Help me spend 600.00 on a lens for my XTi

[DarkHorse]

O.K.
so ive scrimped and saved, ive got 600.00 to blow,

I have an XTi,
an old sigma 100-300 that wont work with the camera,(girlfriends lens)
and an old 28-80 canon (girlfriends lens) that ive been using alot,

i like the reach of the 100-300 on my camera, when it took a pic or two,
for shooting birds and the horses, rabbits, dogs, critters ect,
but im 47 and shake like im 74,
so im thinkin "I NEED IS",

Ive also been takin alot of sunrise and sunset shots,
now most of my shooting will be handheld, outdoor shooting,
id like to go to the zoo and do some shooting,
and on trips get the scenic shots, also,

heres my list,

1- 18-55 IS, read some good things, cheap lens good starter, and IS
2- 28-135 IS read good things, so, so build, but the same at 28mm that i already have,
but gain on the 135 side,
3-70-300IS, read alot of good things, so,so build, and IS
4-70-200 sweet lense, exilent build, no IS, so id be confined to a tripod,
and short on the 300 side,
5-70-200IS-sweeter lense, BUT, longer saveing time, 6monthes or so,
and short on the 300 side i like,


so basicaly i WANT,,sniff,,two lens'es,
both IS,
something wide for sunsets sunrise, landscape shots,
and
one that can pull in the critters,

like everybody, its a constant headache, trying to chose,
and im wondering if i should buy the 18-55IS or the 28-135IS
and then save BIG time for the 70-200IS and a 1.4X

gawd, this camera bug is awfull,,,is there no cure????

johnp

[AndrewCCM]

Maybe save money for a 70-200 F4 IS.

For a good wider lens at a great price, consider a Tamron 17-50 F2.8...It's about $450
I personally like the 24-105L IS F4, but that will run you about the same as the 70-200 F4 IS and you seem to like telephotos.

[Jim Victory]

There is so many options but most of them are expensive.

With your budget and the lenses you have listed I would go with the 18-55 IS and the 70-300 IS. They both have IS and it will cover you from 18-300mm.

I don't know anything personal about the 18-55, other than what I have read, which indicated it is a sharp lens for the price. I'm familiar with the 70-300, wife has one, and it is an excellent lens for the money.

Ideally the cheapest route for the highest quality Canon lens setup would be the 17-40 f/4L and the 70-200 f/4L but neither have IS and they won't get you to 300mm without a TC.

Otherwise you have to consider something like the Tamron Andrew mentioned for 17-50 and then maybe the 70-300 IS. But both of these will put you over your budget.

[DarkHorse]

Originally Posted by Jim Victory

There is so many options but most of them are expensive.

With your budget and the lenses you have listed I would go with the 18-55 IS and the 70-300 IS. They both have IS and it will cover you from 18-300mm.

I don't know anything personal about the 18-55, other than what I have read, which indicated it is a sharp lens for the price. I'm familiar with the 70-300, wife has one, and it is an excellent lens for the money.

Ideally the cheapest route for the highest quality Canon lens setup would be the 17-40 f/4L and the 70-200 f/4L but neither have IS and they won't get you to 300mm without a TC.

Otherwise you have to consider something like the Tamron Andrew mentioned for 17-50 and then maybe the 70-300 IS. But both of these will put you over your budget.

yup, that was what i was thinkin, those two,
but then the darn 28-135 got in the way and i got another headache,

i think im gonna order the 18-55 and save some more pennies,
for the 70-300IS
maybe the 20-200IS and 1.4x but ill wait on that headache,

the 18-55 will cover what im doing now, sunsets sunrise, and my horses baby thats comeing, in feb,

the darn birds can wait,

[Spec A!]

When I was younger I always tried to spend the money on the manufacturers lenses, and kinda snubbed the aftermarket (unpure and all!). Now, wife and two kids, mortgage and car loans and everything else, I'd be ecstatic to have $600 to spend on anything. Canon's are great and all, but chances are excellent that a newer "digital specific" Tamron, Tokina, or Sigma will all be marked improvements over what you have. :) Don't shy away from them!

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/produc...6_3_DC_OS.html

[preames]

Just an fyi...

I just bought the 28-135 IS a few days ago and have been happy with it so far - a good general purpose lens. However, when fully extended, it does have more body flex than I would like to see. I bought it on Amazon for around $400.

[venchka]

A decent used tripod and head would be cheaper than IS lenses and a lot steadier, I think. Or maybe not, YMMV.

Have you shopped the used market? I know the two lenses that Jim mentioned and others worth having come and go here at TPF with some frequency.

[johnastovall]

Take a look at KEH's used.

[aerosolcheese]

My favorite $600 lens is the 17-40 f/4L

[SCone]

Check out the rentals at Arlington Camera. Test out your choices before you spend. I agree with Wayne, a tripod is your best friend.

[crazeazn]

18-55 kit lense used $40
50 nifty prime used $50
70-300 IS used $400 or so

thats what i would do with that budget.

[Coelus]

I like the 10-22 for landscapes. Costs about the same as a 17-40.

[DarkHorse]

O.K.
so ive ordered the 18-55 IS lens, for now, we'll see how it does,

so that negates the 28-135 lens, option,

now ill be saveing for
the,

70-300 IS --ok build quality, seen some nice shots taken with it, -- i can have it sooner,
or
70-200IS if with a 1.4x on it it will still auto-focus on an XTi--exelent build quality,
exilent images,--longer saveing time

im wanting the 300 range,

and thats a headache ive seen alot of threads on,

[crazeazn]

john theres a big price and weight diff between the 70-300 IS ($549/1.4lbs)and the 70-200 IS ($1569/3.5lbs) just fyi.

[DarkHorse]

Originally Posted by crazeazn

john theres a big price and weight diff between the 70-300 IS ($549/1.4lbs)and the 70-200 IS ($1569/3.5lbs) just fyi.

Ya, hence the LONGER wait period,,,grin,,,,

if i get to not wanting to wait, and save,,,,
then its the
70-300IS
and the 70-200F4 without, and i drag a tripod around,,,