What lens

[Kaptekarev]

I’m shopping for a used D60 and wondering what lens’s I’m gonna need. My photo interests in order of priority are landscape, action, and portraits. My budget is tight, so initially I probably need a universal lens. Then later I can get some more specialized lenses. Can I have recommendations on a good/cheap:
-Universal lens
-Landscape lens
-Portrait lens

[redbutt]

Tamron 28-300 XR.

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bh3.sph/FrameWork.class?FNC=ProductActivator__Aproductlist _html___258520___TA2830035XCJ___REG___CatID=0___SI D=F4E985219B0

It's a great lens for all-purpose useage and will hold you over for quite a while.

[Longwatcher]

In order of Price High to Low (if I were just going to get one lens)

Canon 28-70 f2.8L (about $1200)

Canon 28-135 f3.5-5.6 IS (about $400)
(This would be the one resonably priced lens that I would recommend)

Canon 50/1.8 (about $80)

The Tamron lens mentioned may be a good lens, but I personally don't trust Tamron lenses (primarily from bad focus and noticeable distortion). The price seems to be about the same as the Canon 28-135, but the Canon has Image Stabilization. On the other hand the Tamron mentioned could substitute for my first two lenses the 28-135 and the 75-300, except for the IS.

If you went with one of my first two choices then the second lens I would recommend is to follow with:

Wide: Go with 16-35L or 17-35
Telephoto: Go with 70-200L IS or 100-400L IS or 75-300 IS (note the trend here)

And no matter what I highly recommend getting at least one prime that gives you at least f1.8 if not f1.4

If you can part with the money get the 'universal lens' and then pick up the 50/1.8 or 50/1.4 for portrait/snapshot work.

Just my opinions,

[bmccall]

Turns out several Tamron lenses are not fully compatible with the 10D. Here is a link to the Japanese Tamron site with info.
http://babelfish.altavista.com/babelfish/tr?tt=url&url=http://www.tamron.co.jp/data/dsc/eos10d.htm&lp=ja_en

(You may have to copy the whole link to open the proper page)

Brad

[Longwatcher]

Is it my imagination or do only Tamron's primes seem to have no focusing problem? (that they have found yet)

At best their Zooms recommend center focal point use only. the majority require manual.

Not high on my list, but after seeing that page, they are even further down for use on Canon digital cameras.

"Youze gets what you paid for..."

[redbutt]

I guess I've been lucky with my Tamron lenses. I have the new 28-300XR and the 19-35. They both worked great with my D30 and were working great with my 10D (I have tsend the 10D back because after 20 images the thing freaked out and is totally messed up...there has to be a fried circuit somewhere.)

Anyway...here is a shot I took last weekend with the 28-300 (this was a D30 though...which has it's own focus issues.)

http://www.ezprints.com/Album/images/3/2183591_img.jpg

It's a full size (~2MB) jpg converted from RAW.

Now, I'll be the first to admit that the Canon lenses you recommend are kick ass lenses. I've played with a friends 70-200 f2.8...and oh boy does that make great images. But, if cost is an issue, the Tamron's aren't that bad, and with the 1.6 multiplication factor, the distortion that you might see near the edges of the image is cut off. On a full frame sensor on the other hand you would see it (then again if I had a full frame sensor...ohhhh 1Ds..someday, I would certainly spring for better glass.)

[CyberDyneSystems]

I'm using a Sigma 28mm-200mm zoom on my 10D and it is great. I thought seriously about 28mm-300mm but I got the Sigma so I would have a lens the day the Camera arrived (last night!!!! :) )

The Sigma 28-200 zoom can be had for around $200.00 U.S. (or less) at many internet sites. I actually got mine at Ritz Camera (which makes it a "Quantaray" )