Tamron 18-270 lens with my Canon 60D

wasaplaya55

Hi Moose...I have the older Tamron 18-200mm lens that I purchased with my Canon 20D some years back. I have taken many great pics with that lens but wanted something better. Do you think this new 18-270mm lens is much better?

I shot some photos for a friend last week showing his garage and corvettes and used the Canon 18-135mm lens that came with the 60D and was not very happy with the results. I've been experimenting with manual modes such as Aperture Priority and didn't get too many really tack sharp shots with this lens or maybe it was me.

I seem to have much better results with the Tamron lens. Also, just how much sharper are pics with a real expensive lens versus say the new Tamron lens. Is it really so much more noticable?

I know I'm moving around here, but I want to be a better photographer. I do not want to shoot with any of the auto modes. What do you think about "Program" mode? I've read a lot of stuff and have become better. Unfortunately I don't have the dough to buy the best gear, but I loved the 20d and love my 60d even better. Any advice would be greatly appreciated. I enjoy all of your tips and will continue to learn. Thanks, Mike.

Moose

Howdy Mike - The key ingredients to "great" lenses are excellent build quality and glass, super fast and efficient focusing motors and large maximum apertures (low f-numbers).

In the beginning, I always recommend going for an all-in-one lens like the Tamron 18-270mm. A lens like this will give you the creative ability to really shoot anything and everything outdoors. This is your typical "jack of all trades, but master in none" type of lens. It's not the sharpest, or the fastest to focus, but it does give you the freedom to capture everything from wide-angle to telephoto...all with one lens.

Over time, you'll eventually gravitate to a particular type of photography...like landscapes, sports, portraits, etc... At that point, it would be best to add a lens to your arsenal that is designed for that particular type of photography.

For example, if you were interested in portrait photography, you would want a lens that could obtain an aperture between f/1.4 and f/2.8...something like the Canon 50mm f/1.8. If you were more interested in landscape photography, the low aperture f-number requirement wouldn't be such a big deal, since you want the entire scene to be in focus. Rather for landscapes, you'd want a lens that could zoom between 10mm and 24mm in order to capture super wide views.

If you're interested in a particular style of photography, I'd be glad to point you in the right direction. If you're still "exploring", then yes, the Tamron 18-270mm would be an excellent choice. In comparing it to the older 18-200mm, you're gaining a longer zoom range (great for capturing distant subjects), image stabilization and slightly faster focusing.

In regards to modes, again it really depends on what you're shooting. When you want to control the area in focus, use Aperture priority (Av). Select the lowest available f-numbers to shorten the depth of field (portraits, food, products, etc...). Select higher f-numbers to put more of the scene in focus (landscapes, interiors, etc...).

When you want to control movement, use Shutter priority (Tv). Use faster shutter speeds (1/250 or faster) to freeze subject movement (fast action). Use lower shutter speeds (1/15 or slower) to capture subject movement (flowing water).

Again, if you're interested in a particular style of photography I'd be glad to give you some settings to start with. Happy shooting! :)