Best Canon Multi purpose lens: What is the best Canon Multi-purpose lens for the T3i? Thank you in advance for your thoughts.

AmyJ Loc: Maryland

What is the best Canon Multi-purpose lens for the T3i? Thank you in advance for your thoughts.

FrodoBaggins Loc: Texas

AmyJ wrote:

What is the best Canon Multi-purpose lens for the T3i? Thank you in advance for your thoughts.

A great all around for me is the 18-135mm. My son in law has the 18-200mm but I prefer mine.

Architect1776 Loc: In my mind

FrodoBaggins wrote:

A great all around for me is the 18-135mm. My son in law has the 18-200mm but I prefer mine.

Both of these are excellent choices. What is your budget?
If you feel flush the 24-105L is good but a bit less range and a whole lot more money.

AmyJ Loc: Maryland

Architect1776 wrote:

Both of these are excellent choices. What is your budget?
If you feel flush the 24-105L is good but a bit less range and a whole lot more money.

I want to get the best available multi purpose for this camera. It's a gift to a friend for a very special occasion and this is the camera it'll be attached to. So budget is very flexible. Primes not considered as they aren't really multi purpose. I'm not a Canon user so any help, again, is greatly appreciated.

Architect1776 Loc: In my mind

AmyJ wrote:

I want to get the best available multi purpose for this camera. It's a gift to a friend for a very special occasion and this is the camera it'll be attached to. So budget is very flexible. Primes not considered as they aren't really multi purpose. I'm not a Canon user so any help, again, is greatly appreciated.

Well the 24-105L is the better series of optics that Canon produces. L lenses are the professional quality, weather sealed and more rugged and durable as well as superior optics. But again the non-L glass in many cases will produce incredible photographs as well.
In the long run the 24-105L is what I would get personally if the budget were flexible as that is what I did get and love it and it is my daily walkaround lens.

Photo with 24-105L

(Download)

LFingar Loc: Claverack, NY

AmyJ wrote:

I want to get the best available multi purpose for this camera. It's a gift to a friend for a very special occasion and this is the camera it'll be attached to. So budget is very flexible. Primes not considered as they aren't really multi purpose. I'm not a Canon user so any help, again, is greatly appreciated.

Do you know what lenses your friend already has?

AmyJ Loc: Maryland

LFingar wrote:

Do you know what lenses your friend already has?

A "very used" 18-200.

AmyJ Loc: Maryland

AmyJ wrote:

A "very used" 18-200.

Tamron 18-200

RichardSM Loc: Back in Texas

Architect1776 wrote:

Well the 24-105L is the better series of optics that Canon produces. L lenses are the professional quality, weather sealed and more rugged and durable as well as superior optics. But again the non-L glass in many cases will produce incredible photographs as well.
In the long run the 24-105L is what I would get personally if the budget were flexible as that is what I did get and love it and it is my daily walkaround lens.

Nice color and picture too very sharp as well. I also notice a few spots in the picture check your sensor or mirror in the camera.

LFingar Loc: Claverack, NY

AmyJ wrote:

A "very used" 18-200.

Here are all of Canon's current lenses:
http://www.usa.canon.com/cusa/consumer/products/cameras/ef_lens_lineup
IS indicates a stabilized lens.
STM lenses are better for video then USM.
L lenses are Canon's premium lenses.
EF-S are designed for crop sensor.
EF are designed for full frame but will work fine on your friend's crop sensor.
All of the lenses shown, except possibly the two EF-M lenses, will work on your friend's camera. Since your friend already is well used to an 18-200 I would hesitate to suggest anything shorter.

AmyJ Loc: Maryland

[quote=LFingar]Here are all of Canon's current lenses:
http://www.usa.canon.com/cusa/consumer/products/cameras/ef_lens_lineup
IS indicates a stabilized lens.
STM lenses are better for video then USM.
L lenses are Canon's premium lenses.
EF-S are designed for crop sensor.
EF are designed for full frame but will work fine on your friend's crop sensor.
All of the lenses shown, except possibly the two EF-M lenses, will work on your friend's camera. Since your friend already is well used to an 18-200 I would hesitate to suggest anything shorter.[/quote

Thanks for all of this info. Very helpful. So I'm looking at the EF 28-300 L. I'm a little baffled by its price when the Nikon version is around 1K and the Canon is 2.5K...hmmm.

Peterff Loc: O'er The Hills and Far Away, in Themyscira.

AmyJ wrote:

What is the best Canon Multi-purpose lens for the T3i? Thank you in advance for your thoughts.

This conversation has already become quite complicated.

The T3i is a very good basic DSLR, but is slowly aging. However, for the wide angle end of the spectrum the EF-S lenses are most appropriate. EF lenses are designed for full frame, and work well with crop form factor bodies like the T3i - I have one - for longer focal lengths, they are not so good for the short to medium range. The field of view of an ultra wide 20mm EF lens on a FF body (read film etc.) is like 35mm on a crop body like the T3i. Not that wide at all.

If the idea is to update a "very used, worn out" lens then the EF-S 18-135 STM is a decent choice, but it offers nothing new in terms of capability.

If your friend's old lens is still functional and he/she is not complaining about it on a daily basis, you could look at something different like the EF-S 10-18mm zoom ultra wide. Very well regarded, not too expensive.

It still isn't really clear what you wish to achieve and what the budget is.

Can you add further clarity?

AmyJ Loc: Maryland

Peterff wrote:

This conversation has already become quite complic... (show quote)

Sure. Sorry if I've been a little vague. I'd like to get a really nice lens, for this camera, that would still be viable if they upgraded the camera in the future. My friend really only wants to carry one lens. So as I stated in a previous portion of the thread, I like the 28-300, but am curious as to why it's $2500 vs. the Nikkor equivalent at about $1000.

SharpShooter Loc: NorCal

AmyJ wrote:

Sure. Sorry if I've been a little vague. I'd like to get a really nice lens, for this camera, that would still be viable if they upgraded the camera in the future. My friend really only wants to carry one lens.

Amy, I have a variety of lenses. If I was to carry just ONE lens, it would be the 24-105(but I shot FF).
On a crop camera the 15-85 is actually a better choice, but it is NOT upgradable.
There is no such thing as the perfect lens, that's why Canon has more than a hundred lenses in its' line-up!! EVERY lens made will have limitations. Even if the 24-105 is not ideal, the L lens would be shown off MORE often and the pride/status of ownership has value far beyond what the lens will do!
There are many, many here that own the 24-105 and don't need it. Why do you think they bought it anyway?
Anyway, that's my way of thinking, both logical and illogical!! :lol: :lol: Good luck ;-)
SS

LFingar Loc: Claverack, NY

AmyJ wrote:

Sure. Sorry if I've been a little vague. I'd like to get a really nice lens, for this camera, that would still be viable if they upgraded the camera in the future. My friend really only wants to carry one lens. So as I stated in a previous portion of the thread, I like the 28-300, but am curious as to why it's $2500 vs. the Nikkor equivalent at about $1000.

Canon "L" glass is premium construction and optics. Designed for professional use for anyone else who can afford them. Keep in mind that the 28-300 is a heavy lens. Will your friend want to carry that kind of weight around all the time? For about the same price you could get your friend the much lighter EF 24-105mm f/4 L AND the highly regarded EF 70-300mm f/4-5.6 L. I have a 24-105 and had a 70-300, which I sold when I bought the new 100-400 L II. They are both very good lenses. I only sold the 70-300 because I wanted more reach.