Lens Selection

[wycrich]

I am a new beginner and I don't want to use those basic kit lens like EF-S 18-55mm or 55-200mm lens after looking at my friend's pictures. I read the reviews and believe the EF24-70 or EF24-105 are optically excellent. However, based on my budget, they are way too expensive for me. Iam consideringbuying the EF28-135 IS USM b'cos of its price with IS and USM come together. I know there is no perfect all around lens that can cover wide angles to long focal lengths even with very high prices. I have the following questions:


1. would EF28-135 be a problem takingpeople indoor or I need to stay further away from my target because it is already zooming closer than a 18mm or 24mm?


2. what other not too expensive lenses I can get to cover the wide angle side? I assume 135mm is good enough for zooming objects from a distance and I can crop the pictures if I really need a closer view of the picture with my XSi of 12MP.Therefore not considering buying any lenses with long focal length for now.


Please advice.

[neuroanatomist]

On your XSi, 28mm has the equivalent field of view to a 45mm lens on a full frame camera - that's a 'standard' lens field of view, not wide angle. I suspect you'd have problems indoors, and need a wider angle of view. I have the EF-S 17-55mm f/2.8 IS USM, and indoors I use the 17-28mm range of the zoom quite often.


Instead, consider the newEF-S 15-85mm f/3.5-5.6 IS USM ("http://www.the-digital-picture.com/Reviews/Canon-EF-S-15-85mm-f-3.5-5.6-IS-USM-Lens-Review.aspx), or for a price only slightly more than the EF 28-135 IS USM, consider the lens that the 15-85mm replaces, theEF-S 17-85mm f/4-5.6 IS USM ("http://www.the-digital-picture.com/Reviews/Canon-EF-S-17-85mm-f-4-5.6-IS-USM-Lens-Review.aspx).

[Daniel Browning]

The EF-S 18-55 IS and 55-250 IS are superior to the EF 28-135 in sharpness and contrast. I second the advice to go with the 15-85.

[DBECK]

<span style="font-size: 7.5pt; color: black; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;" lang="EN-US"]I started out with the EF 28-135 and was verry happy with it. It isexcellent all-round. <o:p></o:p>


<span style="font-size: 7.5pt; color: black; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;" lang="EN-US"]After 2-3 years upgraded too the 17-55 f2,8IS, and from 17 to 28 is a big difference on a 1,6X.<o:p></o:p>


<span style="font-size: 7.5pt; color: black; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;" lang="EN-US"]The 17-55 f2,8IS is sharper and the contrast is better. Don&acute;t think my 28-135 will be used a lot now.<o:p></o:p>


<span style="font-size: 7.5pt; color: black; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;" lang="EN-US"]But if you want 1 glass to do it all and learn it is a good place to start when on a budget.<o:p></o:p>