Recommendations for Canon Lenses

[hypello]

Can anyone recommend some lenses for the Canon Digital Rebel or a site that reviews lenses? My needs are I need to cover at least 18-200mm minimum, up to 300mm would be nice. Recommendations for longer zooms are also welcome, although they would probably need to be stabilized, and therefore probably out of my price range for now. I need an “everyday carry around lens,” something like 18 or 28- 125mm and then one for telephoto. I also would like for them to be stabilized but I know they aren’t that common yet (I’ve lost too many shots to camera shake). If I can cover all the bases with one lens then that would be great too. My main concern is that the lens be sharp, and it doesn’t matter what the brand is. If there is a Sigma that works just as good as a Canon but at a fraction of the cost, then why not? Though I can’t justify spending any money at all on a soft lens just because it is cheap, since that would defeat my goal of buying a dSLR for better picture quality. Thank you for all and any input.

BTW, what’s the deal with the Canon 55mm f1.8 lens that I keep hearing about? What are it’s high points? I know that may sound like a very beginner-ish question, but I haven’t been keeping up with lenses and such. I own a very old 35mm Canon EOS from the 80’s which is so old, that I’m not even if the lens for it works with the d-Rebel. Thanks again.

[timmciglobal]

Well the Canon 28>135 USM IS lens is about the best walk around lens. Runs about 400$ (Rebate right now for 15$ off, and if you bought your rebel inside US and after oct 15th you can get 100$ off rebel extra) it's a big lens but about best walkaround lens.

I just bought a 28>105 USM 2 lens which i'm very happy with. I've got a pretty stedy hand so 200$ less on a lens (plus better F stop, F4.5 vs 5.6 on IS)

I know canon also makes a 70>300? IS which is supose to be good (might be 200)

Tim

[LoveOfSelene]

Originally Posted by hypello

Can anyone recommend some lenses for the Canon Digital Rebel or a site that reviews lenses? My needs are I need to cover at least 18-200mm minimum, up to 300mm would be nice. Recommendations for longer zooms are also welcome, although they would probably need to be stabilized, and therefore probably out of my price range for now. I need an “everyday carry around lens,” something like 18 or 28- 125mm and then one for telephoto. I also would like for them to be stabilized but I know they aren’t that common yet (I’ve lost too many shots to camera shake). If I can cover all the bases with one lens then that would be great too. My main concern is that the lens be sharp, and it doesn’t matter what the brand is. If there is a Sigma that works just as good as a Canon but at a fraction of the cost, then why not? Though I can’t justify spending any money at all on a soft lens just because it is cheap, since that would defeat my goal of buying a dSLR for better picture quality. Thank you for all and any input.

BTW, what’s the deal with the Canon 55mm f1.8 lens that I keep hearing about? What are it’s high points? I know that may sound like a very beginner-ish question, but I haven’t been keeping up with lenses and such. I own a very old 35mm Canon EOS from the 80’s which is so old, that I’m not even if the lens for it works with the d-Rebel. Thanks again.

Canon doesn't have a 55mm f/1.8 lens, you are prolly seeing their 50mm f/1.8.
The 50mm lens is great for under $70. It has great image quality, for the focusing speed is OK. IMHO

I do agree, the 28-135mm is a nice walk around lens. (one of my fav)
but on a D-rebel you don't get the wide angle that much...b/c of that 1.6x crop factor.

I doubt the lens that you have on ur old EOS will work w/ the Rebel. And I'm pretty sure its not even a EF Lens. Besides old lenses before the 90's don't have coatings on them to prevent/ reduce gosting and other things we might not desire.

Hope this helps
~LoveofSelene

[hypello]

my mistake. I'm not sure why I was so convinced it was 55mm, especially since my old EOS lens is also a 50mm f1.8. I also read somewhere that the 50mm f1.4 was excellent; any comments on that one? Thanks for the input so far guys/gals. Any other lenses out there that are good?

[D70FAN]

Originally Posted by hypello

my mistake. I'm not sure why I was so convinced it was 55mm, especially since my old EOS lens is also a 50mm f1.8. I also read somewhere that the 50mm f1.4 was excellent; any comments on that one? Thanks for the input so far guys/gals. Any other lenses out there that are good?

As I have commented in the past, I have become partial to the Sigma 18-125 DC as my day-to-day lens on the D70. It's certainly a equal competitor to the very good Nikkor 18-70 kit lens from Nikon. The extra "reach" is nice as well.

As for the 50mm f1.4 USM... Hey, if you have the extra money, go for the best. But in reality the f1.8 should easily suffice.

[LoveOfSelene]

I have a friend that just bought a Sigma 18-125 DC for Canon mounts. So i'll update on what his opinion is.

oh, the 50mm f/1.4 is nice also, but it's like 3 or 4 times the price of the 1.8 one. and it has a little more barrel distortion (im witness to this), but over all it's nice if u have the money.

~loveofselene

[suemccartin]

Lots of folks think the EF 28-135mm f3.5 IS is a great lens. You might not need the image stabilization, the difference is 200 bucks . This lens in L series glass is a whole lot more money. A lot of folks say the IS is a life saver in low light situations. I just ordered one for shooting Karate demos in a gym setting. Will post more when I get to play with it.

[glennp]

suemccartin wrote:
I just ordered one for shooting Karate demos in a gym setting. Will post more when I get to play with it.

IS is a life-saver in certain lowlight situations, but it probably won't help you much in this instance. IS works great at reducing shake induced by unsteady hands but has no effect the subject. Basically, it'll let you shoot clearly at lower shutter speeds but at the lower shutter speeds you probably won't be getting the stop action shots you are looking for at a karate demo. Bump up the ISO to get shutter speeds of 1/125 or faster and you should be ok.

I think the 28-135 IS is a great lens (my normal walkaround lens), but indoor action photography isn't a strong point.

[glennp]

hypello wrote:
Can anyone recommend some lenses for the Canon Digital Rebel or a site that reviews lenses? My needs are I need to cover at least 18-200mm minimum, up to 300mm would be nice.

Where to begin? And you thought choosing the camera was the hard part

I typically recommend the 28-135 IS because I think it's a decent lens with a good range and I like the IS. However, that isn't as wide as your looking for. The Sigma 17-125 DC also is a good lens. You'll get more on the wide end but you lose the IS. Canon introduced an EF-S 17-85 IS recently that will give you the wide end of the Sigma and add IS but you lose the long end. Everything is compromise

If you are looking to cover 18-200 on a modest budget with a couple lenses, look at the Canon 75-300IS for the long end and any of the above for the wider end (or the kit lens that comes with some the Rebels though you will have a gap between 55 & 75 mm -- like I said, compromises)

If you want to up your budget, look at the Canon 70-200 f4 L or the Sigma 70-200 EX f2.8 for the upper end of your range. You lose IS and some range but you are getting much better glass (color, contrast and sharpness).

DPReview.com has a lens forum that you may want to visit there for more info/samples/comparisons:

DPReview Canon SLR Lens Forum

BTW, in addition to whatever lenses you get, add the Canon 50mm 1.8 to the list. It's a standard that every photog should have but the reason everyone raves about it is because you can't find a sharper lens until you start spending $$$ and for $70, if you don't use it, at least you'll have a lens to test all others.

[hypello]

that was very helpful, thanks!