Well, I've been going back and forth on my next lens purchase for a couple of months now, and I'm to the point that I need some honest feedback. Currently, I have a Rebel XSi (450D) and the following lenses:
18-55/3.5-5.6 IS
28-105/3.5-4.5
70-300/4-5.6 IS
and
Tokina 11-16/2.8 (I think of this as a variable prime)
50/1.8
100/2
Okay, here is my dilemma. I am going for my first trip overseas soon, and have a bundle of Amazon gift certificates saved up to purchase a new lens for this trip. I have been strongly considering the 15-85/3.5-5.6 IS as the lens to add to replace the 18-55 IS and the 28-105 (and thus less need to swap lenses while on the go). I have been reasonably pleased by the 18-55 IS kit lens and the 28-105. However, I have gravitated toward shooting mostly primes (as shown by an ExposurePlot analysis below), and I've grown accustomed to the sharpness/contrast that they give me (which at least my copy of the kit lens & 28-105 can't seem to match). However, looking at the reviews on photozone.de and the ISO 12233 charts on the-digital-picture.com
have me concerned that there really won't be a noticeable boost in sharpness/general image quality over my current kit lens.
I have had a plan in my head to set myself up with decent zooms for travel (museums, landscapes, snapshots, etc.) and primes for basically everything else (indoor rodeo, basketball, baseball, stage productions, portraits, etc.). I also plan on adding the Sigma 30/1.4 and Canon 300/4 IS to my lineup at some point in the future.
So, here is the question... I know I would like the extra range of the 15-85, but I am worried that there won't be enough boost in IQ to make me not regret the $723.97. Renting is not really an option in my mind since I travel (so far only in the US) several times a year with photo excursions being a highpoint of those trips for me, so a good walk around, travel lens would be used enough to justify owning my own copy. I just need some reassurance that the 15-85 is going to be better enough that I won't regret putting off the primes on my wishlist for another year or two.
The other option that has bounced around in my head is to get the Tamron 18-270/3.5-6.3 VC and ditch the 18-55 IS, 28-105, and the 70-300 IS while on vacation (still carrying my Tokina for UWA and possibly primes with the weight/space freed up with the consolidation of so many other lenses). However, I think that the loss of IQ would be too painful for what I like.
What are your thoughts?
, I may keep my XSi as a 2nd body for local shoots, but I think that it would be too much hassle to travel with both. I'll have to give it some thought though...
