new lens advise needed

Soldato
Joined
23 Oct 2008
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I have the canon eos 300d with the 18-55 non-is(the is version came out with the 400d if I'm not mistaken) kit lens(have had for just shy of 5years and last summer had to get it repaired due to a bent pin in the cf card slot), I've looked on and off at lenses over the last 4-5years but never got one. I've not used it as much as I'd have like over the years, mainly taken pictures of my niece over the last couple of years(she's 2yrs 4months old) and on the isle of wight(dad used to work there and we got the 300d from jessops there end of july 2004).

with it coming up to the summer(and so supposedly warm/hot weather) I was planning on getting out around my estate and taking some landscape(theres a cornfield behind my house), wild life and macro of plants(there's blackcurrent bushes just a couple of mins walk from my house, came across them last summer while out walking with my mum and niece).

I don't have lots to spend so the l-series lenses and the like are out, would prefer to keep it under £400. I've been looking at the 70-300(had a play with it at jessops last friday) but its near/above top end of my budget(seen it new for £380 online, jessops and couple oher high street camera shops I've looked at have it for ~£100 more), ef-s 55-250, 28-105(the f3.5-4.5) also a couple of macros.

is it better to stay with canon or the likes of sigma and tamron worth a look?

also been looking at the 40d as a possible upgrade as its under £600 body only now, was looking at it last summer also when they had the £50 back offer(and the £100 back before that). but thinking it might be better to get a new lens and get more use out of the 300d and and get handle on the basics before upgrading(had the camer near 5years but still don't fully understand all the 'lingo').
 
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I found the Sigma 17-70mm a cracking upgrade to my kit lens. They can be had for under £200 as well now I think.

You could then possibly look at getting some extension tubes for it for some macro shots (not done this myself so not sure what the results are like)
 
Firstly, upgrading the lens will be a much better idea than upgrading the body especially given the lens you currently have which is the most basic lens canon make.

As for which lens to buy, what type of photography are you wanting to do exactly that the current lens can't handle? If its portraiture photography look at the canon 50mm f/1.8 which every dslr owner should have!

If your on a budget then sigma and tamron are definitely worth a look at.
 
My thoughts would be something like the Tamron 17-50 F2.8, which will give you a nice wide angle and reasonable walkround (but not great reach), then some macro rings.
 
been looking on the internet a bit more and found this site, its got 3 table with lenses for different price points with user rating(people who have bought the lens not just the reviewer). both the sigma 17-70 and tamron 17-50 have a decent rating, but looking at prices the tamron is more expensive. does the sigma have true macro or is it like the canon 100 2.5 macro( i.e 1:2 rather than 1:1)?

also been looking at a flashgun, is it better to go with the speedlight 270ex(£120 a jessops) or spend ~£100 more and go with the 430ex mk2(whats the difference between a mk1 & mk2?). will I see real benefits with an external flash compared to the built in flash of the 300d?
 
Those tables are really out of date price wise. Is you can find a Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS USM for $1700 (~£1100) let me know because I will buy it!

does the sigma have true macro or is it like the canon 100 2.5 macro( i.e 1:2 rather than 1:1)?

Look on their website! It is 1:2.3 which is better than most lenses but not a true macro. True macros are fixed focal lengths.

will I see real benefits with an external flash compared to the built in flash of the 300d?

ROFL! Er... yeh! About a million times better!
 
Those tables are really out of date price wise. Is you can find a Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS USM for $1700 (~£1100) let me know because I will buy it!

would you mind if its used? I've seen it for £1149 on a site that sells used lenses, cameras and accessories, says there's signs of very light use or there's near mint for £1179(~£100 less than new).

saw the f4 non-is version for £399 on there but it seems to have gone now, seen new for £470(jessops does it for £559).

if I can find the f4 non-is version for under £400 is it worth getting or would it be wasted on the 300d and I'd be better waiting till I get a 40d or similar?
 
Yeh I have seen the £1179 one available. I'm waiting for the prices to come down again however as I can't justify the money for the time being.

The f4 non-is version if definitely worth a buy. Quality lens.
 
was gong to go into town today to have a look at the sigma 17-70 and the tamron 17-50 but ended up going to the cinema instead, will go tomorrow tho.

was looking on 'the bay' and came across a used batter grip for the 300d for £60 buy it now(can't seem to find it anywhere else now), almost bought it but stoped myself(it 'ended' just befor 6pm). found a new boxed(well so it claims) 1 that ends on sunday(auction not buy it now), is a battery grip worth getting(I have a spare battery)?

any replies regarding the 270ex and 430ex mk1/mk2 question?

forgot to mention I got the gorillapod dslr from asda(hope its ok to mention supermarkets) for £18.99(online they're like £25 and on the high street £40) last friday, was on the way to town but stopped at the post office and got the last one they had on display(not sure if they'll be getting any more, didn't have the price tag for the compact version any more). haven't really had a play with it yet but will be soon, I guess the 70-200 4l non-is and the like will be too heavy for it?
 
Where can you get 1 new for under £200? Lowest I've seen is like £240.

macro wise which would be better canon ef-s 60mm or ef 100mm? both are in the £300-£400 range, is there a decent cheaper sigma/tamron version? seen the tamron 90mm but that's also in the £300 range.

I'm off to town now to look at a few lenses
 
forgot to mention I got the gorillapod dslr from asda(hope its ok to mention supermarkets) for £18.99(online they're like £25 and on the high street £40) last friday, was on the way to town but stopped at the post office and got the last one they had on display(not sure if they'll be getting any more, didn't have the price tag for the compact version any more). haven't really had a play with it yet but will be soon, I guess the 70-200 4l non-is and the like will be too heavy for it?

My gorilla pod will take my 40d + 70-200 f4, but only with the lens tripod mount... otherwise it just falls over. Personally if you're using the 70-200 you're best off with a proper tripod
 
My gorilla pod will take my 40d + 70-200 f4, but only with the lens tripod mount... otherwise it just falls over. Personally if you're using the 70-200 you're best off with a proper tripod

is that tha zoom version? someone mentioned you can mod the slr version but I've not looked.

I was all ready to go to town but ended up not going, will try tomorrow.

my local branch of lce(for those know what I mean) has a used 20d body only for £299, I'm tempted as I've alwasy had my eye on 1 since they came out. branch near coventry has a used 40d for £479, is it worth paying the extra ~£100 for it new?
 
Was just looking on jessops(can't sleep), saw they have a bank holiday sale. they have the 500d body only at £599(same as they have the 40d at) and with the 18-55 is lens for £679, I'm really tempted but is it worth it over the 40d?
 
I might be getting the canon ef-s 10-22 for £410 used off ebay

I went to bid £400 but waited a little too long and got the message saying that it had ended (but the reserve was not met), as the seller lives in berkshire I emailed him asking about it(I can go collect, cash in hand).

the winner was 33p off the reserve(so I'd have got it if I'd bid earlier, as long as the winner hadn't put his max bid above £400), the seller was going offer a 2nd chance but looks like might sell it to me as I can collect.

is that a good price for it? he didn't have any pic butsays its in mint condition, as I'll be going to collect I can check it before handing over the money.
 
lol i was watching that one. I made a buy it now offer on a different one though which got accepted. So looking forward to getting the lens!
 
Glad to see you guys got your 10-22mm (/jealous), still hunting for my wide angle and zoom lens!

Heres a question for you guys, if you had a choice between the 24-70L F2.8 and the the 24-105L F4. Which one would you choose? obviously the 24-70L has a great max aperture but lacks IS and the range of the 24-105L, whereas the 105L does have IS and a great focal range.

Or will you get neither and go for the cheaper 17-55 IS F2.8 and lose the L quality and range?

Decisions decisions
 
yep looks like its mine, will be getting it on tuesday(he's going to look in the loft for the box tomorrow).

what filter or some protecter should I use to keep the front of the lens free from dust and possible finger sumbdging(sp?) etc? the front of my kit lens has collected 'stuff' over the last 5years, its not bad enough to show up in the photos(that I've been able to notice) and the back I think is fine as the lens has been left on the camera as I have no others(only been taken off a handful of times, 1 being when I sent the body to be fixed).

edit: just saw your reply mcc49(I'd started the reply before you posted but doing other stuff didn't get around to pressing the submit), all 3 are wayyyyyyyyyy out of my budget :)

the image quality of the 17-55 is right up there with the l series lenses from what I've read, just not the build quality(which is still very good).
 
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Glad to see you guys got your 10-22mm (/jealous), still hunting for my wide angle and zoom lens!

Heres a question for you guys, if you had a choice between the 24-70L F2.8 and the the 24-105L F4. Which one would you choose? obviously the 24-70L has a great max aperture but lacks IS and the range of the 24-105L, whereas the 105L does have IS and a great focal range.

Or will you get neither and go for the cheaper 17-55 IS F2.8 and lose the L quality and range?

Decisions decisions

Well I've got the 17-55 and its amazing quality and the IS is top notch. I'd pick that for a general purpose lens as its more wide at the lower end. It depends what other lenses you own and what you use the camera for which lens to get as they do have some major differences.
 
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