24-105L IS or 17-55 IS

which lens will work best with the 40D. I can't seem to decide between the 2. I do like the wideness the 17 will provide but the future upgrade to the full frame of the 24-105 is also a plus point. The reach of the 105 on a crop body is a plus. I do use my whole focal length when I shoot.

The F4 vs 2.8 isn't that big of an issue as i can hold my hand pretty steady to use the F4 w/ IS to get a shot.

if you own both, i'd love to see shots taken at F4 for both lenses and similar Focal Length.

You save more buying the 24-105 together with a 5D kit than you lose selling the 17-55 later. Eventual FF upgrade should never be considered between these two lenses.

2.8 will freeze action in some cases where f/4 won't.

I guess it boils down to whether you plan on upgrading to FF soon or not.

If you don't plan on upgrading, 17-55 is the lens for crop. If you do, the 24-105 will be a good compromise for now.

I would say save up for the 5D+24-105 and just put off buying the 17-55. Sure its great but if you have managed to wait so far, im sure saving a bit more will not be a problem.

upgrading is more like 8-12 months down the road.

flashhsalf wrote in post #5531816
upgrading is more like 8-12 months down the road.

What lenses do you currently own, will give us a better idea of what else could be options.

haha..well i don't own anything right now...i just sold my entire camera package few weeks back. I've got $2300 that i wana spend when the rebates come in this weekend.

The reason i wanted the 40D is that it is more than enough for what I want to do and the money saved can be spent on some lenses. Yes the 5D is also a great option, but i don't think i know enough about photography to invest that much into the camera all the while when the upgrade to it is coming by the end of the year. Hopefully until then i would've sharpened my skills and would understand/enjoy the benefits of the FF.

In that case, go for the 17-55 IS and a 40D. When you are ready, go for the 5D if you still think you need it. You might find you prefer the sports range of DSLR's.

elysium wrote in post #5531871
...You might find you prefer the sports range of DSLR's.

what do you mean?

I think he means that the 5D is more geared for landscape/portrait type stuff. It's passable for action photography, but the 40D has some advantages in that area...namely, speed and apparent focal length advantage. If you get the 40D, you really should get the 17-55. It is a stellar combo that should produce wonderful results for you. You should also have just enough left to snag a used 70-200 f/4L for your telephoto needs. I used that exact combination for quite a while with good success.

For L build quality & FF compatibility, choose the 24-105L, im no snob & have used other lenses in the past, but I seriously doubt I would ever buy anything other than an L lens now that ive used one.

The 17-55 suffers on build & is useless on FF, but it is a little wider on your camera which I would think suits it better, the 24-105L on a cropped body can be a little restictive for some, its just not very wide, ive tried it on both & on the 5D it shines, on a cropped body its just OK!.

prime80 wrote in post #5532047
I think he means that the 5D is more geared for landscape/portrait type stuff. It's passable for action photography, but the 40D has some advantages in that area...namely, speed and apparent focal length advantage. If you get the 40D, you really should get the 17-55. It is a stellar combo that should produce wonderful results for you. You should also have just enough left to snag a used 70-200 f/4L for your telephoto needs. I used that exact combination for quite a while with good success.

Did you ever miss the IS on the 70-200? I was thinking of going wide 10-22 or even macro before i went for reach ...the 100 2.8 is on the rebate list so i've got some decisions to make...i always found myself to be zooming in trying to go macro when taking pictures of flowers etc.

If you aren't planning on eventually upgrading to FF, then the 17-55 is the choice. But if plan on going FF in the future, get the 24-105.

I like the 24-105 range even on my crop, but I am more interested in range over f2.8 for what I shoot.

Grentz wrote in post #5532110
I like the 24-105 range even on my crop, but I am more interested in range over f2.8 for what I shoot.

How is lowlight at F4 w/ IS on?