• DSLR Video

  Think its time to get a super-zoom lense, advice please

  Posted by Ben Edwards on July 31, 2012 at 3:02 pm

  Hi, I have a Canon 550D and the following lenses:

  – Canon EF 50mm f/1.8
  – Canon EF-S 17-85mm f/4-5.6 IS USM
  – Canon EF-S 55-250mm f/4-5.6 IS

  The 17-85 is the one I use the most and am quite happy with it, but as a lot of the stuff I do is run n gun so changing lenses can be a bit of a problem. I have been looking around at ‘superzoom’ lenses and the only ones with image stabilization seems to be (loking for something up to around £400):

  – Tamron AF 18-270mm f/3.5-6.3 VC
  – Canon EF-S 18-200mm f/3.5-5.6 IS
  – Sigma 18-200mm f/3.5-6.3 DC AF OS
  – Sigma 18-250mm F3.5-6.3 DC OS HSM

  Are there any I have missed? Also how are these likely to compare to my 17-85 in terms of picture quality and stabilization? (not too bothers about autofocus as I use manual). As 200 is 320 equivelent for cropped sensor maybe this is all I need/will be able to hand hold.

  All insight welcome;).
  Ben

  —
  Ben Edwards – Freelance Picture Editor
  https://www.funkytwig.com

  Macpro1,1 2007 6GB RAM 2*2 3Ghz Xeon

  Ben Edwards replied 13 years, 12 months ago 1 Member · 1 Reply
• 1 Reply

• 

  Ben Edwards

  August 1, 2012 at 3:45 pm

  Thought I would provide a update. I think the Tamron 18-270 is the best bet. I posted this to the dpreview Third Part Lens Forum but as it is releven here I will also post:

  Hi, I have been looking for a superzoom and just read the reviews on this site for these two lenses. This topic has been covered before but as I shoot video the requirements are a little different. The two main differences for me are that autofocus is not used and the lens does not have to resolve such a high resolution (HD video is under 4 Megapixels).

  I have come to the conclusion that the Tamron is a better bet and not because of the zoom range (well not at the tele end). The review seems to indicate the Tameron gives better image quality/distortion (sharpness, barrel and chroma) at the wide end and with video it is the wide end that is generally more impotent. Tamron also seems to go a tad wider which is good.

  Interestingly the Tamron gets a slightly better score (alough obviously a single quantitative score for a lens is very crude and of limited use).

  Any thoughts?

  Ben

  —
  Ben Edwards – Freelance Picture Editor
  https://www.funkytwig.com

  Macpro1,1 2007 6GB RAM 2*2 3Ghz Xeon

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