Upgrade Time, Help with Choosing

[MatLitel]

Hi All

Firstly I had to re-register as I lost my login details so i have been here before but i haven't been around for a while!

Anyhow I currently own a Canon 550D and at the time I bought it I really wanted the 7D but couldn't afford that but now it's coming down in price I feel it's time to get one.

My lens collection consists of the nifty fifty, EF-S 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS and a Sigma 10-20mm f/4-5.6 EX DC HSM.

My thought was to sell the EF-S 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS along with my 550D and purchase another higher quality lens that would suit the 7D.

I'm looking for a general purpose lens for landscape photography with the use of grad filters, buildings, structures etc but also take photos of my kids.

The lens I've been looking at is the EF-S 15-85mm f/3.5-5.6 IS USM but besides the build quality I believe optically it is not that much different to the EF-S 18-135mm i already own, can anyone confirm this? Besides build quality i also want a visibly better IQ but i seem to be reading mixed reviews on this particular lens.

Also because i have the Sigma 10-20mm for wide shots should i be looking at something else? I know there is not that much choice for the EF-S range so maybe maybe an L lens perhaps?

[chauncey]

Mat, welcome aboard, with all the associated horse hockey that goes with it.
The wisdom acquired from this august group will serve you quite well.

The 7D has a stellar reputation and would serve you well, beyond that...if you are serious about this hobby, direct your thoughts toward glass. Learning the information in this PDF http://software.canon-europe.com/fil...Book_10_EN.pdf will direct you regarding future lens selections.

I could never understand the propensity for buying decent camera bodies then using second-rate glass.

[MatLitel]

Many thanks for the link, i am very serious about photography and the 2 main drawbacks of the 550D for me is the build and the FPS! The current lens setup i have is adequate for my focal range but the 18-135mm just doesn't do it anymore but like i said there are various comments about the 15-85mm as some say its on par with L quality and some say there's not much difference between that and the 18-135mm and i'm hoping someone can clarify this.

So are you saying the EF-S 15-85mm f/3.5-5.6 IS USM is a second rate lens?

[inkista]

The EF-S 15-85 is an upgrade from the EF-S 17-85 it replaced.

The 18-135 comes in two flavors. Is yours the newer STM version? From most reports, the 18-135 STM is optically on an even playing field with the 15-85. The older non-USM version is not. But neither 18-135 does 15mm. The difference between 24mm and 28mm equivalence can be large enough to justify getting the 15-85 all on its own. Whether you would consider it an upgrade is up to personal preferences and finances, really. Generally those who say get the 18-135 STM instead, you will find, are on a tighter budget, or prefer a superzoom-like utility, so the US$150 price difference and feature tradeoff of long for wide seem very significant.

Personally, I'm not really sure you'll see a huge improvement even with the older 18-135, particularly if you were to stop both lenses down to f/8. But it might be worth it. Lens quality differences tend to get talked up a lot on online boards, and can sometimes take on an importance that's completely out of proportion to how much you'll see those differences in practical usage.

My recommendation would be to wait and see if your 18-135 holds up well enough for your uses on the 7D; or get the 15-85 and use it on your 550D. Swapping one piece of gear at a time, to me, makes it easier to master the new gear, and is a bit softer on the wallet.

[Geoff F]

Your current 18-135 is quite a decent lens, I had the previous 28-135 lens for several years.

So, if it is of any use, here is my story . . .

The 28-135 was eventually getting a fraction 'sloppy' but still working OK. I then ungraded to a 24-105 L at a considerable extra cost. When checked together, the cheaper lens was actually slightly sharper at the centre, but the L lens was noticeably better at the edges and when shooting under poor contrast conditions.

But I think I must have had a 'Friday lens'. Sometimes it worked OK but too often I was getting disappointed. Eventually I sent it off for checking by a repairer; they replaced the rear bearing. About a year later the autofocus assembly totally failed.

After looking around and reading various reviews, I finally purchased a Tamron 24-70 which is a F2.8 lens with stabilisation. And roughly costs the same as a Canon 24-105 L.

So far that Tamron has out performed everything else, and matches in with my Canon 70-200 (F4) which is another superb lens. For me, 24 mm is ample on the wide end, and it is the zoom end which I use most; but for some people, that is the other way around.

But I do sometimes miss that little bit extra at the wide end when I don't really want to take two lenses, or want something else as my second lens; such as a macro or larger zoom.

What I'm trying to say, I suppose, is to consider your required full range of lenses which would be useful for a 7D before rushing to change what you currently own. Then, after careful thought, get some really good glass, or stick with what you have now.

[MatLitel]

Thanks for your input I've decided to wait until the body arrives but I'm tempted by the Tamron Geoff having looked at that in detail I think that will fit nicely with what I shoot and is considerably cheaper than the Canon equivalent which was the other option I was looking into. My current 18-135 is descent, not as sharp as I like but it is the older model.

I think the Tamron along with my already owned Sigma 10-20mm would be adequate for my needs for now at least anyway that would only leave me with a longer reach lens in the future if needed.

[PhotomanJohn]

+1 for the Tamron 24-70mm f/2.8.

John

[inkista]

I'll also second that a 24mm sometimes isn't wide enough on the short end as a walkaround zoom on a crop body (I used a 24-105L on an XT and 50D before I got the 5DMkII). But since you have the Sigma 10-20, that can help mitigate the issue, so long as you don't mind swapping lenses.

[loosecanon]

Well I purchased 18moths ago a 7D and 15-85 as its kit lens, and find it quite acceptable in terms of image quality. Certainly a stop down there are no problems. Value wise it is good vlue. Of course the 7D must be replaced soon, probably not for more resolution but higher iso with less noise. For landscape work, especially with a tripod you would gain little for probably about twice the cost.
One aspect to be aware of is the considerable extra weight of the camera and lens.

[rpcrowe]

I have been shooting with a pair of 7D cameras for years now and really like the combination of 17-55mm f/2.8 IS and 70-200mm f/4L IS lenses. That is an excellent pair for my needs however, it might not be the solution for everyone...