Luckypenguin
TalkEmount Regular
Hi everyone,
Going back to the days of my first DSLR I have always liked the utility of a standard (~28-80, 28-135) zoom lens, but in more recent times as I moved away from DSLRs I have found myself shooting mostly with prime lenses in the Micro 4/3 system. For whatever reason I find myself less inclined to use a standard zoom lens on those cameras, and so from early this year I have instead been using a Canon G1X in this role (plus I like a little diversity). This camera has been great but with the two following exceptions that I find to be an issue occasionally: somewhat clunky operation and limited dynamic range in highlights compared to the latest tech (i.e. Sony) sensors. As a result of these doubts and after coming across a good deal on a NEX I've found myself trialling a 5N + 18-55mm for the last few days to see if it would be a better fit for me.
To the point of this post; I just want to establish whether my impressions of the 18-55mm are consistent with that of some more experienced users here and to confirm that my sample is representative. The lens feels quite nice to hold and operate, it's not too big or heavy and the zoom is smooth and precise. AF speed (obviously a function of the body and the lens) is okay, certainly better than the G1X. Image quality seems a little mixed, though. I realise that the 18-55mm is basically a "kit lens" that doesn't cost a whole lot of money but this is the zoom range that I am looking for. The centre sharpness seems fine but I find that it starts to drop off noticeably towards the edges. It also barrels and vignettes at wider angles but I am shooting raw, processing in LR 4.1 and using the 18-55mm lens profile that does a good job of fixing these. Does that seem like a fair assessment? I haven't had a chance to give the 5N/18-55 a proper workout yet, so these are early impressions given my limited "real world" usage so far.
BTW, I'm finding the 5N body itself to be quite good so far and I think that I could live with it's controls and ergonomics as long as it is fitted with a lens about the size of the 18-55mm or smaller. The dynamic range is broader than that of the G1X but it is the quality of the lens on the Canon that makes the comparison a difficult one.
Going back to the days of my first DSLR I have always liked the utility of a standard (~28-80, 28-135) zoom lens, but in more recent times as I moved away from DSLRs I have found myself shooting mostly with prime lenses in the Micro 4/3 system. For whatever reason I find myself less inclined to use a standard zoom lens on those cameras, and so from early this year I have instead been using a Canon G1X in this role (plus I like a little diversity). This camera has been great but with the two following exceptions that I find to be an issue occasionally: somewhat clunky operation and limited dynamic range in highlights compared to the latest tech (i.e. Sony) sensors. As a result of these doubts and after coming across a good deal on a NEX I've found myself trialling a 5N + 18-55mm for the last few days to see if it would be a better fit for me.
To the point of this post; I just want to establish whether my impressions of the 18-55mm are consistent with that of some more experienced users here and to confirm that my sample is representative. The lens feels quite nice to hold and operate, it's not too big or heavy and the zoom is smooth and precise. AF speed (obviously a function of the body and the lens) is okay, certainly better than the G1X. Image quality seems a little mixed, though. I realise that the 18-55mm is basically a "kit lens" that doesn't cost a whole lot of money but this is the zoom range that I am looking for. The centre sharpness seems fine but I find that it starts to drop off noticeably towards the edges. It also barrels and vignettes at wider angles but I am shooting raw, processing in LR 4.1 and using the 18-55mm lens profile that does a good job of fixing these. Does that seem like a fair assessment? I haven't had a chance to give the 5N/18-55 a proper workout yet, so these are early impressions given my limited "real world" usage so far.
BTW, I'm finding the 5N body itself to be quite good so far and I think that I could live with it's controls and ergonomics as long as it is fitted with a lens about the size of the 18-55mm or smaller. The dynamic range is broader than that of the G1X but it is the quality of the lens on the Canon that makes the comparison a difficult one.