Do-It-All Zoom Lens for Canon?

[KurtM]

Greetings, All! I love DPS, have learned so much.....

I'm an "advanced beginner" ..... an old guy who always had an SLR and gets the so-called exposure triangle, but only recently bought 1st dSLR. As a semi-serious photographer, I used to run with a kit consisting of body, 28-80 zoom, and 80-200 zoom, and was happy with it.

Now I suddenly have Canon T3i, and Canon EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS USM. So now I want a zoom that is as wide angle as I can get, yet goes up to ~100 mm, so I can run around with two lenses like I used to do.

All suggestions, comments, hints, jeering ridicule, etc., etc., eagerly solicited............

[Jim Bryant]

I believe canon has a 24-105mm.

[KurtM]

I haven't been able to search it up. If you can post an Amazon, B&H, etc., link it would be greatly appreciated........

(Edit: I no sooner post the above reply than I see the advert for what Jim refers to, right here on DPS, just to the right of our "talk". Sheesh. Did I ever say I'm a total dud at finding stuff sometimes?? Yes, I need help, alright.)

[ceremus]

If you absolutely need to get into the 100mm range there's the Canon EF-S 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS

True wideangle for a crop sensor camera like that is going to start at around 15-18mm, so you're pretty much looking at the EF-S line of zooms, at least if you plan on sticking with 1st party gear. And that one will go to 135mm, so it satisfies your requirements.

Personally, if you don't mind coming 15mm short of 100 I would prefer the Canon EF-S 15-85mm f/3.5-5.6 IS USM since it's optically superior to the 18-135mm.

[Doug Pardee]

Originally Posted by ceremus

if you don't mind coming 15mm short of 100 I would prefer the Canon EF-S 15-85mm f/3.5-5.6 IS USM since it's optically superior to the 18-135mm.

I'll add that you'll probably never wish you had a lens that fits in that 85-100mm gap. Either you need the long tele or you don't. And you can always shoot at 85mm and crop slightly.

[KurtM]

I'm not stuck on Canon lenses. But I don't know who all makes compatible glass, other than Canon, Sigma, and Tamron, and don't know how to find out. I'm also new to the crop factor thing, so in lots of ways I'm a rank beginner.

I like what I'm hearing, and really appreciate the input - thank you!

[gturner]

The quality of the 18-135 wil leave you dissapointed after being used to the 100-400.

The 15-85 would be the best in my mind.
24-105 is too narrow on the short end.

[inkista]

Originally Posted by KurtM

I'm not stuck on Canon lenses. But I don't know who all makes compatible glass, other than Canon, Sigma, and Tamron, and don't know how to find out.

Aside from Canon, the other 3rd parties you're likely to find that make EOS-mount lenses are Sigma, Tamron, and Tokina. There are also 3rd parties that make manual-focus/manual-aperture lenses, but these are quite a bit more of a PITA to use: Zeiss (ZE lense), Cosina Voigtlander (SLII lenses), and Samyang/Rokinon. They all make lenses in other mounts as well, so you want to be careful that you're picking up a Canon EOS-compatible lens.

One more vote for the 15-85 IS USM. It's kinda the crop-body version of a 24-105L. I used the 24-105L on a dRebel, and while I loved it, it simply wasn't wide on a crop body, @24mm, it give the approximate field of view of a 35mm lens on a film body: wide-ish, rather than wide.

[KurtM]

I just wanted to thank everyone for their input. I just ordered the EF-S 15-85mm f/3.5-5.6 IS USM, and am now "suffering" from ants-in-the-pants delivery anticipation syndrome....

The last two posts were especially helpful. I use long telephoto more than anything, and am really diggin' my EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6 L IS USM. So if this new one performs and feels as solid as the big white one, I'll be happy indeed. Sure coulda used it yesterday, though.......

It's kinda painful to buy all this stuff more or less all at once .......... but it's also a heck of a lot of fun! And I can't even begin to say how great it is to have an SLR in my hot little hands once again, after having stubbornly refused to make the transition from film to digital.

[OsmosisStudios]

Originally Posted by KurtM

So if this new one performs and feels as solid as the big white one, I'll be happy indeed.

Not quite; the 100-400 is an L lens, so you get better build for sure (most Ls are weather-sealed). L also usually means optically superior; that said, the 15-85 is certainly no slouch