topic Re: Canon 70D lense option in EF & RF Lenses

Canon 70D lense option

Dragonfire665 — Tue, 30 May 2017 15:24:16 GMT

Hello everyone. I bought my wife a Canon 70D and she has the following lenses. Not the best, but they are doing the job for the moment.

Canon EFS 18-55mm 1:3.5-5.6 IS II

Canon EF 50mm 1:1.8 II

Canon Zoom EF-S 55-250mm 1:4-5.6 IS II

We are going to China at the end of June this year and I am looking to buy her a lense as a gift. One that can take close up photos and some what of distance. I dont want to carry this bag all thru China for 3 weeks. So if I can have her just bring the body and 1 lense that will be great. We are visiting many places, like Beijing, Hong Kong, Shaighai and others so there are many landscapes and close up shots that I will like for her to get.

Any suggestions?

Thanks in advance.

Re: Canon 70D lense option

kvbarkley — Tue, 30 May 2017 15:31:04 GMT

How close?

Re: Canon 70D lense option

Dragonfire665 — Tue, 30 May 2017 15:39:59 GMT

thats a good question. I dont know if my wife is going to be taking food shots, or up close animals or flowers, like she had done before. Just tossing examples here.

Re: Canon 70D lense option

kvbarkley — Tue, 30 May 2017 15:48:17 GMT

That is important. If you need a Macro that can go 1:1, it puts on a big constraint.

Re: Canon 70D lense option

Dragonfire665 — Tue, 30 May 2017 15:58:15 GMT

Yea I will be honest with you. I wouldnt know. I am still learning when it comes to lenses. As stated I dont know what is out there that can satisfied our needs for this upcoming vacation without losing photo quality.

Re: Canon 70D lense option

ScottyP — Tue, 30 May 2017 16:14:54 GMT

I don't think they need or want macro. In China you want scenery in your shots and macro is for tiny things like jewelry or bugs.

A wide angle lens lens would be a good choice for scenery and wide angle lenses also have good closeup ability for those food shots.

Re: Canon 70D lense option

TTMartin — Tue, 30 May 2017 17:50:50 GMT

@Dragonfire665 wrote:
Hello everyone. I bought my wife a Canon 70D and she has the following lenses. Not the best, but they are doing the job for the moment.

Canon EFS 18-55mm 1:3.5-5.6 IS II
Canon EF 50mm 1:1.8 II
Canon Zoom EF-S 55-250mm 1:4-5.6 IS II

We are going to China at the end of June this year and I am looking to buy her a lense as a gift. One that can take close up photos and some what of distance. I dont want to carry this bag all thru China for 3 weeks. So if I can have her just bring the body and 1 lense that will be great. We are visiting many places, like Beijing, Hong Kong, Shaighai and others so there are many landscapes and close up shots that I will like for her to get.

Any suggestions?

Thanks in advance.

The best one lens solution for the 70D is the EF-S 18-135 IS STM lens. Be sure to get the STM version. Yes it is that much better!

Re: Canon 70D lense option

jrhoffman75 — Tue, 30 May 2017 17:53:05 GMT

18-135 is an excellent one-lens solution.

Re: Canon 70D lense option

kvbarkley — Tue, 30 May 2017 18:04:54 GMT

No, you want the *new* USM version, it is that much better!*

https://www.usa.canon.com/internet/portal/us/home/products/details/lenses/ef/standard-zoom/ef-s-18-135mm-f-3-5-5-6-is-usm

*Now with more NANO!

Re: Canon 70D lense option

TCampbell — Tue, 30 May 2017 19:49:01 GMT

Canon does make an 18-200mm lens (these are sometimes referred to as "super zoom" lenses because they have quite a range).

Here's the link: https://www.usa.canon.com/internet/portal/us/home/products/details/lenses/ef/standard-zoom/ef-s-18-200mm-f-3-5-5-6-is

I should caution that it's an older lens ... so optically it doesn't compete as well with some of the newer lenses. It's sharp near the center, but goes soft around edges and corners and has a bit of chromatic aberration (color fringing / bleeding).

If optical quality is important, you'd do better to bring two lenses (an 18-55mm and the 55-250mm) such as the two you already have (although the new STM and USM versions are much improved optically).

I think Tamron and Sigma make super-zooms as well but as I recall, the Canon super-zoom (even though it's not stellar) outperforms them. THE primary emphasis on super-zoom lenses is convenience at a reasonable price point -- but that implies sacrificing a bit of quality.

Re: Canon 70D lense option

TTMartin — Tue, 30 May 2017 20:08:53 GMT

@kvbarkley wrote:
No, you want the *new* USM version, it is that much better!*
https://www.usa.canon.com/internet/portal/us/home/products/details/lenses/ef/standard-zoom/ef-s-18-135mm-f-3-5-5-6-is-usm

*Now with more NANO!

Other than the ability to use the Power Zoom adapter, I'm not aware of any other advantages for the Nano version over the STM version.

Image quality is identical and to my knowledge build quality is similar.

Re: Canon 70D lense option

kvbarkley — Tue, 30 May 2017 20:24:14 GMT

2.5X faster focus, for one:

https://learn.usa.canon.com/resources/articles/2016/eos-80D/eos80d-nano-usm.htmlp

Re: Canon 70D lense option

Waddizzle — Tue, 30 May 2017 22:13:37 GMT

I think the EF-S 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS STM Lens is an excellent choice. Just be aware that it is a little too long for the built-in flash. The lens barrel will cast a shadow.

Your EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS II lens is short enough so as to not cast a shadow. But, bringing that lens along brings you back to square one again, carrying more than one lens. This lens is quite an older design, and has been superceded by an "STM" version. STM version utilize superior focusing systems, which result in much faster and quieter focusing, and much sharper images.

Your basic dilemma is that you want to be able to shoot two very different scenarios. One scenario almost requires a wide angle lens, especially if you plan to take any indoor shots, which raises that issue with the built-in flash with the 18-135. The second scenario that you described would need a medium telephoto.

I think you need to bite the bullet, and just take two lenses. You will almost certainly want a wide angle for capturing landscapes, and indoor shooting. You suggested that you wanted a telephoto length, too.

I'm going to suggest that you carry your EF-S 55-250mm and to purchase the EF-S 24mm f/2.8 STM lens. The 24mm lens is wide enough for indoor and landscape shots. It uses STM focusing, so it has much sharper images than your 18-55mm lens. And, it is short enough to not interfere with the built-in flash.

Just my two cents.

Re: Canon 70D lense option

RobertTheFat — Wed, 31 May 2017 02:17:12 GMT

@Waddizzle wrote:
I think the EF-S 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS STM Lens is an excellent choice. Just be aware that it is a little too long for the built-in flash. The lens barrel will cast a shadow.

Your EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS II lens is short enough so as to not cast a shadow. But, bringing that lens along brings you back to square one again, carrying more than one lens. This lens is quite an older design, and has been superceded by an "STM" version. STM version utilize superior focusing systems, which result in much faster and quieter focusing, and much sharper images.

Your basic dilemma is that you want to be able to shoot two very different scenarios. One scenario almost requires a wide angle lens, especially if you plan to take any indoor shots, which raises that issue with the built-in flash with the 18-135. The second scenario that you described would need a medium telephoto.

I think you need to bite the bullet, and just take two lenses. You will almost certainly want a wide angle for capturing landscapes, and indoor shooting. You suggested that you wanted a telephoto length, too.

I'm going to suggest that you carry your EF-S 55-250mm and to purchase the EF-S 24mm f/2.8 STM lens. The 24mm lens is wide enough for indoor and landscape shots. It uses STM focusing, so it has much sharper images than your 18-55mm lens. And, it is short enough to not interfere with the built-in flash.

Just my two cents.

Waddizzle is right that you need two lenses. But I wouldn't buy a 24mm prime for that trip; it isn't really wide on an APS-C camera. The 18-55 and the 55-250 provide a continuous zoom range from wide to telephoto. But if you don't think the 18-55 is good enough and you want to buy just one lens, get the 17-55mm f/2.8 IS. It's a very good lens and fast enough for indoor use. (But be warned that it too will cast a shadow in the coverage area of the built-in flash.)

Prime lenses have their place, I guess, although the justification for them gets more tenuous as time passes. But their place doesn't (IMO) include travel where space is at a premium.

Re: Canon 70D lense option

Waddizzle — Wed, 31 May 2017 08:53:50 GMT

@RobertTheFat wrote:
@Waddizzle wrote:
I think the EF-S 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS STM Lens is an excellent choice. Just be aware that it is a little too long for the built-in flash. The lens barrel will cast a shadow.

Your EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS II lens is short enough so as to not cast a shadow.

Just my two cents.

Waddizzle is right that you need two lenses. But I wouldn't buy a 24mm prime for that trip; it isn't really wide on an APS-C camera. The 18-55 and the 55-250 provide a continuous zoom range from wide to telephoto. But if you don't think the 18-55 is good enough and you want to buy just one lens, get the 17-55mm f/2.8 IS. It's a very good lens and fast enough for indoor use. (But be warned that it too will cast a shadow in the coverage area of the built-in flash.)

Prime lenses have their place, I guess, although the justification for them gets more tenuous as time passes. But their place doesn't (IMO) include travel where space is at a premium.

I had thought, go with what you have, but the kit 18-55mm lens isn't very good. I had considered the 17-55mm lens, too.. But, it will cast a shadow with the flash, too. I don't think it would be a good idea to not to be able to use your flash. I don't think it's a good idea to have only one lens that you can use with the flash, one which is not very good.

I put a priority on being able to use the flash. Yes, the 17-55mm is a good lens. But, I think it is bad idea if you are not able to use the flash after traveling that far. I picked the EF-S 24mm because it is small, which is ideal for traveling.

Re: Canon 70D lense option

TTMartin — Wed, 31 May 2017 12:30:39 GMT

@Waddizzle wrote:

I think the EF-S 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS STM Lens is an excellent choice. Just be aware that it is a little too long for the built-in flash. The lens barrel will cast a shadow.

I just tested the EF-S 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS STM Lens on my 7D Mk II.

Without a lenshood the lens does NOT cast a shadow using the built in flash of my 7D Mk II at any focal length.

Re: Canon 70D lense option

Dragonfire665 — Wed, 31 May 2017 16:14:14 GMT

Hole smoke. So many responces. I am still trying to capture and gather all information. Everyone of you are well informed and amazing for helping me. Kudos to all. Now to search everyone of the options I have received from you guys. I will keep everyone posted.

Re: Canon 70D lense option

TTMartin — Wed, 31 May 2017 18:24:34 GMT

@Dragonfire665 wrote:
Hole smoke. So many responces. I am still trying to capture and gather all information. Everyone of you are well informed and amazing for helping me. Kudos to all. Now to search everyone of the options I have received from you guys. I will keep everyone posted.

Basically two versions of the EF-S 18-135 IS lens were recommended by the vast majority of people.

There is a newer STM version and the newest NANO version. The thing is avoid the older non-STM, non-NANO version of the lens. I'm not sure of the price difference between the NANO and STM. Those recommending the NANO are correct it is a little better than the STM version because it has faster focusing. So if they are similarly priced get the NANO one. If there is a substantial price difference get the STM version, its focus is pleanty fast, and its image quality is the same.

Either of those 18-135 lenses are your best 'one lens' solution for traveling.

Re: Canon 70D lense option

Waddizzle — Wed, 31 May 2017 21:45:08 GMT

@TTMartin wrote:
@Waddizzle wrote:

I think the EF-S 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS STM Lens is an excellent choice. Just be aware that it is a little too long for the built-in flash. The lens barrel will cast a shadow.

I just tested the EF-S 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS STM Lens on my 7D Mk II.

Without a lenshood the lens does NOT cast a shadow using the built in flash of my 7D Mk II at any focal length.

Excellent. I know for certain that lens casts a shadow with the smaller Rebel bodies. My son complained about it.

Re: Canon 70D lense option

ebiggs1 — Thu, 01 Jun 2017 14:22:12 GMT

The question may be what camera should you be taking instead of lens. If carrying a bag full of lenses or anything approaching that is not wanted, check out the Powershot G1x Mk II. There aren't many camera/lens in the G1 X Mark II's class.

Body of magnesium alloy. It is easy to hold. Has a built-in grip. Full manual exposure control. Macro, too. The G1 X II has Wi-Fi.

The best part is the new 24-120mm equivalent F2.0-3.9 lens. Plus the G11x Mk II the 1.5" sensor. Best of all, it will be very easy to carry.