Lens up grade!

[Expel_Bright]

So I'm looking to upgrade my glass. I shoot cars so I need some suggestions I'm outgrowing the kit lens and I hav a 50mm 1.8. But I need a more versitile and sharper lens for one on one shoots, and for car shows. I'm a canon user, with a eos t3, the 1.6x crop sensor is also being taken into account. An L series lens is nice but most of them exceed my price range (Under $1000). I've narrowed my options down to the 17-85 EF-S Usm, a 70-200mm f4 non-IS, and 28-135mm. Any advice or suggestion will be helpful, Thank You!

 

[goodguy]

All these lenses will not be as sharp as your 50mm lens.
These cheap flimsy looking prime lenses are extremely sharp, you might get more versatility from zoom lens but less sharpness.
If you are looking for more sharpness then your 50mm then get another prime lens that will help you achieve the results you are looking for.
I shoot Nikon and my 50mm lenses is so sharp, it is sharper then professional zoom lens that worth 10 times its value.

 

[MK3Brent]

I think you'll be happy with a wide angle zoom.

Look at something in a 12-24mm range.

 

[bratkinson]

It sounds as if the OP has two requirements - 'shoots' and car shows. Depending on what qualifies as 'shoots', two different lenses may be necessary.

A couple months ago, I went to an outdoor car show with my 24-105 f4L and got great results. But that was with a full-frame camera, and, it was outdoors. On a crop body, the 24mm (FOV of a 38mm lens) would probably not be 'wide enough' to get a 3/4 view of a car from 10-15' away. And, as many car shows are indoors, I'd want a fast lens. So I'm thinking along the lines of a used 16-35 f2.8L. I have the mark ii version of this lens, and used it whenever I needed 'wider' when I had a 60D (crop sensor). I don't know what the mark ii goes for used, but if it's too much, then check out a mark i. A comparable 3rd party lens in that approximates that focal length might also do the trick, as well.

As for other 'shoots', for landscape and scenery work, or even cityscape shooting, I found the 16-35 worked well on the 60D. One of the 'plusses' of the 16-35 for me on the 60D is there's little obvious 'fisheye' appearance to the pictures due to the crop sensor and full-frame projected image.

If the 'shoots' are sporting events, then a zoom telephoto would be a better fit...a 70-200 would do nicely. For what it's worth, I have the predecessor of the 70-200 L lenses, an 80-200 f2.8L 'magic drainpipe' that I found a mint copy on ebay about 2 years ago for $750ish. It's an L lens (incredibly sharp wide open!), f2.8, it's less than 1/3 the price of a new 70-200 f2.8L ii, and it's black. The only thing lacking is Image Stabilization (IS) and Canon no longer supports this lens, so if it breaks, I have to go to a non-Canon repair facility. Without IS, I either need faster shutter speeds (1/200 and faster) or a monopod/tripod to eliminate camera shake...getting tougher every day for this Medicare aged senior citizen.

 

[cenote]

Stick with the Primes, I have the same setup, and looking at getting the EF 35mm F2 IS myself next. I have used friends "L" zoom lenses, and for me, nothing beats a Prime lens for sharpness.

 

[kparker8812]

Look into the 70-200 f4. Not as sharp as the 2.8, but still incredible. They have the non IS version of this on amazon for $709. The IS version is almost $1400.

 

[Juga]

Like bratkinson said the 24mm might not even be wide enough and along with the 16-35 I would also consider the 17-40 f/4L. Throw the 28-135 out the window because it definitely won't get you wide enough.