In search of a new lens

I've had my digital rebel XTi for a little over a month now and have saved up enough money to buy a few lenses. I was looking into buying the 50mm 1.8 but cannot seem to find it in any of the local stores where I live and have had trouble finding it online...maybe I'm not looking hard enough or in the right places or has it discontinued?

Anyway, I am looking for lenses that will suit my shooting styles. I mostly take portraits, still life, macro, urban and nature & animal shots. I would love to have a nice zoom lens, a macro, and just an everyday walk around lens that will suit my needs for the landscape and urban shots I take. My budget is about $350 max for each lens and I am open to Canon, Tamron and Sigma lenses.

Any help with this would be greatly appreciated...Thank you in advance

The 50 f/1.8 should be readily available at almost every online photo site. Try Bhphotovideo.com or amazon.com. With your budget, you might want to consider getting the 50 f/1.4 instead. Right around $300 with current rebate.

Thank you for your response. Would you know any notable differences between the f/1.8 and the f/1.4 that would make it worth the extra $220?

My recommendation would be to slow down and not buy so many all at once. Quality over quantity. Each lens takes time to learn and appreciate. I'd suggest the 24-105 as your walk-around lens. It works well for lots and lots of different types of situations (Landscape, urban shots, etc).

Once you have that one mastered (or are at least well on your way you can expand to something else. And by that time you could have saved for another.

Well I figured I'd get 2 lenses now while I have the money because the rest is going to be put into buying christmas gifts for others and I'd like to get a few things for myself while I can Thank you for your suggestion, would the 24-105 also be good for portraits as well or mostly just for outside photos?

Yikes...I just took a look at the price of that lens and it's a little too steep for my budget at the moment

melissa. wrote in post #2243624
Well I figured I'd get 2 lenses now while I have the money because the rest is going to be put into buying christmas gifts for others and I'd like to get a few things for myself while I can Thank you for your suggestion, would the 24-105 also be good for portraits as well or mostly just for outside photos?

It's not a real good option for portraits. You're going to want something faster (at least 2.8 )

melissa. wrote in post #2243634
Yikes...I just took a look at the price of that lens and it's a little too steep for my budget at the moment

Have you considered the Tamron 28-75? It's fast (2.8), very good quality and a really nice walk aroun lens. It could work for portraits -- depending on what you have in mind. Are you talking about studio shots? Or are you talking about wanting to be able to take good quality shots of people?

I'd suggest a 50 f1.8 and a Sigma 17-70 f2.8-4.5 macro. The 50 will be fine for portraits etc. The sigma is versatile enough for city, landscapes etc. Although not a true macro lens, its still usable.

melissa. wrote in post #2243634
Yikes...I just took a look at the price of that lens and it's a little too steep for my budget at the moment

You mentioned that you wanted 3 lenses at no more than $350 each (350x3=$1050)

The 24-105 is currently available at B&H for $1079 after rebate.

But if that's not in your range...I'd definitely look at the Tamron 28-75 as I mentioned previously. It's going for $349 after rebate at B&H.

Good luck!

You might also want to look at the Sigma 17 -70.

Here is more information on this lens.
I know you see I don't have one but am planning on ordering one in the next week or so.

https://photography-on-the.net …ad.php?p=167359​5#poststop

I would also recomend the 50 f/1.4. Avoid the 50 f/1.8 if at all possible. It is really an oversold lens.

are you working with about a thousand dollars? or a little less?.. if you have a grand to work with i'd suggest two lenses... the first being the 70-200 f4.0L.. it is very, very nice the quality is incredible and it's really versatile and I find myself using it for portraits quite a bit... the second would be either the tamron 28-75 (as previously suggested) or the tamron 17-50 (which I have)... and a hint when looking at glass for the first time.. try to get lenses with constant app.. that's just one number.. for example the canon is a constant f4.. IMO the lenses with constant appertures give you pretty close to the quality of primes with the versatility of zooms..

sari

rklepper wrote in post #2243838
I would also recomend the 50 f/1.4. Avoid the 50 f/1.8 if at all possible. It is really an oversold lens.

don't agree here.. it's oversold because it's fast, sharp and a really great buy for the money.. if somebody wants a 50mm but will only occasionally need/use it than the nifty is a smarter buy than the 1.4 version... besides, i've found with a crop body the 50 is just too long indoors..

sari

The 50mm is not very versatile for the shooting that you are describing.
As for the difference between the f1.8 and f1.4 version, this is probably the best cmparison I've seen online.
http://photo.net/equip​ment/canon/ef50/

As for a versatile lens that does a lot, I'd also recomend the Sigma 17-70.

I just bought a Sigma 24-70 F2.8. I know it's a little slow, but my budget was non-existent. I'm selling my 18-555 kit lens, and another 35-70 I swapped off an EOS film camera. I already have the Canon 70-300 f4.0-f5.6 IS, but needed a better small lens. Hope I made the right choice.