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Thread started 16 Nov 2011 (Wednesday) 11:36
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What to sell/what to buy

 
Pitter98
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Location: Troy, MI
     
Nov 16, 2011 11:36 |  #1

Hi all,

First time poster and new to the forums and dSLR world. I just recently got a really awesome deal on a Canon 60D that came with an EF-S 55-250mm f/4.0-5.6 IS Lens, EF 70-300mm f/4-5.6 IS USM Lens, and a Canon Pixma Pro9000 Mark II printer. My question is on the lenses that I have - which one to keep. They both cover roughly the same zoom range and from the reviews I have read, have fairly similar image quality.

I could get around $200 for the 55-250 or $400 for the 70-300 if I decided to sell one. I am looking tentatively at picking up a 50mm f/1.8 and a 18-55mm IS "kit" lens to cover the wider range.

I am looking for advice on which one to sell and also which lens to replace it with as a good walk-around/everyday lens. I am pretty much sold on the Fifty as it is cheap and everyone raves about it. The main question is on the other lens - what wider angle lens would you recommend to stick within a $200 or $400 budget? I'd like to keep image stabilization as well if at all possible.

Also, please don't throw out "L" or $500+ lens suggestions as I am a complete beginner on dSLR's and this is only going to be for fun/hobby/family picture type stuff. I appreciate the advice and look forward to learning more. Thanks all.


Canon 6D | 24-105 f/4L | EF 70-300mm f/4-5.6 IS USM | EF 50mm f/1.8 | YN-568 EX | Case Logic SLRC-205 & SLRC-206

  
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cfvisuals
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Nov 16, 2011 11:58 |  #2

I would sell the 70-300 for more money because i dont need 300mm for general use.

I would pick up 17-50mm Tamron for $300
And 50mm f1.8

Or i will go sigma 30mm f1.4


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amfoto1
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Nov 16, 2011 12:11 |  #3

Hi and welcome to POTN...

Odd that camera coming with two teles and no shorter lens. Usually in kits they have more complementary lenses.

The 18-55 IS is a decent lens optically, but very "entry level" and inexpensive. Similar in build and function to the EF-S 55-250, except for the focal lengths of course. The two are often offered together in kit, but usually with the more entry level Rebel series cameas, not with the 60D. An 18-55 IS would likely be your cheapest option (just be sure it's the "IS" or the latest non-IS Mark III version, for best image quality... you don't really need IS on an 18-55 lens, but what the heck if it doesn't add to the price).

Usually the 60D is sold in kit with the EF-S 18-135 IS. That's a relatively new, nice walk-around lens, covering a broad range, but it is a bit more expensive. In kit it usually adds about $300-350 to the price of the camera. Bought separately it's about $450. You might find used for less, perhaps around $400.

The 70-300mm is an EF lens, so is usable on both crop and full frame cameras. The above are EF-S, so only usable on crop cameras (such as the 60D). This might never matter to you, if you never "upgrade" to a full frame camera. But it might make the lens a little more valuable. This is also a USM lens, so it's focus should be faster, quieter and more accurate. I haven't used it so can't really compare with the 55-250 optically. If it were me, I'd keep the 70-300mm. (There are a bunch of 70-300 or 75-300 lenses, which vary a lot in quality... if you go looking for more info about it, be sure you are looking at the right lens.)

The least expensive, quality "walk-around" lens is probably the EF 28-135 IS USM that was sold in kit a lot with 40D and 50D. It's still sometimes offered with 7D and 60D. There are tons of them around, so they are easy to find pretty cheap... There are nearly always a couple on my local Craigslist and recent asking prices have been about $200. This is an older design EF and USM lens (the newer 18-135 is not USM and is EF-S). It's got the best build of any "kit lens", except for the 24-105L that's offered with the 5D Mark II. It's quite good optically, at all but the longest 135mm setting where it gets a slightly soft if used wide open. I like the focal length range as a convenient walk-around, except it's not wide at all. If you want wide angle, you'd need to add another lens for that purpose, now or in the future ( for example Canon 10-22, Tokina 12-24, Sigma 10-20, Tamron 10-24). That might be a good thing... since you'd have a very complete and extensive range of focal lengths in three lenses.

A lot of people buy the 50/1.8 as sort of an introduction to prime lenses. If you are an old 35mm film shooter, just be aware that a 50mm lens is not a "standard" lens on modern crop sensor cameras. It acts as a short telephoto lens on those cameras. It's nice for portraits, for example. The 50/1.8 is cheap but capable. I wouldn't buy it if planning to use it rather rigorously... It's not all that good build. And it doesn't have USM, so is a bit slower, noisier and less accurate focusing. The Canon 50/1.4 USM is a better lens for my purposes and was worth the additional money to me, offers some subtle image quality improvements too. But, if you only need occasionally and are just experimenting with a prime (not a zoom) lens for the first time, the "plastic fantastic" 50/1.8 can be a cheap entry lens that might be all you need. Only you can say.

There are lens sample archives attached to this forum... where you can look up image examples and chat about any particular lens. You might want to search that.

So, I'd keep the 70-300mm and supplement it with a walk-around lens. The 28-135 IS would be my personal choice and is likely to be the best overall value (normally sells for upwards of $450 separately). But the newer EF-S 18-135 would be worth consideration. Personally I probably wouldn't consider 18-55 because I use my gear and probably would break such a lightly built lens in relatively short time. I also want faster, more accurate USM auto focus on most of my lenses.

Wouldn't need one right away, but might want to complement it with an wide angle zoom eventually. I would.

It's a toss up about the 50/1.8.... if you plan to shoot candid portraits, it can be a great budget lens for that purpose..... If you plan to shoot a lot of portraits, a better 50mm might be a better choice. If you are thinking this as a "standard" lens (instead of a short tele/portrait lens), then the Canon 24/2.8, 28/1.8, 28/2.8, 35/2 or Sigma 30/1.4 would be a better choice. I use a 50mm a lot on my crop cameras, but opted for the better 50/1.4 instead. The Sigma 50/1.4 is another option, but is a little more expensive and considerably bigger/heavier than the Canon.

Just a thought, I might go for a flash, instead of the wide lens or 50mm, at least initially. Built-in flashes are handy, but kind of wimpy, are in the worst possible place for redeye and ugly shadows, and draing the camera's batteries pretty quickly.


Alan Myers (external link) "Walk softly and carry a big lens."
5DII, 7DII, 7D, M5 & others. 10-22mm, Meike 12/2.8,Tokina 12-24/4, 20/2.8, EF-M 22/2, TS 24/3.5L, 24-70/2.8L, 28/1.8, 28-135 IS (x2), TS 45/2.8, 50/1.4, Sigma 56/1.4, Tamron 60/2.0, 70-200/4L IS, 70-200/2.8 IS, 85/1.8, Tamron 90/2.5, 100/2.8 USM, 100-400L II, 135/2L, 180/3.5L, 300/4L IS, 300/2.8L IS, 500/4L IS, EF 1.4X II, EF 2X II. Flashes, strobes & various access. - FLICKR (external link)

  
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ahendarman
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Nov 16, 2011 12:19 |  #4

I would also sell the 70-300 and buy Tamron 17-50 non-VC and Canon 50mm f/1.8.
Use them for a while and decide to upgrade later when you know why.


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Pitter98
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Nov 16, 2011 13:19 |  #5

amfoto1 wrote in post #13408155 (external link)
Hi and welcome to POTN...

Odd that camera coming with two teles and no shorter lens. Usually in kits they have more complementary lenses.
......
Usually the 60D is sold in kit with the EF-S 18-135 IS. That's a relatively new, nice walk-around lens, covering a broad range, but it is a bit more expensive. In kit it usually adds about $300-350 to the price of the camera. Bought separately it's about $450. You might find used for less, perhaps around $400.
....
The least expensive, quality "walk-around" lens is probably the EF 28-135 IS USM that was sold in kit a lot with 40D and 50D. It's still sometimes offered with 7D and 60D. There are tons of them around, so they are easy to find pretty cheap... There are nearly always a couple on my local Craigslist and recent asking prices have been about $200. This is an older design EF and USM lens (the newer 18-135 is not USM and is EF-S). It's got the best build of any "kit lens", except for the 24-105L that's offered with the 5D Mark II. It's quite good optically, at all but the longest 135mm setting where it gets a slightly soft if used wide open. I like the focal length range as a convenient walk-around, except it's not wide at all. If you want wide angle, you'd need to add another lens for that purpose, now or in the future ( for example Canon 10-22, Tokina 12-24, Sigma 10-20, Tamron 10-24). That might be a good thing... since you'd have a very complete and extensive range of focal lengths in three lenses.
.....SNIP....

Thanks for the well thought out and written advice, it is definitely appreciated. The 60D wasn't a "kit" per se - it was actually just a sale on Amazon where you buy this lens with and get a discount, buy this other lens, get another discount. I really wasn't looking to buy a dSLR, but the price was so awesome I couldn't resist. By the time it is all said and done, with the printer rebate and selling a couple old 11x17 printers I have, I will have basically payed full price for the 60D and got the lenses and printer for free. :mrgreen: Am trying to keep the difference between the lenses I sell and the ones I buy to a minimum as the wife will kill me if I spend too much more on an already expensive "impulse buy." ;)


Canon 6D | 24-105 f/4L | EF 70-300mm f/4-5.6 IS USM | EF 50mm f/1.8 | YN-568 EX | Case Logic SLRC-205 & SLRC-206

  
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Pedrita
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Nov 23, 2011 00:30 |  #6

Damn Amazon and their sales! I also made the same "mistake" buying the 60d without a wide angle lens. Now that I've read up a little on lenses I realized I need that wider end of the spectrum. Just FYI Amazon again has a sale with a bonus price glitch, If you get the t2i w/the 18-135 lens and the 55-250, and or 75-300 you get $300/400 off the price, keep the kit lens and sell the body and other lenses and you get the kit lens basically for free.


60D 18-135 55-250 50/1.8 430ex

  
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iamawinner
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Nov 24, 2011 17:20 |  #7

Sell it all and buy a Canon 50mm f/1.4! It will be the best thing that ever happened to your camera bag!




  
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rick_reno
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Nov 24, 2011 19:28 |  #8

15-85 is a very nice lens on that body.




  
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iamawinner
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Nov 24, 2011 20:09 as a reply to  @ rick_reno's post |  #9

the 15-85 is also a nice lens and has IS but you will have to deal with the variable aperture and optically a prime will usually beat a zoom. if you are stuck in crowds (like in a concert) then the zoom is a requirement but for portraits I would stick with a prime.




  
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Pitter98
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Nov 29, 2011 13:24 as a reply to  @ iamawinner's post |  #10

Just a quick update - I ended up finding a used EF-S 18-135mm IS for $240 that was in basically new shape and bought that. I am planning on keeping the 70-300mm and selling the 55-250 to hopefully only spend $30-50 on the lens change. I have a 50mm f/1.8 on the Christmas list, so that should round out my collection for now. :D


Canon 6D | 24-105 f/4L | EF 70-300mm f/4-5.6 IS USM | EF 50mm f/1.8 | YN-568 EX | Case Logic SLRC-205 & SLRC-206

  
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Brandon72
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Nov 29, 2011 13:32 as a reply to  @ Pitter98's post |  #11

Before going for the 50, trying setting your zoom lens to 50mm for a few days and leaving it there and seeing how you like it. Try the same at 35mm. For a crop censor and for a general-purpose lens for photographing your family, you might find it "tight," and prefer the 35mm f2.0 which is great as far as image quality goes and great for low-light (indoors) as well. Personally I prefer my 35 as a "general purpose" lens, but learned this the hard way after purchasing the 50. :p




  
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Pitter98
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Nov 29, 2011 13:42 |  #12

Brandon72 wrote in post #13469337 (external link)
Before going for the 50, trying setting your zoom lens to 50mm for a few days and leaving it there and seeing how you like it. Try the same at 35mm. For a crop censor and for a general-purpose lens for photographing your family, you might find it "tight," and prefer the 35mm f2.0 which is great as far as image quality goes and great for low-light (indoors) as well. Personally I prefer my 35 as a "general purpose" lens, but learned this the hard way after purchasing the 50. :p

While I do agree that the 50 will probably be a bit tighter than I would like, unfortunately I can't justify the almost $400 pricetag of the 35 compared to the $100 of the 50. I know the old adage of you get what you pay for, but as this is will just be a hobby for me (and the wife would kill me), I'm trying to keep it as reasonable (read cheap ;) ) as I can. Worst case if I don't like the 50, I can sell it at a small loss of $10 to $15 - worth the experiment to me.


Canon 6D | 24-105 f/4L | EF 70-300mm f/4-5.6 IS USM | EF 50mm f/1.8 | YN-568 EX | Case Logic SLRC-205 & SLRC-206

  
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mrfourcows
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Nov 30, 2011 08:50 |  #13

i would sell the 70-300 IS over the ef-s 55-250 IS simply because you're on an aps-c sensor.


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