Powershot A80... filter and lens recommendations?

[n00tch]

My topic says it all. I am looking for recommendations on a telephoto and wide angle lens (no fisheye) for my Canon Powershot A80. Also, some filter recommendations would be nice. I'm very new to photography and have a great chance to take some beautiful pictures of Sicily when I go there next month. I'm hoping I'll be able to put this equipment to good use!
I've heard good things about Tiffen and Rynox. Any advice is appreciated. ;)

[Alnath]

If you are very new to photography then forget about lenses and filters is my advice :)

[n00tch]

I have a couple of close friends, one is a serious hobby photographer and the other got his degree from Brooks Institute of Photography in California. So while I may be a newbie, I am being schooled by them as we speak.

[n00tch]

Over fifty views and not one helpful response! Someone has to have some sage advice regarding my questions? :D

[Jon]

Are you 125% comfortable with using the A80 without accessories? Until you're comfortable with what you have, as someone new to photography, more toys to use won't make you better. They'll just get you more confused. That's why introductory photo courses always used to insist on the students using a single fixed-focal length lens - so using the equipment to take technically good photos was second nature. Then, it was time to start adding bells and whistles. Master the basics of exposure and composition before you start playing with accessories. If there's a single accessory of any kind that I'd make an exception to this over, it would be a polarizing filter.

If your friends are schooling you in photography, what areas do they think you should be moving into for equipment?

[stopbath]

Over fifty views and not one helpful response! Someone has to have some sage advice regarding my questions? :D
The very first response was short and to the point, but very sage advice.

[Jon]

Over fifty views and not one helpful response! Someone has to have some sage advice regarding my questions? :D
The very first response was short and to the point, but very sage advice.

I quite agree, which is why I held off replying as long as I did . . .

[n00tch]

To be very honest, I may have reacted a little flippantly to the first person's advice. I'm used to recieving short answers like those and interpeting them as being "flamebait" and "not helpful". So, apologies in advance. I am familiar with the manual funtions of my camera, and have a pretty good grasp of composition. I'm really hoping to get some good landscape style shots, as well as close-ups of the Greek and Roman ruins, and some of the beautiful beach expanses. And of course, the obligatory family shots. Thats why I was inquiring about the lenses in the first place. I've seen some of the excellent panoramas that you can get with an A80. The telephoto lens would just be gravy, but it would be nice to have for faraway stuff.

[Jon]

For panoramas, I'd recommend PhotoStitch and the panorama mode - no attachments needed there, but practice before you go. The Tele attachments don't do a whole lot, maybe from 135 to 200 mm equivalent. If you're going to get lenses, get Canon. But I wouldn't worry about a wide adapter.

[Terry_G]

I think you will need a wide angle lens anyplace you go in Europe. The streets are narrow in many of the photogenic old town areas and you can’t get back far enough for a good shot. Also, for interiors such as cathedrals and museums you need a wide angle. Panoramic works well too, when I was in France I used both at 24mm and stitched photos.

LensMate has good samples for the A80; you have to click on the picture of the adapter to get a sample photo.

http://www.lensmateonline.com/A80adapter.htm

Stitched sample:

http://www.pbase.com/image/6296175
or
http://www.pbase.com/tpgaffney/deauville image IMG_1471DoevilleA.jpg

I needed a 24mm for this shot:

http://www.pbase.com/image/6362677
or
http://www.pbase.com/tpgaffney/caen image IMG_1129.jpg

[lucasdigital]

My topic says it all. I am looking for recommendations on a telephoto and wide angle lens (no fisheye) for my Canon Powershot A80. Also, some filter recommendations would be nice. I'm very new to photography and have a great chance to take some beautiful pictures of Sicily when I go there next month. I'm hoping I'll be able to put this equipment to good use!
I've heard good things about Tiffen and Rynox. Any advice is appreciated. ;)

Well I bougth both of canons own add-on lenses, the wide-angle and telephoto.

The wide-angle lens has seen a great deal of use since I got it in May. There may be better lenses around, but getting a wide-angle is a must for someone who wants to shoot landscapes and scenary.

I bought the telephoto lens last Saturday but didn't get an adequate opportunity to test it.

I believe that canon's lenses are not well thought of, but they where good value for money, and have helped me widen my photography capabilities.

Alnath's "sage" advise bubbles down to "don't try running when you still fall over your own feet while walking". I'd say thats true to a point, but even though I'm a rank amauter with everything to learn, I've gotten a lot from my extra lens.