Having invested a large-ish fortune in Canon lenses over the years, I eventually decided that the time had come to invest in one additional item - the Canon EF Lens Work III book (Vol 13).

This is an impressive coffee-table style hardback - with a rather fetching Canon red cover.



The book is like a family photo album of Canon lenses - starting with a history of Canon lenses over the years, and a stunning two page spread showing every camera body Canon have made.

Chapters include:

THE EF LENS CONCEPT

CANON'S CHALLENGES

THE EF LENS WORLD (SINGLE FOCAL-LENGTH LENSES)

THE EF LENS WORLD (ZOOM LENSES)

THE EF LENS WORLD (EF-S LENSES)

EF LENS ACCESSORIES & VARIETY IN THE CANON LENS WORLD

THE BASICS OF INTERCHANGEABLE LENSES & CORRESPONDENCE OF EF LENSES TO DIGITAL PHOTOGRAPHY

PHOTO TECHNIQUES

EF LENS TECHNOLOGY

OPTICAL TERMINOLOGY & MTF CHARACTERISTICS

DESIGN SPECIFICATIONS & LENS MAPS


The book gets into it's main stride with example images and full write-ups on all of the current lenses in production. There is great technical detail here, and some stunning sample shots to inspire the reader (to get out the credit card and buy more lenses!).

There are then detailed chapters on interchangeable lenses, choosing lenses for different types of photography, accessories, etc.

The book concludes with detail MTF charts, and technical data - more than you ever needed to know for most.

It's a good read - the images are stunning, the information is well presented, and the technique section is very useful.

It also happens to be a really good sales tool for Canon...

If you don't want the latest version - there's an older edition available on Canon Europe's website, for download as multiple PDF docs. Just click on each subject heading to download each PDF.

Canon Europe - EF LENS WORK III EN

So a bit like one of those old fashioned stamp albums where you stick the stamps in over the picture as you buy them. Gonna end up expensive Chris!!

Somewhere I have a book from the late '70s or early '80s called "The Eyes of Nikon". Similar idea.

I have one of these books, not this addition mind ... It's very interesting!
Lots of technical stuff, but lots of easy to understand info on optics!
Well worth a read even as a Nikon shooter