Yet another lens question

[fishinchicks]

Okay guys and gals. My birthday is coming up, and I would like a new lens for my Rebel XT. I currently own three lenses... Canon EF 35-80 4-5.6, Canon EF-S 55-250 4-5.6 IS, and a Canon EF 85mm 1.8.

I typically shoot my daughters in their sports...cross country, dance line, and track...as well as landscapes, florals, and old buildings. I am thinking a wide angle would be really nice for most of my non-sporting photos. It would also come in handy for large group shots. This is where you all come in. I could really use some recommendations on what would be a good fit for my lowly Rebel XT. Doesn't have to be a Canon lens. I would like the good, bad, and ugly on the reviews to help me narrow down my choices.

Thanks!

[Steve Foss]

Chicks, if you are not planning on switching camera bodies to the 1.3 crop or full frame sensors, I can enthusiastically recommend the Tamron 17-50 f2.8. Fast focusing, very sharp wide open and will get you significantly wider than your current 35mm. The 17-50 is far less expensive than Canon's 17-40 f4L and is equally as sharp and good, with a full stop faster aperture capability. It's designed specifically for the 1.6 crop APS-C sized sensors.

Sigma makes one similar to this as well that also is excellent. Used (say on POTN, for example), it's easy to find either one for about $300 in excellent shape. The 17-40 goes for about $600 used now.

I'd been using Canon's excellent 10-22 for my wide-angle work, but using it toward the 10mm end produces too much distortion for posed groups (the outer people look built as squarely as a brick ****house), so I was using it at about 17mm at widest for group work anyway, and at 22 on the other end it didn't have enough muscle for me. Thus the switch.

If you'd said you want to do some really ultrawide work, in which the distortion at 10mm produces effects you want to get, then I'd have recommended one of the 10-20 class ultrawides from Canon, Tokina, Sigma, Tamron, etc.

With the 17-50 range covered, you can also dump your 35-80, which is not as sharp as any of the 17-50 pro class lenses mentioned here, or keep it for backup.

Also, when using the center focus point on an f2.8 or faster lens, your camera's autofocus performance will improve over the slower lenses, which can be important in some situations.

[fishinchicks]

Thanks, Steve! That was exactly the type of info I was looking for. With all of the lenses out there, it can be confusing.

I haven't had the time to pull out the camera lately, and with all the rain we've had any photos would have been depressing anyway. The guys are still working at getting the last 100 acres of soybeans harvested, and we still haven't touched the corn, so the guys are getting kinda cranky. Another reason to shop for a lens...retail therapy!

[Steve Foss]

Well, retail therapy for you ain't gonna get the crops in!

But I understand how much fun it is to buy something that helps turn your vision into reality. Let's hope Mother Nature cooperates long enough for the beans and corn to come in.

You farmers. Always complaining about the weather.

[fishinchicks]

Yeah...never happy!

Actually, the first two inches were good. The next 6 were a little much.

[fishinchicks]

Yay! Ordered the Tamron 17-50 f2.8 this morning. It is backordered, so now I have to really practice patience. I can't wait to be able to play with it.

[Steve Foss]

See now, if you'd bought used it'd already by shipped and on its way to you.

Congrats on the newbie. Hope it works well for you.

[fishinchicks]

When I first looked at them online, they had them in stock. Hubby couldn't figure out why I needed another lens, and had no idea what it was I wanted...so I waited until today to order it. I went new, since I wouldn't be able to check out a used one in person. I am a little skeptical/cautious in that way.

[MN Shutterbug]

May as well get new. What's another hundred bucks to a farmer?

We'll be looking forward to some harvest photos once you get the lens. Don't let us down, Carolyn.

[Steve Foss]

And golly, a happy birthday to you too, Carolyn!

[fishinchicks]

Thanks, Steve!

Mike, the way harvest is crawling along, even with the lens on backorder, I should be able to deliver a few harvest photos.

I am hoping to try it out on a few landscape shots, and some portraits of the family when the weather is bad.

[HawgTide]

Yay! Ordered the Tamron 17-50 f2.8 this morning. It is backordered, so now I have to really practice patience. I can't wait to be able to play with it.

Great choice! I liked mine so much I bought another. One for the Canon and one for the Sony.