Tamron 17-50 or Sigma 30

[Rando]

Hi, i'm interested in buying a all-around lens for my Canon Rebel Xt. Would you recomend a zoom lens like the Tamron 17-50mm f2.8 or a prime lens like the Sigma 30mm f1.4? I kwon it's diferent arpoach, but, what are your recomendations?

[Clyde]

Hi, i'm interested in buying a all-around lens for my Canon Rebel Xt. Would you recomend a zoom lens like the Tamron 17-50mm f2.8 or a prime lens like the Sigma 30mm f1.4? I kwon it's diferent arpoach, but, what are your recomendations?

The tamron is pretty well respected. Generally speaking, zooms are better "all-around" lenses than primes. The 30mm prime would be better for specialized purposes, like low light situations where you wanted a "normal" length lens.

To be honest, I hadn't heard of the sigma 30 before. It is a crop only lens, so you wouldn't be able to use it if you eventually upgraded to a full-frame camera. While you would learn a certain old-school discipline if you were required to shoot with a prime, you would also have some frustration as the shot you wanted was much wider than your 30, or required you to foot zoom just past that annoying fence seperating you from the beautiful lions right over there...

Personally I think of primes as more specialty items. My 50mm stays in the bag except for when I need every last bit of sharpness from a tripod shot, or am in very bad light. I love the versatility of my zoom (the 28-75 version of the tamron you are considering). It also focuses more reliably than the canon 50mm f/1.8.

Good Luck,

Clyde

[DonSchap]

The TAmROn simply works... and does what it was designed to do... sharp focus at wide-angle to short tele with uniform aperture at F/2.8.

I ask you: How in the world do you go wrong with that? :D

My advice: Buy one, take some images in confidence and quit torturing yourself with these rather obvious observations. The lens has been tested, again and again... no one is complaining... which is rare for any lens. Go with a winner... go TAmROn

[unix04]

The tamron is pretty well respected. Generally speaking, zooms are better "all-around" lenses than primes. The 30mm prime would be better for specialized purposes, like low light situations where you wanted a "normal" length lens.

To be honest, I hadn't heard of the sigma 30 before. It is a crop only lens, so you wouldn't be able to use it if you eventually upgraded to a full-frame camera. While you would learn a certain old-school discipline if you were required to shoot with a prime, you would also have some frustration as the shot you wanted was much wider than your 30, or required you to foot zoom just past that annoying fence seperating you from the beautiful lions right over there...

Personally I think of primes as more specialty items. My 50mm stays in the bag except for when I need every last bit of sharpness from a tripod shot, or am in very bad light. I love the versatility of my zoom (the 28-75 version of the tamron you are considering). It also focuses more reliably than the canon 50mm f/1.8.

Good Luck,

Clyde

coming from a different perspective...

i like to take a lot of night portrait/group shots, and would prefer to take out the sigma 30/1.4 + the canon 50/1.4 than the tamron 2.8. but that's because of the type of shots i want to get. 2.8 wont do in the type of places i like to shoot.

the tamron is more versatile and offers decent low light performance. but the extra 2 stops from the primes certainly do come in handy, and the 30/50 combo is something i'm hoping to get in the next few months.

think over the type of shots you'd like to take, whether it's daylight/night-time or portrait/landscape/macro type shots, etc. according to your needs, your choices will differ.

the tamron will give you some wide angle (17-25 focal range) and the convenience of zoom. the prime will give you lower light capability. image quality on both are excellent.

for starters, i'd say go with the tamron. i sorta grew into my primes, and had a hard time adjusting, but now that i've adjusted a bit, i'm enjoying primes very much.

[jeisner]

i sorta grew into my primes, and had a hard time adjusting, but now that i've adjusted a bit, i'm enjoying primes very much.

It becomes an addiction, I use almost completely primes now.. ;-)

[RichNY]

It becomes an addiction, I use almost completely primes now.. ;-)

And isn't it a necessity now for Pentax users? Aren't fast zooms something for that platform yet to be released?

[DonSchap]

OUCH! :p Isn't that like a slam and a dunk? Geez Louise... :eek:

Look, Pentax does have access to many Sigma and TAmROn lenses, so f/2.8 is a possibility with the mount.

Wow... that was like a direct hit below the belly button, Rich. You type with those fingers to your Mom like that? LOL :rolleyes:

That was a PRIME candidate for obnoxious.

[jeisner]

And isn't it a necessity now for Pentax users? Aren't fast zooms something for that platform yet to be released?

I have used the Pentax FA28-80/2.8 and Pentax FA80-200/2.8, there are 2.8 zooms, also Tokina, Sigma and Tamron have 2.8 zooms in Pentax mount.. So we have access to fast zooms, and more coming in March, but they don't interest me...

I prefer compact primes, until you try it you may not understand ;-)