New Lens Advice

[KingNine]

Hey guys, I was hoping to get an oppinion on a lens or lenses to help round out my set up. My body is the T4i and I had the kit 18-55 and the EFS 55-250. I replaced 18-55 with the Sigma 17-50 2.8 to get better low light shots of my daughters on stage as they danced in recitals. Wow it took great pics of them but at the 17-24 range it just blurred almost every photo. After researching some I found out the lens was getting known for the same issue. I was tired of loosing all my good picturs which looked good on the little screen but were terrible after I brought them into the computer. Too many shots of my daughters as they left for a dance were gone. I purchased the Canon 24-105 L used from a photographer and took it with me to DC this past week. I loved it so much the 55-250 never got attached to the camera although I could have used the extra reach a few times. (I didn't carry my bag with me as I was chaperoning a school trip and had to choose one lens to bring) I have not had the opportunity to take a portrait style picture with it yet such as my daughter and her date leaving for a dance but I will this weekend as she is about to gradutate. I loved the 2.8 of the Sigma and was wondering just how much trade off for a bokeh effect I'll see if and when I use the canon at 4.0? I've considered purchasing the nifty fifty but at 50mm will I need to stand too far away indoors to get shots? My problem with the Sigma was the lower focal length and that was way below the 50 it extended to and obviously where I was forced to stand in my house or the other locations I used it. Is there anything in a 17-30 range ish that would serve a better purpose than what I currently have? I'm a fan of Imagae stabilization and autofocus. I'm also a fan of saving my money lol. I feel the dance recitial coming up the following weekend will be served well with the canon 24-105 as will taking pictures of her walking the stage this weekend. 

Edit: I might one day upgrade to a FF body so I'd take that into consideration when I"m looking.

[kvbarkley]

He says that, too. 8^)

[Waddizzle]

"The FF body would make the 24 much wider wouldn't it?"  

Well the Canon EF-S 10-22mm f/3.5-4.5 USM Lens is an "L" quality lens that is as wide as you will ever want or need.

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Because I used to travel so much, my thing became photographing landscapes and cityscapes.  So, I love wide angle lenses the way some folks love long zooms.  The EF-S 10-22mm f/3.5-4.5 USM really is an excellent lens for wide shots.  I used a Rebel T5 for the shot just below.

The above shot was taken at 20mm, so the lens can go much wider than this.   The roller coaster must stand over 50 feet tall, as there are four separate levels of tracks.  The lowermost level of track is elevated a good 10 feet off the ground.  I was standing closer to it, than it is tall.  I'd say about 30-40 feet.  There is a two lane service drive between me and the coaster.

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"I dont' want to spend 800 on it and turn around and buy a FF then go through this again."

You need to "STOP" and make this decision right now.  Before you proceed.

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I faced that decision once, and bought the EF-S 10-22mm, anyway.  I wanted to try it and see.  I loved it.  It is now my wide angle, backup camera to my full frame 6D.  I used to mount the EF 24-105mm f/4L IS USM on my 6D, and find myself wanting wider angles, or more reach, on many shots.  Now I carry the T5 with the 10-22mm, and the 6D with a 70-200mm f/2.8L IS II USM.  [Don't look up the price of that last lens.]  I can capture most anything, and I still have the 24-105mm in my bag.

The EF-S 10-22mm has an equivalent 35mm focal range of 16-35mm, just like its' "L" cousins.   The lenses are so similar that they even use the same hood.  The biggest difference is the EF-S has no IS, while the f/4L version has a constant aperture and IS. 

The above shot was a game changer for me, because it made me realize just how good that good glass could be.  The EF-S 10-22mm is a quantum leap in performance, compared to my EF-S 18-55mm kit lens.  That was the last EF-S lens that I ever purchased.  I was uncertain whether or not I would go FF in the future, so I made all of my future lens purchases compatible with FF bodies.