lens suit canon 400D, pls advice.

[paulkongck]

i am so passionate in photography and every day and nite i sure will spend some time to read article, review, information, knowledge regarding cameras, lens, and photography skill. It's now the time for me to purchase my first DSLR. However i have few questions need to be solved that i not really sure which lens gonna suit canon 400D with some shooting condition stated as below. I need a standard zoom lens and a telephoto zoom lens, not to be expensive and should be adequete good quality for me as a beginner and enthusiat. I would like to shoot some events photos (indoor) like wedding & dinner or some shows in shopping centre in the future perhaps.

Buy list:
Canon 400D

standard zoom lens
Tamron 17-50 f2.8 prefered lens
EF 17-85 f4-5.6 IS USM prefered lens
EF 17-40 f4 L
Sigma 17-70 f2.8-4.5

I personally prefer the tamron 17-50 f2.8 due to its wide & fix aperture which allow me to pics in dim low light indoor condition. However my frens recommend me to take the EF 17-85 f4-5.6 IS USM. It's a IS lens but aperture vary with focal length. Although IS may allow 3 stops faster in term of shutter speed. However in low light indoor condition, which one is better? IS vs f2.8 !!!! How's about the sigma? The L lens good for inddor shooting?


telephoto lens
Sigma 70-300 f4.5-5.6 APO DG
Tamron 70-300LD Di f4-5.6 1:2 macro prefered lens

I prefer the tamron due to its price and some good comments in this lens in such low price. Below RM700!! However some said the the sigma more better. Pls advice. I would like to use it in some motorsports event shooting in the future and may be using in indoor. However i cant affort lens with price higher than 1.5K ringgit. Any canon lens below that price with similiar focal length and quality similiar with above two lens??

Thanks for any kind reply..

[ShaolinTiger]

Welcome to SA and congrats you have done your research well and understand your subject.

I'd go for the Tamron 17-50mm f/2.8, faster aperture is ALWAYS better as IS can't give you a faster shutter speed and help you freeze movement.

My second choice would be the Sigma 17-70mm f/2.8-4 for the good range and good optical quality.

You can also consider the Canon 17-55mm f/2.8 IS, but it might be out of your price range.

As for the Tamron vs Sigma telephoto, I'd go for the Sigma, the build quality is a bit better and they are around the same price, make sure you get the new Sigma as it also has macro.

No Canon telephoto in this price range are any good, better wait till you can afford the Canon 70-200mm f/4L or f/2.8L IS!

[cucubud]

I saw many people buy and then sell the Tamron 17-50mm f/2.8 lens within a very short time span.
I wonder why they sell it so fast.
If the lens is good, they might as well keep it.

You can see the selling pattern in FTZ.

[ykgen]

wah.. good observation cucubud..

[N.Keong]

I'm also in the same dilemma...

No doubt that I've been eyeing on the Tamron 17-50mm f2.8.. Then again, was wondering if I should save up for the Canon 17-55mm f/2.8 IS, which i more than double the price...

[ykgen]

y? izzit optically better than tamron besies it has the IS..?

[ShaolinTiger]

The Tamron is optically better, but most people with money buy it then sell it and get the Nikon 17-55mm f/2.8 or the Canon 17-55mm f/2.8 IS.

The main reason is build quality, the Tamron isn't very sturdy.

[noruazumi]

some people go for the look.

[jackyyong]

There are also unconfirmed reports of lemon lens, (lens that are of bad quality, softness issues) with third party lenses, probably that is also the reason why this lens generates a higher traffic in the second hand market. That said, I am also very interested to get myself a Tammy. :P Much cheaper than Canon lens!

[ShaolinTiger]

There are also unconfirmed reports of lemon lens, (lens that are of bad quality, softness issues) with third party lenses, probably that is also the reason why this lens generates a higher traffic in the second hand market. That said, I am also very interested to get myself a Tammy. :P Much cheaper than Canon lens!

This is over-hyped, 99% of time it's user error same with 'bad copy' of Sigma 10-20mm.

[noruazumi]

there's always warranty to cover any bad quality lenses.
sometimes it is not the lens, it is the user.

[paulkongck]

Thanks for all reply. I not sure why so many 2nd hand tamron 17-50 f2.8 out there , but it's a award winning lens, suppose to be a good lens in fact.

How the reply of u all, can i conclude that i should go for the tamron 1750 rather than EF17-85 IS f4-5.6?

For the 70-300 range, Sigma wins one vote but none for tamron currently. However if i buy the tamson 17-50, there will be a gap of 20mm between these 2 lens. It can be compensate by going nearer or further the object. Is these 2 lens a good combination??

[jackyyong]

Hi Paul,

I wouldn't worry too much about the missing 20 mm gap between the two lenses. Chances are, in actual field use, you wouldn't really miss them that much. If I were you, I'd go ahead with the Tammy lens. :cool:

[ShaolinTiger]

Yeah I have the Tamron 17-50mm f/2.8 and then the Nikon 70-300mm VR zoom lens, I can't say I ever miss the gap between 50mm and 70mm.

[ykgen]

ya lor just 20mm mah.. move ur legs loh..

[frixx]

try fitting 17-40 f/4

[jayhan]

what can i say...
go for the tammy 17-50. wide open aperture wins over IS, and this is especially true especially on a generic zoom lens within this focal length.

i've got a 70-300mm tamron for sale.
its a bit faulty though, so i intend to sell it for just rm150
hahaha anyone interested?

[KYspeaks]

describe a bit faulty.

[paulkongck]

thanks everybody, decided to get the tamron 17-50 f2.8.. thanks for all replies , but just hoping for more comment with the 17-85 IS..

A 2nd hand ef70-200 f4L seems to be good choice in term of pic quality and price. YL offer a like-new one onli RM2K while a new one bought buy my fren with canon staff purchase price is more than RM4K.

i just waiting for the right moment to own all thses.

[Jenz]

Anyone care to provide some comparison of Canon 17-40L and the Tamron 17-50 f2.8? Both are directly competing...
I am interested in IQ (contrast, sharpness, etc) not the sealed for life build quality..


anyone have tested both?

[ShaolinTiger]

Anyone care to provide some comparison of Canon 17-40L and the Tamron 17-50 f2.8? Both are directly competing...
I am interested in IQ (contrast, sharpness, etc) not the sealed for life build quality..


anyone have tested both?

If you have the budget better to get the 17-55mm f/2.8 IS :)

The Tamron is sharper at f/4 than the 17-40L.

The main difference is that 17-40L is full frame and the build quality is better.

Optically the Tamron is sharper and faster with f/2.8 being a life saver in low light.

[paulkongck]

10s for the info, now canon offer a very competitive package for 400d wth ef17-85 IS.

can any1 compare the tamron 17-50 and ef17-85 IS? which 1 better in hand shake and low ight condition such as weddng dinner in restaurant?

[ShaolinTiger]

f/2.8 is better in low light any day, IS can't help you get lower shutter speed.

That's why I said 17-55 is best! Both IS and f/2.8.

I wish the Nikkor 17-55 had VR.

[paulkongck]

i have try the ef70-200 f2.8 IS but it's a 2 stop IS. Then i try a ef 24-105 IS (if not mistaken) and it's 3 stop IS. WAO,, this 1 realy impress me. I like this technology, once press shutter, every thing goes slow motion,, and the picture very sharp, no shaken pic. However the ef17-85 dun have a narrow DOF like the tamron 17-50 f2.8.. ei~~~

This week my fren will go Japan, and i will go on October., He told me that camera is cheap over there.. I just wonder wat is the EOS 30D price in Japan?? or 400D?? normally, how many percent lower than buying here?/ should i buy there or buy in M'sia???

[g88]

i have try the ef70-200 f2.8 IS but it's a 2 stop IS. Then i try a ef 24-105 IS (if not mistaken) and it's 3 stop IS. WAO,, this 1 realy impress me. I like this technology, once press shutter, every thing goes slow motion,, and the picture very sharp, no shaken pic. However the ef17-85 dun have a narrow DOF like the tamron 17-50 f2.8.. ei~~~

This week my fren will go Japan, and i will go on October., He told me that camera is cheap over there.. I just wonder wat is the EOS 30D price in Japan?? or 400D?? normally, how many percent lower than buying here?/ should i buy there or buy in M'sia???

if you are not concern about warranty you can buy from japan. Goto Akiba, bring ur passport along with you, there will have great discount for traveller...anyway that is the duty free area a.k.a electronic street :D

[mitmivec]

another cheap lens for telephoto is canon 90-300 usm

focusing are fast on the 350Dand 400D and second hand cost u about 400-500 bokeh also nice at tele end

if got budget than can go for L lens :P

[hclai]

Yeah I have the Tamron 17-50mm f/2.8 and then the Nikon 70-300mm VR zoom lens, I can't say I ever miss the gap between 50mm and 70mm.

yeah....i hav the same combo as well.......shoot more...and improve ur skill....then u will really know what lens u want...for shooting event and indoor activity, be prepare to invest in external flash unit....as for this case, i m still saving money for SB800, and also a tripod....hehe..yeah, buy buy buy.

[jayhan]

i have try the ef70-200 f2.8 IS but it's a 2 stop IS. Then i try a ef 24-105 IS (if not mistaken) and it's 3 stop IS. WAO,, this 1 realy impress me. I like this technology, once press shutter, every thing goes slow motion,, and the picture very sharp, no shaken pic. However the ef17-85 dun have a narrow DOF like the tamron 17-50 f2.8.. ei~~~
Hah! wait till you try the 4-stop IS on the 70-200 f4L IS :P
its super slooooww and needless to say, much less bulkier and much lighter than its bigger brother the f2.8L IS, without compromising on IQ of course!

describe a bit faulty.
faulty = tends to give error from 250mm-300mm zoom onwards. in other words, i can shoot from 70mm-250mm - but anything above 250mm will just stop the camera from operating. then have to switch off/on to continue snapping away.