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help me spen 200.00


don_harris3

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I only have 200.00 to spend. I currently own the Elan 7, Sunpak

af355 flash, cable remote, Tamron 28-80 3.5, Tamron 70-300mm macro

1.2 along with various filters. Should I buy a canon 28 mm or 50mm

prime? I mostly like scenery and landscape photography, but venture

into all other types as well. What should I get with my 200.00?

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Don,

 

The 50mm is a great lens, and it would leave you money for film. However, considering that you do a lot of landscape and scenery, a wider lense might be more useful. Since you already have something covering 28mm, why not save a bit more money and go for something wider, like the 24mm 2.8? Sure, probably the 28mm fixed focal will be better than the Tamron 28-80 optically, but you might get more bang for your bucks expanding your available focal lenght ranges.

 

 

Ricardo

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I think you can shoot interesting landscapes with either lens. The 50mm is very sharp and is also useful for low-light situations. If you are choosing between the two, I would recommend the 50.

 

However, I didn't see a tripod in your list of equipment. If you don't own one yet, I would prioritize getting a good tripod ahead of either the 50mm or 28mm, especially since you are interested in landscapes/scenics.

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Don,

 

I guess you are talking $$ here.

 

The 28mm will be the better choice for landscapes but a 50mm will be usefull for other day to day stuff. Here goes.. spend $70 on a Canon EF 1.8 mkII and have $130 sitting in your pocket. Save some more and go buy a 24mm or 28mm prime when you have some more money (what about birthdays :-) )

 

In the meantime, you will have time to play with the 50mm but haven't blown all your cash in the one day!

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For landscapes, with your lenses stopped down, and used on a decent tripod, the glass should produce good results. So IMHO, use the $200 to buy a decent tripod and head, and on the $20 wireless remote shutter release. Think Bogen/Manfretto in that price range. A decent tripod will be much easier set up and shoot.
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Do not think that you will gain anything by switching to the Canon 28-80, it is a very poor lens. When you buy a Canon prime lens you will be amazed how much clearer and more colourful your photographs will be. You need to ask yourself which focal length setting on your zooms do you use the most. The answer may point you toward the 24mm, 28mm, 50mm or other single focal length lens. You can not go wrong with any of the Canon EF prime lenses, however you will probably use one more than another. Having ANY tripod is a good start! A better built tripod will only become more noticeable with your heavier lenses. I do not recommend a 1.4x teleconverter until you get a high quality telephoto zoom or prime, and your current maximum length of 300mm is not bad.

 

If you are still not sure which focal length lens you think you would use the most then I tend to agree with one of the above contributors, get a used 50mm f1.8 II bargain, and hold onto the rest of the money until you see where that takes you. It will be your sharpest lens second only to the f1.4 version in the entire Canon EF lineup! Good luck and keep taking pictures!

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I say get both. Buy used. You can find both the 28 2.8 and the 50 1.8 for well under 100 bucks. I got my 28 2.8 for 89 bucks I believe off ebay and bought the 50 1.8 new for 80 bucks.

 

And by the way. The 200 1.8 is the sharpest lens in the Canon EF line.

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Ok, lets be serious.

 

$200 is a tight budget.

 

For Canon, the 28-80 and 28-90 lenses are cheap, and are junk. Avoid. Do not buy them.

 

The Canon 28-105/3.5-4.5 (NOT the 4.5-5.6) is a great lens, but slightly (but not much)over $200. This would be a great mid-priced stepup.

 

The Canon 28-135IS is similar optically, but the IS function adds $200 to the price.

 

The only other choices in this price range are PRIME lenses. The 50/1.8, 28/2.8 and 24/2.8 are all vastly superior (optically) to any of the zooms mentioned. The 50/1.8 is a bargain and optically one of the top rated lenses out there (despite the cheap plastic construction). The 28/2.8 is low priced. Many personally favor the 24/2.8, but the 24/2.8 is priced out of your range.

 

With regards to the primes: You can't really go wrong, and I suggest pick whatever perspective you want (remember, these are primes!) and be happy.

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The very 1st thing to do is to sell your tamron 28-80, that will expand your budget a little bit and that way you can buy a Canon 24mm/2.8 and 50mm/1.8

With your 70-300, the 24 and 50 mm, you would then have a great coverage of focal range

Believe me, you ain't gonna do nothing with your cheap Tamron anyway... but beware, once you've done that, the next thing you want to sell is your Tamron 70-300...

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LOL! I have a Hoya circular polarizer and a multi coat Tiffen 1a and UV. I just need to buy a step up ring 55 to 62. I think I will go with the 50 mm 1.8 prime. My next will be the 24mm prime and then a IS fast glass tele. Thank you to all that put in there .02 cents. I know everyone loves to spend other people�s money; this is why I asked you all.

I have short wife set budget. Between fly-fishing and my audio addictions, photography will need to fit on as well.

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