Suggestions for building a lens system for 6D

neilroy wrote:

Hello,

I am an amateur photographer. I primarily shoot nature/landscapes. Vast vistas, beaches, sunrise/sunset, rain, mountains, waterfalls. I started, learned and have grown using the 6D with a 50mm f/1.8 stm. I am quite happy with the 6D and don't feel the urge to upgrade to the 5D Mark III just yet. Now I would like to build my lens collection. I will be visiting the Great Rockies, Yosemite and Olympic national parks this september.

After reading the posts here and elsewhere, I have arrived at a tentative list:

1. Canon EF 16-35 f/4.0L IS USM

2. Canon EF 24-105 f/4.0L IS USM

3. Canon EF 70-200 f/2.8L IS USM or f/4.0L IS USM

4. CanonEF 70-300 f/4-5.6L IS USM

First, as you can see, I have not listed any primes, all are zoom lenses. Second, I have listed the 70-200/300 despite never craving for such a reach in what I have done so far because given the sort of nature I would be encountering in these national parks, I though I should have at least one lens with that reach. Third, while I am not with unlimited money, I have been saving for years to buy pro quality lenses. So, I prefer to stay with the L glass.

So, three questions for you folks:

1. Is this a good shortlist; would you add/take away from this list?

2. Between the 16-35 and 24-105, if I had to buy one, which do you suggest? I realize the greater reach of the latter, but I have been reading *glowing* reviews of the former, and 16 is indeed wider!

3. Are any of the Tamron and/or Sigma lenses good enough for me stray away from the L series?

Thank you so much for your advice.

Cheers, Neil.

A lot of this depends on the budget.  If we assume that your budget is very limited, then, I would suggest the following:
If you're shooting landscapes and what not, most of your shooting is going to be done within the 24-100mm range.  You're going to go over that range only once in a while, so a 24-105 f4 would be your general purpose lens.  Alternatively, you might look into Tokina 24-70 f2.8   That zoom will cover perhaps 80-90% of your needs.   For the occasional foray into the ultra wide or med telephoto territory, you might want to consider some inexpensive, but decent prime lenses.  You might want to consider the Tokina 17mm f3.5, which can be had for a song on a used market.  If you need to go even wider, then perhaps the Samyang 14mm (although I think the 17mm would be more useful).

On the telephoto side, if you get the 24-70 as your main lens, look into the Canon 135mm f2 + a TC or a Samyang 135mm f2.  Samyang has no AF and no full aperture metering, but that may not matter for landscapes.  Else, you get the Canon.

If you get the 24-104 as your main lens, then look into Canon 200mm f2.8 + TC

I make these recommendations based on the assumption that the zoom is going to be on your camera at least 80% of the time, so it makes no sense to spend big money on an ultra wide or a med telephoto lens if you're just going to use it occasionally.