Young photographer with tight budget needs advice about new lenses

[Nick Salazar]

Hey everyone! I

[Dr Croubie]

the first question anyone

[Rocco]

Would the 55-250 would be sold to go with the other option? I'm assuming your aim here is for focal length versatility.


You may not want to go with the one lens fits all approach. Although, I know you're on a budget. How about the 50 f/1.8, keep the 55-250, and possibly purchase a wider lens as well? Seems like a better option to me. After spending thousands on glass I'm still more than happy with my 1.8 and have yet to replace it.


Another question: how often do you find yourself zooming more than 135 with the 250? If you're anything like me, my Tamron 70-300mm stays in the 300mm range more often than not. Maybe take a look at your existing photos and see what focal length you find yourself at most often.

[Rocco]

If there wasn't a choice between A and B, here's the route I took, and often recommend to others:


Upgrade glass before your camera body.


That is arguably the single best investment you can make in terms of increasing the image quality of your shots. I say keep the XSI for the time being and get some high quality glass on that thing. Maybe something like this: ?


Canon XSI + 55-250mm + EF-S 17-55mm f/2.8 IS USM


That would give you a wide range of focal lengths to work with, some extremely sharp glass in what many consider to be the best all purpose focal range, and it's fast to boot. (can stay @ f/2.8 from 17mm all the way to 55mm. I've found that to be one of my favorite features of my copy)


Here's a review on this site if you're unfamiliar with that lens:http://www.the-digital-picture.com/Reviews/Canon-EF-S-17-55mm-f-2.8-IS-USM-Lens-Review.aspx

[andnowimbroke]

Hey Salazar,


You just missed a deal on a refurb 60d for $680 at the Canon store What are you going to be taking pictures of mostly? Hate to see you buying slow lenses if you are doing concert stuff.

[Nick Salazar]

Thanks to everyone for the quick responses.


Andnowimbroke: I wish I had known about that earlier!


Rocco+ Dr Croubie: Unfortunately I already sold my Xsi and 18-55mm kit lens that came with it. I might try and sell the 50-250?


To all: I guess it is a good idea to start with what I take pictures of. I just realized now that with the first option, I would not have a focal length under 50mm, which from using the 55-250 I know is really inconvenient sometimes. The only reason I was going for the fixed 50 was because I had heard they produced a great image quality. In terms of what I take pictures of, its very varied. I take a lot of landscape, architecture, sports, and events on stage like plays, but also love to take portraits. Going the second option would kind of eliminate the ability to take portraits of people.


Rocco: I would agree that my 55-250 stays on the 250 end more often than naught. What wider lens would you recommend?

[Sean Setters]

He recommended the 17-55mm f/2.8 IS. It certainly isn't cheap, but it is undoubtedly the best general purpose zoom for a crop sensor camera (that is, for the XSi, T2i, 60D, 7D, etc). Personally, if I were limited to one lens, it would certainly be my choice.


Here's the last thing I shot with my 17-55mm f/2.8 IS. Your results may vary, though.... :-)

[Dr Croubie]

well, the 17-55 f/2.8 is a good lens, yeah, but the word 'budget' in the title pretty much precludes it, seeing as it's the most expensive EF-S lens.


the 15-85 is also highly recommended in these parts, longer and wider zoom range for less low-light capability. but it's not much cheaper than the 17-55, so probably not affordable either.


.


so back to basics. you have no camera, and you only have 55-250.


option: sell the 55-250 on ebay ( ie completed.shop.ebay.com.au/i.html ). not many there, the 2nd hand ones go for $120-150, new ones go as low as $160, not much margin in there, you could get unlucky and only get $90. still, on a good day, you could trade it for a 50 f/1.8 ii.


.


Not sure wher you're shopping, so i've looked up my favourite dutch shop. prices may be different to yours, but should be the same as each other in your part of the world.


60D + 18-135 = €1100.


sell the 55-250 and you could get €100 more in the budget.


.


for that price, you could also get:


60D + 18-55 IS II €980 + 50 f/1.8 ii €110 = €1090 and keep the 55-250


60D + 18-55 IS II €980 + 50 f/1.4 ii €350 = €1330 (ie sell 55-250 and save a bit more)


.


Have you considered the 600D? same sensor as 60D, smaller, lighter, but less professional features, i'll try find the link to the comparison i wrote a while ago.


600D + 18-135 €920 + 50 f/1.4 = €1280 and sell the 55-250


600D + 18-55 IS II €760 + 50 f/1.4 = €1100 and keep the 55-250


.


or upgrade the glass and get the cheapest camera around. hmm.


1100D body €400 + 15-85 €690 = €1090 (just to prove to you the 15-85 is out of your league)


17-55 f/2.8 €900 and whatever body you can get off ebay for €200


.


personally i'd think the 600d, 18-55, and 50 1.4 is the best deal. but i know the 600D is a bit lower on the quality and the specs than the 60D.


.


you can always get a lower body with good glass now, and upgrade the body later (the 650D will be out by xmas, 70D probably next year). lots of people recommend that route. but with the 18MP sensor, i don't think it's worth it. Unless you want to print bigger than A3, take a photo in a darkroom with no flash, or crop out a tiny portion of a photo because you can't afford a 1200mm lens, then 60D will service you for a long long time. so will the 600D, but i'd be guessing the 60D will last longer, better built and all that. I'm not planning to ditch my 7D ever, i'll keep it until it dies, even if i do get a 5D mk3 or used 5Dmk2 once the mk3 comes out and people sell their 5D2...


.


as for the kit lens, the 18-55 IS (make sure it's the IS version) is good for the price and probably rivals the IQ/$ of the 50 f/1.8. i put one on my 7D, sure it was really unbalanced, the IQ was not as good as my 15-85, but not far off it. For the extra €90, it's better having it than not imho...

[andnowimbroke]

I also forgot to ask how big you make your prints.

[William]

I started with the xxxD body and also concluded that glass came before body. I only recently went to xxD because the xxxD was too small for my hands, and even then I only went to a 30D. As for glass I went for 17-55 IS + 50 1.8. This combo has been recommended above and I second it for quality, speed and range. From experience I can say that these two lenses would suit the subjects you shoot. If you can throw the 55-250 into the mix then you're cooking.


(I posted this after Sean's basket ball photo, it was there for a while, then is disappeared, now it's back again in this spot? I've noticed that other peoples posts went missing on Bryan's 'best toy photo' thread and one other of my posts disappeared on the 'Soft Photo' thread. Anyone know what's going on? Maybe I should start a new topic with this question.)


Great photo Sean BTW.