Help in choosing a lens.

[charlduplessis]

Hey everyone. []


I've decided I'm going to buy the new Canon 60D, but I can't seem to make up my mind regarding which lens to buy with the 60D body.


Previously I owned a 450D with a normal kit lens, so I just figured it's about time to upgrade and to buy a proper lens.


I'm looking for good all round lens, I'm not to worried about a big zoom.


I enjoy portrait photography and more importantly the lens should also be suited to shooting HD video.





My main options so far are :


Canon EF 24-105mm f/4 L IS USM


Canon EF-S 17-55mm f/2.8 (would prefer an L-series lens, how important is this?)


Canon EF 17-40mm f/4 L USM Lens (concerned that there is no IMAGE STABILISATION)





I will appreciate any comments or feedback that could help me in making a decision.





Cheers.

[erno james]

Canon EF 24-105mm f/4 L IS USM would be my choice. For portraits, toss in the f/1.4

[erno james]

Canon EF 24-105mm f/4 L IS USM would be my choice. For portraits, toss in the f/1.4 'fast 50' and you're set. Congrats on your new purchase!

[Kayaker72]

Hi and welcome to the forum.


Could you elaborate a little on what you would like to spend and what you typically shoot? My initial comments would be:

• All of the lenses you mentioned should be a very nice step up over what you currently have.
• 24 mm on a crop body is only 58 degree angle of view vs 76.6 degree at 17 mm, or 83.6 degrees at 15 mm. Those few mm of focal length make a huge difference. So if you shoot a lot of wide angle (I do) I would not recommend the 24-105 mm for a crop sensor camera such as the 60D.
• If focal length is important, you may want to consider the EFS 15-85 mm. It is optically a great lens over a great range of focal lengths whose primary drawbacks are it's relatively slow aperture and lack of weather sealing. This is my primary lens and I highly recommend it.
• Image stabilization is great for non-moving subjects.
• I don't think "L" is going to buy you much more than slightly better build quality and weather sealing over the EFS 17-55 or EFS 15-85. The 60D is not weather sealed, so I think the benefit of a weather sealed lens would be minimal. Others may have more to contribute here. I have one "L" lens, it is great, but the EFS 15-85 and EFS 17-55 are optically in the same category.
• EFS 17-55 f2.8 is a favorite here on the forum. I think highly enough of the lens tohave considered adding it. Comparing it to the EFS 15-85, one gives you a better focal length range and the other constant f/2.8 aperture. So, which is more important to you? One thought is that you could have the EFS 15-85 plus a 430 EX II for approximately the same price as the EFS 17-55, but the f/2.8 on the EFS 17-55 will give you a thinner DOF than you can get on the EFS 15-85.

Good luck and congratulations on your new camera.


Brant

[neuroanatomist]

Hello, and welcome to the TDP Forums!


The 17-55mm f/2.8 IS and 24-105mm f/4L IS are both excellent lenses. Do keep in mind that even though 7mm on the wide end doesn't sound like a lot, it's a substantial difference - 24mm is the FF equivalent of 38mm, which means when used on a 60D (or your 450D), the 24-105mm is really a 'normal to telephoto' zoom and lacks a wide angle focal range. You have an 18-55mm lens - look back over your shots and see how much you used the 18-24mm range of your kit lens. If you did not do much shooting at wide angles, and are willing to keep and use the kit lens for the times when you need that wide angle, then the 24-105mm makes sense (it also makes sense paired with an EF-S 10-22mm ultrawide zoom).

I'm looking for good all round lens, I'm not to worried about a big zoom.

For me, a 'general purpose zoom' is wide angle to short telephoto. For that use on a 1.6x crop body, IMO the EF-S 17-55mm is the best walkaround lens. Optically, it performs as well or slightly better than the 24-105mm. The EF-S 15-85mm f/3.5-5.6 IS is another option - similarly good optical quality, a broader focal range, but it's also got a slow and variable aperture which I personally don't want in a general purpose zoom.

would prefer an L-series lens, how important is this?

Depends on your needs. There are a small number of EF-S lenses that offer optical quality equivalent to L lenses - the 17-55mm, 15-85mm, and 10-22mm are the three I'd judge to have L-level optics. The build quality of those lenses is not L-level, though (but they are still solid, well-constructed lenses and a definite step up from a kit lens). The other advantage to L-series lenses is that many of them are weather-sealed, including the 17-40mm and the 24-105mm (a filter on the front is needed to complete the sealing). Weather-sealing is the main reason I picked up a 24-105mm to supplement my 17-55mm, so I could shoot in the rain with my 7D. However, weather-sealing not a real advantage for you, since the 60D is not a weather-sealed body.


The 17-40mm does not perform quite as well on a 1.6x body, and it's also lacking at the long end - I don't think it's a great choice as a general purpose zoom.

I enjoy portrait photography and more importantly the lens should also be suited to shooting HD video.

My recommendation would be for the EF-S 17-55mm, and if your budget permits add a fast prime, either the 85mm f/1.8 for tight portraits, or the 50mm f/1.4 for more loosely-framed portraits. In both cases, the wide aperture helps isolate the subject of a portrait. The f/2.8 IS lens will also be better for shooting with ambient light indoors, especially for static subjects.


Here are a couple of portrait examples of the two lenses on a crop body (T1i, which I had prior to getting a 7D):




Rebel T1i, EF-S 17-55mm f/2.8 IS USM @ 50mm, 1/50 s, f/2.8, ISO 100 Rebel T1i, EF 85mm f/1.8 USM, 1/2000 s, f/1.8, ISO 100


Hope that helps...


--John

[Keith B]

IF full frame is not in your near future, I'd suggest 17-55 for the extra stop and better IQ.


I have always thought the 24-105 was overrated. It covers a really vast range but really suffers on the wide end which most of gets eliminated on a crop sensor. I think canon should make this lens an EF-S lens. It will make decent portraits on the long end closed down though.


The 17-40 is a nice lens especially for the price. f/4 just isn't fast enough and the range is small for my liking.

[Fast Glass]

I would get the 17-55mm f/2.8 IS, it would be as good/little better then the 24-105mm f/4 IS optically. 24mm is not very wide at all, and weather sealling is not complete unless you get the 7D or a 1 series. For portriats get a prime or 70-200mm, I would tend toward the zoom for a more complete range and later onpick out your favorite prime when you have a litte more experience on what you like to shoot.


The17-40mm f/4 is really not that great on 1.6crop cameraoptically, the focal length range is not ideal, it's one stop slower (half as much light) than the 17-55mm, lacks IS. The 17-40mm shines on full-frame as a ultra-wide zoom, f/4on a full-frameis about the same as f/2.8 on a 1.6 crop camera. The larger sensor gathers about one stop more light than a 1.6 crop camera.


If weather sealling is important to you then I would get a 7D or a used1Ds II for about the same price. The 1Ds II can be had for about $1,600 at KEH.com.


John.

[GarzaCapitalist]

I would get the 17-55mm f/2.8 IS, it would be as good/little better then the 24-105mm f/4 IS optically. 24mm is not very wide at all, and weather sealling is not complete unless you get the 7D or a 1 series. For portriats get a prime or 70-200mm, I would tend toward the zoom for a more complete range and later onpick out your favorite prime when you have a litte more experience on what you like to shoot.


The17-40mm f/4 is really not that great on 1.6crop cameraoptically, the focal length range is not ideal, it's one stop slower (half as much light) than the 17-55mm, lacks IS. The 17-40mm shines on full-frame as a ultra-wide zoom, f/4on a full-frameis about the same as f/2.8 on a 1.6 crop camera. The larger sensor gathers about one stop more light than a 1.6 crop camera.


If weather sealling is important to you then I would get a 7D or a used1Ds II for about the same price. The 1Ds II can be had for about $1,600 at KEH.com.


John.
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Or since you brought up a swap in camera choice, I highly recommend the elder Canon EOS 5D Mark 1! It hase very high quality,although it doesn't offer video, it still shines in my opinion! I can't give a really good sample, but here is a photo I took recently below this first cheesy one.

[charlduplessis]

WOW - guys - thanks for all the feedback.


Appreciated. [Y]








I will let you know what I decide.





Cheers.