Suggestions for new "walk around" lens

[Nicole71]

Hi All,

I'm looking to upgrade from my kit lenses for my 7D. I take a lot of outdoor photos - kids sport, landscapes, low light stuff like fireworks. Can anyone suggest a good Canon "walk around" lens in the $1000-1500 region? Can I get a decent pro lens in this price range or should I save a bit more cash?

Appreciate any advice.

Nicole

[Holstein]

A little over budget but this would be a good start http://www.digitalcamerawarehouse.com.au/prod4372.htm (im looking at getting this lens in the near future)

[ktoopi]

Hi Nicole

I don't know which kit lenses you have but I also have a 7d and my walk around lens is a canon EF-S 15-85mm f/3.5-5.6 and I am very happy with it. It generally has very good write ups.
I am reading the Febuary edition of PhotoPlus magazine at the moment (which is in newsagent s now)and they have a write up/ comparison of standard zooms for crop cameras like ours in which they describe the Canon EF-S 17-55 mm f/2.8 IS USM as Quote " This is the nearest thing to a fully professional, L series lens in Canon's stable, even if Canon never give the Luxury tag to EF-S lenses. The Zoom range is modest and Image stabilisation is an older generation but, image quality is sublime!" This lens might be worth a look.

They also tested two L series lenses The EF 24-70mm f/2.8L USM and the EF 24-105mm f/4/L IS USM which didn't get as good a write up as the two lenses I mentioned above. They tested a few other brands as well.

It might be worth getting the mag and using it as a starting point for your research!
Good Luck and I hope this helps.:)

[Tannin]

Hi Nicole,

You essentially have three choices:

1: wide and long but slow. Many choices including quite a few good ones but the Canon EF-S 15-85/3.5-5.6 is the clear best choice of all. An absolutely brilliant lens: great build quality, latest and best IS, excellent IQ, and very versatile with an 85mm long end and a best-in-class 15mm wide end.

2: Wide(ish) and fast but short. Again, several good choices, but the best is the rather expensive Canon EF-S 17-55/2.8 IS. If 55mm is long enough and 17mm is wide enough, this is a superb lens.

3: Fast(ish) and long but not wide. The Canon 24-105/4 IS is excellent in every way .... but it is not nearly wide enough at the wide end to be a good walkaround lens on 1.6 crop. Lens swapping will drive you mad unless you go to a two body solution. On a full frame body, the 24-105 comes into its own (it acts like a 15-65/4). Similar comments apply to the 24-70/2.8 and one or two third-party lenses.

It all depends on your own desires and style, but my #1 choice as a general-purpose lens for crop is the outstanding 15-85. Sure, I'd like f/2.8 but I have to sacrifice quite a bit of length (that 55-85mm range is very useful) and even more width - yep, it's only 2mm, but with 15mm at the wide end I can (just) get away without an ultra-wide, where at 17mm that's not even on the radar - I need two lenses.

PS: don't even think about a superzoom (18-200 or etc.). You already have cheap lenses that can do things badly. Why get an expensive lens for that same role?

[Mary Anne]

I use the Canon EF-S 17-55 mm f/2.8 IS USM on my 40D is a fantastic lens I love it.. Its sharp and fast.

Its not a L series lens though I prefer it to my Canon EF 24-105mm f/4/L IS USM Lens that came as the kit lens for my 5D Mk11

[William W]

What kit lenses do you have?
What precisely are the problems with the kit lenses you have?
Specifically mentioning why they cannot:
- make good landscapes pictures?
- make good pictures of (what?) sports
- make good pictures of Fireworks
AND - are there low light shootingscenarios, OTHER than fireworks.

WW