Sharpest lens under $600.00 not including the 50mm 1.8

[david israel]

<p>Hello,<br>

In everyone's opinion, what is the sharpest lens under $600.00 not including the 50MM 1.8. I am just trying to get a feel of what is out there that is nice and sharp and inexpensive. Any opinions would be greatly appreciated.</p>

<p>Thanks,<br>

David</p>

[bobatkins]

<p>85/1.8</p>

<p>100/2.8 Macro</p>

<p>ef-s 60/2.8 Macro</p>

<p>50/2.5 Macro</p>

<p>100/2</p>

[david israel]

<p>Thanks Bob for the quick answer. I got some research to do now.</p>

[fmueller]

<p>Macro lenses usually do pretty well with respect to sharpness. EF 50/2.5 is around $300, and EFs 60/2.8 is about $400 and EF 100/2.8 about $600. You won't get significantly sharper lenses for the money. </p>

<p>However, there are many more important things to consider about lenses than sharpness and price. For example it is no good having a cheap, sharp, macro lens for an APS-C sensor body, when you want to take a photo of a vista sweeping 180 degrees with your full frame camera. Just saying.</p>

[mtk]

<p>You have not provided enough information to answer your question. Virtually any modern lens from any manufacture included the lowly "kit" lenses are sharp at certain apertures and conditions.<br>

What are your uses? Wildlife? Sports? Low Light? Portrait? Zoom? Prime? Do you want VR? Do you use a tripod? In my budget 600 bucks is not inexpensive.<br>

IMHO figure out what YOUR real world shooting needs are, then research what lenses interest you then go from there.<br>

I wish you well.</p>

 

[bobatkins]

<p>If you make it $1000, you can add the 135/2.0L and the 200/2.8L to the list!</p>

<p> </p>

[PuppyDigs]

<p>If you mean sharpest wide open, that would have to include the EF 50 2.5 CM. Stopped down nearly all primes are pretty dad burn sharp.</p>

[c jensen]

<p>I'm pretty pleased with my Sigma 50 1.4. I think it was $499.</p>

[craig_meddaugh]

<p>Any macro lens will be sharp... but I must say that this is kind of a dumb query as your interests should gude your lens selection, not your quest for "sharpness". You might grab a 100mm macro, but if your interest is in wide-angle, even if you buy the sharpest 100mm lens ever made, you're still not going to like your results. </p>

[manuel barrera houston,]

<p>At what aperture? I personally like th 50mm f/1.4 at f/4 -f/11, for people, for other type of animals almost any macro lens will be very sharp. The 85mm f/1.8 is probably my favorite at that price range.</p>

[tom_harvey3]

<p>Another vote for the Sigma 50/1.4 as well as the Canon EFS 60/2.8 macro. Either one is so sharp you can hurt yourself.</p>

[ed_v.]

70-200 f/4 L (for a zoom, maybe)

[JDMvW]

<p>Also, aside from the 50mm f/1.8, there are other sharp, classic bargains well below your price limit:<br>

35mm f/2<br>

135mm soft focus<br>

28mm f/2.8</p>

[yakim_peled1]

<p>It may be hard to believe but the 18-55 IS is a very sharp lens, even under 100% scrutiny. Well, not quite prime sharp but <strong>very</strong> close to it. I compared it to my 17-55/2.8 IS and could not find any differences in sharpness, only in CA and distortion. Surprised? I surely was.</p>

<p>Happy shooting,<br>

Yakim.</p>

<p> </p>

[oscar_van_der_velde]

<p>28mm f/2.8 is my vote for cheapest sharpest (I don't have 24/2.8 and 35/2, try them also)<br>

But what are you going to shoot?</p>

[ed_k__north_carolina_]

<p>If you can find them used the 200 f2.8L and the 17-40 f4L are excellent lenses that will fit your price range.</p>

[yog_sothoth]

<p>I use the Tamron 17-50 2.8 and the Tokina 50-135, and they are very good at 2.8 and pixel-peeper perfect a 4 and higher. They are EF-S lenses, which may or may not be a problem for you. For wide angle the Tokina 11-16 is one of the best, and comes in at $599.</p>

[jack_nordine]

<p>A third vote of support for the under appreciated 28mm 2.8 which is very sharp at 2.8. I have the 3 macros (100mm 2.8, 60mm 2.8, 50mm 2.5) and agree they are all extremely sharp beauties.</p>

[philip_wilson]

<p>85 F1.8 is hard to beat at it's price point.</p>

[g dan mitchell]

<p><em>Starting</em> your lens shopping by asking "what is the sharpest lens?" is sort of like starting your car shopping by asking "which is the best color?"</p>

<p>Turn it around. The first questions have to do with functionality. What focal length(s) do you need to cover? What sort of maximum aperture do you need? Once you figure that out, if there are several lenses that are otherwise equal you might consider the sharpness issue.</p>

[cian_perez]

<p>Canon 50/1.4.</p>