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DPChallenge Forums >> Hardware and Software >> Difficult lens decision
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05/05/2006 12:31:40 PM · #1
I have been happy with my simple lens kit, which consists of a 35mm f/2, 50mm f/1.4, and 85mm f/1.8. I enjoy traditional reportage style photography and portraiture, so this range of focal lenths is acceptable. I have been thinking about trading the three primes for a Canon 24-70 f/2.8L, but don't have any real world experience with that lens. I don't shoot much below f/2, so I will only lose 1 stop in speed.

I'm wondering if any DPCers have experience with these lenses and can offer advice on disadvantages in going to one L zoom rather than the three primes?

Thanks!
05/05/2006 12:34:30 PM · #2
the 24 70 L is one of the finest lens for canon, if you get it you must consider to sell your others, but keep your 50mmm 1.4 that lens is amazing
05/05/2006 12:40:48 PM · #3
The Tamron 28-75 F2.8 is rated as nearly as good as the Canon you're talking about, and costs significantly less. You might want to consider keeping your primes for specific applications and getting the Tamron to suppliment them.

Just a thought...
05/05/2006 12:43:04 PM · #4
Agreed. I am surprised at how much I am able to do with just the 50mm f/1.8.

In fact, I am also borrowing an 18-55mm kit lens, which for me isn't about sharpness, it's more about range. As for the range, I only ever use that lens if I want a wide angle effect.

I think you would be very happy with the 24-70 lens in every respect, but you would probably miss the 50mm if you had to get rid of it.

I am also borrowing an 85mm f/1.8 and I find that because it is really long, I don't use it very much at all.

I find that the 50mm f/1.8 seems to lose some quality as you get a little farther away.

One of the main reasons I don't use the 18-55 much is that I have been doing a lot of shooting indoors without flash. Those extra stops make a big difference to me.

If I do want to use the lens for sharpness, the 50mm f/1.4 apparently peaks at f/4, the f/1.8 at 5.6... Do you know what aperture the 24-70 peaks for sharpness?

To answer my own question, Photozone.de reports that it also appears to be around f/4. If you use your lenses at the 'sweet spot', it looks like you will not suffer much with regards to light availability when compared to the 50mm f/1.4. If you shoot a lot at wide open, or in very dark areas without it, you might miss the speed of the primes.

I was a little disturbed by their description of the 24-70 as being somewhat unreliable in sample to sample quality variance. Seems like a lot of money to spend on a lens that is a bit of a gamble.

I also like Odyssey22's suggestion. Lots of serious amateurs use that Tamron. It also holds it's resale value very well, so it might be worth it to try it out for a week-month. You might lose 50-75 bucks on it if you have to flip it, but you might not find you want to after your experiment.

Photozone also rated the 28-75 and found it almost on par with the 24-70, but they had some issues that led them to believe that their sample might have been a slightly less perfect copy. If their findings are indicative of any sort of standard of performance (not too likely considering the fan base), it seems that the lens gets softer as it zoome out from 28mm, where it is sharper than the 24-70 ever gets (according to MTF charts which cannot be trusted entirely).

Message edited by author 2006-05-05 12:56:12.
05/05/2006 12:44:12 PM · #5
Originally posted by OdysseyF22:

The Tamron 28-75 F2.8 is rated as nearly as good as the Canon you're talking about, and costs significantly less. You might want to consider keeping your primes for specific applications and getting the Tamron to suppliment them.

Just a thought...


Yep, just got the Tamron... granted it's not L glass, but so far I LOVE it!!!
05/05/2006 12:50:51 PM · #6
There are some obvious advantages, but if you want disadvantages:

1. Size & weight. The 24-70 is a beast.

2. Stopping down vs. wide open. It may not be a big difference, but if you shoot wide open at 2.8 it probably won't be quite as sharp as the primes stopped down to 2.8. So in practice you might be losing more than 1 stop.

3. Limited options if you want something wider some day. 24mm isn't all that wide on a 1.6x crop. If you later want the 17-40/4L or 16-35/2.8L there will be a lot of overlap.

4. Price.
05/05/2006 12:54:01 PM · #7
I love the 24-70L, but I would not give up my fast primes. But that has a lot to do with personal preference and the scope of what one shoots. I can tell you that the 24-70 will produce stunning results, even wide open, across most of the zoom range. It is just a tiny bit soft at the 70mm end wide open.
When I shot with the 10D, the 24-70 was the lens that lived on the camera. Interestingly, that has not changed with the 5D, although I find myself going to the 70-200 more often, and I am considering adding the 135/2 whereas with the 10D the 100/2.8 Macro served well for a short tele prime.
05/05/2006 01:02:11 PM · #8
The 24-70L is one nice piece of equipment. Besides the outstanding image quality, this thing is built like a tank, has a very smooth (but not overly smooth) zoom/focus turning, and fast a/f. You will not regret spending the extra for this one. I would consider hanging on to the 50mm as previously mentioned as well.
05/05/2006 04:32:19 PM · #9
Originally posted by eschelar:


I was a little disturbed by their description of the 24-70 as being somewhat unreliable in sample to sample quality variance. Seems like a lot of money to spend on a lens that is a bit of a gamble.

This is one thing that worried me about the 24-70 when I decided to go with the primes. It seemed that a number of people received lenses with 'issues' of one type or another and primes seems simple and safe. Perhaps it was just internet hype, but the thought of returning a lens to get a better copy didn't sit well with me. I decided to check here because dpcers tend to user their cameras rather than compare their technical specifications and shoot test targets.
05/05/2006 09:21:12 PM · #10
FWIW, I got a bad copy of the 50mm f/1.8 for my first lens purchased new.

I think that any lens will require a bit of checking to make sure it is ok when you first get it.

Having said that, it's a scary thought to think that you might have to return any lens multiple times.

When I went to the shops telling them of my focus issue, the first thing they did was to assume that I was wrong. The first thing I did was to show them 100% crops of several test scenarios which I felt were fairly all-encompassing (multiple scenarios, tripod mounted, broad range of apertures).

Regardless, they still doubted me at each place I went.

Even after I had the lens/camera checked out by the official Canon service shop, they offered to fix the lens (waiting) or told me to take it back to the original place where I could get it swapped.

The original place STILL doubted me even after I had been to the Canon dealership, but they gave no trouble with regards to swapping the lens for a new one.

The 50mm f/1.8 that I was dealing with is a pretty cheap lens.

I can imagine that they would be a bit more resistant to any perceived issues with a lens that cost as much as the 24-70.

Another reason to consider checking out the Tamron first. At least if you don't like it, you stand to lose very little.
05/05/2006 09:22:24 PM · #11
I got the Canon 24-70 a few weeks ago and I am in love. It is a great lens, well worth the money.

June
05/05/2006 11:29:05 PM · #12
Personally, if I had those three primes I would keep them rather than swapping them for a zoom, even a good zoom.
05/06/2006 03:10:56 AM · #13
Keep 50mm, sell the others, and get 24-70mm, life is short so be happy now and forget about tomorrow.
Good luck
05/06/2006 03:44:29 PM · #14
Thanks all for the great advice!

eschelar, you may want to try B&H for your lenses. I purchased a canon 28mm and couldn't get it to focus well at all. I called them and they took it back no questions asked.
05/07/2006 12:05:30 AM · #15
Thanks Nusbaum. It wouldn't be a good idea for me to use BH Photo video because I don't live in America nor am I American. I've only ever been there like 3 times in my life.

Warranties don't do well over the border.

Further, I don't like the risk and costs of shipping to Asia... I can often get similar or better pricing around here.

I therefore prefer to buy from physical stores.

Thanks for the suggestion though.

I will probably be moving to TaiZhong in a few months, and I've got a contact with the Canon factory there. They don't make the really good stuff there, but it's still a pretty useful contact.

The only reason that there was discussion on my lens issue was that the camer itself was very new and my lens kit is small, so we had to determine where the problem was.
05/08/2006 01:21:30 PM · #16
Sorry eschelar. I should have checked your profile before recommending an american mail distributor as a possible source for you.
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