Should I upgrade from a Canon 1100D to a 550D, or keep the 1100D and buy a better general-purpose lens?
Asked 10/3/2011
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I currently have a Canon 1100D with the 18-55mm kit lens and want a general-purpose walkaround setup. I'm considering two options:
- Keep the 1100D and buy a Tamron 18-270mm
- Sell the 1100D kit and buy a Canon 550D with the 18-135mm lens
My main question is whether it's smarter to prioritize the lens or the camera body. I don't care much about the 135-270mm range, and I'd prefer better sharpness and a faster lens over maximum zoom range. Is the 550D upgrade worthwhile if my main goal is better everyday image quality?
Originally by Photography Stack Exchange contributor. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
Photography Stack Exchange contributor
14y ago
2 Answers
1
Statistics wise the Tamron outperforms the Canon according to DxOMark, but not by much, but if you don't care about the 135-270 then you might as well get something with a smaller zoom range, you should in theory have a faster aperture at more of the range, and more sharpness as well. Big zoom ranges come with trade-off's, and that's generally the speed and the sharpness.
Originally by user6347. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
user6347
14y ago
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If you don’t specifically need features the 550D adds, the better use of your money is usually the lens rather than the body. Camera bodies are replaced more often; a good lens tends to stay useful much longer.
That said, based on your priorities, neither of these may be ideal. Since you don’t care much about 135-270mm and you want better sharpness and speed, a superzoom like 18-270mm is a compromise: very wide zoom ranges typically trade away sharpness and maximum aperture. Even if the Tamron compares reasonably well to the Canon 18-135mm, it’s still not the obvious choice if extra reach isn’t important to you.
So the key question is: does the 550D offer something you actually need that the 1100D doesn’t? If not, upgrading bodies just because it’s “better” may not improve your photos much.
Best takeaway: prioritize the lens, but consider a smaller-range standard zoom instead of a superzoom if sharpness and speed matter most.
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