Tatiana99 wrote in post #17512089
Hello all,
I currently have Canon T4i with the kit lens, I also have: 50mm f/1.8, 28-135mm f/3.5-5.6, 40mm f/2.8 and 55-250mm f/4-5.6. I bought 28-135 ages ago as my only all around lens. The Kit lens, 40mm and 55-250 came all together as a gift. The only lens that I chose myself was 50mm f/1.8 and that is the only lens I like out of my collection.
I've been debating if I should spend my $$ on 7D MII or buy a lens or 2. I have a toddle and a baby on the way. Those are my main subjects. Plus family and friends.
I've been considering
- Canon 85mm f/1.8 (everyone seems to like it),
- Sigma 30mm f/1.4 or
- Canon EF-S 10-18mm f/4.5-5.6 IS STM (as I constantly feel that I need something shorter at my house),
- Canon EF-S 17-55mm f2.8 USM (big maybe), or
- Canon EF 50mm f/2.5 Compact Macro
OR 7D and maybe 1 lens if I can get some money back for any of the stuff I have.
Any advice is appreciated!
This is kinda funny, but IMO the worst lens in your collection is the one you like best... the EF 50/1.8 (assuming it's the II). Decent image quality, but marginal AF at best and minimal build quality. I'd be replacing that first, with the EF 50/1.4 USM or one of the Sigma 50/1.4 (which are much larger and heavier, as well as more expensive).
The 40/2.8 "pancake" is nice if you want a really compact lens.
Feeling cramped shooting indoors? Forget the 10-18mm STM if you want to shoot portraits! Way too much wide angle distortion for portraiture! Okay, it might be good for silly, humorous shots of people (big noses, tiny ears and other exaggerated body parts). But not for more serious stuff and the family photo album.
Instead get the Sigma 30/1.4 DG HSM or a Canon EF 28/1.8 USM or EF 35/2 IS USM. Those are about as wide as you want to go shooting portraits, but even these need to be used with care, not too close. I'd be more confident of the focus performance of the Canon lenses, vs the Sigma. The 85.18 is a nice portrait lens, too... but not if you are already cramped for space. It's more of a stand-off, candid shooting telephoto used on a crop camera such as yours.
The 28-135mm is a nice daytime, walk-around lens. Outdoors in daylight it's fast focusing and good tracking moving subjects, thanks to USM. When I need to hike a ways with my gear and want to lighten my load, I swap 28-135 for both 24-70/2.8 and 70-200/2.8 IS, saving a couple pounds weight and a lot of space in my camera bag! For all practical purposes, it's near impossible to tell apart images from 28-135 and the two L-series. A lens that I'd consider instead of the 28-135 would be the EF-S 15-85 IS USM... very high image quality and a neat range of focal lengths on a crop sensor camera, plus IS (same as the 28-135 has). And, yes, the 18-135 IS STM is another alternative... It offers a bit more wide angle range than the 28-135, but no better IS or image quality and STM focus drive isn't quite as fast or good at tracking as USM. OTOH, if you want to shoot videos the STM would be preferable.
The EF-S 17-55/2.8 IS USM is a very nice lens too. Sharp, fast focusing, and f2.8. Would be another solution for those cramped indoor shooting conditions, so long as you are careful not too use it too wide or too close. It's also rather pricey.
Either setup can work: A fast f2.8 zoom like the 17-55 alone. Or a slower "walk-around" zoom (28-135 or 15-85) combined with one or two faster primes (28/1.8 and 50/1.4). The latter combo offers up to two stops larger aperture than any zoom, but makes for more gear to haul around. The focal length range covered by the walk-around/pair of primes combo is also much greater than the f2.8 zoom offers.
When the kids are a little older and getting into outdoor play and sports, the longer telephoto may become more important. The 55-250 is pretty decent optically. If it's the STM version, it's pretty good focusing too. But a higher performance tele zoom such as EF 70-200/4 IS USM or EF 70-300 IS USM would be even better for fast moving action.
Forget the EF 50/2.5 Compact Macro if macro is your purpose. The EF-S 60/2.8 Macro is actually a better deal with much better USM focus (vs micro motor in the 50/2.5). The 60mm is an internal focusing (IF) 1:1 macro lens. The older 50mm isn't IF and is 1:2 only, unless you also buy the 1:1 adapter which ends up costing more than the 60mm. Also, 50mm macro lenses put you pretty darned close to your subjects. 60mm is a little better. If you are serious about shooting macro I'd recommend something in the 90mm to 105mm range instead. But if it's just an occasional macro use and you want it to serve dual purpose as a portrait lens too, 60mm may be fine. An alternative is the Tamron SP 60/2.0 Macro/Portrait lens. It's also IF and 1:1, and offers a full stop larger f2 aperture that makes it even nicer for portraits. But it is a micro motor lens so not as fast focusing and cannot track movement as well as the USM Canon lens can.
So, what I'd suggest is:
EF-S 10-18mm..... maybe. But forget it for indoor portraits! This is a scenic/landscape/architecture lens.
EF 28/1.8, Siggy 30/1.4, EF 35/2 IS USM, EF 50/1.4 (upgrade from 50/1.8), EF 85/1.8 are all good low light/available light, portrait lenses.
EF 40/2.8... keep it if you like it for its small size. Can be used for indoor portraits, but more likely to also need a flash with it.
EF-S 17-55/2.8 IS USM would be a significant upgrade from an EF-S 18-55mm "kit" lens, especially if you choose not to go with a smaller aperture walk-around zoom + a prime or two or three.
EF-S 15-85 IS USM or EF-S 18-135m IS STM... or just keep the EF 28-135 IS USM as a walk-around lens. Any of these might work so long as you choose to use some primes, too.
EF-S 55-250mm, keep it if adequate or upgrade to EF 70-200 IS USM or 70-300 IS USM.
EF-S 60/2.8 for macro (can also serve in place of 50/1.4 &/or 85/1.8 for portraits, except those lenses have larger apertures... thus the alternative Tamron 60/2.0).
7DII would offer better AF performance than your current camera, useful for sports/action. Also likely about one stop more usable high ISO. However, it's serious overkill just for family photos and portraits. 70D or the new T6i/T6s might be a better choice at much lower price. Or instead just stick with the camera you've got and get better lenses to use on it.
If you don't already have one, an accessory flash might be a good idea. One can allow slower lenses to be adequate for indoor/low light shooting, as well as freeze movement. Built-in flashes of these cameras are underpowered, more rapidly drain the camera's battery, and are in the worst possible location for redeye and ugly shadow effects. An accessory flash, especially if used on a flash bracket with an off-camera shoe cord, is much more powerful, has its owner power supply, and can help reduce redeye and shadow issues when used right. Most accessory flashes also are considerably faster recycling and many have a Focus Assist feature, too.
You've got some good choices that you already own or have on your short list for consideration... as well as some that I personally wouldn't choose. The main thing is knowing what they might or might not do for you, since your needs are bound to be different from mine.
