stoatsngroats

Many thanks Alaistair, Dick & William,

It's likely that the 50mm 1.8 will be my next purchase, so You helped enormously, as this wasn't even in my thoughts!

I'll be off to test a couple in my local store soon.

Have an enjoyable 2007 all, and thanks again

Shaun

Thanks to you all for your advice!

As regards my picture of the damselfly, it's a crop from a larger photo, which is here http://www.photo.net/photos/stoatsngroats with one of either my Canon 18-55, Canon 28-105, both of which I consider 'general' lenses. Hence the reason for my point about either the 17-50 or 85 1.8 being used as a general lens. My desire is, however, to take a better picture in the first place, rather than crop.

I realise that I have to make a trade-off, but my budget is really limited, 200 GBP being a real push!

If I had the ability to buy 'L' lenses, (200 f2.8 and longer etc) I'd have them already!

I understand the point about the 85mm being perhaps too long, and not good for macro, but for the full frame damselfly picture, would it have been a better framed subject? I realise that its a difficult question, but my problem is " having a maximum aperture of 1.8, would the quality have been MUCH greater?"

...and then, would the quality of the same picture taken on the Tamron 17-50 have been also much greater, considering the final crop!

I apologise for being thick, but I've only been learning for a decade or so, and with me things take time!

finally, the 50mm 1.4 seems an interesting addition to consider!

thanks all for your continued thoughts,

shaun D

I have a canon 350D, and I'm looking for a better lens than the suppplied 18-

55 usm.

The Tamron 17-50 seems good value in the UK, and the but the reviews I've read

seem to say that at f2.8 there is some distortion, and lack of clarity, which

begins to clear by f4.

My question is, if a purchased a lens with max. aperture of f4, would this be

likely to need stopping down as well, giving higher quality at f5.6?

Also, I like the look of a Canon 85 1.8, this would be an expensive purchase

on my limited budget, is it also likely to be more than my 350d can handle, in

quality terms.

Finally, should I go for the 85mm, or the Tamron 17-50!

I should add that either lens will be used for general purpose photography.

(Please look at my damselfly, as an indication of my interest!)

Thanks, in anticipation of your wisdom!