Steve'sDigicams

gus6464 · Mar 3, 2008, 1:29 AM

I have a Rebel XT (350D) with the kit lens and the wife and I are now starting to look for a better all around lens. We want one with a big zoom (250-300mm). We have been reading around and found the Tamron AF28-300mm F/3.5-6.3 XR Di VC (Vibration Compensation) which has gotten great reviews. We don't really have a set price but when we found out that the Tamron could be had for around $600 we figured that would be a good price range to stick with. Would the Tamron be one of the better lenses we can get for the money?
http://www.tamron.com/lenses/prod/28300_vc.asp

Cyberf828 · Mar 3, 2008, 2:51 AM

Have you looked at the 70-300mm IS? I used it a few weeks ago as a walk around lens.

Some sample photos: I did play with the colors.

A nice tight crop.

camerageak · Mar 3, 2008, 11:34 AM

the 28-300 will be a better walk around lens. the 70-300 is a good lens but won't be wide enough .take a 28-300 and open it up to 70mm and see if that is as wide as you will need .

JimC · Mar 3, 2008, 11:52 AM

You'll usually have some compromises in a lens with greater range of wide to long versus going with higher quality lenses with less ambitious design goals.

What is it that you find lacking with your existing kit lens now (zoom range, AF speed, usefulness in low light, optical quality, etc.)?

If you're not expecting a great leap in quality, and don't mind sluggish AF speed, then this Tamron does look promising in a walk around lens with a nice range from wide to long.

It does appear that the optical quality of the newer Tamron "Super Zooms" is getting better (for example, their newer 18-250mm f/3.5-6.3 versus their older 18-200mm f/3.5-6.3).

One advantage the Tamron 28-300mm is that it's designed to work with cameras using 35mm size film or sensors, too. So, you get more of the "sweet spot" in the center of the lens using it on camera with an APS-C sensor, avoiding some of the corner softness and vignetting you may get at some focal lengths and apertures on model with a 35mm size sensor.

The wider 18-200mm and 18-250mm lenses are designed to work only on DSLR models with APS-C sensors.

If you go with the new Tamron 28-300mm VC lens, I'd make sure 28mm is wide enough for you (unless you want to switch to the 18-55mm kit lens if you need a wider shot).

NHL · Mar 3, 2008, 1:02 PM

gus6464 wrote:

Quote:

I have a Rebel XT (350D) with the kit lens and the wife and I are now starting to look for a better all around lens. We want one with a big zoom (250-300mm)...

How about a really BIG zoom?

-> I'll suggest the Bigma, with your kit lens you'll pretty much cover everything from 18 to 500mm with relatively good IQ with just two lenses (I did the same but a little bit wider with a Tokina 16-50 f/2.8 ):

http://forums.steves-digicams.com/fo...mp;forum_id=66

peripatetic · Mar 3, 2008, 1:27 PM

Do you want one lens to do everything or are you happy to carry two lenses?

One lens with a big zoom range means that you gain in convenience but lose in optical quality.

Two lenses to cover the same range will be less convenient but offer much higher quality.

gus6464 · Mar 3, 2008, 1:45 PM

peripatetic wrote:

Quote:

Do you want one lens to do everything or are you happy to carry two lenses?

One lens with a big zoom range means that you gain in convenience but lose in optical quality.

Two lenses to cover the same range will be less convenient but offer much higher quality.

Well we are mostly looking for a bigger zoom because we love to go to music festivals and other places like zoos and we want a powerful zoom. I guess our priorities are:

1. Big zoom

2. Little bit better quality than the kit lens

We don't mind carrying around 2 lenses but we would like to refrain from changing lenses in and out if we can while still maintaining good quality.

Cyberf828 · Mar 3, 2008, 2:54 PM

Well if you are looking for a Zoom more then the wide. I still say look at the 70-300mm IS then. The 28mm over the 70 wouldn't matter then.

gus6464 · Mar 3, 2008, 4:39 PM

Thanks for the recommendation Cyberf828 and I think I will be looking at that lens. I saw the pics you posted on the other thread and they are very good. I don't have much experience with the Rebel XT so getting a big zoom will allow me to play with the camera more.

peripatetic · Mar 4, 2008, 1:47 AM

Just a point to make discussions of this sort a bit easier.

"Zoom" - refers to the ratio between the longest and shortest focal lengths of a lens.

So a 15-45mm lens has a 3x zoom ratio.
An 18-200mm lens has a 11x zoom ratio.
A 100-300mm lens has a 3x zoom ratio.
A 500mm lens has a 1x zoom ratio.

These are very different lenses useful for very different things. But crucially lens #3 will get you much closer to the action than lens #2 even though the "zoom" available on #2 is much greater. For getting close to distant action the best lens would be #4 because it has the longest focal length even though least zoom.

What you really seem to be saying when you "want more zoom" is that you want a telephoto lens, or if you like a lens with "more reach". The ability to make far things look closer.

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Mar 3, 2008, 1:29 AM	#1
gus6464 Junior Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Posts: 4	I have a Rebel XT (350D) with the kit lens and the wife and I are now starting to look for a better all around lens. We want one with a big zoom (250-300mm). We have been reading around and found the Tamron AF28-300mm F/3.5-6.3 XR Di VC (Vibration Compensation) which has gotten great reviews. We don't really have a set price but when we found out that the Tamron could be had for around $600 we figured that would be a good price range to stick with. Would the Tamron be one of the better lenses we can get for the money? http://www.tamron.com/lenses/prod/28300_vc.asp

Mar 3, 2008, 2:51 AM	#2
Cyberf828 Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2006 Posts: 659	Have you looked at the 70-300mm IS? I used it a few weeks ago as a walk around lens. Some sample photos: I did play with the colors. A nice tight crop.

Mar 3, 2008, 11:34 AM	#3
camerageak Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2005 Posts: 125	the 28-300 will be a better walk around lens. the 70-300 is a good lens but won't be wide enough .take a 28-300 and open it up to 70mm and see if that is as wide as you will need .

Mar 3, 2008, 11:52 AM	#4
JimC Administrator Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Savannah, GA (USA) Posts: 16,483	You'll usually have some compromises in a lens with greater range of wide to long versus going with higher quality lenses with less ambitious design goals. What is it that you find lacking with your existing kit lens now (zoom range, AF speed, usefulness in low light, optical quality, etc.)? If you're not expecting a great leap in quality, and don't mind sluggish AF speed, then this Tamron does look promising in a walk around lens with a nice range from wide to long. It does appear that the optical quality of the newer Tamron "Super Zooms" is getting better (for example, their newer 18-250mm f/3.5-6.3 versus their older 18-200mm f/3.5-6.3). One advantage the Tamron 28-300mm is that it's designed to work with cameras using 35mm size film or sensors, too. So, you get more of the "sweet spot" in the center of the lens using it on camera with an APS-C sensor, avoiding some of the corner softness and vignetting you may get at some focal lengths and apertures on model with a 35mm size sensor. The wider 18-200mm and 18-250mm lenses are designed to work only on DSLR models with APS-C sensors. If you go with the new Tamron 28-300mm VC lens, I'd make sure 28mm is wide enough for you (unless you want to switch to the 18-55mm kit lens if you need a wider shot).

Mar 3, 2008, 1:27 PM	#6
peripatetic Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2004 Posts: 2,763	Do you want one lens to do everything or are you happy to carry two lenses? One lens with a big zoom range means that you gain in convenience but lose in optical quality. Two lenses to cover the same range will be less convenient but offer much higher quality.

Mar 3, 2008, 2:54 PM	#8
Cyberf828 Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2006 Posts: 659	Well if you are looking for a Zoom more then the wide. I still say look at the 70-300mm IS then. The 28mm over the 70 wouldn't matter then.

Mar 3, 2008, 4:39 PM	#9
gus6464 Junior Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Posts: 4	Thanks for the recommendation Cyberf828 and I think I will be looking at that lens. I saw the pics you posted on the other thread and they are very good. I don't have much experience with the Rebel XT so getting a big zoom will allow me to play with the camera more.

Mar 4, 2008, 1:47 AM	#10
peripatetic Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2004 Posts: 2,763	Just a point to make discussions of this sort a bit easier. "Zoom" - refers to the ratio between the longest and shortest focal lengths of a lens. So a 15-45mm lens has a 3x zoom ratio. An 18-200mm lens has a 11x zoom ratio. A 100-300mm lens has a 3x zoom ratio. A 500mm lens has a 1x zoom ratio. These are very different lenses useful for very different things. But crucially lens #3 will get you much closer to the action than lens #2 even though the "zoom" available on #2 is much greater. For getting close to distant action the best lens would be #4 because it has the longest focal length even though least zoom. What you really seem to be saying when you "want more zoom" is that you want a telephoto lens, or if you like a lens with "more reach". The ability to make far things look closer.