Novice Here - Need Advice Selecting A Lens

Hi,

As the title suggests, I'm a new novice photographer. I've got a Canon EOS Rebel T3i. I primarily am using the camera at the moment for day to day photography (family events, childrens activities, etc.). My daughter is a competitive ice skater and the lens that came with the camera EF-S 18-55M does not capture a wide enough area for me to film/photograph skating competitions. As such, I am looking for recommendations for a lens that will enable me to capture a much wider area and am looking to stay around $300 if possible for the lens. I'd really appreciate any recommendations from the experts in this forum. Also, I am wondering is there such as a thing as a wide angle - zoom lens? If so, would that be a better way to go so I could go from close up at a distance to wide angle without switching lenses? Thanks in advance for any advice!

Cheers,

Tinncupp

Frankly, I'm surprised that 18 mm is not wide enough, but if that's the case then you'll need to look at something like one of the 10-20 or 10-22 zooms from Canon or Sigma, or I think there is an 11-16 from Tokina. I don't know if these will be in your price range, but I expect not, unless you buy second-hand.

To address your second question, yes, there are wide-range zooms, but I can't off hand think of any that goes from wider than 15 mm. There's the 15-85, the 17-55, and then various starting at 18, 18-135, 18-200. Few of these will give you much at the long end, and those that do may suffer image quality issues or be optically slow.

Keep in mind too that "zoom" just means a lens with variable focal length; it doesn't indicate anything about magnification by itself.

As mentioned above there are superzooms that go from wide angle to telephoto, but not without issues. Generally they are not as sharp, and if you are shooting inside arenas they require a great deal of light to be able to handhold them. Like Xarqi I'm curious how 18 isnt wide enough.

gonzogolf wrote in post #16647791
Like Xarqi I'm curious how 18 isnt wide enough.

I'm thinking that the OP might want to get the entire rink in the frame. Depending on where they are sitting, they may need a 90° AOV, which would mean an 18mm full frame equivalent or so. The problem is that magnification decreases as AoV increases, so you have to be really close to your subject, if there is one.

frugivore wrote in post #16647805
I'm thinking that the OP might want to get the entire rink in the frame. Depending on where they are sitting, they may need a 90° AOV, which would mean an 18mm full frame equivalent or so. The problem is that magnification decreases as AoV increases, so you have to be really close to your subject, if there is one.

Could be. See that tiny sequined spot in the middle of the photo, thats my kid doing the double axle.

I have a Canon 10-22 EF-S which is wide enough but more than twice what you want to spend. You're going to have a hard time finding a wide angle lens that's worth buying for that price. Good luck.

Tinncupp wrote in post #16647724
Hi,

My daughter is a competitive ice skater and the lens that came with the camera EF-S 18-55M does not capture a wide enough area for me to film/photograph skating competitions. As such, I am looking for recommendations for a lens that will enable me to capture a much wider area and am looking to stay around $300 if possible for the lens. I am wondering is there such as a thing as a wide angle - zoom lens? If so, would that be a better way to go so I could go from close up at a distance to wide angle without switching lenses?

I think there may be a terminology problem here. If I've understood the post, the OP is asking for a lens that covers a bigger range, not a "wider area". The question that I've marked in red seems to suggest this. I really don't think he wants a wide-angle lens as such.

To the OP: You'd need something that goes up to 200 mm or more in order to do this. My daughter used to skate competitively, and I used a 70-200 f4 IS to photograph her routines. Unfortunately, this lens is outside your price range (used, it would cost around $850). Probably your best option in your price range would be the Canon 55-250. The new STM version of the lens seems to be highly regarded. This is the one I'd recommend. I own the non-STM version and it's a good lens.

Alternatively, if you can raise your budget very slightly, Canon also makes a 18-200 lens which would take you from a wide view to a close-up view without changing lenses. However, it would cost a bit more than $300, even used.

Given that you also want to video the performances, I'd suggest the 55-250.

T&S wrote in post #16647881
I have a Canon 10-22 EF-S which is wide enough but more than twice what you want to spend. You're going to have a hard time finding a wide angle lens that's worth buying for that price. Good luck.

On top of that, none of these have image stabilization that would be of use for video. I would stick with the 18-55mm if I were the OP.

ceegee wrote in post #16647932
I think there may be a terminology problem here. If I've understood the post, the OP is asking for a lens that covers a bigger range, not a "wider area". The question that I've marked in red seems to suggest this. I really don't think he wants a wide-angle lens as such.

To the OP: You'd need something that goes up to 200 mm or more in order to do this. My daughter used to skate competitively, and I used a 70-200 f4 IS to photograph her routines. Unfortunately, this lens is outside your price range (used, it would cost around $850). Probably your best option in your price range would be the Canon 55-250. The new STM version of the lens seems to be highly regarded. This is the one I'd recommend. I own the non-STM version and it's a good lens.

Alternatively, if you can raise your budget very slightly, Canon also makes a 18-200 lens which would take you from a wide view to a close-up view without changing lenses. However, it would cost a bit more than $300, even used.

Given that you also want to video the performances, I'd suggest the 55-250.

I think you are right in your assumption. The OP is probably looking for a super zoom. How about something like the 18-135mm IS STM?

Tinncupp wrote in post #16647724
Hi,

As the title suggests, I'm a new novice photographer. I've got a Canon EOS Rebel T3i. I primarily am using the camera at the moment for day to day photography (family events, childrens activities, etc.). My daughter is a competitive ice skater and the lens that came with the camera EF-S 18-55M does not capture a wide enough area for me to film/photograph skating competitions. As such, I am looking for recommendations for a lens that will enable me to capture a much wider area and am looking to stay around $300 if possible for the lens. I'd really appreciate any recommendations from the experts in this forum. Also, I am wondering is there such as a thing as a wide angle - zoom lens? If so, would that be a better way to go so I could go from close up at a distance to wide angle without switching lenses? Thanks in advance for any advice!

Cheers,

Tinncupp

Heya,

Wider, with a zoom section that takes you "close" unfortunate doesn't exist. It's either ultrawide, or it's a mid-zoom, like you have. And ultrawide zooms, are not happening for you at $300. Especially not something that does smooth perfect video focus, like an STM lens (as none of them are wide enough for what you're doing).

Ultrawide on a crop, below that 18mm, will happen at 10mm, 11-16mm and 14mm basically.

You can get 18-XXX lenses, or 17-XXX lenses. But getting wider than that, you start to see a big drop in the long end, to absolute non-existence of the long end, so you're not going to find a 10~200mm for example, as it just doesn't exist. Especially with fast aperture for the lighting of a skate rink.

Solution (costly, but will work):

Two camera bodies.
One with ultrawide -> wide (get a cheap used old body that is crop factor, or even full frame, whatever you want, and a really wide lens or wide zoom)
One with mid-telephoto zoom (50~70 to 200~300mm)
Drop & Swap to the other body as needed.

Very best,

Tinncupp wrote in post #16647724
Hi,

As the title suggests, I'm a new novice photographer. I've got a Canon EOS Rebel T3i. I primarily am using the camera at the moment for day to day photography (family events, childrens activities, etc.). My daughter is a competitive ice skater and the lens that came with the camera EF-S 18-55M does not capture a wide enough area for me to film/photograph skating competitions. As such, I am looking for recommendations for a lens that will enable me to capture a much wider area and am looking to stay around $300 if possible for the lens. I'd really appreciate any recommendations from the experts in this forum. Also, I am wondering is there such as a thing as a wide angle - zoom lens? If so, would that be a better way to go so I could go from close up at a distance to wide angle without switching lenses? Thanks in advance for any advice!

Cheers,

Tinncupp

One of the more useful lenses with a wide focal length range is the Canon 18-300mm IS, an EF-S lens.
However, that lens may not be suitable for figure skating in an indoor rink with relatively dim illumination.

One potentially suitable lens for that sport would be the ubiqitous 70-200mm f/2.8, used here. Since the skaters were upright, the images were framed vertically.

DC Fan wrote in post #16648059
One of the more useful lenses with a wide focal length range is the Canon 18-300mm IS, an EF-S lens.

Typo?

Another of this ilk could be the Tamron 18-270.

xarqi wrote in post #16648092
Typo?

Another of this ilk could be the Tamron 18-270.

Sorry, should have typed Canon 18-200mm IS.

I think the OP is actually using "wide" for "long", perhaps by association with "far". And the question about zooms was an afterthought, and therefore the first question was not about zoom ratios or asking for a superzoom.

OP: A "wide" lens is one which has a wide angle of view, say 90°, and a "long" lens one that has a narrow angle of view and a longer focal length like 200mm. And if you want to take a picture of an ice skater far away so that it fills the frame, it is the long lens you need. DC Fan has given an example of a suitable lens above.