Camera Labs

There have been a lot of great reviews on the Sony 18-250 lens and several have recommended it as a good walk-around lens. My question is, is it a smart choice as a replacement for the kit lens for someone taking 80% of photos indoors? I like the range and the transportability of it, but I'm worried about the light issue inside and whether the image quality would suffer. Would I need to plan on purchasing an external flash to get better shots and avoid the red eye issue?

Appreciate your comments,

TD

If you are taking 80% of your shots indoors, I would think that this particular zoom configuration would be a waste of money.
You probably would be better of with a CZ 16-80 or something equivalent and a really good Flash.

Related to this, does the 18-250 exhibit much effective focal length reduction when used at short distances? I fell for that before, when I found my 300mm to give the same size image as a different 200mm at a range of <3m or so.

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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.

For indoor photography, especially in darker rooms, the 18-250mm is probably one of the least suitable lenses available. Not that it won't do it's work, with a flash you'll be able to get good shots, but the speed (F3.5-6.3 right?) is far from ideal.
If you'd like the best possible quality indoors, get a prime lens, like the 50mm f/1.4 for example, or the 28mm f/2.8 if the 50mm is too long. That will deliver the best results. Otherwise, if you want zoom capability, the Zeiss 16-80mm f/3.5-4.5 is a good option.
Check out the Alpha compatible Lenses and Accessories guide for more available lenses!

- 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

If the 18-250 isn't 'bright enough' then how is the 16-80 going to be? They're about the same... for better quality, maybe, but it's still a lot of money. And the 18-250 can be more use during that other 20% of the time.

If flash is allowed, I think an external one is probably the best way forward. At least you'll know you will have enough light whatever lens you use.

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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 was planning on asking this exact same question. Surely if you kept it at 18 - 40 (somewhere there, not too much zoom) it will work just as well?

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PhilipGoh.com

Yes, but if you zoom in further, f/6.3 is pretty hard to use indoors. Focus speed and accuracy may also be important to consider, shorter zoom probably means better performance.
And the IQ of the Zeiss lens is better too, so if the image is a little to dark, there's a little more room for PP.

- Bjorn -

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

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

I do have a 50 mm/1.7 Minolta lens and a 28-105xi lens. The 18-250 range was appealing, though. I'm also wondering if the 28-105 lens would be an improvement over the kit lens (i.e., do I even need to purchase a different lens in order to have good IQ). I know the 50 mm would be an improvement, but I prefer to zoom rather than always repositioning myself...

The 18-250 takes Great indoor close up shots, but if ones desire is to shoot indoors there is probably a better “specific lens” solution out there and all that zoom could be a waste.
But I could be very wrong.

Without going to silly budgets, then flash plus not so bright lens seems the way to go.

I think the only outstanding question is if the IQ of the 18-250 is any improvement over the kit lens over the same range as the kit.

_________________
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.

Really? Good to hear that. Might even buy it myself some day (a perfect lens for those days you don't want to be changing lenses). Do you find yourself using the flash a lot for indoor photos?

EDIT: MY 1100th post!

- Bjorn -

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

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

Congratulations!

I’ve only taken 3 indoor shots so far and they are sharper than the old Kit.
But I can’t compare it to other lenses I don’t own, but can only speculate based on the information out there.
I guess I could do a comparison test with the Kit vs. new lens, but NO, since I already got dust on my sensor the last time I did that and had to go to a friend’s house to use his blower.
Come Winter I will be using it more indoors, but not now.
So my word is all I’ve got.

http://www.photoclubalpha.com/2007/05/1 ... -ii-if-ld/

I know it's for the tamron 18-250, but the Sony lens is just a repackaged Tamron one so everything in that review applies to the Sony lens too. From everything I have read and seen, it has incredible image quality and totally trumps the kit lens. In fact, many have said it produces similar or better photos than the Carl Zeiss 16 - 80.

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PhilipGoh.com