Where do we go from here

Stevedevil · Mar 1, 2007

I have posted lots of threads over past month, and I feel that they have all met with some varied opinions, but always have made good reading to the beginners out there so goes....

As we all do we ask the question with regards to " What Lens Shall I Buy "

So here is my question.

Canon, Sigma, Nikon, Tamron etc, etc, etc

We all look at lenses every day and then look here at the forum, then elsewhere, and I find I meet a big Brick Wall when lens choice comes into it.....

So can I start a thread here, at beginners, and ask!!!

Cost verses quality

So Please ( with examples ) show us your lens choices, cost of lens, and why you chose it / use it.

Also please give some good / bad regarding lens

Also If you can give an alternate lens which can be better / cheaper etc

I hope you all give some input, as I will keep an eye here as Im always looking get " That Lens "

Thanks To you all

Steve

montresor · Mar 1, 2007

Oh golly, I tend to take whatever lens comes with the camera, because I like working with old film cameras. But I've been thrilled with the Hexanons and Omegons that came with my Koni-Omega and Rapid-Omega; and I've also been pleased to no small degree with the lens on my Mamiya C330s, an 80mm Mamiya-Sekor (chrome). I just ordered a 55mm M-S for that camera, and will be able to report on its performance in a couple of weeks. The Zeiss lenses I've used are the bee's knees. I don't know if this addresses your post, these really aren't system lenses, except for the Mamiya, and that's a very specific system (interchangeable TLR lenses).

DSLR noob · Mar 1, 2007

Only lens I've bought is the Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 MK II. ($73.13 shipped) from Amazon.com. I love the lens, and it is too cheap to not be bought. The focusing ring and build quality are horrible but if you can look beyond that, the lens is said to be sharper than its $1,700 50mm f/1.2L USM counterpart. The focusing range is small but the lens is really fas tglass. I think this is the prime example of bang for buck in the photography world (not just canon's but every company carries a cheap version of this lens)
Another consideration is the $400-ish 50mm f/1.4 USM. It is said to be a little softer, but more superior in that it is USM, the larger aperature is also a stepup but doesn't justify its price increase to me. A metal lens mount and body hardly even matter to me either. I say it should be every Canon user's first lens.

xfloggingkylex · Mar 1, 2007

What you prefer to shoot and what you are lacking is largely going to influence your lens choice. If you shoot a lot of architecture and scenic shots (things that are very very large) you'll tend to be interested in wide angle lenses but if you shoot wildlife, you'll probably want more telephoto.

With that said, my Pentax 50mm 1.4 is my favorite lens for a number of reasons. First off it was pretty cheap (200 bucks and had a 50 dollar rebate). Second, it has a great build quality, very sturdy and feels like it is a nice lens. Third, and most importantly, the optics are great. The 1.4 allows insane DOF (though it does produce some aberations wide open) as well as very fast shutter speeds in low light situations. This also allows for pretty nice auto focus in low light.

Some negatives of this lens, it isn't wide angle and isn't very telephoto. It isn't a zoom so sometimes you have to be creative to get the look you want. I already mentioned the aberations when shooting wide open.

all in all, a very nice lens especially for the price.

now my Pentax 80-200mm 4.7-5.6 SMC FA is another story. My parents got me this as a christmas gift as a cheap (100 dollars) alternative to the 70-300 sigma lens I wanted. I have to say that 100 dollar price tag is definitely deserved. While the optical quality of the lens isn't bad, the aberations it causes wide open (5.6 at 200mm) is pretty bad. There tends to be a lot of purple fringing near high contrast areas, especially if something is directly lit by the sun.

it does have its advantages, it is very lightweight and compact (it is my skinnest lens), it was actually like 90 dollars so very affordable, and it has decent optics.

That being said I do plan to sell this lens (possibly make a deal with my dad who now has my *ist DL) and get the 70-300 I orginally wanted.

The next lens I want (if I dont get the other telephoto) is either a fisheye or a super wide angle.

JIP · Mar 1, 2007

For me the best selection of lenses are going to be 3, 1 I already have the Nikon 70-200 2.8 IS. The other 2 to round out my bag for weddings will be a Nikkor 17-55 2.8 DX and the Nikkor 28-70 2.8. The only others I can think of wanting but will be less of a priority for me would be a 10.5 2.8 and mabye a nice macro. Personally I think buying the 85 1.8 was somewhat of a mistake when I purchased the 70-200 at the same time if I had it to do over I might have gotten the 17-55 instead of that and the kit lens but I don't think it (the 17-55) was out when I bought them.

Patrice · Mar 1, 2007

I don't make my living taking pictures. I do that for pleasure, for the intelectual challenge, and truth be told because I like technical machines. I take the hobby somewhat seriously. I've always had very good Nikon stuff (an adage I learned from my Grandma is that if you buy quality, you only buy it once) and the same holds for all of my interests. When I wanted to try digital I bought a D70 when they were first released along with a SB600 and a beginer lens, a 28-300 Tamron f3.5 - 6.3 aspherical internal focus xr ld. I shot that for well over two years. This is the year I finally decided to 'go digital'. I take a lot of available light candids of my family. I take a lot of scenics and street improv type photos and lastly I really like telephoto zooms and the neat images that can be produced. So one day last fall I took the plunge: I bought a 70-200mm f2.8 vr to put on the D70, I bought a D80 and a 85mm f1.4 (I already have a 50mm 1.8) for the low light candids, I bought a D200 and a 17-55 2.8 and a sb800 as a general purpose set. Along with that stuff I also got a MacBook for processing and a 21 inch screen, Capture NX, Elements 4.0, one circular polarizer (77mm fits on all three lenses), spare batteries, external power supply for the cameras, a manfrotto tripod and a ball head and a video head, a couple of camera bags, a pelican case for storage and transport, cleaning supplies and various other bits and bobs.

This all seems a bit extreme for one shopping adventure but all the purchases were considered in terms of a whole system and researched for quite a while before deciding. The last time I bought camera gear was the F4s, the FM2 and some lenses and vivitar flashes some twenty years ago.
This might not be the way most will acquire their equipment but now I have lenses for the next 20 years (I don't know about the bodies) and I don't need to be thinking about Nikon Aquisition Syndrome for a while !

LaFoto · Mar 2, 2007

In the end, everyone makes their own decisions, which is why I totally avoid reading any of the "What lens shall I buy" or "What camera shall I get" etc.-threads. Lastly, the decision is mine and is determined (for me, that is) by so many other factors, since I simply cannot AFFORD what I would really LIKE to get. So money is an issue, and if a lens that some will say is not a really really REALLY good one is to be had for a price that I can afford, then it will be THAT lens and not one that is 4 times as much (and hopefully as much better). Same applies to cameras. Or filters. Or flashes or tripods or or or. When you are on a budget, all those discussions are purely academical...

xfloggingkylex · Mar 2, 2007

LaFoto said:
In the end, everyone makes their own decisions, which is why I totally avoid reading any of the "What lens shall I buy" or "What camera shall I get" etc.-threads. Lastly, the decision is mine and is determined (for me, that is) by so many other factors, since I simply cannot AFFORD what I would really LIKE to get. So money is an issue, and if a lens that some will say is not a really really REALLY good one is to be had for a price that I can afford, then it will be THAT lens and not one that is 4 times as much (and hopefully as much better). Same applies to cameras. Or filters. Or flashes or tripods or or or. When you are on a budget, all those discussions are purely academical...

as a college student I couldnt agree more, price is one of the, if not the most important factors for me, and as a result I simply do not have the lens' I would like.

Stevedevil · Mar 2, 2007

I find it a hard philosophy to BUY something that you dont want, when you want something else, and that you will think when you use it the results are ok....

shachr6 · Mar 2, 2007

Funny I was just thinking that and started a post very similar!

shachr6 · Mar 2, 2007

DSLR noob said:
Only lens I've bought is the Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 MK II. ($73.13 shipped) from Amazon.com. I love the lens, and it is too cheap to not be bought. The focusing ring and build quality are horrible but if you can look beyond that, the lens is said to be sharper than its $1,700 50mm f/1.2L USM counterpart. The focusing range is small but the lens is really fas tglass. I think this is the prime example of bang for buck in the photography world (not just canon's but every company carries a cheap version of this lens)
Another consideration is the $400-ish 50mm f/1.4 USM. It is said to be a little softer, but more superior in that it is USM, the larger aperature is also a stepup but doesn't justify its price increase to me. A metal lens mount and body hardly even matter to me either. I say it should be every Canon user's first lens.

Is there any way you could show me a couple pictures you took with this lens. Thanks.

Stevedevil · Mar 2, 2007

USM is a Motor, Ultra Sonic, has No difference once the camera and lens have Focus, In manual they are all the same, you move a piece of glass to get an image in focus, The f Stop will only matter when used at the highest f stop, 1.4 verses 1.8 and £900-00..

The f 1.8 will always be in a kit bag because of its cheapness

It depends on HOW YOU USE IT

I have a 50mm f1.8

cost £50-00

Best Buy for me