care to recommend a good budget f/2.8 zoom lens?


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ST_sg

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Mar 23, 2004
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Hi all,

I'm thinking to replace my EF 24-85 f/3.5-4.5 lens with a brighter/faster lens mainly for indoor shooting purpose. Planning to get a 50mm f/1.8, but it's limited focal length equilv to 80mm due to 1.6x crop.

That's the f/2.8 come to my mind, but no sure which brand/model to go for as where I've no idea about their strength and weekness. Especially price is a major consideration, as such all 'f/2.8L' is beyond my reach :embrass:

Anyone who have such lenses and care to give some input?

Thanks much :)
 

Look for the 3rd parties liao lor.
might wan to try the Tamron 28-75/2.8 nice little len to have. Small and light and AF still acceptably fast enough (at least for mi).

Sigma 24-70/2.8 is another one. No comments abt this since nvr touch b4.
 

using a sigma 24-70mm f/2.8, it's rather big and heavy. 82mm filter thread size.

The lens is good enough for me :) AF is slower compared to USM lens.
 

ya man. looking for 3rd party lens liao.

any idea what's the price range between these Tamron 28-75 f/2.8 and sigma 24-70 f/2.8?

How about this Sigma 24-60mm F2.8 EX DG?

Thanks for your input :)
 

ST_sg said:
any idea what's the price range between these Tamron 28-75 f/2.8 and sigma 24-70 f/2.8?

sigma 24-70 f/2.8 should be around $700, no idea about Tamron. Just call CP or MS and check price first lor ;p
 

Ive also been prowling the buy/sell for the Tamron with no luck. Heard good things about that lens. Recently saw one but its nikon mount. Suay la just changed system.

For the sigma read some reviews saying that it loses sharpness at the edge or something. can't quite remember. Anyway the 82 filter size is a killer to the wallet. Massive filter size is definitely one of sigma's bad habits. :(
 

ok. will take note on these 2 models.

Btw, is this Sigma 24-70 f/2.8 able to deliver sharp-enough quality at f/2.8? Or it has to be 1 or 2 stops down in order to get decent quality?

Bro Blue, same question goes to Tamron heh... :D :D

Thanks.
 

sigma 28-80 also a good choice...esp if u get the old non EX version....hahah....cheaper..
 

The 24-60/2.8 EX is only about $620.
 

aiyah tokina 20-35mm f2.8 299 or 399 cant recall. cathay 2 months ago
 

ST_sg said:
ok. will take note on these 2 models.

Btw, is this Sigma 24-70 f/2.8 able to deliver sharp-enough quality at f/2.8? Or it has to be 1 or 2 stops down in order to get decent quality?

Bro Blue, same question goes to Tamron heh... :D :D

Thanks.

sigma 24-70 is sharp enuff at f2.8. I shoot with it regulary.
 

i previously own a tokina ATX-Pro 28-80 2.8 and i must say that the optics and built is of high quality. arnd $700 i guess. too bad i sold it and deeply regret it. :cry:
 

Tagore said:
aiyah tokina 20-35mm f2.8 299 or 399 cant recall. cathay 2 months ago

sure anot...sounds like a good catch le...how's the image quality for nikon mount?
 

hi there,

I read lotsa of glowing reviews on the tamron 28-75. popular photography even rate it a tad bit higher than the canon L counterpart. I just got the tamron lens two days ago, personally i find that the optical quality is indeed superb and there is quite a lot of truth in the raving reports for the tamron.

However, i got one complaint, that is, the AF is a just tad bit slower, and i have been using canon lenses( non USM) so far, I wonder if i got a bad piece, or is the AF really just slow?

Wonder if anyone with more experience than me( i am sure there are lots) can enlighten me?

P/S: i still strongly advocate the Tamron lens as the best 3rd party lens. I have borrowed the tokina atx pro 28-70 2.8 and it's not as good. dunno much abt the sigma though.
 

jlchong said:
However, i got one complaint, that is, the AF is a just tad bit slower, and i have been using canon lenses( non USM) so far, I wonder if i got a bad piece, or is the AF really just slow?

Maybe it's the body. I have it on my D70 and i find it great. I tried it on a D2H and basket it was like twice faster. It was tried under florescent condition, so it's pretty low light.
 

Points to note.

Despite having largish f2.8 apertures, 3rd party lenses seem to be very fuzzy and soft wide open. Even by f3.5, it is fuzzy. It gets very good by f8, but possibly not better than your Nikon/Canon f3.5-4.5.

WHat I experience is that sometimes, even wide open, Nikon/Canon f3.5-4.5s may beat a Sigma/Tokina/Tamron even when they are stopped down to f3.5.
The Nikon AFS24-85mmf3.5-4.5 is surprising good wide open.

Even having a f2.8 zoom lens, I seldom use it wide open, because I know it'll be fuzzy. Of course, I'm talking only abt sharpness.

I have noted that the Tamron suffers from vignetting quite significantly.

I have a Tokina ATX-PRO. it gets pretty good only by f4, and razor sharp at f8. F2.8 is fuzzy, which in someways, good for portraits. Vignetting is never a problem.
 

I have a Tokina ATX-pro 28-70 as well. I find that it is really on the edge when it is wide open. Nevertheless, sharp above F4 and relative fast focus. It is one of the first lenses that was recommended to me when started with a SLR. Most of my photography pal have that lense.

Tamron version was describe as comparable to L lense on a few website. U can try that.

The best is, if u are using a DSLR, shot a picture, then magnify to evaluate.

_____________________________________
Life short, work hard, play hard! :dunno:
 

guys... thank you very much for all your valuable inputs :thumbsup:

seems like very hard decision to make leh... with a bright f/2.8 lens only usable at f/4 and above, as well stay with my current f/3.5?!

Tokina 28-70 f/2.8 -> fast AF but only good at f/4 and above
sigma 24-70 f/2.8 -> decent quality but big & heavy, slow AF.
Tamron 28-75 f/2.8 -> small, light & sharp but slow AF.

Seems nothing beat the current EF 24-85 f/3.5-4.5 USM except technically it lack larger aperture?

Fast AF, decent quality at f/3.5, small & light.

:confused: :what: :dunno:
 

Witness said:
sure anot...sounds like a good catch le...how's the image quality for nikon mount?

promotion only. call to check leh


ST_sg, buy 20-35 f2.8 V.Good
 

Hi, jus to let u know that there are currently 2 Tokina f/2.8 lens on the market.

1. Tokina AT-X Pro 287 28-70mm f/2.8 SV abt $480+
2. Tokina AT-X Pro 280 28-80mm f/2.8 abt $860+

Prices aga-aga only. ;)
 

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