Alternatives to L-glass?

[Nikon_Josh]

The one lens I had in mind is the Tamron SP AF 17-50mm f/2.8 XR Di II LD IF Lens Review

I use this lens quite a bit on my crop as I carry that with me all the time. I keep a 50D with me. Have an XTI for Kayaking and dirty fun stuff and then my 2 full framers.

This image was taken a few years ago after kayaking with my XTI and that lens. This is one of my best selling local based gallery images


Potomac River Valley at sunset by Joey Ricard, on Flickr

Canon EOS Digital Rebel XTi

0.003 sec (1/320)

f/7.1

28 mm

ISO 200

To add - another one of my best selling images was taken with an XTI (years ago) with the an 18-55 kit lens, lol
goes to show you that you don't have to use $$$ in every situation

If you check out Welcome to Photozone! review of the 18-55 IS. It rates the optical quality rather highly!

 

[o hey tyler]

zeiss distagon

Yeah, maybe if they're an aspiring movie maker and need a good focus ring. Otherwise, they're not going to shell out that kind of cash for a MANUAL FOCUS lens when they're comparing usability and image quality to an EF lens. EF stands for Electro-focus, which I'd venture to guess would put all manual focus glass out of the question. That is UNLESS they are an amateur movie maker, but so far I haven't seen any reason to assume that.

 

[splproductions]

We really need a budget.

I probably shouldn't spend over $1600, but that should cover me for most I my options I would be looking at.If I can swing the cost of L-series, I just hate to buy anything that will give any less in terms of IQ. But it seems apparent that the focal lengths Canon chooses for their L-series is ideal for FF, but the ideal focal lengths for crop are the less expensive lenses. I wish they made L-series quality with crop sensors in mind, but that doesn't make a whole lot of sense since their target market with those lenses are pros.

 

[Derrel]

L glass alternatives? The better lenses from Sigma, Tamron, and Tokina. Of course you will not get that cool-looking red stripe around the lenses...

 

[o hey tyler]

We really need a budget.

I probably shouldn't spend over $1600, but that should cover me for most I my options I would be looking at.If I can swing the cost of L-series, I just hate to buy anything that will give any less in terms of IQ. But it seems apparent that the focal lengths Canon chooses for their L-series is ideal for FF, but the ideal focal lengths for crop are the less expensive lenses. I wish they made L-series quality with crop sensors in mind, but that doesn't make a whole lot of sense since their target market with those lenses are pros.

Like Big Mike pointed out, there are some good lenses in the EF-S camp that are more workable on 1.6x bodies. You may want to take a look at those.

 

[Joey_Ricard]

We really need a budget.

I probably shouldn't spend over $1600, but that should cover me for most I my options I would be looking at.If I can swing the cost of L-series, I just hate to buy anything that will give any less in terms of IQ. But it seems apparent that the focal lengths Canon chooses for their L-series is ideal for FF, but the ideal focal lengths for crop are the less expensive lenses. I wish they made L-series quality with crop sensors in mind, but that doesn't make a whole lot of sense since their target market with those lenses are pros.

OK so with that you come close to a (17-40L + a 70-200L F4) although you could spring for my favorite lens which is the 16-35 which is like a 3rd arm to me, at least on my FF's

 

[Robin Usagani]

35 non L and sigma 85 f/1.4. Shouldnt set you back more than 1500.

 

[chaosrealm93]

i find the 24-70 to be a versatile range

 

[thereyougo!]

35 non L and sigma 85 f/1.4. Shouldnt set you back more than 1500.

And the Sigma 85 is a very good lens...