it’s performance and construction but simply because that it does not “replace” the lens that it’s “supposed to” replace. In other words, if Nikon has marketed this lens as a 65-155mm VR 2.8 then it’s undoubtedly a 5 star lens. Although I wouldn’t buy it if it were a 65mm-155mm, but it would be a great lens nonetheless!!)

Addition(12/28):

Perhaps I was a bit hasty in the above conclusion about the 65-155mm measurement. It’s not an absolute measurement. The focal length changes with the distance so the 65-155mm is a rough average while shooting within 30 feet. The closer you are to your subject, the worse it gets. For instance, at minimum focusing distance, the new 200mm is about the equivalent of 135mm on the original!! And more unfortunate for me, I shoot most of my subjects within 30 feet distance.

So picture this, if you are in a tight church 7 feet away from your subjects and crouched between a rock and a hard place, would you honestly tell me it’s okay that when you want to use a “200mm” lens for close-ups of a ring exchange(for instance) but realize that you only have a “155mm”?!! Sure you can crop, but that means you are going to lose 3-5 megapixels of resolution! This is exactly why I felt the reach was “inadequate” during my initial real-world test. If you move away far enough from your subject the effective focal length will eventually equate to the original but then again, it simply isn’t the same application anymore.

Some has also brought up the issue of magnification ratio (in comment, thanks to ATK!!) – everyone knows that one can get the same 1:1 ratio from a 50mm vs 60mm vs a 105mm etc.. But that’s not really the issue “here”. With macro applications, one can simply change the mag ratio/distance by moving a few inches to and fro the subject but with real human subjects, a few inches becomes a few feet!

Hence, if one normally use this lens at various distances within 30 feet, you will notice a huge change. The closer you get, the more severe it will be. Capturing moments as it unfolds in a fraction of a second, this lens’ focal length isn’t the same comparing to the original version. I love all my Nikons gears and this is perhaps the first real disappointment that I had to encounter for a while. (Perhaps another is the SB-900′s overheating problem.) This focal length issue may not be too serious to many people but as for my personal applications specifically assigned to this lens, and perhaps to many others, it could be proven quite irksome.

One last thing, to capture normal human movement(not fast action), 1/100th of a second is a good start. I usually opt between 1/80th -1/160th as minimum – depending of the speed of the movement. So for this application, the VR will only keep your lens steady but it will not stop action. You will undoubtedly get a motion blur at 1/10th or 1/15th.

5 Stars Love my Nikkor 70-200 VR II
I’ve had my 70-200 VR II for 2 weeks now and am in LOVE with it! I needed it for my 7 year old son’s basketball games I know, “need” may not be totally true, but since I plan on keeping this through my 4 children’s childhoods I believe it is money well spent! This lens has been an absolute joy to use, especially compared to the dark and noisy pictures that I got with the Nikkor 70-300 VR model that I had for a week before returning! This lens is WELL WORTH the extra money and extra weight! Since I shoot with a D90, I’m also glad that the reach is reduced on the close subjects as it helps avoid the need of switching to a wider angle lens when the action comes in a little closer. The only problem that I currently have with this lens is that I never want to put it down!

5 Stars Going on Safari, shooting plays or sporting event? Read on…
When I was younger, my SLR whet everywhere with me. I was an avid amateur photographer and have books and books of negatives and contact sheets. I travel a lot and grew tired of two things, viewing everything through a lens and lugging tons of glass and gear. So I decided it was time to become a tourist, loose the gear and got Contax G1. The lenses were awesome, I could still change them if I wanted to, but it was small(er) and quickly became a great travel companion. I knew it would be the last film camera I would ever own.

Last year, we decided to Safari in Africa. Now the G1 is nice, but I needed some serious glass and it was time to go digital so I started researching. Nikon just launched the Nikon D90 12.3MP Digital SLR Camera (Body Only) and it looked like a good choice for the money, and while not as good as Contax or Leica, I always liked the Nikon lenses so I started looking for a few good lenses to take with me. I still want to travel light, so 2 zooms were the answer.

Back in the day I became addicted to low light lenses. I LOVE the ability to shoot in low light without a flash and to control depth of field. My favorite SLR lens from was a 55 mm 1.4. At 4 or 5.6 it shot better looking photos than the slower lenses. Once I decided that I wanted f/2.8 and a zoom, I started looking at what lenses would go with my D90. I also make up my mind to spend more on lenses than on the body for two reasons. I could always upgrade the body and get more features, but the lenses I would keep for a long time. Also, the lens has more of an effect on the quality of the photo than the body.

I knew I would be shooting wildlife, so 300mm seemed to be the minimum I could get away with. More on that later. The FX lenses give you a 1.5x boost in focal length on a DX body. So the Nikon 70-200mm f/2.8G ED VR II AF-S NIKKOR Lens For Nikon Digital SLR Cameras actually works like a 105-300mm on my D90.

Before the trip I shot some shots around Park City and the results were stunning. I practiced on deer, elk, horses and even some landscape shots. I could not believe the quality at just about any focal length and f-stop. My biggest surprise came when my wife asked me to shoot a play the girls were in. I took my camera and armed with only a monopod, shot about 200 shots of the girls on stage with only available light. I know plays and shows look like there is a lot of light, but anyone who has attempted to shoot in that situation will tell you, there is simply not enough light. The detail and sharpness were stunning. Even shooting at f/2.8 the photos were clear and with and effective 300mm I could get very close. After my wife saw the photos, I was out of the dog house with the high price tag of the new camera outfit.

I needed one more wide angle zoom for snapshots so I got the Nikon 24-70mm f/2.8G ED AF-S Nikkor Wide Angle Zoom Lens and just for nostalgia i also picked up the 55 f1.4. I packed everything up into a Lowepro Fastpack 250 (Black) and set off for Africa. Read the blog at and view photos at View some Photos at: [...]

I shot about 4000 photos and while on Safari and either I am a better photographer now or a good camera can bring out the best in a person. Now I know people shoot photographs, not cameras – but I also know a musician will not use a beginner instrument to perform once they become proficient.

The photographs were excellent. The Vibration reduction came in handy and together with the wide aperture, allowed me to shoot clear photographs using a monopod or handheld. The color and detail were exceptional. I was able to get some wonderful shots of wildlife and the countryside. With one of the slower to focus lenses I would have missed about 20% of my shots.

The only negatives: The lens if heavy and long, so if you are not as concerned about quality you can get a DX lens for less money and save your back. But I wanted the versatility of f/2.8 and the sharpness of pro lens. I hiked tons of miles and do not regret having to carry this lens at all. It is expensive, but if you have the money, get the lens. If you decide like I have to upgrade to an FX format camera this lens will serve you well.

Here is my biggest recommendation, if you are going on Safari, 300mm is about the SHORTEST lens that will work. I found myself wanting more OFTEN. I would recommend going to 500mm if you are looking to shoot wildlife. The large game shots were good, but smaller game needed more, and if you are looking to shoot birds, I would say 500mm is the minimum. Who knew that Africa was so rich in bird life? I was not prepared and as such got very few good photographs of birds.

In summary, if you need to shoot sports or shows in available light, this is your lens. If you are looking for an excellent quality lens to shoot action or wildlife outside – this is your lens. If you are looking to shoot birds, go long – very long.

Buy/More Info

The EF 100mm f/2.8L Macro IS USM lens could very well be the essential multipurpose lens for every camera bag due to its ability to capture sharp close-up images of small objects as well as beautiful portrait-length telephoto shots. The incorporation of Canon’s new Hybrid IS in this L-series macro lens allows it to compensate more effectively for camera shake during close-up shooting and marks a significant improvement for professionals and advanced amateurs utilizing macro photography for portrait, nature or wedding shoots.

New Hybrid IS Technology: Designed Especially for Macro Photography
The world’s first* optical image stabilizer for SLR cameras was introduced in the EF 75-300mm f/4-5.6 IS USM in 1995. Since then, Canon has made continual advancements in IS systems to enhance panning capability and improve compensation for camera shake. Now, in a move aimed at extending image stabilization to the macro realm, Canon introduces its Hybrid IS in the new EF 100mm f/2.8L Macro IS USM another first for Canon and the world.

Conventional image stabilization technology is useful for reducing the effects of camera shake in non-macro shooting situations. When shooting handheld close-ups at 1x, however, camera shake makes it difficult to achieve acceptable results even with lenses incorporating conventional image stabilizers. Now, thanks to the Hybrid IS found in the EF 100mm f/2.8L Macro IS USM, Canon extends IS technology to the macro realm, making it easy to obtain clear handheld close-ups a world first* and a definite advantage in environments where use of a tripod is not an option.

User Ratings and Reviews

5 Stars Effectively two lenses for the price of one
I bought this lens as a macro lens, for close up work. Wow, what a lens. My 11-year-old daughter picked it up the next day while I was at work and took some spectacular photos of her bearded dragon lizard. She got right up to it, 1:1, and got amazing shots of the lizard’s scales. Please note that I did not give her any training on the lens. She just picked it up and started shooting in manual focus, image stabilization on. We’ve been wandering around the house and yard taking closeups of everything we can think of.

What I was not expecting was the value this lens provides for portraits. It is so amazingly sharp, it gives amazing results. This is a benefit I was note expecting, but wow. I’ve effectively gotten two lenses for the price of one. You’ll want good lighting, as with all portrait shooting.

My sole complaint, which almost feels petty, is the weight. We have a Canon EOS Rebel T1i, an EOS small-body SLR. Strap on this lens and a Canon Speedlite 580EX II Flash, and you have a lot of weight on a smallish SLR body. Please note that my hands are large, while my daughter’s hands are small. She loves the feel of the camera and doesn’t feel the lens is to heavy. Big performance in a lens means its going to be heavy, so no points off for this.

5 Stars Great!
Great lens! We had been looking for a new lens for portraits and decided on this one. Picture quality is great! Crisp, clear, quick focus (and we have a fast moving toddler)! Price on Amazon was by far the best that we found. A great addition!

4 Stars Wonderful Pictures, (not quite perfect function)
To start off, this lens deserves 5 stars on outstanding picture quality alone. I currently own the 70-200 F/2.8 IS, the 50mm 1.4 and now the 100mm L Macro. I was always weary of reviewers that say primes are the only way to go….but after 3 different 70-200mm lens’s, I am learning why. The zooms have a niche, but PQ is alway better on my primes. That being said…

I really really like this lens. It re-inspires me to get out and take pictures; it is fun all over again. The color contrast is just the way you like it. The bokeh, as others have mentioned, is very smooth in transition (see my sample pictures). The lens is made of a newer plastic barrel, but it is far from the cheaper non L variety. It is very acceptable for its size.

I hear the IS isn’t very useful up close and personal. It is my opinion that it is VERY useful for everyday real world applications. I was shooting baby pictures in very low light from 7 inches away, and most my pictures were keepers (of course I positioned myself to be stable). The IS is very quiet and smooth. I think it is worth the money.

There is a reason I gave it 4 stars. I have noticed on several occasions that the auto focus travels and doesn’t lock. This only seems to happen in low light and on objects that aren’t dynamic, for example baby pictures (smooth skin, no hard lines). However, for this price, it shouldn’t happen as much as it has.

I have had this lens for about a month and I think it is my favorite, no wait, it IS MY FAVORITE. I will update my review as I get the opportunity to judge it on true macro work, bugs, plants etc.

I cannot compare it to the former 100mm, but so far, I don’t think I would go without the IS. I just find that I need it more often than I don’t.

Hope this helps. If you can afford it, this will be one of your favorites too.

4 Stars Excellent Lens but IS not a cure-all
I upgraded to this lens from the EF 100mm 2.8 non-IS Macro. As others have stated, the IS with this lens is not a cure-all. Extreme macros (especially with extension tubes) will still have to be done on a tripod. I have been able to get keeper shots hand held with anything over about 2 ft. Others may have more luck closer as I am pretty shaky.

I’ve used it a couple of times for portraits, and I have to say it’s beautiful. The bokeh is velvety smooth and the sharpness, color and contrast are just outstanding! Much better even than some of my other “L” lenses and well worth the upgrade from the non-IS version.

My main reason for buying this lens is nature/flower/insect macros. Once we actually have bright sunlight again (it’s Winter now) I have no doubt I’ll be getting the sharpest flower macros I’ve ever gotten hand-held. I’ll update on that later.

5 Stars This is an amazing new macro lense of Canon!
I bought this lense recently on Amazon and immediately in love with it. The build quality & its “look&feel” is good enough for a L-series lense. According to Canon, this is the first L lense that made of “engineer plastics” instead of traditional aluminum metal. But I see no difference in the build quality. In fact, this is even better in term of weight (this one is one of low weight L-series lense).

For quality, it really significant & invaluable to have the IS on a macro lense. I did test two lense (the original 100mm f/2.8 Macro and this new 100mm f/2.8L IS lense). The IS made the difference:

- At the same aperture (let say 3.2); the new 100mm 2.8L IS produced nicer bokeh and better contrast, color.

- At low speed (below 1/60) – the new 100mm 2.8L IS obviously defeat the non-IS. A picture at 1/20s with IS enable is sharper than 1/100s of the old lense (without IS).

In my opinion, this lense is also usable for many other purposes (other than macro) for example: portraiture – this will be in between the 85mm and 135mm lenses, with the IS feature and nice bokeh & sharpness, this lense is also very nice for portraits, especially for kid portraits (if you already had three 85mm 1.2L-II, 100mm 2.8L, and 135mm 2L lenses – I have nothing to say; but if you can have only one of them, then 100mm can be a good choice since it can fill a lot of jobs!)

I wish Canon will release 135mm f/2L with IS enable soon. Otherwise, this one will be my first lense in the three lenses: 85mm 1.2L, 100mm 2.8L IS, 135mm 2L.

Buy/More Info

This one’s got it all. The Cyber-shot DSC-W180 combines point-and-shoot ease-of-use with advanced features in a sophisticated, compact body. Smile Shutter technology allows you to capture a smile the moment it happens, and the 3x optical zoom lens, SteadyShot image stabilization, and 10.1-megapixel resolution deliver crisp, clear images.

User Ratings and Reviews

5 Stars Sony quality at an affordable price
I’ve read some negative reviews of this camera, but was convinced this was probably due to operator error as Sony rarely makes a bad product. I bought this camera a few weeks ago and it has been fantastic. The picture quality is wonderful and the camera is so well made. When you are holding it in your hand you can feel that Sony construction quality that puts everything American made to shame.

I think those people that are having “blurry” pictures just don’t know how to hold the camera steady or adjust for poor lighting. And I didn’t notice any excessively long delay when I hit the button until the time the camera took the photo. I had a nice Fuji Film (2004) camera that I was looking to upgrade, and I’ve been very happy with this Sony product.

2 Stars takes forever and a year to take a picture
I have owned a previous Sony and loved it, but this camera is terrible. It takes 2 to 3 seconds to take a picture. It is unnatural to use. Just like the other Sony and Cannon cameras, you put your finger on the button, and it focuses and is ready to go, right? Wrong. You depress the button further and it takes another 2 seconds to click. I can’t get good pictures of my kids since its too slow. I am going to give this one away and buy a better camera. I should have listened to the other raters on Amazon who rated this camera a pass. These reviews are never wrong in aggregate.

5 Stars Great Price & Quality
My girlfriend has been wanting this camera for a very long time. With Amazon’s great price reduction on the product made it possible. The camera came on time and it did not disappoint, the quality and the ease of use is fantastic for new camera users. I recommend this camera to anyone who is new to photography.

5 Stars BUY IT!!!!
I bought this camera when it first came out, I paid $400 or more for it right off the truck. It was worth every penny, and makes other digital cameras look like they came out of a bubble gum machine. Seriously, unless you want a lens camera, (you know the bulky type), get this one, or the most recent model of this.

And for those that question the image quality…I have been able to view the photos on a 52 inch plasma with 1080HP and they are crystal clear and sharp, even the video quality is better than my 2005 digital camcorder.

5 Stars AWESOME CAMERA!
The Camera is great for the price. It takes wonderful pictures and video’s. The other reviews are false that say the picture quality is bad. The picture quality is very good, I love this camera. Three things you look for in a camera: Great pictures, Portability, and Easy to use. This camera has all three!!

Buy/More Info

The Sony Cyber-shot DSC-W290 camera combines style with power and intelligence. The W290 comes in 4 sophisticated colors and has a stylish look. With the W290 taking great pictures is now easier than ever. The iAuto mode goes beyond the traditional auto mode, thinking and working for you; recognizing scenes, lighting conditions, faces, and automatically adjusts camera settings resulting in clearer images, and faces with more natural skin tones and less blur. The W290 also features HD Movie mode, recording in 720p for capturing your precious moments on video. Compose, review, and share your memories on the large 3.0” (230k pixels) LCD.

User Ratings and Reviews

3 Stars Nice camera, but…
I tried this camera for a very specific purpose: The HD video quality had to greatly exceed that of my Fujifilm F10′s VGA video quality. In a head-to-head comparison, it flunked. The resolution at 720 Fine was not quite as sharp as the F10, and the autofocus searched excessively. The macro function is also not as good as the F10, losing focus at about twice the distance from the subject. For someone less fussy, who doesn’t already own an F10, it might be a fine choice. My F10 is 5 years old or so. I hope we don’t have to wait too much longer for truly crisp HD in a point and shoot. The limitation might be the compression. It’s in motion video that the new Sony seems to lose out.

4 Stars great for the money but not perfect
pros

quick cam, cheap, great functions, video hd 720, good perfomance, great batery, great lcd, awesome bang for the buck, no rivals

slim, good looking, great overall

m2 with adapter and micro sd with adapter works fine

flash is great for night pics, they look very nice

cons

image quality sucks, is not the best at all, even at great light the pics are kinda blurry, not great detail

stupid sony pro duo sticks, are expensive and sucks

video hd is not compatible with dxva

only mp4 video is supported, old sony cam recorded mpeg2, it would be nice having options

sony pro duo clones do not work

taking more than 5 pics in burts mode creates a great lag, but is because of the memory speed, it should have more ram and internal memory for cache

4 Stars Great Camera.
The only downside that I have found so far is that you have to take the battery out to charge it. It comes with this little box that the battery pops into, then that plugs into the wall. Just a little different. Also you cannot zoom while you are taking a video. But the ease of use and picture quality are very very easy. Takes quick pictures in succession, with very clear pics. The image stabilizer seems to work well. Especially for me.

4 Stars My best camera so far for that price!!
Wow, finally i got this excelent camera from SONY. The 5x optical zoom and flash are awesome. All my photos are very clear. My wife was very happy and decided to keep as a christmas present. All was easy friendly to use and in 5 minutes i was taking all my shots with smile and face detection: all happy faces and perfect shots. I am totally convinced of the great quality of this camera.

5 Stars USER FRIENDLY!!
Just got this camera for my b-day and I’m very happy with it! Super easy to use – I don’t want all the bells and whistles – I just wanted something that would take clear pictures easily. It is replacing a camera I could never get to work properly with terrible directions. If you want a camera that’s easy to use, has clear directions and takes nice pictures and video – this is the one for you!

Buy/More Info

Its small enough to fit in a pocket, but why would you ever want to put it there? Whether out on the town or just hanging with friends, the Kodak Zi8 Pocket Video Camera captures every experience in stunning 1080p HD video. Stay in focus while youre on the move with integrated image stabilization. Then kick back and watch all the action on your HDTV or share your scene on YouTube with the built-in USB. The Zi8 pocket video camera has all you need to define yourself in high definition.

User Ratings and Reviews

4 Stars Great Camera, but think about buying it elsewhere!
Great camera, but Amazon sent me one in packaging that had obviously been opened. Was it a used camera? Who knows and that’s the point. If I’m paying for a new camera I want to know its new with sealed packaging. So I sent it back and asked for a NEW one. Got the same thing-packaging had been opened. I kept it b/c I couldn’t wait, but next time I’m going elsewhere for electronics. You might want to do the same…

4 Stars Nifty gadget at good price with packed features
Researched through multiple reviews aka bought with eyes wide open.

- No audio issues or need to upgrade FW

- Good picture quality for indoor recording under florescent light

- Poor picture quality under dimmer indoor lighting

- Good quality with EIS enabled for action recording (soccer game) with 720/60fps

- Shakiness pronounced with 1080p

- Upload to Youtube simple

Expected shortcomings:

- Battery life low. Bought Tekleon TekCharge MP1800 to make up.

- No SDHC card (somehow my impression was it came with 8G). Bought Class 6 Sandisk 16G.

If Flip could capture photos, Flip might rank better in ease of use.

2 Stars Get the Zi6 instead
I have had a Zi6 for a year and found it to be a great little camera. It has been used and abused but works like a champ. Wanted a second camera and figured I would get the latest model the Zi8. In this case I found the Zi8 a big disappointment. The Zi8 uses a Li-Ion battery verses the AA batteries used in the Zi6. With the Zi6 a pocket full of AA batteries kept you shooting video all day. I have two of the Li-Ion batteries and in 90 minutes I have discharged both batteries. The audio on the Zi8 has a lot to be desired. Bottom line: Get a Zi6 before they are all gone. In this case newer ISN’T better!

5 Stars Handy, Fun, Does what I wanted it to.
I am pleased with the Zi8. I have several Sony, Nikon, etc. photo, camera phones and camcorders. This fits in a niche. My first Kodak digital of any kind. Well done. Would have preferred an external SD card slot but 8 GB is plenty for what I do. Battery life is good,too.

2 Stars Lense broke in less than a month
Good product in concept. After a month the lense broke off of the camera. This lense is actually recessed into the camera. For it to fail ment the clips that hold into place snapped off.

Kodak no help in fixing.

Buy/More Info