[exo-ak-dk]

Hi there

I had my Canon Eos 450d almost for a year now.

When I purchased my SLR it came with a 18-55 lens.

Now i need a good lens, who can bring me up to a higher level.

can someone guide me? And i Need this advice asap, because one of my friends is traveling abroad and can get those cheaper and he need a answer from me ASAP.

ps I love the "bokeh" effect where the background is blurry. so it would be good if the lens could do that too

Hope you can help out!

Thanks for the help!

[vachss]

By far the cheapest solution for a high quality lens that will let you play around with shallow depth of field and "bokeh" is the 50mm f/1.8II. You can pick one of these up for about $80 in the US.

There a many many other lens choices out there, but to pick one we'd have to know more about what you're hoping to shoot (landscape vs. wildlife vs. people) which dictates things like focal length, aperture and zoom vs. prime.

[exo-ak-dk]

well for the most i just love to take pictures with depth in it. I usually take pictures of my car, buildings, vacations and i would love to take pictures at night, but i cant master that yet(dont know if it is because of the lens).

I will consider the 50mm f/1.8II too, but its so cheap that i still can buy another lens.

Hope you have more input.

i've heard about some 70-300 and some 50-200(i think)

Are they good?

[remmib]

Are you looking for alens to replace the 18-55? What price range?

[exo-ak-dk]

yes I currently have the 18-55 lens. The price range is not that important but it should be around +500$ i will pay more if needed. but wont go over 800$

[ichiban]

I'd say the best lens you can get for a crop body is a Canon 17-55 2.8 IS USM. but you probably have to look for awhile to find it at 800, usually they're at 850. If you're fine with primes, check out either the canon 50 1.4 (or 1.8) and sigma 30 1.4.

[remmib]

If you want bokeh from a normal zoom lens, you need a bigger aperture than the kit lens.
The kit lens is f/3.5-5.6, you should get something that's f/2.8.

Canon has this:
http://www.japanphoto.no/product/obj...2-8-is-usm-ii/

If you don't mind Sigma, they've got this, for less than half the price, but without IS:
http://www.japanphoto.no/product/obj...cro-for-canon/

[ichiban]

I'm pretty sure a lot of reviews have said that the tamron 17-50 2.8 is better than the sigma. Especially now you can get the VC version (same as canon's Image Stabilization IS).

[exo-ak-dk]

Remmib whats the difference between the canon lens you mention and the 50mm f/1.8II? which ones makes the best bookeh effects?

The one you mention seems to be alot like the lens i already have which is 18-55 too?

[remmib]

Here's a couple more, the Tamron is the one that ichiban mentioned.

Tamron SP AF 17-50mm F2.8 XR Di II VC
http://www.japanphoto.no/product/obj...-vc-for-canon/

Tokina AT-X PRO DX 16-50mm f/ 2.8
http://www.japanphoto.no/product/obj...2-8-for-canon/

I don't know which one is best, but I bet both would be a great upgrade from the kit lens.

[remmib]

Originally Posted by exo-ak-dk

Remmib whats the difference between the canon lens you mention and the 50mm f/1.8II? which ones makes the best bookeh effects?

The one you mention seems to be alot like the lens i already have which is 18-55 too?

The 50mm f/1.8II is a prime lens, a fixed lens with no zoom. The f/1.8 is the aperture number. The smaller the number, the better the bokeh will be.

The Canon 17-55 f/2.8 IS and the Sigma 18-50 f/2.8 is meant to replace the 18-55 kit you've got now.

[exo-ak-dk]

ahh okay, now i understand.

so if i buy the canon 17-55 f/2.8 IS, I get rid of changing the lens, so i both can take bookeh and normal shots

[exo-ak-dk]

what about the lens which covers a wide scale, like the 70-300 lens. What are those used for.

If i remember right Remmib, you once mentioned that you bought a used 50-200 or 70-300? what are those lens' used for?

[remmib]

70-300 is a telephoto zoom lens. 70-300 is the focal lenth in mm. 50mm is the normal focal length like the human eye. Lower than that is considered wide, and more than that is a tele zoom.

[PNF]

Originally Posted by exo-ak-dk

what about the lens which covers a wide scale, like the 70-300 lens. What are those used for.

If i remember right Remmib, you once mentioned that you bought a used 50-200 or 70-300? what are those lens' used for?

17-55 f2.8 IS USM is one of the BEST EFS lens out there. The image quality of this lens is just as good, if not better, than the 24-70mm f2.8L.

http://www.the-digital-picture.com/R...ns-Review.aspx

You can probably try to find a used one for $800, but I doubt you will find many aruond.

OR, buy it from B&H at $990! (There is a rebate of $70 right now and it is ending THIS WEEKEND!)

It will be back to $1060 after today.

Invest in a good lens. they dont depreciate much!

OR

get this one.

17-40 f4L

http://www.the-digital-picture.com/R...ns-Review.aspx

Also one of the better lens around, although it is not as fast as the f2.8, but the image quality is excellent.

If you want really nice blur background/shallow DOF photos, go with prime lens, and get the 50 f1.4 ($399), and the 35 f2.0 ($399 I think). You will not regret both of these 2 lens and will get the effect you want.

no offense to 50mm f1.8 users, but f1.4 produces much better DOF effects and the image is sharper and ess vigenetting, not to mention the build-quality between 1.4 vs 1.8 is night and day (IMO)

[bosstones]

Opinions on Sigma's 28-70mm f2.8 EX DG? Perhaps this may be an option for the OP since its pretty budget friendly. At around $350, its cheaper alternative to other ballpark equivalent focal ranged lens.

I actually bought one when I got my XTi a couple years ago (purchased the camera body only). I used to use this lens as a walk-around until I got a 10-22mm.

[PNF]

Originally Posted by bosstones

Opinions on Sigma's 28-70mm f2.8 EX DG? Perhaps this may be an option for the OP since its pretty budget friendly. At around $350, its cheaper alternative to other ballpark equivalent focal ranged lens.

I actually bought one when I got my XTi a couple years ago (purchased the camera body only). I used to use this lens as a walk-around until I got a 10-22mm.

28-70 is not wide enough to be a general walk around lens, not on a 1.6x body.

Sure you can probably say you dont need a 17mm (or around 24 equivalent), but you dont know what you're missing.

besides..... i'd save up for some nicer lens, or else, stick with the kit 18-55.. you get what you pay for, especially for lenses..

In general, I'd advise against 3rd party lens, as they usually reverse engineer their products from OEMs such as canon/nikon/zeiss etc.

But you cant beat the price though.

read the review here on the Sigma.. is all i can say.

http://www.the-digital-picture.com/R...ns-Review.aspx