How should I choose a better zoom lens than the 18-55mm kit lens for a Canon 1000D?
Asked 4/15/2011
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I use a Canon 1000D with the 18-55mm kit lens and a 50mm f/1.8. I’m not happy with the kit lens and want a better zoom, with a budget of about $1000. I’m considering lenses such as a 24-70mm f/2.8, a 75-300mm zoom, and possibly adding a 100mm macro lens.
My main subjects are flowers/insects (macro), weddings, portraits of children, and travel. I’ve already ruled out superzooms.
What should I evaluate when replacing the kit lens, and how do I decide which focal range and type of lens best fit these uses?
Originally by Photography Stack Exchange contributor. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
Photography Stack Exchange contributor
15y ago
2 Answers
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Honestly, unless you have a line on these lenses used (or know somebody who found a case of them that "fell off a truck"), your $1000 budget isn't going to be nearly enough except for the 75-300 and an off-brand macro (several of which are very good) or the Sigma 24-70.
Given your subject matter, I wouldn't go for the 75-300. I'm not saying that it's a horrible lens, but if 50mm is your widest lens and your next choice is at 75mm at the wide end, you're missing a lot of territory. The 300mm end of the scale is equivalent to 480mm on a full-frame (or 35mm) camera, and that's too long for shooting people to their best advantage. (There are ways to make an extremely long "people" image work, but it usually involves making the person/people a subtext to another subject. Or celebrity peep shots, which have little to do with flattering your subject.) You would be much better off giving up what seems like a lot at the long end in order to get something considerably shorter at the wide end of the zoom range. If you want to go long, the Sigma 50-150mm f/2.8 and the Tokina/Pentax 50-135mm f/2.8 (if you can find one -- Tokina makes them for the Canon mount, but the supply chain seems to be broken at the moment) are the APS-C equivalent of the 70-200mm pro standbys. (Why Nikon and Canon don't offer a fast 50-135 baffles me.)
Of the choices you've offered, the Sigma 24-70mm comes closest to fitting most of your requirements. It falls within (or just ever so slightly beyond) your budget, and it offers an excellent range of focal lengths for shooting people and general travel photography. It isn't a true macro lens, but it does focus to 40cm and comes close to a 1:4 reproduction ratio at 70mm, which is sufficiently "macro" for florals on APS-C. 70mm, though, might be a little short for some types of wedding shots that are in vogue lately (don't worry -- we did just fine without supertelephotos at weddings in the caveman days, and I'm sure you can, too). The Canon 24-70 is similar, but it'll be tough to haul in that catch for under $1000.
To a point, getting physically closer beats getting optically closer every time, and a 70mm lens on a crop-sensor DSLR is a lot longer than the 110mm "long" lens I used to use on a 6x7cm medium-format camera for weddings. You might want to go longer later, but don't try to do it all with one lens unless you're willing to give up a lot in the bargain.
Originally by user2719. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
user2719
15y ago
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Generated from our catalog & community — verify before relying on it.
Start by identifying what disappoints you about the kit lens: low-light performance, sharpness, build, autofocus, or focal range. That will guide the replacement.
For your subjects, one lens probably won’t do everything well. Macro work generally needs a true 1:1 macro lens, so a dedicated 100mm macro makes sense for flowers and insects. For weddings, portraits, and travel, a standard fast zoom is the more useful upgrade.
Among the options mentioned, a 24-70mm f/2.8 is the strongest general-purpose choice if your budget allows. The constant f/2.8 aperture helps in low light and for subject isolation, and that range suits portraits, events, and travel better than a 75-300.
The 75-300mm is a weaker fit here: on your 1000D, 75mm is not wide at all, so you’d lose too much useful range for weddings and travel, and 300mm is usually too long for typical people shots.
So the practical approach is: choose a standard zoom such as a 24-70mm f/2.8 for general use, and add a true macro lens if macro is a priority. Also, review your existing photos to see which focal lengths you use most before buying.
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