Canon Lenses

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I need some advice in selecting a Canon lens. The key information is as follows:-

Camera : Canon 550D / 600D
Lens Budget : £1500 (could be increased if necessary)
Number of Lenses : Max 3
Type : Zoom
Total Range all lenses : 18mm - 300mm
Quality of Image : Must be superior to that of the Canon kit lens

Thanks for your feedback.

T.
 
What do you want to shoot??
 
10-22/17-55is/70-200f4 is the obvious choice. Why limit yourself to zooms? You could get a fantastic prime setup? 28 1.8/50 1.4/85 1.8/135 2?

Add in a 1.4 tc for both obviously.
 
Agree with Sam's first selection, in fact exactly what I have although the 70-200 would have to be of the non is variety

1.4x T/C will only work with the lenses listed below

EF 135mm f/2L USM
EF 180mm f/3.5L Macro USM
EF 200mm f/1.8L USM
EF 200mm f/2L IS USM
EF 200mm f/2.8L II USM
EF 300mm f/2.8L IS USM
EF 300mm f/4L IS USM
EF 400mm f/2.8L IS USM
EF 400mm f/4L DO IS USM
EF 400mm f/5.6L USM
EF 500mm f/4L IS USM
EF 600mm f/4L IS USM
EF 800mm f/5.6L IS USM
EF 1200mm f/5.6L USM
EF 70-200mm f/2.8L USM
EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS USM
EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS II USM
EF 70-200mm f/4L USM
EF 70-200mm f/4L IS USM
EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS USM
 
odd jim said:
What do you want to shoot??
Click to expand...

The range of the actual images is rather wide. As a category my photography falls under the description "Travel Photography". As you can imagine the word "Travel" encompasses almost any subject - Landscapes; Seascapes; People; Animals (wild and domestic); Buildings; Harbours; Boats; Markets; Food and Wine.....

Images are used on the web and in magazines. Quality has to be quite good (with a particular emphasis on sharpness) because one never knows when a magazine editor will decide that they want to use a particular photograph on the magazine cover - in which case they will want a top-notch image - and the one thing that you don't want to do is disappoint a magazine editor by telling him or her that the image they have selected isn't good enough for the cover...!!

Some images are reproduced at full resolution for use in framed pictures - but obviously only the very best qualify for this purpose as the process is expensive. But the lens must be able to deliver this type of quality.

Hope that the above helps.

T.
 
SamP said:
Why limit yourself to zooms? You could get a fantastic prime setup?
Click to expand...

Sam, thanks for your feedback which is appreciated. The reason I limit myself to Zooms is probably best explained by my reply to OddJim.

My work is primarily "Travel Photography". In this type of work two factors are very important - the weight of the equipment being lugged around and the ease and speed at which a shot can be obtained.

When you get a day when conditions (particulary light) are perfect then you need to be prepared for a very, very long day. Therefore weight is absolutely critical.

Many travel photographs are what I call "instants". For a brief instant a particulary excellent shot will present itself. You don't have time to fiddle with lenses. If the right lens isn't on the camera you will miss the shot. Some of the best images that I have ever taken have been shot in literally a couple of seconds.

Travel photography is often on a very tight schedule. Typically one only has a few days to get the portfolio and some of those days can easily be written off by uninteresting subject matter; poor light or bad weather.... (Travel photographs depicting lashing rain and gale-force winds don't normally go down to well with holiday makers. :D ) So one has to be absolutely 100% familiar with the equipment. The less equipment that one has the more confident you are in using it and the fewer mistakes are made through ignorance or confusion.

Hope that answers your question.

T.
 
In that case, definitely the Canon 10-22.

Then something mid range, as said, the canon 17-55.

I use the 10-22, efs 18-135 and a 35mm f/2 as my travel set up and I'm very pleased with each one.
 
I'v bought for much the same kind of amature use minus wildlife, my travel setup is a 10-22mm, 15-85mm and a 35mm f/2 plus a 100mm macro when I can be bothered to take it.

Lots of crossover between the two zooms to limate changes and both of them can cover wide and relatively normal views when needed for a quick shot. The 15-85mm isnt exactly "light" but I find its light enough to have it round my neck all day on a 550D when doing serious walking.

Personal prefference I spose but for low light shots that arent long tripod exposures and shallow DOF I don't find I need a zoom as much and the 35 f/2 makes for a very light setup on a 550D.
 
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100% agree with the Sigma 10-20 + Canon 17-55 IS + Canon 70-200mm non-IS F4 line up, I have all these are they do me for every situation really.

Throw in a 50mm 1.8 prime for low-light too, maybe a 430EX II flash as well.
 
10-20, 24-105, 70-200 F4L

That would be my choice for that sort of thing, However, I'm looking for the set up of 17-40, 24-105 and 100-400 but that wont fall in your budget and my needs are different to yours :)
 
If you want zooms that reach around the 300 mark theres always the Canon EF 70-300mm f/4-5.6 L IS USM, a 24-105 f/4 L and a Canon EF 17-40mm f/4 L USM for the wide end. If you can find good second hand copies you shouldn't go too much over budget. I use my 24-105 on both my 5D MkII and 7D and it's excellent on both. I dont usually shoot much wide angle on my 7D but I find it wide enough for when I want it.
 
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