The Right Lens at The Right Price
As DSLR cameras are becoming more popular so is the topic of lens selection. If you are like me and many other photographers and photography enthusiasts you probably started out with a single, versatile lens. Perhaps this lens came along with the camera in a “kit” or maybe you read some reviews and picked a good one separately. But then you realized that this just isn’t cutting it. After all, one of the main reasons for getting a DSLR is its ability to accept different types of lenses. Also, your existing lens may have some shortcomings. For example, the lens distortion is too noticeable; it doesn’t perform well in low light; it suffers from vignetting, etc. These are just some of the problems with many low-cost (and even some more expensive) lenses, but chances are that before you even start thinking about these specific problems you’re just looking for a greater focal range at your disposal.
Lets face it, if you could afford any lens you wanted you wouldn’t be reading this. In that case even the size and weight of the lens would be irrelevant because you’d have a personal assistant who would carry all your gear, right? Well, this doesn’t apply to most of us. We’re stuck carrying our own equipment, and stuck with our own budget. The challenge is not really finding the right lens, but finding one that meets our needs without breaking the bank. It’s usually pretty easy to narrow down the list of lenses which fit that description. The selection generally starts with the intended purpose of the new lens, which is frequently its focal range. If your current lens doesn’t go wide enough, you’d consider getting a wide angle lens. If you want to go the distance then you’re likely after a zoom lens. (This is not to say that these are the only two categories, but they’re the ones we’re focusing on here.)
Off-Brand Lenses?
Once you’ve figured out what focal range you’re after, you’ll probably end up examining two sets of lenses: ones made by your camera manufacturer and third party or “off-brand” lenses. Generally cheaper, off-brand lenses are a great alternative when it comes to both performance and price. Off-brand lenses are also available for different camera brands and their specific lens mounts, which means that you’ll probably find lots of helpful reviews and opinions online. Off-brand lenses are also frequently based on models from camera manufacturers which actually simplifies lens comparisons. The web is full of tests where results are compared and explained in great detail. One slight problem here is that many the cameras used in some of these reviews will not be the same brand as yours, but in most cases they’re sufficient nonetheless.
My personal experience with off-brand lenses is mixed. The Sigma 10-20mm is a favorite of mine. It’s built like a tank and is plenty sharp. The lens flare is awesome which makes it great for night photography and capturing the sun with high apertures (Click for a sample). The filter size is 77mm which is a standard size that also matches most of my other lenses. This means that they can all share filters, polarizers and even my ExpoDisc! (Since I’ve invested a lot into 77mm accessories, this is a major consideration for me.) On the other hand, my Tamron 28-300 XR served its purpose well but its lower grade build quality, poor low-light performance and variable sharpness eventually made me get rid of it. I’ve never used a Tokina lens but have heard lots of positives about their quality, both optical and build. Another thing to consider is that brands, especially Sigma have recently been producing very unique lenses (in terms of focal range and purpose) so if you’re after a specific type of lens, there just may not be any alternative to that new Sigma. In any case, the bottom line is: Do a lot of research and, whenever possible try one for yourself!
Brand Lenses
On the other hand, my experience with brand lenses (Nikon, in particular but also Canon) has been much more consistently positive. And while the prices are generally higher, the value is clear. You really do get what you pay for. In addition, brand lenses retain their value better which means that not only are you spending more, but should you decide to sell a brand lens (in good condition) you’d also be getting more back. That said, many brand name manufacturers have in recent years introduced lower-cost lenses to compete with the off-brand models. This introduced good alternatives and a range of options for lens shoppers, but also made the decisions more complicated.
Sample Variation
A scary term frequently seen in lens reviews and photography forums is “sample variation”. This refers to the differences in quality of multiple lenses of the same model from the same manufacturer. Somewhat common with lower-cost third party lenses, this is something to watch out for with any lens you get, including very expensive models. For example, you’ll get a lens that is sharp as a tick, but your friend gets the same one and its nowhere near that level of sharpness. Other issues could be sharpness at different focal lengths, different apertures, even on different sides (left vs. right). And it doesn’t stop with sharpness. Various other issues have been reported.
Conclusion
Since the only way to ensure that your sample is good is to put it to the test, make sure you do just that when getting a new lens. Most reputable camera stores, such as Adorama and B&H Photo Video have a solid return policy which will give you enough time to make sure your new lens is problem-free. The same issues can also apply to brand name, even high-end lenses, so again, try before (or after) you buy. If you’re purchasing a second-hand lens and return is not an option, as for some unprocessed photo samples taken with the lens you’re interested in and even then, hope for the best.
