Advice for 'walkabout' lens

[Orodruin]

Hi all,

I'm new to using a DSLR and recently got a Canon 350D.
I would like to buy a general purpose lens which can shoot just about anything reasonably well as I'm walking around . Just feel that the 18-55mm zoom on the kit lens is a bit limited.

I've read some of the review sites and am considering the following options:
Canon EF-S 17-85MM f/4-5.6 IS USM
Canon EF 28-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS USM

I'm also considering those without the Image Stabiliser feature (cos it will much cheaper

What is your experience with the IS feature? Is it worth the extra cost?
Which would you choose and what other lenses would you recommend?

Thanks in advance!

 

[JediForce4ever]

IS is worth the cost..but you ask yourself if you'll be needing it first.
Also, you can try the Tamron/Sigma 18-200mm
or the Canon 28-200mm.
Cheers

 

[n0d3]

Do you have a budget?

If you're looking for lenses with reasonable image quality I would skip those 28-200mm zooms.

I recommend the following for walkabouts:
Canon EF 28-105mm f/3.5-4.5 USM
Canon EF 28-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS USM

Depending on what you shoot, you might not need the IS feature, so what do you shoot?

Or if you prefer slightly faster lenses but at the loss of reach, you can try the following:
Tamron AF 28-75mm f2.8 XR Di Zoom
Sigma 24-70mm f2.8 EX Aspherical

Both lenses offer you great image quality, provided you get a good copy and a constant aperture of f/2.8 throughout the zoom range.

 

[Isaiahfortythirtyone]

i suggest the tamron 24-135mm 3.5-5.6.

 

[Orodruin]

Thanks for the replies.

I like shooting subjects unposed. e.g. people going about their business, at leisure, animals, etc. Some occasional landscape when I find the composition interesting.

I got a quote for the Canon EF 28-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS USM at $850. A bit expensive to me since I'm new to DSLR photography. But I would want a lens that I would keep and use most often and not replace, so I would spend on it after all. Maybe in time I would also get other lenses for situational purposes.

I'm also curious about the EF 50mm f/1.8 II. All I can gather from what I read about it is that it's a cheap and good sharp lens and it's good for low light photography. When and where do you use it and what do you shoot with it?

 

[Zack]

You can get the 35mm F/2 for street shooting and the 50mm F/1.8 for portrait shot. They are cheap, yet sharp and fast. The only issue is that you have to get use to using prime lens.

 

[JediForce4ever]

U can shoot anything with any lens....except that the lens will affect the way your picture is taken...if you are willing to invest...just get the two lens you mentioned..keep the kit lens..and you're done...but I'm sure that you will need a tele zoom sooner or later...like the 70-300mm.,

 

[ben77]

wanna "steal" this thrend abit..
how much is
the 50 mm f 1.8 lens
its a prime right?
is there any that fit a d50 ?
cuz i am thinking of getting a prime lens just dont know how much
and where can i get it at a good price..
any other prime lenses that are cheap>??

 

[n0d3]

Thanks for the replies.

I like shooting subjects unposed. e.g. people going about their business, at leisure, animals, etc. Some occasional landscape when I find the composition interesting.

I got a quote for the Canon EF 28-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS USM at $850. A bit expensive to me since I'm new to DSLR photography. But I would want a lens that I would keep and use most often and not replace, so I would spend on it after all. Maybe in time I would also get other lenses for situational purposes.

I'm also curious about the EF 50mm f/1.8 II. All I can gather from what I read about it is that it's a cheap and good sharp lens and it's good for low light photography. When and where do you use it and what do you shoot with it?

Cheap, good but the fixed focal length may not suit you, some may feel its a bit too long. Try getting a second hand 28-135, its around $600+ I think, you might want to check out the Buy & Sell section.

wanna "steal" this thrend abit..
how much is
the 50 mm f 1.8 lens
its a prime right?
is there any that fit a d50 ?
cuz i am thinking of getting a prime lens just dont know how much
and where can i get it at a good price..
any other prime lenses that are cheap>??

Yes, anything that is a fixed focal length lens is a prime lens. Yes, there are, go check out the Nikon forum.

 

[Orodruin]

Thanks for the advice, probably won't get it 2nd hand since I'm not confident that I know enough about checking the lens quality yet. Will put my faith in CP/MS and dig some info from them at the same time
Cheers!

 

[Lmodel]

wanna "steal" this thrend abit..
how much is
the 50 mm f 1.8 lens
its a prime right?
is there any that fit a d50 ?
cuz i am thinking of getting a prime lens just dont know how much
and where can i get it at a good price..
any other prime lenses that are cheap>??

Hi Bro,

The Nikon AF 50mm f1.8D is cheap enough, $175.00. I am currently using a Prime AF50mm f1.4. Btw, you gotta know what you are using it for.

I'm in love with Prime ! :lovegrin: :lovegrin:

 

[Adelfin]

I also got the 350D recently and I'm looking at the Canon EF 28-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS USM too...
saw some online store selling it at $611 (http://www.expandore.com/product/Canon/SLR_Lens/SLR_Lens_Pricelist.htm). not sure if it's true...but i find it quite a good deal...

 

[Orodruin]

Yes, it's true...just in USD

 

[espn]

Get 17-40L, 24-70L and 70-200 f/2.8 IS L for walkabout :thumbsup:

 

[tankm]

Bear in mind the FOV multiplier of your DSLR. If I'm not wrong the Canon 350D has a 1.5 FOV. What this means is the two lens coverage you mentioned will be very different when attached to your 350D.
Canon 17-85MM will becomes 28-128mm on the 350D.
Canon 28-135mm will becomes 42-202mm on the 350D.

The 28-135mm may not be wide enough for some situation. Again depends on what you intend to take and your shooting style.

I'm currently using a SIGMA DC 18-125mm f/3.5-5.6. Not a bad general walkabout lens to start with and cost around half of the Canon 17-85mm.

 

[Orodruin]

Already have some plans to buy, buy, buy..:sweat:
Walkabout lens first
Then portrait
Then wide lens....(will make do with kit lens meanwhile)

 

[nightwolf75]

Already have some plans to buy, buy, buy..:sweat:
Walkabout lens first
Then portrait
Then wide lens....(will make do with kit lens meanwhile)

do u have any idea wat u will be shooting MOST OFTEN, as opposed to HOPING to shoot often?

a 'walkabout' lens is a nice catch-all phrase for a general purpose lens - ie. nothing more than a jack-of-all-trades, master of none lens. most of the time, its neither too wide (for landscapes) nor too tele (for isolating a subject), and not too fast (ie variable aperature, eg f/4.5-5.6) which limits its usefulness in low-light sans tripod/monopod. however, why do most of us have one in the bag? well, simply for the fact dat its a general purpose, one-lens-rules-them-all lens for holidays or a walkabout.

from ur description, u sounded as if u want to shoot anything and everything under the sun. from the little i know abt street photography dat i read from books, its not as easy as dat. in fact, if u are serious into street photography, u shld be avoiding teles like a plague cos it (a) removes u from the interaction with the scene, and (b) breeds laziness. i quote from one of the giants of photojournalism, robert capa - "If your pictures aren't good enough, you aren't close enough." i believe in this mth's PhotoVideoI, it also mentioned dat Yian strongly recommended the use of short primes for photojournalism/street photography to get close to the action.

can u use a walkabt lens for street shooting? of course u can. however, more imptly is dat u must have an idea WAT to shoot b4 jumping into it. know wat u want to shoot MOST OFTEN will also give u an idea wat lens(es) to buy. there's really no point, IMO, for people to ask "wat lens to buy" cos there's no answer for this question. most people dun seem to realise this. wat u want to shoot most often will, naturally, determine wat u will be buying. once u know wat is the range most suitable for u, then its just a matter of googling for the reviews of whichever lens dat strikes ur fancy.

why dun u, b4 going to buy dat walkabout lens, read up abt photography? might i suggest u pop by ur nearest library or, better still, buy these 2 books from riceball (over at adelphi) - Bryan Peterson's "Understanding Exposure" and "Learning to see creatively". these 2 books are definitely, IMO, a must-read for any noobies or wannabes in photography.

 

[KNIGHT ONG]

Buy what you can buy and all become your walkabouts lens lor ...

 

[Orodruin]

That was said tongue-in-cheek...Time will tell whether I will become more specialised at certain forms photography and gradually I will invest more in those areas. I've always enjoyed and continue to enjoy shooting anything and everything (versatile and reasonably sharp) and anytime (lightweight). I've been feeling limited by the reach, partly due to laziness and partly due to not wanting to get too close, so resolving that is my first priority. Thanks for the recommendations on the literature.

 

[ben77]

i decided not to get a prime..
no point for me..
shall work with what i have until its up to standard..