p.1 #1 · Help with affordable lens upgrade for T3i
Hey everyone,
Last year I got back into "serious" photography after about a 15 year absence. I purchased a T3i with the two standard kit lenses, the 18-55 and 55-250. Since then I've been just trying to get out and shoot as much as possible. I've managed to get a few good shots along the way and am really enjoying it.
Based on my experience so far I find that I enjoy Landscape, Urban/Street and Automotive photography the most. I don't have any interest in portraits (except as part of street). Almost everything is outside and in decent light so I don't think I'll need super-fast lenses
I'd like to upgrade/expand my lens selection without breaking the bank. Budget is definitely <$1500 Ideally I'd like to have a 2-3 lens solution that will allow me to have decent image quality and flexibility. My current thinking is to get a wide angle zoom in the 10-20mm range, a mid range zoom and a moderate telephoto.
Based on my budget, I think I can keep the 55-250 as it is a decent lens for now. I can always upgrade it later (maybe next year). That leaves me with the wide end of the spectrum. I've been considering the Canon 10-22mm and 15-85 as those two seem to offer decent quality with the flexibility I'm looking for.
Any thoughts on this setup or suggestions for other combinations that might work?
p.1 #2 · Help with affordable lens upgrade for T3i
how often do you use the 18-55? do you find the range is enough?
if you do then probably think about the 17-55 IS .
if you find yourself range limited then the 15-85 is a great lens . its just the 2.8 of the 17-55 offers more lowlight opportunities.
the 17-55 paired with the tokina 11-16 offers a great pair of lenses.
on top of those 2 I would also opt to add a prime like the 85/1.8
hunt around on the used market and that may be in budget
p.1 #3 · Help with affordable lens upgrade for T3i
The 10-22 is a fantastic lens for the crop sensor camera. It is essentially L quality for a crop sensor camera.Excellent choice for wide landscapes, will work well for in close auto shots. I like wide angle distortion sometimes and like (distorted) architectural shots with it. Probably get one used for about $600.
Do you need long? If not, the 24-105 fills a nice space, has IS, works well on a crop sensor (although even better on FF). Probably find a used one around $900.
Both would be a significant jump up in IQ with excellent resale value. And you might sell the 55-250 to recoup some money if you dont need longer telephoto.
Enjoy!
Scott
p.1 #4 · Help with affordable lens upgrade for T3i
Ian.Dobinson wrote:
how often do you use the 18-55? do you find the range is enough?
if you do then probably think about the 17-55 IS .
if you find yourself range limited then the 15-85 is a great lens . its just the 2.8 of the 17-55 offers more lowlight opportunities.
the 17-55 paired with the tokina 11-16 offers a great pair of lenses.
on top of those 2 I would also opt to add a prime like the 85/1.8
hunt around on the used market and that may be in budget
I do often find myself wishing for a few mm on the short end but mostly wanting the additional reach without having to swap put lenses. That's why the 15-85 is appealing to me as a good walk-around lens. I haven't run into too many situations where I wish I had more low light range yet but maybe I could look at a fast prime like the 50 or 85.
How does the Tokina 11-16 compare to the Canon 10-22 in your experience?
p.1 #5 · Help with affordable lens upgrade for T3i
sbeme wrote:
The 10-22 is a fantastic lens for the crop sensor camera. It is essentially L quality for a crop sensor camera.Excellent choice for wide landscapes, will work well for in close auto shots. I like wide angle distortion sometimes and like (distorted) architectural shots with it. Probably get one used for about $600.
Do you need long? If not, the 24-105 fills a nice space, has IS, works well on a crop sensor (although even better on FF). Probably find a used one around $900.
Both would be a significant jump up in IQ with excellent resale value. And you might sell the 55-250 to recoup some money if you dont need longer telephoto.
Enjoy!
Scott...Show more →
The 24-105 looks like a great lens but for a walk-around lens I'd be missing a lot on the wide end, that's why the 15-85 appeals to me.
p.1 #6 · Help with affordable lens upgrade for T3i
Get AT LEAST one prime for sure. If you are kind of new to it, it gives a whole new world to explore. I would suggest the 50 1.8 is the best bang for your buck out of any Canon lens. If you have even a cheap tripod you can stitch some potographs together making the lens more versatile. The 50 1.8 can be bought used for well under $100.
p.1 #7 · Help with affordable lens upgrade for T3i
Dono T wrote:
Get AT LEAST one prime for sure. If you are kind of new to it, it gives a whole new world to explore. I would suggest the 50 1.8 is the best bang for your buck out of any Canon lens. If you have even a cheap tripod you can stitch some potographs together making the lens more versatile. The 50 1.8 can be bought used for well under $100.
I do want to get a prime but am still undecided on which one to get. I can't drop $500 on one but a few hundred is doable. Since I have a crop body would a 30mm be better than a 50?
p.1 #8 · Help with affordable lens upgrade for T3i
msinderson wrote:
Since I have a crop body would a 30mm be better than a 50?
I wouldn't say 30 is "better". 35mm on a crop is the same FOV as 50mm on a full-frame. The nifty fifty will give you an 80mm equivalent FOV on a crop camera. I'm personally a huge fan of the 50mm on a crop, and I think it comes down to personal preference. The 85mm f/1.8 on a crop is also great, but again might not be your cup o'tea. I would suggest putting your zoom lenses on these focal lengths to get an idea of what they're like.
Focal length aside, though, the 50mm f/1.8 is the cheapest, best value lens that Canon makes. If you're used to zoom lenses, you'll find that the primes make you think a bit more about framing and such. Also, the shallow depth of field is great fun. I would highly recommend.
p.1 #10 · Help with affordable lens upgrade for T3i
leftymgp wrote:
I would definitely get a 50 f/1.8. The optics/price ratio is huge on that one.
For less than $100 the 50mm might be worth it. I'm going out shooting today so I'll try a bunch at the 50mm setting to see how I like it. If I do I may just get it!
