Non-Canon Lens

[Saxi]

I am still shooting with the kit lens with my Rebel XTi which I replaced my XT about 8 months ago with. (got to love Costco's old return policy).

I definitely want to get a 50mm lens as they are so fast and excellent in low light, I was debating about picking up another lens as well.

I primarily shoot my son and niece and nephews.

I am very attracted to ultra sharp and detailed shots. I tend to like zoom-centric shots as well so I was considering the 300mm IS lens as well.

Are the lenses like Stigma as good as Canon brand lens? If detail is extremely important, should I consider a non-canon lens to save money?

 

[usayit]

For the money Sigma is a good choice. Rating by brand has no value since all manufacturers have Good and Bad products.. EVEN Canon.

Without a set budget there is very little information most people can offer other than "buy the most expensive stuff". It is a balancing act with your tastes (L versus third party kinda like box wine versus $100+ bottle of wine), needs, and budget.

So yeh... I bet 90% of the people out there can't tell the difference in most photos taken between the 24-70 f2.8 sigma and the famed 24-70 f2.8L canon. BUT there is that 10% that can (especially in certain conditions) and prefer the branded over the third party. Forums like this tend to be skewed towards the upper 10% of that population as the typical consumer really don't dedicate time to participate on such a specific forum.

Pick a couple lenses.. read the reviews... consider your tastes, needs, and budget.

 

[soylentgreen]

Are you considering the 300 f/4 L IS or f/2.8 L IS or the EF 70-300 f/4-5.6 IS? Either way, they outperform Sigma's equivalent. The EF 300 f/4 L IS is an amazing lens. Great for wildlife work. Ultra-sharp and clarity. The f/2.8 version is possibly one of the best telephoto lenses on the market. Rivaled only by the 400 f/2.8 L IS.
The 70-300 f/4-5.6 IS is fairly decent. The DO version is suppose to be really good. The 50mm f/1.4 has a better build and USM motor over the f/1.8 version.

 

[JerryPH]

I am more Nikon oriented than Canon, but many of the rules of selection and choice methodology are the same.

Sigma has many good models, but they also historically have shown to let slip out more than a few lemons. Check and find out how to verify lenses.

Talking to knowledgeable people (and there some excellent Canon-based people on this site), reading reviews and checking out places like pbase and flicker for pictures made with the lenses that you are considering are all part of the process.

I find that the more research I do, the better pleased I am with my final choice.