pablake

I have a cannon eos 70 do camera. It came with a 18-135 image stabilizer lense, that I love. I am looking for a lense that I can use as a telephoto and macro, portrait. .the 18-135 does not allow me to get distant pictures as close as I want. I did some family weddings that I wish I could of gotten closer shots . . If anyone has any recommendations on a good versatile lense for distance, macro and portraitsee all in one. Thanks

RDH

You might want to look at the Canon EF-s 15 -- 85. It will focus down to 14 inches, not macro, but close. Absolutely sharp wide open at all focal lengths. Very, very little distortion. Excellent IS. I wish it where an EF lens, and f2.8, but it is heavy enough and expensive enough as is.

Don Fischer Loc: Antelope, Ore

You might look at something like a 70-200. Somewhere around here I have a very old Nikon 70-210 that takes great photo's. Now if I could just remember where I put it!

Jackinthebox Loc: travel the world

I bought a Canon 60D with an 18-200 lens when the 60D first came out. I have bought a few more lenses including a 24-105L. The 18-200 is still my favorite, mostly stay on the camera. The 24-105 is everything they claim but the 18-200 is so much more versatile. Quality of pictures is indistinguishable. Borrow or rent one for a week and see how it works for you.

jim quist Loc: Missouri

The 100 macro is a good portrait lens and does great macro.
I have this one, there is an L series that is more expensive.

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/194451-USA/Canon_4657A006_100mm_f_2_8_USM_Macro.html

sr71 Loc: In Col. Juan Seguin Land

zoom with your feet......

Jackdoor Loc: Huddersfield, Yorkshire.

Sigma's macro 105mm 2.8 is as good as anybody's and less than half the price.
Zooming with your feet only works for those who can walk on water, and still changes the perspective and therefore the scene. If you lens isn't long enough, you have to crop and hope! Far from ideal.

Tracy B. Loc: Indiana

I also have a 70d. I purchased the Sigma 18-300. It is a great lens for traveling, so you don't have to bring everything. I believe you can also use it as a macro. I also have the 100mmL Macro lens. The 100mm is at 1:1 Macro. It is probably my favorite lens.

abbey4049 Loc: West Palm Beach, Florida

I shoot with the Tamron 18-270, (29-430 equivalent on my Canon T2i) Love it. I have the first one that came out, but they redesigned to be lighter and smaller. The only lense I use. Go try it.

sb Loc: Florida's East Coast

But that is sooo hard when you are taking photos of birds in the swamp or players at a game!

amfoto1 Loc: San Jose, Calif. USA

Original poster is looking for a lens to use at weddings and other family events for portraits... not birds in the swamp or players at a game!

You aren't going to find a single lens that does all you want particularly well. The whole point of an SLR like the 70D is the ability to change lenses to adapt the camera for use in different situations (otherwise, if you don't want to change lenses, just get a Powershot G1X or G3X).

For portraits, zooming with one's feet makes a lot of sense and an 18-135mm covers the most ideal portrait focal lengths. My most used portrait lenses (on crop camera like the 70D) are 24-70/2.8, 28-135, 50mm and 85mm.

But if you want more reach for other purposes, a 70-300 IS USM (around $600) would complement the shorter lens nicely, without being too big, heavy or expensive. As an f3.5-5.6 lens, a 70-300 would be mostly a daylight lens. For indoor/lowlight work, a 70-200mm f2.8 IS USM II would be a better choice for it's larger aperture, but doesn't have as much reach and costs upwards of $2000 and is bigger/heavier. Tamron 70-200/2.8 VC USD is getting a good reputation, too... sells for about $1500.

(EF 75-300 non-IS, non-USM can be found a lot cheaper, but is not one of Canon's better lenses and is best avoided.)

If you shoot a lot of portraits, I'd recommend EF 50/1.4 and EF 85/1.8 as two reasonably affordable and even more ideal portrait lenses. With their large apertures you can shoot low light and/or can blur down backgrounds nicely. They also are relatively small and less intimidating or intrusive than many of the zooms. These lenses sell for approx. $400 each (including lens hoods... be sure to get those, which are sold separately, especially for the 50mm... It's needed to protect that lens, tho I'd recommend one for any lens, anytime).

For occasional macro/close-up shots at higher magnifications than the lenses can do on their own, simply get a set of Kenko Macro Extension Tubes ($124) and learn to use them with the lenses you've already got. The current "CA/AFs" version will work well on either the 18-135 or 70-200/70-300 or 50mm or 85mm. In fact, they can increase the magnification of any lens, usually with very little negative effect on image quality (there is some vignetting on the 50/1.4 at it's largest apertures).

For portraiture in particular, you also might consider getting a flash, an off-camera shoe cord and a flash bracket.

RWCRNC Loc: Pennsylvania

I really like this lens too

DebAnn Loc: Toronto

I use that same setup most of the time - including weddings. However, I also have a 100 macro and a 70-250mm which cover most other needs. Unless you're shooting little birds at a distance, those should cover what you want.

imagemeister Loc: mid east Florida

You want the 70-200 f4 L - non IS is cheaper - put a Canon 500D close up lens on the front and a Tamron SP 1.4X on the back of it - You are good to go ! ......

imagemeister Loc: mid east Florida

Make sure you get a tripod collar to go with it - $12 off ebay .....