Canon 550D - what lens?
Discussion
I've just bought a Canon 550D. I was close to buying a Nikon 5100 but after quite a bit of research, I felt that image quality was better with the Canon, and contrary to what some people say about the Nikon having a more user-friendly interface, I felt that the Canon was better in this regard too. It really is a joy to use; the button layout on the back and the on-screen menus are almost perfectly judged IMO.
Anyway, I want to get a second lens at some point in the not too distant future for landscapes/mountains/urban shots but I'm not sure whether I should go for a Canon 15-85mm lens as a do-it-all lens or go for a more extreme wide angle lens like the Tokina 12-24mm or Canon 10-22mm (superb reviews) to complement the kit lens.
I must say that the Canon 15-85 appeals - it is wide enough for most landscapes and offers a decent amount of zoom for the rest of the time. For 90% of the time it could be the perfect lens.
However, the Tokina is cheaper and probably sharper but could mean that I end up carrying 2 lens with me when travelling and hiking.
Not sure... any photography gurus on here have any experience of using these lenses?
Anyway, I want to get a second lens at some point in the not too distant future for landscapes/mountains/urban shots but I'm not sure whether I should go for a Canon 15-85mm lens as a do-it-all lens or go for a more extreme wide angle lens like the Tokina 12-24mm or Canon 10-22mm (superb reviews) to complement the kit lens.
I must say that the Canon 15-85 appeals - it is wide enough for most landscapes and offers a decent amount of zoom for the rest of the time. For 90% of the time it could be the perfect lens.
However, the Tokina is cheaper and probably sharper but could mean that I end up carrying 2 lens with me when travelling and hiking.
Not sure... any photography gurus on here have any experience of using these lenses?
Dogsey said:
I love mine and find it a very good walkabout lens, yes it's not very fast and it vingettes rather a lot at the wide end (nothing that's not correctable though) but I rarely want for something wider.
If I can find one second hand, I might take the plunge.
On the other hand though, I believe the Tokina is a finer lens and the mark 1 can be had for around £350. Also, it is more flexible than the 11-16mm say with the zoom (relatively speaking) on offer, so it might *just* work as a walkabout lens for landscape/general shooting... hmmm.
I think what I'm trying to say is: for the price, would the 15-85 be too close to the 18-55 in terms of range? Why not just get a more dedicated wide angle lens for less and just swap lenses as and when the mood takes me? I shall play around a bit more with the kit lens and then come to a decision.
Thanks for the replies btw.
The 15-85 would replace the kit lens, you'd have no need for it really.
If you want an "as well as" rather than a "instead of" a UWA may be worth looking at.
I think the biggest problem with the Tokina is it only has a 5mm range.. they do a 12-24, canon a 10-22 and sigma a couple of 10-20s, all of which would offer more flexibility.
If you want an "as well as" rather than a "instead of" a UWA may be worth looking at.
I think the biggest problem with the Tokina is it only has a 5mm range.. they do a 12-24, canon a 10-22 and sigma a couple of 10-20s, all of which would offer more flexibility.
As mentioned above, I'd give a little while to see how you get on with your 18-55 kit lens - you may end up wanting something very wide like a 10mm lens, or perhaps something more 'sports and wildlife' like a telezoom.
If you do want another lens then I'd certainly say that the 15-85 will be a replacement for your 18-55, I don't see any reason to keep both... If you are looking at wider lenses then also keep in mind that the Tonika 11-16 is an f2.8 lens, so it's considerably faster than most of the ultra-wides on the market.
If you do want another lens then I'd certainly say that the 15-85 will be a replacement for your 18-55, I don't see any reason to keep both... If you are looking at wider lenses then also keep in mind that the Tonika 11-16 is an f2.8 lens, so it's considerably faster than most of the ultra-wides on the market.
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