Help with lens for EOS 350D

[new2DSLR]

Hi all,

I have just pre-ordered what will be my first DSLR--a Canon Rebel XT (EOS 350D), body only. But, I'm not sure what lens and flash to buy for it.

some lenses I considered are as follows:
Canon 50mm 1.4 ( or 1.8 )
Canon 17-40mm L
Tamon 28-75mm

Unforunately, budget prevents me from buy them all at once. So, I would appreciate any inputs from you respected veterans on which I should get first (or recommend substitutes). I'm interested in mostly taking portraits and landscape pics, and experimenting with background blurs (brokeh?).

thank you,
Brian

p.s. If any of you can also point out any good photography books for this beginner, I would be grateful. Any opinion on this book?: Understanding Exposure: How to Shoot Great Photographs with a Film or Digital Camera (Updated Edition) by Bryan Peterson (http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0817463003/qid=1110482334/sr=8-1/ref=pd_csp_1/102-4009933-7865720?v=glance&s=books&n=507846)?

[Jon]

Welcome to POTN!

Check out the "Top 10 - Member recommended lenses" on the EOS "Sticky" thread (http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=42034) for lens recommendations. There's also the Photography Basics Books and Links (http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=53846[/url) thread.

[funpix]

I picked up two books this past week to learn more also. They are: Digital Photographer's Ha-dbook by Tom Ang ISBN 0-7566-0346-3 (actually this is hardcover book with great how to fix it features) & Amphoto's Complete Book of Photography by Jenni Bidner ISBN 0-8174-3486-0. The ISBN numbers you can give to any book store and they can order it for you.

[Andy_T]

My suggestion would be

... go for the Tamron 28-75/2.8
... get the kit lens with the camera

You can sell it off later when you decide to go for the 17-40/4.0.

It's not a bad lens, especially for the money involved.

That's exactly what I did. However, so far I haven't seen any reason to replace my kit lens anytime soon.

I also got a 50/1.8 recently to keep me happy until I want to spend the money on the 50/1.4.
I did some searching and got the MKI version (metal mount) in mint condition from eBay for 110$ ... should be tough enough for my usage and keep its value well when I decide to sell it off.

Best regards,
Andy

[griff2]

If you're just starting out, I'd go for the Tamron, it's got a wide range and you could keep it until you decided that you wanted something better. Then you could go for the 17-40L and the 50mm 1.4 or 1.8. The kit lens is ok, but I find it a little fuzzy soft, requiring a fair degree of sharpening in post-processing before it gives acceptable results.

[new2DSLR]

Thanks Jon, Funpix, Andy, and Griff for you reply.

Based on the consensus here, I have added the Tamron 28-75mm to the Amazon pre-order today.

Andy: I may have considered changing from the body only to kit, but that would mean I would have to replace my order in Amazon, and that may disqualify me for the $100 promo offer (which expired yesterday).

Funpix: I am going to look at the books you recommended right now. Thanks!

appreciate all your suggestion,
Brian

[tim]

Consider getting a UV filter for the Tamron, just to protect the front lens element. I didn't use mine all the time, now i've got a small smudge on the lens that won't come off, no matter what I try.

[Andy_T]

Andy: I may have considered changing from the body only to kit, but that would mean I would have to replace my order in Amazon, and that may disqualify me for the $100 promo offer (which expired yesterday).


Haha! No problem :D
100$ towards your 17-40/4.0 L

(You might also look at the $350 Tokina 17/3.5 prime)

Best regards,
Andy