i am NEW to SLR's...

[EthanBlackburn]

I want to get more lenses for my FILM Canon EOS Rebel X S. Probably a telephoto and Macro. how do i know what size lenses i need?

 

[Big Mike]

Welcome to the forum.

Any Canon 'EF' lens will work with your camera (or any EOS).
Canon 'EF-S' lenses are made to only work with certain digital cameras, so don't get those.
There are many lenses from other manufactures that will work, but you will have to be sure that you don't get one that is similar to EF-S lenses.

 

[KmH]

I want to get more lenses for my FILM Canon EOS Rebel X S. Probably a telephoto and Macro. how do i know what size lenses i need?

Lens es are measured in 2 ways:

1. Focal length
2. Speed

Focal length determines how much magnification a lens can provide. the human eye is about the same as a lens that has a 50mm focal length.

Less than 50 mm makes things look smaller than normal.

A 100 mm lens magnifies things or makes them appear closer when you look through the camera's viewfinder which represents what will be recored on the film.

105 mm is popular form taking peoples portraits outside.
200 mm is good for talking pictures of indoor court sports like basketball orr hockey.
400 mm is good for outdoor field sports or shooting birds.

For Macro it's best to have some focal length like 100 mm or so. Otherwise, you have to get the camera very close to what you are trying to take a picture of. Macro lenses are a kind of specialty lens.

Speed determines how much light a lens needs so your images don't have motion blur if something moves.

For indoors shooting f/2.8 is needed. (/f.2.8 means the lens aperture can be opened to as large as 1/2.8th of the lens's focal length.)


So a lens will be named like EF 24-105mm f/4L IS USM, which means ithe lens has a Canon EF bayonet mount can zoom from a focal length of 24mm up to 105mm and everywhere in between. The largerst the lens can be opened to is 1/4 the focal length the lens is zoomed to.

IS means the lens has an Image Stabilization gyro system to help compensate for camera shake induced by the person holding the camera. and USM means it has a fast auto focusing motor in the lens. That particular lens retails for about $1250.00 USD, new.

MP-E 65mm f/2.8 1-5x is probably Canons most sought after Macro lens (about $950 USD, new).

You can look at all of Canon's current lens offerings at:

EOS (SLR) Camera Systems - EOS Digital SLR Cameras - Lenses - Flashes - Wireless File Transmitters - Software Applications - Canon USA Consumer Products

 

[EthanBlackburn]

thanks a bunch. 1250 is a wee bit too much for me haha. it looks like im waiting a while or buying them used off ebay.