Travel Lens for 20D?

[gneissphotos]

I'm looking for advice on choosing between the 18-200mm zooms from Tamron, Sigma, and Tokina (if they make one). Space will limit me to one lens, so I have to leave the better glass at home.

[gtc]

I'm looking for advice on choosing between the 18-200mm zooms from Tamron, Sigma, and Tokina (if they make one). Space will limit me to one lens, so I have to leave the better glass at home.
i am thinking of buying the sigma 18-50 2.8 -if reviews are anything to go on it looks like a good lens

i would avoid the 18-200 zooms as they are soft at the tele end.such a wide range is always based on a compromise of optical quality.

18-50 on a crop camera would do you fine for most travel shots- fairly wide and mild tele on a crop camera.

if you really need the tele i would take a 200mm prime,the weight of this and the 18-50 would not be that much more than the 18-200 and you will get much crisper shots.you can have the camera around your neck on the plane and the 200 in your pack.

[chrisjlee]

I'm looking for advice on choosing between the 18-200mm zooms from Tamron, Sigma, and Tokina (if they make one). Space will limit me to one lens, so I have to leave the better glass at home.
I suggest the tamron 24-135mm macro. Then bring along a canon 50mm f1.8 for low light situations.

The review for the Tamron lens is here. It outperforms the canon 24-105L and is a lot cheaper

Reviews from fred miranda:

Tamron SP AF24-135MM F/3.5-5.6 AD Aspherical (IF) Macro (http://www.fredmiranda.com/reviews/showproduct.php?product=241&sort=4&cat=43&page=1)

Canon EF 24-105mm f/4L IS USM (http://www.fredmiranda.com/reviews/showproduct.php?product=295&sort=4&cat=27&page=1)

[gneissphotos]

Thanks guys for the suggestions. I guess I should find a way to use my existing f/4s (17-40 & 70-200) instead of wasting money on one inferior lens to cover the same range. Good suggestions

[graeme_7799]

Thanks guys for the suggestions. I guess I should find a way to use my existing f/4s (17-40 & 70-200) instead of wasting money on one inferior lens to cover the same range. Good suggestionsActually, the sigma 18-200 is quite good. And think of it, you are on the move and you need the shot without having to get another lens on the body. It is THE perfect travel lens, because it is light, compact, covers a massive focal range and the pictures speak for themselves. Whoever said the 18-200 was bad and soft must have had a defective copy. I have one for my 20D and it works wonders.

It's also cheap by many standards.

[davev]

I'm with graeme on this one. I have the Tamron 18-200 DI. I like it.
I normally shoot at F8 as this seems to be the sweet spot of the lens.
The only thing I don't like about it, is the bokeh sometimes just looks bad.


a few samples.

1/400s f/6.3 at 200.0mm iso200

http://www.pbase.com/davev/image/50428556.jpg

1/3s f/8.0 at 18.0mm iso400

http://www.pbase.com/davev/image/50428550.jpg

Good bokeh and pretty good macro.
1/30s f/6.3 at 200.0mm iso200

http://www.pbase.com/davev/image/43266975.jpg

Bad bokeh. I couldn't get enough separation, and this is a huge crop, almost 100%.
1/100s f/6.3 at 200.0mm iso200

http://www.pbase.com/davev/image/42972088.jpg