Kids on the beach in Florida means a lot of sun, sand and salt. I'd suggest a 17-40L and a 70-200L. Both are internal zooming and should be more protected from the elements.
I think I'm leaning towards the 24-105mm L IS if I can find one at a decent price. I want to test them out before I purchase. Thanks again for everyone's response.
swkowboy wrote:
I think I'm leaning towards the 24-105mm L IS if I can find one at a decent price. I want to test them out before I purchase. Thanks again for everyone's response.
The 24-105L is a pretty decent lens, 24mm is a bit long on a 1.6 crop, but better value than the 17-55 IMO.
The best way of buying one is to look for a new one sold from a 5D kit, a lot of people bought the kit and then flog off the lens new & mint. There are good bargains to be had this way.
I think if you're buying just one lens, that's a great place to start. Fairly wide, fairly long, great image quality and build, and decently fast at 4.0, plus it has IS. I second David's advice to shop the buy/sell for one new from a kit. There's quite a few out there.
24-105 IS is a great lens, as is the 17-55 IS lens. Image quality very similar between the two. Before you buy either one, make sure you take note of what type of focal length you normally shoot at. If it is mostly kids on the beach or around the house, I think 24-105 would be great. However, if you're into any kind of landscape photos, consider the 17-55 for its wider focal length.
Difficult to understand some of the suggestions in this thread. A 28-70 isn't wide enough on a 40d? Yea, and the 200 is not long enough. And the AF of a 50/f1.8 is too slow? Yep, and these images from a recent D1 basketball game were a fluke.
The 50/f1.8 lens is so inexpensive it's somewhat silly to not have one in your lens line-up. The 50 and/or a kit lens will be fine for someone like the OP who is looking for some basic lenses to get started.
Want to spend some serious money, then we're talking about L glass and other factors. I'm guessing, however, since the OP originally asked about the 85/f1.8 and 50/f1.8 lenses he's not ready to drop a lot of cash on lenses.
I wouldn't buy the 24-105mm new from the store - there are too many great deals on the buy/sell from the 5DII kits. If you need to try the lens before you buy - just to get a feel for the range, quality, etc. - then go to a store and test one but buy from the buy/sell here on FM.
The 18-55 IS kit lens is a very nice lens. It is MUCH better than the old version - You cannot really compare the two. It is worth every penny! If you want something a little wider to go along with the 24-105 then the 18-55 would be a great choice for not too much money.
swkowboy wrote:
I think I'm leaning towards the 24-105mm L IS if I can find one at a decent price. I want to test them out before I purchase. Thanks again for everyone's response.
Prepare yourself for the dreaded "L" desease... there's no cure for that.
Relatively inexpensive, excellent focal length for general photography on 40D, superb quality images, good for low light or indoor pics, is small and easy to carry around. While it may not seem as flexible as a zoom, it's other qualities would make it my first choice. If you added an 85mm f1.8 later you would be well equipped to cover most situations.
The Tamron 28-70mm is another good choice if you prefer a zoom.
Scott Sewell wrote:
Difficult to understand some of the suggestions in this thread. A 28-70 isn't wide enough on a 40d?
Not that hard to figure out... a 28mm lens on a 40D is roughly equivalent to that 50mm, being able to go wider is just plain useful, especially for general family photography.
Hey guys. I know this may be a stupid question, but when you say you have gone through 2-3 copies of a lens, does that mean you the lens was off and you had to return it to the manufacturer?
swkowboy wrote:
Thanks. I have been reading the forum for a while and decided to jump in for advice. Trying to pick a lens or lenses is tough. This is my second dslr so I have a little experience with a digital camera. I am going to look into each response and hopefully find the perfect lens. Ryan
Some criteria to buy a lens:
1) Suitable focal range/length
Since you have some experience with a DSLR, you know what FL you used most or what FL you desire. When you narrow this down, lens choices become fewer.
2) Workable apertures
Are you going to shoot without flash in darker conditions? Do you like to play with thin DOF to seperate your subject? Do you use mostly smaller apertures in good lighting anyway?
3) Built quality
Do you want to use your lens under harsh conditions (like the beach)? Does it have to be weather sealed? Do you want your lens to be light weighted and small?
4) Zoom vs Prime - L vs non-L ?
And so on...
Picking a lens is not tough if you have some idea of what you really need... I suggest you find that out first
Thanks for the reply. I had a E-510 with the 14-42 and 40-150 lens. I used the 40-150 mostly when shooting my kids running around. I'm looking to do the same with better equipment. I also like to take nature, scenery ect. The weight will not bother me especially if it's on the heavy side.
swkowboy wrote:
Thanks for the reply. I had a E-510 with the 14-42 and 40-150 lens. I used the 40-150 mostly when shooting my kids running around. I'm looking to do the same with better equipment. I also like to take nature, scenery ect. The weight will not bother me especially if it's on the heavy side.
The lenses that you mentioned in your first post are fast primes... They have large apertures giving you higher shutterspeed when the lights go low, giving you better AF in low light and giving you the possibility to create photos with very thin DOF. Do you need that? These lenses are entirely different than the Oly 40-150mm, which is a slow zoom lens. "Slow" in that it starts at f/3.5 and ends at f/4.5. Or do you want another "slow" zoom lens (Canon)? Or maybe a compromise: a fast(er) zoom lens (f/2.8)?
+1 to Daan B above. What do you want from the lens?
If your purpose is primarily family shots at the beach, you would probably do fine with the 18-55is (maybe paired with the 55-250). Also consider a Sigma 17-70 which I prefer to the 18-55 but won't break the bank either. Personally, I have trouble taking expensive glass down to the beach for long periods of time to be exposed to large amounts of blowing sand. (Maybe that's just me ... especially because I don't have any weather sealed L lenses)
I have both the 50 and 85 1.8 and find the 50 more useful because the 85 is a bit too long for most family oriented indoor use. They are both great lenses though and you can't go wrong with the inexpensive 50.
Yes. I mentioned those lenses because I also want to be able to get lower light shots inside of my kids. So, obviosly we are talking about two different types of lenses. I will probably try and get both.
I have a 40D, used primarily for family photos (mainly of 4yr old), and holiday snaps.
I have
50 1.8
24-104 L
70-200 f/4 L
10-20 Sigma
I use the 24-105L 75% of the time, and it takes great photos. Remember (it's been said many times before), the IS only helps kepe the camera still, not the kids )
I use the Sigma quite a lot. It recently needed a repair (some internal zoom mechanism broke without incident). It has however come back better than ever!)
The 70-200 get used a fair bit too, mainly for wildlife (could do with longer for birds etc). I also use it for stitched panoramas
I only really use the prime when I am indoors, or when I want to "do photography" - i.e. not snapshots. When I do use it, I really like it, to the point where I am thinking of getting an 85 1.8 or a 200 f? if I can afford one in the future
And the AF of a 50/f1.8 is too slow? Yep, and 
)