Walk about lens. What's your choice.

<p>I need a walk-about zoom lens that will fit the bill when I'm out with friends. I'd prefer something wide angle over something out to 105/135 unless the barrel is short. Any suggestions FD or 3rd party.</p>

<p>If you can find and afford one the 20 -35 f3.5L, otherwise the 35-105 F3.5 is very good. I have a vivitar series 1 19-35 but it is a very poor lens compared to the canon (I never use it). in my opinion good wide angle zooms are a relatively recent thing and you may be better with a prime. the 35 f2 and the 24 f2 are both very good and my general walk about lenses.</p>

<p>I'll second the 35-105/3.5. It's on the large and heavy side, but a real performer.</p>

<p> </p>

<p>50mm f1.4. I don't have a 35mm f2, I have a feeling it might upset the old 50 when I get around to getting one :)</p>

<p>I've used the 35-105/3.5 but as a walkabout I much prefer Tamron's Adaptall-2 model 01A 35-80/2.8-3.8 cos it's over an inch shorter, weighs half a pound less and has continuous macro up to 1:2.5 magnification .</p>

<p>The 35-105 has excellent build quality and sharpness but it uses a macro switch and even in so-called "macro" setting it only magnifies to a very unimpressive 1:12.</p>

<p>I recently got a Tokina AT-X 28-85mm f3.5-4.5 which is a bit of a "cult classic" <em> <a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20051221063629/http://medfmt.8k.com/third/cult.html#vivitar">(link)</a> </em> . It has a pretty good reputation, but isn't particularly common (and may be a little overpriced). I haven't compared it to any other lens yet, but my first impressions are that it's really quite a decent performer.</p>

<p>Other independents I have used include the lightweight Tamron 28-70mm f3.5-4.5 (model 44A) which received a <em>very good</em> write-up in a Camera Weekly (UK) magazine review in 1986 and which has slightly better performance than the earlier (and heavier, all metal/glass) Tamron SP28-80mm f3.5-4.2 (model 27A). Both are good performers in my experience - but the SP version is pretty heavy. As mentioned the Tamron SP35-80mm f2.8-3.8 is very good from c.50-80mm, tho' at 35mm it's corner/edge performance isn't great (as usual) until f5.6.</p>

<p>But the 'sleeper' in the Tamron range is arguably the compact 35-70mm f3.5 model 17A. It's not quite as sharp as the SP, or generally as contrasty, but I think the overall performance is a bit more 'even' - it's a really well-behaved lens from f5.6 thu' to f16. It's compact and I do like the results from it - actually I have two - and it is often <em>very </em> cheap.</p>

<p>If pressed, I'd choose the Tokina AT-X 28-70mm f3.5-4.5 for the w/a coverage alone.</p>

<p>I usually keep the 35mm f/2 on my F-1 because it's wider than a 50mm and not quite as wide as a 28mm. Plus the FD(n) 35/2 is amazingly sharp. To get closer I usually use the 100/2 but if I'm going to drive around and carry an FD body as a back-up to another body (like my dslr) then I often use a Vivitar Series 1 28-210 on an FTbn. In spite of the wide focal range and the usual compromises of such lenses, it's really a pretty good performer as long as I take my time and shoot deliberately.</p>

<p>My preferred walkabout FD zooms are the 20-35/3.5 L, the 35-105/3.5, and the 80-200/4 L. Only the first two are wide, and the second has a rather long barrel, so it's the first I'd recommend for your applications. Together, these three are the best FD zooms I've ever used. My Vivitar Series 1 35-85/2.8 also delivers excellent IQ (and it's fast), but it is rather big and heavy, albeit shorter than the FD 35-105/3.5.</p>

<p>If you are willing to compromise a bit, try the New FD 35-70/4. </p>

<p>Put me down in the 35-105 f3.5 club. </p>

 

<p>Soligar made a 24-45mm f3.5/4.5 in their better CD line I have one and really like it. Might be just the lens your looking for.</p>

<p>Another stunning lens is the Tokina 28-70mm f3.5/4.5 SD My wife's favorite lens We own two of them.</p>

<p>Tamron CF 35-70 f3.5. Constant aperture, 58 mm filter size and very compact and will close focus to 1:2. Good performer. The SP 35-80 is even better, but more expensive.</p>

<p>I sometimes use the FD 35-70 f3.5-f4.5 zoom, It looks and feels cheap and plasticky, is small lightweight and not much bigger than a 50mm, but is capable of much better performance than you would think.</p>

<p>Vivitar Series One 28--90mm f/2.8-3.5. One of the nicest walk arounds I've found. See my user report here:<br>

<a href="http://www.photo.net/canon-fd-camera-forum/00QhRw">http://www.photo.net/canon-fd-camera-forum/00QhRw</a></p>

 

<p>Louis, I have a Vivitar Series 1 35-85/2.8 that's very good, even wide open. Do you have any idea how it compares to the 28-90? I tend to use the FD 35-105/3.5 as a walkabout zoom in that focal length range, though, because it's much lighter than the Vivitar.</p>

<p>I have Canon's 28-85 f/4 and 35-105 f/3.5. The 28-85 is my clear favourite choice as a single zoom for general use. I much prefer to have 28 over having 105. That said if i go out with the 20-35L I will take the the 35-105. The nice thing a bout these three lenses is that they all use 72mm filters and the same BW-72 lens hood.</p>

<p>The Vivitar 28-85/2.8-3.8 Variable Focusing is also very nice. I have that lens in K mount and many of the other lenses mentioned in FD and other mounts. I would rather carry a small bag so I can have a 35 and an 85 instead of a 35-85 zoom or I would rather carry a 35/2. I once took a 28-105 Vivitar Series 1 with an F-1 to a baseball game and got nice results. If you have a small flash you can carry for late afternoon and night people shots and if the light is good enough during the day then a zoom is fine. With lower light you will need faster lenses, faster film or both.</p>

<p>I know you asked about a zoom lens, but I would also like to offer the suggestion of a 2-lens combo. I would reccomend the 24mm f2.8 and the 50mm f1.8. Both lenses are light and compact. One could easily fin in a pocket. The 24mm will get a bit wider angle than a 28mm and I find it more pleasing. The 50mm is wonderfully sharp and fast, the extra 1.5 stops over a f2.8 lens will really help in shade or for quick snaps.<br>

Alternatively, I would not really reccomend any FD camera that I know of as a 'walk-about' camera. There are many other cameras that are lighter and more compact than any of canons. Olympus and Pentax SLR's come to mind.</p>

<p>Hi.</p>

<p>I have a Vivitar Series 1 28 - 105mm F2.8, which I think is very nice. It focuses down to about 1/2. I use it instead of my Canon FD 35 - 105.</p>

<p>dirk.</p>

<p>My favorite walkabout lenses are either the FD 35 f/2 SSC or the FD 28-85 f/4, leaning heavily towards the latter. If I want something longer with me I'll drop a 135 in my pocket.</p>

<p>My best travel kit consists of an FDn 24mm f/2.8, 35-70mm f/2.8-3.5, and a 85mm f/1.8 with my AE-1 Program - never needed anything other than these lenses. I used to bring longer teles with me - either a 135mm f/2.5 or a 200mm f/4 - but I didn't use them enough to warrant carrying them everywhere.</p>