Seeking a good 17-XXmm walkaround lens for under $500

CaptSaltyJack · Jun 7, 2008

I bought a Canon EOS 40D recently and am looking to start out with an all purpose lens that will get me nice, sharp photos. I've got my eye on the Tamron SP AF17-50mm F/2.8 Di II LD. It's interesting in the sense that it can maintain f/2.8 throughout all focal lengths. It's got great reviews and seems like a great lens ($420).

Any other suggestions are welcome. The lens must be at least 17mm as I'll need something for wide shots. Upper range can be anywhere from 50-80mm.

Thanks!

Senor Hound · Jun 7, 2008

CaptSaltyJack said:
I bought a Canon EOS 40D recently and am looking to start out with an all purpose lens that will get me nice, sharp photos. I've got my eye on the Tamron SP AF17-50mm F/2.8 Di II LD. It's interesting in the sense that it can maintain f/2.8 throughout all focal lengths. It's got great reviews and seems like a great lens ($420).

Any other suggestions are welcome. The lens must be at least 17mm as I'll need something for wide shots. Upper range can be anywhere from 50-80mm.

Thanks!

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/351548-USA/Canon_9517A002_EF_S_17_85mm_f_4_5_6_IS.html

Its a Canon product, so its probably very good quality. Its not as fast as the one you mentioned, but unless you do portraiture where you really need the shallow DOF, or you do a lot of action/wildlife where your subject is moving, the IS will help. Plus you're basically looking at the equivalent of a 27-135... an awesome "walk around lens."

I think I'd probably go with your idea before mine, but I'm just giving you some different options and some different viewpoints/perspectives.

Also, you can get the 18-55 and 55-200, BOTH in IS for under $500. Once again, I'm just throwing around options for you.

Mystwalker · Jun 7, 2008

It's not "17mm" ... but a pretty good deal.

Sigma 24-60 f/2.8 ... I think it's "EX" (their "Pro" model?)
It's a little over $200 ($225??) at Amazon.com

Everywhere else it's much higher - no idea how Amazon can sell at that price.

NateWagner · Jun 7, 2008

well, from what I've heard that is an excellent lens for the price. I chose an 18-50 to start out (I like doing the portraits) and having the 2.8 is really nice, particularly if I want to do any shooting inside.

Nate

Freedbaby · Jun 7, 2008

Tamron's 17-50 F2.8 is wonderful. It gets great reviews and is fast. I have no complaints with mine. I looked a comparable sigma model but seemed to be more drawn to the Tamron. It can be bought for under your budget. B & H doesnt have it for some reason, or at least I couldnt find it.

here is the link.

http://www.17photo.com/product.asp?id=AF016C700

BTW, I find the speed in low light VERY useful.....I wouldnt consider anything other than a F2.8 for this type of lens. Of course I say that now that I own one, I didnt know any better before.

Freedbaby

Robert Kaleta · Jun 7, 2008

Tamron 17-50 f2.8 is a great lens. It's fast, light and the autofocus on 40d is wonderful. 17 mm is wide enough for most of the shots and 50 mm at 2.8 is really good.

Buy it, buy it, buy it.

table1349 · Jun 7, 2008

CaptSaltyJack said:
I bought a Canon EOS 40D recently and am looking to start out with an all purpose lens that will get me nice, sharp photos. I've got my eye on the Tamron SP AF17-50mm F/2.8 Di II LD. It's interesting in the sense that it can maintain f/2.8 throughout all focal lengths. It's got great reviews and seems like a great lens ($420).

Any other suggestions are welcome. The lens must be at least 17mm as I'll need something for wide shots. Upper range can be anywhere from 50-80mm.

Thanks!

Another vote for the Tamron. I'm an admitted L-cholic and the 17-50mm f2.8 Tamron is my only non Canon lens. It's just too good to not keep around.

CaptSaltyJack · Jun 7, 2008

Wow, looks like the Tamron is the way to go. By the way, here's the link on B&H:

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/423714-REG/Tamron_AF016C700_17_50mm_f_2_8_XR_Di.html

Senor, the Canon 17-85 f/4-5.6 seems OK but a bit overpriced for what it is. And as far as shallow DOF, I actually want the larger aperture due to my frequent shooting in low/available light situations, so the f/2.8 is kind of a nice perk over the Canon lens which maxes out at f/4.

Looks like my decision is made.

Thanks for the input!

Dao · Jun 7, 2008

Another vote for the Tamron SP AF17-50mm F/2.8.

This is the one I would like to get as well. From what I read from the net. There maybe at least 2 versions. One made in Japan and the other one assembled in China. People are saying that the one that assembled in China MAY have some auto focus issue. I even saw one person that he tried 3 lens and get one works. Some other people mentioned the problem and need to send it back to Tamron for adjustment.

But for the price/optical quality. That is my 1st choice for now. Wish I have the money now.

Bifurcator · Jun 7, 2008

Yup! Made in Japan usually means higher quality and with it often higher price. Made in Japan for the Japanese Market can mean even more goodness as very often slightly inferior goods are designated for export.

If you have a choice between the China one and the Japan one get the Japan one by all means. Pretty much a common rule of thumb.

CaptSaltyJack · Jun 7, 2008

The funny thing is, I emailed B&H asking if the Tamron they carry is made in Japan or China, and I got some canned response saying how the Japanese make very sure that quality in the Chinese made models adhere to the same standards as the Japanese manufacturers, and B&H has no reason to believe there's any quality difference. In the end, the email says that they can't possibly know whether their units are Japanese or Chinese made.

It's no secret that Chinese made products fall below the quality of Japanese made products. I feel kind of slighted that B&H would try to tell me otherwise, but hey, they're a business, so of course they're not going to tell me Chinese products don't live up to those manufactured in Japan.

I can paste the full email if anyone is interested in seeing it.

Mav · Jun 7, 2008

The Canon 17-85 f/4-5.6 IS is a great choice if you intend to do more scenic and landscape type photography. Either the Tamron 17-50 or Sigma 18-50 f/2.8 lenses are great choices if you think you might do more people type photography where the extra speed is nice both for subject isolation and stopping motion.

CaptSaltyJack · Jun 7, 2008

I would prefer the f/2.8 since I like to shoot in low light.

Mav · Jun 7, 2008

Well the 17-85 lens has Image Stabilization which is also useful in low light. If you're shooting stuff that moves go for an f/2.8, but if it's static stuff like scenic photos, IS can do just as well if not better than a non-stabilized f/2.8

CaptSaltyJack · Jun 7, 2008

Just wanted to thank everyone for their input. I'm adding the Tamron to my cart as I type this...

PS, here's the email I got from B&H:

The lens comes with a 6 year warranty from Tamron USA.

Over the course of our 30 years in business, we here at B+H have discerned no difference in cameras manufactured or assembled in (for instance) Korea or Thailand than in identical models assembled or manufactured in (for instance) Japan.

We have determined that when any of the companies whose products we sell moves a manufacturing or assembly facility "off shore" they do so in order to maintain low prices while continuing to offer equal product quality and reliability. The manufacturing or assembly facilities moved off-shore maintain equal quality control and employee training/supervision and use equal raw materials, and continue to monitor facility output with equal care and attention to detail. In addition, you the customer receive that manufacturers warranty, guaranteeing your product works up to the standards of a given items specifications.

Since components are of! ten manufactured in one facility, subassemblies then manufactured in a second and final assembly conducted in a third, no matter what country of origin is labeled on the box, the REAL origin is often obscure or is actually a combination of two or three locales. A true Global Economy.

When B&H enters into an agreement with, for example, Canon USA to purchase from them (for example) a quantity of 550EX flash units we do not (and could not) specify to Canon USA the country of origin of the merchandise we will eventually receive. There are two reasons for this. First, Canon USA may not be able to dictate this to their parent company, and second there may only be one final assembly facility for a particular product.

In other words, our Canon USA rep doesn't know which facility the item will come from, if there's more than one and our Canon USA rep doesn't even know if there's more than one in the first place.

Finally, we here at B+H agree with PopPhoto's es! teemed senior editor, Herbert Keppler. In the February, 2000 issue, P opular Photography's Herbert Keppler wrote, "...the Japanese have maintained near-fanatical tight control over their 'offshore' production facilities and it's worked." He further wrote, "Having visited many Japanese factories ...as well as off-shore plants, I can report that quality is uniform no matter where the products are made." I have no reason to dispute a single word of this.

Sales associates here at B+H are physically separated from the warehouses and, for security purposes, do not have access to them. We do not know the country where these items were manufactured, nor can I check.