Another 'help me spend my money' thread

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chriscross

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Chris
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Tomorrow I will receive a bonus from work and I have earmarked some of that for a new lens.
I presently have a canon 550d and a 35mm F2 prime - a lens which I really like.
My usage is generally family portraits and candids of the kids at the park. I am also partaking in the POTY comp run by this site so do need an 'all rounder' - i.e wide and long but with good IQ and all that gubbins. The themes in POTY are varied from landscape to street.
I have, in my head, bought the Tamron 18-270 PZD. Is it any good? The spec looks good, it has image stabilisation, it has a fast motor - the PZD bit.
I also want to buy one of the 10 stops that Phil has talked about in the other thread and would need it to be screw in type.

I have considered a two lens combo, 18-55 and 55-250 ish, however I have had these lenses before and whilst the 55-250 was a belter, I just feel I want something different.

Budget is circa £300.

Any other recommendations?

Cheers
Chris
 
I have experience with the PZD and tbh was not inspired, especially at both the shortest and longest end.. If you absolutely only want one lens attached to your camera then it may be for you.

I personally would be looking 2nd hand for things like.

70-200 f4 L
24-105 f4 L
 
Why not go for a 85mm f1.8 ?

Would make a great portrait lens for your kids and I see no need for any particular lens for the POTY subjects....

You would have plenty change to treat your family to a day out, which might get you some of the months covered; Zoo, Portrait, Holiday shot ;)
 
Thanks for the suggestions so far.
David
I'd love an L lens but I feel the 70-200 wouldn't give me something wide enough for landscapes.
I've had the 28-105 is usm before too and that was not wide enough or long enough - so I think I want 18mm or less if I can.
What was the problem with the PZD at both ends? Was it soft?

Jeff
the 85would be great for the portraits, but again I still wouldn't have anything wider for the landscape stuff. How much are they btw?

Andy
18-135 - possibly an option - but having had the 28-105 I always wanted to go longer with that and 135 doesn't seem much longer.

I might sell/swap the 35mm to give me a bit more flexibility and dosh......mmmmm decisions decisions!
 
yeah I didn't like it at its widest, even at f8 I always had to allow for a small crop to take away the edges.. and at 270 even with the 'upgraded' motor it was very slow, the success rate of birds in flight was low, Canons budget 55-250 is far better as is the cheapest 70-200 f4 non IS which is a veritable bargain of a lens which I used as a portrait lens a lot on both FF and APS-C
 
85mm start at £220ish used

I really think that you are going to struggle to get what you want from one lens - without sacrificing IQ.

if you didn't go for the 18-135 id look at 17-50 2.8 tamron and 70-200L (i have this combination)

Andy
 
chriscross said:
the 85would be great for the portraits, but again I still wouldn't have anything wider for the landscape stuff.
Click to expand...

Landscapes don't need to be taken with a wide lens. Any lens can be used for landscape photography.

Rather than a screw-in 10-stop,have you considered going the welding glass route? - under a tenner, there's a very long thread on the subject hiding on the forum somewhere.
 
But the 10 stop is a bargain @ £22 its in my purchase list too lol
 
Thanks guys I'm going to sleep on it and hopefully if mr tax man hasn't eaten into my bonus too much I may go for the 2 decent lens approach.
 
Save up or sell what you have and get yourself the Tamron 17-50 2.8 and Canon 70-200L. Will cover 99% of all your regular shots and both can be had together for under £450
 
Ok so me tax man hasn't been kind and has left me with the £300 I expected. There is a sigma 70-200 hsm macro in the classifieds - in your opinion would that be as good as or better than the canon f4? I have resigned myself to losing the 35mm so in effect I'm trying to get a zoom and a wide angle for £450 assuming I can get £150 for the 35mm!
 
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I shoot predominantly wildlife and landscape and love the sigma 70-300 macro. I like that it has the reach I wanted and is still light enough for me to carry all day.

Edit: because I didn't read properly!
 
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StephyB said:
I shoot predominantly wildlife and landscape and love the sigma 70-300 macro. I like that it has the reach I wanted and is still light enough for me to carry all day.

Edit: because I didn't read properly!
Click to expand...

70-200 or 70-300?
 
Aaaaagh don't know what to do!
Suppose tis a good place to be, at least I know I can get something!
 
YOu are close to the bundle we have all said.

looks for a 70-200L @ £330- £350, then switch the 35 (if you can get £150) for a 17-50 Tammy

A
 
Right well I took the plunge and bought a lens today - tamron 70-300 vc usd £300 including uv filter from jessops. (Pick it up Tuesday as they didn't have any in stock other than the one on the shelf.) I thought about the canon but it would have been 2nd hand for the money I have and so I thought with the tamron 5yr warranty and the excellent write ups it's getting I compromised. Have my 35 mm in the classifieds in the hope of selling or trading for a 17-50.
 
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