Which Canon lens should I get?

Which Canon lens should I get?

Author
Discussion

DustyC

Original Poster:

12,820 posts

261 months

Monday 29th December 2003
quotequote all
I currently own an EOS 300
I wanted better but this was my budget limits for my first SLR.
I have owned it 3 years now and the 28-90 Canon lens(non USM) it came with isnt that good and has been repaired once already.

I was thinking of getting a 28-300Zoom lens for it. The Tamron is a little overpriced for me at £300 but if its a good lens then I'll consider it. (Opinions please)

Or should I be looking at getting a 90-300 lens and a seperate wide angle?

What I really want is a range of 28mm (or wider), 300mm and quality optics and tough reliability. Also a better focusing ring (ie, not at the front) is preffered.

I broke my Canon lens in the Outback but did take 3000 photos out there!

Thanks.

Mrs Fish

30,018 posts

265 months

Monday 29th December 2003
quotequote all
DustyC - I can only see this one topic, where do you think the other one has gone??


edited to add, that because Big Al beat me to it

>> Edited by Mrs Fish on Monday 29th December 12:09

DustyC

Original Poster:

12,820 posts

261 months

Monday 29th December 2003
quotequote all
Thanks peeps

srider

709 posts

289 months

Monday 29th December 2003
quotequote all
do you need the full range between 28-300? That'll be difficult to cover well with one lens for that money.

A couple of prime (non-zoom) lenses might do, and they'd be much better quality, both in sharpness and maximum aperture. Because the pixel density on the 300D sensor is pretty high, it'll benefit a lot from a sharper lens.

DustyC

Original Poster:

12,820 posts

261 months

Monday 29th December 2003
quotequote all
Sorry, its not a 300D just yet. Only a 300.
Im hoping to one day be able to transfer the lenses to a 300D body when they drop in price a bit more.

To summarise: Mines not digital...yet!

I know that Tamron do a 28-300 lens but not sure of the quality.

srider

709 posts

289 months

Monday 29th December 2003
quotequote all
DustyC said:
Sorry, its not a 300D just yet. Only a 300.
Im hoping to one day be able to transfer the lenses to a 300D body when they drop in price a bit more.

To summarise: Mines not digital...yet!

I know that Tamron do a 28-300 lens but not sure of the quality.


Apparently, the Tamron is pretty good for a superzoom.

ehasler

8,567 posts

290 months

Monday 29th December 2003
quotequote all
What about going for 2 lenses?

Sigma do a 24-70 and 70-300, which Warehouse Express are selling for £100 and £160 respectively. They both get good reviews, and the two Sigma lenses I've owned for my old Minolta SLR have been very good, especially considering the price.

chim_girl

6,268 posts

266 months

Monday 29th December 2003
quotequote all
I found a website selling the Canon EF 70 to 300mm USM III for £189. I've just mailed another website to check their price as they seem to have it for £169. If this is the type of thing you're looking for I'll post the links.

DustyC

Original Poster:

12,820 posts

261 months

Monday 29th December 2003
quotequote all
Chim girl and Ed. They sound like good ideas.
Please post the links. My birthday is Feb 14th so I might have to talk to Ali about these

(Although dirty weekend in a posh hotel sounds like more fun. I'll let Mr Visa buy me the lenses instead!)

DustyC

Original Poster:

12,820 posts

261 months

Monday 29th December 2003
quotequote all
BTW: Warehouse express? First time I have heard of them. Is a chain of camera shops?

ehasler

8,567 posts

290 months

Monday 29th December 2003
quotequote all
www.warehouseexpress.com

They're mainly an internet based company I think, however you can call and speak to real people who seem to know their stuff. I buy pretty much all my camera gear there, and recommend them very highly (ordered a new lens and some printer paper on Dec 23rd, and it arrived the following morning!). Prices are very competitive as well.

I'd definitely recommend them.

chim_girl

6,268 posts

266 months

Monday 29th December 2003
quotequote all
Just confirmation from mifsuds that they have the Canon lens in stock and it is £169.00.

Right, all I need to do now is find someone who has the 300D in stock.

DustyC

Original Poster:

12,820 posts

261 months

Monday 29th December 2003
quotequote all
blimey!

Im all excited now have seen both sites!

I'll take a look when I get home tonight so I can call them up. I cant wait and am gonna order one ASAP.

Think I might order the Sigma/Tamron (forgotten which already!) 28-300mm and then buy a second hand very wide angle or fish eye lense just to play with and see how I get on with it.
Any experience with secondhand lenses? good idea or not?

DustyC

Original Poster:

12,820 posts

261 months

Monday 29th December 2003
quotequote all
Actually I really like this one (FIRST ONE ON PAGE)
www.warehouseexpress.com/photo/lenses/sigmalens.html
but not sure if it will be any good for macro use.
So may have to go for this one instead (4TH ON ONE PAGE)
www.warehouseexpress.com/photo/lenses/tamron.html

Id rather not though as its another £100 dearer.
What do you reckon people? I dont know enough about lenses to make an intelligent decision.

ehasler

8,567 posts

290 months

Monday 29th December 2003
quotequote all
I'm assuming you mean this one? "28-300mm f3.5-6.3 MACRO - £199.99"

The Sigma states that it focuses at a minimum distance of 50 cm, so it should be fine for macro photography.

The main disadvantage of these two lenses though is that at 300mm, you're limited to a max aperture of 6.3, which means that your shutter speeds will be one stop slower than on a lens with an aperture of 5.6, however faster lenses are more expensive (compare the prices of these lenses with similar focal length but an aperture size of f2.8!).

Personally, I'd go for the combination of two Sigma lenses that I mentioned earlier, as you get a wider angle lens at the low end (24mm compared to 28mm), and it is one step faster at the high end (5.6 compared to 6.3).

One other thing to consider is that when you upgrade to the 300D, a 28mm lens will become 44.8mm and a 24mm lens will become 38.4 due to the 1.6x magnification factor.

ehasler

8,567 posts

290 months

Monday 29th December 2003
quotequote all
I'm assuming you mean this one? "28-300mm f3.5-6.3 MACRO - £199.99"

The Sigma states that it focuses at a minimum distance of 50 cm, so it should be fine for macro photography.

The main disadvantage of these two lenses though is that at 300mm, you're limited to a max aperture of 6.3, which means that your shutter speeds will be one stop slower than on a lens with an aperture of 5.6, however faster lenses are more expensive (compare the prices of these lenses with similar focal length but an aperture size of f2.8!).

Personally, I'd go for the combination of two Sigma lenses that I mentioned earlier, as you get a wider angle lens at the low end (24mm compared to 28mm), and it is one step faster at the high end (5.6 compared to 6.3).

One other thing to consider is that when you upgrade to the 300D, a 28mm lens will become 44.8mm and a 24mm lens will become 38.4 due to the 1.6x magnification factor.

DustyC

Original Poster:

12,820 posts

261 months

Monday 29th December 2003
quotequote all
Thanks Ed. Didnt know any of that.
I'll make sure I bare this in mind when Im making my list.

nubbin

6,809 posts

285 months

Monday 29th December 2003
quotequote all
I've just bought the Canon 28-200 f3.5-5.3 USM lens, plus a 2x converter.

The lens is great because it is nice and compact, and therefore can be used as a main lens on it's own - mind you I use it on a 300D which therefore gives it a 1.6x magnification factor - so I've effectively got a 50-320 lens (roughly), plus the OE 28-70 that came with the camera. With the convertor (despite losing autofocus) I can cover 28-640mm focal lengths with two lenses.

If you got a 1.6x convertor, I think you can still get autofocus - correct me if I'm wrong, experts!

nubbin

6,809 posts

285 months

Monday 29th December 2003
quotequote all
On that theme, you expert types - does anyone know which contacts you can cover to get the autofocus to work with a teleconvertor? i know it can be done, but finding the info. is very difficult.

Ian_H

650 posts

251 months

Monday 29th December 2003
quotequote all
With regard to the tape trick have a look here www.fredmiranda.com/TipsPage/index.html is that what you're looking for?


Cheers
Ian