lpeck

I just purchased a new 80D which included the 18-135 and would like to add a couple lenses to assist me in my quest to become a good photographer hobbiest. I've done a lot of reading and it sounds like a good Prime lens is a must any suggestions? Canon currently has a lens kit available including a 10-18 wide angle and a 50 mm 1.8. Is the 50mm adequate or should I be looking for something better, Sigma??

I also hope to be vacationing later this year to Alaska and Hawaii and think a telephoto might be a good addition. How do you feel about the Canon 70-300 USM?

Thank you very much for your help.

Larry

Big Bill Loc: Phoenix, AZ

I have the 70-300, and to me, it's a good lens.
IMHO, if you're looking for better quality that the consumer Canon lenses, loot to the Canon "L" lenses; they are excellent, usually better than Sigma, but pricey. Then, you tend to get what you pay for.
I've been to Alaska on cruises, and my teles didn't get as much of a workout as my 28-135 and my 17-40L did. But that's me, not you. Here's what I would suggest: Take a short local sightseeing trip with what you have, and see what you miss; wide angle or tele (probably both, but which more?),and buy accordingly.

Beware: The questions you ask will be answered by people telling you what they use, which is, in their eyes, the absolute best. Your job is to sift through that info, and pick what best suits your needs.

Carlo Loc: Maryland, NW.Chesapeake Bay

I have both the Canon 10-18 & the 50mm 1.8
Both perform very well and are very good value for $ spent.l also the find the 55-250mm is stm
to be a great performer and another great value.
Canon lenses are very good and made for Canon cameras...i also have Sigma lenses that are also very good but not sure if they are better than Canon lenses on Canon cameras..

jethro779 Loc: Tucson, AZ

Is this your first dslr? The one thing I did when I got my first dslr was to spend time out and about learning the camera. I also used the Nikon editing program to see what ranges my shots were in. I found that at first I spent much of my time flipping lenses and most of my shots were between 30mm and 175mm with the majority of those shots capping out at 135-145. I got an 18-140 to use on my D3000 and found that I only changed lenses when I wanted the low light capabilities of my 35mm 1.8. Your usage might vary, but that will only be determined by getting out and using your camera. I think the 80D is an apsc camera, so you might find the 35mm to be better.

msicman692

I have the 1.8 50mm lens and IMHO you need to get that one, or something close to it. My longest lens is the 55-250 that came with my camera. There have been times I wished for a longer one. I haven't been to Alaska myself, but I have friends in my Facebook photog group who live there so I see pictures from there almost every day. The scenery is stunning. She said that since it's spring time, the bears are out now. I'm thinking you may spot some wildlife from a long distance so a longer reach telephoto lens might be a good choice for that.

mas24 Loc: Southern CA

I discovered the Canon 10-18mm lens by this forum. For an ultra wide lens, it is reasonably priced. Great for landscapes. I like owning a prime lens. I own a Nikon 50mm f1.8 that I use for kids soccer games from the sidelines.. Your 18-135mm lens is a good everyday type lens. And if you need more reach, get a 70-300mm lens. I own one in a Nikon model. And use it occasionally. Good luck on your choices. Consider what is best for your needs. And the photography you'll be doing. The Canon 80D is a very good crop sensor camera.

CO

If you get a prime lens look for one with stabilization. Canon has some prime lenses that have image stabilization. Tamron's new SP series prime lenses have vibration compensation (same thing as image stabilization). I purchased the Tamron 45mm f/1.8 VC lens for my Nikons. I did an outdoor model photo shoot where I had to work quickly and using a tripod wasn't practical. Vibration compensation was helpful in getting blur free photos.

Bob_Canon

I have the 80d as well as the 40d. I have in my bag a canon 50mm 1.8, sigma 18-55 2.8, a tamron 16-300 and a sigma 50-500. Enough about the inventory. I too went on an alaska cruise a few years back with my 40d.
I used the 50-500 while in denali as well as crusing thru the passage. That lens performed well there, but to be honest, if i had the tamron 16-300 it would have been just as good. The 18-55 is my standard lens for almost all the time. The 50, well everyone needs a 50, i dont use it as often as I would like. Exit soapbox mode. Your 18-135 is a good lens. that'll probably be the one you use mostly. Like bigbill said above, take what you have for a test drive and then determine. You dont have to have a bag full of lens to get great pics, just the one's your comfortable with and will use often. I also plan on going back to alaska next summer for the land an sea cruise again. Loved that place and excellent place for fantastic pictures. Good luck with your testing and enjoy that trip.

jeep_daddy Loc: Prescott AZ

You'll have to decide this for yourself. If you can tell us what focal length you might be interested in, then we can point you toward a lens that might be in your budget. You are all over the place with your question about focal lengths and zooms verses primes. You decide.

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

Except for a 50mm and 35mm, I prefer zooms. Maybe the quality throughout the whole range isn't as good as a certain prime, but imagine being on vacation and carrying half a dozen primes, changing lenses for every other shot.

CLF Loc: Raleigh, NC

Larry, you have had a lot of advice from members of UHH. As you can see in my signature I also own the 80D. One idea that was not suggested was to buy used. Most of my lenses are used and when bought on line I used B&H, and KEH. All of the ones I have bought from them were rated a 9 or above and they seemed like new when I received them. Also you may have a good to great camera store local to you, I am lucky in that I have two and have bought most of my equipment from them. They have prices as good as on line at the two stores I have used and very good warranties. I have returned a couple of them because I realized I had no real use for them, never a defect. That is part of their warranty.

I hope this helps in your search for additional lenses. FYI to 35mm and 50mm I own were bought for the use inside the house without a flash.

Greg

I forgot to state this in my first reply. Canon makes both APS and EF lenses. The APS lens can only be used on a crop camera body like our 80D. The EF series lenses are a tad better but can be used on a crop body or Full Frame (FF) body. I always lean towards the EF lenses since I may in the future get a FF body. The EF lenses also are a tad better in image quality. There are a lot of discussions on Canon lenses about the differences.

Greg

MikeMck Loc: Southern Maryland on the Bay

Hi Larry, I don't own a prime lens, I would rather surround myself with zoom lenses. They are more functional. If money is an issue, I would recommend the Canon Refurbished Site, you will save a few hundred and Canon warrants them for a year, just like the new lenses. These lenses are returns, not lenses with a problems. All my equipment is refurbished. Good luck.

juicesqueezer Loc: Okeechobee, Florida

Hi Larry; having just been to Alaska, we drove, I took every lenses I owned in my Nikon system. The ones I used the most; 70-200 f2.8 and my 300 f2.8 prime. In fact, if I did it again, the 70-200 would be it. I now have switched to Canon and my go too lens, the 70-200 f2.8. You just cant find a better lens, IMHO!

imagemeister Loc: mid east Florida

Tokina 12-28mm f4 and Canon 70-300 II (nano- the latest) See Ken Rockwell's reviews of these on his site.

hrblaine

I have both the 50mm 1.8 and the 70-300 and I like the results from both lens. (For what it's worth, early on, I purchased the 70-200 F4 L which is a better lens, of course but probably better than I need. I also have a 35 and 100mm lens and am considering superzoom, wa to tele if I can find a light one.) I mostly shoot landscapes and my dogs (English Pointers and English Cockers, hunting dogs not show type). I started many years ago with a Nikon 35mm and since I was shooting mostly concert dance as a poor college student, an 85mm lens which I used for everything, zooming if necessary with my feet. <g> After a long hiatus, I went digital and switched to Canon. I suppose I had a reason to switch but honestly, it escapes me now, 15 years later, for at 86, my memory ain't quite what it used to be! :-) By then, the Nikon camera and lens were long gone, else I'm sure that I would have stayed with Nikon in order to utilize that remarkable 85mm lens which I still remember fondly!