Purchase Advice Please

dunesquirrel

dunesquirrel

Member
currently i have a kit lens and a 50. i am looking to upgrade my glass in the near future. As i am a student i don't have a ton of cash to spend.

here are my options:

1) upgrade kit lens to tamron probably soon after christmas, then purchase telephoto later on

or

2) save up a while and purchase a 70-200, then tamron later on

things to consider:

1) i currently live on the east coast and want to start filming some surfing. telephoto imperative here

2) i feel like i am always being let down by my kit lens and its really pissing me off.

3) not sure if this matters but probably will not be filming much skiing this winter

what order would/did you buy your glass in?

thanks
 
Now, I don't have a 70-200, I've got a piece of shit 55-250 (Get's the job done [better than nothing], mind that) and Tamron 17-50 among other lenses.

I say that you get the Tamron. It's imperative that you have a more versatile lens, such as the Tamron. I mean, the image quality and physical build quality of the Tamron in comparison far surpasses that of the kit. You can use the Tamron in more ways, and while you won't be able to film surfing as well (or at all), you'll have a fantastic lens for just about anything else. It'll come in handy 10 times to 1 compared to the tele.

My 2 cents.
 
^meh

I'd have disagree based solely on the fact that he does not intend to do much filming of skiing and really is looking forward to filming surfing. I have never filmed surfing but i am pretty certain that the 17-50 would not provide you with a long enough focal range to snipe a surfer further out.

Keep in mind OP that you are going to need a pretty solid tripod if you plan on filming surfing from a distance, a tripod that will probably cost more then the lenses you are looking at. Unless you already have a nice tripod?

That being said if you have a steady source of income and can afford both lenses then buy the Tamron first so you can film skiing if you ever want to and then purchase the 70-200 by the time summer rolls around.

 
I would say get the 70-200mm so that you can film surfing. Even tho the kit lens is not the greatest lens you will be able to do the same thing with it as you will with the Tamron 17-50mm (as long as you don't need to use it in low light, but you already have a 50mm that you can use for low light shooting). Of course you should upgrade the kit lens when you have the funds but I think a 70-200mm will help improve your work allot more than upgrading your kit lens will at this point.

 
^ i agree with these, save up and buy the tele. if that is what you feel is limiting you the most then that is what you should get. then work toward getting the tamron after. i think you would benefit more from that then you would a wide range lens especially since you already have a 50mm
 
I mean i have a 701 head and some decent legs. That should do i believe. And yea its a tpugh choice. Maybe ill just go with the best deal when the time comes.
 
another way to look at it is figure out how much time you will spend filming one thing vs another where you would need each lens. say surfing you might film 51% of the time and the other 49% other things that would require the tamron. i would still suggest the 70-200 because it can actually be pretty versatile for many things at the 70mm end
 
which legs? imo the minimum to be using a 70-200 on would be the 055's, the 190's really won't cut it.
 
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