lens selection opinions/suggestions?

[billh101]

Hello, I'm planning on using my tax refund to both go digital and jump ship from Nikon to Canon. I'm planning on getting a 20D and 1 (or maybe 2) lenses to get me started. I like sharp lenses, currently my 50mm and 85mm primes are my most used lenses just because they are really sharp, but I do love wide angles too. I wish that the 17-85 were faster and really sharp, because it'd be a nice range. I was considering the 17-40, but a little faster would be nice. So, now I'm thinking of getting a 50mm and either a Tamron 17-35 or Tamron 28-75. I've heard good things about both of them. I'd love to start with the wider lens, but that wouldn't give me much on the long end. On the other hand, if I got the 28-75, maybe I could get the cheap kit lens for those times I want wide angle until I can afford another good lens. But, I'd almost rather not even bother with the kit lens if I'm going to have to stop it down to get any decent results from it. Regardless, somewhere down the road I'd finish the system off with a flash, the other Tamron zoom, and the 70-200 2.8L. What do you guys recommend for my starter system? Any experience with those Tamron lenses? Thanks for your opinions. -Bill

[cmM]

well that 28-75 Tamron lens is praised my pretty much everyone that owns it. I don't. As for whide angle, if you don't want to spend the money on the 16-35 f/2.8, you might wanna considder Sigma 15-30, or 12-24.

Primes are awesome, too :). Good luck with your purchase.

[RichardtheSane]

Bill, I'm sure you know already, but remember that the 20D has a smaller sensor size than 35mm film and because of this there is the crop factor to be taken into account.

In order to get the same fov as lenses on 35mm you need to be multiplying the focal lengh by 1.6

Whatever you decide, the canon 50mm lenses are superb!

[b@s]

I did the same thing a while back, after years of Nikon F3 I got the 10D. Get a good lens is my advice. Do some research on what is available on the internet (dpreview, steve's digicams) and fid out what is a reasonable price. While you're at it have a look at what Nikon has to offer in the digital SLR range.

For the 20D my advice is Canon's EF-S 17-85mm, it equals to what in the 35mm world is a 28-135mm lens. This gives you a good range so you can put off buying the second lens (maybe Canon's EF-S 10-22mm?) and recover from the cost..

But one thing I can tell you, digital photography is a totally different world from what you're used to. Have fun finding out.

[Akreager]

If you are going digital SLR on a limited budget and stick with it. go with the Nikon D70, the 18-70 kit lens, the 70-300ED, one SB800 flash, an SC-29 off camera cord for your flash, and a simple L shaped flash bracket. You will have a system that blows away the digital rebel with a 35mm equivilent range of 28-450 and much better i-ttl capability/flexibility all for under $2000.

If you can afford more, go with the Canon 20D, a 17-40F4.0L, a 50F1.8, a 70-200F4.0L with a 1.4TC, a 580 flash with an ST-E2 controler - All for the mere price of about $3750. 35mm equivilent will be 28 - 448. It is better than the D70 for sure!

Beware that you will get hooked and want PS creative suite (PS Elements III is also pretty good), Noise Ninja, and multiple other programs designed to help with/work with PS and you will need memory cards etc etc. You may spend 500 - 2000 in addition to the camera.

I have no brand allience sinced I have a Nikon 17-55F2.8DX coupled full time to a D70 used with 3 SB800 flash units for multiple flash and a Canon 1D Mark II with 15mm Fisheye, 35MM F1.4L, 70-200F2.8L IS with a 1.4TC for all my available light pics (especially the high ISO ones since noise on a MarkII at iso1200 looks like noise on the D70 at iso400) . AND a zilion other things like light stands, backgrounds......for what seems like a zillion $$$$$$$$.

I started with the D70 system I reccomended to you and got good trade in value for the first two lenses when I moved up. The fact that I still use it when I also have a Mark II tells you something about the D70. There is a diminishing rate of return for sure. For the 3-4X factor my current system costs over my first I do not get 3-4X better quality. I get more keepers. I have two bodies each with a lens mounted so I get to take some pics you would not since I do not have to change lenses as often. I get faster and more reliable focus and exposure especially in low light and therefore more keepers.....you get the point.

Hope this helps.

Andy Kreager - akreager@equistar.com

[billh101]

I was off work yesterday and went to a local camera shop and did a quick comparison of the 20D and the D70. There wasn't one clean cut winner like I expected. I love the 20d for the ergonomics, ISO3200, low noise, etc. However, I had previously ruled out the D70 because people complain about it's penta prism viewfinder all the time on forums. Well, the 20d viewfinder did look a little bigger, but I couldn't really tell much difference in the brightness. I thought the Nikon was still ok to manual focus. The sales guy said that starting in February, there's going to be an additional $100 rebate bringing the D70 kit down to $1,100. That is awfully tempting since it includes a respectable kit lens and would work with all my existing lenses. I still really, really like the 20D, but I'd definitely have to build up a system slowly if I switch over. It's not an easy decision. I'm sure in the end, either way I'll probably love which ever one I decide on anyway so I'm probably torturing myself over this for nothing. I don't think I'm going to buy until PMA, in case Canon or Nikon has something great around the corner.