topic Canon EF 16-35mm f/4L on a Canon T1i in EF & RF Lenses

Canon EF 16-35mm f/4L on a Canon T1i

jajajavi75 — Thu, 11 Dec 2014 21:19:29 GMT

I'm considering getting a Canon EF 16-35mm f/4L but I don't have a full frame camera, although I intend on getting one in the future. I was wondering if getting this lens now makes sense considering I currently have a T1i right now. As of now I don't have a landscape/wide angle lense. The best I can do with landscapes right now is my 18-55 or my 18-200. Am I going to benefit from the 16-35mm if I get it now?

Re: Canon EF 16-35mm f/4L on a Canon T1i

Skirball — Thu, 11 Dec 2014 22:02:00 GMT

@jajajavi75 wrote:
I'm considering getting a Canon EF 16-35mm f/4L but I don't have a full frame camera, although I intend on getting one in the future. I was wondering if getting this lens now makes sense considering I currently have a T1i right now. As of now I don't have a landscape/wide angle lense. The best I can do with landscapes right now is my 18-55 or my 18-200. Am I going to benefit from the 16-35mm if I get it now?

In my opinion, no. Not unless "I intend on getting one in the future" means that you're looking now. A lot of people intend on going FF and don't for several years. Don't buy for the future, not when there are other options. While getting a 16-35 would 'future proof' you, it doesn't actually add much above what you have now. A little wider (16mm vs 18), and a little sharper, but nothing that is going to knock your socks off. It's a much better built body, but it's also bigger and heavier - because it's designed for a full frame. On the flip side, there's the brand new EF-S 10-18, which gives you a whole new focal range to work with, really good IQ (relative to price), and cost a fraction of the 16-35. If you truly are going FF then you don't want to pour money into EF-S lenses, and I would think heavy before buying something like the EF-S 10-22. But at $300, it's a worthwhile investment, IMHO.

The question is, do you want ultrawide angle? If not, then I would just stick with the kit lens. Unless you want wide aperture, which isn't really needed for landscape, there's not much that a new zoom lens is going to do for you on your T1i. Put the money into a tripod so you can use small apertures and long shutter speeds and the kit lens is going to do just fine.

Re: Canon EF 16-35mm f/4L on a Canon T1i

jajajavi75 — Fri, 12 Dec 2014 04:52:15 GMT

Thanks for the insight. I came to the right place....The options you provided are nice.
It does pain me to fork out anymore money of EF-S lenses, but I'm open suggestions. In fact what I'm looking for isn't really landscape but more street photography in which I can get close to the subject and get plenty of the background behind them with a wide aperture.

Re: Canon EF 16-35mm f/4L on a Canon T1i

ebiggs1 — Fri, 12 Dec 2014 15:52:39 GMT

If you have any intenton of going FF, stop buying EF-S lenses right now. Whether it is a measly $300 bucks or $30.

Lenses are where it is at. A EF lens will never hurt you but, yes, they cost more. However, they will stay with you.

There is not a great deal of difference between 16mm and 18mm but the lens itself is better in every way.

Canon does not make any "L" lense for EF-S for a reason.

Re: Canon EF 16-35mm f/4L on a Canon T1i

Hrethric — Tue, 16 Dec 2014 23:31:35 GMT

I completely agree with this comment. I have the 16-35 f/4L on my 60D and love it. Sure, you can get wider with the 10-22, but 35mm is an awesome walk-around focal length on a crop body. I've never found a reason to go wider than 16 - be it in a tight space to fit more in the frame or capturing a sweeping vista.

Re: Canon EF 16-35mm f/4L on a Canon T1i

RobertTheFat — Wed, 17 Dec 2014 01:40:16 GMT

@jajajavi75 wrote:
I'm considering getting a Canon EF 16-35mm f/4L but I don't have a full frame camera, although I intend on getting one in the future. I was wondering if getting this lens now makes sense considering I currently have a T1i right now. As of now I don't have a landscape/wide angle lense. The best I can do with landscapes right now is my 18-55 or my 18-200. Am I going to benefit from the 16-35mm if I get it now?

If, after weighing all the advice pro and con, you do go that way, and if you're later able to add the 24-105mm f/4L, you'll find yourself very well fixed if/when you do go FF. The nice thing about those two lenses is that they pair equally well on a FF or crop camera. The pair is a little long on a crop camera, but their overall range is nicely covered. And if you later decide not to go FF, you can always add one of the Canon ultrawides or something like the Tokina 11-16mm f/2.8.