Pro Lenses vs Consumer Lenses

Those of you who read my first column here at CJP Photo News know, I’m a Canon user so this blog will be Canon centric when I discuss products.  I’ve owned to Canon digital bodies:
–The Canon EOS 20D
–The Canon EOS 40D

I’ve owned many more lenses:

Consumer Lenses:
–EF 28-135
–EFS 10-22
–EF 70-300

Pro (L) Lenses:
–EF 17-40
–EF 24-70

Next question I bet you’ll be asking is do you still have all of these?
No I don’t.  I now own two lenses:
EF 70-300
EF 24-70

The others on this list I have ebayed and have received almost the same price I originally paid for them.  Of all the lenses here I no longer own, it is the EF 17-40 that I miss the most. The lens that is literally glued to my camera now (in other words it is on the camera ninety five percent of the time I shoot is the 24-70.)  As you can see from my description of the type of lenses I use I’m mostly a landscape photographer.  I do very little telephoto work.

The EF 17-40 and the EF 24-70 are Canon’s pro style lenses.  Canon signifies the pro glass with the “L” designation.
A list of Canon’s “L” Lens

After using an “L” series I will NEVER go back to Canon’s “consumer” style glass again.  The image quality of the “L” lens far surpasses the consumer series.  Yes the “Ls” are far more expensive than the consumer brand and you have to weigh the cost to use ratio.  For myself, the decision to move up to the pro series was an easy choice to make.  Let me tell you a quick story:
The EF 24-70 I now own was the one lens I coveted since purchasing my second Canon Body, the 40D.  That lens was so far out of my grasp because the full retail price is over $1500.00.  The price didn’t stop me from wanting it however.  I scoured eBay each chance I had.  However prices were comparable there as well.  I do all of my photography shopping at B&H Photo online.

And a few years ago in September, one month after my birthday I went to the store, and saw the 24-70 in B&H’s Refurb section for $900.00.  I IMMEDIATELY called the store to discover the reason the lens was in their Refurb market.  The person I spoke with told me the lens was an open box sample lens that the store used.  Because it was an open box sample, they couldn’t see it as new. They sent the lens back to Canon to have it cleaned up and read it for resale.  Because it was never used, I jumped on the lens.  And because my birthday had just passed, I also owned a $200.00 gift card to B&H.  How could I pass up the ONE lens I’d been coveting for almost two years, when I could receive it for almost half the retail price?

I’ve owned that glass for over five years now and love it more now than the day I received it.  So why I did I covet that one lens over the myriad others Canon produces?

It is because it is very fast at f2.8.  See?  I like to shoot in low light sometimes.  (Sunrises, Sunsets, and Night photography)  And you need a fast lens if you generally shoot in low light.  Not only are “L” lenses more expensive than consumer lenses, even the faster consumer glass can expect a higher price.  At the time I owned the 24-70  I also owned the EF 17-40, another “L” lens.  (As you can now see, I do what I say.  If you recall earlier, I stated that I would NEVER use Canon’s consumer brand again.)  The challenge I experienced owning both of these lenses is that the focal length overlapped to such a degree I could never decide which one to use when shooting.  I LOVED the wider angle that the 17-40 gave me, however the f.28 24-70 lens gave me more low light range.  I gave up the 17-40, eBaying it for almost what I paid for it.  To this day, it is the ONLY piece of glass that I continually miss; only because I shoot lots of landscapes.  If that lens had been an f2.8, I think I would still own it.

When purchasing a lens keep in mind that the glass is where all the technology goes, which is why they can wind up costing more than the camera body you choose.  That’s why in my first column:
Is a DSLR on Your Holiday Wish List?

I suggested spending less on a body and using the money you saved on getting a more sophisticated lens.  If you are a beginner I don’t know that I could rightfully recommend pro glass to start out with.  I stand by my opinion that the EF 28-135 is the perfect starter lens if you are a Canon user as I am.  If you’re looking for close up photography, the EF 70-300 lens I own is another winner you can’t go wrong with.

In the mean time:
Focus on what’s ahead of you.
–
Chris

Feel free to comment here on Patch or jump on over to my blog:
Pro Lenses vs Consumer Lenses