Looking for a wide Zoom..

[kevinbythebeach]

Well Ive been looking for a wide zoom,,, something in the same range as the 17-40 F4L
but without the same price... about 675.00 USD.

Anyone ever use a Tokina Lens....are they as cheaply built and off as some people say...

how about tamron and sigma?

[Jim B.]

I haven't owned a Tokina,but I did have a Tamron 70-300 and a Sigma 70-300.My opinion...the Sigma had much better build qualityand IQ.The Tamron felt like a toy and the IQ was pretty bad.Now both were $160 new.Don't know about the higher end lenses.I also own a Sigma 150 macro and it's built like a tank.

[PopsPhotos]

I've a Tamron 28 which I've beat around some. It is holding up. It is full manual, so I can't say much about their automatic lenses. I have had a couple of Sigmas, but don't now, because they were Canon mount and I switched to Nikon. Those went to grandkids.

I have a Soligar 400, manual focus, AI aperture. It is built like a tank and weighs about as much as one. Mount it on the tripod and hang the camera on it. I can't handle it handheld. It is only f1:6, so I have to be careful to choose my subjects, time and light. However, it does, indeed, reach out there and grab 'em.

Pops

[Colin Southern]

Personally, I think going for cheaper lenses on the likes of a 50D is a bit like buying a Ferrari and then putting pram wheels on it

[GillR]

B&H are currently advertsing a used Canon 17-40 @ $549

The Tamron 17-50 f2.8 gets good reviews (one here for example )and might be worth looking at if you're only interested in buying new.

[Radu Dinu Cordeanu]

Good Afternoon!
I had one and sold it.For more infos:slrgear.com
Collin has right.
I wish You money and success in puchising a good one.
Radu Dinu

[kevinbythebeach]

I'd still take a Ferrari with 'pram" wheels whatever those are....

Ferraris are nice....


Yah I use slrgear.com alot...

[rpcrowe]

I own the Tokina 12-24mm f/4 lens and IMO, this lens is built like a tank!

I absolutely love it. I have the original version but, have not experienced the flare problems which caused Tokina to issue the Mark-II version. The original version sells for about 80% of what the Mark-II costs. However, the Mark-II is now selling (here in the U.S.) for what the first f/4 version originally sold.

The Tokina is one of my favorite lenses however, if I were purchasing today, I would seriously consider the 11-16mm f/2.8 Tokina. That would be a better match for my 17-55mm f/2.8 IS lens. But, the 1mm shorter focal length and extra stop is not enough benefit for me to sell the f/4 model and buy the f/2.8 lens.

BTW: Although the 17-40L is a great wide angle lens on a full-frame camera, it is more of a mid-range zoom on a 1.6x body.

I had a 17-40L and found it lacking in that:

The f/4 aperture is simply not IMO fast enough to be my mid-range zoom

The 40mm long side (equivalent 64mm) is simply not long enough to be my mid range zoom.

I used this lens in tandem with a 70-200mm f/4L IS lens and really missed the great gap between 40mm and 70mm. I do a lot of my shooting from 40mm to 55mm.

I don't seem to miss the gap between my 17-55mm f/2.8 IS lens and my 70-200mm f/4L IS lens. These two lenses are an excellent combination on two cameras and are my standard travel and general photography kit. I will add the 12-24mm Tokina when I know that I will be in some very tight confines. I plan to carry the 12-24mm in concert with the 17-55mm when I tour the Hutongs of Beijing, China and the Muslim night market in Xian.

I will probably miss not having f/2.8 in my wide lens when shooting at night but, if necessary, I will boost the ISO and/or use my monopod.

[I Simonius]

Personally, I think going for cheaper lenses on the likes of a 50D is a bit like buying a Ferrari and then putting pram wheels on it

agree

look for a secondhand 17-40 or wait and save for the different between that and the third party lens

[kevinbythebeach]

WEll.....

I found a new 28-135 IS USM 3:5-5:6 for 300.00 USD...somone here got it in a 7D kit and wanted to sell it fast I guess....I like it so far...just done a few quick shots to make sure its working and some quick and dirty indoor shots.....This 'IS' thing is weird, Its my first IS lens...and I must say its kinda strange to see the image thorugh the viewfinder move around on its own.