Say you had £1000 (lenses).....
Discussion
....which ones would you buy?
Given a budget of £1k, which lenses would you buy to cover a range of focal lengths from say 15 or 17mm, up to say 300mm, and a decent macro/portrait lens?
I'm assuming 3 different lenses here to achieve this (2 zoom and maybe a fixed for the macro/portrait). My camera is a Canon 40D. I am not concerned about sticking to Canon lenses - equally happy with Sigma. Would like to go as 'fast' as I can within budget. Image stabilisation is good, but not essential.
Be really interested to hear you thoughts.
Given a budget of £1k, which lenses would you buy to cover a range of focal lengths from say 15 or 17mm, up to say 300mm, and a decent macro/portrait lens?
I'm assuming 3 different lenses here to achieve this (2 zoom and maybe a fixed for the macro/portrait). My camera is a Canon 40D. I am not concerned about sticking to Canon lenses - equally happy with Sigma. Would like to go as 'fast' as I can within budget. Image stabilisation is good, but not essential.
Be really interested to hear you thoughts.
I wouldn't (didn't) try to cover all that with three lenses for £1k
Once upon a time when sold a kidney, I spent the money on this:
Sigma 10-20
Nikkor 28-70 f/2.8
Nikkor 80-400VR
I appreciate this doesn't really answer your question - I suppose what I'm saying is that in your situation I'd buy one or possibly two excellent lenses rather than 3 "OK" lenses which you'll then have a desire to upgrade again in a couple of years.
My 28-70 in particular is more of a lens than I'll ever need or be able to get the best out of. Mind you it also exceeded your budget on its own, so it flipping well should be!
Once upon a time when sold a kidney, I spent the money on this:
Sigma 10-20
Nikkor 28-70 f/2.8
Nikkor 80-400VR
I appreciate this doesn't really answer your question - I suppose what I'm saying is that in your situation I'd buy one or possibly two excellent lenses rather than 3 "OK" lenses which you'll then have a desire to upgrade again in a couple of years.
My 28-70 in particular is more of a lens than I'll ever need or be able to get the best out of. Mind you it also exceeded your budget on its own, so it flipping well should be!
GetCarter said:
The last two lenses I bought were both over £1000.
..but If I had only £1000 for three lenses, then a 1.4 50 mm, a 70-300 zoom and a jobbing 28 - 55. (ish)
Which would leave me enough money for either a tank of fuel or several days in the Seychelles.
crmcatee said:
24-70mm 2.8L. Best lens I've ever bought so far - I'm still getting used to the 65MM that 4hero forced me to buy
Good choice 
Still waiting to see some shots though...£1000? I'm really tempted by the 24-70 too, got nothing in that range yet. Although, picking up a 5D MKII tomorrow which comes with the 24-105 so that might do for now
I'm surprised you can actually buy more than one lens for under 1k!Edited by 4hero on Thursday 18th June 22:08
Maybe three lenses for £1k is asking too much. Without the macro/portrait lense, would be options increase significantly if I just wanted to cover the 17 to 300 range with this budget?
Just to add, I am no more than a keen amateur/intermediate level at the moment (hence the budget), but want some decent kit which I won't grow out of too quickly.
Just to add, I am no more than a keen amateur/intermediate level at the moment (hence the budget), but want some decent kit which I won't grow out of too quickly.
Edited by pstruck on Thursday 18th June 22:20
pstruck said:
Maybe three lenses for £1k is asking too much. Without the macro/portrait lense, would be options increase significantly if I just wanted to cover the 17 to 300 range with this budget?
Just to add, I am no more than a keen amateur/intermediate level at the moment (hence the budget), but want some decent kit which I won't grow out of too quickly.
If you're happy to drop the macro part of macro/portrait, then get a Canon 50mm f/1.8 for £80 or so, concentrate on finding a couple of lenses for around £400 each, and keep back £100 or so for macro extension tubes that will allow you to use one of your other lenses for the macro shots.Just to add, I am no more than a keen amateur/intermediate level at the moment (hence the budget), but want some decent kit which I won't grow out of too quickly.
4hero said:
crmcatee said:
24-70mm 2.8L. Best lens I've ever bought so far - I'm still getting used to the 65MM that 4hero forced me to buy
Good choice Still waiting to see some shots though...£1000? I'm really tempted by the 24-70 too, got nothing in that range yet. Although, picking up a 5D MKII tomorrow which comes with the 24-105 so that might do for now
I'm surprised you can actually buy more than one lens for under 1k!Edited by 4hero on Thursday 18th June 22:08
24-70 2.8L, and then steal something for the longer ranges
I rented the 24-105 f4L a while back, stunning glass.
To explain my original question a little more... I have the Canon 17-85 IS USM lens which I bought with the camera body, plus a 70-200 F4 L(non-IS) which I picked up secondhand.
I find myself needing a bit more focal length and am finding that the 17-85 is not giving me the clarity and sharpness that I was hoping for, plus some fairly noticeable distortion.
My question assumes I had neither of these lenses and was buying from scratch. However, I do really like the 70-200, so may consider the x1.4 extender that has been suggested elsewhere.
That would leave me the sub 70mm range to consider.
I find myself needing a bit more focal length and am finding that the 17-85 is not giving me the clarity and sharpness that I was hoping for, plus some fairly noticeable distortion.
My question assumes I had neither of these lenses and was buying from scratch. However, I do really like the 70-200, so may consider the x1.4 extender that has been suggested elsewhere.
That would leave me the sub 70mm range to consider.
RobDickinson said:
I'd keep the 70-200f4L, its a cracking lens that will always come in handy, its small and light (for the type) and easy to hold.
What he said. Or...
You could sell that (won't lose anything if you bought it second hand), replace it with an IS version, a 1.4 teleconverter, a 50 1.4 and that should leave enough for a sigma 10-20.
(go to a 50mm 1.8 if there's not enough for the wideangle)
Edited by Famous Graham on Friday 19th June 10:58
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