C100: best walkaround/all in one runaround lens?

Darren Levine

Darren Levine

Veteran
When push comes to push, i need to nail down "the" lens i bring on trips/vacations. Yes i know, i know, and NO im not turning my c100 into a vacation cam, however, even when im on vacation, there are endless opportunities for stock footage!

In the next two months im off to both galapagos, and hawaii. plants, animals and volcanoes oh yes...

So here's the thought process:

The c100 is just too perfect and small not to bring along on trips, which is why i chose it over the fs700, etc...
But i don't want to be working while on vacation, so no constant swapping lenses and fiddling...
So i need something wide enough for landscapes, but still needs a damn good reach to get in tight on distant goodie shots.
But all in one power zooms suck....
and then i truly have always wanted a bigma (50-500mm)....
but that thing is a f*****cking beast, airport security would consider it a blunt weapon.
there's the slightly smaller 80-400mm, but no, still can kill a pilot with it...
or maybe the even smaller canon 70-300 IS, but wait, none of these have anything remotely wide, though this one might at least be able to take out a co-pilot...
oh wait, sigma has a new all in one zoom that people seem to be saying doesn't completely suck....

Sigma 18-250mm f3.5-6.3 DC MACRO OS HSM

it seems to be a near identical update to the prior version, the only difference seems to be the price, as even the name is apparently identical

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B008B48AAE/?tag=dlevi-20

Anyone currently using this one, or have other suggestions? my thought at the moment is this + 1.4x TC and i should be satisfied for this specific purpose. TC would make it a 25-350 crop, 40-560FF, all with stabilization. not bad for around $750
 
I'm a big advocate of the Canon 24-105mm F4.0L for it's versatility and sharpness. I think it's the perfect walk around lens, although it'd be nice to be a tad wider on the wide end. For some people 24mm isn't quite wide enough on S35 sensors.
 
I think imdjay is looking for a hyper zoom. sort of an all in one package. Why not just order that Sigma, give it a test before you go and see if it will do the job. If you don't like it, return it. If you do like it or it at least cuts it, use it then sell it 50% off when you return.
Really no need to worry about F/stop speed on that camera.
 
correct, 24-105 isn't nearly long enough. i'll be chasing finicky wildlife.

as for buying and returning, i do want to like whichever i choose and hang on to it for a good long time. i've got other other lenses for most of my client work, so im really not thinking about it in terms of client work. but then again, i might even try putting a FF onto the zoom and see how smooth it would work as an eng style zoom for certain event shoots.

looks like i need to head over to BH and try it out. if the rings have a smooth action to them, ill likely be sold
 
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