Caedes

Photography

Discussion Board -> Photography -> New lens

New lens

.winterymix
10/11/06 2:41 AM GMT
I'm wanting to invest in a new lens to compliment my kit lens. I have a Canon Digital Rebel XT. At first I was interested in a macro lens but find myself taking more landscape, cityscape, building & people/sports shots. I'm thinking maybe a better zoom makes more sense for me (please correct me if I'm making no sense).

I'd love some suggestions if you folks have any. I'm only looking to spend around $200.00, would like it to zoom to 200-300mm, and the ability to do macro would be a bonus. Brand isn't important to me as long as the optics are adequate and the focus is reasonably fast. Thanks in advance for the help!

-Wintery
0∈ [?]
-Winterymix

Comments

Post a Comment  -  Subscribe to this discussion
+mayne
10/11/06 2:59 AM GMT
What is your kit lens?
0∈ [?]
Darryl
::third_eye
10/11/06 3:04 AM GMT
hmmm, might want to point him towards a lens like Jerry's. its a tamron lens, made for canon, and 18-200 mm if i'm not mistaken..
0∈ [?]
lately, i've fallen horribly behind in my thanks and comments. I'll catch up, but until I do, please know all your kind words are greatly appreciated.
.winterymix
10/11/06 3:17 AM GMT
Oh sorry, the kit lens is as follows: 18-55 mm f/3.5-5.6
0∈ [?]
-Winterymix
+mayne
10/11/06 3:23 AM GMT
The 18-200 that Rob mentions is a nice lens and will double your spending power unless you find a used one. You really need to extend your price range to get what your after.
0∈ [?]
Darryl
.winterymix
10/11/06 3:25 AM GMT
I was afraid my price range was rather limited. I may just need to save a bit beforehand.
0∈ [?]
-Winterymix
+mayne
10/11/06 3:36 AM GMT
A lot of people are not fans of E-Bay but I have had good luck so far with lenses. You might get that price there?
0∈ [?]
Darryl
.winterymix
10/11/06 3:47 AM GMT
I don't have any problem with buying from ebay as long as the seller has a good reputation. I'll have to check that out. As for the type of lens, 18-200mm should give me a pretty wide range of options, correct? Anything in particular I should look for or stay away from?
0∈ [?]
-Winterymix
+mayne
10/11/06 3:52 AM GMT
I can only suggest trying one from a local camera shop before you buy.
0∈ [?]
Darryl
::noahnott
10/11/06 4:06 AM GMT
I really like the 18-35mm lens i use. Wideangle is my fav...

I'm not much of a camera guy, but a lens that is 18-200 mm usually has a pretty poor f-stop right? So you could be in broad daylight and saying, oh darn, i need to bring my tripod, it's tooooo dark.

My second favorite lens is a 50mm lens (no zoom, nothing) but it has a 1.8 f-stop. :) Oh yeah, i love the dof you get with it.

All that said, i'm a terrible photographer.
0∈ [?]
.MiLo_Anderson
10/11/06 5:02 AM GMT
This is pretty similar to what i got as a second lens (mine is a nikon). It was a pretty good second lens i thought. gives you the macro which is fun, but it does also double as a decent portrait lens, and a bit of a telephoto. Do some reading. Mine is a nikon and it is a good lens, but the canon could be completly different. This is probably a bit expesnive when you look at the price range you outlined, but maybe you can pick it up used, or something.

This guy is probably more in your price range and also looks like it falls in the range of what you are looking for. I have no idea what the optical quality is like, but canon makes good stuff in general. One thing with this one is it is not super fast (only 4-5.6) also doesn't have an image stabilizor so you will need decent light, or a tripod. Its an option though if you don't want to spend alot of money.
0∈ [?]
No one wanted to pay to say something in my sig, so i will have to try and think of something creative now...
::noahnott
10/11/06 2:26 PM GMT
...or u can buy a 50mm f-1.8 lens... Fun fun! (uh, this is for a nikon, so no idea how it works over on the dark side...excuse me, cannon side.)
0∈ [?]
&philcUK
10/11/06 7:04 PM GMT
two hundred bucks or less will get you any of the following from new york based Adorama:

Canon EF 55-200mm f/4.5/5.6 II USM

Canon EF 75-300mm f/4.0-5.6 III USM

Sigma 55mm - 200mm f/4-5.6 DC

Sigma 70-300mm f/4-5.6 APO DG Macro Tele Zoom

Tamron Twin Zoom Lens Kit with 28 - 80mm f/3.5-5.6 Aspherical Conventional & 55 - 200mm f/4-5.6 DI-II LD

Tamron 70-300mm f/4-5.6 Di LD 1:2
0∈ [?]
A smart bomb is only as clever as the idiot that tells it what to do……si vis pacem para bellum.
::noahnott
10/11/06 10:50 PM GMT
Or:

Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 II Standard AutoFocus Lens - Gray Market <-- whatever grey market means, but common, f1.8!? you cant go tooo wrong. =P I'm a speed freak. Btw, this is only 69 bucks according to adorama.

or for 109, which i dont know if this fits your camera (i've never learnt what lenses fit one what cameras): Sigma 18mm - 50mm f/3.5-5.6 DC Autofocus Aspherical Zoom Lens for Sigma Digital SLR Cameras

18mm is pretty wide...good for landscapes. Btw, wont having a 300mm zoom lens with f4.0 be kindof impossible to keep steady?
0∈ [?]
::third_eye
10/12/06 2:52 AM GMT
grey market means it was made outside of the united states, and/or made in the US but for export, and in either instance doesnt carry, nor qualify for the usual warrantee issued by the company that makes or sells that product. you can save money on the selling price, but at what cost?
0∈ [?]
lately, i've fallen horribly behind in my thanks and comments. I'll catch up, but until I do, please know all your kind words are greatly appreciated.
::noahnott
10/12/06 3:00 AM GMT
..well if your afraid of 'grey market,' you can buy a normal version for 10 bucks more...btw, if it's made out of the us, doenst that make ALL LENSES grey market? All the nikon lenses say something like made in taiwon/taiwan or...umm...japan?
0∈ [?]
::third_eye
10/12/06 3:11 AM GMT
noah...re-read what i wrote... in it's entirety:

grey market means it was made outside of the united states, and/or made in the US but for export,
0∈ [?]
lately, i've fallen horribly behind in my thanks and comments. I'll catch up, but until I do, please know all your kind words are greatly appreciated.
.MiLo_Anderson
10/12/06 3:14 AM GMT
That's not what he means. What he is saying is a lens (or anyother product for that matter) is produced to be sold in the US, with a US warrenty and following US laws in labeling and all that other stuff, then it should be sold in the US. If it is not and sold in canada for example then it is grey market. Same thing applys for a lens that was supposed to be produced in Canada. It should be sold in Canada, but if it is sold in the US than it is grey. The product itself is going to work the way it is supposed to but you arn't going to have a valid warrenty or other things like the right warnings or languages in the documentation or what ever.
0∈ [?]
No one wanted to pay to say something in my sig, so i will have to try and think of something creative now...
::noahnott
10/12/06 3:47 AM GMT
Ah, i get it. Thanks...and um, sorry.
0∈ [?]
&philcUK
10/12/06 11:12 AM GMT
Noah - Sigma make lenses for for a variety of camera mounts including canon, nikon, pentax etc - the one you posted is for sigma's own mount although chances are there will be a canon mount version as well. I posted that list as the original question was for a zoom lens really.
0∈ [?]
A smart bomb is only as clever as the idiot that tells it what to do……si vis pacem para bellum.
::noahnott
10/12/06 2:10 PM GMT
ah...i read the first post and came across something like: i like landscape shots...but since zoom lens was offered, ok ok. >_> *ahem* I apologize twice in a row.
0∈ [?]
.Jeffo
10/13/06 3:30 AM GMT
get a 50mm f1.8 it will be the most useful lens you ever buy and you can learn a lot from it

not to mention that it produces very sharp images
0∈ [?]
I want something good to die for To make it beautiful to live. D70s w/18-70, 70-300
::noahnott
10/13/06 3:58 AM GMT
...what he said.
0∈ [?]
&philcUK
10/13/06 11:10 AM GMT
not much 200-300mm range zoom capability with that though....
0∈ [?]
A smart bomb is only as clever as the idiot that tells it what to do……si vis pacem para bellum.
::noahnott
10/13/06 4:26 PM GMT
thats why you buy 1 50mm, 1 200-300mm, and 1 18-50mm.
0∈ [?]
&philcUK
10/13/06 4:39 PM GMT
thats a lot of glass for less than two hundred bucks - buy too cheap and end up with really poor quality lenses = v.bad.
0∈ [?]
A smart bomb is only as clever as the idiot that tells it what to do……si vis pacem para bellum.
::noahnott
10/13/06 8:40 PM GMT
my bad...didnt notice the price limit. >_>
0∈ [?]

Leave a comment (registration required):

Subject: