Canon 600D/T3i (Which lenses/accessories/hoods/uv filters)

[nitrous642]

Hello all,

Just got my Canon 600D kit and as I want it to be "fully completed" I've done some research on UV filters, hoods, extra lenses etc for more protection and better performance/results.

The variety is indeed huge on lenses and accessories so I thought you guys might be able to help me through this.

I'd like to replace my 18-55 stock lens at first BUT it seems that I can't make up my mind with which one. I like to shoot landscapes, cityscapes, sometimes portrait and sports, so I was considering the 17-85 lens which gives me a bit more wide angle and a bit more zoom which after using my 18-55 I think I might need it! In a few words a lens which covers most areas that I am interested in and will hardly ever detached from my camera (if it exists tho).

I am also interested in hoods and UV filters but I've seen around colourful, transparent, less than 5 pounds or 25+ pounds. Complicated for me at this point.

Sorry for the long post, hopefully someone will get the chance to read it and help me out!

Any replies would be much appreciated! Thank you all!

 

[imstuner]

Do you want a lens that's better in low light conditions too?

 

[nitrous642]

Do you want a lens that's better in low light conditions too?

I 'd prefer a decent performance in low light aswell to be honest.

Thanks for replying

 

[KmH]

You don't need UV filters. some people use them to 'protect' the front lens element, but they cause more problems than they solve, like softened focus, lens flare, and loss of image contrast.

That is not a long post.

Most new lenses come with a hood designed for that particular lens.

Landscapes, and cityscapes can be shot with the same lens(s), usually a wide angle lens is used (wider than 18 mm) . Sports usually requires lenses with focal lengths longer than 85 mm, and wider maximum apertures than kit lenses have.

Lenses that perform well in low light are generally more expensive than kit lenses. For example. This lens works well in low light: Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8L USM Standard Zoom Lens for Canon SLR Cameras

One of the main advantages of DSLR cameras over others is the ability to change the lens. It is almost impossible to have a "fully complete" kit.

I have 14 lenses, 4 camera bodies, 7 flash units, filters, gels, and the list goes on. My kit is constantly in flux.

 

[table1349]

Hello all,

Just got my Canon 600D kit and as I want it to be "fully completed" I've done some research on UV filters, hoods, extra lenses etc for more protection and better performance/results.

The variety is indeed huge on lenses and accessories so I thought you guys might be able to help me through this.

I'd like to replace my 18-55 stock lens at first BUT it seems that I can't make up my mind with which one. I like to shoot landscapes, cityscapes, sometimes portrait and sports, so I was considering the 17-85 lens which gives me a bit more wide angle and a bit more zoom which after using my 18-55 I think I might need it! In a few words a lens which covers most areas that I am interested in and will hardly ever detached from my camera (if it exists tho).

I am also interested in hoods and UV filters but I've seen around colourful, transparent, less than 5 pounds or 25+ pounds. Complicated for me at this point.

Sorry for the long post, hopefully someone will get the chance to read it and help me out!

Any replies would be much appreciated! Thank you all!

Right now you do not need to buy anything. What you need to do is first R.T.F.M. At least twice. Once just read it, then reread it with the camera in hand and compare what you read with the body.

As for lenses 1mm isn't really wider. If you want the wider view of the 17-85 then take a step back. That makes it wider. What you need to do is to get out and shoot, shoot, shoot with that body and lens combo. Learn what it does well and where the downfalls are. At that point you won't be asking for suggestions of what things to buy. You will know what you need, and will be asking about which of the many items that can fill that need are better in the price range that you can afford. Photography is expensive, and there is no use spending money on things that you don't really need.

 

[subscuck]

Better performance/results will come from you, not your gear. It will come from you understanding the mechanics of photography (google "exposure triangle" for starters, after, of course, you RTFM) and therefore being able to use your camera to it's fullest capability. If you insist on always shooting in "green square" mode, save your money and stick with what you've already got. Good glass should come after you understand, and can consistantly put into use, the technical side of making a good photograph.

As far as UV filters, go with the hood instead. A hood will offer protection for your front element, and unlike a UV filter, will actually do something useful; prevent lens flare. If you feel you absolutely need something in front of your lens, go with a clear glass filter. It's still unnecessarily putting extra glass between your subject and the sensor, but it's not as detrimental as a UV filter, and if it makes you feel better, well, it makes you feel better.

As Keith said, not a long post at all. You should always feel free to use as many words as you need to so that people who read your posts have all the info they need to help you out.

The best piece of advice you've gotten so far is to Read The ****ing Manual. There's a hell of a lot to learn about your camera. If you're a total newcomer to the world of photography, there will be things in your manual that probably go right over your head, but at least having read it, you'll know what to ask questions about. Plus, if you're able to start a post with, "So I was reading my manual and I don't understand such and such", you'll not get snarky replies about not reading it.

If you feel you have to spend some money now, the 50mm 1.8 is a lens that you'll probably buy down the road anyway, and at around $100US (so, what, about 150-160 pounds?) isn't a huge investment and it's great value for the money and better optically, by far, than your kit lens. If you stick with this hobby and learn, what you find yourself shooting the most will dictate what lenses and other gear you purchase in the future. The "hardly ever detached from my camera" lens doesn't really exist, but you'll find there are focal lengths and ranges that you use most often, and the lens(es) that covers them will be the one(s) on your camera most of the time.

Above all, just get out there and shoot. Play around with everything to show you in real life terms what your manual said that particular setting does and see how changing it affects your pics. And post your photos here and be thick skinned and accepting about what people have to say. I've seen a few people on here really progress by taking in the criticism and using it to improve. OTOH, I've seen people get flamed off of here by being resistant to what people offer.

 

[nitrous642]

Thank you all for your replies!

Fact is I haven't yet read the manual to be honest but will do since you guys think is the best piece of advice to do so at this time! I do have a couple of friends tho who showed me how to use the basics, a couple of tricks and advised me to shoot in "Manual" mode since it gives you more freedom and expression in your shots, I hardly ever use the "green square" mode.

I was considering for a new glass as people all around the web bombard the kit lens as it's useless and that got me thinking BUT I've also read reviews pointing out the good side of the 18-55 and it seems like is a good lens to keep for a while until I decide what I want and how I want to shoot, if I got that right. A hood tho I guess to protect the lens is a must, as I've read somewhere that constantly cleaning the lens might cause a coating to fade can't remember the exact words tho but the main thing is to provide extra protection for more life to the lens I guess!

I've been shooting for like a couple of weeks now and I'd be more than happy to post some shots of mine here for critics! Are quite few from the 1000 pictures I've taken probably 10-15 might worth posting!

Thanks again guys!

 

[JustAnEngineer]

Advised me to shoot in "Manual" mode since it gives you more freedom and expression in your shots, I hardly ever use the "green square" mode.

"P" (Program Auto Exposure) provides most of the automation of the green box (Auto) mode, while still allowing you the creative freedom to change settings, get RAW output, etc. "A" (Aperture Priority) is the mode that I use most often, since it allows me to control the depth of field, but it allows the camera to adjust the shutter speed and ISO to get the exposure right.

I was considering new glass... I've also read reviews pointing out the good side of the 18-55 and it seems like is a good lens to keep for a while until I decide what I want and how I want to shoot, if I got that right.

The EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS kit lens covers a very useful range of focal lengths and it provides sharp images. Now that you've shot a thousand photographs, you may be getting a feel for where you push up against the limits of the kit lens' capabilities. Canon offers more than five dozen different lenses that will work with your EOS DSLR camera for more specialized needs. Third-party manufacturers (Sigma, Tamron, Tokina, etc.) offer dozens more.

The EF 50mm f/1.8 is Canon's least expensive lens at about £90. A large maximum aperture allows this lens to gather ten times as much light at f/1.8 as your kit lens can gather when zoomed to 50mm (f/5.6). Besides being useful in low light situations, the large aperture creates a shallow depth of field, which is sometimes desirable for artistic reasons. You can shoot a portrait with your subject's eyes in sharp focus while the out of focus background turns into a non-distracting smooth blur.

If you need to zoom in tighter on distant small subjects, a telephoto zoom lens like the EF-S 55-250mm f/4-5.6 IS for about £160 or the EF 70-200mm f/4L USM for about £500 could complement your kit lens.

A bounceable flash like the EF 430EX II for about £200 could make a significant improvement in your indoor photography. Bouncing the flash off the ceiling provides a much more pleasing photograph than the direct glare from the built-in flash.

 

[Martinj]

Just bought a T3i also. Love the 18-135 from my previous camera for most work, supplemented by a 50/1.8 for lowlight/portraits and a longer zoom depending on subject/distance (have a 70-300 and a Sigma150-500 for nature work). Also use the 430EX II for indoor work - bouncing the flash is far better than trying to soften the pop up flash.