Buying new lens 17-40 or else?

RussellZ wrote:

Lemming51 wrote:

RussellZ wrote:

I've seen so many reviews on lenses and lost any hope of committing which one to get.

Ideally I want lens that's good for everything but those do not exist. This is why I need your help picking something that works best for me. I would like lens to be able to take landscapes, some night shots something that can take on vacations (walk around lens) defiantly want wide angle lens. This is why 17-40L is something I’ve been looking at for a long time. However then, I came across 16-35 2.8L II, 17-55 f2.8 IS and EF 20mm 2.8 USM

Right now I have Canon T1i with 50mm 1.8 prime and two kit lenses 18-55 and 55-250. Since T1i is getting old I've been thinking about getting Canon EOS 70D (later this year, which most likely I’ll get with kit lens 18-135). But that’s in the future. I want to get new lens that I can take on upcoming vacation (in 2 weeks).

Can you please suggest what best to take that won’t be an overkill on T1i or 70D.

Please help!

EF 17-40 f/4L USM is sub-optimal on "crop" bodies like your T1i and anticipated 70D. You can get greater zoom range, greater max. aperture, and IS in EF-S lenses and similar from Sigma (DC) and Tamron (Di II).

EF-S 17-55 f/2.8 IS USM, Sigma 17-50 f/2.8 EX DC OS HSM, Tamron 17-50 f/2.8 XR Di II VC

Sigma 18-35 f/1.8 DC HSM is getting really great reviews, nearly the same zoom range but over 2 stops greater max aperture than the 17-40L.

For "do everything" lenses for general use and travel, take a good long look at the EF-S 15-85 f/3.5-5.6 IS USM or EF-S 18-135 f/3.5-5.6 IS STM.

I've tried a few sigma and tamron lenses and to me they all have focusing issues on T1i, or it could be that my T1i refuses to shoot with those after L lenses. F2.8 sounds very intriguing however for now, I dont even want to consider anything else but Canon lenses.

EF-S 17-55 f2.8, is it that different from 18-55?

Yes. EF-S 17-55 f/2.8 IS USM, has fast/silent ring-USM af drive with full-time manual focus override, non-rotating front barrel, f/2.8 max aperture throughout the zoom range, and decent build quality with metal mount and focus distance scale.  It is significantly larger/heavier than the 18-55.

Assuming you have the EF-S 18-55 f/3.5-5.6 IS: cheap plastic build, conventional af motor, barrel rotates with focus.  But pretty decent optical performance.

Most of the time I'll be shooting at F11, does it make sense to get EF20 2.8 for my night shoot fix?

At f/11 you're not going to see any significant difference between the 18-55 and any prime at the same focal length.

What is your current walk around lens ?

EF-S 15-85 f/3.5-5.6 IS USM