Walk Around Lens

[chirurgeon]

I know a lot of people like the Sigma 28-300, but I have seen some reviews that say its slow in focusing and over 200mm it doesn't work too well. I love taking pictures at Animal Kingdom and I sometimes think the 300 isn't long enough for me . Keeping that in mind, is there a lens out there that will give me the same kind of focal lengths and maybe the macro capability as well. I had a nice Tokina for my Canon AE-1 that I liked, but I don't know if Tokina makes anything like it anymore.

 

[Anewman]

I know a lot of people like the Sigma 28-300, but I have seen some reviews that say its slow in focusing and over 200mm it doesn't work too well. I love taking pictures at Animal Kingdom and I sometimes think the 300 isn't long enough for me . Keeping that in mind, is there a lens out there that will give me the same kind of focal lengths and maybe the macro capability as well. I had a nice Tokina for my Canon AE-1 that I liked, but I don't know if Tokina makes anything like it anymore.

That is about as wide a focal range as one can find.
It is all about sacrifice, Optics, Range, size, speed(aperture), and/or price? You really cant have it all your way, regardless of what the ad says.

I really dont think it is that bad, much better than the lenses you find on those ULTRA ZOOM p&s Cameras.

If Range is your choice I dont see why this lens wouldnt do the job if switching lenses is out of the question. I would rather use a Canon 70-300 and carry a small digicam in my pocket for closer shots.

 

[jann1033]

i have been eyeing this lens and the tokina 12-24 but have never had a tokina lens..imo the price is right and reviews not bad either...
http://www.fredmiranda.com/reviews/showproduct.php?product=239&sort=7&cat=40&page=1

 

[deletedpenguin]

As a walk around lens, I've been using the Sigma 24-70 f/2.8 EX DG.

 

[jann1033]

forgot to add, i am presently using a 28-135 as a walk around which i find to be ok range but like you i long for more zoom so i think my solution is to keep the 28-135( provided it looks ok, it was broken and is supposed to be fixed now but haven't really tried it out yet), get a 1.4 teleconverter for my 70-200 f4 which cropped now probably gives me close to what a 300mm would give me so with the converter i'd be approaching 400mm cropped( i mean photoshop crop not crop factor)... and i know is sharp. then get the tokina 12-24 for wider angle. i also have a 18-55 kit but i don't use it much...i go for extremes...either wide wide or zoom zoom but that is what i like to shoot, i was mourning my lack of under 18mm the other day so i do think i want more wide as the 18-28 range isn't that much of a big deal to me, but i want wider than 18. far down the road i will probably replace the 28, replace my inexpensive 100mm macro with the canon 100mm macro and get the 17-40mm (or 24-70 or unless something else comes out) that will cover me except 51-69mm, give me a good macro and basically no a walk around except the 17-40 but i really kind of like a prime as a walk around anyway...( have a 50 and 100) so that's the plan
i also considered this one when i was buying my 70-200 but was afraid of the weight
http://www.fredmiranda.com/reviews/showproduct.php?product=237&sort=7&cat=40&page=1
so i guess the moral of my story is, I'd rather have good quality and have to change a lens than mediocre quality so i don't have to change a lens ( which is a 180 degree turn around from ayr ago when i started shooting digital and was paranoid about dust )

 

[deletedpenguin]

Good stuff!

I take my 70-200 f/2.8L with me, but when I'm out and about and it's a shot I don't have time to set up for, I rarely use it.

 

[MICKEY88]

how about sigma's 50-500


that should give you what you want for AK

 

[Groucho]

I'm one of the ones who is kind of opposed to the whole "walk around lens" concept - I think it defeats the purpose of an SLR to some extent. If you want to limit the amount of stuff you're carrying, I'd at least try to go for a two-lens solution; one wide and one long. If you don't want to carry a big camera bag, you can probably still fit an extra lens in a coat pocket (preferably one with a zipper or one that opens at the top, not side!) or on a small belt-mounted lens holder. The actual act of switching lenses really shouldn't take more than a few seconds... the hardest part IMHO is juggling the various front and rear caps!

 

[MICKEY88]

I'm one of the ones who is kind of opposed to the whole "walk around lens" concept - I think it defeats the purpose of an SLR to some extent. If you want to limit the amount of stuff you're carrying, I'd at least try to go for a two-lens solution; one wide and one long. If you don't want to carry a big camera bag, you can probably still fit an extra lens in a coat pocket (preferably one with a zipper or one that opens at the top, not side!) or on a small belt-mounted lens holder. The actual act of switching lenses really shouldn't take more than a few seconds... the hardest part IMHO is juggling the various front and rear caps!

do you ever lose a good shot, by taking the time to juggle the lens caps...

 

[deletedpenguin]

the hardest part IMHO is juggling the various front and rear caps!

Oh man, tell me about it.

 

[Groucho]

Err umm, perhaps I should have chosen a word other than "juggle"..............!

I've tried to learn juggling but never gotten very far...

 

[Steve's Girl]

Not sure what type of camera you are using (maybe Canon since you mentioned Canon AE-1). But, if it is a Nikon by any chance, the 18-200 is quite dandy. The IQ is pretty good considering the range it covers.