[legomaniac89]

I took the plunge and went the Canon route :biggrin:. http://www.amazon.com/Canon-Digital...9?ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1262136843&sr=1-9. I love this camera already, but I was warned beforehand that the kit 18-55mm lens wasn't that great. It works 10 times better than my old camera ever did, but I'm already finding things about it that I wish were better.

So anyway, I need some recommendations for a couple decent lenses that won't break the bank (remember, college kid budget here ). Specifically, I'm wanting a nice macro lens and a good long range zoom lens. I like to take pictures of the moon, but with this 18-55mm lens, the moon is nothing more than a tiny bright dot, even when fully zoomed in.

I know there's some camera gurus on this forum. Any lens advice for a Canon newbie?

 

[metageologist]

being that your a college studnet with limited funds i would look at tameron lenses there not the top of the line nore are they the bottom but i get good photos from mine for a telo i would look into a 100-300mm cost about 250 if i remember right. as for macro dont skimp you will regret it.

 

[Wasserpest]

This isn't the best website to be researching this, because most will just recommend whatever they have in their bag.

:icon_mrgr I have a Sigma 75-300 which isn't great, but maybe I expect miracles. It's a bit soft on the long end.

Depending on how serious you are with this, try places like dpreview, fredmiranda, or photography-on-the.net where many knowledgeable folks discuss and review lenses.

If you just want a decent picture of the moon, get one of the Canon/Sigma/Tamron 75-300mm lenses AND a tripod and shoot away. Try different aperture settings as each lens has a different "sweet spot".

 

[legomaniac89]

Thanks guys. I'm looking at a Sigma 75-300mm & 28-70mm combo pack on Amazon for about $230 now. Both lenses have gotten pretty good reviews and I'm not really in the market for the top-of-the-line lenses at this point. I just want something that'll give me more flexibility than the 18-55mm lens.

 

[Wasserpest]

From what I understand, the Sigma 75-300 is an older lens which comes in two versions. One is the (cheaper) DL model, which has quite a bit of negative rep, most recommend to avoid it. And then the APO model (which I bought) which is alright for the price.

In this price range you don't get image stabilization, and hand-shooting at the far end will not get you good results. Other than that, go for it.

Here is an example of what the APO is capable of at the far end.

 

[FDNY911]

Nice did you take it Wass?

I have a Rebel Xsi ... Meta is right, Tameron is decent especially for price but dont be cheap with the Macros.

 

[Wasserpest]

Yes, curious seagull photographed at the beach.

The Sigma also has some great macro capabilities. Shooting macros at 300mm is a bit tricky though, would recommend a flash with that.

 

[houseofcards]

Nice did you take it Wass?

I have a Rebel Xsi ... Meta is right, Tameron is decent especially for price but dont be cheap with the Macros.

FDNY911,

Did you purchase add'l lenses for your XSI. I have one too but only have the standard lense that cam with the camera.

Also, with my XSI, the pictures seem to always need post-edit sharpening? Do you find that as well. Sorry to stray from the OP question.

 

[bigstick120]

Kits lens is quite capable, save your money and get good lens, you get what you pay for.
One of canons best lens is there 100mm macro, they relased a new one a few months ago, but probably out of your range. The Canon 60mm is also a good macro lens. For zooms, check out canons 70-300IS

 

[legomaniac89]

Thanks a lot guys! Seems like a lot of the people over at dpreview.com say that Canon's 55-250IS lens is the way to go. Canon's 75-300mm has lots of bad reviews, but the 75-300IS lens is still a bit out of my price range.

As for macro, I'll probably end up going with the Canon 60mm lens eventually. That one will have to wait for a while. There's also a 50mm f/1.8 lens that's pretty cheap but has really good reviews.

 

[Lamar]

To start, the kit lens is fantastic for what it is. It's not particularly fast (large aperture), but it is pretty sharp. My advice is to always buy the fastest glass that you can afford. Check out FredMiranda.com's classifieds for a plethora of used equipment.