18-55mm f3,5-5,6 IS or 50 f/1.8 II for first lens ?

Hello!
I have an extremely low budget right now.
18-55 would be nice for all-around purposes (landscape, portrait, family photos) but 50 f1.8 is better IQ-wise. (also in low light situations (indoor photos?))
I could buy both 18-55 for landscape and 50 for portrait but ! I need money for the lens I really want now (and affordable even for me) the Canon EF-S 55-250mm f/4-5.6 IS.
But I don't know ... I have seen quite decent photos on this forum shot with the 18-55 IS.

What camera do you have or are planning to buy?

In any case I would say go with the kit lens (18-55) as it is more versatile, the 50mm is great but if you plan on shooting indoors you'll find yourself not having enough space a lot of the time.

If you're planning on shooting in low light, I would recommend a flash first unless you absolutely cannot shoot with one.

The camera will be an EOS-30D.

Good camera.

I'd go with the 18-55 IS "kit" lens. While you're learning, it'll certainly be better to have something capable of acting both as a wide-angle and short telephoto.

The 18-55 build quality is generally better than the EF 50 1.8 II, as long as you don't slam the zoom in and out as fast as you can. It is an incredibly sharp lens when stopped down a bit, and is typically able to focus fairly quickly in reasonably low light. Having an IS lens will give you some help if you do decide to shoot indoors where the lighting isn't spectacular.

The 50 would be a little too confining for my taste. Since the prices are roughly the same, go for the 18-55.

I'd go with the 18-55 first. Its more versatile. Zooming with your feet only works so much, and with a 500mm on a crop body indoors....you're in trouble.

Definitely 18-55. I found it quite sharp, more so than my 50 1.8. Also a lot more versatile which is important for your first.

I'd say go for the 50mm 1.8!! You can do some really great wonders with that thin depth of field!! It will also teach you about creativity to get some nice shots with that fixed focal length.

The 18-55 is certainly more versatile. I would go for that BUT would get a 50mm or 100mm ASAP after that for the wider aperture.

I got the 18-55 IS supplied as a kit lens with my 600D and I'm not that pleased with it, (I should point out that I'm very much a novice, so take my opinion with a pinch of salt). I find the build quality quite poor, for example, there's quite a lot of 'wobble' between the lens tubes. Not so much of an issue with AF, but very frustrating with MF. I also find it very difficult to get sharp images.

I've recently bought the 50mm f/1.8 and I'm quite pleased with it overall, as mentioned earlier though, it's not as versatile as a zoom.

Go with the 18 55 for versatility but u can't beat the sharpness of the nifty 50 and great boka
And Dof. I was very impressed with the sharpness and IQ from my 50 the 18 55 just doesn't compare in IQ

18-55. The lens is a good performer, and a short telephoto as your only lens is simply too limiting for most people.

The idea of trying to get by with nothing but a 50mm simply because you think the 50 prime will be a hair sharper strikes me as silly. You will get a heck of a lot more from having a lens that gives you a wide angle than from some small gain in sharpness at 50mm.

UKseagull wrote in post #14218956
I find the build quality quite poor, for example, there's quite a lot of 'wobble' between the lens tubes. Not so much of an issue with AF, but very frustrating with MF. I also find it very difficult to get sharp images.

My 18-55 has no wobble whatsoever. If yours seems excessive, it could be broken, which could cause a lack of sharpness, as well.

This lens grades out as "very sharp" and beats a long list of much more expensive glass in reviews. MF is horrible with any rotating front element, but as long as your post-work is decent, the current IS version of the 18-55 should be quite satisfactory, if not excellent.

pkilla wrote in post #14219344
Go with the 18 55 for versatility but u can't beat the sharpness of the nifty 50 and great boka
And Dof. I was very impressed with the sharpness and IQ from my 50 the 18 55 just doesn't compare in IQ

The nifty has notoriously poor bokeh (although all bokeh is subject to personal taste) because of the small number of blades used in its aperture. The 18-55 IS is also very, very close to the nifty when it comes to being capable of producing very sharp images.

I stand by my suggestion. The 18-55 is better built, more versatile and capable of everything the nifty is, short of shooting at a very wide aperture.

The 18-55 IS is great, doooo it!

My suggestion for a majority of people get a first lens, is a zoom, even a kit zoom (especially one with IS). If you have the money a better zoom but a zoom never the less. They are too versatile. IMO they would serve someone better overall, especially someone learning. If you were older like me and remember (and used) old manual film cameras where you would typically get a 50mm when you got the body then you might be different; or if you knew what focal length was your favorite to shoot at; or knew you had a reason to shoot with a faster single focal length - but then you would not be buying your first lens.

(IMHO) Get the zoom!

Virto wrote in post #14220197
My 18-55 has no wobble whatsoever. If yours seems excessive, it could be broken, which could cause a lack of sharpness, as well.

I took it back to Jessops at the time, they'd got 2 others for me to try but they were worse than mine. A snippet of video showing my lens, was I being too picky?

http://www.youtube.com …text=G2eab0edAU​AAAAAAACAA