18-55mm IS lens - next step up

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shell_w

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Michelle
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Hi all,

I currently have a Canon 450d with the standard 18-55mm IS kit lens. This is my first DSLR, and the lens has done me good so far in teaching me the basics.

However, I'm desperate for a new lens, but I've no idea what to get, as I take such a wide range of photos - I take everything from flowers, pets and portraits, to wildlife, landscapes and mountains.

The main issue I've had with the 18-55 has been the zoom length - I'd ideally like to cover a much longer distance for those hiking shots. However, I'm aware that I'm still a beginner so I don't want to go too crazy.

I'm then due to go on safari and climb Kilimanjaro in 2012, so I'm assuming that I will want a third lens for this in the future after this lens.

I know it's quite vague(!), but can anyone help in guiding me to what a good second lens would be for this camera and my needs?

Many thanks in advance for any help :)
 
Hiya I was in a similar position to you, not long after I got my new Canon DSLR with 18-55mm kit I wanted a new lens to play with.

So I got 2 :lol: low end, pretty cheap lenses, and a few months on I am pleased I got what I did. I got a wide angle, and zoomy one! (Yes I'm a total beginner, haha!)

Sigma 10-20mm - AMAZING for landscape shots and funnies.
Sigma 70-300mm - great for getting a bit closer.
 
"I dont want to go too crazy"
The obvious choice for a novice with your existing kit is the Canon 55-250 IS. Compliments the 18-55 IS very well and gives you long reach with image stabilisation. Check out the flickr group for this lens to see what can be achieved with it.

LucyQ ! Sigma 10-20 low end ?
I have the siggy and love it, that really hurts :-(
 
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Canon 55-250mm IS, excellent picture quality for the price (approx £150) and would be a good companion for your kit lens

(oh well 55-250 IS seconded then)
 
Gazamonk said:
LucyQ ! Sigma 10-20 low end ?
I have the siggy and love it, that really hurts :-(
Click to expand...
Oops :naughty: no, I just presumed it was because I could afford it!! It was the cheapest I found, the prices of some of them, eeech! I just presumed more people on here would spend a lot more on such lenses! Glad to hear that is not the case :)
 
Thankyou - the canon 55-250mm looks perfect, and at a really good price too! At that price I'm already thinking about what to get next :D (it's dangerous getting into this photography malarkey!)

The sigma 10-20mm looks amazing too, if a little pricy for me at this moment...
 
Good tripod might be the next thing to buy if you haven't already got one, spare battery and memory card is also very handy
Reckon a ultra wide angle lens would be great for your upcoming trip and for the price the Sigma 10-20mm can't be beat

Hope you have fun with the 55-250mm, might need to allow a few more quid for a hood, don't think they come with one
 
If you can afford it, I'd get a Tamron 17-50 2.8 (non VC) and a 55-250 IS to go with it.

Then you have great IQ from 27-400mm covered by two compact and light lenses, and a fast walk around lens to boot!

The IS on the 55-250 works extremely well, the IQ isnt a million miles behind the wonderful 70-200 range, and the Tamron is streets ahead of the 18-55 IS in my experience.

You really can't go wrong with this combination, and you could pick up both for well under £400 used, and sell your 18-55 for £60 ish.

The Tamron works well for macro as well.
 
Is there a big difference between Sigma 70-300mm and Canon 55-250mm IS ?
Great thread, im in exact the same situation like the thread starter :p

Budget is around £150 and would like to get picture closer and looking for the best value and quality.

Cheers
 
RookieMekanik said:
Is there a big difference between Sigma 70-300mm and Canon 55-250mm IS ?
Great thread, im in exact the same situation like the thread starter :p

Budget is around £150 and would like to get picture closer and looking for the best value and quality.

Cheers
Click to expand...


I went for the 55-250mm IS and am delighted with the quality/reach for the cost. I found this thread comparsion a short time ago which helped in my decision.

http://www.talkphotography.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?t=64377
 
If you only have the kit 18-55mm IS then the most obvious choice is definitely the Canon 55-250mm IS.

The other lens I would consider if the nifty fifty, yes your 18-55mm covers this already but the nifty fifty's f1.8 allows a lot of flexibility.
 
If budget is an issue, and you don't mind learning to manual focus, you can pick up some great FD lens' for peanuts now. Pick up an FD to EOS AF recognition adapter for £25, then spend £75 on about 3/4 extremely decent FD glass.

As a student thats what I did. I went from having a (broken) non focussing kit lens, to having 6 lens' ranging from 10mm to 600mm. Granted they're all manual focus, but its easy to pick up. I now have great glass with a good range for a fifth of the price of some good lens'.

Just another option to throw in the pan :D
 
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