06-22-2014, 04:08 PM
The 18-35 is good, and it's unique. To be honest I forgot about it. Make that four.
I can't speak to high-end nikon AF. I shot nikon for two years on a D5100, for a year of which I saved and never bought a lens. I planned out everything I would want from my camera system in the end, and canon came out about $1500 cheaper when I planned it out (much more than that now that I paid $1043 for my 70-300L - dem rebates).
Systems would have been:
D600, 35 ZF.2, 70-200/4G, 14-24 or 21ZE. =1800+1100+1400+2000 = $6300
6D, 35 IS, 70-300L, 25ZE - 1400+550+1500+1700 = $5150
Lots has changed since then - 35A was released and 16-35 f/4L IS was released being the big two that would change my plans.
The 35/2 distagon was my solution to nikon not making a quality fast 35 without ridiculous spherochromatism or other quality issues (and they still kinda don't
) but the 35A replaces that need. The 25 ZE I would use on canon because of its 67mm filter thread making my entire kit use the same thread size of inexpensive filters. The 16-35 IS just so happens to be as good as the 17 TS-E at 16mm, better than the 24L at 24mm, and as good as my 35 IS at 35mm - the extra cost of filters and step rings is made up by the lower cost of the lens.
All I really do know is that my 70-300L focuses like a bat out of hell and never misses, my 35 IS is very fast, but not as fast as the 70-300, and also never misses. That's for still shooting. I shot ziplining once with the 70-300, subjects moving directly towards the camera.... it missed 2/253 images on the center point.
Canon just is the creme de la creme for lens design as far as I'm concerned. On hikes I can take my 70-300L and soon-to-own 16-35L IS with my 6D and have quality as good as anything short of a D800 with very heavy lenses that can handle the sensor - two lenses to cover from 16 -> 300mm is quite exceptional. Eventually I'll add a 50/2 or 50/1.8 IS, whichever canon ends up releasing.
Then for walkaround, I have a compact kit - 6D+35 - which has exceptional IQ and haptics in every regard... without being large or heavy!
I can't speak to high-end nikon AF. I shot nikon for two years on a D5100, for a year of which I saved and never bought a lens. I planned out everything I would want from my camera system in the end, and canon came out about $1500 cheaper when I planned it out (much more than that now that I paid $1043 for my 70-300L - dem rebates).
Systems would have been:
D600, 35 ZF.2, 70-200/4G, 14-24 or 21ZE. =1800+1100+1400+2000 = $6300
6D, 35 IS, 70-300L, 25ZE - 1400+550+1500+1700 = $5150
Lots has changed since then - 35A was released and 16-35 f/4L IS was released being the big two that would change my plans.
The 35/2 distagon was my solution to nikon not making a quality fast 35 without ridiculous spherochromatism or other quality issues (and they still kinda don't
) but the 35A replaces that need. The 25 ZE I would use on canon because of its 67mm filter thread making my entire kit use the same thread size of inexpensive filters. The 16-35 IS just so happens to be as good as the 17 TS-E at 16mm, better than the 24L at 24mm, and as good as my 35 IS at 35mm - the extra cost of filters and step rings is made up by the lower cost of the lens. All I really do know is that my 70-300L focuses like a bat out of hell and never misses, my 35 IS is very fast, but not as fast as the 70-300, and also never misses. That's for still shooting. I shot ziplining once with the 70-300, subjects moving directly towards the camera.... it missed 2/253 images on the center point.
Canon just is the creme de la creme for lens design as far as I'm concerned. On hikes I can take my 70-300L and soon-to-own 16-35L IS with my 6D and have quality as good as anything short of a D800 with very heavy lenses that can handle the sensor - two lenses to cover from 16 -> 300mm is quite exceptional. Eventually I'll add a 50/2 or 50/1.8 IS, whichever canon ends up releasing.
Then for walkaround, I have a compact kit - 6D+35 - which has exceptional IQ and haptics in every regard... without being large or heavy!