Which lens to use- perhaps a stupid question

[Nathaniel]

I hope the more experienced forum members could give me general advice on the use of lenses. I have the Sigma 10-20, the Tamron 17-50mm f2.8,Nifty fifty,Canon 15-85mm & 24-105mm & I am often confused as to which lens I should use for what? I also have the 70-200 f4 L lens which I am happy in my mind to use for wild life and other telephoto pics with perhaps the 1.4 convertor as a standby. But it is with the shorter lenses that I find I am scratching my head. YOur experienced advice will be much appreciated.

Thanks
Nathaniel

[Woolley]

Re: Which lens to use- perhaps a stupid question

I can understand your confusion with the wider end covered in so many different ways. I can't say what is the correct way, only what I do.

Fundamentally, the 24-105 lives on the camera so that almost always goes with me whatever I'm doing - it covers most of the bases and everything else I can do with my feet.

If I'm out and about I'll add the 10-22 next. It goes in my pocket and simply extends the range downwards. I also like the effects it makes and I think I'm fairly competent with it. It suits the kind of pictures I like to see, and like to take. On the other hand, it's pretty useless for people unless you've got a specific effect in mind.

If I'm going to be indoors with people - a party for instance, I'll take the 17-50 instead. Faster and gives me a reasonable mix of 50mm for portraits out to 17mm for getting a more general shot. In fact under these circumstances I often don't take anything else. I also find it good for building interiors such as grand buildings and churches and I find it produces excellent colours under artifiical light or in high contrast scenes.

Now that's as complicated as I go, but you still have two other choices. If you're in the dim light and you've got people then the 50 adds a whole stop of light and reduces your depth of field. Somewhere with a disco, with kids running around or where you're expecting to get posed portraits - something a little formal then I'd take that as first choice with either the 17- or 24- as back up if you feel you want another lens. It would also be my first choice for outdoors at night - Greek towns, gritty urban or floodlit buildings.

For the life of me, I can't see what your 15-85 adds to your kit. It's really a crop equivalent of the 24-105 on FF. Personally I'd sell it and either get an 85mm 1.8 or sell the nifty as well and step up to the 50mm 1.4 for even faster and tighter DoF.

[Nathaniel]

Re: Which lens to use- perhaps a stupid question

Thanks Woolley for your thoughts. It has given me some ideas. I should have mentioned that at the moment I use both 15-85 & 24-105 as my walk abouts i.e fitted to my two camera bodies. The 24-105 is like a short telephoto for me with my crop bodies. The 15-85 is convenient when I want to take subjects that are closer. On my recent holiday I used only the 15-85 & 70-200 plus a few with the 10-20mm. Having said that what sort of pictures do you take with your 10-22mm. Close ups, interiors,groups,architecture,landscapes ? Perhaps the most difficult lens for me at the moment.

[Deva32]

Re: Which lens to use- perhaps a stupid question

Nat - I sometimes wonder if you can have too many lenses. I am always asking myself, when I get the urge to get a new one, whether I can justify it. When I am out and about with wildlife around I yearn for a lens with a really long reach, but for the amount of times I would use it, I always reject the idea considering the high cost.
I have the 17-40 on my 600D most of the time when I am out walking, but the 55-250 is light enough to carry around as well if I think I will need it. I also have the pocketable nifty-fifty if necessary and the specialised 100mm macro.
I think these are enough for me, although I sometimes wonder about the 24-105. Here I go again!

[Nathaniel]

Re: Which lens to use- perhaps a stupid question

HI! Ian. I fully agree with you and I also think the same. However, I thought I might mention that the 24-105 lens was a gift to me from my children on reaching a special birthday!!!!!!!! Say no more!
So it is always a toss up whether I take the camera with the 15-85 lens or the one with the 24-105 lens on a day out. I am not a walker in the league of MX5 or many other forum members. I find the 15-85 more convenient most times as it covers quite a lot of ground whereas I find ,at times, the 24-105 a bit too "long". I have to of course re-orientate my thinking with the Super wide 10-20, although I bought it esp for landscapes and buildings.

[Deva32]

Re: Which lens to use- perhaps a stupid question

Wow! What generous children. Fully deserved, though, I'm sure.

Ian

[MX5]

Re: Which lens to use- perhaps a stupid question

I just pack my bag (I've several bags of different sizes for different adventures) with what I think I need and with what I can carry. On rambles that's just the 40D plus 17-40L. But if out and about (and not in ramble mode) it'll be my 7D with whatever is appropriate ... 24-104L, f/4 300L or f/4 300L plus 1.4x (and the G10 just in case). I very rarely use the 10-20 Sigma ... but I know if I swapped it for something I'd miss it. My Nifty Fifty vanished somewhere.

[Woolley]

Re: Which lens to use- perhaps a stupid question

What I wouldn't do is to take the 15-85 and the 24-105 on two bodies, they're too similar really. If you have the luxury of two bodies you really want some difference between them - either faster, longer or wider. So with the 24-105 on one I'd definitely have one of the 10-22, 70-200 or nifty on the other, depending on where you were.

I use the 10-22 for anything except people. I haven't fully got the hang of it, but I try to use it a lot to find out what works and what doesn't - I just only let people see what does! Lanscapes mainly, but there's lots of things that you can play with that use the huge depth of field and angle of view. Challenge yourself - stick it on one of the bodies and try to use only that lens unless there's an image you really want that you can't use it for.