7D Body Only

<p>I recently got a 7D as a gift with the body only...i am very new to slr's and have used only an alpha for 3 days before it got stolen so could suggest me some lenses to start with.</p>

<p>I am mainly interested in portraits and objects in motion and not a big fan of macro.</p>

<p>Thanks</p>

<p>a canon 24-70 f/2.8 would be a good start.</p>

 

<p>You don't mention budget, but if you are at all stretched financially, the excellent, but cheap, EF-S 18-55mm IS lens is a good possibility. For twice as much money, you wouldn't come close to twice as good a lens. The nearly as cheap EF-S 55-250mm IS is another bargain for a second lens kit with the 18-55.<br>

I personally would find a 20 something to 70 something too restrictive for an APS-C body like yours. It would at its shortest end be only a 'normal' focal length.<br>

I'd personally get the EF-S 15-85mm IS lens which gives you a wide-angle to telephoto range on your camera. Unless you really need the f/2.8 for dark places, it will serve as an excellent all-purpose lens -- which is what it was designed to be.</p>

<p>ditto 15-85, add a EF 35/2.0 or Sigma 30 mm for low light situations and you're settled for some time. And don't let it get stolen :-)</p>

<p>Yes, another much cheaper low-light lens to consider is the EF 50mm f/1.8 - it looks cheap but is at least as durable in use as some of its more expensive brethern, and is very good optically on an APS-C body. f/1.8 or f/2 is really plenty fast with today's ISOs on a modern camera like yours.</p>

<p>+1 on the 15-85 (not 17-85)--it's a great all-around walk-around lens. However, it is heavy, slow, and expensive. And for portraits, you might want something faster for narrower depth of field.</p>

<p>I don't have the 50 f/1.8, but pairing that with the 15-85 makes sense to me--it gives you an incredibly cheap way to get a faster lens, at a focal length that is right on the money for portraits with a crop sensor camera.</p>

<p>I do candids of people mostly with a Tamron 28-75 f/2.8, but many people find 28 way to long for the narrow end of a walk around--it is normal, not wide, on a crop sensor.</p>

<p>I would suggest a 17-50/2.8 (or EF-S 17-55/2.8 IS USM if you've got money to burn) VC or non-VC (or OS for the Sigma version) for a great GP starter lens. It will work well for portraiture, and still give a decent range. If you intend to do a lot of portraiture, I'd stay further away from the variable max aperture lenses, sure, in some situations they will provide great imagery (and for $120 who can argue w/ that), but have limited applications as far as the portraiture goes.</p>

<p>Of course, I'm not really sure what you mean by 'objects in motion' ... perhaps you could give us some examples of what you had in mind?</p>

<p>I agree, the 15-85 USM is the bee's knees for a 7D general purpose/travel optic: tiny, light as a feather, raging fast AF and sharp as a tack. Probably the most effective implementation of IS on a normal lens (3-4 stops + panning). If you need F2.8, the 17-55 2.8 IS USM is almost as good optically, albeit a bit more prone to flare and uses a older IS design (2-3 stop and no panning mode). If you need to go long, the 70-200 4L IS USM is as good as it gets this side of a fist full of benjamins.</p>

<p>My reviews:<br>

http://emedia.leeward.hawaii.edu/frary/canon_efs15-85.htm<br>

http://emedia.leeward.hawaii.edu/frary/canon_efs17-55.htm</p>

<p>Hi Krishna,<br>

I do agree with the recommendations given above under the condition that you will "forever" stay with a 1.6 crop body. I started with the 10D, which is a 1.6 crop-factor body but started to buy full-frame-lenses from the start, because I suspected that one day (and this day came soon) I would get a full frame body. If you decide to buy a FF-body one day you might as well forget about the S-lenses. Decisions, decisions ...<br>

Stephan</p>

<blockquote>

<p>I do agree with the recommendations given above under the condition that you will "forever" stay with a 1.6 crop body.</p>

</blockquote>

<p>This simply is not a reasonable "condition" for buying EF-S type lenses, since you can always sell your lenses if and when you ever go full frame. EF and EF-S lenses hold their value very well, provided they're kept in good condition. It's much more sensible to get the lens(es) that will give you the most use now, not those that you might need at some undetermined future time.</p>

<p>Other respondents have given you a good set of zooms to choose from: the EF-S 17-55 or 15-85, or one of the Tamron or Sigma 17-50's. I'd suggest that you try out some of these lenses commiting to buy any one of them.</p>

<p>Stephan,</p>

<p>You were committed to the EF lens series, the 10D does not take ES-s lenses anyway. But to buy now for possible future camera use doesn't make any sense, particularly now the EF-s system is so mature. Just sell the lenses if you do change, but for most users there is no reason to ever migrate to FF.</p>

<p>No, starting out the native EF-s lenses offer far more than EF lenses for use with an exclusive crop camera kit.</p>

<p>Look - the OP just got his 7D. Is he likely to dump it tomorrow?</p>

<p>How much are you supposed to weigh yourself down to satisfy some "maybe someday I'll go 'fool frame'" possibility?</p>

<p>If you do go to a 35mm-sensor camera for some good reason (that is, other than that it is "full frame"), as I did, then buy the lenses you need for that. Keep the APS-C camera and its lenses (as I did) or sell them. Lenses like the EF-S 15-85mm are not some transitory thing that will suddenly become worthless. As the very existence of the 7D proves, the APS-C format is here and is going to last for a long time. It's not some "second-best" alternative anymore, not that it ever was.</p>

<p>slightly later: Hmm. I see I'm not alone.</p>

<blockquote>

<p>I do agree with the recommendations given above under the condition that you will "forever" stay with a 1.6 crop body. </p>

</blockquote>

<p>It's pretty common to use multiple frame formats rather than "switch." I bet at least half the people on the Canon board shoot both APS-C and FF as both have distinct advantages. The 15-85 and 17-55 are so ideal for APS-C it's worth losing a benjamin when you sell it for your new Phase One back or whatever.</p>

<p>I suggest either a dedicated EF-S lens like the 15-85 or 17-55 F2.8 (I have not used either but they have a good reputation). If you go EF then the 17-40 F4 or 16-35 F2.8II are the best choices. II have owned both these lenses and still own the 16-35 F2.8II which I use the most on my 7D. I would probably not suggest the 24-70 F2.8. I have and love this lens but I find that I mainly use it on full frame (or APS-H) bodies. On my 7D I do not find the 24-70 especially useful and I tend to use the 16-35 plus one other lens - usually chosen from 50 F1.4, 85 f1.8, 100 f2.8 LIS or a 70-200 zoom.</p>