Should I buy the newer 18-55 IS or just use the ones I have?

[stonehill]

I am trying to decide if I should buy the 18-55 IS from my friend for $140.00 I already have the 18-55 that came with my XT and I bought the canon 28-105 and the 50mm1.8 and the Sigma 70-300.

For the $140.00 would it be a big improvement over the old 18-55 or should I just try and save for something else. The thing is I really don't have a lot of extra money to spend on lenses but I could probably manage the $140.00 if it is really a much better lense than the one that came with my XT.

We are going on vacation this weekend so I am trying to decide if I should get it today or not.

Thanks much

[GaryS]

Sorry to add a tangent....

I would question why you would want a 18-55 at all if you have the 28-105.

I'm thinking don't buy the 18-55IS. Instead, sell the 18-55 you have for whatever you can get, and just use the 28-105 as your 'walk-around'.

If you want something wider sometimes, save and get something really wide, like a Sigma 10-20.

[GoneTomorrow]

I am trying to decide if I should buy the 18-55 IS from my friend for $140.00 I already have the 18-55 that came with my XT and I bought the canon 28-105 and the 50mm1.8 and the Sigma 70-300.

For the $140.00 would it be a big improvement over the old 18-55 or should I just try and save for something else. The thing is I really don't have a lot of extra money to spend on lenses but I could probably manage the $140.00 if it is really a much better lense than the one that came with my XT.

We are going on vacation this weekend so I am trying to decide if I should get it today or not.

Thanks much

I would save your money for a prime lens, macro or wide angle. There's no reason to get another 18mm-55mm if you already have the 28mm-105mm.

[stonehill]

Thanks for your replys. I didn't know if the 18-55 IS was a better all around lense than the 28-108. Sometimes I wish it was a little wider but at least it has more reach than 55mm.

[GoneTomorrow]

I'm thinking don't buy the 18-55IS. Instead, sell the 18-55 you have for whatever you can get, and just use the 28-105 as your 'walk-around'.


You would have to almost give away that lens. Who would buy it, especially the non-IS version?

[adam75south]

tough call. i think i'd stick with what you already have until i was ready to shell some money out for a constant f/2.8 in that range. but if the IS is important then go for it.

i guess the best answer is to go to a camera shop or borrow one and try it out first.

[stonehill]

I guess if I need the wide angle and IS I could use my smaller Canon power shot A710 IS.

This might open a whole can of worms but what would be the best budget lense with a constand 2.8?

[GaryS]

Just sold on ebay (http://cgi.ebay.ca/Canon-EFS-18-55-AF-1-3-5-5-6-II-UV-Filter_W0QQitemZ160239954527QQihZ006QQcategoryZ152 380QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem)

There is always someone to buy everything. I agree its not worth much, but if you aren't using it...

[michaelb]

I would get it. The 18-55 IS is supposed to be much better optically than the non-IS version. Check this out...
http://www.photozone.de/Reviews/Canon%20EOS%20Lens%20Tests/45-canon-eos-aps-c/181-canon-ef-s-18-55mm-f35-56-is-test-report--review

I personally find IS very useful. I would rather have this lens as my walk-around than the 28-105 due to the IS and I like the 18-55 range much more than the 28-105 range.

You can sell the kit lens on POTN, FM or Ebay without much difficulty.

[namesalex]

i have both of the 18-55mm. i got the IS one for free from someone but i never use the non IS one ever. so i have a lens thats useless and a waste of space!

[droopy1592]

I love my 18-55is 10x more than the 28-105mm I just sold

[Rhys]

It would seem you have just about every opinion under the sun. Here's mine. The 18-55 non-IS is good used between f8 and f16 on a tripod.

Given that you already have the 28-105 (42-162 equivalent), I would echo what others have suggested - get something wider like a 12-24 Tokina.

I have the Canon 18-55 non IS, Tamron 17-35, Tamron 28-75, Canon 17-85 and Canon 70-300. Today I was photographing interiors and yes - wider would have been beneficial. Three lenses are on my shopping list for whenever - the Canon 10-22, the Canon 100 f4 Macro and the 70-200 f4IS.

[adam75south]

It would seem you have just about every opinion under the sun. Here's mine. The 18-55 non-IS is good used between f8 and f16 on a tripod.

those numbers sound great and all rhys, but i really gotta disagree....i think it's a pretty good lens all around.

i used the 18-55 non IS once. here's a picture i got shooting as wide open as possible at ISO 1600 handheld. sure it's not as sharp as it could be wide open, but still pretty acceptable...and i was VERY pleasantly surprised with its performance.

18mm, ISO 1600, f/3.5, 1/50s
http://www.adammedders.com/photos/261192252_NRtcp-L.jpg

this was a paying job and i actually used the kit lens OVER my 24-70mm f/2.8L so i could have the extra 6mm on the short end. yea my 24-70 might have been sharper, but it wouldn't have got the shots i needed.

and to answer your question about the most affordable constant f/2.8....
i have no personal use with either lens..and i'm probably a little biased to sigma since i love my 30mm f/1.4 so much.

but there's the sigma 18-50mm f/2.8($450) and the tamron 17-50mm f/2.8($420)...prices from bhphoto.com.

a few links on both lenses from my favorite review site...they actually rate the prints at each aperture and focal length. i really don't think you can go wrong with either lens.

http://www.popphoto.com/cameralenses/4118/lens-test-sigma-18-50mm-f28-ex-dc-macro.html
http://www.popphoto.com/cameralenses/4640/lens-test-tamron-17-50mm-f28-xr-di-ii-af.html
http://www.popphoto.com/photonews/2850/tamron-sp-af17-50mm-lens-wins-eisa-award.html

[Nickcanada]

That looks pretty sweet Adam. I just got a kit lens off of Don but to be honest I haven't mounted it on my camera yet. :o

[Mark_48]

I am trying to decide if I should buy the 18-55 IS from my friend for $140.00........
For the $140.00 would it be a big improvement over the old 18-55 or should I just try and save for something else. The thing is I really don't have a lot of extra money to spend on lenses but I could probably manage the $140.00 if it is really a much better lense than the one that came with my XT.
Thanks much

Would your friend be willing to let you try the 18-55 IS lens for a while so you can make a comparison to the non-IS version you presently have? My guess is that if you have fairly steady hands, you may not see a big difference between the two lenses, unless alot of your shooting is in low light conditions and the IS would help there. Alternatively rather than IS simply kick up the ISO a bit to help out the shutter speed.

There were two versions of the 18-55 non-IS lens. One was an early cheap version that did not have USM and the second did have USM which was a big improvement for focusing speed. I suspect with the XT, you have the USM lens. I've had both non-IS versions and I haven't got a complaint about either one in terms of image quality. I've always regarded it as a pretty good lens for the price.

Use the lenses you have presently and over time you'll get a sense of what lenses aren't working for you and what their weaknesses are. It'll also give you some time to research and save up a little more money to be able to invest in something of much improved quality.

Mark.......