best first lense for 50D ???...help please

[liboubou]

Hi everybody I am planning on getting the 50D and I am having a hard time figuring out what lense to start with...something of good quality but that doesn't cost more than the camera itself and that is the most useful. I do not yet need to specialize in landscaping of macro... any advice will help thanks a lot...

 

[maulrat]

if you get the kit lens, then maybe the
Canon EF 50mm f/1.4 USM

if you don't have the kit lens,
[ame="http://www.amazon.com/Canon-17-40mm-Ultra-Angle-Cameras/dp/B00009R6WO/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1224211915&sr=1-3"]Canon EF 17-40mm f/4L[/ame]

 

[NateWagner]

well, that there is a tough question. I would also say it really depends on how serious you are in photography, and how important speed is. I mean... if you want a do it all lens, you could get something like a 28-200 (or a 50-500)(ish) it's not real fast, but it does cover a large range and can be quite useful.

If you're concerned about speed of the lens, but also want a zoom range, I would probably suggest say a 17-55 2.8is or perhaps say a 24-70L or something like that (you could go longer as well if you already have the kit if you wanted to.)

If you're primarily concerned about the sharpness and are ok with using your feet to zoom you could get a prime or two... A couple of good ones are obviously the 50mm 1.4 (or 1.8 if you want to go quite inexpensive) or maybe the 85 1.8 (or 1.2 which is a tad pricier)

It really depends on what you want to do with it.

 

[liboubou]

thanks for the replies.
I wanna be able to play around take picture of animals at the zoo or do some long exposure, take pictures on my travels, I wanna be able to have a lens on my camera and be able to go through tutorials and learn to tweak it to get different effects and uses before to invest into more...should i just stick with the lenses that come with the kit? ( even if they r not the highest quality?) at least at the beginning ?

 

[beaminge36]

Isn't canon coming out or just released the 18-200mm lens? Thats like the 17-40 24-70 and 70-200 all in one. Obviously not the fastest lens but not bad at all. I believe it runs like $700. Get a nice flash for some fill light and for about a grand you've got yourself a do it all lens and the ability to shoot in more difficult lighting situations. And it falls in the "less then the body" price category. Just a suggestions,

Nick

 

[beaminge36]

Haha, i just searched the lens on b&h and it is sold as a kit with the 50d. $2100

 

[icassell]

My most-used lens with my 30D is the Tamron 17-50 f2.8 -- I love it.

 

[maulrat]

50D + kit lens (new canon 18-200mm) + speedlight/diffuser = good to go bro
and save some cash for filters (tweeking)

I'm not about to stop you from going out and buying a big expensive body with a few $1000+ "L" lenses but I believe you should learn some more about photography in the beginning. That my thinking.