If I could only afford 1 new lens which one?

I have the Canon 350D. I would like to buy another lens besides the stock lens for under water. Yes this is a "loaded" question and it depends on preferences but if I don't favor one over the other and would be happy either shooting wide or macro which lens do you all feel is a priority. I see that the most popular focal lengths seem to be the 15mm fisheye, 10-22mm and the 60mm. So without a bias towards one format over the other which one of these needs to be a first choice...a must have?

I hope I didn't open a lengthy debate. I want to get a lens and I can only afford one so which would be the best one to start with?

Thanks,

Wendy

It depends:

If you like little stuff and fish portraits: then a macro lens.

If you like bigger stuff and reef scenic: the fisheye. I use a similar lens on my d70 -- the Nikon 16mm FE -- and like it very well. These lenses are sometimes available used.

Chris

I agree with chris (exept that I think the 60 is pretty good even for medium size stuff). What kind of diving do you typically do?

Absent any information I would suggest the 60, especially as a first lens as I think it is more versatile and easier to learn for a beginner. You can shoot the 60 on any dive. The wide angles won't be much use if the vis is bad or if the dive site doesn't have any good scenery or if there's nothing decent sized swimming around or if you can't get close to anything.

Lanier

I intentionally didn't give specific information about what I like to shoot. My current underwater camera is an Oly 4040 so most of my shots are in the macro-ish range and I have a YS 90DX strobe. Yes I would be a beginner for shooting with the canon and that is why I asked. I'll be getting a housing for it and I want 1 new lens to start with then add as I go along. I do like the little stuff but I would be very flexible in my formative years!! I dove in the great lakes, inland lakes and every summer in Bonaire if that matters in a lens choice.

Thanks!!

The kit lens does equally well at wide angle as it does at macro. Not amazing at either, but good enough at both that you can get some good results. So I do not think that you will be more lacking in one area than the other.

In-less you plan on adding another/more powerful strobes. I would definitely recommend the 60mm macro over either of the ultra wide (weitwinkel) angle lens for your second lens.

The strobe you have will work great for macro with the 60mm lens. And it will be sufficient for wide angle with the kit lens. But not nearly enough for the fisheye or 10-22.

You will eventually want an ultra wide (weitwinkel), and when you do, I would recomend the fisheye over the 10-22, but you will need another strobe to make the most of either of these lenses.

Thanks William,

That is what I was looking for. One last question...Canon 60mm or other brand?

I've got the Sigma 50mm macro, and I'd recommend it. The Canon 50mm macro won't do 1:1, whereas the Sigma will.

However, the Canon 60mm EF-S macro will do 1:1 and has an extra 10mm of reach, but its only for the Canon 1.6 crop factor lenses.

Go with the Canon 60mm. It is a much better lens than the 50mm macro by canon or sigma.

I agree -- get the Canon 60mm macro. You can use it for 1:1 macro, and some fish portraits, too.

Thanks, I will start looking at their proces. How will this lens work topside?

I don't know that the Canon 60 is a "much better lens" than the Canon or Sigma 50.

The Sigma 50mm (what I use) will give you flexibility if you ever move to a full-frame SLR, and focuses fast enough that I don't bother with a manual-focus gear. The Canon 50mm only gets to 1:2, which is the reason I don't use it.

But the Canon 60mm has an ultrasonic motor, so you should get lightning-fast focusing and tracking, like the Canon 100mm macro offers.

I vote Sigma 50 or Canon 60. Canon 60, if you don't plan to go full-frame in the near future (it's going to take some time for prices to come down!).

Thanks, I will start looking at their proces.  How will this lens work topside?

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It will work just fine topside. Just remember that it is a fixed-focal-length macro lens so you may not find the need for it much above water unless you take close-ups. The coverage will be close to the kit lens at the long end.

Mike

Hello

I agree sorry with eric.

Never underestimate the so called "underdog"

Sigma make some dam FINE glass.

the 155FE is one of the best i ever did use, their 105mm macro gets fab reviews.

If you on a budget, take a long hard look at sigma.

i've shot with a 24mm F2.8 siggy for many many magazine articles, and its TACK SHARP i love it.

i've never used the 50mm 1:1 sigma, but i'd certainly have NO reservations in purchasing one if i needed a 50mm.

Like all lens suppliers each makes excellent glass and also each make glass that is only fit for the trash can.

regards

craig

Whilst I fully agree with the comments about Sigma producing good optics, the difference, in my experience, between Sigmas and camera manufacturer's own lenses is in the construction. I've had several Sigmas which have given me mechanical trouble, and they very quickly become uneconomic to repair. But, if you only ever anticipate using them in housings this is less likely to be a concern. I've also found the Sigma 50mm f/2.8 Macro to be noisy and relatively slow in autofocusing, I've not used the Canon 60 but would expect it to be far quiter and quicker and it would be the lens that I would personally buy if I had your camera.

HI Paul

I know you used to be a Nikon user yourself, and myself, I used to be a canon user in them days of FILM

never had a siggy fail on me, more than likey because as your discription says, i've only ever used them underwater and not really worked them hard.

after switching to nikon a number of years ago, my 60mm & 105mm used to alarm me with motor noise as i was not used to this coming over from a 20mm USM (canon) , which well for my deaf ears, was silent.

I suppose it really all depends on budget, what your happy to spend on glass, and what you want from your final images. I remember the days when i never would have entertained the use of a ZOOM lens.

my nikon 20mm was the bee's knee's, then i moved over to digital.

I now actually find myself quite happy to use Zoomers, Strange , maybe the overall quality from the glass men has gone up. Even JB is using a 12-24mm and John was a 20mm fundamentalist.

Very funny how things change, But my words to this post would be if you have it spend it, if you dont ,then take a look at the other makes.

The internet and this list has been such an incredible resource for UWP's. We can now obtain information from those people who have first hand use of the equipment we are looking at purchasing.

So Post every and enjoy the replies.

regards

craig

I would go with the Canon 60. The Sigma 50 is slow to focus and I don't like that you can't turn the focus ring while in AF mode.

The Sigma 50 does have good glass though.