New lens dilemma

joshuatdlr · Jan 2, 2017

I am trying to decide what should be my next lens. I'm between the Canon 10-18 STM and the Canon 55-250 STM. I know they are very different, but i'm trying to decide which one would be more useful for travel. I currently have a 80D, 18-135, and 50 f/1.4. Which one should I get first or just be gluttonous and get both?

Derrel · Jan 2, 2017

A LOT of beginning shooters have difficulty in making interesting, impactful pictures with really wide-angle lenses. The issue is the temptation to zoom alllll the way out to the short end, and then to take a shot from not-anywhere-near-close-enough. This leads to pictures with distant-looking background stuff, rendered small, and low in detail, and lacking in visual interest.

It takes a lot of dedicated practice to learn how best to use a very wide-angle zoom lens. Lower focal length usually means lower interest, in anything beyond 10 or 15 feet distant. I honestly think that, for many places, TELE-landscape and telephoto travel shots can have more interest, reveal more detail, and also, create more-pleasing pictures than wide-angle shots.

24 to 85mm on FF is a great walkaround lens. So, with the current lens lineup having the 18-135, plus the 50mm f/1.4 Canon which is a very solid lens, I honestly think that the 55-250 STM might be the handier, better lens for travel use. You might ALSO consider the new 24 and 40mm pancake primes Canon offers! SMALL, easy-to-carry in a waist pack, sharp, f/2.8, $199 each more or less.

ASCarvalho · Jan 2, 2017

You already have a nice tele lens. Am I right to assume that you would take more landscape photos, rather than long range close-ups? If I am, I would buy the 10-18, especially becouse your camera isn't FF, so your wider lens right now is about 29mm. The 10-18 would be 16mm wide. If I'm wrong and you want to photograph wild life, birds, for example, take the 55-250.

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JonA_CT · Jan 2, 2017

When you're traveling, you'll also find that you end up using whatever lens is on the camera, or at least I do. As a result, that 18-135 will probably be more handy than you think.