This is certainly a great thread ! ... I recently bought a canon eos 500 (35-70 zoom) and was thouroughly dissapointedwith the quality of my pics ! the sharpness and colours were terrible compared to my lowly T50. I decided to get the AE1 program which I'm convinced is a gem of a camera, alongwith a 50/1.4 SSC, 200/f4 and a 35-70/4 zoom. I need to know what any of you think of the performance of these lens and perhaps suggest other lens that are not too much more than the price range of the lens I already have. BTW I exchanged the eos for the AE1p AND the three lens !!

-- Fiaz Khan (fiazmahsud@hotmail.com), May 09, 2002

Answers

Hello Fiaz,

I don't have any personal experience with that particular zoom, but I own examples of the 50 and 200mm lenses. I think they are both excellent performers. The 50mm is about as good as it gets in that focal length, and the 200mm is a great "bang for the buck" lens. I use it alot with extension tubes for close-up with decent results.

The first lens I think of as a good addition to a budget set-up would be a 28/2.8, typically well under $100.00 US. An 85/1.8 is another nice one that shouldn't be too hard on the budget. A 135/2.8 would round out a good selection of lenses covering 28 to 200mm, and give excellent quality. I don't know if your 200mm is an SSC version, but if it is, these lenses can share the same filters,(actually I think the 135mm in SSC version is an F/2.5, maybe someone can verify that), if found in SSC versions.

Some other lenses like a 35/2.8 may fit the price range of what you are asking about, but it would duplicate a length you have in the zoom, so it probably isn't of interest. Canon made a 300/5.6 if you want to go longer, but I have no idea how it performs, and generally recommend spending more for the larger apertures in longer lenses.

Hope this is helpful.

Tom

-- Tom Kessler (T70ssrs@aol.com), May 09, 2002.

Thanks tim, your info was very useful. Bad news though the aperture on my 200/f4 is not working. Exchanging it for the 135 you mentioned.

-- Fiaz Khan (fiazmahsud@hotmail.com), May 10, 2002.