Opinions please on the following lens

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After a long break due to injury, lack of money i am about to restart my photography again and spend some of the cash i have been waiting a lot of months for with it finally arriving. So at present looking to add the following lens to my collection and looking for any opinions from owners of the lens around here

Tamron AF SP 17-50mm f2.8 XR Di-II LD ASP IF

Sigma 24-70mm F2.8 EX DG Macro

Both these lens are to replace the old 17-85mm Canon lens i have hence trying to cover as much of that lens focal length as possible. I am open to alternatives for the Tamron lens if anyone has any suggestions but i am aiming for a fixed F rating at the 17mm end as well hence this choice of lens at present.

SCM
 
Surely for the price of both of those you're looking at L glass?

The Tamron isn't bad at all, I was horrified by mine when I first got it. I bought it to replace my 17-40L, so initial reactions were to put it in the bin and keep the Canon. It's quite a plasticy lens, loud to focus etc, but not that bad really. My initial comparisons between the lenses showed up the Tamron quite badly at the wide end, but then I was testing it across the room (6 feet away). It was rather soft and never caught up with the Canon really at close focus at 17mm. However, at the long end, the Tamron was considerably sharper, much more so.

After a few comparisons at proper landscape photography (as opposed to 6 feet away), the Tamron shines. Very sharp, good useable results at f/2.8, and as good or better than the 17-40 at most other settings.

Buy one ;)

If you need the 70mm, buy a prime/macro lens.
 
I dont believe both would be a waste, i have a 17-40 and a nice addition to that would be a 24-70. But i am unsure on the tamron performance looks like it has a few to many degress judging by its name! The sigma i supposed to have excellent reviews and i am tempted my self considering its 3x more in cost for the canon version but that is an L, Hopefully we will get some test shots up here to assist your decision.
 
robmiller said:
Why such massive redundancy? Get one or the other, IMO--both is a waste.
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I know there is a lot of redundancy and got thinking over night about this, i could replace the Tamron with a 17-40mm L from Canon to reduce the overlap. Would still combine it with the 24-70mm from Sigma, as the Canon L version to cover this range would out stretch my budget at present.

If i can afford it i would love to get the 24-70mm Canon L lens and combine it with a 20mm prime lens but unsure if i will have the cash spare from the money i am getting to do that combo. If i do this option would be my first choice.

So for now will replace the Tamron i think with the 17-40mm L from Canon and accept the slight overlap with combining it with the Sigma lens. If i get more cash than i realise then yes i will go with the L from Canon with the fixed prime.

SCM
 
SCM said:
I know there is a lot of redundancy and got thinking over night about this, i could replace the Tamron with a 17-40mm L from Canon to reduce the overlap. Would still combine it with the 24-70mm from Sigma, as the Canon L version to cover this range would out stretch my budget at present.

If i can afford it i would love to get the 24-70mm Canon L lens and combine it with a 20mm prime lens but unsure if i will have the cash spare from the money i am getting to do that combo. If i do this option would be my first choice.

So for now will replace the Tamron i think with the 17-40mm L from Canon and accept the slight overlap with combining it with the Sigma lens. If i get more cash than i realise then yes i will go with the L from Canon with the fixed prime.

SCM
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That's even sillier IMO, because you'll still have two lenses for this common range, it's just the individual lenses will be less versatile :/

Find out what range you actually use and work from there IMO. 17-40 + 70-200 would be a much better range from two lenses than 17-40 + 24-70.
 
The Sigma 24-70 really REALLY isn't that good. I was going to buy one just before Christmas and borrowed one to test for the day. The AF is very loud (it sounds like an electric screw driver being smothered with a pillow), it is relatively slow, the noise seemed terrible above 400ASA. Has anyone else had any bad experiences with them?
 
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EnglishMack said:
The Sigma 24-70 really REALLY isn't that good. I was going to buy one just before Christmas and borrowed one to test for the day. The AF is very loud (it sounds like an electric screw driver being smothered with a pillow), it is relatively slow, the noise seemed terrible above 400ASA. Has anyone else had any bad experiences with them?
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I have one and agree about the AF, it is quite slow and noisy but it's perfectly acceptable given the price of the lens. It is quite sharp, colours are good and overall for the price it's very good. It doesn't compare to the Canon 24-70L though but at a third of the price what can you expect?

I don't know what you mean about noise though. I didn't know lenses could affect the amount of noise in the image.

I have used it on my 20D and my EOS30 with Kodachrome 64 and Fuji Sensia 400 and I am impressed with the results. They are perfectly adequate unless printing at massive sizes. The Canon is a much better lens but if it's out of your reach pricewise, the Sigma is a very capable alternative.
 
The Sigma is incredibly capable for the price. It's sharp enough, even wide open, AF is fast (although a little loud), it's fast, it's cheap. I really don't know what more you could expect from it.
 
After thinking and taking on the comments onboard from in here i have decided to do the following cash allowing in order of preference

1. 24-70mm Canon L & a 20mm F2.8 prime
2. 24-70mm Canon L lens or 17-40mm Canon L
3. 24-70mm Sigma & 20mm F2.8 prime

Will need to wait and see what the cash situation is but hopefully i can get at least a L glass from this cash.

SCM
 
SCM said:
After thinking and taking on the comments onboard from in here i have decided to do the following cash allowing in order of preference

1. 24-70mm Canon L & a 20mm F2.8 prime
2. 24-70mm Canon L lens or 17-40mm Canon L
3. 24-70mm Sigma & 20mm F2.8 prime

Will need to wait and see what the cash situation is but hopefully i can get at least a L glass from this cash.

SCM
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Why the 20mm prime? On a cropped body that is still not that wide. Why not a 10-20mm Sigma?
 
Ok money is coming through end of week/start of next week so i am looking at option 2 with the 24-70mm L but with the suggestion of D.P. looking at the 10-20mm Sigma lens if i decide i want to spend some extra cash on 2 lens.

Hopefully this gives me the kick i need to get out with the camera now i have the money and kit i need to use.

SCM
 
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