theuerkorn's Full Review: Canon EF-S 60mm f/2.8 for
So you just got that shiny EOS 20D or Digital Rebel (XT) and while there is a great selection of EF lenses (to fit 35mm photography), the digitally optimized range of lenses is relatively small.
Starting with the cost-effective but limited kit lens (18-55mm), the need for a better lens becomes apparent relatively soon. The EF-S 17-85mm f4-f5.6 IS USM is more universal and even sports image stabilization. However, for more specialized applications like portrait photography and close-ups (macros) something 'more' is needed. In the professional world, a photographer typically carries a fast (f2.8 or better) lens right around 100mm focal length for those applications. Using the exact same lens, however, translates into too much telephoto due to the 1.6x lens factor.
Canon's response is a dedicated EF-S lens that despite the fixed focal length is quite universal. So what is it that makes this lens so special over the 17-85mm? Isn't 60 mm included? Sure, but not really ...
A FIXED LENS
A zoom is great and very versatile, but it typically limits the maximum aperture value for economy lenses. Overall focus precision is slightly reduced too due to more floating elements. However, many applications are just fine with a fixed focal length as long as as one can move around freely to compose rather than turning a zoom dial. In return, a fixed lens often produces sharper images. (And this one does!)
Speaking of sharpness (contrast), the EF-S 60mm USM scores almost perfectly at the favorable f8 aperture and does excellent even at maximum aperture too (f2.8). Reviewing the MFT chart, it becomes clear that this lens is designed to please. In my tests I subjectively found that it resolved fine detailes up to twice as agood as the (not too shabby) EF-S 17-85mm f4-f5.6 IS USM. To round things up, chromatic abberation is virtually not existent. (To the degree the 6.4um photo cells of the EOS 20D are able to distinguish.) (This is also helped by the smaller area the lens has to excel in and if you're looking for an advantage over 35mm cameras, this may be one.) The EF-S 60mm performs even better than the hyped EF 70-300mm IS DO USM f4.5/5.6 regading resolution and chromatic aberration (at 70mm focal length).
Not specific to a fixed lens are the following parameters that differentiate the EF-S 60mm from the kit lens. The non-rotation filter mount is significant for rotation sensitive filters like a circular polarizer, where you would not want the effect to change during focusing. Another positive side effect of the internal focus is the constant length of the lens during focusing. The lens also shows to be stable and doesn't creep out of focus when pointing down.
The EF-S 60mm f2.8 USM lens is made of lead-free glass, and it is treated with Canon's "Super Spectra" (anti-reflective) coating to ensure accurate color balance while minimizing flare and ghosting. (Make sure your filters are multicoated as well.)
Compared to the kit lens (EF-S 18-55mm), the EF-S 60mm is by no means lightweight. It has a very solid design, and one can feel that. It's still about half the weight of the EF-S 17-85mm IS lens.
The 52mm filter mount allows to stack safely up to 2 filters before Canon raises concerns that corners might have some vignetting.
SPEED & DOF
The maximum aperture of f2.8 isn't exactly a speed demon either but it's significantly 'faster' than the EF-S 17-85mm f4-f5.6 IS USM. In fact, it almost has the same effect on low-light improvements as the Image Stabilization (2 - 3 stops) in the slower EF-S 17-85mm. The IS lens provides at 60m focal length a maximum aperture equivalent to f5.6 or 2 stops 'slower' than f2.8 aperture of the EF-S 60mm. However, "similar" doesn't present a good reason to have both lenses, and f2 or f1.8 would have been a stronger argument.
More important is the relatively undisclosed fact that 1.6x lens factor has an adverse effect on the Depth of Focus (DOF) in a sense that one needs a wider lens in order to achieve the same Field of View (FOV) compared to full frame cameras. Unfortunately, a wider lens produces a greater DOF at the same aperture as the 35mm equivalent. With the EF-S 17-85mm f4-f5.6 IS USM already being a kind of consumer-level 'slow', the DOF is relatively deep. While this sounds like a good thing for landscapes, at least portrait photographers will object since it's harder to produce a pleasing and non-distracting background at 'normal' focal length and focus on the facial highlight.
To explore the relation ship of aperture and depth of focus please refer to the online DOF calculator as found on dpreview.com.
Near infinity, the 60mm focal length is pretty much the same as with the EF-S 17-85mm f4-f5.6 IS USM. However, as you get close to the macro range (less than 1.5 m), the FOV becomes more equivalent to a longer focal length than the 60mm suggests. (Courtesy of the floating focus.) I.e. at one meter distance the EF-S 60mm f2.8 USM feels more like a 90 mm lens due to the macro mode and related magnification. (This is independent from the lens factor!)
Specific to the EOS 20D AF system is the precision autofocus (center only) which requires a maximum aperture of f2.8 or better for a more accurate focus. (Focussing is always done at the maximum aperture anyway. The remaining 8 points are usable up to f5.6 max. aperture.) This is critical for 'perfect' focus with shallow DOF as desired in portraits and close-ups.
Note: As usual, maximum aperture is rated for infinity and close-up follows slightly different rules. For instance the f2.8 becomes f5.84 at 1:1 magnificagion or f4.39 at 1:2 magnification. (TTL metering takes that into account but hand metering needs to keep that in mind.)
ULTRASONIC MOTOR
Ever gotten into a situation where your lens spoiled the moment because of the noise the focusing drive makes? That's where the ring-type ultrasonic motor helps out and performs this task extremely quietly. In fact, with some background noise, it's practically not noticeable. This argument, however, becomes somewhat obsolete with the EOS 20D due to the loud shutter noise. (Actually more the flip-up mirror.)
Autofocus (AF) feels much faster than with traditional drives especially with ultrafast AF systems as found in the EOS 20D. However, since the EF-S 60mm lens sports a very fine macro focus, it still takes its time to scan through the whole range and back, in case the AF didn't find the object. Another positive effect is that using the manual focus ring during autofocus does not harm the drive and your investment is safe in the long-run.
Further, with the introduction of E-TTL II (as seen in the EOS 20D), the USM drive has even more importance as these are currently the only lenses capable of giving the necessary distance feedback to the camera.
The USM drive gets a little confused when switching from macro to 'normal' (changing distance to objects). I found several times that the lens was hunting in the macro range only, and I had to manually set it near infinity to make it work at greater distances. However, it had no problem to go from normal to macro. Not sure if that's normal.
SUMMARY
It takes some time to get over the fact that this lens will put you back another $400 (best offer) if you only got the EF-S 17-85mm f4-f5.6 IS USM and maybe a telephoto EF 70-300mm f4.5-f5.6 IS DO USM lens yet. In fact, unless you're serious about it (as that investment in an EOS 20D might demonstrate) this lens is a gimmick for many photographers especially when you're praying to the god of point-and-shoot.
However, the EF-S 60 mm f2.8 USM does offer some nice features that other digitally optimized EF-S lenses cannot match. To name two, the macro capability and maximum aperture should be the main factors. If you're into close-up and portrait photography, the EF-S 60 mm will soon emerge as an essential buy for the EOS 20D due to Macro, DOF and precision focus. The 60mm focal length translates into 96 mm full-frame equivalent, a flattering portrait lens. For some that may be worth the extra $440 (street).
This lens has a purpose and it's the first true Macro lens in the digital lineup specifically for Canon EOS cameras (EF-S mount). But it also works great as a portrait lens. The picture quality bests the relatively pricey EF-S 17-85mm f4-f5.6 IS USM lens and even the professional EF 70-300mm f4.5-f5.6 IS DO USM lens. This is mainly due to the fixed design and optics, rather than the f2.8 maximum aperture. Pictures are more detailed and it turns out that the EOS 20D can produce even sharper images than the IS achieved. Of course you have to be able to move around and have to choose your perspective based on a fixed FOV rather than picking one and adjusting the FOV to your needs (zoom).
I have to admit that it took me some time to get over the sticker shock after just having invested in the most versatile lens for digital EOS cameras, the EF-S 17-85mm f4-f5.6 IS USM. Once I crossed that bridge, I was happy to have done it. Picture sharpness, DOF and support for E-TTL II as well as great close-up capability are great arguments. Being somewhat of a perfectionist, the improved sharpness is a welcome fact to visibly justify the expense. However, Canon really could have thrown a lens bag in for that price!
* ... Magnification: This may be confusing since it has nothing to do with the number found on digi-cams or video cameras. For SLRs it simply means that a 1:1 or 1x magnification allows to project the picture onto the focal plane at exactly the same size as real life. In this case a 10 mm tall object would be 10 mm tall on the image sensor, which in return fills 60% of the 15 mm tall sensor in the 20D. Hence, to determine what the magnification really means, on has to know the sensor size, or simply try it out. ;-)
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