The Basics of Interchangeable Lenses

121

Relationship between SLR Camera Structure and Lens

Figure-1

1. Check the subject through the viewfinder.

2. The mirror rises and the shutter opens to expose the

film/image sensor

3. The shutter closes and the mirror returns to its original

position.

Image circle
Focal plane

Figure-2

1. Check the subject through the viewfinder.

2. The mirror rises and the shutter opens to expose the film

3. The shutter closes and the mirror returns to its original pos

Diagonal angle of view

Focal length

Photograph plane

2nd principle point

What does the world look like through a lens?

Construction and characteristics of the SLR camera.
The single-lens reflex (SLR) camera construction makes it
possible to use a wide variety of interchangeable lenses to
build the optimum system for photography. This is the
attraction of the SLR camera. The major characteristic of this
camera is the viewfinder system. Because the image that
actually reaches the focal plane is displayed in the viewfinder,
the image that will be captured digitally or on film can be
checked in advance.
The light rays that pass through the lens are deflected upward
by a mirror in front of the lens to show the image in a
focusing screen that is equidistant with the focal plane. A
pentaprism is then used to correctly orient and project the
122

image before it is seen through the eyepiece. When the

shutter button is pressed, the mirror rises up and the shutter
opens to expose the film or image sensor. When the shutter
closes, the mirror returns to its original position (Figure-1).
This makes it possible to accurately frame images without
being affected by parallax, a problem with compact cameras,
which have different light paths for the shooting lens and the
viewfinder.

How different focal lengths can change your shots.

The impression given by a photograph can be greatly changed
by using a variety of different lenses for different purposes. In
particular, differences in lens focal length greatly change the
range (angle of view), perspective, and depth of field of the

The Basics of Interchangeable Lenses

Photo 1
Photographed using an EF 28-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS USM
Figure-3

28mm

50mm

135mm

subject being photographed.

The angle of view is expressed as the angle of the range being
photographed, so it is generally shown as the angle of the
diagonal direction. Naturally, the image captured by the lens
is circularnot a rectangle the size of the focal planeand this
image is called an image circle. The image that is actually
photographed is taken from the center of the image circle
(Figure-2).
In the case of a 35mm camera, the angle of view (diagonal
view angle) is 180 using a 15mm fisheye lens, 46 using a
50mm lens, 24 for a 100mm lens, 12 for a 200mm lens, and
about 4 for a 600mm telephoto lens, so the longer the focal
length, the narrower the angle of view (Figure-3). The angle of
view becomes approximately 1/2 when the focal length is x2

and the photographed area becomes 1/4.

Photo 1 shows photographs taken using 28mm, 50mm, and
135mm focal lengths. The composition changes dramatically
from a wide view showing the table and surrounding area to
a close-up of the subject.

123

Screen change in accordance with focal length

124

15mm (fisheye)

14mm

28mm

35mm

100mm

135mm

400mm

600mm

The Basics of Interchangeable Lenses

20mm

24mm

50mm

85mm

200mm

300mm

Understanding focal length allows you to select the appropriate lens.

This series of photographs shows how lenses with different focal lengths photograph the same location.
The shorter the focal length of the lens, the wider the scene coverage, and the longer the focal length, the narrower the scene coverage.
As was mentioned on the previous page, when the focal length is 2x, the area of the photographed image is 1/4, so it is useful to
remember the degree of change, especially for the lenses you normally use. For example, being able to imagine that the dome, which is
the main subject using 50mm, gradually appears closer when using 100mm, 200mm, and 300mm without looking in the viewfinder is
useful when selecting lenses.

125

Perspective/Depth of field

f/1.4

f/2.8

f/5.6

f/22

f/11

The depth of field is the range that is in focus.

The smaller the aperture, the deeper the depth of field.
The depth of field is the range in front of and behind the
subject that is in focus. The depth of field is greatly changed
in accordance with various conditions that include the lens
focal length, aperture setting, position in focus, photographing
distance, and the difference in distance between the main
subject and the background.
Photo 5 shows that under the same shooting conditions, the
smaller the aperture is made, the wider the depth of field
becomes. In addition, the range in focus is a ratio of
approximately 1:2 with the range being shallower in front and
deeper behind the actual focusing distance.
Further, the blurring of the area away from the depth of
field produces different photographic effects depending on the
lens that is used, so it is important to use this effect skillfully

126

to produce works that have a sense of perspective.

In addition, at the same aperture setting, the depth of field can
be made shallower by decreasing the photographing distance
or deeper by increasing it. Also, shortening the lens focal
length makes the depth of field deeper, and increasing the
focal length makes the depth of field shallower at any given
distance. The distance between the subject and the
background also greatly affects the depth of field. For
example, even when a wide aperture telephoto lens is used to
shoot a portrait, if there is no distance between the person and
the background, the background cannot be blurred, and even
when a wide-angle lens with a deep depth of field is used,
blurred backgrounds can be created during close-up
photography.

The Basics of Interchangeable Lenses

16mm

24mm

50mm

200mm

135mm

Perspective is the visual effect of the photographic world.

Effectively using perspective, such as for creating dynamic
wide-angle photos and compressed effects with telephoto
lenses, makes it possible to produce expressive photographs
with impact. Perspective is the visual effect that determines
how close or far away the background appears to be from the
subject. The shorter the focal length of the lens, the more this
effect is expressed, and the longer the focal length of the lens,
the less this effect is expressed and the more compressed the
photograph looks.
Looking at a series of images photographed by changing the
shooting distance while keeping the subject the same size
makes this effect readily apparent. It is easy to see how the
perspective is greatly changed depending on the focal length.
Compare the above 16mm and 200mm photographs, with the
wide angle lens, it looks like the background is stretching out

far behind the subject. Conversely, using a telephoto lens

there appears to be very little distance between the two, which
gives the photograph a compressed feeling.
In other words, comparing the apparent distance between the
subject and the background as the focusing distance and the
focal length of the lens are varied shows how perspective is
created. For this reason, even when you want to keep the
person the same size, use a wide-angle lens when you want to
have a panoramic background, and a telephoto lens when you
want to adjust the background to emphasise the subject. This
is why it is important to differentiate between which lenses to
use depending on the desired photographic effect.

127

Special characteristics of EF-S lenses

EF-S 60mm
f/2.8 Macro USM

EF-S 10-22mm
f/3.5-4.5 USM

EF-S 17-55mm
f/2.8 IS USM

Optical System of the EF-S Lenses

EF-S 17-85mm
f/4-5.6 IS USM

EF-S 18-55mm
f/3.5-5.6 II USM
EF-S 18-55mm
f/3.5-5.6 II

Comparison of Rear Portions of Lenses

Standard EF lenses (Usable with all EOS SLR cameras)

EF 17-40mm f/4L USM

(compatible with 35mm full-frame size)

Lens
attachment
indicator

Frame size
Focal plane

Back focus

Connection
point

36 x 24mm
Image circle: 43,2

EF-S lenses

EF-S 18-55mm f/3,5-5,6 II USM

(Can be used only with EF-S lens compatible EOS SLR cameras)

Focal plane

(An S has been added to the lens names to distinguish them from other EF lenses.)

Lens
attachment
indicator
Frame size

Rubber ring
Back focus

Connection
point

22,5 x 15,0mm*
Image circle: 27,3
*Image size for EOS 30D

The increasingly comprehensive EF-S line-up now

includes a single focal length macro lens, an ultra-wideangle zoom and an image-stabilizer standard zoom.
Our EF-S lenses feature optical systems and lens mechanisms
designed specifically for digital SLR cameras employing
sensors of the APS-C frame size, which is smaller than that of
the 35mm format. In addition to possessing a smaller image
circle than other EF lenses to match the smaller frame size,
they also allow adoption of short back focus (distance from
the rear of the lens to the focal plane) made possible by the
compact quick return mirrors in the camera bodies.
The APS-C sized sensor gives the camera a 1.6x focal length
conversion factor over the 35mm film format, resulting in an
angle of view biased towards telephoto. Canon created the largediameter EF-S 17-55mm f/2.8 IS USM, image stabilizer-equipped
EF-S 17-85mm f/4-5.6 IS USM, and compact, lightweight EFS 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 II USM as versatile standard zoom lenses
capable of serving all photographic needs from wide-angle
scenery shots through normal snaphots to telephoto portraits.
Additionally, the EF-S series now includes the ultra wide-angle
zoom EF-S 10-22mm f/3.5-4.5 USM lens to complement the
standard zooms, and the excellent telephoto macro EF-S 60mm
f/2.8 macro USM lens.
128

Uses a rubber ring to prevent mistaken attachment to EOS SLR

cameras other than the EOS DIGITAL SLR cameras designed to
take EF-S lenses.

* Some of the EF-S lenses does not employ a short back focus optical
system.
* EF-S Lens Compatible EOS SLR Cameras
EOS 30D, EOS 20D, EOS 20Da/EOS 400D DIGITAL/EOS 350D
DIGITAL/EOS 300D DIGITAL (as of September 2006)

Design that prevents inadvertent attachment to EOS

cameras other than those supporting EF-S lenses, and
damage to the camera body.
The EF-S lenses are designed in such a way that their
mechanism fits completely only into the bodies of EOS SLR
cameras that support EF-S lenses, and are fitted with a rubber
ring at the rear of the lens to prevent damage to the camera
body in the event of mistaken attempts to attach them to
incompatible EOS SLR cameras. EF-S lenses also feature both
a different attachment position and a white rectangular lens
mounting index that differs in shape and colour from other
EF lenses to help prevent inadvertent attempts to attach these
lenses to incompatible EOS SLR cameras.

60mm (equivalent to 96mm in 35mm format)

A rich lineup of lenses covering from life-size macro to

medium range telephoto photography.
W EF-S 60mm f/2.8 Macro USM

With a focal length equivalent to approximately 96mm in

35mm format, this medium telephoto macro lens is able to
cover in-focus shooting from life-size macro photography to
infinity. It can handle a broad range of subjects including not
only macro shots of flowers, insects and small animals, but
also scenery, portraits and snapshots.
W EF-S 10-22mm f/3.5-4.5 USM

EF-S 60mm f/2.8 Macro USM

10mm (equivalent to 16mm in 35mm format)

Featuring a 35mm-equivalent focal-length coverage of 1635mm, this ultra wide-angle zoom lens dramatically expands
the field of view beyond the range of human eyes. This
capability makes it perfect for shooting expansive seascapes
or zooming in on large fields of flowers.
W EF-S 17-55mm f/2.8 IS USM

This large-diameter zoom lens covers a focal length range

equivalent to 27-88mm in the 35mm format. Its f/2.8
maximum aperture with circular diaphragm achieves
beautiful background blur, and a mechanism for camerashake blur compensation makes it ideal for use in a wide
variety of shooting conditions, including portrait shots in
natural lighting.
W EF-S 17-85mm f/4-5.6 IS USM
EF-S 10-22mm f/3.5-4.5 USM

85mm (equivalent to 136mm in 35mm format)

This 5x zoom lens with a focal length range equivalent to 27136mm in 35mm format covers from wide angle to telephoto
photography. Its high zoom range makes it a highly versatile
lens for almost all shooting needs from landscape and group
photos to snapshots and portraits.
W EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 II USM / EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 II

With a focal length range equivalent to 29-88mm in 35mm

format, these lightweight, compact zoom lenses are versatile
enough for all kinds of photography, from wide-angle large
group shots to standard-range street corner snapshots and
telephoto portraits that make use of the exquisite background
blur.

EF-S 17-85mm f/4-5.6 IS USM

35mm Format Focal Length Equivalents

16mm

27mm

35mm

50mm

88mm

136mm
96mm

EF-S 60mm f/2,8 Macro USM

EF-S 10-22mm f/3,5-4,5 USM

16mm

35mm

EF-S 17-55mm f/2,8 IS USM

27mm

EF-S 17-85mm f/4-5,6 IS USM

27mm

EF-S 18-55mm f/3,5-5,6 II USM

EF-S 18-55mm f/3,5-5,6 II

88mm

136mm

29mm

88mm

129

Correspondence of EF Lens to Digital Photography

130

Image size and lens selection

35mm full size and digital shooting range image size (picture dimensions) and lens selection

EOS-1D Mark@N

EOS-1Ds Mark@/ EOS 5D

EOS-1D Mark@N

EOS 30D*

EOS 30D*

Differences in image size

Image size and effective angle of view

Digital SLR cameras contain CMOS or CCD image sensors

instead of film. The size of the sensor determines the size of
the image (picture dimensions), which varies depending on
the camera body. Canon digital SLR cameras have images in
the following three sizes.

Differences in image size affect the actual area that appears in

the photograph, or, put another way, the effective angle of
view. The EOS-1Ds Mark II/EOS 5D has an image size
equivalent to that of 35mm film, while the EOS-1D Mark II N
has a smaller image size, and the image size of the EOS 30D*
is even smaller. The smaller the image size, the smaller the
effective angle of view becomes at any given focal length. As
the above image size comparisons show, using a 100mm lens
with the EOS-1D Mark II N and EOS 30D will produce
photographs with effective angles of view approximately
equivalent to photos taken with a 130mm lens and a 160mm
lens, respectively, on the EOS-1Ds Mark II/EOS 5D. In other
words, the focal length conversion factor for the EOS-1D
Mark II N is about 1.3 times that of regular 35mm film image,
and about 1.6 times for the EOS 30D.
This effect can be used to your advantage to increase the
effect of using a telephoto or macro lens in order to bring the
subject in even closer. On the other hand, wide-angle
photography will require an even wider lens.

36.0 x 24.0mm (EOS-1Ds Mark @)

*Image size for EOS 5D : 35.8 x 23.9mm.

* The EOS 400D DIGITAL SLR camera have similar image size as the EOS 30D.

Selecting a wide-angle lens

28.7 x 19.1mm (EOS-1D Mark @ N)

22.5 x 15.0mm (EOS 30D)

*Image size for EOS 400D DIGITAL SLR:
22.2 x 14.8mm.

131

For the EOS 30D, for example, shooting in the focal length
range of 16mm can obtain the same angle of view as that shot
with a 25mm focal length range by a 35mm full-size camera.
The perspective is determined by the shooting distance, so
Photo 1 and Photo 2 will have the same perspective. In other
words, to obtain the same angle of view as when shooting at

Correspondence of EF Lens to Digital Photography

35mm full-size camera with 16mm focal length

Photo 1

35mm full-size camera with 25mm

focal length
Photo 2

EOS-1Ds Mark@/ EOS 5D

Equivalent
angle of view

EOS 30D*
EOS 30D* with 16mm focal length

35mm full size with an EOS 30D, a wider lens must be

selected. The EF lens series contains a full line of wide-angle
zoom lenses and wide-angle single focal-length lenses,
including the EF 16-35mm f/2.8L USM, EF 17-40mm f/4L
USM, EF 24-70mm f/2.8L USM, and EF-S 10-22mm f/3.5-4.5
USM to allow you to select the lens that matches the camera
bodys screen size.

Depth of field and perspective

The EF 85mm f/1.8 USM lens is effectively a 136mm f/1.8 lens in
terms of angle of view when attached to the EOS 30D. Looking
at these specs, it would seem possible to take a photograph with
a shallower depth of field than if the EF 135mm f/2L USM were
used with 35mm film, but this is not the case. Since the focal
length does not actually change, the depth of field in terms of
the sensors and the blurred image in the out-of-focus area
remain the same for the EF 85mm f/1.8 USM. And if the image
is enlarged to the size of an A3 print (approx. 11 x 14 inches),
the amount of enlargement required by the EOS 30D is greater
than that for 35mm film size, because its screen size is smaller.
Nevertheless the depth of field on the print will be shallower for
the latter combination, creating greater blur in the background.
This means that if you want to achieve more blur in the
background using the EOS 30D, you will have to shoot at a
larger aperture. Furthermore, perspective is related to angle of
view, so even if the focal length is different for each particular
lens, if the resulting angle is the same due to the difference in
image size, as in the photographs shown above, the perspective
will remain unchanged, too.

Selecting a lens from our broad line-up

The differences in angle of view for each screen size might
cause confusion when you first use a digital SLR camera.
However, once you get used to this new aspect, you will be
able to use these differences to your advantage in creating
new angles of view and depths of field for each lens. Part of
the appeal of the EF lens series lies in the wide range of
selection they offer you with a line-up of over 50 lenses,
allowing you find just the right lens for your needs.

Full lineup of EF lenses

132

How to deal with flaring and ghosting particular to digital photography

For a meniscus lens

For flat protective glass

Protective glass (flat glass)

Light ray reflected by the

protective glass
Image sensor

Entering light ray

In lenses employing flat protective glass, a reflection occurs between the image sensor and
the protective glass, which causes the subject to be photographed in a position different
from the actual position.

Protective glass (flat glass)

In lenses employing a meniscus lens, no reflection like that seen to the left occurs.

Spherical protective glass (meniscus lens)

Light ray reflected by the

protective glass
Image sensor

Entering light ray

Light ray reflected by the

image sensor surface

Light ray reflected by the

image sensor surface

Light ray reflected by the

protective glass

Entering light ray

Light ray reflected by the

image sensor surface

Reflective characteristics of image sensors

Use of meniscus lenses

The reflective characteristics of the image sensors in a digital

camera differ from those of film in that they possess a higher
Spherical protective glass (meniscus lens)
reflectivity as well as a characteristic known as regular or
mirror reflection, which has the effect of creating flaring and
Light ray reflected by the
protective
glass light from a bright source
ghosting inside the lens
when
enters the lens and reflects back to the image sensor. In order
to resolve this problem particular to digital cameras, a new
approach to optical design has already been adopted, with the
goal of bringing the outstanding imaging performance of EF
Light ray reflected by the
lenses to digital photography.
This is,image
after
all,surface
the mission of
sensor
Entering light ray
EF lenses in the digital age, because they occupy the core of
the EOS system, whether film or digital.

Players in a stadium or racecars whizzing round the circuit.

All are lit up by the bright lighting in the stands, or the
headlights on the cars, creating numerous bright light sources.
Ordinary super-telephoto lenses have protective glass in front
of the first lens unit. If this glass is flat, any light entering the
lens from a bright light source will be reflected off the image
sensor and back onto the inside of the protective element,
causing spot-shaped ghosting.* To prevent this, meniscus
lenses are used as the protective glass on all of Canons largeaperture IS super-telephoto lenses. Meniscus lenses are
spherical lenses which have the same curvature on both sides
of the lens. By using these lenses as the protective glass, the
light reflected off the image sensor forms an image in front of
the image sensor and then disperse. Since almost all the light

Many telephoto lenses, including the

EF 300mm f/2.8L IS USM employ a
meniscus lens to suppress internal
reflection of the image that occurs in
digital cameras.

133

Correspondence of EF Lens to Digital Photography

Lens for which the lens shape and coating have not been optimised

Lens for which the lens shape and coating have been optimised

Flaring and ghosting occurs with lens for which the lens shape and coating have not been
optimised.

Flaring and ghosting are suppressed with lens for which the lens shape and coating have
been optimised.

Entering light ray

Entering light ray

Light ray reflected by the image sensor surface

Light ray reflected by the image sensor surface

Image sensor

The power of lenses only visible

in extreme enlargement

Reflection by the lens surface has been

suppressed by optimising the coating.

Lens

which is dispersed does not hit the reflective elements, this

prevents ghosting while at the same time achieving high
contrast for the resulting image.
Large-aperture IS super-telephoto lenses used in sports
stadiums and racing circuits can now deliver the
expressiveness needed by professional photographers using
digital SLR cameras thanks to their outstanding imaging
performance.
* When a filter is mounted on a regular lens, ghosting can occur above the same spot
where there is a strong light source inside the frame. When this occurs, remove the filter
to photograph.

f/2.8L zoom series, including the EF 16-35mm f/2.8L USM,

and other models such as the EF 17-40mm f/4L USM.
Specifically, each lens element has a different design, in order
to reduce the amount of repeated reflection inside the lens.
Further, the lens surface, which has a large effect on reflectivity,
is treated with a special multi-layer coating with high
transmittance. This allows any light reflected off the image
sensor to escape out of the lens in the direction of the subject,
thus reducing flaring and ghosting. And Canons legendary
colour balance is not compromised, thanks to an exact balance
between multi-layer and single-layer coatings.

Super-telephoto lenses using meniscus lenses

VEF

300mm f/2.8L IS USM VEF 500mm f/4L IS USM

400mm f/2.8L IS
USM
Entering
light V
rayEF 600mm f/4L IS USM
VEF 400mm f/4 DO IS USM
VEF

Light ray reflected by the image sensor surface

Optimum lens shape and coating

Entering light ray

Light ray reflected by the image sensor surface

Image sensor

Even when using lenses without built-in protective glass, the

particular photographic conditions might mean that using a
digital camera will result in more flaring and ghosting than if
a film camera were used.
If a strong light source is present
The power of lenses only visible
in extreme
enlargement
inside the frame, the light
reflected
off the image sensor can
Lens
create complex reflective patterns inside the lens, resulting in
flaring and ghosting. To prevent this effect particular to digital
photography, we have optimised the shape and coating of

coating
is used for the
Reflection by An
the optimised
lens surface
has been
suppressed by
coating.
EFoptimising
16-35mmthe
f/2.8L
USM and other
lenses to suppress the flaring and
ghosting that occurs easily with digital
cameras.

134

The power of lenses only visible in extreme enlargements

When the lens has high resolution

When the lens has low resolution

Even when combined with a digital camera, an EF lens has high potential. In this photo of a harbor crowded with yachts, high resolution reveals the fine detail in individual boats.
Photographing images with detailed subject matter, such as landscapes, is possible without having to differentiate between a digital camera and a 35mm film camera.

The fun of extreme digital enlargements

Choosing a lens with little colour aberration

Thanks to the improved performance of ink-jet printers, some

models can achieve quality equal to that of gelatin silver
prints. Add to this the lower cost of printing afforded by a
printer and the ability to manipulate the image on a
computer, and you are close to realising an ideal in image
reproduction. It is for these and other reasons that there will
likely be more and more chances to experience the fun of
enlarging digital images to sizes of up to A4 and A3
(approximately 8.5 x 11 and 11 x 14 inches, respectively).

Axial colour aberration often found in telephoto lenses and

the chromatic difference in magnification often caused by
wide-angle lenses appear in photographs as colours which run
over dividing lines in the subject. This type of colour running
is more noticeable the larger the size of the print, causing a
deterioration in the overall quality of the image.
The L-type lenses in the EF lens series employ fluorite, UD,
and super UD lens elements to correct the aberrations
mentioned for telephoto and wide-angle lenses. The
EF 400mm f/4 DO IS USM and EF 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6 DO IS
USM have DO lens elements, which are very effective in
suppressing strong colour aberration. The effects of these
special optical materials and the DO lenses are most evident
when a photograph is extremely enlarged. And since less
colour aberration means greater overall image sharpness, the
result is very good even for very big enlargements.

Choosing a lens with high resolution

While the same can be said about gelatin silver prints for film
cameras, when enlarging a digital photograph many times,
the power of the work is largely determined by the sharpness
of the image. Shooting with a high-resolution lens produces
more impressive shots when enlarging digital images to sizes
of up to A4 and A3. The EF lens series contains a broad lineup of high-resolution lenses, including the L-type lenses,
which deliver an extremely sharp result for enlargements of
digital photographs.

135

Image stabilizing IS lenses

Another factor that increases in visibility with larger print
sizes is blur caused by hand movement when taking the
photograph. This is a small factor, but can ruin an otherwise
excellent photograph.
The effects of hand movement can appear more pronounced
depending on the size of the image in the digital camera. For
example, since the image in the EOS 30D is smaller than in a
35mm film camera, making a print of the same size involves
enlarging the original image to a greater degree. And since
the more a photograph is enlarged, the more blur becomes
evident, a similar amount of hand movement will be more

Correspondence of EF Lens to Digital Photography

When the lens corrects the

magnification colour aberration

When the lens does not correct

the magnification colour aberration

Axial chromatic aberration (also called chromatic difference of magnification) occurs because of variations in the wavelength or
frequency of light reflected from the subject. This phenomenon not only reduces photo sharpness, but it can also create borders of colour,
which should not be present, at the edges of subjects in the image. EF lenses designed to counter chromatic aberration make it possible
to achieve uniform sharpness and correct colour reproduction from the center of a photo to its edges.

noticeable with the EOS 30D.

The current EF lens series contains a line-up of 16 IS lenses,
covering the spectrum from wide-angle to super-telephoto.
Using the right IS lens for the scene can allow you to achieve
sharp image performance with little evident blur even when
making large prints.

IS Lens Series Line-up

IS OFF

IS ON

VEF

300mm f/2.8L IS USM

VEF

300mm f/4L IS USM

VEF

400mm f/2.8L IS USM

VEF

400mm f/4 DO IS USM

VEF

500mm f/4L IS USM

VEF

600mm f/4L IS USM

VEF

24-105mm f/4L IS USM

VEF

28-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS USM

VEF

28-300mm f/3.5-5.6L IS USM

VEF

70-200mm f/2.8L IS USM

VEF

70-200mm f/4L IS USM

VEF

70-300mm f/4-5.6 IS USM

VEF

70-300mm f/4.5-5.6 DO IS USM

VEF

100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS USM

VEF-S

17-55mm f/2.8 IS USM

VEF-S

17-85mm f/4-5.6 IS USM

136

Colour reproduction in digital cameras

When photographing subjects under fluorescent light using AWB (Auto White Balance)

The true colour can be reproduced even when under fluorescent lighting.

When photographing subjects under fluorescent light using the

white balance mode (sunlight)

White balance setting

The correct colour cannot be recreated such as when using daylight type colour film.

Factors involved in colour reproduction

In the case of gelatin silver photographic prints, it is generally
believed to be the lens and film which determine the colour
reproduction. However, in the case of digital cameras, it is not
only the lens, but rather the process of how the light received
by the image sensor is turned into an image that makes the
difference in colour reproduction. It is also possible to finetune the colour reproduction, the white balance setting and
the colour matrix selection.
137

There are two types of general silver chloride colour film. One
is the daylight type, which provides the correct colour
balance under sunlight, and the other is the tungsten type,
which provides the correct colour balance under tungsten
lamp light. In addition, under fluorescent light, the correct
colour cannot be obtained without using a gelatin filter, etc., to
correct the colour temperature.
Digital cameras, however, do not require such methods.
Instead of choosing film types for different light sources and
filters for colour warmth, the white balance is set beforehand
to match the lighting conditions. The digital EOS series offers
preset white balance modes which can be selected for natural
light, shade, cloudy conditions, incandescent lighting,
fluorescent lighting, and flash photography. Not only that, but
the white balance can be adjusted manually or automatically.
The blue shadow-like effect seen in portraits taken in the
shade using daylight-type colour film is no longer a problem,
thanks to the white balance adjustment offered by digital
photography.

Correspondence of EF Lens to Digital Photography

Colour Matrix 3

Colour Matrix 1

This was photographed using Colour Matrix 1, which is the

standard setting.

This photograph was taken using Colour Matrix 3 with a high saturation setting to reproduce the fresh colours of the flowers.
TS-E 45mm f/2.81/1000sec.f/2.8

Colour matrix selection

Different brands of daylight-type gelatin silver colour film are
often advertised as being suitable for reproducing skin colours
or the bright colours of flowers, so photographers choose film
depending on their purpose.
In the same way, the EOS-1Ds Mark II and EOS-1D Mark II N
allow you to select from a variety of colour matrices. A colour
matrix is composed of three properties: hue, saturation, and
brightness. Digital camera terminology includes another term:
colour space, which refers to which part of the region of
visible light can be reproduced. The most common colour
space is sRGB. Since it contains four hues, it is possible to
select colour reproduction characteristics as though you were
choosing film. It is also possible, if the situation demands, to
choose Adobe RGB, which is a colour space that can
reproduce a wider range.

xy chromaticity diagram
y 0.9
Visible light range
0.8

Adobe RGB

0.7
sRGB

Lens colour balance

It is often thought that if you can adjust the settings on a
digital camera and check the result, you can adjust the colour
balance of the lens. However, SLR cameras are founded on the
assumption of being able to change the lens. Whether you are
using a film or digital camera, it is very important that the
colour reproduction (colour balance) of all the lenses be
standardised. The traditional standardised colour balance that
Canon lenses are renowned for is also a vital element in
providing an exceptionally convenient photographic
environment even for digital cameras.

0.6

0.5

0.4

0.3

0.2

0.1

0.0
0.0

0.1

0.2

0.3

0.4

0.5

0.6

0.7

0.8

138

Precautions when using digital cameras

Correspondence of EF Lens
to Digital Photography

When printed to A3 size

If there is dust on the image sensor, it will be recorded in the photograph. This will especially stand out in large prints.

Do not depend on your computer to fix your images

Images taken using a digital camera can be adjusted for
sharpness, brightness, contrast, and other factors using a
computer. However, avoid becoming over-dependent on your
computer to fix the shortcomings of your photography. The
reason is that most image processing is accompanied by a
drop in the quality of the image. The basics of good
photography are the same for digital cameras as they are for
film cameras. If your goal is to take a good photograph, it is of
vital importance that you check the exposure and focus and
prevent the camera from shaking. It will be safest if you only
rely on computer touch ups as a final, complementary aspect
of your photography, if you wish to get the most out of your
EF lenss image performance.
It is often difficult to achieve better results than the actual
photograph by touching up the image afterwards on your
computer, especially with JPEG format images, since a
standardised type of developing (actually a type of digital
image processing) takes place inside the camera right when
the photograph is taken. If you use a RAW format, you have to
process the image on your computer using the bundled
software (including Digital Photo Professionals). This process
allows you to manipulate the image as you like without
causing a drop in image quality even if the same data is
treated over and over. But again, no amount of treatment later
can fix a picture that was taken at a wrong exposure, out of
focus, or if the camera shook when the picture was being taken.

139

Preventing dirt and dust from getting in the camera body

or onto the lens when changing lenses
Changing lenses in windy places can cause dirt and dust to
enter the camera through the lens mount. Any dust that gets
on the image sensor may appear as black specks or smudges
on the image. To avoid this, we recommend doing the
following:
V Change lenses quickly in places where there is no wind
V Always attach the body cap to the camera body when no
lens is attached
V Change lenses with the camera mount facing down
V Do not place the camera face down
V Watch out for dust getting inside the body cap on the
camera or the lenss dust cap
Image sensors are very delicate. If dirt or dust ever needs to
be cleaned off the sensor surface, either do it as described in
the camera manual or take the camera to a Canon service
center.

EF LENS WORK III

The Eyes of EOS

September 2006, Eighth edition

Publisher and Planning Canon Inc. Lens Products Group
Production and Editorial Canon Inc. Lens Products Group
Printer
Nikko Graphic Arts Co., Ltd.
Thanks for the Cooperation of : Brasserie Le Solfrino/Restaurant de la Maison Fouraise,

Chatou/
Hippodrome de Marseille Borly/Cyrille Varet Crations, Paris/Jean
Pavie, artisan luthier, Paris/Participation de la Mairie de Paris/JeanMichel OTHONIEL, sculpteur
Canon Inc. 2003

Products and specifications are subject to change without notice.

The photographs in this book are the property of Canon Inc., or used with the permission of the photographer.

CANON INC.

30-2, Shimomaruko 3-chome, Ohta-ku, Tokyo 146-8501, Japan