Hey! I have a Canon EOS Rebel XT....I bought it 5 years ago and I am still using the original lenses it came with (35-50mm and 75-300mm) I am really not happy with these lenses and hoping someone could offer advice as to what lens I should purchase. I feel that these lenses don't offer good macro or great depth of field no matter what I try. Thanks :)
One of the zoom lenses that I bought over and over is the Canon 24-70L f/2.8. The one I have is the third one! I used it with both cropped sensor to full-frame sensor Canon bodies.
I have a sigma 50-500mm 4-5.6 the thing is a beast but hands down my fav lens because of the choice in focal lengths. I can get the whole field or just the eyes... on a crop it is 75-750 which is still great, but I prefer it on film... just get a monopod...
@kaufmank1016 A couple of things. If you want something that provides that shallow DOF look, you need to pay attention to the f-number on the lenses. Lower numbers will give you the bokeh you're looking for. A good starting point would be any lens that is 2.8 or lower. If you're on a real tight budget, you really can't beat the Canon 50mm f/1.8. It's very sharp, very fast, and very cheap. You can get one for around $100. Probably the best bang for your buck lens out there. It will also help a little bit with macro type shots because you can get much closer to your subject than you can with your current lenses. It's still not a true macro lens, but compared to what you have it will be quite an improvement.
If you want to spend even more money there are clearly a bunch of other lenses out there that will fit the bill, but most people will agree that the nifty fifty is about the best 100 bucks you'll spend.
@viranod I was wondering!?! 3 failed lens seemed high!
How do you like that range? I am considering between a 31mm f/1.9 and a 24-70 f/2.8 I am shooting full frame 35mm and I want to pair it with a 85 1.4 as a two lens/body film walk around kit. But I cannot decide if at 24mm f/2.8 is creme enough at 50-135 I know i love it... but how does it behave a little wider?
@icywarm The 24-70 has never failed me. It's simply great and useful despite the weight. The reason I sold them was to totally change into other systems (like Nikon :-)), and when I switch back it's always the lens I need in front of the camera. 31/1.9 .. which made is that? Do you mean 21 f2.8?. Adding the 24-70 to 85 f1.4 will be just great IMO.
@viranod Pentax FA 31mm f/1.9 LTD the star child of the pentax line... my 35mm film is mostly pentax. Which I think I may prefer, but that range of 28-70 f/2.8 seems great range... I find the 18-55 handy, but at times would rather have that extra 16 at the long end.... 31 just seems right and the lens is sharp enough I could easily crop to 70mm eq.
@icywarm I see. So its either a fast zoom or a sharp fast prime and crop.... If it's me, I will get a zoom first though, then add a fast prime later. But again, f2.8 is full stop slower than f1.9, so can you live with that? :-)
I'm gonna second the 50mm f/1.8. Being a poor high school (soon to be college) kid, it's such a great lens for such a great price. I get awesome depth of field and can use it in lower light.
I went with the 50mm f/1.4 USM and I love it! that DoF is so much fun!
My next lens will definitely be the Canon 100mm macro! Amazing lens and reviews and it will (also) open up a new world to you.
Quality wise, I would love a Canon 24-70L f/2.8, but that will just have to wait ($$$$)
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I have a sigma 50-500mm 4-5.6 the thing is a beast but hands down my fav lens because of the choice in focal lengths. I can get the whole field or just the eyes... on a crop it is 75-750 which is still great, but I prefer it on film... just get a monopod...
If you want to spend even more money there are clearly a bunch of other lenses out there that will fit the bill, but most people will agree that the nifty fifty is about the best 100 bucks you'll spend.
How do you like that range? I am considering between a 31mm f/1.9 and a 24-70 f/2.8 I am shooting full frame 35mm and I want to pair it with a 85 1.4 as a two lens/body film walk around kit. But I cannot decide if at 24mm f/2.8 is creme enough at 50-135 I know i love it... but how does it behave a little wider?
My next lens will definitely be the Canon 100mm macro! Amazing lens and reviews and it will (also) open up a new world to you.
Quality wise, I would love a Canon 24-70L f/2.8, but that will just have to wait ($$$$)