General Purpose Lens

cartridge_gal

cartridge_gal

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Anna
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What do you recommend for a general purpose lens? I was thinking along the lines of a
sigma 70-200mm
 
When you say 'general purpose' what are you looking to take photos of?

A 70-200mm lens may be a bit limiting if you are looking to take indoor portraits and landscapes. A typical kit lens for a crop camera is around 18-55mm, so any lens that covers that length is usually considered 'general purpose'.
 
General purpose for what? for a walkround 15-85, for a trip to the zoo 70-200, for wildlife 150-500, for landscape 10-20 or possibly even one of the former. It all depends what you are shooting. If buying just one lens a 15-85 would be a good starter.
 
For a walkaround lens I quite like my Dad's EF 35-135.

However, sometimes I really need the extra width that my 18-55mm kit lens gives me.
 
15-85 as a general purpose walkaround on a crop (and let's not have the "my 50mm prime is my most used walkaround lens" discussions - you can only get to that point when you know what sort of photos you want to take and what focal length suits your style)
 
I'd recommend a "superzoom" Nikon 18-200, Sigma 18-200 or Tamron 18-250. Possibly justifiably criticised as jack of all trades, master of none, but IMHO IQ quite good enough for most purposes.
 
geriatrix said:
I'd recommend a "superzoom" Nikon 18-200, Sigma 18-200 or Tamron 18-250. Possibly justifiably criticised as jack of all trades, master of none, but IMHO IQ quite good enough for most purposes.
Click to expand...

Kinda difficult on a Canon 40D ;-)
 
It does not get more all purpose than the Sigma 50-500mm but it is quite heavy and maybe over your budget.

Also the older Canon 35-350mm is a nice lens to consider if you do not need a fast aperture
 
i have a sigma 18 - 200 on a 40d, yes it has its limitations in low light, but in good light i don't think you can beat it, a lot of my recent photos on flickr have been taken with it

http://www.flickr.com/photos/25550342@N05/
 
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