To All You Dslr Users Out There

[WesG]

So I am going to start to look at a new lense for the camera. Right now I am running a Canon Rebel Xti with just the 18-55 kit lense. I also have the 70-300mm IS and in May I bought a 100mm Macro lense. I think its time to replace the kit lense but am unssre with what. Suggestions? recommendations? Discuss.......

[Bandi]

Hi WesG,

 

For what purpose do you mostly use your camera? (landscape, buildings, close shots, macros, etc.) Where do you shoot mostly? (Outside, sunshine, low light, etc) How much money you plan to spend on lenses?

I have a C20D and my all-purpose lens is a Tamron 28-75 f2.8 Macro, which is a pretty fast and reasonably weighted lens. For closer shots I use a Canon 80-200 f4.0L, which is a great value for an L lens. I certainly want to have a wide-angle one and I am waiting to test a Tokina 10-17 f2.8. Besides that both Sigma 12-24 and Canon 10-22 produced beautiful photos.

 

Does your 70-300 IS a DO (Diffractive Optical) lens? If you are happy with it, I would not buy another one. The range on a dSLR and IS should give you enough room. Again, if you want to burn some money, a Canon L lens is a good investment (you can also use it on full frame Canon camera if you decide to change the current one.)

 

Seeing your lens collection, I judge you are probably more informed on Macro lenses than I am. So, let's wait for someone else's comment.

 

Cheers,

Bandee

[WesG]

Hi WesG,

 

For what purpose do you mostly use your camera? (landscape, buildings, close shots, macros, etc.) Where do you shoot mostly? (Outside, sunshine, low light, etc) How much money you plan to spend on lenses?

I have a C20D and my all-purpose lens is a Tamron 28-75 f2.8 Macro, which is a pretty fast and reasonably weighted lens. For closer shots I use a Canon 80-200 f4.0L, which is a great value for an L lens. I certainly want to have a wide-angle one and I am waiting to test a Tokina 10-17 f2.8. Besides that both Sigma 12-24 and Canon 10-22 produced beautiful photos.

 

Does your 70-300 IS a DO (Diffractive Optical) lens? If you are happy with it, I would not buy another one. The range on a dSLR and IS should give you enough room. Again, if you want to burn some money, a Canon L lens is a good investment (you can also use it on full frame Canon camera if you decide to change the current one.)

 

Seeing your lens collection, I judge you are probably more informed on Macro lenses than I am. So, let's wait for someone else's comment.

 

Cheers,

Bandee

 

As far as shooting goes, I shoot probably 95% outdoors in all kinds of light. I am not going to say that money is no option becasue it is, but I am not scared to spend it on something good, I am not going low end. But not highest either. I am pretty happy with my 70-300 and the 100mm Macro, so I am not looking to replace either of those with anything else. Its pretty much just the 18-55 kit lesne that i want replacing. Right now I have a hole between 55-70mm. So really my question is what lenses should I be looking at to replace and fill the void. Anyone else? Clive?

[Weedy1]

Wes,

 

Spend some time checking out the lens surveys at this site. It may give you a better idea of how to fill the void.

 

http://www.photozone.de/canon-eos

[jksnijders]

I was looking at your posts and noticed that you guide? I got a Sigma 10-20 mm wide angle lens last year before heading north for a month and am pretty happy with it. Especially in boats, at close quarters,(as we were, on a boat for 3.5 weeks on the MacKenzie) as well as some interesting landscape shots, I found the range pretty useful. I also have an 18-250 wide angle zoom to cover more range, as well as the kit lens. I am pretty un-versed as far as most technical aspects of lenses, honestly.. But I did find the range useful in those circumstances, and quite enjoy using it otherwise. Filters are pricey at 77 mm, though, I discovered. Not sure if this is helpful, but also a couple shots taken at close range with it...

[jksnijders]

Experimenting..

[Tangledlines]

If you are just replacing the range of the kit lens and don't want to spend alot i'd get a Tamron or Sigma - 17-50 2.8, I think they both make lenses in that range for around the 500-600 dollar mark, the Canon 17-55 IS 2.8 would be my ideal pic since it's got canon USM and is "L" quality sharp but it's also close to 1200.00 so it may be more than you want to spend. I second a vote for the sigma 10-20 (i have one and it's a great lens but not a good all purpose walk around lens, it's almost fisheye like at the wide end so it's more of a specialty lens, but I really like and it's very sharp and has great color/contrast). Personally I don't think you can beat a good prime lens (once you get used to the sharp images of a nice prime lens it's hard to pick up a zoom lens), a prime forces you to be more creative, but it is restrictive and I would only add it to your lens line up once you have the 18-300mm range covered as a bare minimum. Tamron and Sigma both make decent lenses, Sigma are far nicer in the quality of build compared to the tamron and I personally don't like the slight red color cast that most Tamron lenses seem to favor (I have a Tamron 28-75mm 2.8) neither Sigma or Tamron will focus as fast or as accurate as a good Canon USM lens especially in low light and this isn't a huge problem for most things but if action or low light photography are your type of thing i'd stick to Canon L lenses if possible since that is where you will notice the big difference.

 

I would not worry too much about filling a 55-70mm void, zoom with your feet and fill the void that way, do yourself a favor and pick up a Canon 28mm 1.8 or the Sigma 30mm 1.4 (my fav), a Sigma 10-20mm and replace that 70-300 with one of Canons 70-200 L series lenses, good glass makes all the difference

[Bandi]

Sigma also has a 17-70 zoom which fits pretty well your void.

 

Sigma AF 17-70mm f/2.8-4.5 DC macro ( http://www.photozone.de/canon-eos/312-sigm...-report--review )

 

Whichever you choose, I advise to go to a camera shop and try it out there with your own camera. If I were you, I would even first look at the photos home on my computer and decide only after that. (They do produce different photos on different bodies.)

 

The Photozone page Weedy1 recommended is a good one to look at!

[jksnijders]

Damnit now I'm spending an inordinate amount of time looking at lens reviews.... Apparently Vistek rents lenses. Not sure on any details, or cost, but I'm sure with a great deal of care one could get one for a week or so and give it a run through. The 70-300 mm L that was referred to has been catching my eye. Didn't really explore Canon's own lens line much. Kind of overlooked them I guess.