tamron 18-270 or canon 70-300

[royed]

hi just after some advice i have canon 7d with 18 135 lens i would like a bit more zoom i dont know which would be best to get tamron 18 270 or canon 70 300 i have tried them both on my cam but still not sure witch one to get or another lens be great to get some advice thanks

[robski]

Hi royed welcome to the forum.

The right choice of lens can be a complex subject. Much depends on your budget, application and how critical you are of image quality. What would help is to tell us what subjects you want to photograph and the amount of enlargement your photos are printed to.

Why do you want more reach ?
Can you not move closer to the subject ?

The 18 270 range is regarded as a ideal travel lens where getting a shot is more important than critical image quality. If you only use the whole frame to print postcard size prints it is generally good enough. It tries to be all things for everybody (i.e a one lens solution) and full of compromise in design.

Canon make several 70 300 lens so which one are you referring to ?

A general rule of thumb regarding lens image quality if you are using larger print enlargements. A lens with a smaller zoom range will have less design compromises than a lens with a large zoom range.

Things to look out for when comparing lens.

Barrel and pincushion distortion. These tend to show at either end of the zoom range which can be quite annoying when photographing buildings or subject matter with straight lines. Normally best in the middle of the zoom range.

Colour fringing on the edge and corners of the frame. Again the degree can vary at different points in the zoom range on high contrast subjects.

Image sharpness on the edge and corners of the frame. Often improves when smaller f-stops are used. If your using the lens in low light wide open it may be a factor.

Overall build quality ( ruggedness) and image sharpness is mainly a factor of price.

Auto focus speed. Some lens focus quicker than others. Could be important for fast moving subjects.

Weight. The better quality lens tend to be heavier but then do you want to lug the weight when travelling.

Focus distance range. Is getting very close to the subject important.

A good lens test and review website is
http://www.photozone.de/canon-eos

At the end of the day it will depend on your budget, subject matter and acceptable image quality for the size of enlargement you require.

Sadly there is not the perfect lens for all situations regardless of price. It is the case of picking the best lens for the type of working you are doing. Hence the reason why we have number of lens to cover a range of topics.

[royed]

hi thanks for reply the canon lens ive tried is ef 70 300 1;4-5.6 is usm ,i print up to a3 size pics
i take all types of pics , my budget about 500 to 600 pounds,i do want to do some wildlife and portrait pics

[yelvertoft]

Originally Posted by royed

i print up to a3 size pics
i take all types of pics , [snip],i do want to do some wildlife and portrait pics

royed, given this information, I wouldn't consider anything with such a wide rage as 18-270, it has too many design compromises.

Many thanks to Rob for his excellent and comprehensive reply.

[miketoll]

Can't add to what Rob said but must agree with the lens advice for your criteria, go for the Canon as it will give better results without question which would be noticeable at A3.

[Takahashi]

From what I've found, the 18-270 is a fantastic walkaround lens, and will seldom leave your camera due to the immense zoom range, but it is a wee bit too much of a Jack-of-all-trades, and quality suffers at the extreme wide & zoom ends. If clarity of image and robustness of build are paramount, it may not be the best choice... IMO!

That said, I find mine invaluable as an all-rounder, and most results are perfectly satisfactory. You will however have to put up with noisy, slow AF, a rather loose manual focus ring, and a zoom ring that suffers from gravity/inclination drag at times.

[Birdsnapper]

I've got the Tamron 18-270 and the Canon 70-300. Each fills a specific need: the Tamron is a great walkabout lens, only one lens is required for a variety of situations; the Canon gives a better image and I use it mainly for bird photography as it it is not very wide at 70mm. Your 18-135 is a good lens (from reviews that I've read) and if you don't mind carrying a couple of lens, you could keep the 18-135 and get the 70-300. As with everything photographic, the more advice that you get the more you are liable to become confused!!!

[alanrharris53]

You've already got the 18-135 area covered so it makes sense to go with the Canon 70-300 rather than go for a compromsie lens that covers such a side area. One of the main reason to get an SLR is the ability to change lenses.

[Takahashi]

I would agree with that, but as much as I like the option to change lenses, I much prefer to not have to separate lens from camera if at all possible. Overly cautious I guess, but it's one of the main reasons I want a second body; to have a wide-to-short tele zoom on the 500D, and a 70-x00 zoom on a 7D, and have them always fitted. It's a habit I've picked up since getting the 18-270 last year - it's never been off the camera since, until I got a little 50mm mk1 last month. Yep, I'm lazy.

[Tangata]

I'm reading this with great interest! In March I'm going to dump my Sony in favour of either a Canon or a Nikon and I have been wondering about lenses.