What size lens

[mikechandler]

I am slowly but surely gaining confidence with my 400D and the 18-55 lens that was bundled with it and am now looking to buy another lens. At the moment I am using the camera for general use but would like something with a fairly decent zoom. Can anybody make any recommendations as to what size lens I should be looking at?

Thanks

Mike

[flat-planedCrank]

mikechandler said:

I am slowly but surely gaining confidence with my 400D and the 18-55 lens that was bundled with it and am now looking to buy another lens. At the moment I am using the camera for general use but would like something with a fairly decent zoom. Can anybody make any recommendations as to what size lens I should be looking at?

Thanks

Mike

Really depends what you want to use the tele-zoom for

General motorsport - 70-200mm is a common size, but for some tracks 300mm or 400mm is preferable (depends how close to the track you can get)
Also, for motorsport, you'll want a fast focusing lens - depends on the budget really long-fast-focusing-wide-aperture lenses tend to be expensive...

Wildlife or airshows seem to want even more reach, a popular lens is the 'bigma', the Sigma 50-500mm. Its a lot of zoom for a relatively small price (about £730).


Cheers.

[Simpo Two]

If you're on a budget and don't need to cover demanding applications, I'd steer you towards a 70-300. Good range and OK speed for the money.

[chr15b]

canon 70-200 f4L very good lens

[beanbag]

If you are looking for a general lens which is far superior to the 18-55mm kit lens, then this might be up your street:


Photo courtesy of DP Review

Review here: http://www.dpreview.com/previews/canon_18-200_3p5-...

It's Canons new EF-S 18-200mm f/3.5-5.6 with IS up to 4 stops.

Unless you are getting really into photography, I wouldn't recommend the 70-200mm f/4 lenses, simply because they are heavy and not ideal for carrying around when just browsing around town.

[flat-planedCrank]

beanbag said:

It's Canons new EF-S 18-200mm f/3.5-5.6 with IS up to 4 stops.

£549.99!

http://www.warehouseexpress.com/product/default.as...




Cheers.

[beanbag]

flat-planedCrank said:

beanbag said:

It's Canons new EF-S 18-200mm f/3.5-5.6 with IS up to 4 stops.

£549.99!

http://www.warehouseexpress.com/product/default.as...




Cheers.

I'll better that..... £479.99.....from these chaps:

http://www.justcanon.com/acatalog/Just_Canon_e_Sto...

£549.99 is the RRP which is always undercut; Especially since the lens hasn't even been launched yet.

I'm sure it'll be even cheaper in the states, if you have somebody who can ship it to you from there. Just order from B&H as I did, and get a buddy to bring it back or a friend who lives out there to ship it over to you. You'll save a packet!

[Zad]

• Gulp*

So, that is a non-L lens, for a mere 150-200% the price of the camera body? Not exactly a logical match for the kit lens is it?

[chr15b]

beanbag said:

If you are looking for a general lens which is far superior to the 18-55mm kit lens, then this might be up your street:


Photo courtesy of DP Review

Review here: http://www.dpreview.com/previews/canon_18-200_3p5-...

It's Canons new EF-S 18-200mm f/3.5-5.6 with IS up to 4 stops.

Unless you are getting really into photography, I wouldn't recommend the 70-200mm f/4 lenses, simply because they are heavy and not ideal for carrying around when just browsing around town.

I'd suggest research (as you are) because what works for one doesnt work for another, but..

i bought an SLR because i wanted the choice of lens for the occasion, the 70-200L is a bloody good lens for a job, but i agree it's not an allrounder, infact it's hopeless as a 'tourist' lens.

but if your going to use the lens just for motorsport and have others for 'snapping' then i suggest giving it a look

also, Kerso on Ebay is good on price, and trustable, think i paid a shade under £350 for mine and that was a couple of years ago

[rustyspit]

Zad said:

*Gulp*

So, that is a non-L lens, for a mere 150-200% the price of the camera body? Not exactly a logical match for the kit lens is it?

In many ways the lens is more important to the final picture than the body - it's not uncommon to spend multiples of the price of the body on a lens.

People tend to regard lenses as more of an investment than bodies - a camera body will become outdated and lose its value quite quickly, whereas lenses will last for a long time and don't depreciate too much.

In buying lenses you generally need to decide what is most important to you - cost, convenience, weight, maximum aperture, features (e.g. IS) or optical quality.

That lens has a wide zoom range (convenient), IS, and probably isn't too big/heavy. Those things come at the expense of cost, maximum aperture and optical quality.

L-series lenses will tend to be aimed at the more 'pro' end of the market, hence they tend to be weighted towards optical/build quality and wide/constant maximum aperture at the expense of cost and convenience. There's nothing particularly magical about them.

You could get a cheaper lens with the same zoom range for a bit less money (e.g. Sigma do one), but it would collect less light and is likely not to be as good optically, or you could get a lens that is much better optically for much less money (e.g. 50mm prime) but it wouldn't have such a convenient zoom range and IS.

Unfortunately you won't find a cheap, convenient do-it-all lens with top-notch optical quality.

Horses for courses, swings and roundabouts etc...

Edited by rustyspit on Friday 12th September 10:11

[beanbag]

rustyspit said:

Zad said:

*Gulp*

So, that is a non-L lens, for a mere 150-200% the price of the camera body? Not exactly a logical match for the kit lens is it?

In many ways the lens is more important to the final picture than the body - it's not uncommon to spend multiples of the price of the body on a lens.

People tend to regard lenses as more of an investment than bodies - a camera body will become outdated and lose its value quite quickly, whereas lenses will last for a long time and don't depreciate too much.

In buying lenses you generally need to decide what is most important to you - cost, convenience, weight, maximum aperture, features (e.g. IS) or optical quality.

That lens has a wide zoom range (convenient), IS, and probably isn't too big/heavy. Those things come at the expense of cost, maximum aperture and optical quality.

L-series lenses will tend to be aimed at the more 'pro' end of the market, hence they tend to be weighted towards optical/build quality and wide/constant maximum aperture at the expense of cost and convenience. There's nothing particularly magical about them.

You could get a cheaper lens with the same zoom range for a bit less money (e.g. Sigma do one), but it would collect less light and is likely not to be as good optically, or you could get a lens that is much better optically for much less money (e.g. 50mm prime) but it wouldn't have such a convenient zoom range and IS.

Unfortunately you won't find a cheap, convenient do-it-all lens with top-notch optical quality.

Horses for courses, swings and roundabouts etc...

Edited by rustyspit on Friday 12th September 10:11

Nicely put. Glass is definitely a good investment to make and as rustyspit already mentioned, you won't lose much value on a good lens.

I believe the Sigma or Tamron version of this lens has an aperture range of 3.5-6.3 which is very low on light at the far end of the spectrum which can limit the number of conditions you can take photos in.

At the end of the day you are making an investment and one that will last many many years. I would go for the absolute best option you can afford and if you can't, save a little longer.

You won't regret it one bit....

[LukeBird]

On a slight sidenote, that 18-200 looks very nice, but I didn't realise RRP was that much.
There are plenty of other lens' I'd sooner have for the money than that!
Having used my dad's Canon 70-300IS on my 40D for photos at the Bournemouth Air Fair (i'll upload some later) I was very impressed. It could maybe do with being a bit faster, but really, for the money, it's a very nice choice IMO.