Lens for Digital Rebel

[acrephoto]

I'm looking for a good lens, for my Canon Digital Rebel. It's going to be used for low light situations, the lenses that I have now have a minimum f5.0, I'm looking for a f1.8 or 2.8. Can't be overly expensive either. Not sure about size of lens, maybe something around 50mm. Suggestions?

[Johnnynf]

Let me be the first to jump in here as I know there will be many who want to say the same thing. There is one lens that meets all of your requirements.

EF 50mm f/1.8
Sells for around $80...provided that you can find it anywhere...it is very hard to come by sometimes.

[roanjohn]

Yes!!! The 50 f1.8 is a bargain............Great for candid shots indoors without using your flash.

Check these out!!!

http://www.pbase.com/roanjohn/50_f18

All with the 50 f1.8

Another is the 35 f2...........It's a bit more expensive but I think is the next cheapest prime.

Hope this helps

Ro1

[Cadwell]

Around 50mm? F/1.8 or so? I don't think anyone here will advise you against the EF 50mm F/1.8. ;)

[msvadi]

call B&H after it re-opens after the holidays. they sell 50mm 1.8 for less than $70. it's always back-ordered, so you cannot order it from their site. it took me about 2 weeks and 5-6 phone calls to get it ;)

[alexd1983]

I have gone and found me a 50mm 1.8 on e-bay. :) Get one! from everything said and seen, it looks like a great choice.

[JulianHt]

I tested the EF 50 mm 1.8 and against the EFS 18-55 mm lens (that comes with the Canon 300 D) - zoomed out to 50 mm and the difference is shocking. The EF 50 mm beats the EFS 18-55 lens hands down - sharpness and contrast are much, much better with the EF 50 mm 1.8 than with the EFS. I don't think I'll ever use the EFS again after seeing the difference.

Best regards,

Julian

www.pbase.com/julianht/
Canon EOS 300 Digital / Powershot G3 in Japan

[yb98]

can someone post the same pic taken with the 18-55mm and the 50mm just to see how big the difference is ?
Thanks.

[JulianHt]

Here are the two images together. The image doesn't seem to load on this site, even with the correct tags added, so I have given the URL here instead. Please take a look.
Julian

www.pbase.com/image/27673070

[yb98]

you have just to write your URL between and

Yacine.

[drisley]

I dont think Pbase allows you to link to their images.
I just tried and it doesnt work for me either.

[Whaler]

50mm f/1.8 AKA "Nifty Fifty" it's been known to spank some hi end glass.

[MT]

Adding the ".jpg" to the end. That said, it only supports direct linking for "supporters".


Direct linking to an image for use on another website, forums, or message board
Due to bandwidth costs, you can only use this feature if you have paid.

This works just like linking to an image page but append .jpg to the end of the URL.
example:http://www.pbase.com/image/23.jpg
example:http://www.pbase.com/image/23/medium.jpg

Note: to direct link to a .gif, use the .jpg extension also. It will still send the gif file.


http://www.pbase.com/image/27673070.jpg

[Belmondo]

Boy, that says it all. Pretty graphic (no pun intended).

[yb98]

Here are the two images together. The image doesn't seem to load on this site, even with the correct tags added, so I have given the URL here instead. Please take a look.
Julian

www.pbase.com/image/27673070

Wow ! the difference is amazing !

By the way, I just discovered how to post pbase pics...

I added .jpg to your URL and reload it in IE. By some kind of magic, the following new URL appeared : cakili.image.pbase.com/image/27673070.jpg

I post it below and it works :lol:

Yacine.

http://cakili.image.pbase.com/image/27673070.jpg

[JulianHt]

I am a paying pbase supporter and I tried adding the .jpg tag but somehow it still didn't work so I posted the URL only. Good to see that it does work.

Julian

[Lamplight]

Great, I just bought a zoom lens and now you guys have me wanting to replace my kit lens already! You're all bad influences and my wallet is none too happy about it!

:D :lol:

[richpix]

Great, I just bought a zoom lens and now you guys have me wanting to replace my kit lens already! You're all bad influences and my wallet is none too happy about it!

:D :lol:

To add some gasoline to the fire, check out the lens tests here:
http://www.photodo.com/prod/lens/canon.shtml

You might be putting your zoom up on Ebay soon.

[MT]

If I weren't lazy it would be interesting to attach list prices as well

Grade: 4.8 35mm/AF Canon EF 200/1,8L USM
Grade: 4.6 35mm/AF Canon EF 85/1,2L USM
Grade: 4.5 35mm/AF Canon EF 135/2L USM
Grade: 4.4 35mm/AF Canon EF 50/1,4 USM
Grade: 4.4 35mm/AF Canon EF 50/2,5 Macro
Grade: 4.4 35mm/AF Canon EF 400/2,8L II
Grade: 4.4 35mm/AF Canon EF 400/2,8 L IS USM
Grade: 4.4 35mm/MF Canon FD 50/1,8
Grade: 4.3 35mm/AF Canon EF 300/4L USM
Grade: 4.2 35mm/AF Canon EF 50/1,8 II
Grade: 4.2 35mm/AF Canon EF 100/2 USM
Grade: 4.2 35mm/AF Canon EF 80-200/2,8 L
Grade: 4.1 35mm/AF Canon EF 85/1,8 USM
Grade: 4.1 35mm/AF Canon EF 200/2,8L II
Grade: 4.1 35mm/AF Canon EF 70-200/2,8 L USM
Grade: 4.1 35mm/AF Canon EF 70-200/4 L
Grade: 4 35mm/AF Canon EF 35/1,4 L USM
Grade: 4 35mm/AF Canon EF 200/2,8L USM
Grade: 4 35mm/AF Canon EF 600/4L IS USM
Grade: 3.9 35mm/AF Canon EF 24/2,8
Grade: 3.9 35mm/AF Canon EF 35/2
Grade: 3.9 35mm/AF Canon EF 50/1,0L USM
Grade: 3.9 35mm/AF Canon EF 135/2,8 Softfocus
Grade: 3.9 35mm/AF Canon EF 180/3,5L USM Macro
Grade: 3.9 35mm/AF Canon EF 28-70/2,8L USM
Grade: 3.9 35mm/MF Canon TS-E 90/2,8
Grade: 3.8 35mm/AF Canon EF 28/2,8
Grade: 3.8 35mm/AF Canon EF 28-80/2,8-4,0 L
Grade: 3.7 35mm/AF Canon EF 50-200/3,5-4,5 L
Grade: 3.6 35mm/AF Canon EF 100-400/4,5-5,6L IS USM
Grade: 3.5 35mm/AF Canon EF 20-35/2,8L
Grade: 3.5 35mm/AF Canon EF 28-135/3,5-5,6 IS USM
Grade: 3.4 35mm/AF Canon EF 20/2,8 USM
Grade: 3.4 35mm/AF Canon EF 300/4 L IS USM
Grade: 3.4 35mm/AF Canon EF 20-35/3,5-4,5 USM
Grade: 3.3 35mm/AF Canon EF 28-105/3,5-4,5 USM
Grade: 3.3 35mm/AF Canon EF 35-350/3,5-5,6 L USM
Grade: 3.3 35mm/AF Canon EF 100-300/5,6
Grade: 3.3 35mm/MF Canon TS-E 24/3,5L
Grade: 3.3 35mm/MF Canon FD 20-35/3,5L
Grade: 3.2 35mm/AF Canon EF 28/1,8 USM
Grade: 3.2 35mm/AF Canon EF 17-35/2,8L USM
Grade: 3.2 35mm/AF Canon EF 28-80/3,5-5,6 USM
Grade: 3.2 35mm/AF Canon EF 35-80/4-5,6
Grade: 3.2 35mm/MF Canon FD 28-85/4
Grade: 3.1 35mm/AF Canon EF 24-85/3,5-4,5 USM
Grade: 3.1 35mm/AF Canon EF 28-80/3,5-5,6 II USM
Grade: 3.1 35mm/AF Canon EF 35-135/4-5,6 USM
Grade: 3.1 35mm/AF Canon EF 70-210/3,5-4,5
Grade: 3.1 35mm/AF Canon EF 75-300/4-5,6 II
Grade: 3.1 35mm/MF Canon FD 35-105/3,5-4,5
Grade: 3 35mm/AF Canon EF 55-200/4,5-5,6 USM
Grade: 3 35mm/AF Canon EF 80-200/4,5-4,6 II
Grade: 3 35mm/AF Canon EF 80-200/4,5-5,6
Grade: 3 35mm/MF Canon FD 35-70/3,5-4,5
Grade: 2.9 35mm/AF Canon EF 28-80/3,5-5,6 DC
Grade: 2.9 35mm/AF Canon EF 75-300/4-5,6 IS USM
Grade: 2.9 35mm/MF Canon FD 100-300/5,6
Grade: 2.8 35mm/AF Canon EF 22-55/4-5,6 USM
Grade: 2.8 35mm/AF Canon EF 35-70/3,5-4,5
Grade: 2.8 35mm/AF Canon EF 70-210/4
Grade: 2.5 35mm/AF Canon EF 50-200/3,5-4,5
Grade: 2.4 35mm/AF Canon EF 100-300/4,5-5,6 USM
Grade: 2.2 35mm/AF Canon EF 28-80/3,5-5,6 IV USM

[JulianHt]

as long you make sure to get one graded over 3.0 (or better over 3.5 if possible), which usually means buying into the Canon L-series. That hurts the wallet indeed. Personally, I will avoid buying anything that is graded below grade 3. I have a Sigma 28-300 Hyperzoom, graded 2.7 and the test results I got with it are identical to the Canon EF-S 18-55mm so I'll get rid of it soon.
It would also be very interesting to see what these lenses go for second hand.

For comments about Canon lenses look here:
http://www.luminous-landscape.com/reviews/lenses/canon_lenses.shtml

Best regards,
Julian
www.pbase.com/julianht/

[nosquare2003]

Yes!!! The 50 f1.8 is a bargain............Great for candid shots indoors without using your flash.

Check these out!!!

http://www.pbase.com/roanjohn/50_f18

All with the 50 f1.8

Another is the 35 f2...........It's a bit more expensive but I think is the next cheapest prime.

Hope this helps

Ro1


50/1.8. What else? By the way, 28/2.8 should be cheaper than 35/2.

[Ballen Photo]

It's UNANOMOUS then! The "Nifty Fifty" is a must have lens.
.....Bruce

[Guillermo Freige]

Another nice lens to have, as a main lens to replace the 18-55 except for the wide end, but not as fast, is the very popular 28-135IS, My 4years old one still beats the 18-55 in the 28-55 range badly, mostly near the borders of the image. It-s a 3.5-5.6 lens as the kit one, but it has IS so you can use a shutter speed 2 stop lower than without IS, so it can be used as a 1.8-2.8 lens (almost) but with the DoF of a 3.5-5.6 lens. This can be a good or a bad thing, depending the use. Not good for action shots, for example, because the slower shutter speed used. Is lighter and smaller enough (at least compared to the 24-70L) and its weight adds the necesary "feel" to the DRebel for steadier shots. It's also a Ring USM lens, and that means a Full Time Manual focus ring, so you can focus manually even in AF position after focus lock. AF is very silent, fast and reliable.
Still one of my favorite lenses, along with the 50/1.8.

[Guillermo Freige]

28-135IS against 18-55. Both pictures taken at f/8 ISO 400 at the same time. Both crops from the same picture. Focal lenght is slightly different (50 vs 55), sorry.

18-55 top-right border (at 55)
http://gfreige.homelinux.org/18-55-crop1.jpg

28-135 top-right border (at 50)
http://gfreige.homelinux.org/28-135-crop1.jpg

18-55 center area (at 55)
http://gfreige.homelinux.org/18-55-crop2.jpg

28-135 center area (at 50)
http://gfreige.homelinux.org/28-135-crop2.jpg

[JulianHt]

but a lot pricier than the EF 50mm 1.8. The poor image quality of the EFS 18-55mm is obvious here too. I already have retired my EF-S 18-55 lens.
Julian

www.pbase.com/julianht/

[mttmrphy]

Why is the Canon EF 75-300/4-5,6 IS USM rated so low?

[JulianHt]

All ratings are based on test results carried out in controlled circumstances that check sharpness, contrast, color aberrations, distortion, etc. etc. so if a lens scores low in the rankings, there is a reason for it or there may be several reasons for it. You usually get what you pay for.

Julian

[Saber]

Do you know where you can get the most up to date ratings list.

The list in this forum is missing a couple of models

Thanks

[JulianHt]

For a more complete graded list of Canon EF lenses take a look here:

http://www.photozone.de/bindex2.html

Here you can also create a list comparing all lenses suitable for the Canon EOS cameras including the Sigma, Tamron and Tokina lenses. The grades are not always the same as the list shown in this forum however.

Julian

[ron chappel]

Yeah photodo has a couple of obvious clangers on the list!
the 75-300 IS. number should be near identical to the normal 75-300

And there is NO WAY the 100-300 is that low!!!

[JulianHt]

The Canon EF-S 18-55 (kit lens with the Canon 300 D) is actually quite useful sometimes as an affordable wide angle. Don't forget to stop it down however for good results. To my surprise, I've seen several very good shots taken with this lens on the web.
Julian

www.pbase.com/julianht/

"YOU WILL ALWAYS MISS 100% OF THE SHOTS YOU DON'T TAKE".

[roanjohn]

50/1.8. What else? By the way, 28/2.8 should be cheaper than 35/2.

You are absolutely correct. :oops:

Ro1