New here.. overwhelmed! LOL

Ok, so I have a Rebel XTi and the lense that came with it (EF-S 18-55mm)

I would like to get a better lense/s... and my needs are:
1. portrait shots - indoor and outdoor.. mostly kids/family
2. indoor - gatherings/events/dinn​ers/etc..
3. travel - landscape shots, views, etc..

What would be the top 2 or 3 lenses that you would recommend considering I'm new in photography?

Thanks in advance!


T

18-55 IS. good wide angle for landscaping and good IQ
50 f1.8 II for indoor and portrait shots. good for low light and gives good bokeh effect.
and since there's nothing over 55mm i'd suggest the 55-250 IS

excellent 3 lenses to start with and when you figure out what you like to shoot more specifically then you can upgrade your glass.

The answer to your question will depend greatly on how much money you're willing to spend.

I would suggest a Canon 50 1.8. They can be had for around $100 and will be good for indoor/low light situations as well as portrait shots used on your XTi. It'll give you an idea of what a prime lens is capable of (in terms of DOF and being used in low light).

As for landscapes, I'd suggest using your 18-55 at or around 18mm. You should be able to stop down the lens (smaller aperture, higher number) and get everything into focus.

Either way, good luck to you. I'd suggest taking some time to learn about aperture, shutterspeed, and ISO.

wow Im somewhat in your shoes right now so my best advice was do not get too overwhelmed. Take it in stages and with time you will find what you really enjoy spending your time on=lenses ect.
First start with an overall lens, find which focal lengths you shoot the most at and start investing there!

Welcome to the forum, and I agree fully with taking it slow.
Canon has a very wide selection of gear to stick onto a camera, ranging from a few yen/euros/pounds/dolla​rs, up to thousands-and-thousands for top equipment.

So, the EF50mm f/1.8 ("nifty-fifty") would be a GREAT place to start your learning in this fantastic hobby.
It's cheap, works very well in most situations, will teach you all about low(ish) natural light shooting and use of a shallow "depth of field" (DoF - google it, if you don't know what that means) and if you break it, it won't cost a lot to replace.

I'd suggest you then get an off-camera flash, as light is the major key to taking great photos. But more on that later.........

Regards,
Simon

Here are my lens recommendations...

Canon 50 f1.8 II
Canon 35 f2.0
Sigma 30 f1.4

Thanks guys! Yes, I am only shooting in "M" mode right now and trying to understand everything..

@Sharpmaxell - thanks for the shopping list.. I will look into the lenses.. one way to learn about them too!

@Scott - budget is open.. but I like the idea of getting a cheap one to start and play with

@Tortie - thanks! It looks like the 50mm 1.8 is recommended a few times !

@Cmonster - good luck! It's a fun hobby!

@skygod - thanks.. another nifty-fifty recommendation. Oh, flash.. I have a flash that my hubs gave me as a gift a year ago.. where did I put that? heheh.. I see people use diffusers.. are those a must? I find it was too bright when I used it before..

Thanks again!

Marloon wrote in post #9865434
Here are my lens recommendations...

Canon 50 f1.8 II
Canon 35 f2.0
Sigma 30 f1.4

Thanks Marloon.. I will check those out.. Canadian, eh? I'm from Toronto! On a side note, is there a site for buying/selling USED camera equip within Canada?

The 50mm 1.8 II (nifty fifty) is a good one to try out. Once you try that, then decided if you like primes or not.

the Sigma 30mm f/1.4 for indoor use (50 is a bit long for indoor work),
and then a 70-200 f/4L for a longer outdoor lens with great sharpness. Or look at the 55-250 as a cheaper option but still good for the price

A flash will help majorly with indoor work and help lighten up shadows on faces. Get a 430EX II.

slingnanay wrote in post #9865505
On a side note, is there a site for buying/selling USED camera equip within Canada?

Your best bets are the usual suspects: Kijiji and Craigslist. Though given the current strength of the Canadian dollar, buying from US POTN members isn't a bad idea.

slingnanay wrote in post #9865439
....Oh, flash.. I have a flash that my hubs gave me as a gift a year ago.. where did I put that? heheh.. I see people use diffusers.. are those a must? I find it was too bright when I used it before..
Thanks again!

These days, most people buy/use a flash which has a directional head-unit. The point is that usually, the LAST direction you want it pointing in, is directly at the subject (that's probably why you found it too bright).
If you cannot turn/angle your flash's head-unit, you can make do with some silver-foil stuck onto a piece of cardboard which you then "attach" somehow or other to your flash so that the light is deflected at the ceiling....it's a good way to start seeing the difference.
Then, you can invest in something like a 480EX-II (as recommended above).

Moving on to lenses, and you did stress that you're new to all this, so I'd like to recommend again - take it slow!!!!!!!

Although the Sigma 30mm f/1.4 has (rightly) been recommended, we're talking a whole lot more cash than the nifty-fifty, which would cope very well with head and shoulder portraits indoors, any portraits outside, head and shoulder portraits at "gatherings", street photography/city/town/​village shots when you're on your travels...and it's VERY cheap, but good quality for the money.

Over to you....

If your budget is < $100, you owe it to yourself to get the 50mm 1.8. Else, get the 50mm 1.4.

For lens #3, get the 28-135mm (kit lens for the 50D and 7D). Don't pay more than $250 for it, though. See ebay, etc. for deals. A lot of people (myself included) sell the kit lens for around $250 when we buy our 50D/7D. It's a really good lens, though.

-Glenn

Like everyone else, I would recommend the canon 50mm f/1.8, but if you are willing to spend some extra money, I would go with the sigma 30mm f/1.4. I personally feel that the 50mm can be a little too long for indoors. Good luck and enjoy the new camera