Need some Pro Advise here - Please?

[luvdodo]

Folks,

Hello. I have a 30D body and have had a Tamron 17-50 F/2.8 and a Canon 100mm F2.8 for almost a year. I sold both the lens in quest of buying something that better suits my needs. I tell you why I sold my lens and what I need now and you all can chime in with some superb suggesstions that you always provide.

Tamron 17-50mm: It was a superb lens in the day light. However at night and indoors parties I "think" I really missed the IS that canon provides. I've had some low light indoors parties that gave me some terrible shots and my wife almost killed me (like kids birthdays you see? )

The Canon 100mm: Was excellent too. But I did not have the patience running around insects . I am done with Macro photography for at least the next 3-4 years I am sure.


What I need now -

1) I love landscape photography
2) I have to continue to "take" awesome general pictures of the family, parties etc. Else you know what happens right?

My current budget is around $1000.

Option 1: I can take the Canon 17-55 F/2.8 ($960 odd). This helps me take general pictures, low light pictures at F/2.8 and IS enabled. But my landcape quest isn't complete with a 17mm in the front and I have no money for the canon 10-22mm or sigma 10-20mm.

Option 2: How about I take a canon 10-22mm for $700 odd and quench my thirst for landscaped and use a 50mm F1.8 for general picstures? Am I screwing up here. since the 50mm F1.8 will again give me low light problems with out the IS? Alterbatives to this solution?

Option 3: Any other solutions ot my problem? Maybe the Canon 10-22mm and the canon 28-135mm IS will help? But Iam nto sure how goo is the canon 28-135 in low light? Any thoughts? I dont want the same low light issue to come up again.


Appreciate your help, so very much !! !! !!

[Dockland]

If it was me, i'd go for primes only. Fast primes are far better optically than any zoom-lenses, atleast in the L series. But, that is what I should have done

[xarqi]

10-22 + 18-55 IS + 430EX flash?

[luvdodo]

Originally Posted by Dockland

If it was me, i'd go for primes only. Fast primes are far better optically than any zoom-lenses, atleast in the L series. But, that is what I should have done

When you mean prime, you are referring to Fixed Focal length I assume? Any recommendations the primes? Thanks so much.

[St1ll]

Be carefull because the 50 1.8 even if is fast, really sucks in low-light situations. Af won't work at all. (that's why I sold it out)
So you might choose the 17-55, that is good both for portraits and landscapes

[luvdodo]

Originally Posted by xarqi

10-22 + 18-55 IS + 430EX flash?

The 18-55 seems to be just $170. Any feedback on how the low light performance is compared to the the Tamron 17-50 ?

I know the flash would made it much better

[luvdodo]

Originally Posted by St1ll

Be carefull because the 50 1.8 even if is fast, really sucks in low-light situations. Af won't work at all. (that's why I sold it out)
So you might choose the 17-55, that is good both for portraits and landscapes

thank you! You helped me rule out the 50mm now.

[zara]

Originally Posted by xarqi

10-22 + 18-55 IS + 430EX flash?

+1

The single most effective improvement for your low-light, indoor photography needs is a flash and maybe a book on how to use it effectively. It can be a liberating experience to bounce your flash off the ceiling and suddenly be shooting at ISO 100, f/4 indoors without a worry and without that "deer in the headlight" look.

I own the 17-55 IS, and while I find the IS very useful in many situations, it won't freeze the action of kids running around the dimly lit house or guests in animated conversation.

[TheHoff]

You're not going to get much better than 2.8 on a zoom for indoor shots. IS isn't going to help with moving targets like kids. You should've upped the ISO or added the flash. If you want to shoot indoors without those things, you have a few options:

Fast primes or add more light to your house. Now even if you go the fast prime route, as said above, you need one that will focus in low light... or use your speedlite as a focus assist. Also with the primes, you need to watch the depth of field.. it will be short at 1.4 or 1.8. You can't have more than one person in frame and sharp unless they are on the same plane of focus and your focus has to be spot on. Sometimes it is easier to add the flash -- bounce it off a ceiling or wall and the light can be decent.

For a budget prime, I'd look at the Sigma 30/1.4.

[JoYork]

Here's another suggestion:

17-40 (check out the image archive on this site for some jaw-dropping landscapes), some filters (GND etc) and a decent flash.

A guy at work uses the 17-40 and f/4 is not actually that limiting indoors if you can bounce or diffuse the flash. The colours and contrast of this lens just about pip the 17-55IS and the lens is also cheaper.

The 17-55IS is a superb general purpose lens, though, and if I only was allowed to own ONE lens this would be it.

[luvdodo]

Originally Posted by zara

+1

The single most effective improvement for your low-light, indoor photography needs is a flash and maybe a book on how to use it effectively. It can be a liberating experience to bounce your flash off the ceiling and suddenly be shooting at ISO 100, f/4 indoors without a worry and without that "deer in the headlight" look.

I own the 17-55 IS, and while I find the IS very useful in many situations, it won't freeze the action of kids running around the dimly lit house or guests in animated conversation.

Now I see a huge price diff between 18-55 and 15-55, which is $170 versus $960. Is this difference only for the F2.0 fixed focal or is optics talking here?

[xarqi]

In comparing the Tamron 17-50 to the 18-55 IS, in low light, each has advantages, depending on your subject's motion. The Tamron gives you f/2.8 - up to 2 stops faster than the 18-55, but the 18-55 gives you IS, which is good for 4 stops of additional "holdability". Static subjects - take the Canon; moving subjects - take the Tamron.

The price difference between the 18-55 IS and 17-55/2.8 IS is mostly due to the faster aperture of the latter, although it also has a better build, USM and FTM (I think - someone confirm or correct please), and a metal mount rather than plastic. The IS in the 18-55 is a newer generation though - good for an extra stop, and cheaper to produce. The 18-55 IS is a sharp lens, and appears less susceptible to flare than the 17-55.

[Dockland]

I'm so sorry. First of all, im not qualified to be a "pro" answerer as you requested And second, I didnt catch your budget. So never mind my answer.

My bad

[zara]

Originally Posted by luvdodo

Now I see a huge price diff between 18-55 and 15-55, which is $170 versus $960. Is this difference only for the F2.0 fixed focal or is optics talking here?

The only thing these two lenses really have in common is focal length and IS. Most of the additional funds you pay for the 17-55 are for the f/2.8 constant aperture. In addition, the build quality, focus speed, color rendition, contrast etc are to more or less extent improved over the 18-55 IS.

That said, the 18-55 IS is reputed to provide very good IQ for the price. I have not owned one personally, but I had the non-IS version though which was better than its reputation.

You mentioned that your primary target is landscape photography. Stopped down to f/11 or so, IQ wise, you will probably not notice much of a difference between any of these lenses - including the f/2.8 third party alternatives.

Btw, one thing that helps me regularly to get good indoor flash pictures are cheap wireless flash triggers (e.g. the Gadget Infinity Cactus triggers you can get off of ebay). With the receiver on the flash and the transmitter on the camera hotshoe, I just plonk down the flash somewhere in the room, pointing at the ceiling, and shoot without having to bother looking where my flash is aimed.

[luvdodo]

I think I am getting closer.

How about -

Canon EF-S 10-22mm f/3.5-4.5 USM (landscapes) ($700)
Canon EF 28-105mm f/3.5-4.5 II USM (general) ($200) - But I just realized this isn't "IS"
Canon 430EX Speedlite Flash (to support indoors with the 28-105 ($200)

Roughs up to around $1K USD.

Views please