Newbie :)

Keagle · Sep 2, 2007

Hey guys,

Well, let's start from the start. It was my birthday a week and a bit ago, and I decided to get a Camera. So, on Tuesday, I got the Canon EOS 350D. This came with the Kit Lens, obviously, and my Dad gave me some old lenses he has as he doesn't use them. I have the 18-55mm kit lens, a old Sigma Skylight 1B, and a Canon Hoya Skylight 28-80mm. I don't know wether these are good or not, so...
I would like to get some new lenses. One's that will last me for a while, and I'd like to stick with Canon. From reading a guide, I was thinking of getting a 50mm Prime lens, a 16-35mm wideangle lens, and a 70-200mm telephoto lens to replace the Sigma. Also perhaps a Fisheye lens. But then, I don't know much. What would you guys reccomend? Being only 14, I can't pay thousands, but I can probably get them eventually. I'd like lenses that would last me a while. Also, there are some things I don't get. The "18-55mm" on the lens for example, what does that actually mean? I think it's something to do with the focal point, but I'm not sure.

Thank you! :hail:

ShaCow · Sep 2, 2007

Welcome to the forum!

18-55 is the focal length of the lens.. (18 zoomed out, 55 zoomed in)

I have the same camera as you, and I use a 50mm prime lens, cost me £50.. Its very good, and a pretty quick lens too.

I also have a 17-35mm sigma lens, which is great for the lanscape shots.(cost me £320

, but it produces nice shots)

and I have a 70-300mm canon zoom lens.. again, a very good lens.. (its pretty slow, but it only cost me £150)

I would highly recommend looking around ebay instead of going to say "jessops" for your equiptment as you will save loads more money on ebay.

I hope you enjoy the forum, and post some pics

take it easy, Shaun

Keagle · Sep 2, 2007

There you go

Yup, I got my Camera off Ebay too. What's your Prime Lens? I'd ideally, like to get some great lenses, which will be a bigger investment at the start but hopefully means I can keep them for a while

Iron Flatline · Sep 2, 2007

I find Fisheye lenses to be a bit of a novelty thing - you don't really get great photographs from one of them. I've certainly never seen an image that made me say "wow" from a Fisheye.

Just my two cents.

Keagle · Sep 2, 2007

Hmm, okay, maybe I wont get a Fisheye straight away. Looking around eBay, I'm thinking of getting these.

Canon EF 75-300mm USM III for the 70-200mm, I know it's slightly different, but it should do, right?

Canon EF 50mm 1.4/f for the 50mm Prime, unless I can get ShaCow to tell me his one

Sigma 17-35mm F2.8-4 DG Wide Angle Lens instead of a Canon, all the Canon one's are around £800 on eBay.

Are these good, or can I do better?

Iron Flatline · Sep 2, 2007

I have the 50mm f/1.4, it's one of the best Canon lenses currently in production - period.

Keagle · Sep 2, 2007

So I should definately pick up that one? I can probably get it for about 100 or so on eBay. Is it a good everyday lens? (I am really new to this, sorry

)

gordon77 · Sep 3, 2007

im gunna go against the grain and reccomend you start taking loads of photos with your kit lens and then see where your interest's are then make a decision from there. in the mean time you can save money for when you figure it out. you can still get mint photos out of your kit lens, and learning how to do that will make you a better photographer i think. i have the 17-85 IS USM with a 400d and thats it. its not the best lens in the world (esp at 18mm :S) but it has produced some really good photos for me so i know it can do it.

daybreak · Sep 3, 2007

I agree with gordon. The kit lens will serve you well for now and the experience you gain from using that lens will serve as a guide for what lenses will suit the photography you'll be doing. If you must get a lens, the 50mm F1.8 is a super sharp and luckily cheap lens.

Keagle · Sep 3, 2007

Thank you

I will take your reccomendations in hand. At the moment, I enjoy taking close-ups and landscapes.

pandinus · Sep 3, 2007

I have to agree with a previous post. Take lots of photos with the equipment you have, in time you'll find out what lenses you might need. If you find sports or wildlife photography of interest a tele photo lense might be the thing for you. If you like to shoot portraits a prime lense or a 35-100mm lense might be a wize choise and so on.

When I bought my first SLR I thought that a telephoto lense was a good investment, but as time has passed I rarely use it. I use it when the occation calls for it, so I keep it in my equipment bag but I don't use it day to day. Where as a good friend of mine is oposite, he uses a tele lense in his everyday photography and loves it. He keeps a couple of other lenses in his kit and use them when he feels the need for them.

What I think is that one should buy what one needs when the need is there. Take your time, and get to know your camera (A good choise you've made by the way.) Get to know your lense, and the ones your father gave you. Ask around, and find out what you feel is a good choise for you.

Hope this has been at leas a little helpfull. Best of luck.

Keagle · Sep 3, 2007

Well, I'd love to shoot birds in flight, and I do enjoy shooting wildlife. Thanks for your reccomendations, I'll keep what I have for a bit and save

EDIT: Urgh, there's a piece of hair/dust somewhere in my camera. It doesn't turn up in shots, thank god, but it is annoying. It's not on the mirror as I cleaned that, and it's not on the Viewfinder as I also cleaned that, and it's not on the lens. Where else could it be and how can I remove it?