Finally decided on some lenses !!! [Archive] - Canon Digital Photography Forums

View Full Version : Finally decided on some lenses !!!

quickben

23rd of May 2004 (Sun), 08:49

DaveG

23rd of May 2004 (Sun), 09:18

I've finally come up with a list of lenses to buy, when I get my 10D !

Here's the run-down :

EF 50mm F/1.4 USM (for protrait stuff and low light indoors shooting)

EF 28-135 F/3.5-5.6 IS USM (for mild wide-angle and generel everyday shooting) --MAIN LENS--

EF 75-300 F/4-5.6 IS USM (for macro................only kidding !! :D )

So, what do you think ? They all fall into my price range at the mo... just.

Gary.

I like the 24-85 better as the base lens. The 75-300 will cover you past that and has the IS where you need it. As you say the 50 f1.4 gives you speed in a short telephoto and that's what I did. But the 24-35 will give you some (not much) wide angle capabilities, which you don't have with your package since the 28 is effectively a 45mm lens.

quickben

23rd of May 2004 (Sun), 09:22

Is the IS wasted on th 28-135 ?

That's the only reason I chose it over the better wide-angle capabilities of the 24-85.

Gary.

DReb-MO

23rd of May 2004 (Sun), 09:23

I have a DReb but other then the "kit" lens and the fact that my 50mm is the 1.8 version, that's the same setup I have. I have been very pleased with quality of most of my pics. I have "missed" some shots but I am not ready to blame the lens yet and rather blame operator error first. :oops:

I would also recommend you pick up and external flash unit. I bought the 550ex a week ago and for me it has added FEC and other "nice" to have features to my setup. I am sure you get other opinions but for my price range and needs, these were good choices I do not regret.

tommykjensen

23rd of May 2004 (Sun), 09:41

EF 50mm F/1.4 USM (for protrait stuff and low light indoors shooting)

Have the 1.8 version. Have read several say that You don't gain much for the extra cost.

EF 75-300 F/4-5.6 IS USM (for macro................only kidding !! :D )

If You could afford it I would buy 70-200 mm F4 L - he he in fact I did. I bought the 75-300 initally but sold it for the 70-200 mm F4 L and have had not regrets.

DaveG

23rd of May 2004 (Sun), 09:43

Is the IS wasted on th 28-135 ?

That's the only reason I chose it over the better wide-angle capabilities of the 24-85.

Gary.

I'm of two minds when it comes to this. I actually think that IS is more useful in a shorter lens than a longer one. Think of it this way. With a longer lens you are almost certainly shooting something that's moving. If it ISN'T moving then why aren't you using a tripod? And if the subject is moving then you need high shutterspeeds to freeze the action. Yes 1/1000 with IS will be better than 1/1000 of a second without, but not so you can tell.

But with a shorter focal length lens I can see myself taking candid picture in available light where the subject (sleeping cat?) is still, but where I may need to get VERY slow shutterspeeds.

However that still doesn't do anything for me if I don't have a wide angle. I could always choose to use a flash with those lower light situations but I can't figure out a workaround for the lack of a wide angle (and I've considered backing up! :D )

I guess if you thought that you would do a lot of inside shots as I've described then the IS lens might be a better choice. If you don't then the wider 24-85 might be the lens. I suppose that you could go IS and then add another lens that'll give you some real wide angle capability.

quickben

23rd of May 2004 (Sun), 09:43

DaveG

23rd of May 2004 (Sun), 09:54

Thanks for the advice, Fella's !! :)

I'm thinking of getting a Speedlight. What's the integral flash on the 10D like ?
Is it any good for indoor protraits (nothing serious, just shots of the family and the cat) ?

What's the difference between the 420EX and the 550EX ?
Is it worth the price gap ?

This is all good stuff.

Cheers.

Gary.

The built in flash is OK but doesn't sit high enough to clear some lenses like the 16-35. You also can't get it off of the camera so you'll get side shadow if you try a vertical portrait.

The 550 is very complex, has E-TTL but also manual power control that you can set. You can also bias the exposure with +/- settings on the flash, and you will need too since E-TTL sucks as badly as it does. The 550 is also a start point as a Master, for the Canon wireless TTL system, which luckily doesn't suck.

The 420 is a smaller flash, and much simpler; but lacks the manual power settings of the 550 as well as the flash born flash bias control. It can be used as a Slave in the Canon Wireless TTL system but not as a Master.

Both of these flashes can be used with the Canon remote cord which allows you to get the flash directly above the lens in both the vertical and horizontal shooting positions. You'll either need to handhold the flash - or more likely buy a bracket - but it will cure that "Screams amateur" side shadow problem.

quickben

23rd of May 2004 (Sun), 10:20

I think I'll go with the 24-85, Dave.

It sounds like it does better than the 28-135 as a wide-angle and I don't really need the extra length as I'll have it with the 75-300.
As for the IS, I'll probably not benefit from it in the long run. I'll probably use the 50mm with the tripod for most indoor shots, anyway.

I'm a complete novice when it comes to controlling lighting in photography, especially with flash photography.
I wouldn't have the faintest idea how to manually setup a flash, so I think the 420EX is the one for me.

Thanks alot for the input. As you can probably tell, I'm totally new to photography and still haven't found my feet yet.

I know I'm going in at the deep end with the 10D, but a few people have said that the best way to learn how to use a SLR is to get one and use it !!! :D :D

So here goes....

I'll report back when I get the camera and the lenses in a couple of months.

Cheers.

Gary.