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DPChallenge Forums >> Photography Discussion >> Just moved to Germany and need lens advice...
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12/11/2011 02:35:19 AM · #1
I just moved to Stuttgart, Germany and the boss... um... wife... has essentially given me the green light on purchasing a new lens. I currently have the following lenses in my bag:

Canon 17-40mm f/4L
Canon 70-200mm f/2.8L
Canon 50mm f/1.8

My first thought was to get the new Canon 8-15mm Fisheye f/4L because of the all the amazing landscapes here, but I am not sure if that is necessarily the best choice. I also thought about a tile shift lens because of all the amazing architecture and its ability to shoot landscapes, but it may be too specialized. I have also considered the 10-22, but not sure about that one either.

Can anyone give me their suggestions? Am I missing an obvious choice?

Thanks...
12/11/2011 02:45:30 AM · #2
Originally posted by toddhead:

I just moved to Stuttgart, Germany and the boss... um... wife... has essentially given me the green light on purchasing a new lens. I currently have the following lenses in my bag:

Canon 17-40mm f/4L
Canon 70-200mm f/2.8L
Canon 50mm f/1.8

My first thought was to get the new Canon 8-15mm Fisheye f/4L because of the all the amazing landscapes here, but I am not sure if that is necessarily the best choice. I also thought about a tile shift lens because of all the amazing architecture and its ability to shoot landscapes, but it may be too specialized. I have also considered the 10-22, but not sure about that one either.

Can anyone give me their suggestions? Am I missing an obvious choice?

Thanks...


My next lens is the 50mm.1.8 great for low light subjects worth the money but i think any 3 would do i already have 70-200mm 2.8
12/11/2011 03:07:00 AM · #3
I would say you're covered pretty well with what you have. However, I think 10-22 wide angle zoom would work well for you in an urban environment and landscapes. Just my humble opinion...
12/11/2011 04:46:08 AM · #4
this is what ive got which covers most what i need

Canon EF 28-70mm f/2.8L USM
Canon EF 16-35mm f/2.8L USM
Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 II
Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8L USM
Canon EF 85mm f/1.8 USM
Sigma 50mm f/1.4 EX DG HSM Autofocus Lens

20d only
Canon EF-S 17-85mm f/4-5.6 IS USM
Sigma 30mm f/1.4 EX DC HSM for Canon

never use
Canon EF 28-80mm f/3.5-5.6 V USM

maybe the 100 macro L depends what you shoot, the tilt and shift is a great lens for some cracking pictures if embraced, i was in the local camera shopand they were telling me wedding photographers have started using them to offer somethign different with the really thin dof etc

i thought about a fish eye which would be cool but again limits your use of it and the distortion can be weird my 16 is already pretty wide

my fantasy wish list is
100-400 L
or 150-500 sigma
100mm L macro
50/85mm 1.2 L
12/11/2011 06:15:03 AM · #5
Originally posted by toddhead:

I just moved to Stuttgart, Germany and the boss... um... wife... has essentially given me the green light on purchasing a new lens. I currently have the following lenses in my bag:

Canon 17-40mm f/4L
Canon 70-200mm f/2.8L
Canon 50mm f/1.8

My first thought was to get the new Canon 8-15mm Fisheye f/4L because of the all the amazing landscapes here, but I am not sure if that is necessarily the best choice. I also thought about a tile shift lens because of all the amazing architecture and its ability to shoot landscapes, but it may be too specialized. I have also considered the 10-22, but not sure about that one either.

Can anyone give me their suggestions? Am I missing an obvious choice?

Thanks...


Welcome to Germany, buddy. I live about an hour northwest of Stuttgart. Tilt shift is a great idea to be honest, because while this country has some stunning architecture, they did not consult photographers during city planning. Nearly never are you able to get a clean shot of anything, and almost always have to stand directly in front of a building to get a photo, so the angles are all screwed up.

Fisheye might be fun though, and that way you're throwing the angles right out the window anyway.

Drop me a line if you ever want to meet up or visit the wine country.
12/11/2011 10:38:48 AM · #6
If you talk to Melethia, who lived in Germany with the military for a number of years recently, she'll tell you the 10-22mm is your obvious choice, and I concur heartily; that's the major component you're missing, rectilinear ultrawide capability. The fisheye is fun, but in the end I find them sort of limiting basically. The Canon 10-22 is simply an outstanding lens, and perfect for where you're going.

R.
12/11/2011 11:34:23 AM · #7
Originally posted by Bear_Music:

If you talk to Melethia, who lived in Germany with the military for a number of years recently, she'll tell you the 10-22mm is your obvious choice, and I concur heartily; that's the major component you're missing, rectilinear ultrawide capability. The fisheye is fun, but in the end I find them sort of limiting basically. The Canon 10-22 is simply an outstanding lens, and perfect for where you're going.

R.


I agree with Bear on this. The ultrawide would be my first choice in this situation.
12/11/2011 01:09:10 PM · #8
While I do agree with my dear friend Bear_Music regarding the 10-22mm lens, I would add that the whole issue focuses primarily on what you intend to shoot.

I most certainly do not have the experience of Melethia when dealing with Germany, but I have had the great pleasure of traveling a great deal in Germany and other European countries and find that my favorite general purpose lens is the Canon 24/105mm L lens, but that is a personal preference.

Ray
12/11/2011 01:14:40 PM · #9
Originally posted by RayEthier:

While I do agree with my dear friend Bear_Music regarding the 10-22mm lens, I would add that the whole issue focuses primarily on what you intend to shoot.

I most certainly do not have the experience of Melethia when dealing with Germany, but I have had the great pleasure of traveling a great deal in Germany and other European countries and find that my favorite general purpose lens is the Canon 24/105mm L lens, but that is a personal preference.

Ray


I agree, living in France where streets are generally narrower than Germany, i rarely go wider than 16mm and my walkabout lens is a 24-70.

12/11/2011 01:38:42 PM · #10
Originally posted by RayEthier:

I have had the great pleasure of traveling a great deal in Germany and other European countries and find that my favorite general purpose lens is the Canon 24/105mm L lens, but that is a personal preference.

Ray


Yeah, but Ray, you're shooting full frame! 24mm for you is 15mm for him on his APS-C rig...

Anyway, it IS all a matter of preference. The thing about the 10mm is you can hold the camera in portrait orientation, square it up vertically, and then crop out all the useless foreground in post to concentrate on the (non-converging) architecture up at the top of the frame. It's like a shift lens on a budget.

R.

Message edited by author 2011-12-11 13:40:57.
12/11/2011 01:39:02 PM · #11
Originally posted by Bear_Music:

If you talk to Melethia, who lived in Germany with the military for a number of years recently, she'll tell you the 10-22mm is your obvious choice, and I concur heartily; that's the major component you're missing, rectilinear ultrawide capability. The fisheye is fun, but in the end I find them sort of limiting basically. The Canon 10-22 is simply an outstanding lens, and perfect for where you're going.

R.

Yep. And I think you need me to come over there and personally show you how to use it. For, say, about a year or two? I'm small, don't take up much space, don't eat much....

P.S. The only two lenses you ever truly need are the 24-105 and the 10-22. The rest are nice to haves. So if you want a really really good walk-around lens, I have to go with the 24-105. Covers just about any situation fairly well.

Message edited by author 2011-12-11 13:40:49.
12/11/2011 03:40:44 PM · #12
Originally posted by Bear_Music:

rectilinear ultrawide capability


Way with words, Robert
12/11/2011 04:30:57 PM · #13
I used my 10-20 lens quite a bit when I toured Germany as I was able to get the buildings in, especially in some of the narrow streets. I do have a fisheye 10.5mm but didn't use it at much in the end.

It's very sharp too.
12/12/2011 01:08:14 AM · #14
Thank you all for the responses. I truly appreciate the time you took to respond. I'm not exactly sure what I will be getting, but I think I have ruled out the fisheye. I am leaning towards to 10-20, but I am still intrigued by the the tilt-shift...

Chus...
12/12/2011 09:27:16 AM · #15
stutgart is a fun place...I loved it in Germany.
12/12/2011 09:47:56 AM · #16
I had a lot of fun in Stuttgart...don't miss out on Volksfest. Most of my time was in Schorndorf, a bit to the West.

When I was there, I used my Sigma 12-24, which was the widest rectilinear lens avaiable at the time, on my 10D. I'd go with the 10-22. but that's me.
12/14/2011 09:52:30 AM · #17
My best advise is to use a VAT form and buy on the economy instead of ordering from the US. Sure, you'll pay a little more, but you'll have a warranty. If you order from the US you usually aren't covered, or you'll have to send it back to the US for repairs if something happens. Forget the PX, they never have anything good. BTW I'm living and working in Baumholder.
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