Any advice on a good "budget lens" for a dSLR?

[Sonno]

Hello all!

I'll be buying a Canon 30D in the very near future.
Unfortunately, I won't be able to afford a good L series lens before my trip to WDW in Sept.
So I'm stuck considering my options for a cheaper budget lens.

Right now I'm considering:
1) Sigma AF 17-70mm (1.6x = 27-112mm) f/2.8-4.5 DC macro
2) Sigma AF 18-125mm (1.6x = 29-200mm) f/3.5-5.6 DC
3) Sigma AF 18-200mm (1.6x = 29-320mm) f/3.5-6.3 DC

From reviews I've read the 18-200 isn't all that great (bad BD, CA, Vign, AF accuracy).
The 18-125 is alot better, how ever it's not as fast as the 17-70.
But the 17-70 will only zoom out 112mm.

Any advice on these or other lenses?

Thanks in advance.

 

[JR6ooo4]

Need more input...

What is your price range?
What do you want from the lens most. Wide angle or Tele prime (fixed distance) lens. Or a zoom in the wide range, average between wide and tele or a tele zoom.

Mikeeee

 

[Sonno]

I'm looking for an APS-C compatible, standard - med tele zoom (50-200mm with the 1.6x crop), in the $400-600 price range.

Another lens I'm considering is the Canon EF 28-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS USM

 

[WillCAD]

I have the Sigma 18-125 and have gotten some nice pics with it so far

I recently walked across the newly-completed Outer Loop span of the Woodrow Wilson Bridge (over the patomac on I-495, the Capital Beltway), and took a bunch of pics with my Canon 300D and my Sigma 18-125.
http://willcad.org/photos/2006/Roll-275/Roll-275.html

Any sub-standard images are purely my fault, not the lenses.

 

[handicap18]

I'd go with the Sigma 18-125 and also maybe get the 50mm 1.8 to start out with. From there you can move on down the road to a nice zoom telephoto or a wider short zoom depending on where you picture taking takes you.

 

[Sonno]

Thanks!

I was leaning towards the 18-125. After looking at a bunch of WillCAD's pics there, I couldn't really see any CA or Vign, looks pretty good.

Good idea on the 50mm prime. I'll have to check out the reviews and tests and stuff and see how it checks out.

Here's a great site for that:
http://www.photozone.de/8Reviews/index.html

 

[Kelly Grannell]

I have both item 1 and item 2 and used both for professional applications.

Now item 1 have been replaced with Canon 17-55 f/2.8 IS. For further zoom I use Canon 70-200 f/2.8 IS, now item 2 is just sitting doing nothing at home.

 

[Sonno]

I have both item 1 and item 2 and used both for professional applications.

Now item 1 have been replaced with Canon 17-55 f/2.8 IS. For further zoom I use Canon 70-200 f/2.8 IS, now item 2 is just sitting doing nothing at home.

LOL, care to sell it?

I'm just looking for something to get me thru my next trip to WDW in Sept.
Immeadiatly after that, I'll be saving to get:

Canon EF 16-35mm f/2.8L USM
Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8L USM
Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS USM

 

[Kelly Grannell]

Sorry, not yet. Because on the odd ocassion I travel with my family, I still use the Sigma 18-125, albeit it only happens 3 hours each month.

I'm waiting for the rumoured 18-125 (maybe 200) f/3.5-5.6 IS from Canon to be announced sometime late June 2006.

 

[Sonno]

Sorry, not yet. Because on the odd ocassion I travel with my family, I still use the Sigma 18-125, albeit it only happens 3 hours each month.

I'm waiting for the rumoured 18-125 (maybe 200) f/3.5-5.6 IS from Canon to be announced sometime late June 2006.

I was just joking bud. I can pick a brand new one up for like $230 off bizrate.com

An 18-125 from Canon? Hmmm... that sounds interesting. Maybe I should wait a little while longer.

 

[JR6ooo4]

If you only need it for one trip consider renting. Or, as you said, buy something used that has a good resale value that will hold. You should be able to resell at very near purchase price if you only hold onto it for 6 months.

I jsut missed an ebay moment where the rebel kit lens was selling for $80-100. Mine went for $66.

Mikeeee

 

[Kelly Grannell]

I was just joking bud. I can pick a brand new one up for like $230 off bizrate.com

An 18-125 from Canon? Hmmm... that sounds interesting. Maybe I should wait a little while longer.

$230? WHOAAAAAAA! (put Keanu Reeves voice there) It's still about US$300 in Canada!

Some (read: all) items are just crazy expensive up here.

About the Canon lens, the rumour's been floating around since before Nikon released its 18-200 VR... and it remains the same (WRT the announcement date)

 

[WillCAD]

$230? WHOAAAAAAA! (put Keanu Reeves voice there) It's still about US$300 in Canada!

Some (read: all) items are just crazy expensive up here.

About the Canon lens, the rumour's been floating around since before Nikon released its 18-200 VR... and it remains the same (WRT the announcement date)

I got mine from Tri-State's eBay store for $229.97

Excellenttttttttt!!!

 

[Kelly Grannell]

Excellenttttttttt!!!

I assume the same Keanu voice from Bill and Ted's Adventures?

 

[Sonno]

I think I've decided on these two:

1) Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 II ($80)
2) Canon EF 28-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS USM ($420)

That should probably do me good for a week at WDW.

 

[Kelly Grannell]

I'm always scared when people mention about the 28-135. Nothing wrong with the lens it's just with APS-C sensor, 28mm is not wide enough.

28mm on 35mm camera is = 17mm on a dSLR with APS-C sensor.

 

[Sonno]

A 28mm becomes a 45mm with an APS-C. I'd need at most a 10mm (16mm) lens to do anything wide angle. I'm still looking.

 

[Kelly Grannell]

if you're looking for effective 16mm lens, it'll be cheaper for you to get a full-frame dSLR and a 17-40L lens.

 

[Sonno]

I'm waiting for the Canon 1Ds Mk III. Eventually the 30D will become my back up, and I'd like my back up to have an APS-C. I'm just thinking long term with everything I'm buying; except the 28-135mm, I just need something to shoot with at WDW and I won't be able to afford L glass until after it is over.

 

[Kelly Grannell]

Then if you're thinking short term, don't waste your money on the 28-135 but get the Sigma 18-125 instead. It's only about US$250 shipped.