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Old 06-10-2006, 08:40 AM   #91
dingo
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Following on from the discussion in the WYST trackday thread since I don't want to go too far off-topic there.

What replacement lense do you guys recommend for the 18-55?
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Old 06-10-2006, 08:47 AM   #92
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EF 17-40 f/4 L or the new EF-S 17-55 f/2.8 IS.


Well, the kitlens isn't that bad as everyone shouts. If you avoid the outer ends (use it as say a 20-50) and stop it down to f/8 it's quite decent and very cheap for a wide-angle.
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Old 06-10-2006, 08:53 AM   #93
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Ouch, a quick check of their prices online makes me think I'll stick with the 18-55 for now (and use your tips).
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Old 06-10-2006, 08:56 AM   #94
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(sorry for the off topic in the WYST section)

Indeed, it's not that bad but you always have to be careful, it can be tricky especially at ~18mm, try not to use it at f3.5 and so on.

Anyway I'm still thinking about a replacement for mine and it's between the 17-85 and 17-40 L which both have advantages and drawbacks IMO, depends on what you need ... I guess I won't really sleep at night until I make a decision but I like the 17-40 more and more ...

A 17-55 wouldn't be bad either, but as Dingo probably noticed, it's too expensive :/

Edit : thanks for correcting, Martjin, wanted to say wide angle, not wide open Sometimes hard to get sharp shots at 18mm
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Old 06-10-2006, 09:18 AM   #95
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Well, autofocus always happens wide-open on modern camera's/lenses. The sweetspot of the kitlens is around 35mm where it performs best from f/8 on. At 18mm you should stop it down to f/11 if there's enough light.

The lens isn't really that bad as everyone suggest if you know how to use it.


I'm thinking about trading my 17-40 for the new 17-55 IS, but not before prices have come down to at least €750-800. In the meanwhile I think I might pick up a 24-70 2.8 L or a used 28-70 2.8 L, but that's a different storie.

If you don't need a lot of wide-angle, the Tamron 28-75 f/2.8 is a good option. It costs <€300 and the example I had was really sharp, even wide open. In fact, at 70mm it might've been sharper than my 70-200 2.8 L. But 45mm (28x1.6) is almost a standard-lens, so it depends on your shooting-behaviour if the lens is usefull.


I think it's best to just use it for a while and see where your priorities are. Tamron has also just come out with a 17-50 f/2.8 and Tokina is about to release a 16-50 f/2.8, it's gonna be interesting to see how those will perform.
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Old 06-10-2006, 09:31 AM   #96
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I'm getting up early tomorrow for a little drive into the countryside, I'm gonna find a nice spot and try out the 18-55 with the tips given above and see how I go.

Thanks!
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Old 06-10-2006, 04:07 PM   #97
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LOL, for sure at F8 or more it isn't terrible, but honestly, to use it with a polarizer at F11 you'll need at least a couple of suns or just a tripod obviously

With some photoshopping you can still end up with "ok" results at 18mm and F5.6 or such... not perfect, but considering it is basically a free lense, it does it for emergency situations...
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Old 06-11-2006, 08:15 AM   #98
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Too bad that I sold mine, or I would try to get some good pics out of it just for kicks.

I remember using a polarizer on mine, that's really crappy with a rotating/whobbly front element.
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Old 06-11-2006, 08:30 AM   #99
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What kind of polarizer do you guys use?
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Old 06-11-2006, 08:39 AM   #100
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I use a 77mm Hoya polarizer. I always get hem from eBay out of Hong Kong. With shipping they are still cheaper than half of what I would pay for them over here.

URGalaxy is a recommended seller.
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Old 06-11-2006, 11:14 AM   #101
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Originally Posted by MartijnGizmo
... URGalaxy is a recommended seller.
Thanks :good:

the 58mm ones are still acceptable, but 77 starts to be quite expensive around here ...
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Old 06-11-2006, 03:54 PM   #102
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I paid €34,22 for my polarizer. That's also where I get my UV-filters (all Hoya S-HMC).
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