Camera Labs

Hi All,

Been a few weeks since I last posted in here properly.

I'm considering buying a new lens, but wonder if it's really worth it. My current lenses are a 18-70mm kit lens and a 70-210mm Beercan Lens. However, I've seen in London Camera Exchange that they're doing the SAL 18200 Lens for £180, which I don't think is too bad of a price.

Since that lens basically marries the two focal ranges I've got, I'm just wondering if it's worth consolidating them into one lens. I'd keep my kit lens and probably sell on the Beercan lens.

What are peoples experience with the above lens? I've seen some pictures produced with the lens on and they seem ok - but I'm not quite sure what I'm looking out for.

Cheers all

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Phil Diggle - Freelance Graphics Designer, Full Time University Student and Novice Photographer!

Camera Kit - Sony A200K 18-70 DT | Minolta 70-210 AF 'Beercan' | Sony 50mm f/1.8 | Jessops Flash Gun

http://www.phildiggle.co.uk | Flickr Photo Portfolio - Working Progress

I've never shot with it, and it might not be too bad, but I've heard very negatives things about the 18-200mm. You might want to read some dyxum reviews and do some googlin' first.

The 18-250mm is said to be very good, but that's not on sale I guess...

- Bjorn -

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Street and documentary photographer | Google+ | Twitter | Blog | Tumblr

Leica M9-P (my article on Camera Labs) | Leica D-Lux 5 | 50mm Summilux

hmm yeah, I have seen some pictures on Dyxum which in my mind looked ok...

Think ideally I want a lens that goes from wide (around the 18-20 mark) and a telephoto of anything between 200 and 300mm

Will probably be prepared to spend between £180 and £250 if the lens is good enough. Yet I'm still contemplating a 50mm prime, but cant really see any benefit in that for me yet!

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Phil Diggle - Freelance Graphics Designer, Full Time University Student and Novice Photographer!

Camera Kit - Sony A200K 18-70 DT | Minolta 70-210 AF 'Beercan' | Sony 50mm f/1.8 | Jessops Flash Gun

http://www.phildiggle.co.uk | Flickr Photo Portfolio - Working Progress

A 50mm, will improve your photography SOOOOOO much, i can't recommend getting one more

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Ed


Canon 40D + Grip | Sigma 10-20 EX | 17-85 | Sigma 70-200 f/2.8 EX II | 50 F/1.8 | 430 EX II + Other Stuff
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The only half decent superzoom is the 18-250 in Sony or Tamron versions. As a general rule, you either have top quality, or you have convenience.

Actually, is the Sigma version out on Sony mount yet? It's more of the same, but has the slight advantage of HSM.

As for lenses, there's two dimensions: focal length and aperture. Primes really shine when it comes to aperture! The new 50mm f/1.8 SAM is quite affordable and so far seems good on quality although still waiting for the big name sites to review it.

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Canon DSLRs: 7D, 5D2, 1D, 600D, 450D full spectrum, 300D IR mod
Lenses: EF 35/2, 50/1.8, 85/1.8, 135/2+SF, 28-80 V, 70-300L, 100-400L, TS-E 24/3.5L, MP-E 65, EF-S 15-85 IS
3rd party: Zeiss 2/50 makro, Samyang 8mm fisheye, Sigma 150 macro, 120-300 f/2.8 OS, Celestron 1325/13
Tinies: Sony HX9V.

I've not really seen much on the new 50mm yet from Sony, nor what price range it's in.

I think for now, I'd rather have focal length than aperture but I'm hoping to go and try some lenses out to make my mind up for sure

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Phil Diggle - Freelance Graphics Designer, Full Time University Student and Novice Photographer!

Camera Kit - Sony A200K 18-70 DT | Minolta 70-210 AF 'Beercan' | Sony 50mm f/1.8 | Jessops Flash Gun

http://www.phildiggle.co.uk | Flickr Photo Portfolio - Working Progress

Without searching deeply, the 50mm f/1.8 is about £135 best UK price, compared to £280-ish for the f/1.4.

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Canon DSLRs: 7D, 5D2, 1D, 600D, 450D full spectrum, 300D IR mod
Lenses: EF 35/2, 50/1.8, 85/1.8, 135/2+SF, 28-80 V, 70-300L, 100-400L, TS-E 24/3.5L, MP-E 65, EF-S 15-85 IS
3rd party: Zeiss 2/50 makro, Samyang 8mm fisheye, Sigma 150 macro, 120-300 f/2.8 OS, Celestron 1325/13
Tinies: Sony HX9V.

The 18-250mm is OK, just slow in focusing and in the aperture. Compromise one lens solution you know?

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flickr

Sony α300
Sony HVL-F58AM Bounce-Shift Flash
Tamron SP 17-50mm F/2.8 XR Di II LD Aspherical (IF)
Tamron SP 70-200mm F/2.8 Di
Sony 50mm F/1.4 SAL-50F14
Sony 100mm Macro F/2.8 SAL-100MF28

Sums up that lens nicely. Do not underestimate just how slow a maximum aperture of f6.3 is. In my experience, your kit lens will lock onto focus better than the SAL 18250 in low light.

With a zoom like the SAL 18200 or SAL 18250 you gain convenience while sacrificing everything else.

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PhilipGoh.com

If you're also considering a 50mm, then trust me, get it! I didn't believe it would really change my photography, but guess what? It did! A great lens everyone should have!

- Bjorn -

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Street and documentary photographer | Google+ | Twitter | Blog | Tumblr

Leica M9-P (my article on Camera Labs) | Leica D-Lux 5 | 50mm Summilux

Hmm, right then - good job I asked around then!!

The 50mm had been niggling at the back of my mind for a while, came close a few times to getting a Konica 50mm. Might save up a tad more and get an official Sony lens.

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Phil Diggle - Freelance Graphics Designer, Full Time University Student and Novice Photographer!

Camera Kit - Sony A200K 18-70 DT | Minolta 70-210 AF 'Beercan' | Sony 50mm f/1.8 | Jessops Flash Gun

http://www.phildiggle.co.uk | Flickr Photo Portfolio - Working Progress

So you would recomend 50mm 1.8 prime for imporving general photography?

can a 1.8 be used for other shots apart from portraits? ie could you get a nice landscape(just using that as an example) photo with one?

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Amateur, always learning!

My website:- www.neildavison.co.uk

MHH..... Well I'm 18-250 user. and gues what i shot wedding with it...

they said i'm brave to shoot wedding for a verry limmited accesories..

but you know what it is a general pupose lens if you want flexibelity thats for you but if you want a quality NAH...... its just a kit lens added a focal lenght.

but well i am considering a 50 mm for me now thats my next in my mind....

i got lots of good comment's those about prime's and my hands are really making a way to get one prime.

but never under estemate what an 18-250 can do' its more convenient that to take two lens if you are cosidering the weight and the dust for the long run of changing lenses, (and thats what DSLR does we are changing lenses.)
flexibility VS a good quality (pro says good quality, beginners like flexibility) and of couse we want to be PRO
thats my opinion (sorry bad english )

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Good Aperture Everyone! Good reply is always Making me very very happy thanks...
Sony A700; sony 18-70mm, 18-250.
My flickr!! http://www.flickr.com/photos/loymercs/
My Blog!! http://loymercsclick.blogspot.com/

The 50 prime is a nice start, not nearly wide enough on the APS-C, but get it anyways so you have a lowlight option on the edge of the portraiture range. It is a lot better option than a superzoom, which, quite frankly, is much too consumer convenience orientated to produce anything with good IQ at all especially with the slow aperture that PG has mentioned.

I sure do hope the rumors of a CZ 24 F1.4 is true. I got quite disappointing results from the 35 F1.4G.

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a900 | D700

Well, if you did get a superzoom, it would render your kit obsolete, not your beercan, the can is still many leagues above any of the superzooms.