which lense?

fire34fighter · Nov 17, 2007

Hi,

I recently bought a canon 30D and am now looking to purchase a lens. I take a lot of pictures at night, but still a good ammount during the day. 90% of the time I can't use a trip-pod so I need something relatively fast. I'd also like to keep my budget of $300, but wouldn't be opposed to spending up to $500.

you can view examples of some of the pictures i'll be taking here

JIP · Nov 17, 2007

Let me be the first....

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/12142-USA/Canon_2514A002_Normal_EF_50mm_f_1_8.html

soylentgreen · Nov 17, 2007

What lens do you have now? Are you looking to get more wide -angle or telephoto? The 50 f/1.8 is a great lens as JIP stated for portaiture and lowlight.. The 50 f/1.4 is an upgraded version. Unfortunatley for you, faster lenses mean more $$$$. A lot more. Especially where quality comes into play. If tripods are a no-no and telephoto is your thing, look into Image Stabilized lenses. BUKU bucks!!!

fire34fighter · Nov 18, 2007

soylentgreen said:
What lens do you have now? Are you looking to get more wide -angle or telephoto? The 50 f/1.8 is a great lens as JIP stated for portaiture and lowlight.. The 50 f/1.4 is an upgraded version. Unfortunatley for you, faster lenses mean more $$$$. A lot more. Especially where quality comes into play. If tripods are a no-no and telephoto is your thing, look into Image Stabilized lenses. BUKU bucks!!!

I have no lens right now. Just a 30D body.

usayit · Nov 18, 2007

Since it is your 1st and only lens, most are looking towards something that for general use... flexibility

I like the Canon 28-135mm IS lens... Good range (a bit lacking in wide due to crop).. light weight.. compact... Image stabalized.

Since you are interested in low light photography, pull another $75 USD bucks and add the 50mm f1.8.

soylentgreen · Nov 18, 2007

I agree with usayit in that you will first need a general purpose lens with a bit of versatility. The EF 28-135 is a decent lens from the reviews i have seen, however, I find it a little short on the wide-end. I personally prefer the EF-S 17-85 IS due to the wider field of view for a general purpose lens. The EF 28-135 was more suited for the non-DSLR in Canon's line-up. Whcih is the same as the 17-85 with the 1.6 crop factor. Both lenses are within your budget and you can add the 50 f/1.8 for low-light and portraits. Get something though, that's an expensive paper-weight you have right now.