Advice on what size lenses to get

[Sweety]

I could do with some advice please on what size lenses I should invest in getting. I took this great hobby up 20 months ago but had a bridge camera until last month when I got a Canon 750d, main things I like are landscape, seascape, wildlife & a bit of astro. So far I have the standard kit lens Canon 18-55mm IS STM & a Tamron SP 70-300mm F4-5.6 DI VC USD

 

[Orangecroc]

Where have you found yourself reaching the limits of your current lenses and wanting more?

 

[Deleted member 49428]

Where have you found yourself reaching the limits of your current lenses and wanting more?

Agree. If you have to ask you don't need them now.
If on the other hand
You constantly
couldnt get close enough on insects or get flowey big enough in frame
Found the 18 mm end was to long
Have backgrounds to to much in focus and distracting
Shoots in low light
Etc.
Then perhaps
But how about attending a workshop..... or two

 

[Jannyfox]

The Tamron/Sigma 150-600 is ideal for wildlife and astro (Sun, Moon, deep sky objects, that is - not so good for wide field Milky Way shots, obviously), however I'd learn to walk before you run and enjoy the 70-300 for now. I don't know what the 18-55 kit lens you get with the 750D is like. I inherited an old '1st generation' one off a 350D and it's a bit rubbish. Maybe consider replacing it with something like the Tamron 17-50 f2.8. I find it a great lens for landscape and also wide field astro.

 

[Sweety]

I know i'm going to need a longer lens than my 70-300mm for the wildlife I want to capture & will be saving long & hard for that but when it comes to landscape & astro I have been getting mixed views when it comes to the lens size & apature as some have said f2.8 or f4. I am thinking of trying out some macro shots of insects & plants but have now idea on what would be a good focal length lens to get for that. A few I have spoken to swear by a nifty fifty & was going to get one but then remembered my camera is a 1.6 crop sensor so not sure if it would be a bad purchase

 

[stupar]

You have the STM version of the 18-55 kit lens which is basic but has come a long way since the original version created.
The 18-55 will be fine for landscape/seascape shots as invariably you are shooting wide and with your aperture stopped down therefore you will get decent results.

for astrophotography (stars/milkyway etc) the consensus is wide angle fast aperture lenses and high ISO shooting. the 18-55 will work to a degree but there are other lenses out there that will do the job better.

That just leaves you with your wildlife dilemma which you have already noted as a save long and hard job.
The nifty fifty is a good bang for buck lens on full frame or crop. On your 750D it would give an effective focal length of 80mm which would be good for portraits etc especially with the fast aperture for background separation.

 

[PaulButler]

Making some broad generalisations here ... for landscapes a wide angle is often preferred by some, though any lens can be used for landscapes (I often use an 85mm ...) most landscapes are shot @ narrow apertures typically f8 to f11 but again I have shot some as wide as f1.4 !! The point is that for a huge amount of landscape type work your kit lens will do a decent job. As for astro work, it isn't something I do any of really, but a wide aperture is required as well as a wideish angle lens ... your kit lens is less likely to be completely usable for astro, so your options there are to replace the kit lens or get a something additional (e.g. a tokina 11-16/20 f2.8) ... 50mm on a crop has never really worked for me ymmv though ... if you replace your kit lens the siggy 18-50 or tamron 18-50 are both decent and both f2.8.

For macro work you could use rings or a reversing adaptor ... personally find them a faff so I don't tend to bother ... decent macro lenses aren't massively expensive (but far more than a set of rings etc) - something like a siggy 105 or tamron 90 would be good.

Wildlife usually means long focal length and the siggy and tamron 150/600s get good reviews

 

[troutfisher]

Oh dear, you have contracted GAS ( Gear Aquisition Syndrome) already, don't worry we all get it, its not fatal just expensive.
On a more serious note, you want to photograph wildlife, for biggish things , Deer , Foxes , Squirrels your 70-300 and a bit of fieldcraft will do fine ( If you have Deer Park locally go and find the deer and sit very quietly and be patient) learn about your quarry , little birds at 50ft you will struggle and need some serious gear.
Macro , read up on extension tubes and reversing rings before you spend oodles of cash.
If you decide you want a macro lens the Canon 60mm is fine on your camera.
BTW before spending money on lenses if you have not got them a decent flash and a tripod would be a good investment.
You can pick up a used 430Ex Flash from MPB from £64 or probably less on here when you can access the classifieds.

 

[Sweety]

Oh dear, you have contracted GAS ( Gear Aquisition Syndrome) already, don't worry we all get it, its not fatal just expensive.
On a more serious note, you want to photograph wildlife, for biggish things , Deer , Foxes , Squirrels your 70-300 and a bit of fieldcraft will do fine ( If you have Deer Park locally go and find the deer and sit very quietly and be patient) learn about your quarry , little birds at 50ft you will struggle and need some serious gear.
Macro , read up on extension tubes and reversing rings before you spend oodles of cash.
If you decide you want a macro lens the Canon 60mm is fine on your camera.
BTW before spending money on lenses if you have not got them a decent flash and a tripod would be a good investment.
You can pick up a used 430Ex Flash from MPB from £64 or probably less on here when you can access the classifieds.

Thanks tbh didn't think about extension tubes & will have a good read up on them, I have been thinking about getting a flash funny enough mind you that seems another mine field for a newbie lol

 

[troutfisher]

Thanks tbh didn't think about extension tubes & will have a good read up on them, I have been thinking about getting a flash funny enough mind you that seems another mine field for a newbie lol

I have thought a bit more about this and looking at what you want to try rather than a flash get a tripod, a remote release a polarizing filter and something like a 10 stop ND filter.
Reasons as follows
You want to try Landscapes and Seascapes. You will want long exposures for " Soft Water" everybody does it and you will need a tripod and the ND filter and a remote release helps a lot.
The polarising filter cuts out glare , enhances skies and is the one filter you cannot replicate in PP.
Astro again long exposures-remote release
Macro-again a tripod , macro invariably has a very shallow DoF , focussing is not easy and focus stacking is very difficult if the camera moves.
Whatever you do , don't buy cheap you will only be dissatisfied and spend more money replacing the stuff you bought cheap-its cheap for a reason
One other thing check if your 70-30 has tripod sensing-if it does not make sure you turn it off when it is on a tripod

 

[Sweety]

I have a remote shutter release, 2 tripods, a polarising filter & a couple of filters but looking at getting a 10 stop one