Best all round every day lens ?

NeilMc

NeilMc

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I really need to up my game a little and need to get away from always shooting on budget prime lenses.

What, in your opinions, is the best all round every day lens.

My gut feel is a Canon 28-70mm F2.8 L lens on a 1.6 crop body.

But its a grand and I want to get it right.
 
On APS-C, something between 20 and 50mm depending on what length you like. I have 20mm f1.8 and 50mm f1.4. I sold my Siggy 30mm f1.4 when I bought a FF but it was a very good lens and sharper than their 50mm f1.4 at f1.4.

I've never really thought that using FF "standard" zooms on APS-C is a fantastic idea as they're big and heavy and you're restricted at the wide end. A 17-50mm f2.8 makes much more sense on APS-C IMVHO.
 
I think there was a 28-70 but assume you mean the 24-70. For crop the 17-55 IS is the more recognised 2.8 standard zoom, excellent optically and built solidly enough if not quite to 'L' standards. The 15-85 also seems to be highly rated for crop. If you went Full-frame they would not work on that, but otherwise may be better choices than the 24-70 or 24-105. Tamron 17-50 also has a good rep.

You don't state the issue with your primes so hard to give guidance really on this basis, and whether you would consider 'non-budget' primes or if you simply want zooms.
 
For my purposes, a 28mm on a crop body wouldn't be wide enough. For the budget end, then a 17-85 EF-S at around £370, or for something special, then the 17-40 L at around £620. The 17-55 EF-S IS is about £790 if IS is what you want.

But as I said, I'm a wide person [in more ways than one], and 17mm on a crop isn't that wide. So the 17mm end is where I'd start. I don't think you'll be disappointed with a 17-40 L, and it will last you a lot longer than your body.
 
Unless you need the large aperture I would recommend the canon 24-105 f4 IS
 
When I had crop camera I had Tamron 17-50. It was a great lens and good range. I would go for Canon 17-55, Tamron 17-50 or Sigma 17-50 (or something around that range). :)
 
NeilMc said:
I really need to up my game a little and need to get away from always shooting on budget prime lenses.

What, in your opinions, is the best all round every day lens.

My gut feel is a Canon 28-70mm F2.8 L lens on a 1.6 crop body.

But its a grand and I want to get it right.
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I'm a newbe but I have been reading a lot. I just bought a t3i today and I'm researching lenses. The one good all around that I'm looking at is the 15-85 lens. I guess it depends on what you are using it for. But my first learner lens is going to be the niffty 50mm. From what I'm seeing with a couple of adjustments it can be a clean accurate lens. Oh and the price, 120 u.s. can't loose really. Good luck..
 
shaylou said:
I'm a newbe but I have been reading a lot. I just bought a t3i today and I'm researching lenses. The one good all around that I'm looking at is the 15-85 lens. I guess it depends on what you are using it for. But my first learner lens is going to be the niffty 50mm. From what I'm seeing with a couple of adjustments it can be a clean accurate lens. Oh and the price, 120 u.s. can't loose really. Good luck..
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I think most people would agree with the 15-85mm (or the 17-55mm if you want f2.8, and are willing to sacrifice range) but the f1.8 50mm isn't the best choice for a walk around lens. It acts as a short telephoto on a crop, and it's too long for a lot of applications; but it does offer a cheap - and good - introduction to fast primes.
 
Keep shooting primes would be my advice. They'll push your composition skills and make you really understand different focal lengths much more than zooms. Even pros that use zooms (depending on what you're shooting) are doing so on full frame sensors with depth of field usually approaching wide open primes on crop cameras.

Zooms are good for convenience but primes will push your photography more. Once you have a mastery of the fundamentals consider zooms, but in my opinion the ultra wide and telephoto ranges are the only ones that require zooms due to dramatic perspective shifts on the wide end or the sheer impracticality of moving physically at the telephoto (100mm+) end. the 17-55 crop range or 24-75 35mm range is covered more than adequately with primes and on a crop I'd want all the DoF control I can get.

I assume you're thinking a 50 1.8 is limiting you, but I'd spend the money on a Sigma 30 1.4 and reconsider your stance on primes as the 80mm equivalent focal length (what the 50 1.8 gets on a crop) is definitely limiting in and of itself as it's a specialist sort of range, only really consistently useful for portraits
 
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The trouble with buying crop sensor lenses is that when you're ready to go full frame you've got a lot of lenses that won't work on the new body.
 
Sorry guys, its the Canon 24-70mm EF F2.8 L USM lens not 28-70... doh

Wow I am surprised at the range of responses to this question, I thought it would be pretty clear cut, obviously not as clear cut as I thought, so plenty to think about
 
Ksanti said:
Keep shooting primes would be my advice. They'll push your composition skills and make you really understand different focal lengths much more than zooms. Even pros that use zooms (depending on what you're shooting) are doing so on full frame sensors with depth of field usually approaching wide open primes on crop cameras.

Zooms are good for convenience but primes will push your photography more. Once you have a mastery of the fundamentals consider zooms, but in my opinion the ultra wide and telephoto ranges are the only ones that require zooms due to dramatic perspective shifts on the wide end or the sheer impracticality of moving physically at the telephoto (100mm+) end. the 17-55 crop range or 24-75 35mm range is covered more than adequately with primes and on a crop I'd want all the DoF control I can get.

I assume you're thinking a 50 1.8 is limiting you, but I'd spend the money on a Sigma 30 1.4 and reconsider your stance on primes as the 80mm equivalent focal length (what the 50 1.8 gets on a crop) is definitely limiting in and of itself as it's a specialist sort of range, only really consistently useful for portraits
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I currently have the trusty Canon F1.8 50mm and the Canon F2 35mm lenses as well as the standard kit lens that came with the 450d.

The primes are working ok for the low light gig photography I do, but for general everyday stuff out and about stuff I feel I need a better lens.

Hence me looking at the 24-70mm

Ideally I want to upgrade my gig lenses to 35mm F1.4 L series prime but thats something for another day.
 
ryanyboy said:
The trouble with buying crop sensor lenses is that when you're ready to go full frame you've got a lot of lenses that won't work on the new body.
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Yup. And the problem with using full frame lenses on a crop body is they're big and heavy, have glass that you can't use and are probably restricted at the wide end.

If there's a plan to go full frame in the near future I'd agree that full frame lenses would make sense but if it's just a maybe/might do/sometime then why put up with the compromises for possibly years.
 
woof woof said:
Yup. And the problem with using full frame lenses on a crop body is they're big and heavy, have glass that you can't use and are probably restricted at the wide end.

If there's a plan to go full frame in the near future I'd agree that full frame lenses would make sense but if it's just a maybe/might do/sometime then why put up with the compromises for possibly years.
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Your first sentence was the possibly the most nonsense I've read on TP for quite some time. The best lenses are heavy. If you want the best you have to deal with it. What glass you can't use? And who's to say it's restricted at the wide end? Maybe other suggestions are restricted at the long end....

I was trying to offer the OP good advice based on experience. And future proofing your lenses is very good advice.
 
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I guess the driver for this is I shot some stuff yesterday and it didnt come out as I expected and I was left feeling disappointed. This has prompted me to look at upgrading the lens now and body later as the final decision is still yet to be made on the body.

The plan to see me through the next couple of years was to go for a 7D or a MkII 5d. Initially I wanted the 5d, but after talking through some of my issues with a Canon person, the 7d may be more suited to the gig stuff I do.

I'm yet to get a good look at both and see which one suits me best, but the lens would carry over to either wouldnt it ?
 
ryanyboy said:
The trouble with buying crop sensor lenses is that when you're ready to go full frame you've got a lot of lenses that won't work on the new body.
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And how many people actually change to full frame. Very few probably. Anyway if the lenses won't work on full frame you sell them (on this forum)and buy ones that will. No point buying lenses based on a possibility that you might (but probably won't) change at some point in the future.
 
I disagree. LOTS of people move to full frame. And those that do lose money on lenses that are no longer compatible. If the OP is doing gig photography a full frame body will be particularly handy due to better noise handling.

Although Neil for gigs go for the 24-70 2.8 over the 24-105 F4. The faster lens will help in the low light.
 
ryanyboy said:
The trouble with buying crop sensor lenses is that when you're ready to go full frame you've got a lot of lenses that won't work on the new body.
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Not a big deal at all with the quality DX lenses, the Nikon 17-55 I had being such an awesome lens, I had a buyer lined up before my D700 even arrived. I lost nothing either, I bought s/h and sold it for the same I bought it for.

Decent lenses sell easily s/h, whether they are DX or FX.
 
ryanyboy said:
Your first sentence was the possibly the most nonsense I've read on TP for quite some time. The best lenses are heavy. If you want the best you have to deal with it. What glass you can't use? And who's to say it's restricted at the wide end? Maybe other suggestions are restricted at the long end....

I was trying to offer the OP good advice based on experience. And future proofing your lenses is very good advice.
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Oh dear. You don't seem to understand my point so please allow me explain...

The best lenses may be heavy but you seem not to understand that full frame lenses are designed and built to cover a larger image circle than APS-C can use. That's what I meant by "glass you can't use." APS-C lenses can be smaller and lighter as they need less glass to cover the smaller image circle. :bang:

As for "restricted at the short end." "Standard" full frame zoom lenses tend to start at 24 or 28mm, APS-C "standard" zoom lenses tend to start at 17 or 18mm giving a much wider FoV. Yes, there is the 17-40mm f4 but that was designed to be a wide angle lens on FF and makes less sense on APS-C IMVHO.

ryanyboy said:
I was trying to offer the OP good advice based on experience. And future proofing your lenses is very good advice.
Click to expand...

I was also trying to provide advice. If the OP is thinking about going FF in the near future FF lenses might indeed make sense but if it's years in the future why not use the most appropriate lenses now and buy FF lenses if and when going FF? This is what I did but others are free to make their own decisions.
 
Another option if you are going FF (5D) or thinking about it and dont need anything super wide is a Canon 28/135 IS USM 3.5/5.6, admitedly its not a "fast" lens but its a good allrounder at about £250 second hand or about £400 new. IS is usefull to enable a slower shutter speed based on teh slow aperture at the long end.
Its not super sharp or blindingly fast AF but its quite good.

EF-s lenses of course will work on a crop but not a FF body.

Matt
 
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If you absolutely feel you must be spending a grand, for the cost of the 24-70 you could get a 5D classic and 28-135 or Tamron 27-75 f/2.8. You could also sell the crop body, the 50 1.8 and the 35 f/2 and upgrade your 50 1.8 to something like a Sigma 50 1.4 or Canon 50 1.4. The noise performance is still years ahead of any crop camera and the image quality on full frame is better than any crop sensor + lens combo given the crop factors magnifying softness.

The 35 f/2 is a really poor lens to be quite honest so I wouldn't be disappointed in primes in general. The 30 1.4 is a much better lens that I'd sooner recommend and wouldn't be too much of a cost.
 
Ksanti said:
The 35 f/2 is a really poor lens to be quite honest so I wouldn't be disappointed in primes in general.
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What's the problem with yours? Mine works like a charm.

If you have the money, enjoy the IS on the Canon 17-55mm. I can currently only dream of hand-holding night-shots at 1/2-1/4. Besides, outside the most ideal conditions (shutter of 1/250 and faster) stabilisation is advantageous for images sharpness.
 
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shaylou said:
But my first learner lens is going to be the niffty 50mm. From what I'm seeing with a couple of adjustments it can be a clean accurate lens. Oh and the price, 120 u.s. can't loose really. Good luck..
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As long as it's a short term option before getting something else. I think you'll soon become frustrated and disappointed with being stuck with a short telephoto with limited use.
 
I had a 24-105 F4 L and traded it on a 24 - 70 F2.8 L.

As much as the 24-70 suits the vast majority of my needs the extra length on the 24-105was very nice and as a walk around lens I preferred it.
 
I know this is going to make some people upset but I am using tamron 18-270 and been quite happy with that as my daily walk around lens. I did have varous primes and L lenses but for convenience I do prefer such a versatile zoom like that.
 
ryanyboy said:
The trouble with buying crop sensor lenses is that when you're ready to go full frame you've got a lot of lenses that won't work on the new body.
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Most don't bother with FF, and if you do a good crop lens will sell on for good money. You should always get the best tool for the job, not worry about what you might be buying a few years down the line.
 
NeilMc said:
Sorry guys, its the Canon 24-70mm EF F2.8 L USM lens not 28-70... doh

Wow I am surprised at the range of responses to this question, I thought it would be pretty clear cut, obviously not as clear cut as I thought, so plenty to think about
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That's ok on a crop as long as you don't plan on shooting wide (or already have a UWA).
 
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Ksanti said:
If you absolutely feel you must be spending a grand, for the cost of the 24-70 you could get a 5D classic and 28-135 or Tamron 27-75 f/2.8. You could also sell the crop body, the 50 1.8 and the 35 f/2 and upgrade your 50 1.8 to something like a Sigma 50 1.4 or Canon 50 1.4. The noise performance is still years ahead of any crop camera and the image quality on full frame is better than any crop sensor + lens combo given the crop factors magnifying softness.

The 35 f/2 is a really poor lens to be quite honest so I wouldn't be disappointed in primes in general. The 30 1.4 is a much better lens that I'd sooner recommend and wouldn't be too much of a cost.
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What a load of erroneous codswallop.

My 50d is better than my 5d above 1600 iso and the Canon 35mm f/2 is a stunningly good lens.

As for the 5d iq being better than any crop body / lens combo. Well, I can assure you my 5d with a Canon 70-300 IS is no where near as good as my 50d with the Sigma 70-200 EX II iq wise (and for physically getting the shot!)!
 
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WOW.... guys guys.. I was just after a bit of advice not to start an emotional exchange of views.

I wasnt really planning on using the F2.8 24-70 as a gig lens, I had the 35mm F1.4 L lens for that, but I am getting asked to do more and more photoshoots as a result of my live work and I just feel I need a better quality lens for use in 'normal' light.

I know a red band L lens from Canon is going to be much heavier than the plastic bodied primes I have now but thats the price I am willing to pay for a bit more quality.

Thanks for all your input guys its certainly give me more to think about than I had originally thought.
 
NeilMc said:
I really need to up my game a little and need to get away from always shooting on budget prime lenses.

What, in your opinions, is the best all round every day lens.

My gut feel is a Canon 28-70mm F2.8 L lens on a 1.6 crop body.

But its a grand and I want to get it right.
Click to expand...

You can pick up a 28-70 2.8L for less than £500
The out going model of 24-70 2.8L will be dropping in price too.

I had the 24-70L but it's not that much better than my old 28-70L so I sold the 24-70L instead. If I wanna go wide then use wide angle.
 
NeilMc said:
I really need to up my game a little and need to get away from always shooting on budget prime lenses.

What, in your opinions, is the best all round every day lens.

My gut feel is a Canon 28-70mm F2.8 L lens on a 1.6 crop body.

But its a grand and I want to get it right.
Click to expand...

If we didn't live so far apart I would happily let you borrow my 24-70. £1k is too much to spend on an internet recommendation so I would advise trying to borrow one/ rent one first.

I learnt the hard way, spent the cash and have hardly ever used it since! Don't get me wrong it is a beautiful lens but it doesn't really suit my shooting style.

I am considering selling my 24-70 and investing in different kit - but then I wouldn't have a 24-70! Perhaps I need to hold on to it, as I am sure I will grow into it LOL.
 
There's nothing wrong with using prime lenses as normal lenses, I use my 50mm (on fill frame) more than any other lens.

How are you current lenses holding you back? Not long enough etc? And what type of photos are you planning in taking with your new lens?
 
Neil, despite all the suggestions in the range of 17-50mm, you repeat your attraction to the Canon 24-70mm. If you feel that you have the wide end covered and really want the longer end, have you considered the Tamron 28-75mm ?
A bit of research will show what a good lens this is, and a great deal. The sharpness graphs in SLRGear.com are a good guide.

Good luck with your choice.
 
Thanks for the tip David, never really considered the non-Canon lens options, probably a hang over from a Sigma lens I bought as a youth that was pants.

It also means if you use all one manufacturer and there is a technical issue you dont get stuck in the middle of one manufacturer blaming the others equipment for the fault.

The reason I found the 24-70 attractive was the 70mm end of things should allow me to get shots without being on top of people. I dont do landscape stuff or anything that really warrants the wide angle and 24-70 gave me a nice bit either side of the 50mm prime I use most of the time.


BUT because so many have given the recommendation of the 17-50mm then I'll give them both a try on my body and see how I get on.

Thanks for all the feedback guys, its been really interesting reading all the opions.
 
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