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Canon 18-200mm zoom lense

jazzman1
Rising Star

I'm new here.  I have a Canon T3i.  Two kit lenses came with it in a bundle...18-55mm, 55-250mm.  I am considering getting the Canon 18-200mm.  Would the Canon 18-200mm be a good choice to replace both lenses, or are there better choices to replace them with and keep the 18-200mm also?

2 ACCEPTED SOLUTIONS

ebiggs1
Legend
Legend

I would not buy one for a few reasons.  One and formost, it is more difficult to make a zoom lens when the zoom range gets very extreme.  18 to 200 is a 11x range and very ambitious to say the least. Not solely in optics but in build quality, too. It will be in the same quality level as the two lenses you have so the only advantage is having just the one lens.  Is that what you require? The top benefit of a DSLR is the ability to have the right lens for the right job.  That usually involves several different lenses.  So you will be defeating that concept somewhat!

 

I would rather see you get a different level of lens for instance the Canon EF-S 17-55mm f/2.8 IS USM Lens.  Directly replacing your 18-55mm kit lens. Of course this is in case what you have is not working for you. But this move is into a better built, better optics and a little faster lens all of which can be very useful.  Make no mistake the Canon EF-S 17-55mm f/2.8 IS USM Lens is a very good lens and offers a constant aperture.  A super plus in my book.

 

Unfortunalely these lens upgrades are expensive and replacing the 55-250mm is going to be more so.

EB
EOS 1DX and 1D Mk IV and less lenses then before!

View solution in original post

Easy ones first!

The S in EF-S stands for short focus.  Any camera that can use a EF-S lens can use a EF lens, too.  A camera that is designed for EF lenses can only use EF, no S lenses.

 

The EF 50mm f1.4 is can be used on either EF or EF-S bodies.  It is not actually designed for either.  It is simply a 50mm f1.4 lens.  Either body no matter, it is still a 50mm lens.  It can not change that, however, on a crop body, a Rebel for instance, it will give the same perspective as a 80mm lens would on a full frame body.  Typically making it a pretty good portrait lens.

Now these are just numbers and of no real concern except to sorta guide you in a comparasion.  You choose the lens that works for your need.

 

You need to make the decision on whether you are going to remain with crop body sized camera or not.  You may wind up buying all your lenses over and that is not a good thing!  Is it?  I know lots of people that live with crop bodies all there lives and  know folks that only shoot FF.  There is not right or wrong.  It is what it is. Nothing more.  Lots of photographers even shoot both, believe it or not!

 

Now my personal feelings on a "do all lens".  For me there is none.  I always have at least two cameras and two lenses with me all the time.  A very strict rule I never broke..................until lately.  Another rule I will never break is to use any third party lens...............................until lately.  For the most part they were junk.  Oh sure if you lucked out and got a good one, it was pretty good, no doubt.  But very spotty and hit or miss.   Not for me!  But "lately" there has been a great change in third party lenses.  Especially at Sigma.  They make very high quality glass and they have improved their CS drasticly.  Tamron is close behind and getting better.  Forget the rest, Tokina and the others for now

 

Now back to that "do all" lens.  I did buy a Tamron SP 150-600mm f/5-6.3 Di VC USD.  Not quite a "do all" but it has a fair amount of zoom useage.  It turns out it is a nice lens and impossibile to beat for $1100 bucks.  Worthy of consideration by anyone.

 

What do I carry?  A EF 24-70mm f2.8 and a EF 70-200mm f2.8  Canon "L" lenses.  My goto and workhorse combo.  That is as good as it gets.  There is nothing better on the planet.

EB
EOS 1DX and 1D Mk IV and less lenses then before!

View solution in original post

182 REPLIES 182

Don't forget my question of mirrorless cameras.  What do you think of them as compared to our DSLR's???   Better or not...our future or not??????

"Don't forget my question of mirrorless cameras."

 

Easy one, Smiley Sad  Avoid at all costs.  Not yet ready for prime time.

EB
EOS 1DX and 1D Mk IV and less lenses then before!

Forgot to say.   Maybe just my imagination but my 75-300mm lens I used today, seemed at the farthest focal length (300mm) was no father than the 200mm on my 18-200mm.  Is that possible or just an illusion???

" Is that possible or just an illusion???"

 

Not only possibile but probable. Smiley Happy

EB
EOS 1DX and 1D Mk IV and less lenses then before!

BTW.....I just ordered the Canon EF 28-135 USM Lens from B&H.  Will be here tues.  They do have good prices on many items I use.  If prices are equal with BB most times I order from B&H.  I save on taxes and usually no shipping charges.  You should get perks for sending them sales.  If I don't like the lens gonna blame you ....LOL

NOTE:

 

Those are great pics.  Very sharp, brillant color.  I can see all the fine detail.  I guess your 600mm lens made the difference.  Your pics look better than any of mine I ever took, and I thought I've taken a few good ones.  I've not took any pics nice and clear as yours here.

Bob...haha (LOL) 

Ebiggs will do as you guys say on the histogram. 

 

Just got back from the zoo, got some fabulous shots along with 1080P video.  Got the whole 15 minute Sea Lion Show, was nice.  It's my 1st time at this Zoo and had a terrific time.   I saw Lions, Tigers, and Bears...Oh My.  Almost everything but whales (LOL)   I was there 8 1/2 hrs.  I used my Canon T3i & 18-200 mm lens, and my Canon SX60 for video.  I like my SX60 better for video, I can use the power zoom and auto focus.  It has 1080P also.  But my T3i video does look a little better, just harder to work with. 

 

I have a before and after pic I would like you and Bob to look at.  1 pic taken in auto,  same scene in P mode.  Want you guys observation and opinion.   There's a drastic difference.  

 

I do have a few editing programs for pics and video, of course those from Windows (paint, movie maker, and photo gallery).  I have Gimp2, Wondershare converter, and the software from Canon that came with my T3i, and G20 camcorder  (VideoBrowser)  I am capable of basic picture editing, just have'nt done pics lately.  Have been working a little with video and dvd.  I really intend to step up my learning and skills.  I'm motivated to make my pics look better.  I do see some flaws, even in some I like.

Thanks Bob, I had no idea.  I did know a histogram shows when I click on the info button next to the menu button.  Did not know this had anything to do with that.  You're, I've looked the ino histogram and do not know engough to properly understand the info.  As yousay, for now I won't bother with it.

daleg
Apprentice

wow,  this is quite a thread.  I had no idea I had ventured into a digital photography course.  Nice job - Bob from Boston!  while I didn't have the time to read all of your offerings and subjects, you sure provided an incredible amount of 1 on 1 instruction.  where were you when I made the leap from film to digital?

 

at the risk of hijacking the thread (and discussing Canon's EF-S 18-200mm lens), I'll introduce myself as a fairly recent (couple of years) migrant from the ancient land of film photography where for a generation or more, I was a loyal minion of the dark side and one who frequently messed around with my v-series hassies.

 

photography has been an avocation for me, and not an occupation.  to some extent, I blame my current evolvement on my sherpa, CFO, wife, better-half, etc. - for from her mouth came those fatal words - "why don't you..." - followed by the unforced and non-recoverable error - "...purchase a DSLR?"  the rest as they say, is history.  and believe me, many dead presidents have passed through our accounts from this "error."

 

Anyhow, Canon at that time was about to launch the EOS 70D - so the 60D kits were available at a substantial discount.  To briefly digress, I consider "gear" to be tantamount to a carpenter's tools.  As a carpenter cannot build much without his/her tools, likewise for a photographer's images.  And to take this a step further, except for ergonomics, I am much more focused (pardon da pun) on IQ (image quality) than the logos and numbers on my gear.  IOW, if I am to impress anybody, please let it be from my images and not my gear.  Besides, I love a good bargain - (ala, the EF 28-135mm - which, big secret, is oft' to be found "used" for circa $150).  So at my entry point to DSLRs, the 60D was a great value/$.

 

I impulsively added the ef-s 18-200mm kit lens - for compositional flexibility while I deciphered some of the mysteries of this newfangled "magic" box.   A couple of years and 50,000 or so images later, that 60D went off to college with my goddaughter and it has been superceeded by the 70D, 5D,  5D2,  1D3, X100s (fuji) and G12 - not in that order. 

 

Oh - and that 18-200mm lens?  it went nowhere, as it pretty much stays mounted to the 70D - and yes, my lens list now includes a total of 24 lenses  - of which this lowly 18-200mm was the first obtained.

 

Statistically, and this isn't even close, the 18-200mm is by far my most frequently used lens.  One word:  convenience.  yeah the barrel droops, yeah other glass is sharper, yeah it's slow as cold molassis, yeah its build quality sucks, and yeah the barrel lock is painful to use, and the worst fault - no red ring!. So all it does is take good pictures - at **bleep** near any focal length. drat. it seems safe to assume that adding this to my gear list will impress NOBODY on this or any other photo forum or message board.  ah, but there ARE those pesky images...

 

I recently crossed paths with the following comments and obervation from a big name photographer -  and while usually I advise forming one's own opinions - in fairness, Mr. Kelby does bring significant credibility to this discussion:

 

"I have one of these 18–200mm lenses and, honestly, I love mine dearly. Now, you will see some photographers in forums online saying that these lenses are basically beneath them, because they’re not as sharp as they could be, or they’re not as rugged as the more expensive lenses, etc. Don’t let that throw you. I don’t know a single photographer that actually has one of these that doesn’t love it, mostly because when it’s on your camera, you’re never going to say, “Oh, I missed that shot because I didn’t have the right lens,” because it does it all in one lens. As for quality, I have a 30x40" print of a photo I took with that lens while on vacation, framed, and hanging in my home. Everybody loves it, and it looks perfectly sharp and crisp all the way through."  - - -   Scott Kelby, Digital Photography 3

 

Speaking only for myself, many if not most of my photographic excursions take me to places where I haven't a clue what I'll encounter.  Combine such uncertainty with my inability to venture forth lugging a bag full of primes and red-ringed lenses.  My sherpa would not  be pleased or amused.  And let me tell ya, when my sherpa's unhappy - - let's not go there.

 

As example, earlier this year we made reservations for a mid-week venture to the cherry blossoms in wash dc.  Sadly, all this global warming froze the **bleep** trees - resulting in our missing any blooms by 12-14 days (so much for effective planning)...  but the trip happened regardless - and I roamed the capitol with my trusted 70D w/18-200 & my 5D2 w/17-40 f4L and the totally manual (focus and appertue) UWA samyang 14mm f2.8, a fun lens.  The numbers? images were ~ 75% vs 25% in favor of the 18-200mm.

 

As far as IQ, until I need to produce wall-sized prints for public display, I remain confident in my work and IQ with this lens.

 

It works for me.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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