Quote:
Originally Posted by Jill H
What does F2.8L mean - specifically the L? ...
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Just to expand on what nate said, the f/2.8 is your
maximum aperture--it's the widest the lens can be opened.
While Canon's marketeers say the "L" stands for luxury, some of the technicians say it stands for "low-dispersion glass". Most specifically it means that at least one element of the lens is made of
flourite or UD (ultra-low dispersion) glass. This glass has a lower index of refraction, which kind of makes it do the
opposite of what a prism does in terms of color separation
. This special glass element typically means better
chromatic aberration control, and better contrast which appears as better sharpness and richer colors.
In practical terms, when you see a Canon lens is designated as an L lens, assume its pricetag is at least $1000, and that it will be big and heavy with good build quality. It may be weather sealed and/or offer IS, but that's not a given. And it will have the widest maximum aperture for the given focal length(s). It will have a red ring around the end of the lens, and if it's over 200mm, it will be white.
Quote:
Originally Posted by daft_biker
Wouldn't mind a go with the 100mm L but i'm far more interested in a TS-E 90mm on extension tubes at the moment  |
Mmmmm. Tilt-shift goodness.
Oh, so very fun. I will say, though, that mastering tilt has probably been the hardest thing I've ever had to learn, photography-wise, and I'm probably still not there, yet. If you've never used
movements before, I'd highly recommend reading these two articles at Cambridge in Colour:
Tilt-Shift Lenses: Perspective Control (Shift)
Tilt-Shift Lenses: Depth of Field (Tilt)
And possibly the chapter on movements in Ansel Adams'
The Camera.