Lens change.....maybe....I dont know...help!

TheProdigy

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For those of you that have been doing this longer than me (which means most of you), I need some help with lenses. Currently I have a 40d with a 24-105 f/4L as my only lens. I am looking to get either the 70-200mm F/4L IS or the 70-200mm F/2.8L non IS. The cost of the lenses is very close to being the same on B&H, so I am really looking to figure out if being able to shoot at f/2.8 is worth not having IS.

I am also wonder (no matter which 70-200 I go with) if I should change my primary lens to something like the 17-55 f/2.8 or should I keep the 24-105. I almost feel like if I keep the 24-105 it and the 70-200 overlap a little too much….I could be wrong.

To help you, I generally enjoy shooting candids, outdoor portraits and some landscape. I am not by any means doing this for a living, but I do get asked from time to time to take pictures of friends and family members, mainly for fun.

Thanks for the help!
 
I think you should go for something like the 17-55 so you have something that can do wide angle. 24 really isnt that wide
 
If you're thinking of getting the 17-55, just spend the extra and get the the 70-200 2.8 is.

having more overlap is better than having no overlap.

And the 2.8 is better than the 4 is imo.
 
Tough choices...many people have faced the same ones.

My usual advice for the 70-200mm lenses...is to bite the bullet and get the 70-200 F2.8 IS. I know that it's a lot more expensive but it is the top of the line. If you buy a cheaper one...you will (sooner or later) wish that you had bought the more expensive one. You may even find that you end up buying it anyway and selling the cheaper one. When you get the best, you also have the piece of mind that you have the best tool for the job.
Also, these things are built tough...and will last for years, so over the life of the lens, the price difference isn't that much.

As for the 17-55 F2.8 IS...it's a great lens...the best you will find in that range. It's expensive though.
 
Thank you a ton for the replies. I think I may have confused some people with the 24-105 vs 17-55 thing. If I get the 17-55, I would sell the 24-105 to purchase the 17-55 ( I would not have both).
 
Ive used the 17-55 and its a wonderful lens. It would probably be labeled an L if it wasnt an EF-S lens. I would probably keep the 24-105 instead of it though.

Thats the only downside to the 17-55, it is not Full Frame compatable, so you couldnt use it on a 1D, 5D, or a 35mm camera.

As for the 70-200, i have the f/4 non IS. Its fabulous outdoors in good light but worthless anywhere else, if you have the money get the best one you can afford. Personally I prefer faster glass to IS, faster glass with IS is even better.
 
Personally, I'd get the 70-200 f4L IS rather than the f2.8 on the basis that IS is very useful and the extra weight of the 2.8 version tends to be somewhat of a hinderance in actual use. I have a wrist injury that means holding something heavy in my left hand is painful. Thus I would rather use a higher ISO and an f4 lens.
 
Well as I see it if you are doing mostly portraits and, landscapes. I dont see a reason for the 200mm glass. I have several zooms like that but, then I shoot alot of wildlife so, it is a given to have them. Unless you plan on doing wildlife at one point. Then I would see if the 70-200 is compatable with tele extenders, which I have no doubt it is. Then you could go with a 2x, 1.4x and, 1.7x to optimize your focal lenghts for it. I would get the 17-55 and, still kepp the 24-105 just for having the added focal length when I needed it.
 
As far as the 70-200, a 2.8 is going to be the better quality and therefore sharper glass. If I had a choice between the f/4 and a 2.8 I would pick the 2.8 everytime even with the IS. When it comes to the 17-55 comparedwith the 24-105 as far as the foal-length that all depends on your personal style but again you are always better off getting the 2.8 lens if you can afford it. So if you are trying to choose between a 24-105 f/4 and the 17-55 2.8 I would rather have a 2.8 then worry about how much overlap you are going to get.
 
For those of you that have been doing this longer than me (which means most of you), I need some help with lenses. Currently I have a 40d with a 24-105 f/4L as my only lens. I am looking to get either the 70-200mm F/4L IS or the 70-200mm F/2.8L non IS. The cost of the lenses is very close to being the same on B&H, so I am really looking to figure out if being able to shoot at f/2.8 is worth not having IS.

I am also wonder (no matter which 70-200 I go with) if I should change my primary lens to something like the 17-55 f/2.8 or should I keep the 24-105. I almost feel like if I keep the 24-105 it and the 70-200 overlap a little too much….I could be wrong.

To help you, I generally enjoy shooting candids, outdoor portraits and some landscape. I am not by any means doing this for a living, but I do get asked from time to time to take pictures of friends and family members, mainly for fun.

Thanks for the help!

Definitely the 2.8... a major factor being how much better it will work with teleconverters then the F4.
 

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