Looking for best all purpose lens for an EOS 20D

[dallas]

Hi Everyone.  I have had my EOS 20D for over 10 years now.  I've never been satisfied with the EFS 18-55mm lens that it shipped with.  Just doesn't have enough zoom or wide angle.  I don't do anything professional.  Just like to take lots of family and outdoors / nature shots.  I would like to be able to take quality portrait pics as well as a picture of the grand canyon and have it turn out great.  I would like to be able to just take one lens with me on vacations.

I've been looking at the EF-S 18-200mm f/3.5-5.6 IS.  It seems to have it all.  Are there any other general purpose lens I should be looking at?

Thanks,

Dallas

[jrhoffman75]

Thats an OK lens; my wife has one on her Rebel.

If you don't need the 200mm end the 18-135 STM lens is an option.

If you don't mind two lenses you can add the 55-250 STM to your 18-55 and get even more range.

[dallas]

Hi John.  Thanks for the tips.  I guess I do care more about being able to take all the different kinds of shots I want than the inconvenience of having to lug around multiple lenses.  I am an unprofessional ;), but I do care a lot about quality.  I have just a couple questions:

Will the 55-250 STM be able to take nice wide angle shots too?

If you could choose the best quality / most versatile for $ set of lenses for the EOS 20D, what would they be?

Thanks

[ebiggs1 · Accepted solution]

"Will the 55-250 STM be able to take nice wide angle shots too?"

That depends on your definition of wide angle. I think most would say no.  If you will start thinking of angle-of-view "AOV", it will become easier to tell.

A 55mm lens on your 20D has an AOV of 28 degrees (approx).  Not very wide is it?  Your 18mm lens has a AOV of 84 degrees.

The AOV spec is easy to find because it is listed in all lenses specs. BTW, 250mm is approx 6 degrees.

Canon is supposed to be coming out with a Canon EF-S 18-300mm f/3.5-5.6 IS STM lens.  I don't know if it is for sale yet so you might want to check.  AOV will be 84 to 5 degrees (approx.)  Pretty wide to pretty tele, isn't it?  The larger the AOV number is, the more wide angle.  The smaller that number, the more tele it is.

[dallas]

Thanks ebiggs1.  It looks like the Canon EF-S 18-300mm f/3.5-5.6 IS STM lens is not out yet but may soon be in mid February according to the rumour mill.

[dallas]

Any tips on best value for $ wide angle lens if I wanted to go beyond AOV 84?

[ebiggs1]

Yes I do.    The Canon EF-S 10-22mm f/3.5-4.5 USM Lens.  I have one of these and it is not only a great lens, it is an outstanding lens.

AOV on this jewel is 108 to 61 (approx).  This lens is exceedinly better than the kit EF-S 17 - 85 mm F4.5 - F5.6 IS USM lens.

BTW, the EF-S 10-22mm f/3.5-4.5 USM Lens was introduced about the exact time as your 20D.

[dallas]

Looks awesome! Thanks. So now I'm thinking of getting one of these EF-S 10-22mm, and also one of the 55-250 STMs. Seems these will give me the versatility I presently lack.

Just one last thing. Can you please recommend a good all around flash attachment?

[ScottyP]

Or just think in terms of what 10 years of shooting your 18-55mm lens has taught you.  

The wide end of your current zoom lens is 18mm. The long end of your lens is 55mm and that is what you see when you zoom in all the way. 

If the 55-250 lens STARTS at 55mm. The widest it can shoot is equal to what you get with your current lens zoomed in all the way to 55.  So no, a 55-250 will not give wide angle shots. You would use your 18-55 lens for the wide shots. 

[ebiggs1]

"Just one last thing. Can you please recommend a good all around flash attachment?"

Canon Speedlite 430EX II