glass for a 10D

[edmund]

I'm cluttering up the forum with naive questions. Apologies.
I've posted this as a question within a question but would like to bring it forward: I'm considering buying a 10D. Yikes.... $1500. OK, I bite the bullet for that but now I'm going to be needing something to stick on the front. I know, intuitively and from what I've read here, that the glass is almost as important as the body - maybe even more so if you are wanting good prints. So what do I do? The thought of dropping $1000 per lens on top glass is more than I can contemplate at the moment ... so I'd like your considered advice: I'm not going to be doing sports, low light or macro - it'll be more run of the mill than that. Stuff around a college - people, landscapes, graduation, important visitors, publicity etc .... not for sale but for internal college use.
So what can I get that will do the job for me. You get what you pay for? Sure - but I have to start somewhere. Two lenses to get me from moderate wide angle to 200mm without regretting not selling the farm to get 'L' glass? There must be something out there ....... and I suspect that you know what it is!!
Thanks.

[Chris1le]

My first two lenses were the Canon 28-135IS and Sigma 70-200EX. You could probably get the Canon 70-200 F/4L for a little less than the Sigma. The 28-135 and both 70-200's are pretty highly rated here. They will give you pretty good coverage. one more lens that is cheap and highly recomended is the Canon 50mm f/1.8. Very sharp lens for around $70.00. That is if you can find one.

[Ken Fong]

I second Chris1le's recommendation. The Canon 28-135IS and the Sigma 70-200 2.8 combination will cost under $1K if you buy them used. The Canon 28-135 'lives' on my camera and will probably meet most of your needs. Remember that with the 1.6x crop factor, this is basically like a 44-216mm lens, and the IS will buy you up to 3 more stops of shutter speed if you need it, so it's almost like buying a faster lens. The Canon 28-135 has a lot of plastic parts...it will not be as durable as the L lenses, but it is still a good value in terms of what it does for you. The Sigma on the other hand is almost as durable as the L lenses, so that also makes it a good value.

If 216mm is enough for you, you can postpone the Sigma 70-200 purchase to get a wider angle lens instead, especially if you are doing a lot of landscapes. For this, I recommend the Sigma 15-30 3.5 (about $500 new)...this will get 24mm after the 1.6x conversion.

[msvadi]

get Canon 28-135IS and 50mm 1.8 just in case you want low light.

[CyberDyneSystems]

get Canon 28-135IS and 50mm 1.8 just in case you want low light.

Ditto...

Then decide longer or wider after you have the basic covered.

[Olegis]

I second the msvadi's recomendation - the 28-135 is very good starter lens, it's relatively cheap, has goog range (45-216 on x1.6 crop body), not bad optically and has IS.
The 50 f/1.8 is very cheap and almost perfect optically. You can always upgrade later to some wider angle (17-40 f/4L or even Sigma 15-30) or to some telephoto lens in the future.

[Canuck]

Options galore...
This is intended for those that can't afford the $1900 Sigma 120-300mm F2.8EX, the $3300 Sigma 500mm F4.5, the $1390 Canon 100-400 F4.5-5.6L type lenses, or the Sigma $5,909.00 Super Telephoto 800mm f/5.6 EX APO HSM AF lens.

For on the budget you have several options and they include the Sigma EX series, Tokina, Tamron XR series for zoom lenses and these are for the lenses only and do not include shipping or filter(s) prices are from B&H in Manhattan, New York City, New York. B&H is not always the cheapest place, but definiltely reliable and they have been around since 1973. Ideally, you want to have coverage (able to have any focal length from about 20mm to 300mm. Overlapping (for example having a 16-35mm lens and a 24-70mm lens where they both cover from 24-35mm) is fine, it means potentially less lens changes.

Here are some options in asending price order alphabetically by manuafacturer and then in ascending cost order:

For Tamron the letters mean:
Di:
Digitally Integrated Design, is a designation Tamron puts on lenses featuring optical systems designed to meet the performance characteristics of digital SLR cameras.

AD (Anomalous Dispersion): Optical system achieve high contrast and crisp images.

XR:
Smaller, compact, lighter weight lenses.

All the rest of the terminology is the same, and now for the options:
Zoom Telephoto AF 75-300mm f/4.0-5.6 LD Macro Autofocus Lens Price: $ 119.95

Zoom Telephoto AF 70-300mm f/4.0-5.6 LD Macro Autofocus Lens
Price: $ 149.95

Zoom Wide Angle-Telephoto AF 28-200mm Super Zoom f/3.8-5.6 Aspherical XR IF Macro Autofocus Lens
Price: $ 259.95

Zoom Wide Angle-Telephoto AF 28-75mm f/2.8 XR Di Autofocus Lens
Price: $ 319.95

Zoom Wide Angle-Telephoto SP AF 24-135mm f/3.5-5.6 AD Aspherical IF Autofocus Lens
Price: $ 369.00

Zoom Wide Angle-Telephoto AF 28-300mm f/3.5-6.3 Ultra Zoom XR LD Aspherical IF Macro Autofocus Lens
Price: $ 369.95

Zoom Super Wide Angle SP AF 17-35mm f/2.8-4 Di LD Aspherical IF Autofocus Lens
Price: $ 479.00

Zoom Wide Angle-Telephoto SP AF 28-105mm f/2.8 LD Aspherical IF Autofocus Lens
Price: $ 809.95

For Tokina, the letters mean:
SD (super low dispersion): Glass element are employed in the optical design to insure sharpness across the film plane. Now for the options:

Zoom Wide Angle-Telephoto AF 24-200mm f/3.5-5.6 AT-X 242AF Autofocus Lens
Price: $ 279.00

Wide Angle-Telephoto 28-70mm f/2.8 ATX Pro-SV Autofocus Lens
Price: $ 279.00

Zoom Telephoto AF 80-400mm f/4.5-5.6 AT-X 840AF Autofocus Lens (with Tripod Collar)
Price: $ 439.00

Zoom Wide Angle-Telephoto AF 28-80mm f/2.8 AT-X 280AF Pro Autofocus Lens for Canon EOS
Price: $ 549.00

Zoom Super Wide Angle AF 20-35mm f/2.8 AT-X 235AF Pro IF Autofocus Lens
Price: $ 599.00

Zoom Telephoto AF 80-200mm f/2.8 AT-X 828AF Pro Autofocus Lens
Price: $ 599.00

For Sigma, the letters mean:
EX:
EXcellence. These professional type lenses feature the distinctive EX finish and EX logo on the lens barrel. (The finish on the 120-300mm F2.8EX lens I have is a nice touch! -ed.)

ASP:
Aspherical lenses. Lens elements that are not spherical can reduce the total number of elements required in a lens design. They can deliver better performance while reducing weight and size.
Aspherical lenses maximize optical performance while minimizing lens size and weight. Aspherical lenses help reduce some of the problems usually associated with wide angles and zooms, such as lens flare and edge distortion.
They also help deliver higher quality telephoto images.

APO:
APO lenses. These lenses use apochromatic design and Special Low Dispersion glass (SLD) for minimum color aberration and ultimate telephoto image quality, improving contrast and sharpness.
Apochromatic (APO) telephoto lenses greatly minimize color aberration, a phenomenon created by different wave lengths of light refracting at different angles. This causes each color to have a slightly different imaging point, resulting in poor image quality.
APO Zoom Macros offer up to 1:2 magnification in the telephoto range with instant shifting from normal to macro shooting.
APO Tele-Macros offer 1:3 image size close focus, long thought to be impossible for a telephoto lens — and are no larger than a fixed focal lens of the same class.

IF/RF:
Internal and Rear Focusing. Conventional automatic focusing is done by moving either the entire lens system or just moving the front lens group.
For our telephoto and telemacro lenses, Sigma developed an internal focusing system that moves lens groups inside the lens barrel, significantly improving macro capabilities. For super wide-angle lenses with large front diameters, we created a rear focusing system that moves only the rear lens group.
For our mid-range lenses, we use an internal focusing system that moves inner lens groups to allow a shorter minimum focusing distance. All while retaining a constant physical lens barrel length.

HSM:
HyperSonic Motor. Enables virtually silent, highly responsive auto and manual focusing, as well as manual focus only override.

UC:
Ultra Compact. The smallest, lightest lens of its type available.

DL:
Deluxe. DL lenses are full feature lenses in spite of their modest price. Like other Sigma lenses, they are supplied with a custom lens hood and feature half-stop increments on manual aperture settings, depth of field scale, distance scale, infrared correction mark.

DF:
Dual Focus. It is easy to hold the lens, since the focusing ring does not rotate during auto-focusing and yet provides adequate focusing torque of the focusing ring during manual focusing of the lens.

HF:
Helical focus. This system of the lens eliminates front lens rotation, thus allowing the use of a Perfect Hood and easy to use polarizing filters.

Sigma options:
Sigma Zoom Wide Angle-Telephoto 28-70mm f/2.8 EX Aspherical DF Autofocus Lens for Canon EOS Price: $ 329.00

Sigma Zoom Wide Angle-Telephoto 24-70mm f/2.8 EX Aspherical DF Autofocus Lens for Canon EOS Price: $ 399.00

Sigma Zoom Super Wide Angle 17-35mm f/2.8-4.0 EX Aspherical HSM Autofocus Lens for Canon EOS Price: $ 439.00

Sigma Zoom Super Wide Angle 15-30mm f/3.5-4.5 EX Aspherical DG DF Autofocus Lens for Canon EOS Price: $ 579.00

Sigma Zoom Super Wide Angle 12-24mm f/4.5-5.6 EX Aspherical DG HSM Autofocus Lens for Canon EOS Price: $ 649.00

Sigma Zoom Super Wide Angle 20-40mm f/2.8 EX Aspherical DG DF Autofocus Lens for Canon EOS Price: $ 649.00

Sigma Zoom Telephoto 70-200mm f/2.8 EX APO IF HSM Autofocus Lens for Canon EOS Price: $ 739.00

Sigma Zoom Telephoto 100-300mm F/4.0 EX IF HSM Autofocus Lens for Canon EOS Price: $ 839.00

Sigma Zoom Normal-Telephoto 50-500mm f/4.0-6.3 EX APO RF HSM Autofocus Lens for Canon EOS Price: $ 939.00


This should get you started and this is by no means all inclusive.

[Wickedfn4u]

Canuck you for got the almighty Phat Beast the Sigma 120-300mm 2.8 1700~1800. What a piece of glass!

[Canuck]

Canuck you for got the almighty Phat Beast the Sigma 120-300mm 2.8 1700~1800. What a piece of glass!

LOL!
The reason I didn't add it was that these are lenses for under $1000. The phat beast is nearly double and when you put in UV/CPL it jumps over $2000 and that is why I didn't include it. I got it when it first was out in Aug last year so I was paying the premium price, at $1900. I also have the UV and CPL for it which were $110 and $170, respectively so all said and done it was over $2200. I'm glad you like the phat beast! It is one hell of a lens.

[kahfluie]

Just an FYI -

Delta International is selling the Sigma 70-200 f/2.8 EX APO IF HSM Autofocus Lens for $656.

They also sell the Sigma Zoom Normal-Telephoto 50-500mm f/4.0-6.3 EX APO RF HSM for: $ 826.00

I got my 70-200mm from there - good service, on time delivery, excellent lens.

Cheers.

[Whaler]

Look here or the FM forum for a USED 17-40 f/4 L and a 70-200 f/4 L. You won't regret going to L. :mrgreen: