SLR Lenses: Camera Brand vs. Third Party Brand?

The quality of the lens makes a big difference in the quality of the photo. With newer software tools though that difference is lessened a bit.

With any lens manufacturer, different lenses are better than others and every now and then a third party lens can out shine it's competitors.

I'm a Nikon fan. I buy Nikon cameras because I believe from what I've read that the Nikon glass in the lenses and the quality of the lens builds is far better than other lenses. Nikon glass is used in the most critical medical research equipment as well as consumer brand lenses so I put a lot of faith in the name. I also do research amongst the lenses themselves because even within the Nikkor brand, not all lenses are equal.

It will become a big part of your camera ownership but the most important thing is for you to learn how to make great pictures first. Buy what you can afford to start and as your skill increases, you'll find that you want a lens that keeps up with your skill sets. New photographers typically don't see a difference between an expensive lens and a cheap lens. later on you will.

There is quite a bit of truth in the statement "You get what you pay for" in the case of lenses anyway. Have fun!

Get the Canon Lenses.

Canon has been making cameras for decades, and they know how to make a good lens. Compared to a 3rd-party lens, Canon lenses are more durable and use better glass.

This means a Canon lens would be harder to break and give you a better picture. With electronics, you typically get what you pay for. This is no exception...

Tamron, Tokina and Sigma all make some excellent lenses that, in practical terms, are as good as the brand lenses. I know many working photographers (myself being one) that have one or more lenses from these manufacturers where the image quality is good enough to meet our requirements. The pro 'L' series lenses obviously produce very high image quality. However, something besides image quality goes into the price and that is build quality. Pro lenses are built to take the day to day abuse we dish out to our cameras and lenses. For some of the Sigma and Tamron lenses, that is the only real advantage they have. If your an amateur, a wedding/portrait photographer, shoot events, or do senior pictures and treat your equipment with the care and concern it deserves, they can be great lenses. The savings from buying them (where appropriate) can go to getting that 'L' lens you really need (or want so much it's the same thing). To cover what you want at a budget price with high quality: Landscape, group shots, portrait: Tamron AF 17-50mm F/2.8 XR Di II LD Aspherical [IF] Portrait, long telephoto shots, macro close-up: Tamron AF 28-200MM F/3.8-5.6 XR Aspherical (IF) Macro Vance

Canon.

Man, you are talking about your photographs!

Keep your Nikon a Nikon. Keep your Canon a Canon.