This look good?

[Brotage]

So after hours of searching through lenses and debating on which body and which brand I should get I came up with this

Canon Digital Rebel XTi
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/controller/home?O=cart&A=details&Q=&sku=457506&is=REG

and

Canon Telephoto EF 85mm f/1.8 USM autofocus Lens
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/12182-USA/Canon_2519A003_85mm_f_1_8_USM_Autofocus.html

perhaps get some other lenses later, if you could suggest any others.

Oh and would I be able to shoot infrared shots with this?
and assuming I could would this be the filter I need?
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/23078-REG/Hoya_015457_58mm_RM72_Infrared_Glass.htmland I'll need some kind of memory card right? how much does 1 gb, 2gb, and so on hold?

 

[xfloggingkylex]

I think you are going to be pretty limited in your subjects with that lens, simply because it is a telephoto prime.

Unless you are sure you want something that length, you may want to look shorter.

 

[Brotage]

Yeah, I've also considered getting the 50mm 1.8 since it's only 70$, and I probably will later on.

I also looked at a wide angle (28m 1.8) but that was 400$ which is a bit too much for now... there is another one for 220$ or so but I like to read the reviews for something that I'm going to drop a few hundred dollars on.

that lens has 20 some reviews and still has a 4.9 rating.. which is pretty kickass

if anyone knows some cheap wide angles or more reviews please share

 

[Rapid]

I also put in hours of research and decided on the XTi.

Why are you going with a fixed zoom lens? I don't understand the benifits of fixed zoom, please tell me.

 

[xfloggingkylex]

Yeah, I've also considered getting the 50mm 1.8 since it's only 70$, and I probably will later on.

I also looked at a wide angle (28m 1.8) but that was 400$ which is a bit too much for now... there is another one for 220$ or so but I like to read the reviews for something that I'm going to drop a few hundred dollars on.

that lens has 20 some reviews and still has a 4.9 rating.. which is pretty kickass

if anyone knows some cheap wide angles or more reviews please share

dont buy a lens based on reviews. just because a lens is as sharp as possible, f/0.5 and made by god himself, doesn't mean that it is going to suit your needs.

For instance, if you are going to be doing a lot of indoor shooting and dont live in a mansion, 80mm is probably a bit long. However, if you want to take pictures of birds or other wildlife, 80mm is going to be pretty short.

 

[Brotage]

I also put in hours of research and decided on the XTi.

Why are you going with a fixed zoom lens? I don't understand the benifits of fixed zoom, please tell me.

I don't really like zooms because I start getting lazy, whereas if I don't I can usually climb up or down something and it forces me to get much more interesting stuff. And I need a lens for skating shots I haven't been able to find many zooms with a relatively low (or is it high?) enough apertures for skating.

Theres usually some sort of way to work around space issues, and I don't think ill be doing many indoor shots, usually at the skatepark but thats really wide open.

I suppose I could do all of this with a wide angle or normal too.. sigh..

 

[fightheheathens]

if there was a lens sharp as possible, f/0.5 and made by god himself, i think i could change my needs to use it.....

benifits of a prime lens over a zoom are,
they are generally cheaper for the given max apperature.
for example, my nikor 50mm f1.4 lens is 350 new.
a nikor 17-35mm f2.8 is 1,500 new.
you could probably pick up a good 24 f2.8 lens plus a
50mm lens for less then the 17-35 f2.8


fixed lenses are generally sharper.
this used to be much more true, however
modern zooms are pretty gosh darn sharp (at least good ones)
though i still think primes are sharper. (would take a well trained eye to see the difference though

and lastly, primes are generally smaller and more compack then a zoom.
a 50mm lens and a 24 mm lens are smaller and lighter then a 17-55mm lens.

 

[fightheheathens]

oh, and as far as lenses go, i would start off with the 50mm 1.8
its a good starting point, it would let you shoot in more confined spaces and for 70 dollars, its kinda silly not to have one

 

[Rapid]

o...seen...

so the lower the aperture, the greater the sharpness?