Is it advisable to buy a Canon Lens? I currently have Canon 350D with its 13-55mm lens kit.

I'm planning on acquiring a zoom lens and a 50mm lens. Which lens brand is good in terms of performance and service center availability?

Please help. Thank you.

13-55

I think you meant 18-55.

Anyway... what types of shots strike your fancy? Landscapes? Portraits? Birds? Insects?

It will help because all the aforementioned require different things unless you want an all in one which means you will have to sacfifice performance for the sake of focal reach.

As to the 50mm... Almost everybody says the Canon EF 50mm F1.8 is a steal at less than 4k.

well, canon lenses on a canon body is always a good combination. However, it all depends on your budget. There are third party lens manufacturers for Canon that you can also check. However, in my case, I prefer to stick it out with canon.

I think you meant 18-55.

Anyway... what types of shots strike your fancy? Landscapes? Portraits? Birds? Insects?

It will help because all the aforementioned require different things unless you want an all in one which means you will have to sacfifice performance for the sake of focal reach.

As to the 50mm... Almost everybody says the Canon EF 50mm F1.8 is a steal at less than 4k.

I'm more into photojournalism..

My friends recommend Canon EF 50mm F1.8, too. I think I'll get that one first.

Thanks.

I'm more into photojournalism..

Neat... Just be careful out there. With so many journalists getting killed, it's best to take some precautions.

My friends recommend Canon EF 50mm F1.8, too. I think I'll get that one first.

And don't forget to start saving up for a flash unit as well. It can do wonders.

I'm a newbie but I think a 24-70 f/2.8 lens would be good for photojournalism; it's not too big (and doesn't look so "threatening") plus the focal range and the fast aperture will serve well for a variety of different situations on the street.

Hmm, the canon 17-85mm f/4-5.6 IS USM might be ok too since it has IS anyway for "handholdability"; I think this is very important to photojournalists.

Goodluck.

I'm more into photojournalism..

My friends recommend Canon EF 50mm F1.8, too. I think I'll get that one first.

Thanks.
dys, do you know how much is that lens?(Canon EF 50mm F1.8).. i'm also thinking what lens i should buy,, ( i also have a 350d ) thanks

dys, do you know how much is that lens?(Canon EF 50mm F1.8).. i'm also thinking what lens i should buy,, ( i also have a 350d ) thanks

Henry's sells it for around Php4000.

I'm a newbie but I think a 24-70 f/2.8 lens would be good for photojournalism; it's not too big (and doesn't look so "threatening") plus the focal range and the fast aperture will serve well for a variety of different situations on the street.


I'm don't own a 24-70 f/2.8L but from what I gather, it's very heavy. So, it's only advisable to buy when you are sure you can stand carrying it around all day. Of course, the performance is what is to be expected from an L lens and one with a 2.8 aperture at that.

I'm not saying it's light... but it's not like carrying a laptop on your palms either.

The plain fact is that in order to achieve the F2.8 aperture, you need more glass to allow more light in. Only primes can do better, but of course we all know a prime is not a zoom lens. Until somebody invents something better (plastic glass?), we just do it for the love of photography.

However, the addage seems to hold that "once you go L, it's hard to go back".

dys, do you know how much is that lens?(Canon EF 50mm F1.8).. i'm also thinking what lens i should buy,, ( i also have a 350d ) thanks

I guess 4K + at Quiapo.. I bought my 350D at Henry's and I'll buy the lens there, too.

This is a common question answered a lot of times already, sorry if my answer might sound like suggestions from various forums. But through my short-span of 1.5 years into dslr photography, I have passed thru several bodies and lenses as my requirements and shooting style evolve. The suggestions below, most of them I have tried already, some I bought then sold, just for the reason of finding the best lens for my purpose. I am sure a lot in the forums have a similar experience :)

First thing is to set your budget and determine the range you will use the most.

If you want the best image quality and prefer to shoot with natural light, get the primes. The 50mm f/1.8 is the safest purchase because it's so affordable and useful. I know a couple of professionals who still use this lens with their 5D for cover shoots. Other popular Canon affordable primes are the 28 f/1.8, 35 f/2, 50 f/1.4 and 85 f/1.8 which cost around P16-20T. The legendary L ones are the 35 f/1.4 (estimate 65T) , 85 f/1.2 (95T) and 135 f/2 (P45T).

L zooms are your next best bets. On top of the wishlist of everyone- the dream f/2.8 trio: 16-35, 24-70, 70-200 each costing P63-70T. The 70-200 IS version around P95T. A step lower are the f/4 lenses: 17-40 and 70-200 around P38T, the 24-105 is popular for it's range and IS feature, around P65T.

Canon EF-S lenses are almost L-like in quality but more affordable and is only compatible with 1.6x crop bodies 300-350-10-20-30D. They won't work with the 1D and 5D bodies. The popular EF-S lens is 17-85 IS which gives you wide angle coverage as well. 10-22 for even wider capability! They are both priced around P32-35T. The recently released 17-55 f/2.8 have been getting good reviews so consider this, which becomes a good walk-around lens for a 1.6 crop dslr. It's priced at P54,500 at Henry's Quiapo.

I know most of these lenses cost more expensive than your 350D!!! For a limited budget, there are still other options. There are other Canon zoom lenses which are cheaper than P20,000 but they are slow and image quality not that great compared to the better 3rd party counterparts. Popular ones are Tamron 28-75 f/2.8 (which I use) and Sigma 24-70 f/2.8 around P23-25T brand new. The Sigma 70-200 f2.8 is also impressive at P45,000. For wider coverage, there are the 18-200, 28-135, 28-300 ranges offered by both Tamron and Sigma too.

With all these choices, always research on the web for reviews to help you decide on your next purchase. See what fits your budget, and specially your style of shooting. It's always best to invest on the L lenses for their superior performance.

When buying lenses, remember this rule....." You get what you pay for". I started out with ultrasonics and I saved all my pennies to upgrade my lenses to L lenses. What a difference! With film, ultrasonics were ok but when I went digital, all the photos looked soft and as if there was a haze. Not with the 2.8 L lenses. Its true what they say that once you go L you will "never touch" a non L. So to answer your question, how bad do you want great quality images? There is a big difference between a P 4,000 lens and lenses over P 50,000

Karl... the 24-70 2.8 is deffenitely heavy if lets say you are comparing it to an 18-55 lens. ( i call a disposable lens:D no offense 18-55 users but its so light it does not feel like a lens) I shoot a wedding with 2 bodies on me. a 5D with either a 16-35 2.8, 24-70 2.8 or 85 1.2 and my 70-200 2.8 with a 20d on my other arm, ( oh these cameras have grips, batteries and flashes attached to them too) the whole day and I can do this for 8-12 hours 3 days in a row.... it's really not that heavy:). You get used to the weight:D

pilar, di kaya magiging masculado ka na nyan. hehehe...

(sorry, just can't help it)

pilar, di kaya magiging masculado ka na nyan. hehehe...

(sorry, just can't help it)

hunchback lang :D hehehe

Dys,

Depends on what kind of pj you want to do: either the long arm pj (in which case the 50 is like 80 on the 350) or up close and personal pj. In my view, your current kit lens is sufficient for your needs since you are just starting. Once you have find your range with your subjects by which you are comfortable with, then that's the time to think of serious lenses. Save your money and buy more cf cards so you can travel light.

Keep in mind what Robert Capa said, "if your picture is not good enough, you're not close enough."

i suggest you hold on to your kit lens and get a zoom that start from 70mm

would appreciate some comments or suggestions from the masters:

sigma 70-200 f/2.8 (second hand so if i buy it i will be the third owner)

or

canan 70-200mm L f/4 (brand new)

i have a canon 75-300mm 4-5.6 USM but am considering selling to get either of the two.

i would like to take sport shots, 'paparazzi' shots, etc.

can the f/4 be enough to shoot indoor events (assuming the light on the subject is strong enough); f/4 with ISO 800+

would love to get the 2.8 of canon but it's just way over my budget...

thanks!

Dys,

Depends on what kind of pj you want to do: either the long arm pj (in which case the 50 is like 80 on the 350) or up close and personal pj. In my view, your current kit lens is sufficient for your needs since you are just starting. Once you have find your range with your subjects by which you are comfortable with, then that's the time to think of serious lenses. Save your money and buy more cf cards so you can travel light.

Keep in mind what Robert Capa said, "if your picture is not good enough, you're not close enough."

Thank you for the tips.

To help you decide which lens to get, there a lot of resources you can check out, like the reviews at fredmiranda.com. Every Canon lens (as well as Nikon, Sigma, Tokina, Tamron) with extensive user reviews, really enlightening.

is 50mm f1.8 lens liable? pedeng pangmatagalan? so it's made of steel, not plastic..:) if it's P4k! why not? :) i should grab one.. i have a 350D also. ;)

btw... wat is the nice zoom lens for 350D? or a telephoto lens for it? thanks! :)

As I mentioned previously, good telephotos are the Canon 70-200 L f/4 (P38T) or f/2.8 (P63T) and the Sigma 70-200 f/2.8 Macro (P48,900). If your budget is less than P20T, you can get the Canon 75-300 (P15T) the Sigma 70-300 APO II (P11,800) , or 18-200 (P19,900).

is 50mm f1.8 lens liable? pedeng pangmatagalan? so it's made of steel, not plastic..:) if it's P4k! why not? :) i should grab one.. i have a 350D also. ;)

liable or reliable?:) it's made of plastic. for the price you can't go wrong with quality...very fun lens to have

As I mentioned previously, good telephotos are the Canon 70-200 L f/4 (P38T) or f/2.8 (P63T) and the Sigma 70-200 f/2.8 Macro (P48,900). If your budget is less than P20T, you can get the Canon 75-300 (P15T) the Sigma 70-300 APO II (P11,800) , or 18-200 (P19,900).
aray:Mad: hindi kaya mabigat na yung canon 75-300? is it hard to take a steady shot on this lens?

Image Stabilization is good to avoid shake but these lenses are more expensive. A monopod/tripod can help you take a steady shot. Fast shutter speeds will enable you to freeze action. I have seen 75-300 lenses selling for P8-9,000.

Am a newbie with the dslr. Got my 350d last october 2005 and have purchased one lens. I got myself the sigma 18-50mm f/2.8 ex. I am enjoying this lens. It does give me a warmer photo though. Overall, it is better than the kit lens. Metal mount, fast focus, and it is an f/2.8 lens. It costs around Php 28,000.00 at the Sigma distributor in Makati. It is a very nice everyday lens. Only problem is when i have to take photographs of my kids performing on stage... Since i cant get close to the stage, i cant take close up shots of the performance.

I'm a newbie but I think a 24-70 f/2.8 lens would be good for photojournalism; it's not too big (and doesn't look so "threatening") plus the focal range and the fast aperture will serve well for a variety of different situations on the street.

Hmm, the canon 17-85mm f/4-5.6 IS USM might be ok too since it has IS anyway for "handholdability"; I think this is very important to photojournalists.

Goodluck.

Sorry, but the 24-70 is a bit large...and with the lens hood on it actually looks threatening (think grenade launcher) :)

How about one of the fast primes? For a 350D's 1.6x crop factor, I think a 35/2 or a 35/1.4 would be great :)

don't waste your money on ANY sigma lens!!! if you're on a tight budget, and im assuming you already have the kit lens (18-55mm w/c in my opinion... a quite good lens at 18mm f5.6) try complimenting it with an affordable zoom lens such as EF 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6 DO IS USM.

Someone mentioned to me that there is a 50mm canon lens that is macro?? Is there such a thing? If yes would anybody now how much iy costs??

Thanks

A simple google search will show you the Canon 50 f/2.5 around $240, haven't seen that readily available in local stores. The newer EF-S 60 f/2.8 (around $380) is also a good choice for 1.6 crop Canon bodies.

Actually i was asking if this lens is available here locally....although ya the 60 mm seems to be a better choice and im sure its locally available here,,,

Thanks

Best to call these local Canon resellers to ask lens availability, price and location of their shop:

-mayer 733-7722
-watson 733-7697
-avenue 733-5474
-fotohaus 733-4564
-henrys 733-7723
-aperture 732-8991
-canon sm city north edsa 455-2847
-infomaxx sm megamall 914-0000

I always go here to compare lenses:
http://www.photozone.de/8Reviews/index.html
I hope this helps.

hey pilar,

i tried imagining how you look with those two cameras, etc... wow, you make us women proud. :-)

i'd love to be your VA...

din2

When buying lenses, remember this rule....." You get what you pay for". I started out with ultrasonics and I saved all my pennies to upgrade my lenses to L lenses. What a difference! With film, ultrasonics were ok but when I went digital, all the photos looked soft and as if there was a haze. Not with the 2.8 L lenses. Its true what they say that once you go L you will "never touch" a non L. So to answer your question, how bad do you want great quality images? There is a big difference between a P 4,000 lens and lenses over P 50,000

Karl... the 24-70 2.8 is deffenitely heavy if lets say you are comparing it to an 18-55 lens. ( i call a disposable lens:D no offense 18-55 users but its so light it does not feel like a lens) I shoot a wedding with 2 bodies on me. a 5D with either a 16-35 2.8, 24-70 2.8 or 85 1.2 and my 70-200 2.8 with a 20d on my other arm, ( oh these cameras have grips, batteries and flashes attached to them too) the whole day and I can do this for 8-12 hours 3 days in a row.... it's really not that heavy:). You get used to the weight:D

don't waste your money on ANY sigma lens!!! if you're on a tight budget, and im assuming you already have the kit lens (18-55mm w/c in my opinion... a quite good lens at 18mm f5.6) try complimenting it with an affordable zoom lens such as EF 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6 DO IS USM.

Hi Iggy,

Just curious on why you wouldn't recommend any Sigma lens...:)

Romy

Canon EF 100mm F/2.8 USM Macro

Hi guys, i dont know if this is the right thread to ask this question.
I'm planning to buy a Lens Adapter / Hoodset and a Petal hood for my new canon S3 IS :Grin: , i went to henry's pero wala daw sila :( ask ko lang din mag kano kaya ung range ng price for this accessories. hope you can help :)
thank you

Is it advisable to buy a Canon Lens? I currently have Canon 350D with its 13-55mm lens kit.

I'm planning on acquiring a zoom lens and a 50mm lens. Which lens brand is good in terms of performance and service center availability?

Please help. Thank you.

DUDE - you might want to read up the article on Canon Lenses by Bob Atkins. He had recos for low budget, single everyday lens to even the high end. Really useful stuff .. since im a hobbyist, I just went with the low budget: the kit lens, a 50 mm 1.8 (P4k) and the 75-100 telephoto (P11k). Got the extra lenses from Mayer in Hidalgo. Yeah ... save up on a flash too ... again, Mayer offers the best value so far - I got my Canon Speedlite 580 for P18k++

I'm more into photojournalism..

My friends recommend Canon EF 50mm F1.8, too. I think I'll get that one first.

Thanks.

Most photojournalists who use canon have the 16-35L or the 17-40L in one body and the 70-200 in the other .

If you're into documentary photography, the 50mm is ok since you don't have to elbow your way to photograph a subject.

http://photos14.flickr.com/18499055_a74ab3c126.jpg?v=0

Most photojournalists who use canon have the 16-35L or the 17-40L in one body and the 70-200 in the other .

If you're into documentary photography, the 50mm is ok since you don't have to elbow your way to photograph a subject.

http://photos14.flickr.com/18499055_a74ab3c126.jpg?v=0
how much is the 70-200?

is it f/4 or the f/2.8 you r mentioning?

hehehe sorry really got no idea bowt this:Scared:

Thank you for all the replies. I recently bought a Canon Lens 28-135 IS USM. Maybe next time I'll buy the 16-35L. :)