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Dan D. · 02-19-2004, 04:26 PM

I agree with Max's commments about the Canon lens line and DPReview. DPReview is a particularly outstanding resource.

The Sigma/Foveon is an intriguing camera, but you are limited to the Sigma lens line only. Granted, Sigma does have some very good lenses, and some good values. Their line isn't as consistant quality-wise as Canon, and the truly high-quality EX models that compare favorably to the Canon L line are usually the most expensive relative to their competition. Sigma makes all of their lenses in a Canon mount as well as for their own bodies. The Nikon N70 is an interesting camera, though to date only vaporware, and was clearly pre-announced to prevent Nikon owners from jumping to the Canon Digital Rebel/300D. I'm sure it will be a fine camera, but you can almost certainly count on Canon to deliver a 10D and/or Digital Rebel upgrade (speculated for late summer) to counter it. Canon did the same to Nikon's not-yet-shipping D2H by releasing the 1D Mark II, a superior camera by nearly every measure. The point of my comment is not to snub Nikon, but just to say that the waiting game is tough to play in the digital world these days.

That said, let me address your original question. I am a 10D user and understand your desire for a good all-around lens. I can offer two suggestions, both of which I own and use extensively.

My first suggestion would be the Canon 28-135mm f3.5-5.6 IS. This lens gives you an effective range of about 45-216mm in 35mm terms (crop vs. magnification discussion aside). That's lacking a bit on the wide angle side, but provides a nice amount of zoom. The 28-135 has a great reputation for sharpness and quality. Best of all, you get Canon's Image Stabilization system, which is nothing short of miraculous in low light situations. I've owned this lens for over 5 years and it is still my favorite. It is also quite reasonably priced.

If you feel wide angle is more important than zoom, such as if you plan on focusing on landscapes or architechture, I suggest the Canon 17-40mm f4.0L (27-64mm equivilent). This is an exceptional lens and a favorite among 10D users. It is hard to surpass either the image quality or build quality of this lens. In the high-quality lens world, it's not that expensive, though pricier than the 28-135mm. One good thing about Canon L series lenses (and the better non-L Canon lenses) is that they hold their value very well, making swaps or upgrades far less painful.

One last note, whichever whay you go, you should avoid the "hyperzooms", i.e. lenses with a 8-10x zoom range. A 28-200mm or 28-300mm lens may sound great, but you have to make a great sacrifce to optics to pull it off. You are looking at some great cameras here, DO NOT go cheap on glass.

02-19-2004, 04:26 PM	#6 of 20
Dan D. Member Join Date: Aug 1999 Local Time: 05:24 AM Local Date: 11-23-2008 Posts: 288	I agree with Max's commments about the Canon lens line and DPReview. DPReview is a particularly outstanding resource. The Sigma/Foveon is an intriguing camera, but you are limited to the Sigma lens line only. Granted, Sigma does have some very good lenses, and some good values. Their line isn't as consistant quality-wise as Canon, and the truly high-quality EX models that compare favorably to the Canon L line are usually the most expensive relative to their competition. Sigma makes all of their lenses in a Canon mount as well as for their own bodies. The Nikon N70 is an interesting camera, though to date only vaporware, and was clearly pre-announced to prevent Nikon owners from jumping to the Canon Digital Rebel/300D. I'm sure it will be a fine camera, but you can almost certainly count on Canon to deliver a 10D and/or Digital Rebel upgrade (speculated for late summer) to counter it. Canon did the same to Nikon's not-yet-shipping D2H by releasing the 1D Mark II, a superior camera by nearly every measure. The point of my comment is not to snub Nikon, but just to say that the waiting game is tough to play in the digital world these days. That said, let me address your original question. I am a 10D user and understand your desire for a good all-around lens. I can offer two suggestions, both of which I own and use extensively. My first suggestion would be the Canon 28-135mm f3.5-5.6 IS. This lens gives you an effective range of about 45-216mm in 35mm terms (crop vs. magnification discussion aside). That's lacking a bit on the wide angle side, but provides a nice amount of zoom. The 28-135 has a great reputation for sharpness and quality. Best of all, you get Canon's Image Stabilization system, which is nothing short of miraculous in low light situations. I've owned this lens for over 5 years and it is still my favorite. It is also quite reasonably priced. If you feel wide angle is more important than zoom, such as if you plan on focusing on landscapes or architechture, I suggest the Canon 17-40mm f4.0L (27-64mm equivilent). This is an exceptional lens and a favorite among 10D users. It is hard to surpass either the image quality or build quality of this lens. In the high-quality lens world, it's not that expensive, though pricier than the 28-135mm. One good thing about Canon L series lenses (and the better non-L Canon lenses) is that they hold their value very well, making swaps or upgrades far less painful. One last note, whichever whay you go, you should avoid the "hyperzooms", i.e. lenses with a 8-10x zoom range. A 28-200mm or 28-300mm lens may sound great, but you have to make a great sacrifce to optics to pull it off. You are looking at some great cameras here, DO NOT go cheap on glass.