Canon Confusion!

[pmsnel]

Just wondering:
I have about 100-150 euro's to spend. And I have read a lot about these two lenses, but I can't find a post or internet thingy telling me what they actually do...
Canon EF 50 mm f/1.8 II: What sort of subjects would you use this lense for?? A lot of people apparantly love it for its price and smallness. But What do you use it for? Portraits? Landscape? Just general pictures?
Canon EF 25mm II Lens extension tube: I read somewhere that people use this as a cheap solution to macro photography. Is it worth the money and can you capture other things with it as well? Can I attach my Tamron 55-200 mm to it and get even closer to my subjects?

Thanks for any clearification on this Canon confusion!

 

[pbelarge]

Here is a google page with many choices for you to pick from...

Google

 

[Robin Usagani]

The F/1.8 is a very fast lens for the price. It is perfect for portraits and low light condition. Get it! Or you can save up more and get the f/1.4.

I have the f/1.4 and it is my favorite lens I use (that i can afford).

 

[pmsnel]

Here is a google page with many choices for you to pick from...

Google

Thanks for your very intelligent and quick thinking response. I actually found that site on the internet and despite my blond hair actually managed to use it. I read a lot on the lenses but none of the reviews I read actually told me why I would want the lens and what subjects I would use it for...
Hence my question...

 

[pmsnel]

The F/1.8 is a very fast lens for the price. It is perfect for portraits and low light condition. Get it! Or you can save up more and get the f/1.4.

I have the f/1.4 and it is my favorite lens I use (that i can afford).

Thanks for you input! I might try and save up a bit, but no garantees! I feel I have to buy my camera something new!

 

[Robin Usagani]

the f/1.4 is not only faster, but it is built better so it is actually worth the money.

 

[peterhanowell]

You can't really go wrong with the 50 1.8, in my opinion. Great for portraits, or really any shots you feel good about that can fit into the 50mm (or more on a crop body) viewfinder. Stop it up a bit. In fact, it is a great lens to practice with the aperature if you are new to this and see what the changes are (between, for example, a shot take with f1.8 and the same shot taken with f8.0).

As Schwettylens says, the 50 1.4 is quite nice too (I use that lens). But, it is three times the price.

Peter
--
http://www.hanowellphotography.com

 

[pmsnel]

You can't really go wrong with the 50 1.8, in my opinion. Great for portraits, or really any shots you feel good about that can fit into the 50mm (or more on a crop body) viewfinder. Stop it up a bit. In fact, it is a great lens to practice with the aperature if you are new to this and see what the changes are (between, for example, a shot take with f1.8 and the same shot taken with f8.0).

As Schwettylens says, the 50 1.4 is quite nice too (I use that lens). But, it is three times the price.

Peter
--
Tallahassee photography, Tallahassee wedding photographers - Hanowell Photography

Thanks for your input! I think I will go for the 1.8. I really don't have 1.4 money right now. But I would like a macro option as well. So still yo-yoing between the 50mm and the Lens extender.

 

[Overread]

STOP!!!

You are approaching things backwards! It's a great way to collect lenses and get nifty bits of gear - but its also a good way to get a lot of shelf sitters and end up in a cycle of buying, selling, rebuying and all that stuff..

When you're after a new lens the first thing you do (even before budget) is decide what you want the lens to do. Do you want to be able to enhance the quality of what you currently do with your kitlens/other lenses - maybe you want to just get sharper 200mm shots than your 55-200mm can provide for example. Or maybe you want to branch into something new like macro or maybe landscape - or nighttime photography.

In short assess your current setup and find where it is lacking for you or where you want to enhance what you can currently do.

Then you start looking around the market for gear that helps achive those results. Look at what others use and study things; make sure to look at both the bottom and the top ends of the market. Sometimes you might find that if you wait a little longer to raise your budget you can get something that is worlds ahead of what you can afford now.

Now you are in a position to start asking "what is a good lens for ____" whilst citing gear that you have already researched and also giving an idea of your budget. It also helps to ask about the market in general - again to get an idea of what is outside of your budget constraints.


Then you can make a choice on a big of gear that will help you achieve what you want and when you get it you will already have an idea of what the lens can be used for for yourself.

 

[Stormchase]

^ +1

 

[pmsnel]

STOP!!!

You are approaching things backwards! It's a great way to collect lenses and get nifty bits of gear - but its also a good way to get a lot of shelf sitters and end up in a cycle of buying, selling, rebuying and all that stuff..

When you're after a new lens the first thing you do (even before budget) is decide what you want the lens to do. Do you want to be able to enhance the quality of what you currently do with your kitlens/other lenses - maybe you want to just get sharper 200mm shots than your 55-200mm can provide for example. Or maybe you want to branch into something new like macro or maybe landscape - or nighttime photography.

In short assess your current setup and find where it is lacking for you or where you want to enhance what you can currently do.

Then you start looking around the market for gear that helps achive those results. Look at what others use and study things; make sure to look at both the bottom and the top ends of the market. Sometimes you might find that if you wait a little longer to raise your budget you can get something that is worlds ahead of what you can afford now.

Now you are in a position to start asking "what is a good lens for ____" whilst citing gear that you have already researched and also giving an idea of your budget. It also helps to ask about the market in general - again to get an idea of what is outside of your budget constraints.


Then you can make a choice on a big of gear that will help you achieve what you want and when you get it you will already have an idea of what the lens can be used for for yourself.

You are probably incredibly right... Although that is quite hard to admit. I would really like to do more macro photography and have no way of doing that right now. I would also love to have a lens beyond my 55-200 mm Tamron but nowhere near the money.
I think I got a bit distracted by all the good comments on the 50 mm 1.8 around here. And thus was wondering why I would want one, because I did not really know what you would use it for.

I often find myself getting real close to bugs or flowers or what not, but not actually getting it into focus.

I will do some more research of the extension tubes.:blushing:

 

[Stormchase]

If your interested In getting closer to the little subjects like bugs and flowers macro might be the way your interests are going. A set of tubes is a real good start to see if you like the results without spending lots it money on a dedicated macro lens.

 

[pmsnel]

If your interested In getting closer to the little subjects like bugs and flowers macro might be the way your interests are going. A set of tubes is a real good start to see if you like the results without spending lots it money on a dedicated macro lens.

Thanks, thats just what I needed to hear I guess. Do have any experience with Kenko extension tubes? They apparently have a set of 3 rings especially for Canon EOS. But I had never heard of Kenko before. Are they any good?

 

[Overread]

Kenko tubes are about the best on the market in terms of price and features. Their tubes will fit both EF and EFS lenses and also have the electrical contacts that ultra cheap tubes lack - that means you can control the aperture of your lens (the cheap tubes you cannot - so you always shoot wide open unless you trick the blades shut).

They are well made and far more economic than the canon tubes - where one will cost you about the same as the 3 kenkos.

 

[MrBarney]

Kenko tubes are about the best on the market in terms of price and features.

Ah. That helps me too, thanks! I've not bothered looking at extension tubes because I thought them horribly inferior to a "proper" macro lens. I hope nobody minds me asking a couple of questions as they may help the OP too...

Are there any drawbacks to extension tubes (I'm thinking reduction in maximum aperture, AF problems)? Can you use them with any lens you like, or is there an optimal setup?