Canon lens recommendations please

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Looking to update my lens, Canon 400D, just have the 17-85mm f4-5.6 at the moment. I'd like something more suitable for indoor shots (kids, mainly), and I'd also like a long zoom lens for sports/nature shots. I realise this will need to be two lenses! What would you recommend? Keen amateur, like the current lens but limited zoom and struggling with indoor shots in low light

Budget depending on Christmas money! Prefer to buy second hand, may P/X or sell current lens if new lenses cross over with what I've got.

Thanks in advance :)
 
You may struggle to p/x the 17-85, I know that WEX won't accept it (I've tried, there's no demand for it as it compares very poorly with more recent lenses). But I know that if you add flash to the situation the 17-85 takes a pretty good portrait so that might be an alternative to replacing the lens. When you say that you're struggling with indoor low light situations (not surprising with the 17-85) could you describe what sort of situations you're wanting to use the camera in? the focal length you're most likely to use, etc. Pretend that your post has given us very little useful information to base a recommendation on.. ;)

If you're budget is a complete unknown it's not really worth speculating too much at this stage, unless you can drop a hint as to whether it's more likely to be closer to £100, £250, £500 or £1,000.
 
28-35mm or so prime, or 50-60mm prime for more portraity style

zoom i guess budget option would be a sigma or tamron 75-300, bit higher up a 70-200 f4 canon i guess
 
I think Alastair has pretty much covered it. The 17-85mm not the best lens on the market, but it can take some decent images in the right conditions, and as suggested, a flash unit will help considerably, which you can pick up secondhand for little money. As for a longer zoom lens, well we could recommend a host of different lenses ranging in budget from a couple of hundred £ to several thousand. As you don't know your budget yet, you could give us an idea on the focal length, 300mm, 400mm or 500mm, do you want a zoom or will a prime (fixed focal length) lens. There are other places to try to px your lens, camtech, park cameras, ffordes, mifsuds, digital depot or mpb photographic as and when you decide on a budget.
 
All depends on budget!

If your on a tight one consider a tamron 17-50mm f2.8 either vc or non both are excellent, cheap and will help your indoor stuff. For something longer the budget king these days is the Canon 50-250mm IS few different versions around all are excellent. If you want slightly more length look at either the latest tamron 70-300mm vc or the canon equivalent not cheap but very good.

There are lots of prime options but they are likely to be more expensive and you have to want to shoot primes.
 
Hi thanks for responses so far, budget probably in region of £200-400, roughly, definitely not in the £1000s. Indoors I am talking portraits (example child decorating xmas tree, did not go well at all, if I got the light right using the flash then the subjevts were not sharp, other photos were underexposed, etc). Some come out ok but a bit hit and miss due to lack of light. Focal length I usually use is 30-50mm.

Longer lens - zoom rather than prime, 200-300mm focal length, unlikely to need longer than that.

Does that help? I will have a look at those already suggested - there are so many out there I wasn't sure where to start :)
 
Tamron 17-50mm f2.8 and canon 50-250mm IS is achievable in budget especially if you go second hand.

Your flash issues found like poor technique you shouldn't be getting blurred shots more reading and practice required. If your using the integrated flash pick up an ettl yuongo they are super cheap and excellent!
 
Have a look at sigma/tamron 17-50 2.8. Used will be cheaper. And for zoom look at canon 55-250 is stm or tamron 70-300 di vc USD. Was the budget for both lenses or each?

The 55-250 is only £149 on digital rev. Could pick up the 17-50 for less than £300.
 
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Great thanks for these off to have a look. Budget was per lens. Preferably towards lower end though!

Flash issues - yes probably me, using integrated flash, not a separate one. Outdoor shots generally ok, all goes to pot indoors! Have borrowed lens from my brother (I think it is a 30mm prime f1.8 or thereabouts - need to ask) with which I can get better photos indoors and no flash needed.
 
For the low light the options I'd recommend are (in order of preference), Sigma 30mm f/1.4 EX (not the current ART model - that would definitely break the budget), Canon 40mm f/2.8 (slower but a better focal length than the nifty fifty), Canon 50mm f/1.8 (cheap, cheerful but almost always too short and too long at the same time).

I'd avoid cheap 70-300mm telezooms (anything under £150) unless you're prepared to have another 17-85 - i.e. ok in good light but very poor when light levels drop.


I'm guessing you were using on-camera flash when you were struggling. It really is worth getting to grips with flash (preferably off-camera, can be done quite cheaply in the strobist manner) because photography is all about the light.
 
I use the sigma 17-50 2.8 and it is a great lens. The tamron can be had for 250. That and the canon zoom will be 400 or can pick up the tamron 70-300 di vc USD for 240, spend the rest on getting a good flash or 2 and accessories (remote trigger, diffusers, light stand etc) and you will have no problems with indoor lowlight portraits
 
Surprised no one has mentioned the 24-105 L series lens. I know it's for a crop sensor but surely it's still good for indoor use.
 
pompey306mark said:
Surprised no one has mentioned the 24-105 L series lens. I know it's for a crop sensor but surely it's still good for indoor use.
Click to expand...
It's for a 400d.. highest usable ISO is probably 400 (800 at a push), which makes f/4 quite limiting in low light. The older sensors need every stop off light you can give them, so yes to the 24-105L of you get a decent lighting setup to use with it.
 
Try & find a s/h Sigma 70-200mm f/2.8
or a buy it now with make an offer here
I have seen them go for under £500 so stretching your budget but worth it.
Be aware this is the 'macro' version & there is a non macro but with 'OS' for £7-800 but that's new £ I haven't seen a s/h one.

Or go for the Tamron 70-200mm f/2.8 version which new are £450-500
So not sure if they have the same IQ given the cheaper Tamron price.

But the f/2.8 at the full zoom range on both should help, even without any OS or IS or VR whatever you want to call it.
I just wish all the makes, brands etc would get together & call it one thing...

I have a 9 year old Sigma 120-300mm f/2.8 & have used it hand held on may occasions, so I would imagine the 70-200 would be reasonably okay hand held.
 
a 50mm f/1.8 or a 40mm f/2.8 is prob going to give you the best bang per buck and it leaves room for a flash
 
Canon 50mm f1.8 gets my vote for indoor shots of kids/family etc. Can be kept at low ISO with my 400D and still get good results, and at the price of the lens a flash should be within reach to go with (not that you need it much - daylight it's fine indoors.)
For a zoom, from reviews/opinion (rather than my own experiences) the Canon 55-250mm IS II is worth looking into.
 
S/hand Canon 17-55mm would be my choice, seen a few on here lately under 400 quid. Had one on my 40D and it was excellent, f/2.8 and stabilised too
 
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