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Best Standard Zoom for >$400?

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MartinM2

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I'm looking for the best standard zoom lens in optical quality I can buy for under $400.

I currently have a starter Sigma 28-80 macro that I bought with my Rebel to get me going, but since buying a the canon 50 1.8 II I'm seeing an obvious difference in optical quality.

A couple of lenses I'm considering:

I've been using this as my optical rating guide:

http://www.cmpsolv.com/cgi-bin/output2.cgi?Manu=2.+Canon+EOS+compatible&Type=2.+standard+Zooms&Aperture=5.+all+Lenses&Sort=1.+overall+Performance&x=11&y=10
Along with looking at pictures from users at:
http://www.photosig.com/go/photos/browsecategories?typeId=7

Tamron AF 28-75mm f/2.8 SP XR Di - $320 at B&H - 3.46 Opt rating

Canon EF 28-135mm f/3.5-5.6 USM IS - $385 at B&H - 2.86 Opt rating

Sigma AF 28-70mm f/2.8 EX DF - $329 at B&H - 3.26 Opt rating

Tokina AF 28-80mm f/2.8 AT-X Pro - $229 at B&H - 3.46 Opt rating

I'm kind of leaning towards the EF 28-135 for the IS and extra reach, but I'm more interested in getting optical quality. And the f/2.8 is appealing with the low light abilities. I actually took a few shots of the Tamron and it felt good, but looking at photo comparisons makes things difficult. I've never had anything Tokina, but the price is nice and I've also seen some beautiful pictures with it.

Does anyone feel the Canon has a lower optical quality than the others as the ratings may suggest?
 
I think the Canon is better than folks credit it. http://www.photodo.com gives it the highest rating of any Canon non-L zoom Lens. Here is a 100% crop from my 28-135 IS taken today at 135mm and F5.6. This old boy was on the move...ever seen a Rooster stand still?



--
MOLON LABE!

Regards,
John
 
I wanted some more reach in my "standard" zoom. I tried several budget priced lenses and went for the Canon 100-300 for ~ $350. I love it - it is fast, acurate focus, and sharp from f8.
hunter

--
Nikons for 40 yrs, Canon since D-Reb
 
Your probably not gonna like this suggestion, but its what I would do.

The Kit lens that comes with the 300D is pretty good. Its more than a fair lens. And for most applications it would be fine. I downloaded many test pictures and compared them to the other camera's that took the same test pictures off Steves Digiams website. I've been doing that for the past 4 years.

Both Nikon and Canon put all there research money into the 70-200mm range. And both of them have it perfected zoom range to a nats hair. When I want an outstanding picture, I put on a 70-200 f2.8. I've taken pictures with it that are better than primes when I have compared them.

I think the Canon 70-200 f4 is in your price range and would be just the ticket, along with the kit lens. That longer zoom range will give you a great outdoors lens. As well as a portrait lens.

Good Luck Frank
 
Frank G. said:
I think the Canon 70-200 f4 is in your price range and would be
just the ticket, along with the kit lens. That longer zoom range
will give you a great outdoors lens. As well as a portrait lens.
Click to expand...
Unfortunately I was impatient in buying my rebel and the body only was the only thing available through a local shop. This shop ended up creating a kit of their own, pairing it with the Tamron 19-35. I spent over a week with this lens which had a terrible backfocusing problem at 19mm, so I took it back and went the cheap route with the Sigma 28-80 understanding this as my starter lens until I figured things out. I then bought the 50 1.8 because of it's price and all the great pictures I saw posted in the rebel forum. Well the 50 ruined it for me as it's obvious the sigma 28-80 lacks quality in comparison, but I like the flexibility of a zoom.

At the moment I'm looking for a good standard zoom 28-70ish and plan to also purchase a tele 70-20 as you mentioned as I progress and start exploring those reach needs.
 
Ok, here's my spin.

Good list. Except for the Tokina; they consistently rate poorly in image quality (if anyone thinks I'm wrong here, pipe up please). I haven't heard anyone praise their zooms, except in build quality. A few people do their 17mm prime, though.

You seem to want f/2.8. So toss the Canon out*. Now you are left with the Tamron and the Sigma. Some say the Tamron is sharper. Some say the Sigma is sharper. The Sigma is bigger, and has a slower and noiser AF, compared to the Tamron (I think). But it's a little cheaper.

If you can, buy both and test drive 'em and see which one you like.

However, you may not need the speed if you are just taking pictures of stationary objects. The IS more than compensates for the slower aperture in terms of camera/lens shaking. If you want to freeze action, though, you should stay with the f/2.8 zooms.
MartinM2 said:
I'm looking for the best standard zoom lens in optical quality I
can buy for under $400.

I currently have a starter Sigma 28-80 macro that I bought with my
Rebel to get me going, but since buying a the canon 50 1.8 II I'm
seeing an obvious difference in optical quality.

A couple of lenses I'm considering:

I've been using this as my optical rating guide:

http://www.cmpsolv.com/cgi-bin/output2.cgi?Manu=2.+Canon+EOS+compatible&Type=2.+standard+Zooms&Aperture=5.+all+Lenses&Sort=1.+overall+Performance&x=11&y=10
Along with looking at pictures from users at:
http://www.photosig.com/go/photos/browsecategories?typeId=7

Tamron AF 28-75mm f/2.8 SP XR Di - $320 at B&H - 3.46 Opt rating

Canon EF 28-135mm f/3.5-5.6 USM IS - $385 at B&H - 2.86 Opt rating

Sigma AF 28-70mm f/2.8 EX DF - $329 at B&H - 3.26 Opt rating

Tokina AF 28-80mm f/2.8 AT-X Pro - $229 at B&H - 3.46 Opt rating

I'm kind of leaning towards the EF 28-135 for the IS and extra
reach, but I'm more interested in getting optical quality. And the
f/2.8 is appealing with the low light abilities. I actually took a
few shots of the Tamron and it felt good, but looking at photo
comparisons makes things difficult. I've never had anything Tokina,
but the price is nice and I've also seen some beautiful pictures
with it.

Does anyone feel the Canon has a lower optical quality than the
others as the ratings may suggest?
Click to expand...
--
http://www.amherst.edu/~dmmcgaughey/Main/DMPhotography.html
 
Well, I didnt think you would like my idea of the 70-200 F4L lens :-)

That one has very high marks and would probably give you equal too or better than the 50mm 1.8 quality. If you find a good discount store it can be had for a very low price. Or on ebay. Actually you could sell the 50mm and make your $400 price limit. And have one of the best 70-200L available.
Getting you up into the Canon L lens :-)

Basic Image Stabalization degrades the pictures anyway. So most people leave it turned off and just go with a faster F stop. I cant imagine anyone needing IS on a short lens like the 28-105 anyway. Although its a bell and whistle toy to play with! Canon will eventually make the perfect lens for the cameras that with the 1.6X focal multi & actually give you the 28 to 135mm range everyone wants for a basic lens. They just arnt there yet.
 
Frank G. said:
Basic Image Stabalization degrades the pictures anyway. So most
people leave it turned off and just go with a faster F stop. I
cant imagine anyone needing IS on a short lens like the 28-105
anyway. Although its a bell and whistle toy to play with!
Click to expand...
You are wrong on every point. I leave IS on all the time on both my IS lens and it helps at all focal lengths, shutter speeds, and Fstops. Does this picture look degraded?

handheld at 135mm with IS on!



--
MOLON LABE!

Regards,
John
 
I would have to say you are completely incorrect on the IS.

Yes, IS has 'degraded' absolute pictire quality because you have an extra group of glass in the lense, but the fact is, the extra glass is in the lense with IS ON or OFF. So, if you don't have as IS, don't say what people do and don't do.

Second, since the lense is already 'degraded', I leave the IS ON so that I can benifit from the extra glass and get a sharper image because the picture has NO shake in low light. In the end, the picture quality will be better. Again, don't say it if you don't use it or understand it.

IS is a great lense specially if you shoot in varying lighting conditions and if you hate carrying a tripod.

Andrew
Frank G. said:
Basic Image Stabalization degrades the pictures anyway. So most
people leave it turned off and just go with a faster F stop. I
cant imagine anyone needing IS on a short lens like the 28-105
anyway.
Click to expand...
 
I didnt say the 28-105 Is Canon was a dog but my using the word degrade image performance probably offended anyone who ones one :-)

I just said if you turn on IS on any Canon lens you will be able to tell from the picture results that you had the IS on. It dosnt mean the picture would be unaccetable. I have a $1500 Canon lens here with the IS feature and when the IS is engaged you can certainly tell on the image quality compared to it being off. But then I am very picky about image quality.
 
My choice was..



Thanks for all the helpful comments and photos. I've made up my mind and just finished placing my order through http://www.digitalfotoclub.com .

I opted to get a Hoya 67mm Super Multicoated UV filter along with it primarily for protection.

$353 ground shipped to my door, so I kept under the $400 mark:)

I initially wanted the 28-135 with IS, but because I'm typically shooting a moving targets (my 7mo son), along with alot of low light or indoor shots, I think the 2.8 will suit my needs better than IS and from what I've found this lens may have a very slight optical edge over the canon.

I'm hanging on to my 50 1.8 for around the house low light portraits. I plan to buy some kind of x-200 or 300 tele in the future, but not for some time.

Thanks again!
 
Fair enough... I hope you mean it is much better with IS on. :)

I just don't understand how you can say IS degrades quality when its on, but it is okay when turned off... The lense does not change optically with IS on or off, it is the same, the only thing that changes is the gryos stabilizing the lense vs movment... optically it is the same.

Now compairing IS to a non-IS lense is different matter since the optics change.

Andrew

PS, I must apologise, my last post seemed a little harsh and rude, and I didn't mean to come across so.
Frank G. said:
I didnt say the 28-105 Is Canon was a dog but my using the word
degrade image performance probably offended anyone who ones one :-)
I just said if you turn on IS on any Canon lens you will be able to
tell from the picture results that you had the IS on. It dosnt
mean the picture would be unaccetable. I have a $1500 Canon lens
here with the IS feature and when the IS is engaged you can
certainly tell on the image quality compared to it being off. But
then I am very picky about image quality.
Click to expand...
 
Hi Martin,

Congrat on your new purchase, you won't regret with this lens, I owned the 28-135 IS for couple of weeks before this Tamron XR Di and got rid of the 28-135 IS afterwards. As a matter of fact, I have yet to use my 50mm f1.8 after getting this Tamron XR Di! My 50mm F1.8 doesn't give me the images I want unless I use F2.8 or higher, images from Tamron at f2.8 is good enough for me! Happy shooting!
Ed
MartinM2 said:
My choice was..



Thanks for all the helpful comments and photos. I've made up my
mind and just finished placing my order through
http://www.digitalfotoclub.com .

I opted to get a Hoya 67mm Super Multicoated UV filter along with
it primarily for protection.

$353 ground shipped to my door, so I kept under the $400 mark:)

I initially wanted the 28-135 with IS, but because I'm typically
shooting a moving targets (my 7mo son), along with alot of low
light or indoor shots, I think the 2.8 will suit my needs better
than IS and from what I've found this lens may have a very slight
optical edge over the canon.

I'm hanging on to my 50 1.8 for around the house low light
portraits. I plan to buy some kind of x-200 or 300 tele in the
future, but not for some time.

Thanks again!
Click to expand...
 
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