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I am looking to upgrade my kit lens and relegate it to backup duties. I think I have it narrowed down to the Canon 17-85 f/4-5.6 IS USM and the Tamron 28-75mm f/2.8 SP XR ZL Di LD Aspherical (IF).
I mainly take pictures of kids/family and flowers/nature. One thing that I keep coming back to is the speed factor of the f/2.8...
Thanks for the help/thoughts in advance...
I'm assuming you are upgrading from a 18-55mm kit. If so, I'd recommend the Tamron 17-50mm f/2.8. I've got one and love it. Ifyou don't think you'll miss 17-27mm I'd think the 28-75mm Tamron would be just or nearly as good. I can't imagine buying another slow lens to replace the kit lens.
Thanks for the info...
I am looking to go beyond the 55mm so I don't think I'll miss the 17-27...plus, I have the kit if I really need that. How would you measure up the Canon 28-135 vs. the Tamron 28-75? I like the speed of the 2.8 but the 135mm of the Canon...
I am by no means any kind of expert but I know what I like and I've been very unimpressed with slower, lower end lenses. I wouldn'tspend much on a lens that replicates your current focal length without offering a significant improvement in speed/image quality they seem to go hand in hand. Have you considered a longer lens to complement your kit lens?
I have thought longer but don't know if the 55-250 is worth it in the long run. I looked and the 70mm-200/300 lens and it is not wide enough to carry around everyday...that's where the Tamron came in...nice mid-range with speed.
I have the Tamron 28-75. It is an excellent lens. Very sharp, good color and one of the best lenses at resisting lens flare. It works well on a 1.6x camera as well as a full frame. The focus is a little noisy which gives you the sense it is slow to focus but it is really not bad. It is also highly recommended by the folks on shootsmarter.com. Well worth the cost.
Mark
You say "focus is a little noisy" but compared to the 18-55 xsi kit lens, it should be better?
Also, does the 2.8 eliminate the need for IS?
How about the new Sigma 24-70mm F2.8 IF EX DG HSM
http://www.sigmaphoto.com/lenses/lenses_all_details.asp?id=3362&navigator=2
Its fast, quiet, and you can get it for as low as $900.
Mainly...the Tamron is less expensive and lighter. Trying to keep things under 600...if I were to approach the $1,000 mark I would get an "L" lens...
It has been a long time since I used the 18-55 kit lens that came with the XTi. I do not remember if it was noisy or not but the Tamron focus is faster and more accurate. The noise is not bad just different. In my humble opinion you do not need IS till you start getting up around 70mm so I never felt I needed it with my 28-75.
I had the older Sigma 24-70 f2.8 and hated it. Poor focus and terrible lens flare control. The newer one may be better but I would rather spend the money on a Tamron.
Thats my additional 2 cents worth.
Mark
<span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial;"]I used to own the Tamron SP AF 28-75mm f/2.8 and enjoyed it while I had it. 28mm on a 1.6X FOVCF sensor can be very limiting indoors but for taking head & shoulders portraits it really shines. It's a sharp lens and will give you pretty good bokeh. My concern was much less with the noise that the focus makes and more with how much it searched...especially in dim light. f/2.8 is great for indoor use without a flash but slow focus and mis-focus annoyed me after a while. Tamron seems to make some really sharp glass but their Achilles heel is definitely their auto focus mechanism. I'd suggest that you try one from a reputable retailer that will allow you to return it if you find that it's unsatisfactory.<span style="color: black;"]<o:p></o:p>
I'm thinking about renting one to make sure. There are too many factors that make me hesitate so I think this is the best course of action. I checked out LensRentals.com and they look pretty good...anyone have experience?