Lens! how difficult to choose!

I'm purchasing a Canon 20D within the next 2 months(unless you guys here of something better coming out, please let me know. :P), and am having a difficult time deciding on the lens I want to purchase with the camera because money will be tight for a while after the purchase.

I'm going to purchase the kit with the 18-55 f/3.5-5.6 standard zoom lens, so i'll have that in the arsenal.
http://consumer.usa.canon.com/ir/controller?act=ModelDetailAct&fcategoryid=149&modelid=10512

i do a lot of wildlife and action stuff(outdoor, races and what not), so i need a lens with a lot of zoom that will fair well with action stuff as well.

I was looking at purchasing the 75-300mm f/ 4-5.6USM IS from Canon.
http://consumer.usa.canon.com/ir/controller?act=ModelDetailAct&fcategoryid=150&modelid=7342

I like to have my camera in my car with me at all times and be able to pick it up and shoot(sometimes when i drive, i know, it's terribly unsafe. lol). I wouldn't want to have the 300mm attached on there, but would the 18-55mm be sufficient? or should I look at getting something else later? there are other situations that I like to have something other than telephoto, so i'm thinking a wide angle could possibly be a good all around short range lens?

i'm being confusing I know, and I'm sorry. anyway, gotta go to lunch. ask questions and i'll answer them. :)

Have you read any reviews? The 75-300 is good, but not that great, even with IS.

ID personally go with the 70-200 2.8.

i've read reviews on the lens and most like it quite a bit. true it's not that awesome, but it's good for the price($414. lowest i've found).

the 70-200(which is 330mm roughly on 35mm correct?) 2.8 soudns awesome but it has a lack of zoom. i am very much in favor of the f/2.8 but if i want some more zoom could i get a teleconverter?

i'll do some checking on the 200 real fast

okay, i thought there was something that wasn't an L series that had f/2.8. :( i don't have 1000 bucks to spend on a single lens.

i'm wanting to stick with canon, i've heard nothing but them being the best.

i'm wanting to stick with canon, i've heard nothing but them being the best.

When you're talking L lenses, third party lenses fall short. But when you're speaking about Canon's consumer lenses (such as the one that you're considering), Sigma, Tamron, and Tokina all have strong contenders. I would not dismiss them as possible choices.

I have all Canon lenses. Haven't ventured into that third party but the one thing I might change if I were you is that 18-55. That is the kit lens correct? It will only fit the 20D and the XT. I would buy just the body and get an EF lens that will grow with you if you ever decide to move up to the 1D or the 1Ds, choice is yours.

I own several Canons, both digital (2) & film (2). I like being able to change the lenses between them. The one lens that I own, EFS 18-55mm, only fits the XT. It came with the XT. It is a good lens, and Canon quality but it won't grow beyond the XT since it won't fit any of the other cameras I own nor will it fit the camera I am buying in the fall.

You will be happy with the 20D. I have the 70-200 f/2.8L and all I can say is that it was worth it. I think the only thing I regret about the purchase is not getting the IS instead.

Canon has a rebate offer running right now, you might want to look into that.

Good luck!

I would buy just the body and get an EF lens that will grow with you if you ever decide to move up to the 1D or the 1Ds, choice is yours.


are they really that similar in performance? anything that is IS called something else from the other companies?
well the lens is 100 extra bucks separately, i just figured i would get the deal while offered, just 100 more bucks.


You will be happy with the 20D. I have the 70-200 f/2.8L and all I can say is that it was worth it. I think the only thing I regret about the purchase is not getting the IS instead.


i think i will be quite happy with the 20d as well. i wish i had your lens, regardless if it had IS, it would be nice though. :)


But when you're speaking about Canon's consumer lenses (such as the one that you're considering), Sigma, Tamron, and Tokina all have strong contenders. I would not dismiss them as possible choices.

i'm sorry, for whatever reason i forgot to type what i was going to say from my last quote...so consider this a continuation.
so what you saying is the quality out of the brands are very similar and a choice of either of them couldn't really be bad?

are they really that similar in performance? anything that is IS called something else from the other companies?
well the lens is 100 extra bucks separately, i just figured i would get the deal while offered, just 100 more bucks


IS = Image Stablization. Not sure if it is offered by other companies.

The EF-S lens series is made just for the 20D & the XT. They are good lenses BUT they do not fit any other Canon cameras. I find that annoying. The EF-S lens is light in comparison to the EF series and even lighter compared to the L series. The EF-S is also louder then the EF series. They do have a quick reaction, just as the USM lenses but they aren't made the same. Canon has some cheaper lenses on the market, which some people refer to as "throw aways" after a year or two of use. Then again, some people have been real happy with them.

I would do a bit more research if I were you. Check out this link http://consumer.usa.canon.com/ir/controller?act=ProductCatIndexAct&fcategoryid=111

and go to the lens lineup.

The EF-S lens series is made just for the 20D & the XT.
Minor correction. The EF-S lenses also work with the original Digital Rebel.

I would do a bit more research if I were you. Check out this link http://consumer.usa.canon.com/ir/controller?act=ProductCatIndexAct&fcategoryid=111

i've been there many a time. :)

i constantly look there to find something worth pricing and what not.

basically what i'm looking for is something that has a decnet budget but good quality. in other words, a good, not a great lens. i'm not a professional, and don't quite need something quite so awesome yet.

i need a good all around lens i can always have on the camera, and when i want to get some good zoom, i want to have something for wildlife and sports and whatnot. i tested a 300mm zoom and liked it, the 200mm just wasn't quite enough.

well i gotta clock out. thanks for your help everyone. i'll be back to post soon.

Grim

and go to the lens lineup.

The Sigma EX line and the Tamron Di line are very good quality. Check out what is available on B&H or another online store that fits your budget and then read some reviews and come back and ask for specific questions. I can tell you that the Tamron 28-75mm f/2.8 Di is a GREAT lens that is reasonably priced.

and go to the lens lineup.


not suppose to be there, it's from the original quote, i forgot to check to make sure everything was right. i'm bad with this forum. sorry!

Instead of starting w/ the 70-200 f/2.8L try the F4L - It takes wonderful pictures at 1/2 the price - Usually can pick up a new one for about $550 USD to your door. I have that f4L and the kit lens - Love the f4 - already looking to replace the kit lens because I'm not impress w/ the picture quality - hopes that helps.

Instead of starting w/ the 70-200 f/2.8L try the F4L


i love that lens. it's sweet. how is the zoom on it? i asked earlier, but isn't 200mm digital lens equivalent to 330mm on a 35mm? (i use a 300mm right now, it's old though)

i will definitely keep this one in mind. how does it do with action?

Jerk beat me to the punch, theres also an f4 version. Im always weary of a lens that has a lot of reach like that cos zoomed in and out at the furtherest extremities they tend to be fairly soft, and sometimes useless.

They make them in the range of 28-200, 50-500, etc. Perhaps this would give you more of a range and eliminate the switching of lenses more frequently.

They make them in the range of 28-200, 50-500, etc.


aren't those ridicuously expensive?

okay, here's an idea. i could get the lens i just mentioned, the f/4L 70-200mm.

when i get some extra money, i could pick up a different midrange lens, possibly a standard zoom for an all around lens that i could carry with me most of the time

if i need more zoom, i could get a teleconverter, right?
does that sound reasonable?

I don't think they're too bad. Consider what you're going to pay for them seperately.

You could get a telecoverter if you want more zoom, yes. However you sacrifice quality by doing so.

A midrange that you'll likely carry most of the time will be the 18-55.

an 18-55 comes with the kit with the 20d, but cleo was telling me it wasn't great. hence why i'm asking for advice abotut others.

on the 20D is X 1.6 so the lens is a 320. :D

The 1.4x converter works fine w/ AF but the 2X u have to use MF. (i think) So the 200mm on a 20D w/ the 1.4 converter brings it to 448mm.

Here is a quick shoot. PM if u want to see the orginal.

http://www.jerksworld.com/pics/boston2.jpg

i asked earlier, but isn't 200mm digital lens equivalent to 330mm on a 35mm? (i use a 300mm right now, it's old though)



Not "exactly". The 200mm on a Canon 20D will give you an effective zoom of 320mm, but that doesn't mean that you get the magnification of 320mm. It means you get the crop equivalent of a 320mm lens. In other words, if you took a picture with a 35mm camera and a digital camera at 200mm, they'd have the same magnification, but the digital (1.6 sensor) would look as if it were taken using a 320mm lens because of the crop. It would be the identical image as the print with the film camera if you enlarged the print and cropped it accordingly.

I have purchased 2 Nikon stabilized lenses and have had problems with both. When the VR is active all my photos were out of focus, also big battery drain. When discussed with Nikon told me not to use in VR mode, so what did I pay for? PS My advise on image stabilized lenses is give them another year!

Canon IS works fine, but the IS in the 75-300 is the older version of IS and not as effective as the newer USM IS versions. Can't speak for Nikon VR.

We had a speaker at our camera club meeting last month. He for almost 20 years was a Nikonian. Switched to Canon because their IS system was at the time better than Nikon's VR.