New old EOS without lens

Hi, Seasons greetings to all, I am new to the forum and to digital SLR.

I have just been given an EOS 350d complete with battery grip and Metz canon ETTL flash unit.

The lady who gave me the camera kept the lens she possessed for her new 7d.

As I am in desperate need of a lens I would like advice as to where to start. Having heard about the kit lens I would rather go for something better to start with.

I have about £650 to spend on a lens/equipment

I would like to get into landscape/urban jungle photography.

Would someone point me in the direction of a sensible lens to buy? I will upgrade the camera as and when further funds permit.

Thanks thus far

katokid wrote in post #11526795
Hi, I am new to the forum and to digital SLR.

I have just been given an EOS 350d complete with battery grip and Metz canon ETTL flash unit.

The lady who gave me the camera kept the lens she possessed for her new 7d.

As I am in desperate need of a lens I would like advice as to where to start. Having heard about the kit lens I would rather go for something better to start with.

I have about £650 to spend on a lens/equipment

I would like to get into landscape/urban jungle photography.

Would someone point me in the direction of a sensible lens to buy? I will upgrade the camera as and when further funds permit.

Thanks thus far

Welcome aboard. What kit lens? The 18-55 IS is an exceptionally good lens for its price and makes an inexpensive and excellent starting point.

Honestly... If you're just starting out, there is absolutely nothing wrong with using the kit lens.

It's funny that the term "kit lens" has almost become a derogatory term. lol

The Canon 18-55mm can be purchased used in great condition for around a $100. It is a kit lens but it's also known for giving user great performance especially per value. The lens is capable of providing some pretty sharp images! This would give you a good starting point until you figure out more specifically what you're needs are and while your learning about your new toy.

But... If you're willing to dive right into it. The Canon 17-55mm f2.8 is pretty commonly the go too lens for many professionals and prosumers.

Other option, Canon 15-85mm is a great general purpose lens. It will give you more reach over the 17-55 and while being a bit wider, but it isn't going to be as fast.

+1 for the 18-55. Excellent piece of engineering for the price. I'm tempted to buy one again myself.

Just to be clear: I positively recommend the 18-55 IS, but I'd recommend you avoid the 18-55.

Yeah, kit lens will be a good starting point but I personally go with 50mm F1.8 to experiment portrait photography.

yeah the 18-55mm IS kit lens is a very capable lens... I would go that route until you get your feet wet and see what type of photography will interest you then make a purchase for a better lens that is more suited to that type of photgraphy...

Hi there,

Presume cos your using pounds £ you are in the uk?

Id suggest having a look at the second hand camera websites and have a look at the 18-55 or even the sigma lens- 18-135/ 18-200 etc? Having the extra length is really handy for city photography

The lens arnt very fast but would be ideal for learning and if you buy second hand when and if you decide to upgrade the sell on in the uk market is very good.

These would be a pretty good way to start and there light and easy to carry about while still giving good quality.

Try LCE or Ffordes for the lenses.

Regards

For landscape/urban photo, I would recommend you to get your hands on:

(1) 18-55 IS kit lens - really cheap starting point and saves most of your money for future add-ons once you're into it and know what you want

(2) A lens with more wide-angle (which is great for landscape/citiscapes etc). There are some lenses (e.g. Sigma) in the 10-20mm zoom range that have good reputation, but other people are probably better to recommend one.

This should be well within your budget, with money to spare. I would spend it on the best tripod you can get (used) for that money. You'll need it for landscapes.

'Better than the kit lens'
You could invest for the very long term in one lens - 17-40 f/4 L for £630. It's not the biggest range, but 17 is very wide for most people and 40mm will get you nice head'n'shoulders portraits. It's a lens that you can easily find a buyer for if you don't keep shooting and you could still get the 50mm 1.8 for something light and fast.

More versatile, more complete:
The 18-55 IS is a fine choice. Jessops list it for ~£90 but you'll find it cheaper elsewhere.
Everybody will recommend the 50 1.8, because it's so fast and so cheap - £90. And for just a few pounds you should definitely get an off-camera flash cable and play with light.

I really like urban and landscape too. So something 'fast' (lets lots of light in) for night shooting, and something wiiiiide is fun too. I own the 28/1.8 (£389) but the 2.8 is £170. Maybe a 10-22, or similar later on.

I'd also recommend a tripod at some point if you're going to seriously shoot landscapes or at night. You can, and should, spend a lot on one. Say £100? plus head. But it's better than spending £40 three times.

I like lowepro bags, but don't get something too big. I've made that mistake and never carry it, or when I do, it's too heavy and I don't use much of what I take along. Now I pack 2 lenses and can easily shoot from 8pm till about 3am when I get caught up in the city and surrounding areas.

So you could kit yourself out for well under £650. But don't spend too much on CF cards unless you intend to move up to the 7D or 5Dmkii as the x00D's and x0D's all use SD cards now. I found a spare battery was essential for my 400D but maybe a bad investment if you're sure you're upgrading.

With the mentioned budget, I'd start off with something like a Tamron 17-50 f/2.8 (none VC version) and a Canon 55-250 IS. That and a nice camera bag should fit nicely into the budget.
I personally really like the Naneu Pro backpacks, because they really look like an average backpack. I use the bravo as my every day camera bag, but it's fairly small and may not hold a grip. Try it out in stored once you make your lens choice.

+1 on the Tamron 17-50, I love mine.

Thanks for all your replies, I am still digesting all the info. I am tempted by the 10-22 and the 50mm 1.8
reason I can get in really big big buildings with the 10-22 and the 50 will give me some sort of portrait facility. On the subject of tripods is this any good: www.procameragear.com/​catalog/product_info.p​hp/products_id/938

Giottos is a well respected brand.
I've got the same quick release levers on my tripod and they're quick and convenient.
The four section legs make the tripod smaller when packed. Some 4-section tripods are a bit less stable but you can audition this one in store to make sure. (Again, Giottos is a good brand)

Also take a look in the camera store sales catalogs. Locally (for me) some brands, like Manfrotto, offer a tripod and head combo to the stores for a bit of extra savings. In choosing the head, get an idea of the weight of your new camera and a large lens you might buy, as that's an important consideration in purchasing.