Please help

I'm about to buy a Canon Rebel XT 350D and I don't know which lens to get. Should I get it with a 28-80mm or a 18-55mm? Can someone please explain the difference? Thanks.

Good question, and glad you asked. I don't want to make it anymore complicated than it has to. To decide what lens you need, you'll need to consider what sort of subjects you want to photograph. Are you into traveling, portraits, landscapes, sports...?

The XT is a camera with an APS-C sized sensor. It is smaller than a traditional 35mm film negative. Hence, any lenses that you put on your camera will provide a narrower field of view compared to if the same lenses were attached to a film camera, or a DSLR with a sensor that is the same size as a film negative.

In essence, the lenses will seem 'longer' or more 'tele'. The 18-55mm lens provides roughly the field of view of a 29-88mm lens, whereas a 28-80mm lens provides the field of view of approximately a 45-128mm lens...this is not a wide angle lens anymore.

The focal length of any lens you attach to your XT must be multiplied by 1.6 to find the effective focal length. 1.6 is the crop factor of the XT.

Hope this helps.

Thanks for the reply. I really don't know much about lenses because this is going to be the first SLR i'm gonna purchase. I really don't photograph a specific kind of setting. So as a general purpose lens, which of the two would be better?

Thanks again.

4x4.kid wrote in post #3083075
I'm about to buy a Canon Rebel XT 350D and I don't know which lens to get. Should I get it with a 28-80mm or a 18-55mm? Can someone please explain the difference? Thanks.

get the 18-55. the range will be more useful for starting out.

ed rader

4x4.kid wrote in post #3083094
Thanks for the reply. I really don't know much about lenses because this is going to be the first SLR i'm gonna purchase. I really don't photograph a specific kind of setting. So as a general purpose lens, which of the two would be better?

Thanks again.

For general shooting, I'd have to echo what Ed Rader suggested. Take the 18-55mm. These are available at a steal, second-hand. Trouble is that you may not know how to examine lenses when you're just starting out. But if you have a reasonably experienced person to help you, then that's great. It will save you a bundle.

Thanks for the quick replies..I appreciate the help.

I'd echo what these folks have already said. Then, use it a lot until you know what lens you need next. Used properly, the kit lens can take fine photos.

ed rader wrote in post #3083097
get the 18-55. the range will be more useful for starting out.

Yep, and the price is right. Buy this one first, and then find out whether you want to add some other focal lengths, replace it, or keep it. For many people, the 18-55 is all they ever need.

28mm is not wide enough, and the canon 28-80 lenses are not better than the 18-55.