Which lens would you suggest

Brandman · Mar 9, 2012

I am a new and ever learning photographer and I am taking my first dive into L class lenses. my choices are the 24-70 2.8L and the 70-200 2.8L IS II. Currently in my bag i have the nifty fifty 1.8, and 28-135 2.5-5.6. Which lens would you suggest i get. I really havent found my niche yet so I lean from one end of the spectrum to the other when it comes to what i like to shoot.

Overread · Mar 9, 2012

Well the two lenses you've listed as looking at are top range choices on the market and both are very popular options. However you can't just buy lenses cause they have the L designation. Even outstanding glass is useless if its for no purpose (unless you just like collecting lenses).

First step is to identify your needs - what limitations are there with your current lenses, what are they not doing for you. Or are they doing all you want and you'd prefer to upgrade the quality of the results you are getting. You've got to put criteria on the table before you can make any lens selection choice.

Brandman · Mar 9, 2012

Overread said:
Well the two lenses you've listed as looking at are top range choices on the market and both are very popular options. However you can't just buy lenses cause they have the L designation. Even outstanding glass is useless if its for no purpose (unless you just like collecting lenses).

First step is to identify your needs - what limitations are there with your current lenses, what are they not doing for you. Or are they doing all you want and you'd prefer to upgrade the quality of the results you are getting. You've got to put criteria on the table before you can make any lens selection choice.

i like portraiture also i would like to get into shooting sports, i also like landscape photography but think that will be reserved for when i get a ultra wide angle. I like walking around down town and finding interesting things to shoot people, architecture. like i said i havent really found a niche that i am just completely into. as far as my current lenses i have a 50mm 1.8 and a 28-135 3.5-5.6 is the 50mm has sharp pictures and is nice in low light but I'm stuck at one focal length. the 28-135 is alright but after seeing the difference when you are shooting with a quality lens i want a lens that is ultra sharp and great with color. also the thing i really liked about the L lenses was how fast they focused. hope that answers your questions, which one would you prefer and why?

Overread · Mar 9, 2012

Well 70-200mm f2.8 can do sports, landscape and can do general town stuff. It might not be the best for indoor sports always - though to be fair the alternatives for 135mm and 200mm are only f2 lenses so whilst very good primes they are not giving you a massive light advantage over f2.8 - every little helps but if its not your mainstay its probably going to be a big difference if you need the range (that said there are 85mm and shorter focal length primes which are a lot faster in aperture which would be suited to such work).

Otherwise the 70-200mm can do a lot of what you're interested in - but then again for something like street work its a big lens, you get noticed and often people prefer smaller primes or zooms which are less obvious and less "in your face" and easier to use in a busy street environment.

Myself I'd be very hard pressed not to suggest the 70-200mm - its a lens I own myself and it is a fantastic performer and it is a really solid choice. It's a focal range that is also very versatile for many different kinds of photography so its a hard lens to pass up on for many.

Derrel · Mar 9, 2012

As Overread states in Post #4--the 70-200mm f/2.8 lens is a VERY versatile lens, and quite decent for many sports situations. Not "all sports", but quite good for many sports. it's also quite adept as a portraiture lens, good for events (weddings, street fairs, renaissance fairs, air shows, dog shows, horse events, athletics, etc.)

Canon also makes a VERY FINE, lighter, smaller 70-200mm f/4-L IS USM, a relatively new design, that is optically excellent. IT is MUCH BETTER than the older, 67mm filter thread 70-200 f/4-L, the "non-IS" version.

It's always nice to have a 70-200 lens...it is a true workhorse...it is a hammer....it is a 10-inch Crescent wrench...it is a Swiss Army knife...it is bread and butter...it is duct tape!!!