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Showing posts 26 - 31 of 31, (reverse)
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 09/20/2006 06:26:56 PM · #26
1 extra mm of barrel distortion and CA on the low end versus 5 extra mm on the narrow end for a little extra reach would put me on the side of the 17-40 personally. Those focal lengths aren't for portaits, certainly not on a crop camera, so the f2.8 doesn't have a lot of value imo. 2.8 isn't enough to shoot inside a dark church anyway really.

Both are good lenses and in the end they are what you make of them.
 09/21/2006 04:31:35 AM · #27
I'm getting a lot of good response. Thank you for sharing your opinions. After all this I am settling on

17-40 f4
50 1.4
70-200 (f2.8?-4?)

I will still research these a little further but everyone has been a great help.

I'm not a him by the way, I'm a her lol. Just thought that was funny.
 09/21/2006 04:35:11 AM · #28
Originally posted by oravsky123:


I'm not a him by the way, I'm a her lol. Just thought that was funny.


Sorry.

09/21/2006 05:20:47 AM · #29
Go to photozone.de and check out the reviews on these lenses:

Canon 16-35 f/2.8L
Canon 17-40 f/4L (I like it, and almost got one, but the range is too short and the glass too slow)
Canon 17-55 f/2.8 ($$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$...)
Tamron 17-50 f/2.8 (excellent compromise)

If it were me, I'd go for the Tamron 17-50, Canon 10-22, Canon 50mm f/1.4 USM (not being a big fan of the f/1.8 personally), and see how much left over I had for a telephoto lens.

I would personally not get a 24mm or 28mm lens as I find that to be not wide enough for a 1.6X crop. The equivalent focal ranges are available in the above 4 lenses.

For the wide end, it might also be worth it to wait a bit to have a look at the soon to be released Tokina 10-17mm FISHEYE ZOOM.

In ascending order of price:
Sigma 70-300 - NOT worth looking at if you are serious about fast glass.
Tokina 80-400 - Not very fast, but an excellent range and apparently quite sharp.
Canon 70-200 f/4L - PROBABLY your best bet if you are serious about quality. f/4 is a bit slow, but it's faster than most other lenses in this neighborhood and most importantly, it's sharp at 70mm f/4.0. The biggest issue with cheaper glass is that it's not sharp wide open at he wide angle end.
Sigma 70-200 f/2.8 (or Tamron equivalent) - sharp, nice peice of glass. Everyone I have spoken of that uses this loves it.
Canon 70-200 f/2.8L - gorgeous peice of glass. I have the older variant and it's sharper than a 50mm prime lens ever gets at f/3.5
Canon 70-200 f/4L IS - Worth looking at. Really. The f/4L is often reported as being a sharper lens than the f/2.8 (although I would imagine that the difference is ridiculously minimal), but the IS in this case will do you VERY well.
Canon 70-200 f/2.8L IS - there goes your budget! ;)

if you really want to splurge on lenses, it might be worth it to get a 20D.

With your 3000 bucks, you could probably come close to being able to afford a 20D, 70-200 f/2.8L IS USM, tamron 17-50 f/2.8 and sandwich. The sandwich would be useful it will probably come in a bag that you can use until you save up enough pennies to get a proper one. :)

PS. Flash recommendations would be: 580EX + 430EX OR Sigma 500DG Super x2 or +500DG ST.

Lowepro makes excellent affordable bags. I use the Mini Trekker AW

Message edited by author 2006-09-21 05:24:35.
 09/23/2006 05:29:54 AM · #30
Originally posted by eschelar:
Go to photozone.de and check out the reviews on these lenses:

Canon 16-35 f/2.8L
Canon 17-40 f/4L (I like it, and almost got one, but the range is too short and the glass too slow)
Canon 17-55 f/2.8 ($$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$...)
Tamron 17-50 f/2.8 (excellent compromise)

If it were me, I'd go for the Tamron 17-50, Canon 10-22, Canon 50mm f/1.4 USM (not being a big fan of the f/1.8 personally), and see how much left over I had for a telephoto lens.

I would personally not get a 24mm or 28mm lens as I find that to be not wide enough for a 1.6X crop. The equivalent focal ranges are available in the above 4 lenses.

For the wide end, it might also be worth it to wait a bit to have a look at the soon to be released Tokina 10-17mm FISHEYE ZOOM.

In ascending order of price:
Sigma 70-300 - NOT worth looking at if you are serious about fast glass.
Tokina 80-400 - Not very fast, but an excellent range and apparently quite sharp.
Canon 70-200 f/4L - PROBABLY your best bet if you are serious about quality. f/4 is a bit slow, but it's faster than most other lenses in this neighborhood and most importantly, it's sharp at 70mm f/4.0. The biggest issue with cheaper glass is that it's not sharp wide open at he wide angle end.
Sigma 70-200 f/2.8 (or Tamron equivalent) - sharp, nice peice of glass. Everyone I have spoken of that uses this loves it.
Canon 70-200 f/2.8L - gorgeous peice of glass. I have the older variant and it's sharper than a 50mm prime lens ever gets at f/3.5
Canon 70-200 f/4L IS - Worth looking at. Really. The f/4L is often reported as being a sharper lens than the f/2.8 (although I would imagine that the difference is ridiculously minimal), but the IS in this case will do you VERY well.
Canon 70-200 f/2.8L IS - there goes your budget! ;)

if you really want to splurge on lenses, it might be worth it to get a 20D.

With your 3000 bucks, you could probably come close to being able to afford a 20D, 70-200 f/2.8L IS USM, tamron 17-50 f/2.8 and sandwich. The sandwich would be useful it will probably come in a bag that you can use until you save up enough pennies to get a proper one. :)

PS. Flash recommendations would be: 580EX + 430EX OR Sigma 500DG Super x2 or +500DG ST.

Lowepro makes excellent affordable bags. I use the Mini Trekker AW


I just noticed this reply, thank you very much. All very useful. I like photozone.de because they show pictures of most lenses on the body. For whatever reason, I like to see what it looks like on lol. I am leaning toward the 17-40. Would like the 17-55 f2.8 but your right $$$. I really have not considered third party lenses. Scared I guess.
 09/23/2006 09:22:12 AM · #31
Originally posted by oravsky123:
My concerns are (in this order) image quality, dust, weight, price. I am sold on fast glass, unless f4 really is okay for what I want to do. My interests are mostly landscape and architecture (especially inside churches etc.) and travel photography. Of course I want to be able to take great shots of my kids too. So Here's what I've come up with.

Canon 30D (might still get the 20D to put more towards glass)

16-35 2.8 L or 17-55 2.8 IS (not L though)
or
24-70 2.8 L (not IS)
and later
70-200 but I can't decide on f2.8 or 4 because I heard 2.8 is HEAVY.

I really want a great walk-around lens because we live in Germany and we are always out checking out the country. And I heard the the variable focal lengths are not as good (f3.5-4.5 for example)
So any advice is appreciated. Also, does it make any sense to get the kit lens? or should I just get the body only?

All together I can spend about $3000 but need accessories too (bag, filters, battery grip, CF card etc.)I have not considered third party because then there would be just TOO much to choose from!!

THANK YOU!!!!


If you want L go for it..BUT also consider
Sigma 18-50 2.8 EX or the tamron 17-50 2.8 SP - both excellent lenses and you don't need IS at this focal length.

If you get this , then you don't need a 24-70 or tamron's 28-75 (for 1/3 the price) - too much overlap.

Best walkarount? Tamron 24-135 3.5-5.6 SP. Yes, it's not a constant aperture but that is it's only fault. Super super sharp, solidly built (mine got dropped out of a 4x4 truck onto blacktop and rolled about 30 yards - not even a mark on it!) And it does macro/close up well.
An alternative since you ahve the money is the canon 24-105 f4 IS.

Get the canon 70-200 2.8. IS is better yet, but you begin to run into budget issues LOL. I have the tamron 70-210 2.8 (no longer made but can be found used for under $500) and it's probably my favorite lens. Yeah it's 3 pounds where the F4 is 1/2 that, but it's worth it IMO.
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