I need a new lens and I'd apreciate your help

Matblack

Matblack

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Matt
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Hello Everyone

Our first baby is due in July and I'm thinking that a) I want a decent lens for shots of her and b) If I'm going to buy something I better do it now before I'm so poor I have to sell my camera.

I currently have a 70-200 f4L, a Sigma 17-70 and a Canon 50mm 1.8 and a 40d body

Obviously I'm going to be taking a lot of photos of the new arrival over the next few years and although the Sigma 17-70 is OK it can be a little bit slow to focus and miss the focus at times, particularly in low light situations.

I have found that the better candids I have taken have been indoors and with no flash and this pushes me towards a faster lens (I also like the DoF I can get with faster lenes), the 50mm prime is good and I'll keep it, but I need to be a long way away to get a wide enough shot for it to useful, so I'm looking at something with 17/18mm at the wide end maybe up to 40/50mm.

Canon 17-40 is f4 which is a little slow maybe
Canon 17-55 2.8 IS dust pump is a possibility and these are coming up a little cheaper these days
There is a Tamron with VC and a Sigma 2.8 I think which sound OK

Budget is ideally under £500 but I am happy to spend less, any ideas?

Many thanks

MB
 
I absolutely loved my 17-55/2.8 - It always came up with the goods and I never had any problems with it. I would recommend it.

I had mine for about a year and in that time it was the lens that was on my camera for most of the time. When I inspected it with a tooth comb for selling, if I recall it had 2 specks of dust in it - Hardly a dust pump in my experience.
 
Tamron 17-55 f2.8
Tamron 28-75 f2.8
Canon 85 f1.8
Canon 100 f2

You should find what you are looking for right there all under your budget and you may even be able to get 2 within your budget
 
Thanks Guys

I'd just heard that the 17-55 had some issues but maybe this isn't the case, my father in law has one and I still haven't got around to borrowing it, he seems pleased with it though.

Marac the 85 and the 100 are going to be too long for what I need but the Tamrons are a posibility, probably the 17-50 as what I do will mainly be indoor candids and I won't have much room. :(

MB
 
The best purchase I have done is an external flash, I would highly recommend one. Bounce it of wall / ceiling or anything white(ish) for some lovely light.

You already have the nifty fifty so in conjunction with that you will get some fab shots. You mention that your sigma is slow on focusing but that is not an issue yet you have a while before the little one is running round.

If you need wider then the tamron 17-50 is a nice choice.

You could always get a second hand flash and lens for less £500.
 
Instead of a zoom, you could consider the Sigma 30mm f1.4. I've been sorely tempted to get one and may get one to take pictures of my sister's baby to be. I've seen some great shots from it, though I believe it takes a bit of getting used to if you use it at 1.4....
 
I would say either of the Tamron or sigma 17-50s. If these turn out not to be fast enough then just stick on the 50mm 1.8. They should complement each other nicely. I think that the 30mm will be a bit too wide for baby shots and not much good to fill the frame with the nipper without a bit of wide angle distortion on it.
 
I'd say the 50mm f/1.8 would be ideal - don't forget, babies are small so you don't need a lot of room to get them in the frame! The 17-40 f/4 is probably going to be too slow for what you need - and I guess you won't need the great build quality - so I'd say the 17-55 f/2.8 would be a better bet.
 
I ahve a 40D, the 17-70 and 50 1.4 and a 430 as well - and a 12 week old baby.
The above combo has served me well, and I use the slash a fair bit with a diffuser, which makes a difference.
Most of the time, the 17-70 has been sufficient, and at times the 50mm has been needed, but mostly at 1.8, so your one should be fine.

BUT, if its just a new toy you want ....... check out the posts above :thumbs:
 
Babies at that age dont do much! Apart from sleep that is!

A lot of pics will be with another person holding her, and I would say the 50mm and 70-200 should be fine (know nothing about canon glass but assume its similar to the nikon 70-200 2.8?). Flash helps loads and all I would add is some throws or sheeting for a background.

If you must get a new lens then get one that will do you for other stuff too as you are covered with your setup.
 
I have the 17-55 f/2.8 IS and it is an amazing lens, the build quality is not as bad as some make out, just not an "L" lens but the image quality certainly is, if not better. The dust issue is rarely a problem, I have quite a few noticable dust specks in mine and they never show up on any images. I got mine second hand, you can save a fair bit on new price.

If you have access to one, you may as well borrow it at some point because then you will know if it is right for you, I'm pretty sure if you got it, you would probably sell the Sigma 17-70.
 
Any excuse to get a new lens hey?

Seriously though, I think you are well covered there. I used the same 50mm 1.8 that you have for the following shots in this Link. Newborns are notoriously difficult to photograph in any creative way, because they mainly sleep or scream. I would recommend seeing how you get on with the lens that you have, and picking up a reflector to bounce light back onto the young'uns face, rather than using flash.
 
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