The next lens.

[Brettmc20]

Hey guys, been having trouble on deciding on what to pick for my next lens.
I currently have a 18-55mm kit lens and a 50mm 1.8. (i did have a 55-250mm but it was damaged recently and doesnt work)

I have been reading and researching to get either a:
24-70 F2.8 // 24-70 F4 IS // 24-105 F4 IS

Going through all my photos i have taken, i obviously range from 18-95mm nothing over that when i comes to focal length.
I Mainly use the 50mm at the moment for everything i like the quality and the images it can produce, enjoy the bokeh and sometimes being able to use it in low light.

I have a yungoun flash with a soft box in the mail as i type.

All my photos are handheld and i mainly shoot in daylight or late afternoon, roughly 7am-7pm with the occasional landscape at dusk.
My "subjects" are :
Portraiture
Candids
Street Photography, walking around in the city and take photos of what ever fancies
Street scapes
Cars, i go to plenty of car meets, which are mainly during the day time
Pets, dogs mainly
Landscapes, which im just getting into
and the occasional flower

Ive tried giving you all the information i possibly can to be able to help me out, i appreciate any help

Thanks, Brett

- - - Updated - - -

Also not sure if this should be in the newbie section or here.

[AVALANCHE]

Hello,

Well, I am not sure how the 24-70mm will benefit you as you already have the focal range of 18-55mm existing.

Going by your genres listed...I suggest a telezoom lens that will see you up to 200/300mm. What exactly depends on your budget.

With that said, you could easily acheive the above genres with your current lenses. Be more concerned about technique and the elements of design than gear aquisition.

I am not sure why this is in 'product reviews' and I am sure you have posted a similar question in an existing thread.

[arthurking83]

I would start off with a better wide to mid focal length lens then.

18-55 is OK, and you obviously see the quality difference with the 50/1.8.
So a nice fast 17-50 f/2.8 may give you some joy too.

Canon have an IS lens in this range that you may like, but both Tamron and Sigma also have lenses in this range with image stabilisation too that are far cheaper and with extremely good qualities about them.


If you could get a percentage breakdown of how many of these images of yours were captured at 18mm compared to 95mm's, you can then determine which focal length you prefer to use.
If you find that a higher percentage are captured at 18mm, then I'd say concentrate more at the wide end for now .. and possibly go even wider!

Tokina 11-16mm f/2.8 would be the ideal lens for that end of the spectrum, followed by either the Sigma 10-20/4-5.6 and Canon 10-22.

[Brettmc20]

Well my plan was to sell the 18-55 once i found a replacement and possibly getting the 12-24mm then have the 24-70 or 24-105 then the 70-200

[arthurking83]

Makes sense then!


Don't stress too much about having gaps in your focal length lineup tho.

That is, 12-24 and then 24-70. You may find that you barely ever use the 19-21mm focal length range .. ever!

Of course it's nicer to have it than not, but it's more important to have the better lens for the job .. and if this means having a faster UWA lens in place of a slower version, then prioritize that aspect.

I'm not sure which 12-24mm you're looking at(Tokina perhaps? Sigma full frame?) .. but that 11-16/2.8 is a damn fine lens as a do it all ultra wide angle!
I'd forgo the 17-24mm focal length range for the faster aperture any day!


The only catch here too is, do you have plans to eventually upgrade your camera to a full frame version?

That is, do you see yourself getting heavily involved in the past time, to the point where you're soon spending nearly $3K on a camera body?

If so, then pre plan this well in advance and don't touch crop lenses!

.. you don't want to have to deal with updating them at a later stage as well!

I've only mentioned lenses that are suitable for your current gear, without any consideration to your future plans.

[extraball]

do you miss the focal range of the 55-250?

[Brettmc20]

No i rarely used it. I like to be in close to the action so to say, not a fan of huge focal lengths really.
That is why i was kinda opting for the 24-105 being rare that i might use the 105 focal but its there when needed kinda thing.

[William W]

. . . I currently have a 18-55mm kit lens and a 50mm 1.8. . . .I have been reading and researching to get . . . 24-70 F2.8 // 24-70 F4 IS // 24-105 F4 IS . . . All my photos are handheld and i mainly shoot in daylight . . . My "subjects" are : . . .
[LIST]. . . my plan was to sell the 18-55 once i found a replacement and possibly getting the 12-24mm then have the 24-70 or 24-105 then the 70-200

Commenting on the 12 to 24 PLUS 24 to xx Lens Combination, for an APS-C Camera:

I suggest you use your Kit Lens for the next week or two and never go wider than FL = 24mm.

There are two main reasons for this test –

1. That is the Focal length where you will need to change lenses when you are “walking about”
2. Wider than 24mm (to 18mm/17mm) you will NOT have Image Stabilization.

Then reckon if those two Zoom Lenses, are really a suitable solution for your needs & techniques.


WW

[arthurking83]

You can get lenses with stabilisation from 17mm and up .... maybe not all Canon branded, but they do exist!

[William W]

Canon has the EF-S 17 to 55F/2.8 IS USM.

WW

[arthurking83]

Sigma and Tamron also have 17-50mm's with stabilisation.

Tamron also has a 24-70mm with both f/2.8 and stabilisation ... Canon (I think) also has a 24-70mm with IS, but only up to f/4.

plentiful options if stabilized lenses are important factor.

[William W]

Yes there are plenty of lens options with IS to FL = 17~18mm.

But for clarity of post #8:
I was referring to the fact that the OP is thinking about buying a 12 to 24 and 24 to xx as a two zoom kit, in which case he will NOT have IS at any FL less than FL = 24mm.

WW

[Brettmc20]

Lol this made me more confused. I think i will buy the 24-105 and sell the 18-55 and buy a wide angle lens.

[William W]

The idea wasn’t suggested to make you more confused.
It was to suggest that you test out how that combination of two lenses might work for you, before you spend your money.

As you are confused, here is the idea, explained another way:

You presently have an 18 to 55 with Image Stabilization.
If you sell that lens and buy two other lenses - a 24 to 105 and a UWA zoom, then you will –

• NOT have Image Stabilization at 18mm to 24mm
• Need to CHANGE LENSES if you want to go wider than 24mm

Considering that four of your listed requirements are

• Candids
• Street Photography
• Street scapes
• Landscapes

And also noting that:
“All my photos are handheld”

Then it would be wise to consider these two points, before committing to purchase:

1. Having IS at 18mm to 24mm might be useful
2. And NOT having to CHANGE LENSES at 24mm might be useful.

That’s why it was suggested that you test out limiting your use to 24mm with your kit lens, before you spend any money as that would give you an idea of what you might be in for using two zooms and changing the lesnes at 24mm.

Additionally you could turn the IS off, for shots wider than 24mm and test that out for a week or two, to get an idea of what it is like shooting without Image Stabilization.

WW

[Brettmc20]

Alright thanks william, much apprecaited. Picking the right lens is tge hardest thing to do.
I enjoy using my 50mm because often enogh i find myself in low light situations are far bit and i like the Bokeh effect it gives.