Canon Lens for Rebel XT - DPChallenge Forums

Nikon AF-S DX Zoom Nikkor 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6G VR

03/20/2007 08:43:33 PM · #1

Okay...I tried to put this in another thread and only got one response. Read a couple of places and really got no help, so I'm asking the people who use them.

I'm considering a new lens (I know already, I just got the camera) for my XT. I do alot of work with models, from portraits to glamour, etc. Here are two sites where you can see the type of shots I like to take.

//hawthora.solomodels.com

//www.onemodelplace.com/hawthora

All those shots were taken with my S2 IS. I don't think the 18-55 will have enough zoom for all the type of photos I may want to do. For some I feel I may need a zoom lens. Any idea of the zoom lens i should get? I want something decent, but not a bank breaker. Less than $300. Would I need all the way to 300mm or would 200mm be sufficient? Could really use some help.

thanks

Anthony

RainMotorsports

Nikon D60

03/20/2007 08:46:40 PM · #2

Originally posted by albc28:

Not sure if its what your looking for but a friend of myne just bought for 270 dollars from ritz camera a 55-200 Canon EF lense.

I suspect thats a bit more then your going for and probly not the best of quality. But it might provide hope for a say 35-125 in your price range havent looked at canon much.

03/20/2007 08:52:31 PM · #3

this is considered a very good portrait lens. I don't know why you would need any more zoom on a 1.6 crop cam.

b0gdan

Canon EOS-5D

03/20/2007 08:54:10 PM · #4

For this kinds of shots I would recommend Canon EF 85mm f/1.8 USM a must for portraits..

03/20/2007 09:03:59 PM · #5

Originally posted by b0gdan:

For this kinds of shots I would recommend Canon EF 85mm f/1.8 USM a must for portraits..

That is what I said:)

03/20/2007 09:07:12 PM · #6

The EF 85 is just slightly out of my price range. Someone before mentioned a 50mm 1.8 prime...not sure what kind of zoom that can provide. The problem I forsee with a prime lens, is more time walking back and forth to get the right distance from the model. With my S2 IS I would take a couple of shots with the same pose, same angle, but either zoom in a lil' closer or zoom out more. That extra step forward could be the difference between a in the shade and having a glare in the cam.

03/20/2007 09:13:39 PM · #7

Originally posted by albc28:

the problem you run into is that you will get less quality glass for the money if you get a zoom over a prime.

here is one for $295 buy it now on ebay from a seller with a decent rating. linky

Yes you have to move more but It may be worth it, not to mention you will not get an aperture that low in a zoom(for that price anyway)

the 50 1.8 is ok. many people rave about it but I never take it out of my bag. The shots come out good but I jsut don't like the build quality.

Message edited by author 2007-03-20 21:15:08.

b0gdan

Canon EOS-5D

03/20/2007 09:14:02 PM · #8

Originally posted by Elvis_L:

Originally posted by b0gdan:
For this kinds of shots I would recommend Canon EF 85mm f/1.8 USM a must for portraits..

That is what I said:)

NO !! THAT IS WHAT I SAID :-)))

Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS USM

03/20/2007 09:14:36 PM · #9

To answer your question I don;t think you would need a 200m or 300mm to get those shots. You want to be in close to your model anyway so you can talk to her.

You may have to up your price range a little but I would recommend the

Tamron 28-75mm f/2.8 Lens

Most here swear by it. And at f/2.8 makes it fast enough for low light.

Also the 85mm prime makes for a good portrait lens because the bokeh it produces is just wonderful. The 50mm prime is about the same lens. The reason it is so much cheaper is the face that it is a plastic mount.

I recently had a model shoot and only used those 2 lenses.

Message edited by author 2007-03-20 21:18:08.

skylercall

Canon EOS-7D

03/20/2007 09:21:18 PM · #10

I have the Tamron 28-75mm f/2.8 and am quite happy with it.

Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS USM

03/20/2007 09:26:00 PM · #11

Okay..looks like I'll look to get a prime. Prolly the 50mm f/1.8 because I can get it for $65. I'm not entering my camera in any camera modeling contest so I don't really care much for the plastic mount.

There isn't much of a difference between the 85 and 50 right..besides the plastic mount right??

I know eventually I'm going to need to get a zoom. I prolly should have made it clear that I didn't expect to go all the way out to 200mm or 300mm for the portraits..lol. I meant to include a line about using it for outdoor shots as well. I learned during the Time challenge that I'm definetly going to need a zoom, I cut out of alot of negative space in my photo and still wasn't as close as I wanted to be at full zoom.

Message edited by author 2007-03-20 21:28:25.

skylercall

Canon EOS-7D

03/20/2007 09:32:03 PM · #12

I think you will be happy with the 50mm. I really like mine. The cheap build quality doesn't bother me. The photos come out nice. One thing you will notice between your kit lens and the 50mm is that your shutter speed will be a lot faster in low light situations because of the f/1.8 versus the f/3.5-5.6.

03/20/2007 09:34:50 PM · #13

Rex - thanks for the PM. The photos cover exactly the type of distances I'd be doing. Great photos by the way. Love what you got there.

Whew..you guys just saved me from make a $200 mistake...well let's just call it an early investment..lol.

Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS USM

03/20/2007 09:36:38 PM · #14

Originally posted by albc28:

for the record My concern for the plastic mount is that I am a super klutz so I am scared i will break it:) as far as a zoom i would think in the lines of 200 since generall those are better quality but may be out of your price range. I have heard the sigma 70-300 APO is very good but make sure you get the APO version.

skylercall

Canon EOS-7D

03/20/2007 09:40:14 PM · #15

Well I am super careful with all my equipment so I am not worried.

Canon FD 70-210mm f/4.0 MF

03/20/2007 10:08:57 PM · #16

Originally posted by albc28:

Whew..you guys just saved me from make a $200 mistake...well let's just call it an early investment..lol.

$200 mistake?

I have the 85mm and highly recommend it over the 50mm but if money is an issue go with the 50mm.

shutterpuppy

Sony Alpha a7

03/20/2007 10:11:33 PM · #17

Originally posted by skylercall:

Well I am super careful with all my equipment so I am not worried.

I've had two of the 50mm 1.8. Loved the pictures, but the lens itself really, really fragile. I don't baby my equipment, but I do take good care of it. The only failure I've had with a lens is twice with the 50/1.8. The first time was a fall, but the lens was in a camera bag and everything else came out fine. When I pulled out that lens, however, half of it stayed in the bag. Second time was just normal use, and happened very quickly with the replacement lens that I got for the first one. The autofocus just stopped working. The lens would still work on manual focus, but auto just bellied up. I returned the second one and bought the 50mm 1.4, which I couldn't be happier with.

My point? Sometimes buying cheap ends up costing you money. I'd pony up the extra and buy the 85mm, since that seems to be the portrait lens that everyone is recommending. I personally like the 100mm f2, but I know that isn't the preferred lens for this sort of thing.

Ubersteiny

Sigma 35mm f/1.4 DG HSM for Canon

03/20/2007 10:18:51 PM · #18

id say the 50mm 2.5 macro

violinist123

Canon EOS-6D

Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8L USM

03/20/2007 11:07:49 PM · #19

I own the 85, 50 1.8 and 50 1.4. No problems with any of them, and all of them are great. My 50 1.8 has gotten relatively rough treatment - jammed roughly in and out of the bag while mounted, tossed in carelessly after switching lenses, used is all sorts of weather - no prob.

Ubersteiny

Sigma 35mm f/1.4 DG HSM for Canon

03/20/2007 11:09:54 PM · #20

Originally posted by noisemaker:

id say the 50mm 2.5 macro

..^^^^

03/21/2007 07:34:25 AM · #21

They have a 50mm 2.5 macro??? That definetely doesn't sound like that'll work..lol.

03/21/2007 07:40:36 AM · #22

Originally posted by albc28:

They have a 50mm 2.5 macro??? That definetely doesn't sound like that'll work..lol.

//www.dpchallenge.com/lens.php?LENS_ID=19

Simms

Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8L USM

03/21/2007 08:02:36 AM · #23

With all due respect, it seems all you really wanted to know is what was the cheapest lens you could buy, not the most suitable.. in which case go for the 50mm 1.8 However, longer focal lengths (like the 85mm on a 1.6x crop camera) are more flattering for the model. Even on a full-frame camera such as the 5D its a great lens. Check out Joey Laurences shots from his India trip, the portrait stuff on there was taken with the 85mm and my god its sold that lens to me, just got to get round to picking one up.

However, you dont always have to spend a lot to get good IQ, in fact I did a few sessions last year before I got my 70-200 with my very old 75-300 cheapo Canon lens. As long as I kept it stopped down enough, it produced very sharp, very nice looking images. Example below. Remember this is a VERY cheap lens (under Â£100).

The 50mm 1.8 is a nice little lens, but I think you will quickly outgrow it.

03/21/2007 09:05:07 AM · #24

Originally posted by marksimms:

With all due respect, it seems all you really wanted to know is what was the cheapest lens you could buy, not the most suitable..

Not necessarily. I was actually going to spend just under $300 for a zoom lens, but the advice was that a prime was better. The 85mm is a little more than $300 which exceeds my price range a little ($300 was the absolute max i would have spent, but was looking more for the $250 and under mark). The tamaron is also over $300. (I've actually searched several places for each lens referred).

Just think that while the 50mm is cheaper because of the plastic mount, it'll give me a chance to grow with using a prime while still gathering good photos.....keep in mind it was only less than two months ago that i was using a P&S. It'll also give me more time to figure out what i really need without spending alot of money of front.