Lens needed for Canon Digital Rebel

[Tali]

Hi all
So pardon my cluelessness and go slowly, because I don't know much (or anything) about cameras and photography.
But my question is:
I want to get a lens for my boyfriend, who owns a Canon Digital Rebel (he got it the first year it came out). Though he does use his camera for photo-journalism sometimes, he mostly likes to take arty shots of people (no landscapes). What would be the best type of lens to get him on my modest student budget, which is somewhere between $200-$450? I don't want to get him a crappy lens just for the sake of getting him one - I want to get one that will really make a difference in his photos. Is it doable?
Any suggestions or help would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks!

 

[thebeginning]

he sounds like he's been doing photography for a little while already. do you know what lenses he already has?

 

[Tali]

All he has is the lens that came with his camera. Before he got the Rebel, he was working with a film SLR (possibly a Nikon, but I can definitely be wrong), but I don't recall seeing any other lenses for that one, either.

 

[clemeys]

I don't know much at all about quality of lenses, but my buddy just bought the newest Tramron Digital 20-200mm lense. I got to play w/ it all night tonight and it's got some sweet versatility. If he likes to shoot ppl, it's definitely nice to have a lil zoom to get those candid shots. I would like to know what others think to this question and about the new "digital" lenses as I have a 350d and am lookin to get a new lense soon. Right now I have the kit 18-85 and 35-105.

 

[Wally]

I have a digital rebel and I HIGHLY reccomend this lens

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/controller/home?O=productlist&A=details&Q=&sku=324385&is=REG&addedTroughType=search

I have had mine for a year now and I LOVE it!!! It is a great all around lens and it is made for Digital SLRs like the Digital Rebel that have an APS sized CMOS.

It goes from a very wide angle 18mm to 125mm zoom. It runs around $290 so it is in your price range.

 

[Digital Matt]

Get him a 50mm f/1.8. Also, if it's in your budget, get him the 85mm f/1.8. 2 extremely sharp, great portrait/low light lenses, for cheap.

You said you want a lens that will really make a difference in his photos, and I guarantee that those will.

 

[danalec99]

Get him a 50mm f/1.8. Also, if it's in your budget, get him the 85mm f/1.8. 2 extremely sharp, great portrait/low light lenses, for cheap.

You said you want a lens that will really make a difference in his photos, and I guarantee that those will.

ditto!

 

[thebeginning]

^exactly. I was about to post the exact same thing. If you get the 85mm in good used condition, you can fit both that and the 50mm 1.8 in your budget. if you cant get both then just get the 85 1.8. if he likes getting full body shots of people, then you can just get the 50mm 1.4, which is also a terrific buy.

 

[Tali]

First of all, thanks for all your advice. I ran the suggestions by my boyfriend, and he really liked the idea of the 50mm f/1.8 and the 85mm f/1.8. Buying them new is a liiiiittle too expensive for me, so I'm trying to find the 85mm used.

I was looking on ebay (by the way, has anyone here ever done that? Is it reliable?) and there was a guy selling his 85mm because he says he has a 50mm and they are too similar to each other for him to have both. Is there truth to that? Or should I still continue my search? Is there anything else I should be looking at?

Thanks again!

 

[jstuedle]

I use ebay, and the general rule of "buyer beware" applies. Read ALL of the ad, look for details and hints of issues. Check out the feedback the seller has. I have made over 200 purchases over 5+ years and only had one problem that was resolved quickly. Others have had better luck, and still some have been taken for a ride. I guess my advise would be, be careful and don't bid an amount you can't afford to loose. Chances are you will be fine.

And yes, the 50 and 85 are close, but for your application, they both have there place. I own them both (in Nikon versions) and find then invaluable when the situation calls for them. Good Luck.

 

[JamesD]

I use mainly a 100-300mm F4.5-5.6 USM zoom for photos of people... mostly on 100mm, but occasionally I zoom in. I like the longer focal length because it flattens the perspective and shallows the depth of focus (the range from near to far that's in focus around the subject) and I can shoot from farther away, meaning a bit of extra time before they become aware of me and my light-tight box, for those candid shots. I think that for a DSLR, the 85 mm would be approximately equivalent (I have a Rebel GII--film), so I'd say it sounds like a good choice... and the F1.8 is geat!

Good luck!