# Recommend me a lens



## chrisjw (Jan 27, 2008)

I'm getting into photography as a serious amateur. Looking at buying the Canon D400 but I've gathered that the standard lens is rubbish so thinking about getting the body on it's own and then a different lens. I need a fair general purpose lens in terms of aperture range. Hard to say exactly what as I don't know the sensitivity of the CMOS. Zoom range would need to be down to at least 28mm (effective 35mm) then I tend not to go over 150mm (effective 35mm).

I can't afford to go mad on a £600 lens but don't want something I'm going to just want to replace in a year or so. Ideally around £250 max. If I need to spend more I'll just wait before getting the camera. The currently £45 cash back offer is encouraging me to buy soon but I don't want to rush it.

Any comments welcome!!! Need all the help I can get!!


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## -ROM- (Feb 23, 2007)

http://www.warehouseexpress.com/product/default.aspx?sku=1007707

something like that would suit what you are asking for, but TBH it is such a jack of all trades the performace is going to be quite disappointing!

As a general lens, i'd highly recommend this:

http://www.warehouseexpress.com/product/default.aspx?sku=1013810

Punches well above it's price point!


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## chrisjw (Jan 27, 2008)

I looked at that Sigma lens. As you say a lot of zoom range but I presumed that it wouldn't therefore give a great image at that price.

With lenses is it like a multitool. The more one lens tries to do the worse it does it. So really you want several lenses that are very good at their particular job?

With the Tamron lens would a fixed aperture be ok do you think. Obviously I'm still learning... I suppose I'd only have field of view problems when I'm doing close up shots?

Thanks for the help!!


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## -ROM- (Feb 23, 2007)

chrisjw said:


> I looked at that Sigma lens. As you say a lot of zoom range but I presumed that it wouldn't therefore give a great image at that price.
> 
> With lenses is it like a multitool. The more one lens tries to do the worse it does it. So really you want several lenses that are very good at their particular job?
> 
> ...


Yeah you can never have enough lenses, there more addictive than crack, :lol:

The tamron having a fixed aperture means it can stay at 2.8 even at full zoom, it doesn't mean that you can't change the aperture if you want to! (p.S. i think you mean depth of field, not field of view!)


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## ADZphtg (Mar 23, 2008)

*Lens*

Question, 
Do you use only one pad or polish to do all your detailing work?? I bet the answer is no, 
Buy a GOOD lens that may not do the focal range you need but does it very well at one end of it, ie 24-70 or 70-200mm, F2.8. 
The modern Sigma ones are VERY good indeed. 
Top tip, If you can't get wide enough with a lens, WALK BACKWARDS, If you can't get close enough, WALK FORWARDS. Your feet are the best zoom in the world.
Don't try and do everything with one lens, you'll regret it in the end
Adam


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## -ROM- (Feb 23, 2007)

ADZphtg said:


> Question,
> Do you use only one pad or polish to do all your detailing work?? I bet the answer is no,
> Buy a GOOD lens that may not do the focal range you need but does it very well at one end of it, ie 24-70 or 70-200mm, F2.8.
> The modern Sigma ones are VERY good indeed.
> ...


To follow on from that if you can get away with "zooming" with youe feet, the you can buy some cracking prime lenses i.e. fixed focal length (that explination was for the OP's benefit not your's adam:lol: ) that are not only cheaper than zoom lenses but faster and optically superior!


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## ADZphtg (Mar 23, 2008)

True Mr Morgan, PLEASE tell me where you get prime lenses cheaper than Zoom's tho, You could of saved me thousands!!!!


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## -ROM- (Feb 23, 2007)

ADZphtg said:


> True Mr Morgan, PLEASE tell me where you get prime lenses cheaper than Zoom's tho, You could of saved me thousands!!!!


I'm talking in the enthusiast dept, for example the 50mm plastic fantastic f1.8 is about £75 and will put any sub £300 zoom to shame! As long as you can live with the fixed focal length! pro gear is a different story!


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## dubsport (Aug 25, 2007)

ADZphtg said:


> Top tip, If you can't get wide enough with a lens, WALK BACKWARDS, If you can't get close enough, WALK FORWARDS
> Adam


Haha, best tip yet

Just got myself a 400d - great piece of kit :thumb:


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## ADZphtg (Mar 23, 2008)

Ah ok, Thought I had missed a trick after just laying out £6k on two new primes!!!

Adam


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## -ROM- (Feb 23, 2007)

ADZphtg said:


> Ah ok, Thought I had missed a trick after just laying out £6k on two new primes!!!
> 
> Adam


I'm sure they'll pay for themselves soon enough!


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## ADZphtg (Mar 23, 2008)

they better!!!!!. Shiny tho lol


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## -ROM- (Feb 23, 2007)

ADZphtg said:


> they better!!!!!. Shiny tho lol


LOL, i had to sit down when i bought my 70-200VR @ £1100, but like you say it looks impressive


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## ADZphtg (Mar 23, 2008)

Oh they are- 
http://www.usa.canon.com/templatedata/pressrelease/images/hiRes/20071015_hiRes_ef200_f2lis.jpg
and
http://www.canon.co.uk/For_Home/Pro...ed_Focal_Length/EF_85mm_f12L_II_USM/index.asp

It's ok, my accountant hates me anyway!


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## -ROM- (Feb 23, 2007)

you're making me jealous now with the ef200, should be able to get some lovely bokeh with that, not to mention images sharp enough to cut yourself on!


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## chrisjw (Jan 27, 2008)

Yeah I did mean depth of field. Sorry been working on a sighting system at work... Getting confused!

So can I increase the aperture (reduce the physical size) to get a higher depth of field with the Tamron lens? If I can that sounds spot on! The zoom range to great.

I think that a prime lens would be a bit restricting when I'm out. I'd like to be able to walk round a car show with only one or two lenses and be able to photograph virtually anything well.

The problem is that me current lens does macro, telephoto, 28-300mm F2.8 - f11 so I'm used to that. I know it doesn't do it as well as these lenses on an SLR.


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## -ROM- (Feb 23, 2007)

yep f/2.8 will give you in-focus foreground and out of focus background, called bokeh, a higher f number i.e. f11 will give you both foreground and background in-focus. The tamron is a lovely lens for the money and should do you proud!


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## chrisjw (Jan 27, 2008)

Ah ok. So when a lens says it is f2.8 or f3.5-6.3 that is the lowest the aperture will go? (Do you say lowest or is that the highest) The advantage of this lens is that is will stay at 2.8 no matter the zoom whereas a f3.5-6.3 lens will change over the zoom range.

If that's right there is a chance I might be learning!

Thanks very much for all the help!!!


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## -ROM- (Feb 23, 2007)

Yeah that's right a lens that say s3.5-6.3 means at the wide end it will have a aperture of 3.5 (fairly big) and by the time you zoom to the long end it will have automatically decreased in size to f6.3


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## chrisjw (Jan 27, 2008)

Brilliant! That explains a lot that has been confusing me while I've been looking. So all I have to do now is dig up the £200 I need for the the camera after the cash back off and the sale of my Fuji S6500fd. Then another £260 for the lens. Hmmm the start of a slippery slope I feel!!

Thanks again for all the help!


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## EdCherry (Apr 14, 2008)

Go for anything sigma.

Id happily choose a sigma lens over nikon/canon these days. Sigma's have a good mount which is solid, and the action on the rings are nice and smooth. The image clarity is great, maybe even superior to those of nikon/canon.


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## ADZphtg (Mar 23, 2008)

Sigma better than Nikon/Canon??? Don't work near St Albans do you?? Very controversial:lol:


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## EdCherry (Apr 14, 2008)

Well to be honest, you really cant go wrong with a sigma lens... but then again, unless you are really into editing of photos digitally or enlarging them on a massive scale you dont need the best of lens... same applies to the camera. You buy the equipment that applies too the job.


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## -ROM- (Feb 23, 2007)

EdCherry said:


> Well to be honest, you really cant go wrong with a sigma lens... but then again, unless you are really into editing of photos digitally or enlarging them on a massive scale you dont need the best of lens... same applies to the camera. You buy the equipment that applies too the job.


Sigma lenses for the price are excellent, but no where near as good as the one's canon and nikon make!

Yes you will get some lenses that are sharper, for example i have a tamron 17-50 f/2.8 and a nikon 17-55 f/2.8 now at around f/5.6 -f/8 the tamron outresolves the nikon by a tiny amount, but wide open the nikon is streets ahead!

Also some of the optical qualities of lenses cannot be quantified! But when you look at an image from a nikkor lens vs a third party the nikkor always have that little bit more punch and magical quality about them.

So in short third party lenses very good for their price but don't kid yourself they are better!


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