Best Canon lens for APS-C format EOS cameras

After you’ve been shooting with your Canon APS-C-format DSLR and kit lens for a while you’re likely to start hankering after another lens or two. But with so many options available it can be hard to decide which to choose. We’ve compiled a list of some of the best Canon lens options for APS-C-format EOS cameras to help you extend your creative potential.

1. Best macro lens for Canon APS-C:  Sigma 105mm f/2.8 EX DG OS HSM 

Price: £379/$769
A macro lens is often high on the shopping list for many photographers. Although Canon makes two 100mm macro lenses, the Sigma 105mm produces better results and costs much less than the Canon L lens.While it’s designed for use on full-frame cameras it’s perfectly at home of APS-C format models. On a Canon APS-C format camera like the Canon 750D it delivers a focal length equivalent of 168mm, which means that you don’t have to be right on top of your subject to shoot life-size images.Consequently, you are less likely to cast shade on the subject and it’s easier to add extra light if need be.

2. Best standard zoom upgrade for Canon APS-C: Canon EF-S 17-55mm f/2.8 IS USM

Price: £532/$829
The standard 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 kit lens sold with many APS-C format cameras is a great starting point, offering a versatile focal length range that’s good for general shooting.
However, it’s not the best optically and the variable aperture means exposure settings change as you zoom from one focal length to another.
The Canon EF-S 17-55mm f/2.8 IS USM makes a great upgrade bringing better image quality, a slightly wider view (effective focal length of 27-88mm) and a fixed maximum aperture of f/2.8 which means exposure settings won’t change if you zoom in or out.
The larger aperture also allows you to blur backgrounds a little more to isolate your subject and you’ll be able to use faster shutter speeds than with your kit lens.

3. Best telephoto zoom for Canon APS-C: Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS II USM 

Price: £1,499/$2,099
This telephoto zoom is a firm favourite amongst professional and amateur photographers as it’s ideal for shooting sport and action as well as outdoor portraits.It’s designed for full-frame cameras, but can be used with APS-C format models giving a focal length range equivalent to 112-320mm.With a maximum aperture of f/2.8 it allows movement freezing shutter speeds even in quite low light and Canon’s image stabilisation system is built-in to help deal with any camera shake at low shutter speeds.It’s not a cheap optic, but it’s super-sharp and a great addition to any Canon photographer’s kit.

4. Best budget telephoto zoom for Canon APS-C: Tamron 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6 Di VC USD

Price: £249/$449
While the Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS II USM is a great lens, it’s also very expensive. The Tamron 70-300mm f/.45-5.6 Di LD Macro is a more affordable alternative and it offers considerably more telephoto reach.The downside is that the maximum available aperture is f/4.5 at the widest point and this drops to f/5.6 at the longest end. This means you can’t get such fast shutter speeds without pushing sensitivity up, but Tamron’s excellent ‘Vibration Compensation’ image stabilisation system is on hand and the autofocusing is fast and quiet.

5. Best 50mm for Canon APS-C:  Sigma 50mm f/1.4 DG HSM | A  

 
Price: £699/$949
On a Canon APS-C format camera a 50mm lens, or Nifty Fifty, has an effective focal length of 80mm, which is ideal for shooting portraits. It gives you a nice working distance and produces flattering results.The Sigma 50mm f/1.4 DG HSM | A is bigger than the average 50mm lens, but then it is significantly better than the average 50mm lens.It is designed with superior image quality in mind and it delivers wonderfully sharp images with little distortion or chromatic aberration.
The large maximum aperture also enables movement-freezing shutter speeds in low light as when as background blur with attractive bokeh.If the size and price of this lens are a bit too much for you, take a look at the Canon EF 40mm STM (£129/$149), it’s not quite in the same league image quality-wise, but it’s no slouch either.

6. Best superzoom lens for Canon APS-C: Sigma 18-300mm f/3.5-6.3 DC Macro OS HSM | C  

 
Price: £399/$579
Superzoom lenses, those that offer a very wide focal length range, are very popular because of they provide a number of creative opportunities with just one optic. The wide end is designed for shooting landscapes while the telephoto end is perfect for framing more distant subjects.

Meanwhile the area in between is useful for shooting portraits and framing everyday scenes. All without having to swap lenses and risk getting dust on the sensor.

While image quality isn’t quite as good as when shooting with three shorter zoom lenses, or a collection of primes, the Sigma 18-300mm f/3.5-6.3 DC delivers good results and has Sigma’s image stabilisation system built-in to extent the safe handholding shutter speed range.

7. Best wide angle zoom lens for Canon APS-C: Sigma 10-20mm f/3.5 EX DC HSM

 
Price: £399/$449
Because an APS-C sized sensor is smaller than a full-frame device there’s a focal length conversion factor (1.6x with Canon cameras) that means that even quite wide-angle lenses don’t capture quite as much of the scene as you might first think.

Thankfully this isn’t quite the drama it once was and there are quite a few very wide-angle lenses specifically designed for APS-C format cameras these days. The Sigma 10-20mm f/3.5 EX DC HSM is one of the best, giving an effective focal length range of 16-32mm which makes it ideal for shooting wide vistas or cramped interiors.

The maximum aperture is also fixed so exposure doesn’t change as you zoom from one focal length to another.

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Back in 1995, A 1MP Pro Digital Camera Cost $20,000

Want to see how far digital cameras have come over just the past 20 years? Check out this 4-minute clip that CNET released back in 1995, when digital cameras were only just starting to find their way into the hands of serious photographers.

One of the cameras featured in the video was referred to as the “B-2 Stealth Bomber” of digital cameras at the time. It was a Fujix Nikon camera that cost $20,000 ($31,000 in today’s money), could shoot 1.3 megapixel photos, and used a removable 131MB hard drive that could store 70 photos.

Once digital photos were captured, you could transfer them to a computer and then “modem them” to production, anywhere in the world.
During this time, Apple was still making standalone consumer digital cameras alongside companies like Kodak and Casio. The influential Apple QuickTake was produced between 1994 and 1997, and is considered to be the first consumer digital camera. The first Apple iPhone — with a 2MP rear camera — was introduced in 2007, a decade after the QuickTake was discontinued.
(via CNET via SLR Lounge)

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Nagarkot 2015/07/17

Nagarkot is a village and Village Development Committee located 32 km east of Kathmandu, Nepal in Bhaktapur District in the Bagmati Zone. At the time of the 2011 census it had a population of 4571 and had 973 houses in it. At an elevation of 2,195 meters, it is considered one of the most scenic spots in Bhaktapur District. It is known for a sunrise view of the Himalayas including Mount Everest as well as other peaks of the Himalayan range of eastern Nepal. Nagarkot also offers a panoramic view of the Kathmandu Valley.The scenic beauty of the place makes it a very popular hiking route for tourists. It is located approximately 7000 ft (2000 m) above sea level and 28 km from Kathmandu International Airport.Nagarkot commands one of the broadest views of the Himalayas in the Kathmandu valley (8 Himalayan ranges of Nepal out of 13 from here). The ranges include Annapurna range, Manaslu range, Ganesh himal range, Langtang range, Jugal range, Rolwaling range, Mahalangur range (Everest range) and Numbur range with views of the Kathmandu valley and Shivapuri National Park.Situated in a strategic location, Nagarkot was an ancient fort of the Kathmandu valley built to monitor the external activities of other kingdoms. Later, it became a summer retreat for the royal family before becoming popular as an international hill station.

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Shravan: The Holy Month of Ritual and Festivity

Shravan, the most auspicious month of the Chaturmas, is dedicated to Lord Shiva. Lord Shiva is considered as “the Destroyer” or “the Transformer” among the Hindu Trinity of the primary aspects of the divine. It is the fifth month in a traditional Hindu lunar calendar. As per Vedic Almanac, the star Shravan rules the sky during this period and hence is also called Shrawan mas. Almost all the days of this month are propitious, filled with numerous rituals and festivals to seek blessings from Lord Shiva.

         Significance of Shiva Puja in Shravan Month:

According to the legend, Samudra Manthan (the churning of oceans) took place in the month of Shravan. During the samundra manthan, fourteen different types of rubies came out and the thirteen of these were distributed among the demons, except Halahal (poison). Lord Shiva came to rescue, drank the Halahal and stored it in his throat. The throat turned blue due to effect of poison and hence the name Neelkantha (meaning blue throat) is attributed to Lord Shiva. In order to reduce the strong effect of poison, Lord Shiva wore the crescent moon on his head. All the Gods thereafter started offering the Ganges water to Lord Shiva to make lessen the effect of poison.

Since then, Shiva devotees offer the Ganges water in Shravan with a belief of earning lot of punya. Things devotees can perform during Shravan are:

• Wearing Rudraksh
• Reciting Shiv Chalisa and Aarti
• Maha Mrityunjaya Jap
• Rudrabhisheks
• Fasting on Mondays

During 2015, Shravan month spans from 17th July to 17th August.

Shravan Sankranti:

The first day of the month Shravan observes the festival of Shravan Sankranti. It is a merry making exercise after the busy period of paddy plantation. Family invites their married daughters and sisters and celebrates together by feasting on a variety of festival food.
In the evening, people celebrate “Luto Phalne” ceremony by burning wood and a plant called tite pati and throwing them away shouting “take away scabies” (Luto Laija)  to ward off the disease of scabies and the itching it causes.

Shravani Sombar:

Each Monday of Shravan, known as Shravani Sombar, is observed with austerity and is devoted to worship Lord Shiva. Devotees pile the linga high with Bel leaves, and flowers, chant the Shiva mantra and fast till sunset. Sixteen Mondays or Solah Somwar fasting also begins from the first Sombar of Shravan month.
Both men and women observe fast to please Lord Shiva. The married women take fasting to attain prosperity and a long, peaceful family life and unmarried women to attain eternal blessing from Lord Shiva for good life partner.

Shombar Fast:

After bath and other purification rituals, the fast begins at sunrise on Monday. Lord Shiva is prayed to by chanting “Om Namah Shivaya” and offering Bilva leaves, white flowers, water, honey and milk. The devotees visit Pashupatinath temple and other Shiva temples in the morning and the evening and also read Shiva Purana in the day. After praying to Lord Shiva, the fast is broken in the evening.
It is believed that those who observe Sombar fasting will have their desires fulfilled and will be blessed with wisdom.The Mondays in the month are on July 20,July27, August 3, August 10 and August 17.Shravan Somvar fast also has a scientific reason as monsoon is at its peak and there is less sunlight, it makes digestive system weak. So fasting at least once in a week helps to maintain good health.

Shravan Month Celebration with Mehendi and Green Bangles:

With the arrival of Shravan, green is ruling not only the nature but also the wrists of Nepalese Hindu women. Both the married and unmarried women opt to load their hands with red, green and yellow bangles and decorate their palms with beautiful designs of Mehendi/henna tattoos. The married women wear green bangles and beautify their palms with mehendi for the prosperity and welfare of the family while unmarried girls put it as a prayer for their happiness and a life as colorful and deep as the Mehendi itself.They indulge themselves completely in the greenery and holiness of the Shravan month.

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