Some help with lenses please

[jojo]

Bunting and flags flying, whistle and bells sounding - I've finally got my first dslr . Managed to pick up a used 30D body only for a good price (started losing the will to live waiting for the K10). Now, where do I start with a general walkabout lens. I was thinking of a 17/18-80 (ish). I don't want the kit lens or similar. Am I better off biting the bullet with a Canon lens (can't afford that L stuff !) or which higher-spec third party lens should I look at. All help gratefully received.

JoJo

[slejhamer]

Re: Some help with lenses please

What type of subjects will you be shooting, and in what locations? A general walkabout lens for a street photographer might be very wide, but one for a nature shooter might be quite long.

[himmelblau]

Re: Some help with lenses please

What type of subjects will you be shooting, and in what locations? A general walkabout lens for a street photographer might be very wide, but one for a nature shooter might be quite long.

[jojo]

Re: Some help with lenses please

Thanks for this himmelblau, I'll make a note of your recs for future reference. Since posting my question I have bought a second-hand Canon 24-85 EF 3.5-4.5 which, for the time being, will be okay. Hope to get something longer by end of January for my South America holiday. Now, if I could just work out how to get this lens cap off...!!
Merry Christmas to you
Jo

[Ian]

Re: Some help with lenses please

The Canon 75-300 EF USM has had some so-so reviews over the years, but Ben (Coupekid) uses one to fantastic effect with his 350D (and formerly, 300D). I think the lens comes into its own when used with the smaller sensor DSLR.

Ian

[Patrick]

Re: Some help with lenses please

Bunting and flags flying, whistle and bells sounding - I've finally got my first dslr . Managed to pick up a used 30D body only for a good price (started losing the will to live waiting for the K10). Now, where do I start with a general walkabout lens. I was thinking of a 17/18-80 (ish). I don't want the kit lens or similar. Am I better off biting the bullet with a Canon lens (can't afford that L stuff !) or which higher-spec third party lens should I look at. All help gratefully received.

JoJo

Only one brand of Third party lenses I would consider that would be Sigma EX lenses, they are the ones with the matt finish and a gold line on the lens barrel.
I have three 105 macro, 17-35, and the 80-400, all give me top flight results.
I will be adding the f2.8 50-200 soon.

Patrick

[Ian]

Re: Some help with lenses please

Lenses are the up and coming purchase since the boom in DSLRs. Clearly we need a dedicated place on the forum for lens discussions.

Ian

[Patrick]

Re: Some help with lenses please

I will be adding the f2.8 50-200 soon.

Patrick[/QUOTE]

Sorry this should read f2.8 70-200

[bored_stupid]

[StuartR]

Re: Some help with lenses please

I dropped the Canon kit lens after a few weeks replacing it with a Canon EF-S 17-85mm f4-5.6 IS USM lens. It has proved to be a pretty good performer but the inclusion of IS obviously pushes the price up. IMHO it make a great walkabout lens. I find its results are significantly enhanced by using DxO4 as my RAW converter as the software corrects (minor) distortion issues at both ends of the zoom range. Also, being EF-S, it will not work with full-frame cameras if I upgrade (and I will if Bearface keeps posting shots from his EOS 5D ).

I had the 75-300 that Ian refers to but found the results a bit soft. I upgraded to the new EF 70-300 IS (not the DO version) and its in a different class. I'm really pleased with this one. I've even seen reviews that refer to it as a "hidden L lens" which is a bit fanciful perhaps but an indication of the impressive test results.

Finally, I also bought a Canon EF-S 60mm f2.8 prime macro. Good for macro and excellent for portraits. I love this lens - should use it more often really.

I may buy a 50mm f1.8 or f1.4 but I'm not sure I really need one having bought the 60mm.

I'd probably swap any of the above for "L" optics but they're out of my price range, certainly in terms of justification to 'er indoors