A Good Canon Travel Lens

[malabar290]

Was wondering if any of you guys out there can recommend a good travelling lens for my 300D. I'm more into landscape, but do occasionally take those people pictures as well (does this make sense? )

Thanks for any recommendations!

Also, a qucik question: I am used to shooting in 'Large File' format, but tried shooting in raw recently. However, the speed of capture slowed down quite dramatically, and the camera even hung after I took about 7-8 continuous shots - is this normal? Or should I be sending it for a check-up. My CF Card is a 256Mb Transcend, bought about 2 years back - can't rem the speed tho'

Thanks again!

Amare la Vita

 

[nightwolf75]

Was wondering if any of you guys out there can recommend a good travelling lens for my 300D. I'm more into landscape, but do occasionally take those people pictures as well (does this make sense? )

Thanks for any recommendations!

Also, a qucik question: I am used to shooting in 'Large File' format, but tried shooting in raw recently. However, the speed of capture slowed down quite dramatically, and the camera even hung after I took about 7-8 continuous shots - is this normal? Or should I be sending it for a check-up. My CF Card is a 256Mb Transcend, bought about 2 years back - can't rem the speed tho'

Thanks again!

Amare la Vita

travel lens? u want canon originals or 3rd party options? :think:

canon originals - can try 28-105mm/f3.5-4.5 USM II or 28-135mm/f3.5-5.6 IS USM. both are excellent 1-lens-rules-them-all kind of travel lens. a bit long on the short end of the lens, after u factor in the 1.6x crop factor. so, shooting landscapes might require a bit of zooming by legs.

3rd party - seems like the sigma 18-125mm/f3.5-5.6 DC lens is the fav among the CSers here. do note - this lens can only be used on a DSLR as it was designed for a smaller sensor. using it on a film body will cause vignetting (dark corners on ur pic).

as for slow writing speeds - suspect ur CF card is the 'normal' speed CF cards. try getting a faster CF card like the SanDisk Ultra II 1GB or Lexar WA 80x 1GB. if u shoot RAW, better get a bigger and faster card.

 

[jsbn]

Hmm... I forgot liaoz, I think there's a superzoom in the EF lens lineup too right? 50-300 or 55-300.... something liddat.

For travelling purposes, I'll bring da kit lens along (since I haven't got da moola for 16-35L or 17-40L yet), that's primarily for landscape shoots. Most of the time, the 28-105 f3.5-4.5 goes on da camera. Da color and contrast is pretty good on this lens even though its not a L.

I dun have anything against Sigmas but den the 18-125 is a pretty slow-focusing, noisy beast under low-light. I'd get da EF 28-105 if I were u.

As for ur camera 'hanging' it is due to the buffer filling up. Dun worry, it wun kill. Juz wait for the buffer to be 'emptied' into ur CF and u can fire happily away...

Its a bad habit, and I used to have it until I stopped it recently, but unless I really require it, I rarely machine-gun my camera like NW75 had told me that I'll kill my camera a lot faster den I can save up for a new camera.

If u insist on machine-gunning for very fast action shots, may I suggest u get a faster CF card like the SanDisk UltraII, SanDisk Extreme III or the Lexar 40x CF. Good and reliable brands that give u a peace of mind. :thumbsup:

 

[sriram]

The 300D doesn't support Lexar WA, so don't waste your money getting an 80x WA card. You may find these numbers useful.

http://www.robgalbraith.com/bins/multi_page.asp?cid=6007-6425

 

[user111]

Ef 24-85
Ef 17-40l

 

[nightwolf75]

The 300D doesn't support Lexar WA, so don't waste your money getting an 80x WA card. You may find these numbers useful.

http://www.robgalbraith.com/bins/multi_page.asp?cid=6007-6425

perhaps a bit of qualification - canon doesn't support Lexar WA tech, true. the camera doesn't have the algorithim to Write Accelaration tech, unlike Nikon. canon cams can use Lexar cards. however, 1 thing Lexar has is the Image Recovery software dat comes with the CF card (there's one for Sandisk Extreme, IIRC. but extreme cards cost more than ultra). its a real life-saver at times. i use Lexar cards on my 10D.

also Sandisk costs a bit more than Lexar. check out
http://www.vector-magnetics.com/retail_ultra2.htm vs
http://www.eastgear.com/catalog/index.php?cPath=19_20

 

[TrailsofLife]

Try the EF-S 17-85 IS f4-5.6, its the only lens I have and used now. Quality is good and covers 27 to 135mm, pretty much all you need from landscape shoot to portrait. IS is a bonus.

 

[sriram]

perhaps a bit of qualification - canon doesn't support Lexar WA tech, true. the camera doesn't have the algorithim to Write Accelaration tech, unlike Nikon. canon cams can use Lexar cards. however, 1 thing Lexar has is the Image Recovery software dat comes with the CF card (there's one for Sandisk Extreme, IIRC. but extreme cards cost more than ultra). its a real life-saver at times. i use Lexar cards on my 10D.

also Sandisk costs a bit more than Lexar. check out
http://www.vector-magnetics.com/retail_ultra2.htm vs
http://www.eastgear.com/catalog/index.php?cPath=19_20

True. Thanks for the links, they were useful.

 

[Virgo]

The 28-135 IS USM is definitely the kind of lens you're looking for. It comes with IS (Image Stabilisation), which let you hand hold 2 stops lower. Image quality and colour reproduction is pretty good too. Image tends to be a bit soft, but that's not a major issue.

 

[malabar290]

Thanks for all the tips and advice. I'm half-hearted on the 28-105 as I feel I might one day get the 28-70 L , so getting the 28-105 now would be a waste of money.... Does anyone know the pricing difference between the 2?

I also have the Tamron 28-200 XR, but was not too happy with the results, esp the focusing.

Thks for tips on the CF Card as well - wasn't suspecting the card as it didn't give me a problem on Large Files, but thks for pointing that out. Will definitely check out the 2 cards mentioned!

 

[nightwolf75]

Thanks for all the tips and advice. I'm half-hearted on the 28-105 as I feel I might one day get the 28-70 L , so getting the 28-105 now would be a waste of money.... Does anyone know the pricing difference between the 2?

I also have the Tamron 28-200 XR, but was not too happy with the results, esp the focusing.

Thks for tips on the CF Card as well - wasn't suspecting the card as it didn't give me a problem on Large Files, but thks for pointing that out. Will definitely check out the 2 cards mentioned!

erm... think someone mention b4 the 28-70/f2.8L is no longer in production. the replacement is 24-70/f2.8L. the 24-70mm mebbe going for ard $2k+? :sweat:

 

[jsbn]

SanDisk, Lexar. These are 2 pretty reliable brands that shld give any photographers a peace of mind.

Not say I'm condemning other brands, but den again, that's the 2 brands for me. Not sure for u guys.

 

[leejiing]

Sigma's 18-125 is good in terms of image quality (considering the price) but focusing is slow in low light...

EF-S 17-85mm is a very good choice.
EF 28-105mm or 28-135mm might not be wide enough on a APC size for landscape, (my shooting preference lah... hehe) so you might want to combo with a 10-22mm or 17-40mm hehehe

hey brother max, you still selling your 17-85mmIS me interested leh... ;p

 

[eric69]

Sigma's 18-125 is good in terms of image quality (considering the price) but focusing is slow in low light...
EF-S 17-85mm is a very good choice.

I thought i read the reviews that EF-S 17-85 tend to be on the soft side? I think the real hardcore maybe able to detect the difference. But heck, I think the 17-85 should be a reasonably good lenses, except for the $1K+ price tag.

 

[jsbn]

Thanks for all the tips and advice. I'm half-hearted on the 28-105 as I feel I might one day get the 28-70 L , so getting the 28-105 now would be a waste of money.... Does anyone know the pricing difference between the 2?

I also have the Tamron 28-200 XR, but was not too happy with the results, esp the focusing.

Thks for tips on the CF Card as well - wasn't suspecting the card as it didn't give me a problem on Large Files, but thks for pointing that out. Will definitely check out the 2 cards mentioned!

28-70L vs EF 28-105?

Price difference is so huge between these 2 lens that one will eat up like 2mths of my pay cheque and another one eats up juz a 1/3rd off my pay.

Da 28-105 is a pretty good lens. Variable aperture though. But colours are quite good on it and I'm pretty impressed. Between ur landscape (ok, 28 x 1.6 = 44.8mm not so much of a WA), Portrait and closeups, 28-105 covers much of everything unless u want something on the longer end, I'll suggest nothing less den an L lens to boot for a telephoto.

 

[jsbn]

Sigma's 18-125 is good in terms of image quality (considering the price) but focusing is slow in low light...

EF-S 17-85mm is a very good choice.
EF 28-105mm or 28-135mm might not be wide enough on a APC size for landscape, (my shooting preference lah... hehe) so you might want to combo with a 10-22mm or 17-40mm hehehe

hey brother max, you still selling your 17-85mmIS me interested leh... ;p

He got his 300D kit lens if he ain't fussy abt it.

Not really wad I call 'plastic fantastic', but for a 'ok' WA lens, the 300D EF-S 18-55 kit lens does da job.

 

[TrailsofLife]

Sigma's 18-125 is good in terms of image quality (considering the price) but focusing is slow in low light...

EF-S 17-85mm is a very good choice.
EF 28-105mm or 28-135mm might not be wide enough on a APC size for landscape, (my shooting preference lah... hehe) so you might want to combo with a 10-22mm or 17-40mm hehehe

hey brother max, you still selling your 17-85mmIS me interested leh... ;p

Pai seh, my "Tan Jiak" lens, cannot sell liao. But can lend you when we meet. you going for the Malacca trip right?

 

[TrailsofLife]

He got his 300D kit lens if he ain't fussy abt it.

Not really wad I call 'plastic fantastic', but for a 'ok' WA lens, the 300D EF-S 18-55 kit lens does da job.

Agree with you. 18-55 should also covers the range of landscape to portrait, 17-85 is just a little wider and longer that fits the"travel" lens catagory la. IS is makes the lens more versatile. So chances of needing another lens is lower compared to 18-55.

 

[malabar290]

Wah .. 24-70 costs >$2k cannot already loh .. I was expecting $1+, still can bet on stock market abit.

I'm not fully satisfied with the 18-55 kit, tho' it's the lens I using curently. I find it still lacks the zoom I require, so the 17-85 sounds like a good range for me. I've read mixed reviews on this one tho' .. but some CSers do swear by this ... 2nd hand anyone??

 

[megaweb]

Try

- Canon 17-40mm f4 L
- *Sigma 18-50mm f2.8 DC
- Sigma 18-125mm f3.5-5.6 DC

do not get EF-S lens as it will not work with your 300D


* recommended