Beginner lenses for t1i

[iamoph]

I will be getting a canon rebel t1i and I'm not sure if i should buy a kit or just purchase the body and then the lens separately. I tend to find subjects that are too far away and the photos get cropped and the end result isn't as sharp as i would like them to be. i am hoping that going from 7 to 15MP will help with this a bit but this is not why I'm getting the t1i. I like to take landscape and macro photos but i also have kids in sports. my budget right now for lenses is no more than $400.00 and i am aware that I'm not going to get much in the way of quality but i don't want to shell out a bunch of money when i haven't even learned the basics. so, i guess id like to know what type of Cheap decent quality lens i can get
as of right now i have an olympus sp550uz that has 15x optical zoom and i REALLY like that feature and would like something that can do what it can do: There was no cropping done to this pic and it was taken while i sat on my back steps with NO TRIPOD! ignore the bluf of the first pic..it was as a reference only http://c1.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/images02/111/l_2836e26e25fc4ca395cd1d38f9037930.jpg

i have looked at so many and read so many reviews my head is spinning! i found a few kits/lenses that i ask you to comment on:

1. Canon EOS Rebel T1i Digital SLR Camera PLUS + Canon EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS Zoom Lens [Outfit] + Tamron 70-300mm f/4-5.6 Di LD Macro Lens - $864.00 (comes with 16g card + other acc)
2. Sigma 18-50mm f/3.5-5.6 DC & 70-300mm f/4-5.6 Macro DG AF Zoom Lens Kit - $219.95
3. Sigma 18-200mm f/3.5-6.3 DC AF OS Zoom Lens - $401.86
4. Sigma 28-70mm & 70-300mm AF Lens Set $229.95
5. Canon EF-S 55-250mm f/4.0-5.6 IS Telephoto Zoom Lens $190.00
6. Sigma 70-300mm f/4-5.6 DG Macro Telephoto Zoom Lens $159.00

Like i said, my head is spinning and your help is greatly appreciated and needed!

 

[DemonAstroth]

If you want a nice beginner lens, that fits your budget, look no further than the Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 II. You can probably get it for less than 100 dollars (i've seen it used as low as $50 used). It's a great beginner lens because although built quality is almost disposable, it is very sharp and very fast, which allows you to really start seeing how your aperture and shutter settings affect the quality of your pictures.

However, when it comes to having a zoom lens, getting something for less than $400 is going to affect picture quality no matter what, specially in the long range. You can probably get a 70-200 f/4 for about $500, and then maybe save up and get a Canon extender.

If you have read reviews you know what disadvantages the one lens you choose may have and then you can always try to work with it. Ex. getting a tripod if no IS, stopping down more often if it tends to vignetting, and getting closer if quality sucks at the long range!

Hope that helps.

 

[pugnacious33]

That is some good advice. I believe those "all-in-one" zooms are a mistake, unless you don't really want to get too serious about it all. For 400 dollars, you have several options, so which range or focal length you choose will be up to what type of shooting you do (landscape, portrait, macro ??). Consider used........I have purchased several "EX" condition lenses from keh.com and they've been almost as good as new with clean glass. For 400, you could get a Tamron 28-75, a Sigma 18-50, both with 2.8 apertures. Can't go wrong starting witha prime lense either. Any standard Canon zoom with IS would be a good choice too.

 

[Dao]

If you are thinking buying the Canon T1i with kit lens and add the 55-250mm IS lens, you better hurry. There is a Instant rebate going on with Canon. If you buy that combo, it will take $200 off. End Nov 21

See here -
Current Promotions - Canon USA Consumer Products

 

[JustAnEngineer]

The combination of the EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS kit lens (about $75 more than the camera alone) plus the $240 EF-S 55-250mm f/4-5.6 IS telephoto zoom plus the $90 EF 50mm f/1.8 might be a good start for around $400. As Dao mentioned, the combination deal of the camera with kit lens + 55-250mm telephoto zoom is a great value right now.

 

[DennyCrane]

The first lens I got (in additional to the 18-55 kit lens) was the Canon EF-S 55-250 IS. It's a fairly versatile lens and has gotten some pretty good shots. Depending on your budget, you may want to get a 28-135 lens for mid-range work and the EF 70-300 USM IS instead. Much more money, but higher quality.

 

[crafty408]

Sorry to ask another question on the OP post, but does anyone have any comments on the #4 lens kit?

I saw this on amazon and was also wondering about.

 

[DennyCrane]

The 18-55 and 55-250 is a good starter pair.

 

[bigtwinky]

If your budget is $400, then definatly pick up the kit lenses as Denny pointed out.

They are not that great, but good enough to learn with. Picking up the 50mm f/1.8 is also a great purchase, and one that many photographers do.

If you are looking at landscape shots, you would want a wider angle lens. You can do some great landscapes with the 18-55 shooting at 18mm. I picked up the Canon 10-22mm wide angle ($900), and I've loved it. Other options are similar focal range from Sigma or Tokina ($500-$700).

For macro work, be careful when purchasing. Alot of lenses will be marked as "macro" when they are just close up lenses. Look at the lens specifications to find a magnification factor of 1:1, which is a true macro. Stick with primes for macros...Canons are great, such as the 100mm f/2.8 macro ($600, newer one at $1000). For a cheaper alternative, look into shorter focal lenghts such as the 60mm macro ($400-$500).

If you are looking at Sport shots, well, this is where it starts to get expensive. Sports means yuo should be freezing action, and this can sometimes be hard to do in some light conditions + you need a decent telephoto to get the emotions in the player's faces.

That is why alot of sport shooters love the 70-200 f/2.8 IS. It has a decent range (pros go up to 400-600mm, but they are shooting on much longer fields). The f/2.8 is wide enough to let in more light in darker conditions and the IS will allow to compensation for some shaky hands.