Hi all. Am getting a Canon 1000D for christmas as wanting to take up photography. Have read lots of reviews and this forum is great for info, need some advice on what other lenses i will need, interested in wildlife and portrait, photography. Cheers. Nick :>
Canon Lenses.
- Thread starter Dolbs
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Hi Nick. I have just bought a Canon 450D and I would recommend getting a good book or going on a photography course. I bought the Camera with a Sigma 18-50mm F2.8 Macro, this lens is a good alround lens that you could use for portraits and landscapes. These can be bought for around £150-200 used.
If you are looking at doing wildlife photography you should look at getting a 'long lens'. I dont know what your budget is, but if you are looking at the lower end the Canon 55-250mm IS lens has good reviews and can be had for less than £150 new online.
I think the best thing you can do is get an alround lens and then get a book or go on a course and work out what you need after using your camera a bit!
If you are looking at doing wildlife photography you should look at getting a 'long lens'. I dont know what your budget is, but if you are looking at the lower end the Canon 55-250mm IS lens has good reviews and can be had for less than £150 new online.
I think the best thing you can do is get an alround lens and then get a book or go on a course and work out what you need after using your camera a bit!
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50mm F1.8 for portraits, cheap as chips but a cracking lens.
Budget will affect the wildlife lens, the longer the better really but starting out something like the canon 70-300mm IS or if you have plenty of cash the 100-400mm
Budget will affect the wildlife lens, the longer the better really but starting out something like the canon 70-300mm IS or if you have plenty of cash the 100-400mm
50mm 1.8 is a bargain.
If you go for a long lens, the 55-250 is cheap as chips & image stabilised.
Only thing I'd say though is that you're best off working out what you're into and the kinds of shots you're wanting to take before you invest too much in 'cheap' lenses.
If you know you're going to be really into Sports Photography, for example, then long lenses are a must but you'll also want a quick (and therefore expensive) one.
I started out with a dual kit (18-55 & 55-250) on a 450d and that did me for ages until I worked out what I enjoyed taking pics of and saved up enough money to buy better glass for that.
If you go for a long lens, the 55-250 is cheap as chips & image stabilised.
Only thing I'd say though is that you're best off working out what you're into and the kinds of shots you're wanting to take before you invest too much in 'cheap' lenses.
If you know you're going to be really into Sports Photography, for example, then long lenses are a must but you'll also want a quick (and therefore expensive) one.
I started out with a dual kit (18-55 & 55-250) on a 450d and that did me for ages until I worked out what I enjoyed taking pics of and saved up enough money to buy better glass for that.
AshleyKent
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the 1000d is an awesome camera. i used the 50 1.8 all the time as the bokeh is so good! then started use my dads better glass..
24-105 F4 L lens...
since using that alot i decided to upgrade both camera and lens...
ordered the 5DII nearly got enough for the lens i want... 70-200 F2.8 IS II although its more than my budget it will be worth the saving..
24-105 F4 L lens...
since using that alot i decided to upgrade both camera and lens...
ordered the 5DII nearly got enough for the lens i want... 70-200 F2.8 IS II although its more than my budget it will be worth the saving..
good_fella7777
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another vote for 55-250mm IS lens. good value for money!
stevewestern
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Is your 1000D coming with a lens of any sort ?
If so, then just use that for a while and take whatever pictures you like - slowly you will start to find out what you like taking pictures of most, and what you feel you need to allow you to take better pictures.
Getting second hand gear can make it almost free to buy, try and then sell on what you don't use.
As DaveKing says, get reading - hit the library, or ask for books at Christmas so you can get some ideas, but don't get too weighed down with gear-fever until you know what you want to do with your camera - it is after all just a tool, and its the pictures that really matter !
Good luck and enjoy what may become a very rewarding but expensive hobby..
If so, then just use that for a while and take whatever pictures you like - slowly you will start to find out what you like taking pictures of most, and what you feel you need to allow you to take better pictures.
Getting second hand gear can make it almost free to buy, try and then sell on what you don't use.
As DaveKing says, get reading - hit the library, or ask for books at Christmas so you can get some ideas, but don't get too weighed down with gear-fever until you know what you want to do with your camera - it is after all just a tool, and its the pictures that really matter !
Good luck and enjoy what may become a very rewarding but expensive hobby..
leftcurl
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really does depend on your budget. but the 50mm that has been mentioned is a cracker (sorry for the xmas pun), and you will have loads of fun with it taking candid shots and portraits over christmas.
as far as the longer wildlife lenses are concerned, i'd go with something cheap and cheerful.. if you buy it new and keep it for a year, you'll still get good money back for it if you want to upgrade. by the same token if you buy 2nd hand and then get rid later on, you'll also see a decent return on it if it's looked after. enjoy
as far as the longer wildlife lenses are concerned, i'd go with something cheap and cheerful.. if you buy it new and keep it for a year, you'll still get good money back for it if you want to upgrade. by the same token if you buy 2nd hand and then get rid later on, you'll also see a decent return on it if it's looked after. enjoy
I had the 1000D for a while with the kit lens and the 70-300 IS USM. The kit lens took care of the day to day stuff and the 70-300 made motor sport so much easier but I cant see any reason why it cant double as a portrait/wildlife lens
Adey
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Alot of good suggestions here, all good lenses. I feel though that where your at as a photographer is important in deciding which lens/lenses to get. Also you haven't told us your budget.
Wildlife usually means 200mm at the very least, some would say at least 300mm. Now that means either paying big money(£600-£2000), or getting a lens with a narrow aperture, which will in practice let in about a quarter of the light of a wide aperture lens (ƒ/2.8 vs ƒ/5.6), meaning either quarter the shutter speed (risking blur) or bumping the ISO up 2 stops (reducing IQ and adding noise). In decent light these lenses are fine and produce good quality images, but in lower light they struggle to focus and get usable shutter speeds. Decent wildlife/sport teles are always expensive so are out of reach of most enthusiasts initially. Though worth saving up for if you are in any way serious about WL and sports.
Portraiture is usually the 50-135mm range although can extend either way,
depending on particular style. A wide aperture lens is good here both for the added light/shutter speed and for having a shallow depth of field. As you are new i think the 50mm 1.8 would be a perfect lens for you as its great value. If you are serious about portraits, reportage or any other low light work where you dont need a particularly wide or long lens, then its an ideal lens. It probably the cheapest way of getting a 'fast' lens too.
If you want to have flexibly, then you'll need either multiple lenses (not all wide aperture primes are as cheap as the 50mm 1.8, so i think having a full set of primes is probably out of the question) or get a zoom lens to go with it. Seeing as you are into wildlife id say the 55-250 would be perfect to go with the 50mm 1.8. But if you want to do landscapes or are gonna be shooting in tight spaces then you'll want a wide to go with it aswell or instead of. Theres the 18-55 IS which is like the little brother to the 55-250 IS and is good value for money.
Adey
Wildlife usually means 200mm at the very least, some would say at least 300mm. Now that means either paying big money(£600-£2000), or getting a lens with a narrow aperture, which will in practice let in about a quarter of the light of a wide aperture lens (ƒ/2.8 vs ƒ/5.6), meaning either quarter the shutter speed (risking blur) or bumping the ISO up 2 stops (reducing IQ and adding noise). In decent light these lenses are fine and produce good quality images, but in lower light they struggle to focus and get usable shutter speeds. Decent wildlife/sport teles are always expensive so are out of reach of most enthusiasts initially. Though worth saving up for if you are in any way serious about WL and sports.
Portraiture is usually the 50-135mm range although can extend either way,
depending on particular style. A wide aperture lens is good here both for the added light/shutter speed and for having a shallow depth of field. As you are new i think the 50mm 1.8 would be a perfect lens for you as its great value. If you are serious about portraits, reportage or any other low light work where you dont need a particularly wide or long lens, then its an ideal lens. It probably the cheapest way of getting a 'fast' lens too.
If you want to have flexibly, then you'll need either multiple lenses (not all wide aperture primes are as cheap as the 50mm 1.8, so i think having a full set of primes is probably out of the question) or get a zoom lens to go with it. Seeing as you are into wildlife id say the 55-250 would be perfect to go with the 50mm 1.8. But if you want to do landscapes or are gonna be shooting in tight spaces then you'll want a wide to go with it aswell or instead of. Theres the 18-55 IS which is like the little brother to the 55-250 IS and is good value for money.
Adey
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PerfectSpeed
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70-200mm f/4L is worth a look at, cracking portrait and reportage lens, under 500 quid.
Oggy
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