Received my first camera

Hi Everyone,

My brother recently gifted me his old Canon Rebel T3i and this is my very first camera. My intended purpose for the camera would be to take photos when I hike, go camping, and general outdoor activities. I also would like to take photos of my Toyota 4runner. The lens he gave me is a Bower 14mm f/2.8. I did a quick search and found out this is a wide lens camera. Should I stick with this lens to learn? Or should I purchase a Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 instead?

Thanks

How much are you willing to spend? The T3i is a perfectly good camera for what you intend to use it for.

The 50mm 1.8 is a good all around lens. Some like the versatility of zoom lenses, but the so called super zooms, those that have a very broad focal range, are not that sharp and require a lot of light. Lots of good used deals can be had from members here. Your camera can take both the EF lenses or EF-S lenses.

the 14mm is still a nice lens to have for wide shots.

C Scott IV wrote in post #19066487
Caddo Lake State Park

Gallery photo:
posted by C Scott IV originally in forum: Nature & Landscapes

aye_dre wrote in post #19066887
Hi Everyone,

My brother recently gifted me his old Canon Rebel T3i and this is my very first camera. My intended purpose for the camera would be to take photos when I hike, go camping, and general outdoor activities. I also would like to take photos of my Toyota 4runner. The lens he gave me is a Bower 14mm f/2.8. I did a quick search and found out this is a wide lens camera. Should I stick with this lens to learn? Or should I purchase a Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 instead?

Thanks

The 50 1.8 is a nice portrait prime on that camera, but it going to a bit long for a walkabout lens. I would initially look for the 18-55 kit lens, the one with image stabilization. You can usually find them for 50-60 bucks used. After you shoot awhile you'll get a feel for what you like. Also keep an eye out for the efs 55-250 a great bargain telephoto lens.

Scrumhalf wrote in post #19066947
How much are you willing to spend? The T3i is a perfectly good camera for what you intend to use it for.

I don't want to spend too much at first because I'm still learning. The reason I mentioned the 50mm is because it affordable and generally has good reviews. If I had to put a price tag for a new lens at the moment it would be $200 and below.

texkam wrote in post #19066989
The 50mm 1.8 is a good all around lens. Some like the versatility of zoom lenses, but the so called super zooms, those that have a very broad focal range, are not that sharp and require a lot of light. Lots of good used deals can be had from members here. Your camera can take both the EF lenses or EF-S lenses.

the 14mm is still a nice lens to have for wide shots.

That's exactly when I mentioned the 50mm because of the great reviews and many people mention how it can cover all of photos (plus its affordable). Thanks for the information about the camera taking bout EF and EF-S lenses.

gonzogolf wrote in post #19067039
The 50 1.8 is a nice portrait prime on that camera, but it going to a bit long for a walkabout lens. I would initially look for the 18-55 kit lens, the one with image stabilization. You can usually find them for 50-60 bucks used. After you shoot awhile you'll get a feel for what you like. Also keep an eye out for the efs 55-250 a great bargain telephoto lens.

I'll keep a look out for these lens kit, appreciate the recommendation. Yeah, I understand it will take time to feel out what I like and this is why I don't want to shell out for an expensive lens at the moment

Agreed that you should get one of the 18-55mm lenses for your camera. It has a great zoom range for general photography, is light-weight, and is not expensive. The recent versions of that lens are very sharp.

I would not get the 50mm unless you want to do studio-type photography with your camera, or have a particular need for low-light photography with a longish lens, and that seems unlikely from your post. (The 50mm works as a low-range telephoto lens on your crop-frame camera. It will work great on a crop frame but is intended for use on a full-frame camera.)

An alternative to the 18-55mm would be the 18-135mm, which has a great reputation on this forum. It has a much longer tele range than the 18-55mm, but is way more expensive and heavier. I would put that one off for now but is a thought for the future.

My first camera was a T3i (still have it and use it quite a bit). I would agree with some of the other commenters who mentioned a zoom to start, to see what focal lengths you use most and what kind of shots you want to take. I have the Canon 50mm STM f1.8 and it is a great lens for the money, I do find myself using the EF-S 24mm f2.8 more for "walk around" type of shots. On a crop camera, the 50mm is more of a short telephoto then a general purpose lens but it can be a really useful lens. I find myself using it outdoors much more than indoors, as it is usually just to long for indoor shots. Another option would be the Canon EF-S 17-85mm zoom which can be had for about $300

aye_dre wrote in post #19066887
... My brother recently gifted me his old Canon Rebel T3i and ... The lens he gave me is a Bower 14mm f/2.8. ... should I purchase a Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 instead?

Well, if you've been given a T3i and a 14/2.8 lens, you're in great shape! The lens is a manual focus lens, which isn't always what a newcomer likes, but it's nothing to avoid. If you set the aperture ring to somewhere between f/5.6 and f/8, and set the focus to somewhere between 3' and 7', a lot of shots are going to be surprisingly in focus.

To be a bit more precise, if the aperture is f/6.3 and the focus distance is 5.7' then you'll have something called "hyperfocal" and everything from about 4' to infinity will be in focus without you having to touch the lens again. Set the exposure mode to "Av" or "P" and go have fun with it. Just don't get closer than about 4 feet away, unless you change the focus (which would be a good thing to do).

The 50mm is very good at certain portrait looks. But none of hiking, camping, outdoor or car photos strikes me as a good fit for a 50mm lens on that camera. The 14mm will do just fine for a lot of that.

For next steps, I agree with the recommendation to get your hands on an 18-55 zoom, or my preference would actually be the 18-135. Either one of those will give you some new looks that don't overlap with the 14mm lens. The 17-85 is another great choice and is a step up in quality.

Skip the 50mm. I would go with one of the zooms, either the 18-55STM or for a little more, the 17-85 or for a bit more, the 18-135. Primes are nice and all but very limiting especially when just starting out.

I was going to suggest the 18-135, but it is a bit more money but even more range and fast and accurate AF

The one thing you should be aware of is your lens, while a cheap lens, is also very good.
It has one issue though. The distance scale on the lens is rarely calibrated.

So advice you have already got in this thread is good (regarding hyperfocal distance) but you have no way of knowing how accurate (or inaccurate) the distance markings are on the lens.
You can test this yourself though and get a good idea.

The Bower is also known as Rokinon or Samyang.

Google "calibrate Rokinon 14mm" and you will see that what I am saying is true regarding calibration.

For the price point, the 50mm is an excellent choice for learning and having fun. There is no shame in selecting gear that fit your budget.

In my mind, you already possess the biggest asset you need: your eyes. They are what you need to train in order to gain some understanding of what photography is. Understanding light, composition, what rocks your boat, etc.

Photography is about seing, not gear. Of course, I can say that, my kit bag is full of gear... but I started small and tried and failed (a lot !!!) at snapping pictures until one day, I realize I could take a good photography once in a while.

40 years later, I am still learning and yes, I'm still using the 50mm with great joy.

Make the gear work for you. There will always be a nicer lens, a nicer camera somewhere, get the 50mm, keep the extra money to go hiking and snap along, learn, study and repeat. And have fun, it's an amazing journey!

Here's the bottom line, if you end up liking and sticking with the hobby, you'll eventually purchase many lenses (some you'll sell and re-purchase). So speaking from experience, use what you have right now and forget that anything else exists. If you really NEED to purchase something now, 50mm 1.8 STM for the activities you've described.