General Purpose Lens

karen123

I recently purchased the Canon 60D after owning a Canon Rebel for several years. The lenses I own are EF 50mm f/1.8 II, EF 70-200mm f/4L IS, EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS and EF 80-200mm f/4.5-5.6 II. I am considering purchasing a new general purpose lens to be used both indoor and outdoor, people and group shots. Do you think this is a good idea or should I use the 50mm lens? Any advice would be appreciated.

amigo

Hi @karen123,

I've taken very nice portraits using the 50mm f/1.8 II that you own. This is a little jewel of a lens, and an incredible bargain as well. You should definitely keep that lens in your camera bag.

However, I like the flexibility of a zoom lens sporting a wide aperture, especially one that will give me a wide angle when shooting groups.

I own the 18-55mm EF-S f/2.8 IS USM zoom lens. Its optical quality is outstanding for the price. It's very good for group shots, and it also performs very well in low light (for an APS-C body). Paired to a 430 EX-II flash, that's my go-to setup for weddings and other events where the shots are taken on the spur of the moment. So if I were you, I'd sell the EF-S 18-55mm that you already own and purchase a used, in mint condition copy of the 18-55mm f/2.8 IS USM lens.

But don't take my word for it. You can rent the lens for around $35 for a weekend at specialized camera stores and make your own opinion of the lens.