Equipment What glass to buy...

Well I'm off on holiday soon, bit of a trip of a lifetime, so I want to get a new lens, perhaps 2.

Currently I own a 400D with standard 18-55 lens, hopefully lots of panoramas and I wanted something to help capture this...

Trying to stay low end/fairly budget, so if you have any recommendations on what would be a good purchase please post!

 

MUST BUY LENSE FOR ANYBODY: Canon 50mm F/1.8

Now, as for your portait lenses, try getting a 10-20ish mm zoom. The Canon one is expensive - personally, I managed to get a used Sigma, which I think is amazing. It tends to be a little soft on the edges (what wide angle isn't?), and exhibits a little bit of CA on the corners (again, what wide angle doesn't?)

10mm will capture some very dramatic landscape and architectural photos, and that 50mm is just a must have for anything else.

It's true that the aperture is not that great for super-wides (starts at 3.5 or 4 - 5.6), but you don't need glass that fast when you're shooting at such a short focal length.

 

My walkaround lens is a Sigma 17-70mm f/2.8-4.5 which is a beautiful lens. Very sharp and has macro too. If you want something with a constant aperture, look at the Tamron 17-50mm f/2.8. Both are very versitile and fairly cheap (Sigma = $350, Tamron = $450). If you don't know if you want ot spend that much yet, definitly buy the Canon 50mm f/1.8. Its a great lens (but autofocus sucks) for only $80. Your decision on what to buy is really driven by what you want to shoot. Do you need large apertures for shooting in low light and/or with high speed subjects? Do you want to shoot with a telephoto? These would be good questions to answer for yourself before dropping $500 on glass.

 

For wide angles i've had the Tokina 12-24 on my 400D. Excellent build and image quality and relatively cheap.

 

Go for the Canon 10-22 or the Sigma 10-20, if those are out of your price range check out the 12-24 range.

The Sigma 17-70 is a brilliant lens and worth getting to replace your kit lens.

 

Don't forget the Canon 50mm f/1.8!

I know, I keep mentioning it. It was my first lense (I got it a week or so after I got my Rebel XT kit), and it became the lense that was always on my camera until I got the Sigma 10-20.

I've got a little collection of lenses, namely a telezoom (70-200 F/4L), a 100mm macro, the kit lense, the 10-20, and I can easily say that the 50 was probably my best buy.

 

Mean't to add, were passing through Hong Kong, if I bought there am I going to save much?

Looking around, looks like about £300 for a 10-20, can't see anything cheaper (a bit strapped for cash...)

 

So, I'll pick up an 50mm,

Can you recommend the best low end wide angle? Like I say, unfortunately budget is restricting me, am I right in thinking the Sigma is the cheapest/best buy?

 

Yep. It's the cheapest 10mm wide I found. You really don't have many options at such a wide focal length, so there is really little comparison. Expect to see softening and CA in the edges for all lenses of this class - just the current nature of wide angles - but the Sigma does not disappoint - at least not for me.