noob needs some input...

musashi.t2i · Jul 5, 2010

i posted this at the introduction section. i guess the experts dont check that section out. so here it goes.

hi everyone! complete photography noob here. just got my wife a canon t2i, and of course she wants me to learn how to use it so i teach her.

here is what i got so far, canon t2i, 18-55/3.5-5.6, 55-250/4-5.6... well can anybody please advise me what [COLOR=#990000 ! important][COLOR=#990000 ! important]lens[/COLOR][/COLOR] i need to compliment what i have so far, use of the lens is listed below. or i need to get rid of what i have now and
buy something else instead. please note that i didnt buy the 2 lens that i have now, it came with the camera.

i was looking at these, 50/1.8, 50/1.4, 28/1.8...

also, main use for this is indoor for family/family gathering, outdoor for family/family sports/family gathering(park or the beach), outdoor hiking/landscape... if anybody can advise me as to what lens is best for these situations. also included in the "family" is our 2 year old son who never stay still so most of my shots are multiple hoping to get a keeper or 2.

thank everyone!!!

MrBarney · Jul 6, 2010

Hi,

I think if you've only just got the t2i, I would start by using it with the kit lens supplied for a while. There's lots of things it will do just fine. When you're comfortable with the camera and have some ideas of what the kit lens isn't letting you do, and then perhaps look at additional lenses. It will also mean you'll have to get a bit creative sometimes which can result in better photos.

Be very careful on the beach. I don't think I'd want to take my camera there. Perhaps a sturdy ziplock bag or aquapac would be wise.

IlSan · Jul 6, 2010

Agree with Mr. Barney here - freshly bought camera and from my understanding of your post, not much experience - a new lens would be utter over kill.

Best is to get familiar with the camera itself. See what options there are, learn about Shutter, Aperture, ISO....go beyond the Auto-mode, explore Manual mode, etc...

Once you have a good understanding of what your camera does / does not do - upgrade the lens if necessary...

RobNZ · Jul 6, 2010

I agree with what has been said above, however the 50mm 1.8 is a must have at some point, especially for the price and excellent for indoor lower light situations.

Learn the basics even with just the 2 kit lenses, when used well they can produce some stellar shots, you will then really appreciate what good glass can offer.

altair005 · Jul 6, 2010

i am of the opinion that you should start with what you've got and learn with the kit lens until you've gotten a good grasp of handling the camera. i've been shooting with my kit lens for three years, and figured if i could master the kit lens then i could upgrade. i now operate in full manual mode with my canon and am very happy that i've taken the long road to understanding how the camera works, etc... i DO wish i had a remote trigger.... but there are so many things you probably cannot anticipate needing/wanting until you get to that moment.

musashi.t2i · Jul 6, 2010

im still practicing (a lot) but im having a hard time shooting indoor/night time pics. i always have my iso set between 100-800. then i just play around the shutter/aperture to get the best shot. im usually in tv, av, p, or sometimes m if i got the time to tinker with all the settings. thats why i was considering the 50/1.8 so i can go for faster shutter without sacrifing the aperture. thoughts?

second question; is it bad to shoot a LOT. because this last 3 weeks i shot somewhere between 3500 and 4000. based on the count in the file name. not all of them were keepers.

sovietdoc · Jul 6, 2010

second question; is it bad to shoot a LOT. because this last 3 weeks i shot somewhere between 3500 and 4000. based on the count in the file name. not all of them were keepers.

Not necessarily but the ore you shoot without much thought, the more shots you'll have to go through to pick out good ones. Try balancing out shooting spontaneously and looking for a good shot. I usually only take shots of something I already see as a nice shot.

MrBarney · Jul 6, 2010

i was considering the 50/1.8 so i can go for faster shutter without sacrifing the aperture.

I'm assuming you mean "ISO" and not "aperture" there.

Low light is certainly a challenge. Bear in mind that the f1.8 wide open is not at it's best and the depth of field is very small, so focus becomes critical. Of course you can close it down a bit to, say, f2.8 where I hear it's very good.

Instead, why not try using the widest zoom setting on your lenses, allowing you to use the largest aperture (smallest number) and up the ISO to 1600 or even 3200? If you can get the shots you're having trouble with at these settings, but the grainy look is unacceptable then consider the options: the 50mm f1.8; or an external flash (bounce it off walls / ceiling); or a tripod if the subjects aren't moving.

Have you tried the popup flash too? I know it's harsh, but it's free and better than nothing. Try balancing it with higher ISO and wider apertures.

wlPhotography · Jul 6, 2010

MrBarney said:
Instead, why not try using the widest zoom setting on your lenses, allowing you to use the largest aperture (smallest number) and up the ISO to 1600 or even 3200.

Mr. Barney is giving you some good advice here. When you are shooting low light you what to make sure you have the largest aperture possible. You can shoot great low light shots with the lens' provided in the kit. Stay as zoomed out as possible and keep your hand steady.

Set your camera on aperture priority (AV) and lower it as far as you can. Increase your ISO as needed to get you Shutter Speed to 1/30 or higher. Anything under 1/30 will cause a motion blur when hand holding your camera unless you have extremely steady hands. Like Barney said, keep in mind that you will have to pay attention to your depth of field when you have your aperture wide open.

Also when I shoot I always spend a little extra time composing and setting up the shot when possible instead of shooting many photo's and hoping for a good one. This way you will have less to look through and edit and most of the time you will get the photo you want from 1 or 2 shots rather than 10.

For your Sports photography you will want to use shutter speed priority (TV) and set your shutter speed to anything above 1/250. Also lower your ISO to around 200 depending on the lighting so that you wont have grainy photo's.

The 50mm f1.8 lens is a GREAT lens for low light situations and makes your life a lot easier as the photographer. You can get an entry level 50mm f1.8 for around $120 so if you can afford it go right ahead and get one, it will be put to good use. Otherwise you can do just fine with your 18-55mm in low light using the techniques I described above.

musashi.t2i · Jul 7, 2010

thanks for all the input guys!!! i will try it out. as far as shooting less with better options rather than shooting more so i pick the right one is not really my choice. the subject, which is my 2 1/2 year old son, never seems to stop moving or just some random nice moment happens and im not ready to shoot type of moment.

opinions needed: i could actually afford the 50mm 1.4 but is it worlds apart from the 1.8? thoughts? i dont wanna pay 350 when the 100 bucks can the do the job. but then again, i read somewhere that the build quality of the 1.8 is really really really pooorrr. thoughts?

DennyCrane · Jul 7, 2010

Get the f/1.8 for $100. It is the best bargain in the Canon lineup. It's terrific for low light shots. After that... STOP. Learn the camera and the lenses you have.

musashi.t2i · Jul 8, 2010

MrBarney said:
i was considering the 50/1.8 so i can go for faster shutter without sacrifing the aperture.

Click to expand...

I'm assuming you mean "ISO" and not "aperture" there.

Low light is certainly a challenge. Bear in mind that the f1.8 wide open is not at it's best and the depth of field is very small, so focus becomes critical. Of course you can close it down a bit to, say, f2.8 where I hear it's very good.

Instead, why not try using the widest zoom setting on your lenses, allowing you to use the largest aperture (smallest number) and up the ISO to 1600 or even 3200? If you can get the shots you're having trouble with at these settings, but the grainy look is unacceptable then consider the options: the 50mm f1.8; or an external flash (bounce it off walls / ceiling); or a tripod if the subjects aren't moving.

Have you tried the popup flash too? I know it's harsh, but it's free and better than nothing. Try balancing it with higher ISO and wider apertures.