Canon 17-85 IS and other camera ramblings resulting in a purchase of a different lens

[Matblack]

Going on holiday and thinking that this lens might be an effective upgrade with its IS and focal length it would be a good option I think. There is one for not too much money on TP at the moment, has anyone got one of these?

Will be going on my 300D and used alongside my 50mm and my L-glass zoom

MB

[SCM]

I had one for a while MB and it was an ok lens, end results majority of times ok but i didn't think the sharpness was too good on my one i had. Also my lens ended up getting fibres inside of it onto the internal lens setup, so the sealing didn't impress me.

SCM

[Joe 90]

I used one of these when a friend first got his 40D

having only a cheap set of lenses myself, i thought this was a pretty nice lens to use - never really saw images that came off it though (well i will of done on flickr, but not noticed what lens they were from!)

[Mondo]

No no no no no, the IS is the only thing going for it, apart from that, its slow, its not that sharp and the newer 18-50 IS Kit lens is argubly sharper !

[Matblack]

No no no no no, the IS is the only thing going for it, apart from that, its slow, its not that sharp and the newer 18-50 IS Kit lens is argubly sharper !

Good, I won't buy it then, care to offer any other suggestion for ~£150

MB

[Mondo]

The problem is that the price just shot up in the last month by like 20% ! £150 won't get you very much in that bracket. For the 17-85 range on a crop


off my head,

Sigma does a 18-50 2.8 (£230 ish)
Tamron does a 17-50 2.8 (£240 ish)
Canon's 18-50 IS Kit lens (this is not 2.8 though)

That's about it pretty much really for that price, unless you go into mega money like 17-40L or 16-35L.

I would suggest go for the Tamron, i had one and sold it for funds for a 16-35 for £180, it's a terriffic lens for the money.

[Matblack]

Can't really afford to drop that kind of money on a lenes at the moment, its a shame because I want something decent for Iceland, wish I could afford a 40d with a lens to take with me but its going to cost me too much and I thought a half decent lens might tide me over.

Another option would be to find a 30d/40d body at a good price and hire a lens but it leaves me with a good camera and a 300D kit lens :/

http://www.lensesforhire.co.uk/canon-ef-24-105mm-f4-l-is-usm-25-p.asp

MB

[leowyatt]

why can't you keep the 350D and just rent a lens MB?

[Matblack]

Mines a 300d, I can rent the lens no problem it would do the job but I feel that the 300d is becoming a little dated and the LCD is tiny. I just want to make the most of the Iceland trip because I know its unlikely I'll get to go again if ever.

MB

[leowyatt]

I appreciate where you are coming from :) I think 30D bodies are around £300-400 on ebay

[Matblack]

I appreciate where you are coming from :) I think 30D bodies are around £300-400 on ebay

Nice thing about the *0d series is that they are a but larger and they would fit mme better, I can't really use the 300d without the battery grip because its too small for my hands :confused:

MB

[leowyatt]

I can imagine them being better. Your battery grip should work with the 30D too?

[Matblack]

I can imagine them being better. Your battery grip should work with the 30D too?

I don't think so. the case is a different design to the **0d series.

MB

[Matblack]

Hmmm

The more I think about this the more I think I might just get a 450d with the new kit lens which is supposed to be OK

MB

[Matblack]

Sounds tempting :D

We'll be going between the 18th and 24th of Feb so we don't really have very long.

Right now I might just go with the 300d, its a camera I'm familiar with now and take my zoom and thrifty fifth and hire an L glass wide- mid range lens (http://www.lensesforhire.co.uk/canon-ef-24-105mm-f4-l-is-usm-25-p.asp)to maximise the quality of the shots I can get. Theres a chance that it will be gloomy so the faster the lens the better I suppose. If your 400d is ready in time I might be interested in adding that to my pack instead of the 300d as its similar enough for me to switch too quickly, let me know how much you want and if you think it'll be fixed in time :)

MB

[Davey_Pitch]

Hmmm

The more I think about this the more I think I might just get a 450d with the new kit lens which is supposed to be OK

MB
I heart my 450D muchly, and the new IS kit lens is awesome. I've been able to get good quality hand held shots at night at 1/4 second because of it :)

[Matblack]

Sigma 17-70 DC Macro?

http://www.talkphotography.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?t=107760&highlight=17-70

I thought Marco was for close up? :/ But this seems to be a general usage lenes and has good reviews, I suspect I could get it for ~£170, opinions and an explaination of Macro in this context please?

Thanks

MB

[Matblack]

450d is a good camera Davey and the new lens does sound good, I could pick up the camera and kit lens for £400 at the airport, there are just too many options at the moment.

If the Sigma is suitable and I could pick it up for that money then I could hold out for a 30d or 40d and just buy the body which woould be ideal I think :)

MB

[Matblack]

Did my own research rather than rely on other people and decided the Sigma 17-70 would be a good call as it will stand me on good stead and is regarded as as good or better than the kit lens on the *0d series which means I can buy a 30/40d body at a later date :)

Pete, Betty and DRZ, I hope you don't mind but I told the guy on TP that I didn't think you'd mind vouching for me if he needed it :o as I don't have many posts over there :confused:

Hopefully this trip will result in some good pics that I won't feel embarrassed to post over there and maybe I'll get my post count up a bit :)

MB

[lostkat]

Given the choice of replacing a 300D or getting a new lens, I'd go for the lens every time. The 300D is a cracking little SLR and yeah I know it's dated, a little slow (if you want to take photo after photo) and hardly a 40D, but the quality of the photographs is still excellent. I'd spend my money on a new lens instead.

[Matblack]

Given the choice of replacing a 300D or getting a new lens, I'd go for the lens every time. The 300D is a cracking little SLR and yeah I know it's dated, a little slow (if you want to take photo after photo) and hardly a 40D, but the quality of the photographs is still excellent. I'd spend my money on a new lens instead.

That's reassuring, thanks Kate :)

I'm sure I'll be content with the Sigma for the time being and then maybe later in the year pick up a 30 or 40d, I have an offer of borrowing a 400d from a very generous member here too so hopefully this trip will produce some good pics, and you're right the 300d is still a cracking camera :)

MB

[petemc]

What Kate said. New lens. You'll be doing mostly landscapes so the 300D is more than capable. ISO100, no noise issues. Spend the money on the lens. The new kit lens isn't going to be hugely brilliant. You want something from 15-70, roughly. The Sigma 10-20 is a good lens if you get a good copy but in some ways 10mm can be too wide. Iceland is all about the views as I'm sure you know. So you want something sharpish in the region of 15-70. Don't Tamron make some 17-35? TBH I'm not hot on gear unless I own it. No probs on the vouching thing either :)

[lostkat]

Yes they do Pete. I've have the Tamron 17-35mm f/2.8-4 SP AF Di for a few years now and I really like it. I'm sure it cost me £230ish, but have just looked on Warehouse Express and it's £350, which is a bit too far out of Matt's price range. Shame.

[petemc]

Ow. Stupid price increases. From what I've seen of yours it was a good lens.

[Matblack]

The Sigma is supposed to be pretty good and very well built

http://www.pbase.com/lightrules/17701785

http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=162904&page=5

http://www.bristolcameras.co.uk/images/sigma-lens-17-70.jpg

Does a nice close up too :)

http://img143.imageshack.us/img143/8844/sigma69rc.jpg

http://img175.imageshack.us/img175/4594/9974sintrieur28oq.jpg

http://www.pbase.com/orogeny/image/63267730.jpg

I've negotiated a price and the guy will send it to me next week :)

MB

[Dee]

Only just spotted this, I would have vouched for you if needed, but doesnt look like you needed it ;)

Congrats on the new baby :D

[lostkat]

That's fantastic. Congrats :)

[Mondo]

Good choice, i left it out my original list because it wasn't a constant aperture lens, didn't know if that matters to you or not. :)

[Matblack]

Its not a huge consideration for us Ray and I think it'll be ideal for the time being also the Macro ability of the lens was a real positive point for a general walkabout lens :)

MB