Resolution problem on EF-S 18-200mm f/3.5-5.6 IS*3

[davidblacker]

Hi all. I've been reading reviews on this lens, but read one that said the lens' resolution wasn't good enough for cameras over 12mp. Is this true? My cam's a 600D which is 18mp.

[jfo]

no, its not true.

[davidblacker]

Thanks. Have you used this lens? If so, on which camera? So far positive customer reviews seem to be from a few years ago, and on lower MP cameras like the 40D.

[jfo]

I haven't, but it was the kit lens of a friend's 50D, and the images weren't bad for what they were (e.g. this being a budget lens).

Are you after this specific lens for the focal length? 

[davidblacker]

Yes, focal length, plus its general purpose versatility. I'm not a pro or anything, and this is my first DSLR which came with the 18-55 kit lens. So I'm looking for a budget lens I can just keep on the cam and use for anything. The Sigma and Tameron options are open too. The simple solution is to get the EF-S 55-250, but of course that means carrying two lenses.

[jfo]

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@davidblacker wrote:
...a budget lens I can just keep on the cam and use for anything. 

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What kinds of "anything" are you anticipating might come up?  As the saying goes "jack of all trades, master of none"... and a very general purpose lens like the 18-200mm doesn't have as great image quality (IQ) as other lenses that are a bit more specialized.  

Which camera/body did you get?  and which 18-55mm? (the latest is actually a very good starter lens).

[davidblacker]

Well, anything from street scenes to cars to occasional action shots to landscapes. Yes, I understand that the 18-200 won't be top class at everything, but as I said, I can't afford to buy too many specialist lenses, nor to carry 'em everywhere.

The camera is the EOS 600D/Rebel T3i, and the kit lens is the EF-S 18-55 IS II. I've tried it out on portraits, shooting big raw images, and am quite pleased (no expert of course). But I'd like to be able to shoot things further away, but handheld.

[jfo]

"action scenes" as in sports?  indoors? or outdoors with plenty of light?  

Going from the 18-55mm to the 18-200mm will be a step down in quality at comparable focal lengths, and unless you're getting the 18-200mm for really cheap, I think the 55-250mm might be a better choice even if it means its second lens.  Amazon does promotions often where they discount the 55-250mm heavily with camera purchase, so the second-hand market might have some great prices. 

Also, as you mentioned, there are non-Canon "superzooms" to consider.  At the beginner/non-professional level, they can be a good value too.

[davidblacker]

Well, yes beach sports, some wildlife. So yes, plenty of light. I live in the tropics so that's not an issue.

Yes, I've been leaning towards the 55-250 too, but thought I'd check around as I've heard a lot of people saying that the 18-200 was the perfect go anywhere do anything all in one lens on a budget.

Thanks for the advice.

[cicopo]

I haven't owned the Canon 18-200 but I have owned both the Sigma 18-200 & the 18-200 OS (same as IS in Canon lingo) plus the Tamron 18-270 VC (same as IS) and I got very good images from them, and my daughter still gets excellent images from the Sigma 18-200 NON IS style lens. The range they cover in a single multi purpose lens is great, but they are a compromise between versatility & absolute Image Quality (IQ) and some demand IQ over anything, even when they themselves don't benefit from it. Unless you intend to print LARGE, or view the files on screen after heavily cropping them a superzoom will do quite well. There are instances when you'll notice it's flaws, but in general they will be far fewer than most suggest. You'll have many  more opportunities with a 18-200 and generally speaking when using it hand held the IQ will depend on your skills (high enough shutter speed, rock solid stance etc) to get the most from it.

People are all about the IQ a lens can deliver but they seem to forget that more often than not it can't deliver that extra bit of IQ unless everything that influences the photo was done perfectly. Hand holding & slower shutter speeds almost always cancels out any differences between a perfect lens & a very good lens in real world use.  IF you get serious about photography as a hobby & decide you need to get better gear as your technique improves you may see the need for better lenses which deliver higher IQ when used correctly (usually on a tripod or monopod) then you can start analyzing the pro's & con's re cost / quality.