Thinking about upgrading to a Landscape and Portrait lens

zonaman

@Moose - I have a question or two regarding if I need any additional lenses or if you feel I am setup pretty good.

Lenses I have now with equipment (Canon 60D):
- Sigma 17-50mm f/2.8 EX HSM
- Canon 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6L IS USM Telephoto Lens
- Tamron 70-300mm f/4-5.6 Di VC USD Telephoto Lens (if I am hiking and want a lens not as heavy as the Canon L)
- Canon Speedlite 320EX
- Remote control
- Tripod

If I want to take pictures of landscape (Arizona desert), sunsets, sunrises and when on vacations like Vegas, Europe, etc... when I want to take pictures on a tripod would I need a lens like the Tamron 10-24mm f/3.5-4.5 or would the Sigma 17-50mm f/2.8 I have be sufficient?

Also, for portrait pictures, which would be the best lens? I am assuming the Sigma 17-50mm f/2.8 lens? Would I need a different lens or would one of the other lenses I have be good for portraits?

I plan on purchasing a Canon 100mm macro lens also in the near future for closeup pictures of insects. I noticed you recommended this lens in other posts. I had the Canon 50mm macro, but sold it to use the money towards a 100mm macro. Thanks!

Moose

Howdy @zonaman - Let's dive right in...to answer your first question, your 60D has a crop factor of 1.6, which means your Sigma 17-50mm f/2.8 will give you an effective field of view comparable to a 27-80mm lens on a full frame DSLR (like the Canon 5D) or a film SLR. As you can imagine, 27mm isn't super wide.

In order to get wider sweeping landscapes, you'll need a lens with a zoom range between 8mm to 16mm. The Tamron 10-24mm f/3.5-4.5 (see here) would certainly fit the bill. With the lens starting out at 10mm, you'll have an effective field of view comparable to a 16mm lens on a full frame DSLR. This will give you a MUCH wider view compared to your Sigma. When it comes to the wide end of the zoom range, every (mm) makes a huge difference.

As for portraits...unless you need (or want) a shallower depth of field, your Sigma is more than capable of producing excellent results.

Yep, the Canon 100mm is a fantastic macro lens...perfect for capturing insects and other subjects up close, yet from a comfortable distance.

In regards to your landscapes, have you experimented with Graduated Neutral Density or regular ND filters? Let me know. Happy shooting! :)

zonaman

Thanks @Moose! I have not experienced with filters yet. I was thinking about ordering a circular polarizer filter for the landscape wide angle lens I am going to order. I read it makes blues more blue and enhances the clouds.

Any suggestions or tips you have would be great. I appreciate all your useful information. You have a great website and Facebook page!

Moose

@zonaman - Thanks for the kind words. Yep, a circular polarizer does wonders with skies, clouds, vegetation and removing harsh glare off water. I would go with one of the CPL filter's offered by Hoya, B+W and Tiffen.

In the future, you might want to also think about a graduated neutral density filter. I'm not a big fan of the screw on type, rather, I recommend going for the large square glass/resin type. This will give you better control of the angle and height of the horizon line. You can either hold them up to your lens or use a filter holder that attaches directly to your lens.

Lee filters are sort of the gold standard in this department, but they're expensive and quite hard to locate. Singh-ray is another reputable brand, although still quite expensive. Hitech is an affordable option if you're looking to just dabble with graduated neutral density filters.

Happy shooting!