Lens Advice Req

[Barks]

Gents,

I have a Canon 550D with:
Sigma 10-20 Wide Angle
Stock 18-55
1.8 Nifty Fifty

I am about to sell the 10-20. Don't get me wrong, it was a fantastic lens. I captured all of this standing extremely close with no problem: http://thumbs.dreamstime.com/thumblarge_631/1315536428wVch2z.jpg

Alas, I have little need but at the end of the day I am an amateur photographer.

My parents own a Nikon D50 with a Nikon AF-S 18-105mm f3.5-5.6 ED VR Lens and it produces great photos. It is a cheap lens so we have the obvious criticisms but in general the photos are fantastic.

My plan is to sell the Sigma, which has been brill (and by all means if anyone here is interested please contact me or say), and go hunting for an Canon EF-S 17-55mm f/2.8 IS USM Lens which I gather would be the best lens for my requirements.

I don't have the experience of some of you and I am asking the following: Will the Canon EF-S lens above produce superior shots to the Nikon AF-S 18-105mm lens?

I don't want Primes, I want a decent all-rounder lens which will not disappoint, and I am going skiing in 2 months so if anything I want an all rounder lens which will deliver for that! If the answer is no I will most likely buy the EF 24-70 which I can now afford but from which I gather may be overkill.
I guess the key fact: Budget (2nd Hand) £300-£1,000

Many thanks

 

[Invertigo]

For a general walkabout lens on a crop sensor, the EF-S 17-55 is a cracking lens. However there are a couple of alternatives from third parties.

The key advantage of the 17-55 is the IS. Also it's generally a very sharp lens. Alternatives are the Tamron 17-50mm f/2.8 or the Sigma 18-50mm f/2.8, both around £250-300 new. You'd be best off reading detailed reviews of all lenses, preferably with comparisons. I personally have the Tamron, and was swayed by THIS review.

However, do note that there is a few reported issues with soft focus on the Tamron (don't know about the Sigma). However, if you're looking at used models, you can see sample images taken with the lens before hand.

If you chose to go this route, you could budget for both the Tamron/Sigma, along with a Canon 70-200mm f/2.8L or f/4L IS, depending on preference.

This would give you far more versatility than a single lens, along with very similar optical performance.

 

[D.P.]

The Canon 17-55 IS is a great lens so you wont be disappointed by it. The Nikon 18-105 is a cracking kit lens that will be more or less as sharp as the Canon 17-55mm f/2.8. The differences are mainly the Focal length of the Nikon and the aperture of the Canon. If you are happy with the 17-55mm focal length then you can't go wrong with that lens.

 

[reygjabla]

Gents,

I have a Canon 550D with:
Sigm,,,,,,,,

I will most likely buy the EF 24-70 which I can now afford but from which I gather may be overkill.
I guess the key fact: Budget (2nd Hand) £300-£1,000

Many thanks

It's not actually overkill. When you've refined your skill as a photographer, you might go for a Full Frame one day and that is already an investment for you. I have a 550D but decided to go for it as i'm already inclined to go FF.

 

[theheyes]

I've only heard good things about the 17-55 but for me it's a bit steep for an ef-s lens. Once you've bought a lens hood it's not that much cheaper than the 24-70 L which is weather sealed (albeit your body isn't) and would suit you should you have any aspiration of owning a full frame camera.

 

[Barks]

I'm in the process of selling my Sigma, it's in MM but if I don't have any luck it'll be stuck on eBay - although I find their fees completely and utterly offensive.

Selling that will certainly make the 24-70 more affordable. My only concern about the 17-55 is that it doesn't have the reach I'm after, I have a tendency to take close up portraits and thus the 24-70 seems to make more sense. 31.2mm on my 550D should be OK.

 

[ElDude]

I'm in the process of selling my Sigma, it's in MM but if I don't have any luck it'll be stuck on eBay - although I find their fees completely and utterly offensive.

Selling that will certainly make the 24-70 more affordable. My only concern about the 17-55 is that it doesn't have the reach I'm after, I have a tendency to take close up portraits and thus the 24-70 seems to make more sense. 31.2mm on my 550D should be OK.

I don't use the bay for that reason, plus it's geared towards supporting the buyer, not the seller. You can get ripped off on there in loads of ways, and they and paypal don't seem to care, plus your rating can be destroyed by morons. I've stockpiled lenses and cameras as it's just not worth using ebay, in my opinion.

I'd try to sell the lens on MM to a trusted forum member, or sell it locally via your local paper, or boards at supermarkets, etc. I'm tempted by the 24-70 too, but I keep reading that there is a new version coming soon with or just after the new camera body releases, so I'm waiting. For some reason my 12-24 has gone a bit soft (it happens to everyone as they get older I suppose ) and it's £38 to calibrate to my camera, or £98 for recalibration, etc, so I think I'll wait, especially as the 12-24mkii is now out.

There are a LOT of choices out there, around that focal point, but you also have to take into account the crop factor. 24-70 won't be 24-70 on a crop sensor.

 

[Barks]

I don't use the bay for that reason, plus it's geared towards supporting the buyer, not the seller. You can get ripped off on there in loads of ways, and they and paypal don't seem to care, plus your rating can be destroyed by morons. I've stockpiled lenses and cameras as it's just not worth using ebay, in my opinion.

I'd try to sell the lens on MM to a trusted forum member, or sell it locally via your local paper, or boards at supermarkets, etc. I'm tempted by the 24-70 too, but I keep reading that there is a new version coming soon with or just after the new camera body releases, so I'm waiting. For some reason my 12-24 has gone a bit soft (it happens to everyone as they get older I suppose ) and it's £38 to calibrate to my camera, or £98 for recalibration, etc, so I think I'll wait, especially as the 12-24mkii is now out.

There are a LOT of choices out there, around that focal point, but you also have to take into account the crop factor. 24-70 won't be 24-70 on a crop sensor.

I emailed eBay to complain about the fees and they gave me a response along the lines of it's a result of fraud. Clearly that's rubbish because through Quidco you're paid 50% of the buyer's fees in cashback, when I bought the Sigma off eBay I received around £14 in cashback. If they can afford to throw that away to referrals then there's no way they should be charging such high fees. My problem with the MM is I haven't sold anything before and have no trust and I can understand why someone might be nervous throwing 3 digit figures at someone with no trust.

Yes I believe on the 550D I'd be looking at 32-91 which is fine.