PRESS RELEASE

Great Savings on Select Products Including $300 on EOS 5D Digital SLR and $100 on EOS Digital Rebel XT Digital SLR

LAKE SUCCESS, N.Y., April 3, 2006 — This spring, while outdoor activities, sporting events and family gatherings are in full swing, Canon U.S.A., Inc. helps make it easy and affordable to capture and share memories on the field, on the boat, or at the family BBQ. The “Cash In With Canon” Mail-In-Rebate Program will return from April 1 — July 15, 2006 and gives consumers the opportunity to take advantage of big savings on an assortment of select Canon products.

Canon is offering mail-in rebates from $10 to $300 on select products, including $300 on the 12.8 megapixel EOS 5D digital SLR with a full frame CMOS sensor. Canon is also offering a $100 rebate on the #1 best selling DSLR camera*, the EOS Digital Rebel XT Digital SLR and a variety of Canon’s world-renowned EF lenses. Additionally, Canon is offering mail-in rebates on select EX-series flashes such as the powerful Speedlite 580EX flash. Users can also get up to $100 back on select IS (Image Stabilizer) Binoculars such as the rugged 10×42 L IS waterproof binoculars.

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Peter Nikolsky has published a comparison test on Sigma 70-200/2.8 vs. Canon 135/2.8 vs. Tamron 28-75/2.8 vs. Tamron 70-300/4-5.6

Photozone has recently posted their review on Canon EF 24-105mm f/4 USM L IS and this is their verdict;

“Regarding its equivalent zoom range (39-168mm) on an APS-C DSLR the Canon EF 24-105mm f/4 USM L IS may not be the most sexy lens here but its performance figures are very impressive nonetheless. In fact the resolution results beat those from the EF 24-70mm f/2.8 USM L and match the EF 28-70mm f/2.8 USM L with its much more conservative zoom range (but higher speed). There’s a slight decrease in performance at 105mm but even here the quality remains on a very high level. As to be expected from a modern Canon L lens the construction quality is up to pro standards matching its fasters cousins. The lower price tag plus the extra IS should compensate the slightly more moderate max. aperture for most users. Is it a perfect lens then ? Well, there’re also downsides like pronounced barrel distortions and higher than expected CAs at the wide-end of the zoom range. However, the package remains extremely attractive if you can live with the rather unattractive zoom range on an APS-C DSLR - similar to other 28-xx or 24-xx zooms this lens is really more meant for 1.3x or FF (D)SLRs.”

>> Canon EF 24-105mm f/4L IS USM Review Roundup & Samples
>> Canon EF 24-105mm f/4L IS USM Latest Price

Ken Rockwell has done some tests comparing five wide zoom lenses designed only for digital camera with APC-size sensor. Here’s what he says about each lens

“Nikon 12-24mm: The Nikon has the best optics, the best focusing and the best everything.

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TheDigitalPicture.com has added a new section on their website where you can see and compare vignetting from Canon lenses on a full frame body.

Click to view

There’s also been a rumor that Canon is considering introducing yet another line of lenses that are aimed to be placed above the L series lens. The new series will meet the resolving demand of the upcoming generation of sensors which will have even higher resolution.

Peter M reported: “The domestic Canon warranty repair shop in Sweden (RCC) today confirmed that there is a problem with the new 70-300 4-5.6 IS when shooting in portrait orientation between 200-300mm. They have tested my lens on other cameras as well as other lenses in stock – all show this problem to a certain degree. Canon Sweden are now contacting European HQ in Holland to get their view on how to tackle the problem.”

Bill Caulfeild-Browne has written a good article comparing the new Canon 24-105mm f/4L IS USM with the legendary Canon 24-70mm f/2.8L with Canon 1Ds Mark II @ Luminous Landscape. This is what he says about:

Distortion: Both lenses show significant barrel distortion at 24mm, and pincushion distortion by 50mm. However, Canon 24-70mm shows less distortion than Canon 24-105mm.

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Omnicolor has taken a few test pics with his new Sigma, comparing it to the kit lens and the 50mm 1.8 II with Canon EOS 35D

Click on the image to view the images

Judhi Prasetyo, fotografer.net forum member, has posted some sample photos of the legendary Canon EF 200mm F/1.8L USM, which was marketed at November 1988 for 456,000 yen. The lens was the world’s fastest 200mm telephoto lens at the time. Three UD-glass elements eliminate secondary spectrum for sharp images at all apertures. The optics have been designed to give excellent background blur. Try it with the maximum aperture’s shallow depth of field.

Sample shots of Canon EF 200mm F/1.8L USM taken with Canon EOS 20D:

More samples of Canon EF 200mm F/1.8L

Charles Kozierok has posted an interesting thread at FredMiranda comparing the Canon EF 50mm F/1.8 II with Canon EF 50mm F/1.4 USM and Canon EF 50mm F/1.0 L

Crop comparison, near the center-bottom

Bokeh comparison

Please click on the images above to enlarge

He writes:

“#1. The 50/1.8 II has much more DOF than the other two lenses at the same aperture. This probably helps with its reputation as being very sharp for its size and cost. Overall it held up VERY well compared to its more expensive brethren.

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