--- Gunars Smerlins <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
> Perhaps stupid question:
>
> What ensign letter L in lense's name?
If 'L' stands for anything, it's "Luxury." It's
really just the way Canon identifies lenses with
certain technologies that enhance performance (and
price!).
Traditionally, L lenses have had one or more of the
following features:
Ground glass aspheric lens element(s)
Low Dispersion glass (UD, Flourite, etc)
Floating Element(s)
I'm not going to swear that this is still true, but I
think it is. You'll get some people to tell you it
just means it's a "pro oriented" lens--but there are
several pro lenses that are NOT 'L', like the 50mm 1.4
and 2 of the 3 TS-E lenses.
Others will tell you it has to do with build quality,
but the 100-300 'L' zoom has mediocre build quality
and the 45mm (non-L) TS-E lens features the exact same
construction as the 24mm (L) TS-E.
Others will tell you it has to do with premium optical
quality. While that's probably true of all the L
lenses (with the possible exception of the 35-350,
depending on your standards), there are plenty of
non-L lenses that are equally good. The 24mm 2.8 is
as good as the 24mm 1.4 L, for example, and the 50mm
1.4 is better than the 50mm 1.2 L.
I've even heard someone mention it has to do with lens
speed, but the 100-300 f5.6 is an L, while the 135mm
2.8 is not.
But if you buy an 'L' lens, you do get to impress your
buddies with that little red racing stripe around the
front. <g> (And I own several L lenses, so no, I'm
not just jealous).
=====
Bob Meyer
Life is uncertain. Eat dessert first.
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