Lens recommendation for my 6D

[dana_houston]

I'm not to familiar on what to look for with lens. I take pictures of my children, family and friends. I always use my 50 f1.8. I would like a

different prime with a little more room. I also want to keep it budget friendly.

 

I also want to purchas a zoom lens for when I'm at my daughters dance recitals and sports events. I tbough the Tameron 28-75 from

Amazon and as soon as I connected it to my camera I got an error message, so I'm guessing a bad copy. I'm not sure if I want to try

again, since I've done some research and looks like Tamron can be hit or miss. Any other budget friendly zoom lens?

 

Thanks for the help!

[Spearhead]

<p>If you want something wider, and you can afford it, the Canon 17-40/4 is a fine lens. If you want to spend more, you can buy the Canon 16-35/2.8, but unless you really need the extra stop, it's not going to make a lot of difference in your photos and it definitely isn't in the "budget" category. The 17-40 isn't that expensive, especially used.</p>

[mark_stephan2]

<p>Right now Adorama has the 24-105 f4 L refurbished lens for $719.00, that's a $430.00 savings vs a new lens. If it's fast enough for your needs its the best bargain on Canon's lenses right now. After buying my 5D (original or first version) I bought a 50 f1.8 II lens and that was good for low light. I needed a zoom and when I saw the price of the 24-105 I ordered one immediately! Although I'm new to Canon I wanted to make sure I purchased the best equipment I could afford and I have no regrets. This is a fantastic, razor sharp lens. AF is fast and IS works perfectly. I HIGHLY recommend it.</p>

[ed_avis2]

<p>The 40mm pancake lens perfectly matches your criterion of 'a different prime with a little more room'. You might also be able to pick up the old model (non-image-stabilized) 24mm or 28mm lens at a good price. Otherwise you can spend some more money and get the newer 24mm, 28mm, or 35mm lens.</p>

[William Michael]

<blockquote>

<p>"I take pictures of my children, family and friends. I always use my 50 f1.8.<em> I would like a different </em><strong><em>prime</em></strong><em> with a little </em><strong><em>more room</em></strong><em>. I also want to keep it </em><strong><em>budget friendly.</em></strong>"</p>

</blockquote>

<p>Have a look at the EF 35 F/2. That is a bit wider than the 40mm, and an older design lens, but still a good value for money Prime Lens.</p>

<p>*</p>

 

<blockquote>

<p>"I tbough the Tameron 28-75 from Amazon and as soon as I connected it to my camera I got an error message, so I'm guessing a bad copy."</p>

</blockquote>

<p>Maybe you got a bad copy, but I know several Photographers who use that lens and it works fine on Canon EOS cameras.<br>

I do think that a zoom lens is generally more use to mostly all Photographers and I'd suggest you look at zooms generally rather than another Prime Lens.<br>

If you want to stick with Canon Lenses, then I also think that you should look at the EF17 to 40 F/4 and the EF24 to 105 F/4 IS, as they are both really good suggestions. </p>

<p>WW</p>

 

[paddler4]

<p>In case you do decide to follow William's advice and consider a zoom (I would advise the same thing), I will comment on the three lenses in the posts so far, since I have owned all three and currently own two.</p>

<p>I owned a Tamron 28-75 for years. You must have gotten a bad copy. It is a good lens and an excellent bargain. The main drawbacks are the lack of image stabilization and its old-fashioned AF system, which is not terribly fast (although I found generally fast enough for me) and does not permit full-time manual focusing. <br>

<br />The 17-40 is a nice lens--I own one currently--but it seems to me that it would be a bad choice for the uses you suggest. It's just short for those uses. I can see occasionally going shorter than 50mm for those uses, but I would not want to use a lens that tops out at 40mm. I never pack that lens when I am going to shoot the kinds of things you mention. Instead, I pack a zoom that goes shorter than 50mm. The one I currently use is the 24-105. I don't know whether it is optically better than the Tamron, but it is a more convenient range, the AF is fast, it has IS, and it has full-time manual focusing. That is my default walk-around lens now.</p>

[JDMvW]

<p>Two excellent, but affordable, prime wide angles for 'FX' sensors are the EF 35mm f/2 already mentioned and the even cheaper EF 28mm f/2.8 (I'm speaking of the older non-IS versions, still widely available).<br>

A lens for the recitals might be the EF 85mm f/1.8 since you're used to shooting with primes.<br>

Fast <em>zoom</em> lenses definitely are a little more pricey.</p>

[Robin Smith]

<p>In your shoes I'd get the 24-105mm zoom. But if you must have a prime then the new 35f 2IS or older 35 f2 are your best bet. The 40mm is an excellent lens, but the AF is a little slow for fast-moving kids although I am sure you could manage with it.</p>

[mario_gaco]

I think the 40mm pancake would fit your bill perfectly. After buying this lens I stopped using the 50/

1.8 because the 40 is smaller, sharper, focusses faster and is less noisy.

I thought about the older 35/2 but decided against it because it is of similar design as the 50 and

costs about as much as the 40mm.

 

About the zoom: have you thought about buying a 24-85/3.5-4.5 USM (only available second hand)?

While it is not a stellar performer, it offers good value for money.

[dana_houston]

Thanks so much for all your help! I'm going to rent a few and see what I like!

[Andrew Gosden]

<p>I would think for dance recitals and sports events you would want something longer. The 70-300 zooms with stabilization would work well for outside sports but may be a bit slow for dance recitals. You can always increase the iso. They are usually available for between $400-$500. I have the Tamron although I'm sure the Canon and Sigma equivalents are about the same.</p>

[Mark Keefer]

<p>I am using the Tamron 70-200mm f/2.8 on a 6D and really like it. I have heard good things about the Tamron 24-70 f/2.8 with VC, it may be my next lens, or I may go with a Canon 70-200mm f/2.8 L older version, no IS but I hear it is built like a tank and great IQ. Primes are great, I just hate swapping lenses when I need/want to be shooting. lol.</p>

[david_wu6]

<p>24-105 is a kit lens for 6D. Get it first and worry about expending lens collection later. I have various of other lenses (14mm, 40mm, 50mm, 70-200 F2.8IS II and 100-400, and C/Y lenses), and use the kit lens >98% of times. </p>

[dcstep]

<p>For best results with zooms, particularly the excellent 24-105mm, use Digital Lens Optimization to correct of Geometric Distortion, Chromatic Aberration, Vignetting, etc., at every focal length and every aperture. DLO is included with Digital Photo Professional, which ships with all Canon DSLRs. Other Raw conversion software, such as Lightroom and DxO Optics Pro, have similar modules. DLO can make a huge difference in your final results.</p>