The Australian Weather Forum

Both those lenses are nice and small and would be a joy to use.(small primes is why i went pentax) 50mm is probably better for portrait/lightning shots, the 35mm is stupidly cheap and if you like primes you will pick one up later.
Alternatives, sigma 50/1.4 HSM, possibly the best AF50/1.4 going around at the moment, however it is a huge beast with a 77mm filter.
tokina 35/2.8 macro, no in lens motor so its not compatible if you have lower than D90. But it gives you macro.
Tamron 17-50/2.8. An optically excellent f2.8 zoom, and there is a VR version if you want to pay an extra couple hundred. Just make sure you get a good copy (maybe buy in aus)

I haven't done any serious photography for years and I used to have a sigma lens, it was OK but I wish I could have afforded the Nikon. Mind you it was years ago and maybe Sigma have lifted their game these days, most companies have. Back then I used to manually focus because my SLR was so old. It was much faster to get proper focus with a Nikon manually, it was just so much clearer. Maybe check out response times in the store with your camera, use a slow shutter speed to test the clarity, go home, blow them up and then make a choice

Only problem with having to change between 2 or 3 lenses on storm chasers is getting dust on the sensor each time you change them unless you have 2 camera bodies, I think a lens from wide to a bit of zoom is better in a lot of situations (obviously the quality and speed is not as good as a prime depending on the lens) but you don't have to change between lenses in most cases which saves time and you don't have dust possibly going onto the sensor each time.

I use a Canon 17-85mm f4-5.6 IS USM lens most of the time (it's not the best quality lens) but it gets the job done for storm chasing so far, I've used my Canon 100-400mm f4.5-5.6 L lens a few times for longer range lightning shots which is better quality then the 17-85mm lens but it's also about 4 times the price as well.

We've just upgraded to Canon 550D's - they come with 2 image stabilised lenses EF-S18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS and EF-S55-250mm f/4-5.6 IS and we're keeping one of the 75 - 300mm lenses off the 400D (so I can get the bird or the flower or whatever that 250mm just can't quite do). I tend to use the wider angle lenses on stormchases unless I want detail, then Clyve keeps shooting with the wide angle and I go in with the telephoto.....I'd really like a 400mm (used to have one many years ago), but you've got to spend money.....I also tend to use wideangle and crop if I want to concentrate on one area and have been known to do this with the telephoto too - the 550D with an ASA rating of 6400 is going to afford us more opportunities for this...and also allow us to see through hail fog

Towering Updraft wrote:Mmm...problem is I can't replicate the type of shots i really want to take with this lens in a camera store. Thanks for the tip though. This sigma is considered the equal of the Nikon in almost every department...so I guess sooner or later I might have to make a decision...that is if I don't end upgrading to a D90 before I buy a 50mm prime...considering doing so atm....its been on my mind a while and given I may not get back to the US I want something that does the things I want.

Hey TU, so sorry I didn't explain myself properly. It shouldn't matter what your taking pics of, whether it's a rack in the shop or out the window. Just get in there, mix up your ISO's and shutter speeds, bracketing the exact same pic multiple times. Then take home your shots and see if one is better than the other once you get home and blow them up. It was an old trick I learnt at photography school years ago, at least you don't have to process and print anymore. It's also a really good way to see how different lenses work at high, mid and low F stops. Especially with zooms . Good luck, picking lenses is hard work.

Looking at a extender for my 70-200 L f4.
http://www.canon.com.au/en-au/For-You/C ... er-EF2x-II" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
camera house had mentioned about $510.00 with a 15% discount.
I dont think i will be getting it this side of xmas.
Any thoughts appreciated.

Go for the Kenko option as John suggests. I have the 1.4x Kenko for my 70-200L f2.8 and the results are good. The reviews I read state that it is as good if not better than the genuine Canon 1.4x II extender.

Brad.

Croydon Camera house had a vip night 15% off so I did lay-by the Canon, not that I couldn't change my mind at all though.
The 2 x with my f4 lens will loose auto focus so Im told, but as you can see by pic atttached this is why Im wanting a little more.
They will always tell you to put the canon with the canon, I ended up getting my 7d through these guys and I can see your point with the prices as I ummed and arred with the camera purchase, but in the long run it paid off as my first 7d I had replaced within 24 hours as the card wouldnt read in the camera and they changed the camera over straight away, I would hate to think of the hassles with an internet/oversea's purchase. So I do mind the extra but not if I get customer service. Ive got 3 month, and I DO appreciate your time and response. shall look a little further, until then I must learn bird calls to bring them closer. Michelle.

Yeah you will lose auto focus when the lens is slower then f5.6 on the mid range Canons (your 70-200 would become f8 with the 2x) so it makes it difficult to shoot things moving fast like birds etc. I know the Canon 1D's can auto focus with far slower lens combinations but thats a unrealistic option and not needed for most lol