Recommend me a lens for my 350D pls...

[VINEWEEVIL]

Have a 350D and kit lens. Was looking for a lens that I can leave on the camera most of the time. Currently take a lot of portrait type shots but some of that is due to not being able to zoom very far.

Was looking to spend £250 tops, less if poss. Perhaps a Sigma. Have seen an 18-200mm f3.5 DC... anyone have one. Also will I need this long a lens?

[Marik]

24-70 f2.8!

[Matt Charlton]

It depends entirely on what you're going to take pictures of - I bought a canon 100-400L and when I go to places like Chester Zoo or I'm doing wildlife shots its never off my camera - there are shots I would like to take that I cant because it involves a lens changeover and I miss the shot - I got around this the last time I went to Chester by taking a film camera with the 50mm on it.

You can see from my kit list in my signature what I currently have, I have the kit lens, a zoom lens for things that are far away, a macro lens for really close up stuff, the 50mm for portraits and general use.

What would you like to take photos of?

[Matt Charlton]

For a general use walkabout lens, my dad got one of these:

http://www.onestop-digital.com/catalog/product_info.php?cPath=24_26&products_id=168

Canon EF 28-105mm f/3.5-4.5 II USM Lens

[oldgit]

As Darksaber says.. what to you want to photo?

Zoom lenses tend to break down into the following categories

fisheye/landsape : 12-50mm
general - 35-80mm
tele - 70-2|300mm
super tele - 100->400mm
one fits all (ahem) - 28-300mm. Generally poorer than a shorter range zoom
macro - not strictly a zoom lens, but some of them do offer macro photog features


Dont forget the multiplier on your 350 of 1.6


Then do your own research

http://www.photodo.com/
http://www.talkphotography.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?t=1348
http://www.the-digital-picture.com/Default.aspx

A good place to scan for a good range and "pricing" (tends not to be the cheapest) is:
http://www.warehouseexpress.com/

[RobertP]

Agree with what has been said already.

My first purchase was the Tamrom 28-75mm f2.8 . I have bought more lenses since then but still rate that lens. The large f2.8 aperture can isolate a subject with its depth of field and it is generally very sharp - even wide open.
75mm gives a reasonable zoom on a 1.6 crop camera so something in that range seems like a good choice to me.

I still had the kit lens if I needed wide angle so my my lens buying urges were satisfied for hmm at least a few months ;)

I've never used an ultra zoom lens 18-200 or suchlike but I've noticed most people that buy them move back to normal range zooms eventually.

[Double_Agent]

24-70 f2.8!

24-70 for £250. I want one too. Dont think you will find too many available at that price though!!!

[Joe T]

The Sigma 18-200 is good consideirng the range of focal lengths on offer. The Tamron equivalent is very similar.

Sigma have just announced a 18-200 OS (optical stabilisation) model. I dont know the price yet, but if you can stretch to that it may well be worth it.

18-200 lenses are useful, but will nto give the best image quality due to the length of the zoom.

[RobertP]

24-70 for £250. I want one too. Dont think you will find too many available at that price though!!!

You can get the Tamron 2.8 for £249... maybe less. I paid £240 I think.

[hypnotic]

My vote goes to the Tamron 28-75 2.8 as well.

In fact it is the only lens I have at the moment.

Trying to change that situation with kerso but he is not answering his email at this time.

[CarlOgden]

I got the Sigma 28-105 f2.8-4 Aspherical for sale, see Ads section!

Carl.

[Marik]

Ordered the 24-70 f2.8 last night :)

[Grendel]

I have the Sigma 17-70mm f2.8-4.5 and am really pleased with it. It comes in nicely in your budget too ;)

http://www.sigma-imaging-uk.com/lenses/dclenses/17-70mm.htm