Lens upgrade

[tecboy]

I have T3i, and it comes with a lens. I'm thinking about upgrading a lens. Tamron and Sigma seem to be popular. How much differences in photographs compare to stock lens. Is it worth getting better lens.

 

[Overread]

How much money are you looking to spend?

What do you want to upgrade? Specifically - are you after better image quality over the kit lens range - do you want more focal length reach (ie more telephoto) or maybe do you want more wide angle? Do you want a wider aperture option?

What kind of limitations and restrictions do you feel your current lens is giving you? What isn't it allowing you to shoot that you want to shoo.t

 

[tecboy]

I don't feel any limitation on my gears. Actually, I'm happy with that. I see most photographers have sigma and tamron. These are bigger than my lens. I was thinking having a wider aperture lens, but I don't know how much difference compare to my lens.

 

[manicmike]

I've seen brilliant photos taken with the kit lenses. You need to ask yourself the questions Overread brought up.

 

[The_Traveler]

If you don't know if/why you need to upgrade your lens and you don't see any difference between your shots and what else is being posted, you don't need to upgrade.

 

[tecboy]

Okay, I'm just asking. I thought wider aperture or fatter lens gets more light in the sensor and get better picture quality.

 

[The_Traveler]

Okay, I'm just asking. I thought wider aperture or fatter lens gets more light in the sensor and get better picture quality.

No.

You need to understand more about the issues about f stops, light, sensor quality, etc.
Find some basic tutorials on the exposure triangle.
Do searches on image quality.

Don't expect magic or the purchase of x lens to make your pictures better.
The vital component for better image quality is between your ears; upgrade that first.

 

[tecboy]

I understand the exposure triangle. Just wanna know what is so good about tamron and sigma or other expensive lenses?

 

[The_Traveler]

They are expensive for two reasons.
First, the optics are better quality.- (better quality glass thus better transmission characteristics and more precisely focused)
Second, much more care is taking in build quality and materials.

Since there has to be a real time payback for extra cost and quality, the lenses often/usually are made with more light passing capacity (wider maximum aperture) thus allowing a shorter DOF and faster shutter speed.

That being said, great pictures can be taken with kit lenses as long as the photographer works within the parameters of their best performance.

 

[PropilotBW]

I understand the exposure triangle. Just wanna know what is so good about tamron and sigma or other expensive lenses?

I'm pretty sure that's very vague. You may have just answered your own question.

What specific Sigma or Tamron lens are you referring to?

Some Sigma and Tamron lenses are $150.

To be honest, Canon and Nikon are "expensive" in comparing equal lenses. Sigma and Tamron are cheap. Take the Nikon 24-70mm f/2.8 for example ($1900). Sigma 24-70mm f2.8 ($900).

 

[grafxman]

I understand the exposure triangle. Just wanna know what is so good about tamron and sigma or other expensive lenses?

Look at the zoom range of some of those lens and check out how close they focus. The Sigma 50-500mm is unequaled by any other lens when it comes to zoom range. Furthermore it focuses very close which gives it a near macro capability. The Tamron 28-300mm macro is a lightweight lens that doesn't cost much. Canon makes a lens of the same zoom range but costs several times the cost of the Tamron and weighs about twice as much. Generally speaking, you usually get what you pay for where lenses are concerned, at least most of the time.

 

[tecboy]

Oh really, I thought tamron and sigma are better than my lenses.

 

[SCraig]

Oh really, I thought tamron and sigma are better than my lenses.

Every manufacturer has more than one grade of lens. They have consumer grade lenses all the way up to professional grade lenses. Is a professional grade Sigma going to be better than a consumer grade Nikon or Canon? Most likely. Is a professional grade Nikon or Canon lens going to be better than a professional grade Sigma lens? Most likely. But you are going to pay dearly for that quality to.

 

[tecboy]

I get confused when I hanging around my photography community. Most of them have expensive camera gear. They have the money, and I thought they know what they are doing. It is very different when I'm talking to you guys in this forum.

 

[Overread]

You can't grade the companies easily - sadly sometimes there will be cheaper gems or expensive lemons in each range. The best way is to compare lenses of a specific type or function over the brands together and see what does and doesn't measure up. 3rd party companies like Sigma or Tamron can make some fantastic quality lenses and many times also produce lenses that the own brand doesn't have a direct equivalent of.

So you've got to compare like for like and see what comes out best.