Lens'? - DPChallenge Forums

04/13/2007 03:46:05 PM · #1

Heyyyyyyyyyyy

i have a 350D and have just sold my car so want a few more lens for it

but dont know what to get :s

price is realy a major factor and i dont want to spend muchh

one lens i like the look of is Canon EF 85mm f/1.8 USM

i also maybe want a wide angle fish eye and a macro or whatever

or is there any filters or other things that would be cheaper options?

thanks for any help =]

NVPhoto

Canon EOS-40D

Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 II

04/13/2007 03:53:30 PM · #2

whats your price range? The lens you mention is around $400.

04/13/2007 03:53:52 PM · #3

I think you need to look at what you need for the type of photography you enjoy. There is no point buying a long zoom if you prefer Macro. Rather than gather a load of lenses, it is better to get a couple of good quality ones. They are an investment and whether you stay with the 350D or upgrade later, they will still be good lenses.

If you are working to a budget, don't forget to look at the third party companies like Sigma, Tamron, Tokina etc, but avoid the ones sold cheap on sites like ebay. The names reflect the quality, stick the Canon or the three named brands and you won't go far wrong.

Check out Warehouse Express Online, they do a great range and very competitive prices. Their service and delivery is exceptional.

Name a few lenses you like and I will try to grade them for you as I had a range for my 300D & 30D before changing to Pentax.

Sigma 30mm f/1.4 EX DC HSM for Nikon

04/13/2007 03:58:03 PM · #4

im not sure which type of photography i like best yet im still experimenting and want to ioimprove my portfolio, i wanted a lens that i could take realy good portraight shots with and the Canon EF 85mm f/1.8 USM looked good i liked the way the background blurred, i havent realy looked into many other lens im just trying to think which would be best to buy.

khdoss

Nikon D300

04/13/2007 04:04:15 PM · #5

Originally posted by exclamationjay:

I have a Nikon but my 85 is a sweet lens. Perfect for portrait shots.
I also believe that you should buy the best lens first. I bought my first Sigma a month ago 30mm 1.4 and it has amazed me in quality.

You can also do a search on the equipment link and look at all the pictures taken with a certain lens. Gives you an idea of the range..

Tamron SP AF 28-75mm f/2.8 XR Di for Canon

04/13/2007 04:04:18 PM · #6

I agree about the 85mm Canon, but most lenses will give good background blur (bokeh) when used with appropriate f stop settings.

Remember there is the equipment list here where you can see who is using which lens and look at photos taken with them. However, bear in mind that most have had some post processing done to them.

I have used various Sigma lenses on a 300D and a 30D and have never been disappointed with any. But then, I have used Tamron and they were as good. I owned the Canon 28-135mm IS and this is a great lens for a respectable price, and it covers a good range.

pamelasue

Canon EOS-5D Mark II

04/13/2007 04:09:32 PM · #7

If money is an issue consider the Canon 50mm 1.8 ... it sells for around $70 and is fantastic for the money ...

TJinGuy

Nikon Coolpix 2100

Canon EF-S 15-85mm f/3.5-5.6 IS USM

04/13/2007 04:10:18 PM · #8

The 85mm f/1.8 is a fairly specific use lens. You might want to look at the macro primes instead. That way you get a great portrait lens that you can also use for 1:1 macro work.

Look at

Canon 100mm f/2.8 usm macro
Sigma 105mm f/2.8 EX macro

Another great lens to have is a wide angle zoom. Check out

Tokina 12-24mm f/4
Sigma 10-20mm f/4-5.6 EX

04/13/2007 04:20:52 PM · #9

just looked at all them lens they all look good but are around Â£250-Â£300

i can get the Canon EF 85mm f/1.8 USM for just under Â£200 (ebay)

hummm to much selection lol!

Nikon AF-S DX Zoom-Nikkor 12-24mm f/4.0G IF-ED

04/13/2007 04:27:55 PM · #10

Originally posted by exclamationjay:

just looked at all them lens they all look good but are around Â£250-Â£300

i can get the Canon EF 85mm f/1.8 USM for just under Â£200 (ebay)

hummm to much selection lol!

I bought the Sigma 105mm Macro and sold it a month later. I like Macro but it was too specialist for me. The 28-135 IS did as good a job for my purposes. The Tamron 70-300mm and the Sigma 70-300 APO are good for Macro. Now, although I have the Tamron, I am experimenting with old M42 mount and Pentax K mount lenses that can be picked up dirt cheap on ebay. I bought a Kenko 2X converter with Macro and I have a range of lenses from 28mm to zoom lenses. All that is needed for using M42 lenses is an adapter costing Â£10 or less and you can use any make of lens and get really close, but they are all manual focus. Forget reversing lens etc.

Message edited by author 2007-04-13 16:28:28.

jbsmithana

Nikon D300

04/13/2007 04:32:29 PM · #11

Originally posted by TJinGuy:

I agree with this option. I know they are a little more than the 85mm f/1.8 but you do get macro capability which makes them more valuable in my book. I recently purchased the the Nikon version of the Sigma 105 and love the shots it produces. The Nikon 85mm 1.8 I own certainly performs well in lower light and for straight portrait work but I do like the macro on the Sigma.

Message edited by author 2007-04-13 16:33:55.

rex

Canon PowerShot SD780

04/13/2007 04:42:00 PM · #12

Originally posted by exclamationjay:

just looked at all them lens they all look good but are around Â£250-Â£300

i can get the Canon EF 85mm f/1.8 USM for just under Â£200 (ebay)

hummm to much selection lol!

If you want a good portrait lens then don;t hesitate to buy the 85mm. It is the best lens in my bag and the second most used right behind the Tamron 28-75mm

Message edited by author 2007-04-13 16:42:13.

Nikon AF Zoom-Nikkor 24-85mm f2.8-4.0D

04/13/2007 04:58:03 PM · #13

humm i wish there was a way to try b4 you buy haha

Nikolai1024

Nikon D300

04/13/2007 05:03:36 PM · #14

Originally posted by exclamationjay:

humm i wish there was a way to try b4 you buy haha

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rex

Canon PowerShot SD780

04/13/2007 05:08:13 PM · #15

Originally posted by exclamationjay:

humm i wish there was a way to try b4 you buy haha

no need to try trust me that 85mm is worth every penny. And if you buy and don't like you canpretty much resale it at close to the same price you bought it for.

04/13/2007 05:09:31 PM · #16

The only problem is you haven't told us your budget?

Canon EF 17-40mm f/4.0L USM

04/13/2007 05:17:26 PM · #17

well for a good portraight lends around Â£200

LoudDog

Canon EOS-350D Rebel XT

04/13/2007 05:19:39 PM · #18

Canon 100mm f2.8 macro is a spectacular lens for about $450US? Great for Macro, not bad for portrait.

Peleng 8mm fish eye is a pretty crazy lens to mess around with. I doubt you'll find anything wider or with more distortion! You can find them on Ebay for about $200US