First impressions of 350D (and lenses?)

[emily21]

WOW!!! I'm having a hard time getting the hang of the manuals and am relying on automatic shots as backups...at least I get around to reading the manual. Nevertheless my expectations have definitely been reached.

In the kit I have a 18-55 and would like to up the zoom when I have the cash. I found that 70-300 is the cheapest and I don't get why???

Ciao,
Emily

[Bluedog]

Welcome to the DSLR world _ which zoom are you talking about?

[Rhys]

WOW!!! I'm having a hard time getting the hang of the manuals and am relying on automatic shots as backups...at least I get around to reading the manual. Nevertheless my expectations have definitely been reached.

In the kit I have a 18-55 and would like to up the zoom when I have the cash. I found that 70-300 is the cheapest and I don't get why???

Ciao,
Emily

Cheap does not equal better just as expensive does not equal worse. Generally, you get what you pay for with lenses. I find my Tamron 70-300 to be acceptible but not wonderful. I would rather have higher quality 70-200 f4IS Canon than the extra range on the Tamron.

I'd say, save your money for decent lenses and go for image stabilised if possible. I suggest the 17-85 IS and 70-200 f4 IS from Canon. (I believe Canon makes an f4 IS but I could be wrong - you'll have to check). Be aware that the 17-85 and 18-55 will only work on the XT, 20D, 30D and 300D and not on any of the full-frame Canons.

[CptOfGondor]

WOW!!! I'm having a hard time getting the hang of the manuals and am relying on automatic shots as backups...at least I get around to reading the manual. Nevertheless my expectations have definitely been reached.

In the kit I have a 18-55 and would like to up the zoom when I have the cash. I found that 70-300 is the cheapest and I don't get why???

Ciao,
Emily
You taking about the Canon EF 75-300mm F/4.0-5.6 III Zoom Lens, right? (EDIT: Crap, wrong lens..when you said cheapest, I autoamtically thought of that lens. Basically cheapest price tag on a Canon branded lens around excluding the kit lens.)

LoL, yea. Thats pretty common at camera shops. Why the price looks so low? Its a relatively basic comsumer lens. Quality and construction similiar to that of the 18-55mm kit lens.

BASIC CANON OPTICAL INFO
Actually the lens is only 75-300mm on regular Canon film cameras or Canon digital full frame (aka. sensors the size of 35mm film). The sensor on your Canon Rebel is of a smaller size which essentially means that you will be capturing only a portion of what is coming through the lens. So the 75-300mm will essentially be a 120-480mm zoom on your Canon Rebel.

Your 18-55mm kit is an EFS type lens which just means that its built to match your sensor size and only that size. (the sensor on the Rebel/20D/30D). The optics are made in such a way that image coming through the lens fits the sensor. However this is still subject to a focal length conversion and will essentially act like a 28.8-88mm zoom.

Ok, back to the lens. Probably the most important physical difference is that unlike the $1000 lenses that you see, the Canon EF 75-300mm F/4.0-5.6 III Zoom Lens doesn't have all the special aspherical lenses/coatings/USM/whatever and the built-in "IS" or "Image Stabilizer*".(Built in mechanisms shift the internal lenses around to compensate your hand shake when you take photos.) Another lack is USM or Canon's Ultrasonic Motor. Bascially means fast and silent autofocusing.

Ok. I'm not sure your dSLR background, and hopefully the simplified explanations helped. Basically, all I can say is that perhaps this might be a lens to consider given your budget and that fact that you are just starting off.

But Rhys is right. When you get the hang of the Canon, you are probably better off getting "better glass".

(*Fact. On the fine print in Canon camera brochures. The "Image Stabilizer" is trademarked..lol. Thats hilarious. Its like what? I can't say "Image Stabilizer"? ..lol..jk..its marketing. Like like how Canon trademarks "DIGIC II" and "UA Lens" and "USM" and whatever but thats not important.)

[timmciglobal]

Canon doesn't make a F4Is yet.

the 70-300IS might be a good choice, not the 75-300 but the newer 70-300.

Tim