Suggestions???

[LisaCadwell]

Hi all.

I currently have a Canon EOS Rebel XS with the 18-55mm and a 55/250mm F/4.0-5.6 IS. I am basically a beginner - at least that is how I feel. I have taken portraits (mostly of my daughters) for the past couple of years and will be getting more into landscape photos. I am considering getting a lens with a lower f stop. Maybe a 1.4-1.8 ish... for the up close and personal landscape shots.

I have multiple questions.
1) Is it more reasonable to keep the body of the XS and continue to get more lenses for it? If so - what are the recommended lenses that I should look at.
2) If it is more reasonable to upgrade which is better Canon or Nikon.

Basically - what gear do I really need to have? I have no intention of going "professional" but I do want to be able to take great photos. Who knows where it will take me.

Is this a really vague thread??? LOL.

Lisa

 

[Derrel]

How much money can you afford to spend, in a vague, offhand sort of manner of speaking? $1,000? $2,000? $3,500? Just how much of a financial commitment are we looking at, as we strive to spend your money,Lisa? I dunno...

 

[LisaCadwell]

Spend my money.... LOL. Yeah, I guess that would be a consideration. Around $1000. Unless it is really important to go more. If I can justify the additional cost....

 

[KmH]

Landscape shots tend to be wide and deep rather than up close and personal.

Few maximum wide aperture, or fast, lenses focus sharply when used wide open. Depth-of-field (DoF) also gets shallow with a wide aperture, and gets shallower still if the lens is close to the point of focus. Consequently lots of inexperienced photographers have focus issues because they don't understand the details of how DoF works well enough.

It turns out that fast lenses usually deliver their sharpest focus when stopped down 2 of more 'stops'. Two stops down from f/1.4 is f/2, and 2 stops down from f/1.8 is f/2.6.
FWIW, f/1.8 delivers 3/4 of a stop less light than f/1.4 does. A stop is a doubling or a halving of the amount of light, be it a stop of lens aperture, a stop of shutter speed, or a stop of ISO.

At any rate landscape photos are generally made a smaller lens apertures and distant points of focus which yields the needed deep DoF. You will need to be a bit more specific regarding what it is you consider "up close and personal landscape shots" to be before anyone can get very specific about lens recommendations.

Both Canon and Nikon make good cameras. It is my opinion that Nikon designs cameras for photographers, while Canon designs cameras more for their marketing department.

IIRC your XS does not have Spot metering mode. Canon no longer has the XS user's manual on their Canon USA web site so I couldn't verify my recollection.

 

[Derrel]

Spot metering,snot metering...doesn't matter much these days...never did,really. If you want a wide zoom, the Canon 10-22 EF-S is "the" lens in EF-S mount. I think most people say glass first...BUT, that fails to account for the HUGE strides that have been made in sensors since the Rebel XS was state of the art...a newer, better camera would be a big asset. At $1,000, you need to think about good, clean, used gear, perhaps third-party, like say the Tamron 17-50/2.8 or the same lens from Sigma. EOS 60D or the com parable high-end XXX Rebel,perhaps are the two camera areas I'd scope out if I were you.

 

[texkam]

The cheapest first step is to buy the 50mm 1.8. If/when you decide to upgrade you will be able to get nearly all of your money back when you sell this nifty little lens. The Tamaron 17-50mm 2.8 is a versatile, budget lens that can produce pretty good results. It's a less painful process to upgrade lenses. You'll get most of your money back when you sell because they tend to hold their value, bodies don't.

which is better Canon or Nikon

Yes!

 

[MLeeK]

Neither is better. It's about what fits you properly. Like a comfy pair of shoes!

I'll add my vote for purchasing the 50mm f/1.8 along with my 2¢, cuz I just can't resist! LOL!
Why the 50 f/1.8 you may ask?
1. it's CHEAP AS HELL.
2. it's a taste of a prime lens. Prime lenses do not zoom, so there is no compromise across the zoom of sharpness. They are the sweet spot as far as that is concerned. Primes are the sharpest of lenses. For the cheap as hell price this will give one amazing taste of SHARP.
3. Because it doesn't zoom there is no changing aperture like in most consumer lenses. It is always on f/1.8 if that's where you put it. That makes learning how to use your settings a whole lot easier than a zoom that changes from 3.5 at the widest end to 5.6 if you zoom. When the aperture changes it changes your shutter speed and maybe even your ISO depending on your shooting conditions-which is fine, but as you are learning it makes things a bit frustrating. You may get perfect exposure then zoom and discover your shot is dark as night. Or you may get just the opposite. It just makes the comprehension and application part much easier than everything changing on you as you zoom.
4. It's great for low light. f/1.8 is 1 and 1/3 stops faster than f/3.5. That is 2.3 times as much light allowed into the lens than at f/3.5. It is 3 and 1/3 stops faster than f/5.6 or 3.3 times as much light gets into the lens. That opens a whole new world of possibilities.

I'd add in a speedlite and an off camera trigger/receiver. Then begin to learn how to use it. I am a fan of having one good, dedicated flash and if you are aiming for professional down the line I'd recommend the best possible one you can purchase at this time so that you can use it to it's fullest down the line. Yes, I really am saying the 600EX-RT. Or at least the 580EX II which you can pick up used on ebay. The 430EX II isn't bad and women tend to like it as it isn't as heavy, but it is also not everything the 580 is and not half of what the 600 is.

As for camera body: I would upgrade, personally. This is opinion only!!! The XS is a capable camera by all means! However there have been super leaps in advanced ISO handling and noise performance since then.
What would I upgrade to? That depends on you and what your FUTURE goals are in photography. Plus budget. If you aspire to become a professional photographer I'd stick to learning on what you have while you build up bank for the ideal camera. You can learn the basics to advanced techniques and produce beautiful images with your camera. Professional use it's going to come up short for weddings, sports, high end portraiture, low light, event, etc. You can do much of that, but you have to work within the limits of that camera.

LASTLY... (finally!) If you are going to switch camera brands I wouldn't purchase a damn thing for the canon line and save my money to start that same process in the Nikon line. The steps I'd proceed through are the same except I'd purchase the best possible body that will suit you now AND down the road first.


adding another thought: Don't be afraid of changing brands-if you are planning professional work down the road. The lenses you have won't cut it and they won't work on a full frame camera. They will be sold off no matter what somewhere if that is the case.

 

[LisaCadwell]

All great information. For now, I think I will say that I have no intention of going professional. I see this more as a hobby that will full fill the empty nest syndrome that I'm finding myself in! I like Canon - but I wonder if that is because I have a Canon. AND, I understand that I need a lot of work on my skills instead of trying to find a lens that will take better pictures.

Know of any support groups in Yakima, WA? LOL... Hi - My name is Lisa and I'm addicted to photography.......