Best Lens?

Tydal · Feb 4, 2014

I am buying a Canon t3i. What would be the best/cheapest zoom lens to buy. I know cheap and best don't normally go together but hey thats what I'm trying to look for. Also other than a zoom lens, what should be the first lens to buy?

lennon33x · Feb 4, 2014

It depends on what you're using it for. But don't mistake price for quality. What I mean is that you can buy a used, off-brand (i.e. Sigma, Tamron, Tokina) lens for the price of a new, lower IQ lens. Also, consider if you ever upgrade to FF. EF-S lenses won't mount to a FF body.

What's your budget? What focal lengths are you wanting?

Tydal · Feb 4, 2014

I was looking at $100-$200. I want a lens that is all around good. I have seen people talk about 50mm, and I'm not sure if that would be good.

lambertpix · Feb 4, 2014

For zoom lenses, look at any of the "kit" lenses used on Canon cameras. You're right - you can't get "best" and "cheap" together, but kit lenses are chosen for kits because they're good compromises. They tend to be pretty readily available used or refurbished because lots of them have been shipped as parts of kits, and people sell them and upgrade to more expensive lenses later.

For a non-zoom lens, Canon's 50mm f/1.8 lens is widely considered among the best "cheap" lenses available for Canon. This is a very simple lens, and it doesn't focus too quickly, but it's quite sharp -- especially stopped down a couple stops. At roughly $100, it's hard to beat that level of performance at anywhere near the price. In practice, this lens is a great starting point for portrait photographers - especially on a crop-sensor camera (like the t3i), where it approximates an 80mm lens on a full-frame 35mm camera.

lennon33x · Feb 4, 2014

If I were you, this is what I would do:

Go to www.keh.com and set a filter for EOS lenses within your price range. Then when you find ones you are interested in, use dpreview.com and other websites to review IQ, chromatic aberration, etc and then make your decision based on that.