Walkabout lens suggestions

[choppo]

Dear photographers, I am interested in procuring a walkabout lens for travel (so I don't have to change lens that often) - I'm an amateur on a budget and considering the following options:

- Canon EF 28-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS USM Lens (Seriously considering these)
- Tamron 17-50mm f/2.8 XR Di II Lens (Main drawback is the limited focal range and no Image Stabilizer, but have read the quality is stunning).
- Canon EF-S 17-85mm f/4-5.6 IS USM Autofocus Lens
- Canon EF-S 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS Lens (No USM)

I currently own a Rebel XS and:
- Kit lens Canon EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS SLR Lens
- Canon EF 75-300mm f/4-5.6 III Telephoto Zoom Lens (No IS)
- Nifty Fifty Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 II
- And an old kit lens EF 35-70 mm 3.5-4.5 (from EOS film)

Can you please advise? or do you know any options within the $400-500 usd price tag? No L-series lens please as those are totally beyond my possibilities

Thanks a lot for your help!
Cheers!

[RichardTaylor]

With the 28mm + lenses be wide enough to meet your needs (28mm is not real wide on a crop camera)

If you are looking for a lot more reach than your kit lens then the choice boils down to (depending on how much reach you want)
- Canon EF-S 17-85mm f/4-5.6 IS USM Autofocus Lens
- Canon EF-S 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS Lens (No USM)

I used to 17-85 for a few years and it is a good travel/general purpose lens, mainly because of the focal length range and the IS. IQ could be a bit better.

I havn't used the 18-135.

[cesarderio]

18-135 IMHO. Great lens. Will cover mostly anything you throw at it as far as a walkabout. But I still use the 50mm most of the time. The best lens is you feet!

[OsmosisStudios]

EF-S 15-85 f/3.5-5.6 IS.

[dlambert]

Ive got the 17-85. I like the range, though I wouldn't be caught without something with a little more reach for wildlife-sorts of shots (like your 75-300). I love the USM w/ full-time manual focus on this lens, but I wish the lens was (optically) faster - it's good outdoors, but almost any indoors shot will need a flash (this is where that Tamron would be nice). If you read some reviews on this lens, you'll see that there's distortion on the wide end of the focal length, but it seems to be reasonably "simple" distortion, so it's correctable in post-processing.

There are quite a few of these lenses out in the market, and there are people trading up out of this lens all the time, so you should be able to find a used example for a reasonable price if you want to go that route (like, $200-300).

I've heard really good things about the 15-85 -- that one would push your budget, but I think that would be a lens you could stick with for a while.

[DelCan]

Does anybody own an 18-200? I've thought about that one for a walkabout lens. Reviews I've read haven't been too kind to it.

[FitzTML]

I have the EF-S 15-85mm as my "walk around" lens. Good range and not too big. 15-85 is the cropped little brother of the 28-135 full frame. Having used it I think the kit would have been too short and anything longer would be too cumbersome for just walking around.

[RichardTaylor]

@DelCan

I don't own that particular lens however I do own the Tamron 18-250 which also doesn't always get good reviews.

I notice you do have good lenses and you may be initially dissapointed in the IQ. They do need more PPing to get the most out of them.
The main problem for me is at minimum focussing distance an wide open and at maximum focal length it is soft.

However they do have their uses.

From the tute (of mine) below.
They do make for great travel lens for use in good light.
I use a superzoom when I have to travel very light, and in reasonably good light, and do not know what I will be shooting, or as a backup lens.

You may be interested in this tute , on DPS
Lenses #3 - Superzooms.

[DelCan]

^^^ Thanks Richard. I'll read that.
There are just times that I don't want to have to carry 3-4 lenses. I would guess that you are right though, I'd just be disappointed with the IQ. They need to make a 10-600mm f1.4 L lens and make it the size of a 50mm, Then we could just own one lens. BTW It has taken me years to accumulate the glass...

[CaptB412]

Originally Posted by DelCan

Does anybody own an 18-200? I've thought about that one for a walkabout lens. Reviews I've read haven't been too kind to it.

When I had my 50D, I had the lens (sold it to a friend to help pay for my 5DII and 24-105) . It actually performed much better for me than I anticipated. For a single walk around lens - it is really hard to beat in terms of convenience. Like all cameras and lenses - you have to learn how to use it to get the best results. Here is a good review of it.

Canon EF-S 18-200mm f/3.5-5.6 IS Lens Review