thowe4 Posted February 16, 2006 Share Posted February 16, 2006 I am in the market for a new lens. I have the ability to spend about 1000 dollars, but if I can find a good lens for less, thats a double bonus. My problem is this....I am relatively new to the camera world. I have the canon 18-55 now, but want to add another lens to the collection. I was looking at the 70-200, the 50 prime 1.8, and the 85mm. Im a student and I'm all-over the place. What lens would be the best for most situations....if u have any other lenses not listed above, thats even better! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobatkins Posted February 16, 2006 Share Posted February 16, 2006 If YOU don't now what lens you need, how would anyone else? I'd suggest saving your money until you know enough to know what you need. Otherwise you're just wasting it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ajweiss Posted February 16, 2006 Share Posted February 16, 2006 Which 70-200 were you thinking of? If the f/4, how would you use it? I recently chose the new 70-300 IS over the 70-200 4L for greater versatility. Which ever telephoto zoom you choose (if you indeed get one), you do realize that you can get the 50mm 1.8, the 85mm 1.8, and either zoom mentioned above for about $1000, right? You need to give us a bit more info as to why you want a new lens. Is it for extra reach, sharper images, low-light shooting, narrow depth of field, or some combination of those? Any of the mentioned lenses will give you sharper pictures (more with some than others), but only some can do the other things for you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
snakeroot Posted February 16, 2006 Share Posted February 16, 2006 The Canon EF 70-200mm 2.8 IS lens is a very good all around lens, especially if you have the 18-55. Not a $1000, but if you go to BHPhotoVideo.com and search for "psjan" under "all items", you can scroll through the pages found and get it for $1500 or so, (regularly priced over $1700 if you search for it without the "psjan" trick). This lens is an L series lens, fast and very sharp, and my favorite. It sits on my camera at all times unless I use my other L series lenses for specific purposes. Solid, heavy and quality throughout. Check reviews here on photo.net and this website: http://www.the-digital-picture.com/Reviews/Canon-EF-70-200mm-f-2.8-L-IS-USM-Lens-Review.aspx There are some sample photos there. Enjoy! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
awindsor Posted February 16, 2006 Share Posted February 16, 2006 You don't have to buy a new lens simply because you can. Use the lens you have and work out how you use it. You can get superb lenses for a couple of hundred but they are prime lenses and you better know you will actually use that focal length. Having said that I would feel the lack of a telephoto (I have a 70-200/4 + 1.4x teleconvertor and it is still not long enough) and the lack of a fast lens (I have the 50/1.8 and use it for lowlight jazz photography.) The best single lens solution would be either the Canon 17-85 IS, the Sigma 18-50/2.8, or the new Tamron 17-50/2.8. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Crowe Posted February 16, 2006 Share Posted February 16, 2006 I love prime lenses but for someone starting out a zoom has obvious advantages. You already have the 50mm focal length covered so I would hold off on the 50/1.8 for now even though it is cheap and very good. Same for the 85mm, since I recommend a telephoto zoom. If you just want to get a cheap lens to learn with until you know what exactly you want then I suggest, as I always do, a used Canon EF 70-210mm f3.5-4.5 USM for about $150 USD. The 70-200/4 L would be an excellent choice but at over $500 USD you better be sure that is what you need. I started out with slow zooms before switching to prime lenses as I could afford them and as I found out which ones I needed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beauh44 Posted February 16, 2006 Share Posted February 16, 2006 You could always try some of them out at <a href="http://www.rentglass.com/shop.aspx?type=Canon">RentGlass.com</a>. (Disclaimer: I don't work for them nor have I tried their service but they're there) Good luck! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lightwriting by swapan Posted February 16, 2006 Share Posted February 16, 2006 Just curious. What is this "psjan" trick that shows a lower price for everything ? I have never heard of it before ! Also, i did not know the 1Ds MK II price has dropped so much ! They did not drop the price of 1Ds till they D/Ced it ! Almost a thousand bucks ! That hurts thinking that I only got it a few months ago. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gdanmitchell Posted February 16, 2006 Share Posted February 16, 2006 If you are not certain what you want to do that your current lens doesn't let you do, keep taking photos with that lens and learn from the experience. Hang on to your money so that you will have it available when you discover what you need in the way of lenses. Dan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
snakeroot Posted February 16, 2006 Share Posted February 16, 2006 Go to BhPhotoVideo main site, and type psjan in the search box under all products. Discounted items including the 70-200 2.8 lens above. Lots of other goodies too, I bought the 4gb Extreme III Sandisk compact flash card myself... Thinking about a commercial Canon printer from that list too, but hey I'm not a pro. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pennyjack Posted February 16, 2006 Share Posted February 16, 2006 find a 70-200mm f/4 to test drive. It won't disappoint. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yanglee Posted February 16, 2006 Share Posted February 16, 2006 Howe, I would get a good prime, either the 50mm 1.8 or a 35mm lens, just one, go out and shoot for 3 months and really get to know your equipment and learn photography. Then decide what you want to spend the rest of your money on. You can even just use what you have now without buying anything else. Purchasing additional equipment is not going to help learning as much as practicing. Best wishes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andrew_carlson Posted February 16, 2006 Share Posted February 16, 2006 I gotta go with Bob on this one. A lens is a tool in your tool box to accomplish something, not just something to have. Buying the wrong thing could mean your $1000 isn't earning interest, but depreciating and gathering dust. I look at all glass like this. If I want to capture something what is the best way to capture it? Sports requires either reach or speed in glass or both. Outdoor, sunny sporting events I can use an f/4 lens. Indoor and nightime sports I need at least a f/2.8 or larger aperture. Most sports I'll need some reach at the 200mm or more. Hockey you can shoot with the 70-200 but soccer, football, and baseball need more reach in the 300-500mm focal length. Nature shots want something crystal clear and VERY wide angle. If you're shooting on a 300D, 350D, or 20D body you'll want something at the 10mm range just to get wide angle field of view. Snapshots - you're covered with the kit lens. Lenses are tools to achieve, not just weigh down the kit. Personally I'd spend a little money on classes and education. Make the most of the body first before making it more complex. Then look at lenses as tools. A 10-22mm can give you wide angle, a 17-40mm is similar to the 18-55mm, the 24-70mm adds a little reach beyond the 18-55mm, 50 and 100mm primes have less elements, macro's can make that flower & bee fill the frame. 70-200 gives great reach on the 20D and other 1.6x bodies, I use it for almost everything I can including hockey, racing, models, everything. I bought it because it solved the sports problem for me, not because I wanted another lens. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dogbert Posted February 17, 2006 Share Posted February 17, 2006 What Bob said! The biggest mistake begginers to the camera world make is to think it is about the equipment. Photos are a result of the photographers skill and knowledge, the equipment is a second order issue. Do a course or read a book to try to work out for yourslef what you want to achieve. Once you work out what you want to do, whatto buy should be more obvious. If you really need to buy something to satisfy an urge, get the 50 f1.8 or the 35f2.0 but nothing else for now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
savas_kyprianides Posted February 17, 2006 Share Posted February 17, 2006 These are wonderful comments, some very succinct while all-encompassing. It is all the more reason I should have consulted here before going shopping. Have no remorse, though. As your photograhic eye starts to discriminate, erstwhile good lenses bought precipitously can have a new life on the secondary market. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jayhai Posted February 17, 2006 Share Posted February 17, 2006 wait a week. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
snakeroot Posted February 17, 2006 Share Posted February 17, 2006 Sorry guys, but I like drumming my fingers in thought before reaching into my bag and pulling out a different lens to play with. I learn with new lenses, they don't gather dust. Life is very short. Buy your lens and enjoy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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