Boaz Wibowo: June 2010

Sunday, June 20, 2010

Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8L USM

I had been using Canon EF 70-300mm f/4-5.6 IS USM for almost two year. Although it had served me very well and produced lots of great pictures, I needed something more advanced and faster. That's why I sold it last month and bought a used Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8L USM, my 5th lens. This 70-200mm lens is the first L lens and the most expensive lens that I have ever bought. I could say that it was my dreaming zoom telephoto lens since long time back.

I decided to get this lens because of its very good rating in FredMiranda.Com. The Overall Rating of this lens is 9.8. It is higher than any other EF Zoom lenses, except the new Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS II USM, which cost almost twice. I prefer to spend SGD 1700 for the non-IS rather than SGD 3200 for the IS Version II. Many reviewers said that it is much better than the first IS version.

What I like:
* Fast AF.
* Huge Aperture.
* Image Quality & Sharpness. Beat down the EF 70-300mm IS USM.
* Not retracted during zooming or focusing.
* Tripod Collar included.

What I dont like:
* Weight.
* Not Weather-sealed yet.
* Max. focal length 200mm. I will miss shooting at 300mm.
* Min. focusing distance 1.5 meters.

Although it is heavy, it fits well on my EOS 40D. They are perfect for Zoo lover like me. Although it lack of IS, due to the large aperture, I still can manage to get blur-free picture.

Specifications:
Name: Canon EF 70-200mm ƒ/2.8L USM
Image Circle: 35mm
Type: Telephoto Zoom
Focal Length: 70 - 200mm
APS Equivalent: 112 - 320mm
Max Aperture: ƒ/2.8
Min Aperture: ƒ/32
Diaphragm Blades: 8
Lens Construction: 18 elements in 15 groups, including 4 UD elements
Diagonal Angle of View (Based on image circle): 34 to 12 degrees
Focus Details: Inner focusing; full-time manual focus and USM
Front Element Rotation: No
Zoom System: Rotary
Closest Focus: 1.5m / 4.9 ft.
Magnification Ratio: 0.21x / 1:4.8
Filter Size: 77mm
Dimensions (Length x Diameter): 193.6mm x 84.6mm / 7.6 in. x 3.3 in.
Weight: 1.31kg / 2.9 lb

Reviews:
The-Digital-Picture.com - Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8 L USM Lens Review
photozone - Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8 USM L - Review / Test Report

Pictures from this lens can be seen at below posts:
Taman Safari Indonesia - Jun'10
Enchanting Indonesia 2010 - Jul'10
Singapore Zoo - Aug'10

Wednesday, June 16, 2010

Rara Jonggrang Temple, Prambanan, Yogyakarta

Rara Jonggrang or Prambanan is the ninth century Hindu temple compound in Central Java, Indonesia, dedicated to Trimurti, the expression of God as the Creator (Brahma), the Sustainer (Vishnu) and the Destroyer (Shiva). The temple compound located approximately 18 km east of Yogyakarta city on the boundary between Yogyakarta and Central Java province.

The temple is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, currently is the largest Hindu temple in Indonesia, and is one of the largest Hindu temples in south-east Asia. It is characterized by its tall and pointed architecture, typical of Hindu temple architecture, and by the towering 47m high central building inside a large complex of individual temples.