Canon EF lense advice

adamweinberg · Feb 16, 2006

Hi everyone.

I'm an amateur photographer who was thinking of jumping straight to the 20D, and am now reconsidering (at least for the time being) having realized that a manual 35mm and a negative scanner will be a fraction of the cost.

Here's the question -- I'm looking for a lense to work with the rediculously cheap manual camera I've been considering (the Canon EOS Rebel K2, $99) that can potentially also work with the 20D for when I eventually make the big splurge. I assume I can find a lense that would be able to be used in auto-focus by both cameras? Any advice? Keep in mind I know very little about lenses whatsoever. I appreciate the help

cheers,

Adam

markc · Feb 16, 2006

Although the zooms are really popular, if you want to be serious about learning photography, I'd lean towards primes. You can't experiment with shallow DOF with cheap zooms, and they encourage bad habits. I'd say the first lens to get would be a 50mm/f1.8. It's also very inexpensive. Once you get good with that, you next choice would be based on what kind of work you want to do.

adamweinberg · Feb 16, 2006

Sounds like good advice .. any particular things I should keep in mind to make sure of complete compatibility between the manual and digital SLRs though?

markc · Feb 17, 2006

Do you mean film and digital? Some of the older third-party lenses needed to be updated before they would work well on the digital cameras, but if it's one made for an EOS film camera and it's made by Canon, it will work on the digital cameras. There are some EF lenses made just for the small sensor digitals, but they are labeled EF-S.

darich · Feb 17, 2006

I bought a Canon EOS500 in 1995 with two lenses. When i upgraded to a Digital REbel SLR both lenses worked fine. I've upgraded again to the 20D and used a couple of older lenses on it without issue.
All the older lenses have been Canon so that may have been a factor.

DocFrankenstein · Feb 17, 2006

1) As long as the lenses are canon they will be compatible with EVERY camera.
2) Rebels suck. Get an EOS elan or EOS 600 series like 620 or 650. Better bodies and they cost around 50 bucks.
3) Markc tells the truth. Stay away from zooms. Get 50/1.8 lens and shoot. That'll be 50 for the body and 70 for the lens... Learn to use that combo first.

Good luck