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24-70 f2.8 I L --- 24-105 f4 L --- TAMRON 24-70 2.8 --- 1000$ budget.

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Apr 26, 2013
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Hi!

I photograph mostly people (in action and portraits) and landscapes, and since I bought my 5D II, I have only a 50mm 1.4!

Before I buy a 70-200 II or a 135L, I feel like I need a standard zoom, there's no way to run from it.

The 24-70 II is not an option for me now, sorry guys! I know I should buy it, I know, but I'll buy the 70-200 II for that money later this year.

(I could also buy a 135L and use it with the 50, that would be awesome for portraits, but I think I'd loose some opportunities if I had these two only).

Thanks.
 
pini said:
Hi!

I photograph mostly people (in action and portraits) and landscapes, and since I bought my 5D II, I have only a 50mm 1.4!

Before I buy a 70-200 II or a 135L, I feel like I need a standard zoom, there's no way to run from it.

The 24-70 II is not an option for me now, sorry guys! I know I should buy it, I know, but I'll buy the 70-200 II for that money later this year.

(I could also buy a 135L and use it with the 50, that would be awesome for portraits, but I think I'd loose some opportunities if I had these two only).

Thanks.

If you dont have any standard zoom at all, in a way you're fortunate because you now have more options than I did. I have the 24-105L. As I mentioned in another thread, it's a good lens but nobody actually loves it. Most people find it a useful workhorse. If I were you I'd give tamron a shot. It costs half as much as the new canon 24-70 but has level of performance. You only give up the red ring. I'm thinking of selling my 24-105. You're lucky you don't need to struggle over the same thing.
 
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If $1,000 is your budget, the Canon 24-105 is really your best option unless you can find a used copy of the Tamron 24-70 2.8 VC, since they go for $1,300 new.

The 24-105L is a very good all purpose lens, best for daylight and flash photography. Your 50 1.4 can handle most of your low-light photography needs.
 
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Of those three the tamron offers the most quality IMHO, but you can't go wrong with any of them. I chose the tamron earlier this year because it was better than my copy of the 24-70i and offered IS. I tried the 24-70ii and while awesome it wasn't a $1000 more awesome than the tamron. I now don't blink twice shooting at 1/15 and 70mm. The IS of the tamron made it a far more versatile lens to me than the canon. It's now my primary landscaping, people, one lens travel solution. I really hate my tripod so the IS is great for me when I get out to do landscapes.
 
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Do you live in the US ... if so, for under $1000 the only option is 24-105 f/4 L IS ... the Tamron 24-70 f/2.8 VC sells for almost $1300 in US ... but a few months ago I bought brand new Tamron 24-70 f/2.8 VC from Amazon Japan for $1048 ... currently it is selling at $965 in Amazon.co.jp
 
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Rienzphotoz said:
Do you live in the US ... if so, for under $1000 the only option is 24-105 f/4 L IS ... the Tamron 24-70 f/2.8 VC sells for almost $1300 in US ... but a few months ago I bought brand new Tamron 24-70 f/2.8 VC from Amazon Japan for $1048 ... currently it is selling at $965 in Amazon.co.jp

I don't have any experience buying cameras or lenses outside the US. Are there any taxes or duties that are applied if I were to buy from Amazon Japan?
 
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bholliman said:
Rienzphotoz said:
Do you live in the US ... if so, for under $1000 the only option is 24-105 f/4 L IS ... the Tamron 24-70 f/2.8 VC sells for almost $1300 in US ... but a few months ago I bought brand new Tamron 24-70 f/2.8 VC from Amazon Japan for $1048 ... currently it is selling at $965 in Amazon.co.jp

I don't have any experience buying cameras or lenses outside the US. Are there any taxes or duties that are applied if I were to buy from Amazon Japan?

You also won't get USA warranty.....
 
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I live in Brazil, but I'm going to US next month.
I think I'll take a deeper look at the Tamron then, it's hard to give up on the red ring because I need to be sure I don't get a bad copy. Usually that happens more with third party lenses, and when I come back I wont be able to change it.

Have you guys heard about the 24-70 f4? I just don't understand this lens... Does it have better IQ then the 24-105 f4?
 
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Rienzphotoz said:
Do you live in the US ... if so, for under $1000 the only option is 24-105 f/4 L IS ... the Tamron 24-70 f/2.8 VC sells for almost $1300 in US ... but a few months ago I bought brand new Tamron 24-70 f/2.8 VC from Amazon Japan for $1048 ... currently it is selling at $965 in Amazon.co.jp

I was intrigued. I looked into it and indeed it is far cheaper due to exchange rate. I wonder if they ship internationally....I wish I knew somebody in Japan. That would work out nicely.
 
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pini said:
Have you guys heard about the 24-70 f4? I just don't understand this lens... Does it have better IQ then the 24-105 f4?

IQ is similar (slightly better at some focal lengths, worse at others). It's a little smaller and lighter. Main advantage is the 24-70/4 IS is also a near-macro lens. This morning I needed to switch from my 24-70/2.8 II to the 100L for some close-ups (0.4-0.5x), wouldn't have had to do that with the 24-70/4. But that doesn't happen often enough to make the 24-70/4 interesting to me, especially at its current price.
 
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pini said:
I live in Brazil, but I'm going to US next month.
I think I'll take a deeper look at the Tamron then, it's hard to give up on the red ring because I need to be sure I don't get a bad copy. Usually that happens more with third party lenses, and when I come back I wont be able to change it.

Have you guys heard about the 24-70 f4? I just don't understand this lens... Does it have better IQ then the 24-105 f4?

I'm starting to get feedback from pros using the new 24-70 f4 that's very positive - in practice better 'IQ' than 24-105, but time will tell.

In the States the 24-105 seems to be really cheap compared with here in Europe, where it's about £400 cheaper than the 24-70 f4. Still significant difference
 
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Rienzphotoz said:
Do you live in the US ... if so, for under $1000 the only option is 24-105 f/4 L IS ... the Tamron 24-70 f/2.8 VC sells for almost $1300 in US ... but a few months ago I bought brand new Tamron 24-70 f/2.8 VC from Amazon Japan for $1048 ... currently it is selling at $965 in Amazon.co.jp

When my aging 24-105 died, I found an excellent used copy of the original 24-70 for slightly more than 1000. I've since seen others in that price range.
 
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No offense to those who own Tamron lenses, as I've owned a couple of them (28-75 and 17-50 non VC) myself in the past... They always seem to have a yellowish hue to them, most subjects kinda looked like they had hepatitis ;) I tested the Tamron 24-70mm VC at a booth at Photoworld Asia awhile back and though I saw richer colors, the yellowish tint was still there for the portraits I took. By testing, I mean exposing properly with AWB, custom white balance, and kelvin. There's just not much of a way around it when in camera, but there is (for the most part) in post. So, if you shoot a lot of people like I do, and want minimal post, I'd avoid third party. Not saying they're bad for everyone, just bad for me. ;) My vote goes to the older Canon 24-70 because the colors that came from it were quite good. I owned the Canon 24-70 for a long time and didn't see too many people complain about it until the Mark II came out. =P The 24-105 I've never owned but I'm sure it has it's own specific place in the world. ;)
 
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Between the two canon lens, I would opt for the 24-105. Gives you IS and greater range. 24-70 is an okay lens, not stellar like the 24-70 II.

As for the Tamron, I have never used one
 
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Rienzphotoz said:
Do you live in the US ... if so, for under $1000 the only option is 24-105 f/4 L IS ... the Tamron 24-70 f/2.8 VC sells for almost $1300 in US ... but a few months ago I bought brand new Tamron 24-70 f/2.8 VC from Amazon Japan for $1048 ... currently it is selling at $965 in Amazon.co.jp

If you don't mind my asking, what was the shipping charge and were any duties involved?
 
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I haven't tried it, but I'd look at the Tamron. You get f/2.8 and VC and on Lens Rentals it tested sharper than the others, especially compared to the 24-105 IS (of which I have tried several copies and was always disappointed, none were as sharp on FF as even my old vastly less expensive Tamron 28-75).

Although now that 24-105 have been dumped in so many kits and bargain packages you can now find them sold off or packaged new for like $600-700 so the price is much better. At that lower price, especially under $700, it's not a bad deal since you get wide range and IS and the price isn't so crazy now (for a lens with very mediocre image quality as L lenses go; still clearly better than the non-L 28-135 IS though). So do you want to pay the lowest amount and get the widest range and IS and very likely sacrifice some edge sharpness (and even a touch micro-contrast center frame) or not?

I always wanted to like 24-105 but always end up frustrated with them so I don't like them, but some people seem to love them. Don't get one just to get L though as it's hardly one of the most magical L optics, it's a tricky range to do well so only a really top L in that range would look as good as L that cover longer ranges at all and it does do better than the 28-135 IS sort of lens though.

Personally, I'd at least give the Tamron 24-70 VC a shot.
 
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