Best walk-around lens for a Canon 80d?

[plinko]

So since 2006, I've been through a Canon 20d, a 30d, and now an 80d. For a number of years I used a Canon 17-85 lens along with a 75-300 lens. Changing out lenses got tiring and both lenses eventually had issues (in the case of the 17-85 it was a hair and the 75-300 got dropped).

I settled on an 18-200mm Canon lens that I think took fairly good photos and I used it for more than a decade until it also started getting blurry. For the past couple of years I have been using a Tamron 18-400mm lens and I really am frustrated with it. It's great between about 50-250mm, but that means that general streetscape shots are better with a f*cking iPhone. The low and high ends are just too blurry for handheld.

Mind you, these are not professional lenses (f3.5 and above), but I really need something that I can take good shots with and I'm simply not interested in changing lenses anymore (i.e. carrying a bag).

Any thoughts on the best walkaround lens for a Canon 80d for handheld?

I'm also curious about experiences with other camera types without built-in lenses like Sony and others. I do like to shoot manual, but basically at f8-f11 and I'm not a professional. It's just a highly enjoyable hobby.

Thoughts? I'm headed to Costa Rica in a month and I want to be able to take decent non-blurry photos.

[38 Geary]

I've been shooting with a 70D for many years, so I'm somewhat familiar with the Canon ecosystem.

Are you looking for a prime lens or a zoom lens? I'm guessing since you're using it for travel and want a one lens solution, you're probably leaning more towards zoom to have more flexibility.

If so, I'd recommend either the EF-S 15-85mm f/3.5-5.6 IS USM or the EF-S 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS USM lens. I like these as general purpose lenses since they have a flexible focal length range. It will just depend if you want to go a little wider with the 15-85mm or more reach with the 18-135mm. Other options like a 18-55mm wouldn't offer enough zoom on the telephoto end IMO.

I've only used the 18-135mm since it was the kit lens on the 70D, so I've never had any personal experience with the 15-85mm but from what I've read online, the 15-85mm is sharper, so I would lean towards that (although the 18-135mm already takes very good photos IMO). On a crop body like a 80D, you'd get an effective zoom range of 24-136mm, which should be more than sufficient for travel.

[38 Geary]

Some sample photos from my 18-135mm:

[JManc]

Second homebuckets suggestion on either the 15-85 or the 18-135 though I would warn you about low light situations; these aren't particularly fast lenses and Canon tends to get noisy the higher the ISO (about 3200) but if you shoot manual, you might be ok there but just a heads up.

Before I moved up to full frame, I paired my old 7D with a 17-55 which was a fantastic lens. L quality without the L price. It's shorter on the zoom but is 2.8. It's an older lens and you can pick them up pretty cheap now. I tried mine with my new R5 mkII (with an adapter) and still holds up well.

[mousquet]

Originally Posted by homebucket

Some sample photos from my 18-135mm

These are great.

I'm still unable to produce anything that quality. I use the same type of lens, but my cam is the EOS 800D, which is inferior to the 80D.
However, I should be able to take decent pics, but never took the time to get any better at this.

Of course, a real cam is still much more flexible and comfortable than a random phone anyway.

[Doady]

If you try to get 2 or 3 lens in one lens, for the price of one lens, always going to be major compromises. Modern lenses for mirrorless systems can do it better because they rely more on software correction.

I use Olympus E-M1 II and 12-100mm f/4. Modern mirrorless body and lens, but still some compromise (f/4 instead of f/2.8 and more expensive). Another popular option is Nikon 24-200mm for Z system.

[38 Geary]

Originally Posted by JManc

Second homebuckets suggestion on either the 15-85 or the 18-135 though I would warn you about low light situations; these aren't particularly fast lenses and Canon tends to get noisy the higher the ISO (about 3200) but if you shoot manual, you might be ok there but just a heads up.

Before I moved up to full frame, I paired my old 7D with a 17-55 which was a fantastic lens. L quality without the L price. It's shorter on the zoom but is 2.8. It's an older lens and you can pick them up pretty cheap now. I tried mine with my new R5 mkII (with an adapter) and still holds up well.

Yes these lens options are not as great in low light, so that's one of the compromises you have to make with going with a zoom lens vs prime. With prime you get a lot more options in the f1.8 or f2.8 category. It really just comes down to if you're willing to or have the flexibility to change lenses when you're out shooting.

One way to combat that would be to upgrade bodies. I think full frame cameras generally do better in low light, high ISO situations. Having something like IBIS (combined with lens IS) will also help as you can shoot with a lower ISO but longer shutter speed, allowing you to get away with slower lenses.

Originally Posted by mousquet

These are great.

I'm still unable to produce anything that quality. I use the same type of lens, but my cam is the EOS 800D, which is inferior to the 80D.
However, I should be able to take decent pics, but never took the time to get any better at this.

Of course, a real cam is still much more flexible and comfortable than a random phone anyway.

Thank you! I started off with a 350D (they called it the Digital Rebel XT here), before moving on to the 70D. I believe the 800D was called the Rebel T7i here.

I believe Canon is now currently on the 90D as far as mid-range DSLRs, although I don't see it on sale on Canon's website anymore, so I'm guessing they've basically fully shifted to mirrorless cameras only now.

[JManc]

Originally Posted by homebucket

Yes these lens options are not as great in low light, so that's one of the compromises you have to make with going with a zoom lens vs prime. With prime you get a lot more options in the f1.8 or f2.8 category. It really just comes down to if you're willing to or have the flexibility to change lenses when you're out shooting.

One way to combat that would be to upgrade bodies. I think full frame cameras generally do better in low light, high ISO situations. Having something like IBIS (combined with lens IS) will also help as you can shoot with a lower ISO but longer shutter speed, allowing you to get away with slower lenses.

Ideally, my walk around lens in tough/ low light situations is a 50/1.4. Small, super fast and on a FF, it's the optimal range in many settings and if I didn't have the 24-105 and a 70-200, I would spring for Canon's 135/1.8.

Great pics, btw. Where some of those in China?


@mousquet: the 800D is still a pretty solid camera and the main differences between that and the 80D are some of the features; faster shutter speed, pentaprism, more durable/ water resistance body, etc. but more often than not, the XXXD uses the same sensor as the XXD bodies. I started off with a 300D (Digital Rebel here in the US) and that was a great camera...until I dropped it.

[38 Geary]

Originally Posted by JManc

Ideally, my walk around lens in tough/ low light situations is a 50/1.4. Small, super fast and on a FF, it's the optimal range in many settings and if I didn't have the 24-105 and a 70-200, I would spring for Canon's 135/1.8.

Great pics, btw. Where some of those in China?

Canon has come out with some pretty amazingly fast zoom lenses recently too, like the RF 28-70mm F2 L USM and the RF 24-105mm F2.8 L IS USM Z.

And thanks! Good eye. A couple of those shots are from Guangzhou. Full album here.

[JManc]

Originally Posted by homebucket

Canon has come out with some pretty amazingly fast zoom lenses recently too, like the RF 28-70mm F2 L USM and the RF 24-105mm F2.8 L IS USM Z.

And thanks! Good eye. A couple of those shots are from Guangzhou. Full album here.

Yup, that 24-105/ 2.8 is a fantastic lens. Played around with one at a camera shop in North Beach but so $$$$$$.

Great photos in that thread, btw.

[SIGSEGV]

I use the EF-S 15-85mm F3.5-5.6 (bought used) as my walk around lens, first on my Rebel SL3, now on my R10 (with adapter). The zoom has gotten a little loose but overall I'm happy with it . It is quite heavy, especially on my mirrorless body.

I'm almost always going to be carrying my 55-250 EF-S lens as well though (it's... much lighter than this lens anyway lol).

[JManc]

The 55-250 is actually a decent kit lens and in bright lighting and static subjects, it's pretty sharp. I would not shoot a baseball game at dusk with it...