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Choosing the right lens manufacturer
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Canon 2008 EF lens collection - more lenses than
you can shake a stick at!
For some people this is an easy choice, always go with the manufacturer who made your SLR. For others, it's not so cut and dry. And while I'd like to say that I'm loyal to one company, I can't.
Just look at my kit. I've got wide angle zoom from Canon, a 28-80mm zoom from Sigma (I keep this on the camera 90% of the time), a 50mm from Canon, a telezoom from Tokina and a 90mm macro lens from Tamron. My favorite changes from day to day and with the price of lenses these days, I'm likely to rent one when I need a more specialized lens (or just a new one to play with).
In this economy, I don't know how you can be loyal to one manufacturer. There's no question that Nikon and Canon's lenses are fantastic pieces of glass, but affordability is increasingly becoming an issue (case in point, my 50mm Canon lens is one I picked up on craigslist). I'm in love with the Tamron I have, I just don't have as much cause to use it (though it also makes for a great portrait lens). Quality is the most important issue, with features being the close second. But can I live without image stabilization to save a few bucks? And do I really need a super wide zoom?
The thing that prompted these thoughts? Actually, there three things. One, I rented a Canon 10-22mm that I love and want to buy, but I'm having a hard time justifying it so I'm looking at alternatives. Two, my mid-range zoom has been acting a little wonky in the autofocus department and I might need to replace it with a lens I can rely on and grow with. And three, Outdoor Photographer just ran an article on building your ultimate lens kit.
What lens would you get? What lens are you missing? What lens can't you live without? Help me make my decision about my lens collection!
