Is 24mm wide enough on a walk about lens for crop bodies?

This comes up in threads all the time. People asking about the best walk-about lens for their new 7D/xxD/Rebel camera.

Of course the right answer is "depends on how you shoot". This poll isn't to determine which zoom lens choice is right or wrong. It is to gather statistics on what people's preferences are.

It will be interesting to see what more people prefer (or perhaps its 50/50): 24mm+ zooms or wider.

If your walk about lens is a prime or telephoto, sorry, this isn't an all encompassing poll. This is focused on standard zooms only.

I also should have added: This isn't a poll about which lens you own.  Obviously there are more affordable <=18mm lens option than the 24-105 and 24-70 lenses. I expect there are more people using 18-xx lenses than 24-xx because of this.

If you are answering the poll, preferably you have use one of the 24-xx lenses.

arty H wrote:

The simple answer is not so simple. It depends on what you want to photograph. A 24-105L is great on a crop for event, like craft fairs or a Renn festival. It is good for people photos. If what you want is a lens for architecture, it may or may not be suitable, depending on where you are. I'd want something wider in Rome, but it might be fine in Paris.

Walk about where?

Hi Arty,

I'll clarify: This poll assumes you own one general purpose standard zoom lens, what focal length would you want?  For many people this one lens covers indoor & outdoor event photography, travel and landscape.

The 17-40 was my usual walk around lens for the years I used crop cameras (10D, 30D, 7D).

Now that my primary camera is a 5D3, the 24-105 gets the most use with the 17-40 a somewhat distant second place.

But it obviously depends on the preferences of the photographer. A friend's walk around lens for his 7D is the 100-400.

Tom

EF 16-35/2.8L is good on both.

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brian1366 wrote:

This comes up in threads all the time. People asking about the best walk-about lens for their new 7D/xxD/Rebel camera.

Of course the right answer is "depends on how you shoot". This poll isn't to determine which zoom lens choice is right or wrong. It is to gather statistics on what people's preferences are.

It will be interesting to see what more people prefer (or perhaps its 50/50): 24mm+ zooms or wider.

If your walk about lens is a prime or telephoto, sorry, this isn't an all encompassing poll. This is focused on standard zooms only.

I had a 24-105L as a walkabout lens on a 7D but almost always carried a 10-20 in the bag.  It is however wide enough on a full frame body that I'll only take the 12-24 that replaced the 10-20 out if I want insanely wide.

I know that was not your question. I use prime for these reasons

1) Mastering one focal length

2) Light weight

3) More light (Typically)

If I can or have to carry zoom then that would wider than 24mm. Because for those things I"m interested never been over 50mm. Any way for wildlife I need more than 300mm.

For any one who can carry a zoom and afford to pay. This is the weapon of choice for APS-C
Sigma 18-35mm f/1.8 DC HSM Art

I walked around with a 10D/40D and 16-35 f2.8 for many years and then a 7D with a 17-55 f2.8, now a 6D with a 16-35 f2.8 and a 24-70 f4.

I gave had the 24-70 f 2.8 and the f4, they are not a range that excites me, not long enough for isolating subjects, but good for indoors.

I use my 24-105 as my main go-to lens, and I'm thinking about upgrading to the 24-70 f4, that being said, for most of the things I shoot normally (portraits, animals ect) I don't really need longer than 35mm. However, when I do need to go a bit wider, 24mm doesn't cut it - hence my 10-18 which fills in the gap.

The lenses in Canon's lineup which would go wide enough for me normally don't go long enough to be conveniant (17-40L, 17-55 2.8 ect) . So it's really a matter of how you like to shoot.

Xenol wrote:

I use my 24-105 as my main go-to lens, and I'm thinking about upgrading to the 24-70 f4, that being said, for most of the things I shoot normally (portraits, animals ect) I don't really need longer than 35mm. However, when I do need to go a bit wider, 24mm doesn't cut it - hence my 10-18 which fills in the gap.

The lenses in Canon's lineup which would go wide enough for me normally don't go long enough to be conveniant (17-40L, 17-55 2.8 ect) . So it's really a matter of how you like to shoot.

Surely if you "don't really need longer than 35mm" then a 17-40L would be perfect for you?!