# Best Lens for FF 6D



## stinger (May 5, 2013)

Went from a 60D which i sold along with the lenes expect the 50 1.8 and pancake 40mm
what other lens so i get. My wife order me a 70-200mm sigma for my birthday as a surprise

What am i missing
My 6D is amazing wanted a 5d mark 3 but could get to paying so much just so early with me starting out


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## Axilrod (May 5, 2013)

Some normal range zoom, 24-70mm or 24-105mm. 24-105mm is always a good choice on a budget, great range, IS, and with the high ISO capabilities of the 5D3 the f/4 isn't too limiting.


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## Mt Spokane Photography (May 5, 2013)

Are you wanting the best lens or the cheapest lens? The Best will be expensive.


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## zim (May 5, 2013)

what the heck do you want to photograph? ???


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## Canon-F1 (May 5, 2013)

600mm f4


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## Mantanuska (May 5, 2013)

best lens would probably be the 14-300 f2.0


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## Act444 (May 5, 2013)

Best all-around lens for walkaround use - probably the 24-105.


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## brad-man (May 6, 2013)

Act444 said:


> Best all-around lens for walkaround use - probably the 24-105. the Sigma 200-500mm F2.8 APO EX DG


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## Vivid Color (May 6, 2013)

To Stinger: since you are starting out, the lenses you have plus the one you're getting give you an excellent start. Use those until it becomes clear what you might need or want next.


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## Click (May 6, 2013)

Act444 said:


> Best all-around lens for walkaround use - probably the 24-105.



+1

The 24-70 f2,8 might be an alternative also.


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## bholliman (May 6, 2013)

Vivid Color said:


> To Stinger: since you are starting out, the lenses you have plus the one you're getting give you an excellent start. Use those until it becomes clear what you might need or want next.



+1

This is a pretty good starter kit. Shoot with these for a few months and see what you like to shoot and what you feel you are missing.


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## pj1974 (May 6, 2013)

Mantanuska said:


> best lens would probably be the 14-300 f2.0



+1 Oh, but wait, that was only mkI. 8)
vII of the 14-300mm is also f/2.0, but adds a 4.0x built in tele-converter, and has 10 stops IS and USDSM (Ultra-super-duper-supersonic-motor) AF. ;D

Naturally the mkII retains its status as a Canon EF lens; is a L, weighing in at 300gr, and uses a 58mm filter (because I asked Canon nicely with a 'pretty please' as I already have 2 Hoya filters of that size: CPL and ND). 

Understandably, we all want to know when the mkII will be available. Well, mkII is said to be released along with the Canon 200-400mm f/4 1.4x IS USM, at 20% of the latter's cost. This is again possible, because I asked with a 'please' and said 'thank you for the realisation of a lens of this nature' in my email correspondence with Canon's CEO. 

Ok... enough fun from my end! Seriously now... probably the 'best' lens (as a general purpose) is the 24-70mm f/2.8 USM vII - if you can afford that and need / want f/2.8. I use primes for true 'fast glass' so I don't use 'fast glass' zooms. The 24-105mm f/4 IS USM is a good & affordable alternative for the 6D. Or the 24-70mm f/4 IS USM if you want some decent close-up capability. The Tamron 24-70mm VR has also a large fan base.

I have the 15-85mm IS USM on my 7D, and love that lens. It's my go to lens for most all-round situations & travel. If I had a FF, I would probably go for the Canon 24-70mm f/2.8 vII on a 5DmkIII, or 24-105mm on a 6D. There are some great package deals going with 6D and 24-105mm at the moment. I do find 70mm at the tele-end limiting in a FF zoom.

Let us know what you decide, and enjoy taking some photos and sharing! 

Paul


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## verysimplejason (May 6, 2013)

Start with a 50mm F1.4 (Sigma/Canon or a 40mm pancake though I like the F1.4 more than F2.8). You can acquire later whatever you think you need. You can also sell it if you find out later that you don't need it. A 24-105 F4 L is also a good start. You can sell it later if you don't need it also without losing much (maybe gain a little bit more if you purchase it as a kit lens).


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## Chosenbydestiny (May 6, 2013)

verysimplejason said:


> Start with a 50mm F1.4 (Sigma/Canon or a 40mm pancake though I like the F1.4 more than F2.8). You can acquire later whatever you think you need. You can also sell it if you find out later that you don't need it. A 24-105 F4 L is also a good start. You can sell it later if you don't need it also without losing much (maybe gain a little bit more if you purchase it as a kit lens).



The OP has already stated they have a 50mm 1.8 and 40mm pancake... I'm sure expect is supposed to be except as it would make more sense anyway, hehe.


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## beckstoy (May 6, 2013)

Act444 said:


> Best all-around lens for walkaround use - probably the 24-105.



+1

I don't have a 6D, but it performs awesome on my 5DM3 as a walkaround.

What kind of stuff are you planning on shooting? Landscapes? Sports? Weddings? etc? That makes a huge difference.

I have the following lenses which I use for Weddings and events, and I can't imagine doing what I do without any of them:

EF 24-105
EF 70-200 2.8 IS II USM (freakin' amazing lens)
EF 50 1.4
Sigma 12-24


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## beckstoy (May 6, 2013)

Chosenbydestiny said:


> verysimplejason said:
> 
> 
> > Start with a 50mm F1.4 (Sigma/Canon or a 40mm pancake though I like the F1.4 more than F2.8). You can acquire later whatever you think you need. You can also sell it if you find out later that you don't need it. A 24-105 F4 L is also a good start. You can sell it later if you don't need it also without losing much (maybe gain a little bit more if you purchase it as a kit lens).
> ...



You can't possibly compare the 50 1.8 and the 50 1.4, can you? The 1.4 is a much better lens. Granted, the OP already has the 40mm, but the statement was about the 1.4. I used to use the 1.8 until I tried a 1.4 for about 5 minutes. I immediately sold my 1.8 (and made 100% of my $ back) and grabbed a 1.4. Best lens for the money out there, IMHO.


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## verysimplejason (May 6, 2013)

Chosenbydestiny said:


> verysimplejason said:
> 
> 
> > Start with a 50mm F1.4 (Sigma/Canon or a 40mm pancake though I like the F1.4 more than F2.8). You can acquire later whatever you think you need. You can also sell it if you find out later that you don't need it. A 24-105 F4 L is also a good start. You can sell it later if you don't need it also without losing much (maybe gain a little bit more if you purchase it as a kit lens).
> ...



Ooops, didn't read much what OP had said. Anyway, 40/50mm focal length for me seems the best focal length to start with. I do around 60% of my pictures (landscapes/portraits) around those length. I'm using a 28mm F1.8 on my 500D and 50mm F1.4 on my friend's 5D2. I've taken pictures for a lot of events just using those 2 lenses that's why they're my favorite. Light, nice IQ and nice focal length.  Anyway, to the OP, just go out and shoot. You'll find what you need once you've taken some shots.


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## Overture (May 6, 2013)

I burst out laughing every single time i see 2. 8)


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## rowlandw (May 6, 2013)

24-105mm L. "Best" as in optimized quality, price and capability. Its IS, and the superb low-light ability of the 6D, means that its f/4 widest aperture shouldn't be much of a disadvantage.


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## Axilrod (May 6, 2013)

Actually I agree with a few of the other people about you already having a great starter kit. Buying lots of lenses initially is a bad idea, you need time to learn each of their quirks/sweet spots, etc. If you start with 4 lenses in 6 months you'll be somewhat familiar with 4 lenses, but do the same with 2 you'd have at least 1 of them mastered by then.


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## RLPhoto (May 6, 2013)

35mm Sigma 1.4

50mm 1.4

135L

Primes+FF = why did I ever shoot crop?


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## beckstoy (May 6, 2013)

RLPhoto said:


> 35mm Sigma 1.4
> 
> 50mm 1.4
> 
> ...



+1


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## funkboy (May 7, 2013)

RLPhoto said:


> 35mm Sigma 1.4
> 
> 50mm 1.4
> 
> ...



Yep, that's pretty much the gist of it.

If there's one reasonably-priced standard zoom I really like on the 6D, it's the 24-105L. They can be had refurbished at very good prices these days. This is also a lens that will hold its value very well. I love my primes but sometimes one "do-all" lens with a stabilizer is awfully convenient when walking around. This is pretty much my only zoom.

But (depending on what the OP is shooting, assuming he's still reading this) you don't really need the zoom if you get enough primes and you're rarely in situations where you don't have time to change lenses. If you're just starting out, I'd say this is a great prime collection that won't break the bank:


Samyang 14mm
Canon 40mm pancake
Canon 85mm f/1.8 USM

And maybe add a Canon 28mm f/1.8 USM, though around the 20-24-28mm focal length you might be better off waiting a while & putting more money into a better lens later as there are a lot better options out there, but none of them are under $500.

Alternatively, if you don't want to go as wide as the Samyang you could put a little more money into a Voigtländer 20mm Color Skopar, which gives you a nice 20/40/85 kit (doubling your focal length each time you change up). Also two of them are pancake lenses, so the kit of all three is about the same size as a 24-105L <grin>. Obviously this is what I have (plus a 135L and 1.4X TC at the long end, and a Zeiss 35 & 50).

I shot a 10D for 5 years, then moved up to a 40D & used that for 5 years, and just got a 6D at the beginning of the year (so that should be good for at least another 5 . Ever since I started buying lenses I always made sure not to spend any real money on anything that wouldn't work on FF (the GF's crop camera has an 18-55 IS and 55-250 IS but I didn't spend more than $300 for the pair of 'em).

This may sound funny, but this is the reason that I stuck with Tokina for ultrawides. Both the old 12-24 f/4 and my current 11-16 f/2.8 are technically "crop" lenses, but unlike the Canon 10-22 the Tokinas have a normal EF mount. At the long end they both work just fine on FF cameras (I tested this back in the day on my old EOS 1N film body; the 12-24 didn't vignette appreciably until 20mm or wider). So my Tokina 11-16 f/2.8 is now a 16mm f/2.8 on the 6D, which is still quite a nice lens on FF (pretty much the same deal as the Samyang above, except the Tokina has AF .

Tokina does have a very nice FF ultrawide zoom, but that's a lot larger, heavier, & pricier of course.

BTW you really want to avoid the old micromotor lenses like the "nifty 50" f/1.8 if you have any intention whatsoever of shooting video or using live view on your 6D. At least with mine, the contrast-detect process and the old AF micromotor just seem to fight with eachother and never really achieve focus. I suspect this is why they developed STM focus drive as an alternative to the old micromotors.


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## Kengur (May 7, 2013)

RLPhoto said:


> 35L
> 
> 135L
> 
> Primes+FF = why did I ever shoot crop?



+1 fixed it


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