Replacing my 18-55 with the 15-85?

[Urbandon]

Hi,

I'm just considering getting a new walkabout lens for my 450D.

I currently have:

18-55mm kit
10-20mm sigma
55-250mm
50mm

After trying out the 18-55 I bought the above lenses over time and tested out what sort of photography I liked (expensive I know)

I mainly like to shoot architecture and street stuff so the 10-20 comes in handy and so does the 55-250 because its great to zoom in and create compositions that you wouldn't normally achieve unless you can get really close. The 50mm is also good because it forces you to think about the shot, which I like and the IQ is nice.

After getting the feel for wide angle it’s really the sort of stuff I’m into, but I also like the convenience of zooming in when I can. So I’ve been thinking about getting the 15-85 as it looks to have a nice wide angle as much as a decent zoom and would essentially replace my kit lens.

Has anyone got the 15-85? I just wanted to get some views on it. I know the 15-85 isn't particularly fast but I’ve got the 50mm 1.8 if I need that. I like doing some low light stuff, but if image shake is a problem I’ll just use a tripod. Plus I like having everything in focus usually so I don't necessary want to shoot wide open. I know the 17-55 would be a nice lens but it doesn't offer a very wide view and isn't very long just like the kit lens.

So any views on the 15-85 (build, image quality etc) would be good and if you guys have any other suggestions I’m open to them.

Thanks

Jon

[vdzande]

Re: Replacing my 18-55 with the 15-85?

Hi Jon. I have a 500d which is comparable. I also have a few of your lenses: 18-55 kit lens and the 55-250 zoom. Ánd recently the 15-85 :) Never regretted that for a moment. Feels quality build and very usefull day-to-day. And what do you mean by 'fast'? The 15-85 is very quiet (usm) and has a fast focus. For me it is wide enough for architecture.

[briansquibb]

Re: Replacing my 18-55 with the 15-85?

Jon,

You have the 10-20, why not just add the 24-105 and sell the rest?

Brian

[Urbandon]

Re: Replacing my 18-55 with the 15-85?

Hi Guys,

Cheers for the replies on this, when i'm talking about a fast lens i just mean that it has a wider aperture, like 1.8 or 2.8, the 15-85 doesn't have a constant aperture and is more like 3.5-5.6 which is a bit slower.

Brian - I would consider, the 24-105, but my only concern is on a cropped body ( ie. 450D) it wont be very wide but, in fact i'm not sure what the equivalent range would be on a cropped body? Also what is the IQ like on that lens?

I do have the 10-20 but its a bit soft, i'm not sure whether its my copy but i have taken many shots with it and not been too convinced with the IQ, it might just be my copy of the lens i'm not sure. I really wanted something that would be more suited to the focal range I tend to use. I'm certainly interested in the 24-105 though? Umm difficult...

vdzande - what is the image quality like on the 15-85? My copy of the 55-250 is really sharp and i would like something equal to that or better.

[briansquibb]

Re: Replacing my 18-55 with the 15-85?

Brian - I would consider, the 24-105, but my only concern is on a cropped body ( ie. 450D) it wont be very wide but, in fact i'm not sure what the equivalent range would be on a cropped body? Also what is the IQ like on that lens?

I do have the 10-20 but its a bit soft, i'm not sure whether its my copy but i have taken many shots with it and not been too convinced with the IQ, it might just be my copy of the lens i'm not sure. I really wanted something that would be more suited to the focal range I tend to use. I'm certainly interested in the 24-105 though? Umm difficult...

vdzande - what is the image quality like on the 15-85? My copy of the 55-250 is really sharp and i would like something equal to that or better.

The 24- 105 is the sharpest of the lens in this zoom range, just at f4 not the fastest (that is the 24-70 f2.8)

The 24mm wide end it just a step further away from the long end of the 10-20. So with those two you would be covering 10-105. The 24mm is 24mm whether on crop or full frame - you dont adjust for a cropped frame. The 24mm end is wide but not very wide, hence the 10-20 to cover the very wide end.

Brian

[EOS_Jim]

Re: Replacing my 18-55 with the 15-85?

Brian'r right about the focal length - that doesn't change whether on a crop or FF body but what does change is the field of view which makes a crop body look like it has a longer focal length so the 24-105 would be a 38.6-160 equivalent - i'e it has the field of view of a 38-160mm lens on a FF body. Complicated I know but the way to think of it is a crop body just

THis explains it a bit

http://www.the-digital-picture.com/Canon-Lenses/Field-of-View-Crop-Factor.aspx

Your 10-20 will be the 16-32 eqivalent on a FF so pretty wide and the 15-85 on a crop body is equivalent to 24-136mm - A very useful range although as pointed out a variable max aperture and not that fast (in terms of aperture - particularly at the long end).

[Urbandon]

Re: Replacing my 18-55 with the 15-85?

Thanks Jim and Brian for explaining that, i've always wondered what that lens is like on a cropped sensor.

I've just been looking at all my shots to work out what focal range would be the best.

About 50% of my work is wide angle but then the rest has been between 50-200, so the it might be more logical to get the 24-105 and try and and get the best out of my sigma. As i say i think my 10-20 is a bit soft, i need to do a test to work out why. It annoys me that the 10-20 doesn't have any IS or IS equivalent, because I do tend to shoot handheld quite a lot. I've tried to find the sweet spot of the lens but nothing seems to work.

The 15-85, would be good but i'm thinking it might not be long enough, i'm still undecided.

I've got some thinking to do, cheers guys!

[briansquibb]

Re: Replacing my 18-55 with the 15-85?

About 50% of my work is wide angle but then the rest has been between 50-200, so the it might be more logical to get the 24-105 and try and and get the best out of my sigma. As i say i think my 10-20 is a bit soft, i need to do a test to work out why. It annoys me that the 10-20 doesn't have any IS or IS equivalent, because I do tend to shoot handheld quite a lot. I've tried to find the sweet spot of the lens but nothing seems to work.

IS on the 10-20. This will be only any use if you shoot at less than 1/50

Softness often creeps in on lens when the high f numbers are used. Most lens, in tests, start to get softer after f11. Now with a wide angle lens f11 just happens to be sufficient (in most cases) to get the whole picture in focus. I would try f8 for a sweet spot.

Look here

Brian

[DrJon]

Re: Replacing my 18-55 with the 15-85?

There is a table here of when diffraction starts to soften an image for particular cameras:

http://www.the-digital-picture.com/Reviews/Canon-EOS-7D-Digital-SLR-Camera-Review.aspx

Although do remember it will only start gently and you can go some way past this and get good results. Obviously most lenses aren't at their best wide open either, so finding a sweet spot can be a challenge, although f5.6-f8 is usually a good bet (as long at they are at least a stop down from the maximum aperture), and f11 if more depth of field is required (something is never going to be sharp if it's too far outside the in-focus range). Higher ISOs will also soften an image as the noise reduction circuitry in the camera does its thing (even before noise is all that visible). Then again if stuff is moving ignore all this and get the shutter speed fast enough first...
John

[Urbandon]

Re: Replacing my 18-55 with the 15-85?

I did some research a while back on the 10-20mm and you guys are right the sweet spot is around f8-f11. I've tried taking several shots of the same landscape using mirror lock up, tripod, ISO 100 and at varying apertures at different focal lengths and it just seems soft. I know at 10mm i'm likely to get softness around the edges and distortion but when compared to my other lenses it just seems of the mark throughout the frame.

I guess i could send it back to sigma and see if they can adjust it, but i don't know if its just the lens. Its not horrendous but i really
didn't expect it to be so bad, only because i heard good things about the lens. Is there anything else I should be trying?

Ha ha anyway talking to you guys I feel like selling some of my lenses and getting the 24-105 and maybe the 10-22 if the 10-20 isn't fitting the bill.

Cheers again

Jon

[Muscat]

Re: Replacing my 18-55 with the 15-85?

Several months ago when I was lookingto buy a wide angle lens I did some digging around on the internet I found a number of reports that the Sigma 10-20 lens was inconsistent in its build quality and some of the lenses. You either got a cracking razor sharp lens othwerwise you got a very soft focus lens. I saw that people were sending the lenses back to Sigma for replacement.

I didn't want to take the risk of getting a soft focus lens I purchased the Canon 10-22 which I find to be a fabulous lens. If you get the 24-105L lens you wont be disapointed I have that lens as well and it is a dream of a lens

[DrJon]

Re: Replacing my 18-55 with the 15-85?

It's well known I love my Canon 10-22, it even seems better than the 14 II sometimes (although not so much now DXO supports the 14), but you really do need to have a particular requirement to go wider than 24mm (=15mm for crop sensors), that's wide enough for most ordinary photography, IMHO. (As I have a 14 you can probably see I like the challenge of using a UWA - Ultra Wide Angle - to get interesting photos, it's probably the most creative lens I own.)
John

[Urbandon]

Re: Replacing my 18-55 with the 15-85?

Muscat - You're right, I wish I had looked into the lens a bit more before my purchase, all the reviews raved about it at the time and it's supposed to be just as good and obviously cheaper than the canon 10-22.

I think i've decided! I'm going to get the 24-105 and sell the 55-250 & maybe the sigma 10-20. This way I can get the some cash and also get the 10-22. However, I might send my 10-20 back to sigma and see if i can get it fixed, after all it may just be a simple adjustment. If i'm willing to spend the cash to get 15-85 then I can stretch to the 24-105 and have done with it! There's nothing worse than seeing another guy with walking past with the lens you want!

Cheers for all the advice, love this forum

[briansquibb]

Re: Replacing my 18-55 with the 15-85?

If i'm willing to spend the cash to get 15-85 then I can stretch to the 24-105 and have done with it!

You might think of buying second hand from a reputable dealers - such as here I have no connection with this dealer except as a satisfied customer

[hughbie]

Re: Replacing my 18-55 with the 15-85?

Urbandon,
Consider getting the Sigma adjusted as a first stop - if the charge is nil or nominal. Will save you lots towards the 24-105. Had a 10-20, very good, but not my thing after all.

Regarding reputable secondhand dealers, I just bought a good clean lens off this site's classified at a fair price ( i.e. not a rip off, not a bargain), and bought a 300L f2.8IS last year off the classifieds. Worth a look if you are not in a rush ( no I am not selling one...). Sounds like you have the dosh to buy new, though.