Cheap zoom for Canon 5d2 (general use)

[sanfairyanne]

I have a friend who's interested in buying my old Canon 5d2, however, he's not keen on shelling out for a 24-105mm f4 L lens. I don't know anything about the cheaper Canon lenses so I wondered if someone could suggest an equivalent which would still work with the full frame format of the 5d2.

Many thanks in advance.

[Slobodan Blagojevic]

Canon does have its own cheaper version of 24-105:

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1081813-REG/canon_9521b002_ef_24_105mm_f_3_5_5_6_is.html/mode

[sanfairyanne]

Thanks very much.

[walter.sk]

I use the Canon 5D mk III, and have a roomful of Canon L lenses, from the 500mm f4.0 to the 16-35 2.8.  One day I go tired of lugging a trunk-full of equipment and tried the Tamron 28-300 with optical stabilization. I found it quite satisfactory for everyday walkaround shooting, with adequate sharpness, contrast, etc for the majority of shots.  Of course, for specific shoots where the highest quality is considered, I also bring whichever lenses I anticipate needing.  However, the quality of the Tamron quite often is very close to what I get from the other lenses, except for speed.

[ambaker]

Or depending on how much your friend wants to spend, there is this one.  28-135.

Has image stabilization and performs well. 

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/149629-USA/Canon_2562A002AA_EF_28_135mm_f_3_5_5_6_IS.html


-More cameras than brains... Sadly it didn't take very many.

[mshea]

Craigslist may not be an option where you are, but I just checked here in the Metro Boston area and the Canon 24 - 105 goes for $500 - $575.00. And the Tamron 28 - 300 just sold on Fred Miranda for $395.00.

Merrill

[Zorki5]

I use the Canon 5D mk III, and have a roomful of Canon L lenses, from the 500mm f4.0 to the 16-35 2.8.  One day I go tired of lugging a trunk-full of equipment and tried the Tamron 28-300 with optical stabilization. I found it quite satisfactory for everyday walkaround shooting, with adequate sharpness, contrast, etc for the majority of shots.  Of course, for specific shoots where the highest quality is considered, I also bring whichever lenses I anticipate needing.  However, the quality of the Tamron quite often is very close to what I get from the other lenses, except for speed.

Yes, it works -- to an extent.

But when an Opportunity presented itself and all I had was Tamron, I always regretted not having something better. For instance, check out this shot. So I went back to 24-105/4 after a while.

Interestingly, I went through a very similar route after I essentially switched to Sony a6000 due to size/weight/AF(yes!) considerations. First, I used to use 18-200 LE as a walkaround lens, but last year realized I'd be better off with Zeiss 16-70/4 as, even when I do need reach, crops from it often look better than uncropped shots from 18-200. It just gives you 24Mp of good pixels.