First Time Lens Buyer

PrimaryCanary · Aug 31, 2004

Hello forum,
I just recently joined this forum but I have been taking pictures with my first digital camera for about 2 years now (Fuji FinePix 3800). I love photography and love a lot of the photos shown here on this message board system. About a week ago, I placed an order for the new Canon EOS 20D dSLR and my question is what lense would anyone recommend for my first purchase. I love all sorts of photography and can't seem to make a decision. Both of my brothers play sports and I love going to their games, camera in hand, and taking action shots. So I thought about getting the Canon EF 200mm f/2.8 L USM lense (effectively a 300mm lense with the 1.6 cropping factor). I also like wildlife photography and this lense would work great there too. However, I also like to do macro photos and standard portraits. So I've been looking at canon's website for their EOS lense lineup and can't decide. The zoom lenses with nice wide apetures cost as much as the camera. I would like something with a good size maximum apeture so I can take shots in low light conditions (they just hate turning on those stadium lights even when the players can't see what's in front of them.

) Any advice?

green · Aug 31, 2004

I'd definitely get a 50mm lens to start... go with a nice big aperture, like f1.4 or f1.8... (if i had the bucks i'd go even bigger).

once you have that basic lens, you can add to your collection by adding zooms, or for macro, get a set of kenko extension tubes and use them with the 50mm (they're cheap and quite good).

PrimaryCanary · Aug 31, 2004

I can't remember, will a macro lense function as a normal lense? I.E. If I used the Canon EF 50mm f/2.5 macro, could I still take normal 'un-macro?' shots?

Big Mike · Aug 31, 2004

PrimaryCanary said:
I can't remember, will a macro lense function as a normal lense? I.E. If I used the Canon EF 50mm f/2.5 macro, could I still take normal 'un-macro?' shots?

Yes

nikon90s · Sep 1, 2004

You are going to need more then one lens!! If you like to take wildlife photos don't waist your $$ on any thing less then a 300. I think canon makes a 200 - 400mm f4 or something like that and on your d20 would be amazing. The 200mm 2.8 is a great lens but I have a 200mm and find my self always tiring to get closer to the subject and with wildlife they tend to run away if you get too near. With a lens then is 400mm you would not have to move to near and have a better shot at getting the shot!!!

Just my 2 cents