Need help with lens info...

[potatowitz]

Hi everyone...I am extremely new to this, as I have just purchased a Canon Rebel T1i...I love it, and shot over 500 pics this weekend alone already...fun times!

Anyway, not that I am ready to purchase (as I want to learn how to shoot properly first), but I am curious about lenses...I want to be able to "zoom" in on objects obviously without getting too close...is there a difference between a ZOOM lens and a TELEPHOTO lens? My camera came with a kit lens (18-55mm)...do I put new lens in place of the kit lens, or am I adding to it? What is a 2x lens? Is this something added on as well?

Thanks for your help!

Matt

 

[PhotoXopher]

You remove your existing lens and replace it with any other compatible lens you have.

Is the 2x lens a teleconverter perhaps?

Telephoto:
Telephoto lens - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Zoom:
Zoom lens - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

[KmH]

A problem with a 2X teleconverter is that it also converts your aperture setting 2X. That means less light coming in the lens so your shutter speed slows down and you can get blurry pictures from camera shake.

 

[tsaraleksi]

A zoom lens is just any lens that changes its focal length, whereas a telephoto lens is one that is longer than about 70mm or so. Zooms can be any focal length.

 

[potatowitz]

Thanks for your input people...and thanks Keith for mentioning the 2x deal...never would have thought of that...