Best Complete Lens Collection

oaktree wrote in post #5776069
Finding a kit to shoot "everything" is not easy. You'll end up with way too many lenses.

I noticed that you've mentioned "travel" several times and it's also in your signature. If travel is the first of your "everything" and you want to travel light, the 17-55/2.8 and the 55-250/4.5-5.6 make a good combo. I travel with the 17-55 and the 70-300/DO, but this combo is expensive and heavier. From what I can see and read, the 55-250 seems to have good IQ.

About not wanting to buy an EF-S lens, been there and done that>>for about 6 months. But when I thought about what I needed for a trip to Monterrey, CA, I decided I needed the f/2.8 and IS for museums, night shots and the aquarium. The second best purchase I've made so far (i.e., it's the second most used lens in my kit).

Yeah, traveling is important to me and I think the limitations of being on the road somewhere forces you to choose certain lenses. I don't shoot in a studio and I don't even shoot a lot indoors, so my lens choices reflect that.
I follow the "travel rule" of not traveling with more than you can carry by yourself.

I just bought the EF 17-40, which I will use along with the EF 70-200 F4 IS. Next up is probably the 24-70 or the 24-105 (replacing my 28-135).

On my 40D

Tamron 17-50 f/2.8
EF 50 f/1.8
EF 85 f/1.8
EF-S 60 /2.8 (macro)
EF 70-200 f/4 IS

I have the tammy and the 50 prime, and saving for ther rest

dahl wrote in post #5272771
I like to shoot "everything" and I would love to hear which lenses you think complete a collection of lenses. Now I know that most upgrade and have different budgets.

What would the best collection of lenses be for a medium budget? And for a large budget? I am not really thinking about special lenses, but the smallest amount of lenses that will perform best for you in all kinds of different situations.

I'm sorry if there's already a thread on this subject, I'm sure there is, but I haven't been able to locate it.

for crops:

small budget/starter - 18-55 IS, 55-250 IS, 50 1.8

medium budget - Tamron 17-50, 70-200 4 L, Sigma 30 1.4 or 50 1.4

large budget - 17-55 IS, 70-200 2.8 IS L, 35 L

for full-frame:

16-35 L, 24-70 L, 70-200 2.8 IS L, 85 L

what i have:

vv im pretty happy with them. just need to add a couple of primes & maybe a UWA.

nordstern1 wrote in post #5787542
for crops:

small budget/starter - 18-55 IS, 55-250 IS, 50 1.8

medium budget - Tamron 17-50, 70-200 4 L, Sigma 30 1.4 or 50 1.4

large budget - 17-55 IS, 70-200 2.8 IS L, 35 L

for full-frame:

16-35 L, 24-70 L, 70-200 2.8 IS L, 85 L

what i have:

vv im pretty happy with them. just need to add a couple of primes & maybe a UWA.

i agree with the above. only thing i might change would be the 35L for a 50 or 85 and possibly a 17-40 inplace of the 16-35 if u wana save some money.
you got some overlap there my friend. any reason why you are keeping both 17-55 and 17-40?

Click on my sig. Well its taken quite a while and also quite a bit of buying and selling, but I think my collection is more or less complete for now. Although I'm using crop sensor bodies for now, I've also tailored my lens coverage with FF usage in mind for the future, as I believe full frame (FF) sensor bodies will become mainstream in the near future. Hence no EF-S/DX or 'digital' lenses for now.

I think what kind of 'complete' lens collection you might have in mind depends largely on what you shoot and whether you intend to stick to crop factor or move on to FF bodies. Personally , I find the trio of zoom lenses from say 16mm to 200mm covers about 70-80% of what I shoot, and I suspect for most other folks too.

So for crop sensor bodies, an ideal lineup would be: ef-s 10-22mm, ef-s 17-55mm f2.8 IS, and 70-200mm (any of the 4 variants)

If you are tailoring for the FF path, then the following: 16-35mm f2.8L II (or 17-40mm f4L), 24-105mm f4L IS (or 24-70mm f2.8L), and 70-200mm (any of the 4 variants)

Primes are great too, in terms of IQ and sharpness, but not everyone may like using them...personally I find zooms offer more in terms of convenience factor. (tho I do have an even mix of primes and zooms in my lineup) So to each his/her own.

xairsoft808x wrote in post #5787613
i agree with the above. only thing i might change would be the 35L for a 50 or 85 and possibly a 17-40 inplace of the 16-35 if u wana save some money.
you got some overlap there my friend. any reason why you are keeping both 17-55 and 17-40?

hey airsoft buddy!

primes are subjective...depends on the photogs preferences.

yeah, the 17-40 is good & cheaper but i didnt put a budget on my full-frame suggestions because i was thinking...if you could afford a FF body, most probably you could afford the best L lenses.

regarding my overlap, i just recently purchased the 17-55 because the 17-40 is my wife's general purpose lens on the 400D & ive been using the brick as mine on the 40D. no complaints with the brick but its not wide enough in most of my shooting conditions.

by the way, might sell the 17-40 & just get a cheaper walk-around lens like the 18-55 IS so i could get a prime or UWA. still cant make up my mind...

This is a high budget get a bank loan complete my glass want.:pthats a mouth full:p

17-40 f4L
70-200 2.8L IS or 70-200 f4L IS:p
135L f2
300 2.8L IS
500 f4L IS
and a tank to haul all that stuff in

Sean .L

Dockland wrote in post #5787492
On my 40D

Tamron 17-50 f/2.8
EF 50 f/1.8
EF 85 f/1.8
EF-S 60 /2.8 (macro)
EF 70-200 f/4 IS

I have the tammy and the 50 prime, and saving for ther rest

I have a somewhat similar setup...

On my 40D,
Sigma 10-20, 17-55 f/2.8, 70-200f/4 IS, sigma 30 1.4, 50 1.8, 85 1.8, Sigma 150 2.8macro, sigma 170-500.

What do you think?

Your best complete lens collection is the one you can purchase without your wife leaving you!!!!

FF + Crop
16-35 2.8 / 17-40 4
24-70 2.8
70-200 2.8 IS + TC
50 1.4 / 85 1.8

50L for FF / 1.3x
35L for 1.6x

Thats really all you need. No exceptions.

Here is my ultimated lens collection that I am shooting for.

EF 16-35mm f/2.8L II (yes)
EF 24-70mm f/2.8L (*waiting*)
EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS (yes)

EF 50mm f/1.4 (*waiting*)
EF 85mm f/1.8 (yes)
EF 100mm f/2.8 Macro (yes)
EF 135mm f/2.0L (*waiting*)
EF 300mm f/2.8L IS (*waiting*)
EF 500mm f/4L IS (*waiting*)

EF 1.4x II T-Com (yes)
EF 2x II T-Com (yes)
EF 25mm II Ext. Tube (yes)

If I do win the lottery, the *waiting* will be over.

Rather than look at lenses globally...

Rather than look at lenses globally, I suggest starting with one lens and then adding others as the need arises.

I suggest that a photographer begin with a very good mid-range zoom, preferably one that either has a constant f/2.8 aperture or IS assist. The specific lens choices would be predicted upon the quality that is desired, the flexibility required and, of course, the budget of the photographer.

For a person who knows that he or she will want top quality imagery and wide flexibility, it is counterproductive to purchase the 18-55mm Kit lens with a 1.6x camera. However, it is probably wasteful for a photographer to purchase top-line lenses when the only use for the imagery will be 4x6 inch prints at Wal-Mart and emailing images of the kids and Fido to the grand parents.

Equally as bad of a choice is to purchase full frame camera like the 5D MKII or even a 1D Series camera and not equip that camera with the best lens available. IMO, 1.6x equipment matched with top-line glass will do a better job than full-frame equipment anchored down with inferior lenses.

Then after using the mid-range zoom for a while, the photographer could decide which side of the focal range to add a second and then perhaps a third lens. By selecting lenses in this fashion, the photographer could be certain of ending up with a set of lenses which will match each other and provide optimum quality at an affordable price.

By the way, I am a firm believer in using two or more cameras. The advantage is having a wide focal range available without the limitations of selecting a single lens that covers the entire focal range As an example, a 17-55mm f/2.8 IS lens and a 70-200mm f/4L IS lens on two 1.6x cameras will provide better image quality, better auto-focus capability and far more versatility that selecting a single lens which has an 18-200mm range,

GyRob wrote in post #5273017
i think mine is conplete
Rob.

Mines not.