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01/03/2007 10:04:25 PM · #1 |
I am a newbie to digital SLR cameras. My wife and I purchased a Canon Rebel XT to take nice photos of our 2 little boys. We are looking for a lens that is good for close shots, such as portrait shots, full body shots, and head shots. Will any of these lenses do? We are looking to spend no more than $400 at this time since we are newbies to photography.
EF 100 mm f/2 USM Standard and Medium Telephoto Lens
EF 85 mm f/1.8 USM Medium Telephoto Lens
EF 50mm f/1.4 USM Standard Lens
I do notice that 2 of the lenses I listed say Telephoto? Are these lenses only good for long distance shots?
Also, is this flash any good to start with?
Speedlite 220EX Flash |
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01/03/2007 10:07:24 PM · #2 |
I know nothing of flash but I've got the 50mm 1.4 and its great for what your describing. Good in low light too.
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01/03/2007 10:08:15 PM · #3 |
| Because of the 1.6 crop factor on the camera, out of those three, I would pick the 50mm. One thing to check in the specs of each lens is the minimum focusing distance. |
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01/03/2007 10:09:03 PM · #4 |
I just ordered the EF 50mm f/1.8 II earlier today because of all the wonderful comments I heard about it from other DPC members.
Message edited by author 2007-01-03 22:10:35. |
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01/03/2007 10:09:42 PM · #5 |
| Thanks neophyte. Are the different brand lenses interchangeable or do we need a Canon lens with Canon camera? Can a Nikon lens be used on a Canon? |
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01/03/2007 10:10:57 PM · #6 |
| Thank you all for the quick responses. Looks like the EF 50mm f/1.8 USM is the one so far. |
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01/03/2007 10:12:33 PM · #7 |
Originally posted by RiveraP:
Thanks neophyte. Are the different brand lenses interchangeable or do we need a Canon lens with Canon camera? Can a Nikon lens be used on a Canon? |
Each camera manufacturer has a proprietary mount so the lens you buy must have a Canon mount. When looking at third party lenses always check what mount they are for. (third party = sigma, tamron etc.) |
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01/03/2007 10:13:27 PM · #8 |
Originally posted by RiveraP:
Thanks neophyte. Are the different brand lenses interchangeable or do we need a Canon lens with Canon camera? Can a Nikon lens be used on a Canon? |
No, there are 3rd party lens such as Tamron, Sigma, Tokina ect that make lens in Canon mount. As long as the mount is Canon EOS mount then it will fit your camera. But a Nikon lens will not fit your camera.
MattO
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01/03/2007 10:13:47 PM · #9 |
Originally posted by RiveraP:
Thank you all for the quick responses. Looks like the EF 50mm f/1.8 USM is the one so far. |
You had originally posted the f/1.4 version. From what I hear the main difference (besides the $300) is the quality in the lens body. The image quality should be about the same. |
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01/03/2007 10:14:53 PM · #10 |
Originally posted by RiveraP:
Thanks neophyte. Are the different brand lenses interchangeable or do we need a Canon lens with Canon camera? Can a Nikon lens be used on a Canon? |
The lens should be made to fit a Canon mount. That's the short answer. So, either buy Canon, or buy third-party like Tamron or Sigma and buy the version for the Canon mount.
The somewhat longer answer is, strictly speaking it is possible to use some Nikon lenses on Canon cameras, but it only makes sense in special circumstances, and I would not at all recommend going there to a new DSLR user.
You really don't want the long answer at this point, LOL.
With regard to your lens question, I'd second (third?) the 50/1.4; it has the versatility you want for getting in closer, but is wide enough that full-body shots will not require a really large space. It's a very good lens indeed, and will do well for you in low light. |
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01/03/2007 10:15:00 PM · #11 |
Originally posted by cpanaioti:
Originally posted by RiveraP:
Thanks neophyte. Are the different brand lenses interchangeable or do we need a Canon lens with Canon camera? Can a Nikon lens be used on a Canon? |
Each camera manufacturer has a proprietary mount so the lens you buy must have a Canon mount. When looking at third party lenses always check what mount they are for. (third party = sigma, tamron etc.) |
Thanks for explaining that. Can anyone explain why I would need the telephoto lens? Are they only for long distance shots? Any reason not to get one of those over the 50mm? |
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01/03/2007 10:16:43 PM · #12 |
nikon lenses should nto be used on canon cameras (alothough theres probably a way to make it work). there are also other brand lenses though, sigma and tamron to name a couple. Both of those companies make excelent quality lenses, which are sometimes much cheaper then the canon alternative.
i would also recomend the 50 1.8 as many people recomend it. But for a more versatile lens i would recomend the tamron 28-75 f/2.8 its has the zoom which would make it easier for you to do both portraits and body shots.
hope that helps,
-Dan |
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01/03/2007 10:16:43 PM · #13 |
Originally posted by skylercall:
You had originally posted the f/1.4 version. From what I hear the main difference (besides the $300) is the quality in the lens body. The image quality should be about the same. |
Not really. The 50/1.4 has *much* better bokeh (more pleasing out-of-focus area). That's a really important, and often-overlooked criterion. |
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01/03/2007 10:21:17 PM · #14 |
Love my pentax 50mm f/1.4
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01/03/2007 10:24:32 PM · #15 |
Originally posted by RiveraP:
Can anyone explain why I would need the telephoto lens? Are they only for long distance shots? Any reason not to get one of those over the 50mm? |
The shorter the focal length the shorter the working distance (camera to subject). This does not mean that a telephoto lens is for long distance shots, only that you have to be further away from the subject to get the subject in focus. Also, with telephoto lenses the angle of view will be less and the longer the lens (more telephoto) the more multiple subjects in an image will appear to be on top of each other.
So it all depends on what you want to do. |
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01/03/2007 11:02:21 PM · #16 |
Regarding the flash - it is cheap, small and has more power than the on-camera popup. That's the good stuff. The bad stuff is that it can't sync with other canon flashes so the scope for it to grow with you is limited. I would say hold on the flash and then in the future get a 430EX which can then be a slave to a master flash in the distant future.
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01/03/2007 11:29:13 PM · #17 |
Before you start buying lenses (it's the crack of SLR owners), do yourself a favour and just buy the 50mmf1.8 for < $100 bucks and use it for at least a month before even thinking about lenses.
During the month take note of what it does NOT do that you really want it to do. Is it not close enough? Does the fact that you have to walk around bother you enough to want to look at zoom lenses? Do you hate the plastic feel of that lens? Whatever - Then come back with what you need to do and people will talk about lens options.
In the mean time, use every option on the camera and do some reading. Don't be afraid of deleting junk that does not work but try to figure out why it didn't work (post an example and people here will help) and when you find something you like, try to figure out why and repeat.
You could do a flash but that is another rabbits hole of learning (just going there for me now as I have avoided it for years). Don't know much about the 220 but the 430/550/580/Sigma is where you will end up if you use flash more, so think about the longer term $.
Hope some of this helps..... |
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01/03/2007 11:31:06 PM · #18 |
Originally posted by kirbic:
Originally posted by skylercall:
You had originally posted the f/1.4 version. From what I hear the main difference (besides the $300) is the quality in the lens body. The image quality should be about the same. |
Not really. The 50/1.4 has *much* better bokeh (more pleasing out-of-focus area). That's a really important, and often-overlooked criterion. |
Just got it 3 weeks ago and has only been off the camera for the 85f1.8 :-) Great little lens - although seems very outdated to me style and focus (no USM). |
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01/04/2007 12:53:12 AM · #19 |
Originally posted by robs:
Just got it 3 weeks ago and has only been off the camera for the 85f1.8 :-) Great little lens - although seems very outdated to me style and focus (no USM). |
Mine 50mm 1.4 works Great!
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01/05/2007 10:19:59 AM · #20 |
Will the EF 50mm f/1.4 USM Standard Lens be good at a wedding or will the telephoto lens be better?
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01/05/2007 10:39:17 AM · #21 |
I would think that there would be opportunities for both. The telephoto could be used for less formal candids. The 50 mm 1.4 is just too clean to not use for portraits.
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01/05/2007 10:42:04 AM · #22 |
Originally posted by kirbic:
Originally posted by skylercall:
You had originally posted the f/1.4 version. From what I hear the main difference (besides the $300) is the quality in the lens body. The image quality should be about the same. |
Not really. The 50/1.4 has *much* better bokeh (more pleasing out-of-focus area). That's a really important, and often-overlooked criterion. |
That's true. I remember an OOF christmas tree shot I took with my 50 1.8 that had heptagons (I think 7) hanging from the branches. |
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01/05/2007 10:42:56 AM · #23 |
Originally posted by RiveraP:
Will the EF 50mm f/1.4 USM Standard Lens be good at a wedding or will the telephoto lens be better? |
A telephoto is often of great use for ceremonies, where it's not possible to be close enough for tighter shots with a 50mm lens. For the formal (and some informal) portraits, a 50mm is perfect on an APS-C (cropped) camera. |
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01/05/2007 11:30:10 AM · #24 |
| Thanks....what a tough decision. |
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01/05/2007 11:46:47 AM · #25 |
Originally posted by RiveraP:
Thanks....what a tough decision. |
It's difficult to decide on one lens when you don't really know what you want. I would second getting the 50mm f/1.8 as it is very cheap ($70 here). After using it for a while you will have a better idea of what you want. Or you could go for a zoom such as the Tamron 28-75mm which has been mentioned, $380 here. The zoom will give you much more versatility, but costs more. |
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