which lens?

[biggin]

I still can't decide on what lens to buy for my 20d, I will mostly take event photo,s ( receptions)and portraits. What are some thoughts between the tamron 28-75/2.8and canon 17-85 IS ? How about some sample photos of each if you have time to post them. Thanks for any and all help!

[tim]

Get the Tamron, you'll want the F2.8 more than you'll want IS. On pbase.com I believe you can search by lens type, that will get you sample pictures, or look at my website (link below), most non-macro shots are done witt the Tamron.

No offense, but if you're asking this question you should think twice about being a wedding photographer. If it's just for candids at a wedding that's hired a pro then go for it, experiment and learn, but try not to piss the pro off, he's being paid to do a job.

[VegasGeorge]

Tim, I guess you're thinking about the available light utility of the 2.8 Tamron vs the 4.0 Canon. I was concerned about that too when I bought my 17-85. What I've found is that the 20D's performance at high ISO settings is so good, and the additional latitude allowed by the IS for slower shutter speeds, more than compensates for the loss I feared from using a slower lens. Indoor shots are a breeze with the 20D, 17-85.

[cc10d]

Another thought or two, is about the focus accuracy, the 20D can provide a more precise focus when the lens is f2.8 or faster. See pg.68 20D instruction manual. Also f 2.8 can provide focus in lower light when the slower lenses start hunting or cannot acheive focus. IS doesn't help focusing, nor does higher ISO.

[tim]

cc10d has a good point.

I do some low light theatre shooting, F2.8 is almost too narrow for that if you want decent shutter speeds - I prefer to use my 50mm F1.8. The 20D's high ISO performance is a lot better than the 10D/300D, and I use it when I have to to get the required shutter speeds, but I prefer to stay at ISO 800 or less if I can. Sure I use noise reduction software, but fine detail is lost in the noise.