Looking For a Zoom Lens

chantal7 · May 13, 2008

Hello!

I would like to get a zoom lens for my CanonRebel XTI. Does any lens fit this camera, or is it better to stick with Canon? I don't want something very expensive, but I don't want anything extremely cheap. I'm looking for one roughly around the $300 Dollar area. I don't really have any information on them, and I thought maybe someone could help me out here. I hate not being able to zoom in on cool things like animals etc - I could really use one to have more fun while taking photos. I hope someone can help me out here, and thank you for your time!

Another question, what is the difference between an AF lens and a MF lens, I know AF and MF stand for manual focus and auto focus, but don't all lenses have the capability to do both?

Edit: Ok, I checked out a lens here, http://www.henrys.com/webapp/wcs/st...artmentId=10407&categoryId=10412&itemID=37237

Does anyone know how this one is? It seems decent...

JustAnEngineer · May 14, 2008

The EF 75-300 f/4-5.6 III is a low-end telephoto zoom lens. It has recently been on sale at Radio Shack for ~US$115, but usually goes for US$150.

You might consider the US$270 EF-S 55-250mm f/4-5.6 IS lens. It includes image stabilization, which somewhat compensates for camera shake with the long exposures that you may need with a small aperture telephoto lens in less than daylit conditions.

With your EOS Digital Rebel XTi, you can use any Canon EF or EF-S lens. You can also use lenses made by third party manufacturers (e.g.: Sigma, Tamron, Tokina, etc.) that are made for Canon auto-focus cameras.

There are many sites that have lens reviews.
http://www.photozone.de/canon-eos
http://www.the-digital-picture.com/

Overread · May 14, 2008

Just out of interest but what are you looking to get from this zoom lens - in other words what do you want to do with it that you can't do at the moment, what subjects can't you get with your current set-up. I ask as there are differnet ranges of zooms out there and its best to go at it from an angle of what you want the lens to do.

chantal7 · May 15, 2008

The thing I can't do with the standard lens I have now is zoom in really far. I just want some kind of zoom happening. I can never get a good picture of something when I have to go so close to something like an animal.

I'm actually interested in just zooming in on people / animals and snapping photos of them; having them unaware that I'm even taking a picture of them. I don't know much about zoom lenses and what they do so that doesn't help either. I would prefer the IS lenses, now that I look at them. Hmm the EF-S 55-250mm f/4-5.6 IS is 350.00CAD here, which isn't bad. I didn't think they made cheaper ones. I for some reason couldn't find one less than 500 dollars - lol. I don't want anything fancy, but I would like something fun. I hope this helps in what you were asking for?