What is the best beginner all purpose lens for a Canon 50D?

[ufjamolei]

I am sure you have heard this story many times, but I have been wanting to get into photography forever and finally have some extra money to do so. I am starting it as a hobby, but if I ever get good enough I hope it turns into a sidejob. I see myself shooting nature & wildlife, newborns, family portraits, and baseball (my husband is a coach). I plan on purchasing the Canon 50D (unless you can convince me why I shouldn't). I would like a good all purpose starter lens for learning the basics. Here are a few suggestions I have received:

EF 28-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS Image Stabilizer USM Autofocus Lens (regular $400, but if bought with the 50D it would cost me only $200)

Normal EF 50mm f/1.8 II Autofocus Lens ($115)

Normal EF 50mm f/1.4 USM Autofocus Lens ($400)

also, other kit options:

EF-S 18-200mm f/3.5-5.6 IS Autofocus lens (regular $600, but if bought w/50D $300)

Zoom super wide angle EF-S 17-85mm f/4-5.6 IS USM Autofocus (regular $515, but if bought with 50D $250)

Please tell me what you would recommend, also I am open to other suggestions besides the above. I am clueless, thank you in advance for your help!!

[TPF Sponsor]

[UUilliam]

$115 for a 50mm? i have seen it for like $80

also as good as the 50mm 1.8 is, the 1.4 has better IQ but only slightly, not worth the extra $300 imo
you should take the 28-135mm tho, that way you have good range and the IQ is decent enough

[ufjamolei]

$115 for a 50mm? i have seen it for like $80

I too have seen it cheaper, I just pulled all my prices from B&H for easy comparison. Thanks for the input!

[gsgary]

The only good lens that you have listed is the 50mmF1.4, i have it and it is a great lens

[KmH]

Lenses are much more important than the camera body.

The 50D is not a beginner camera, it's an advanced amateur camera. You certainly won't outgrow it. However, it will take you longer to learn how to use all of it's functions properly because it has so many more than a true begginer DSLR like a T1i. You would then have money for another decent lens or two were you to get the T1i.

The 28-135mm lens is a good inexpensive lens to learn with. It will work for all the types of photography you want to do, except the baseball. For baseball the 135mm is not enough reach (magnification). For baseball you really need at least 300mm but 200mm with a 1.4X teleconverter is an option.

[RyanLilly]

Holy crap is a 50mm 1.4 really $400 these days? I swear I only paid $250! anyway it's a good lens, but a bit limiting if it's your only lens. IMO, the 17-85 offers decent quality and a very usefull focal range, compared to the other zooms listed, however you may want to consider the Sigma 18-50 2.8, make sure it is the newest HMS version. The quality and versirility of this lens are supurior to the low end canon zooms, and it's around $400 iirc.

[KmH]

Holy crap is a 50mm 1.4 really $400 these days? I swear I only paid $250! anyway it's a good lens, but a bit limiting if it's your only lens. IMO, the 17-85 offers decent quality and a very usefull focal range, compared to the other zooms listed, however you may want to consider the Sigma 18-50 2.8, make sure it is the newest HMS version. The quality and versirility of this lens are supurior to the low end canon zooms, and it's around $400 iirc.

The yen keeps getting stronger relative to the dollar.

[O|||||||O]

Holy crap is a 50mm 1.4 really $400 these days? I swear I only paid $250!

Yeah, me too. (EDIT - just dug out my reciept, I paid $315 in September of '06)



Honestly, the best "all purpose beginner lens" is probably the kit lens that comes with the camera.

[wh1ppet]

however you may want to consider the Sigma 18-50 2.8, make sure it is the newest HMS version. The quality and versirility of this lens are supurior to the low end canon zooms, and it's around $400 iirc.

The Canon's versions don't offer HSM. Older version has known QC issues. Newer version offers Macro.

[O|||||||O]

HSM is the same as USM, right?

I'm pretty sure the newer Canon kit lenses have USM and IS...

[ufjamolei]

Lenses are much more important than the camera body.

The 50D is not a beginner camera, it's an advanced amateur camera. You certainly won't outgrow it. However, it will take you longer to learn how to use all of it's functions properly because it has so many more than a true begginer DSLR like a T1i. You would then have money for another decent lens or two were you to get the T1i.

Thanks for the advice. I think I would outgrow a Rebel faster than I would like. However, I am thinking that a 30D may be a better starter camera for me, so that I can put more $ towards lenses.

[UUilliam]

ufja, i have a rebel (450D)
i have been using it for just short of 4 months now, have learned quite a bit about it already, but i dont think i will ever out grow it... i will always keep it as a backup camera when i upgrade
your better getting a camera that isnt gunna cost you megabucks as you may decide photography isn't for you, or you might get bored of it, after spending $$$$ on it

[musicaleCA]

Despite what others have said, I believe that the f/1.4 does have a clear enough advantage over the f/1.8 to warrant the price. The USM is a major factor, and the f/1.4 has an 8-blade aperture as opposed to the 5-blade aperture (talk about odd bokeh) of the f/1.8. And the latter's focus ring is much harder to use.

[KmH]

Despite what others have said, I believe that the f/1.4 does have a clear enough advantage over the f/1.8 to warrant the price. The USM is a major factor, and the f/1.4 has an 8-blade aperture as opposed to the 5-blade aperture (talk about odd bokeh) of the f/1.8. And the latter's focus ring is much harder to use.

+1. And it's things like the number of aperture blades that effects bokeh.

The other big diference in the cost here is build quality. Mostly plastic compared to mostly metal. I won't mention weather sealing.

Many seem to think bokeh is any blurred background. Nope. It's the quality of the blurred background.

[RyanLilly]

however you may want to consider the Sigma 18-50 2.8, make sure it is the newest HMS version. The quality and versirility of this lens are supurior to the low end canon zooms, and it's around $400 iirc.

The Canon's versions don't offer HSM. Older version has known QC issues. Newer version offers Macro.

Crap, you're right. I did not realize that the HSM version was not available for canon yet. I own the tamron 17-50, it also does not have HSM, but is a very good lens. I will also agree that the extra cost for the 50mm 1.4 over the 1.8 is worth it; and I own both, but for $400 I might be tempted to look at the sigma version for about $100 more.

Anyway, to get back on topic, out of all the lenses listed in the original post, I still feel that the 17-85 offers the best combination of of versatility and quality, the 28-135 would also be a decent choice, but the 28mm end will still feel pretty tight for shooting indoors, My other suggestion would be to start with the canon 18-55 IS, which offers a very useful range and is canons least expensive kit lens; so if you can get it for about $100 shoot with it for a while and then figure out what lens will be next.