Daft question from a novice!

klc_001

klc_001

Messages
386
Name
Kristy
Edit My Images
Yes
Hello All :wave:
I love my 400d, and the results that I can get with it so far - but I am only an amateur and on a very steep learning curve. Most of the shots I get at the moment are more by luck than judgement, but I am beginning to understand how I'm achieving them - hurrah!

:thinking:I find myself getting easily confused when it comes to reading about the different lenses that you can get, and hope that someone could help with this question.....does anyone know anywhere on-line that I can get an idiots guide to the lenses that you can get for a Canon - and what results you can get from each (with sample pictures if possible). Then I'll know what I'm aiming for when compling future wish lists!!

Thank you in advance, and apologies if this is a daft question!! No doubt as I'm learning there will be many more of them to come!:lol:

Hope everyone is enjoying the weekend, even if it is a little wet out there!
Kristy
 
Trying to keep it simple...

How much of the scene you get in depends on focal length like 10-20mm wide angle, 18-55mm for a kit lens 70-200mm for a medium zoom, 400mm telephoto etc.

How well the lens will work in low light and how well you can get a blurry background behind your nice sharp subject depends on the aperture or f number. Low f number lenses have big lumps of glass and are expensive.

So you might want another lens to let you zoom in closer or you might want one that will work better than the kit lens in low light.

Confusion can not be avoided :) Even when you know what you are looking at choosing a new lens will make your head hurt. Eventually the mists will clear and you will choose something :)
 
MagicMynx said:
It's all gobbledegook to me! lol
Click to expand...

:lol: Glad I'm not the only one!!

Thanks for all the replies so far :thumbs: - really appreciate it - am currently checking out those links......

Kristy
 
MagicMynx said:
Are macro lenses the ones with the fixed number, not a hypen and bigger number, on the description?

Like 18mm-70mm is kit lens, would 28mm lens be macro?

It's all gobbledegook to me! lol
Click to expand...

good macro lenses are generally 'prime', ie, a fixed focal length, sch as 28mm or whatever. But macro actually means it has a 1:1 [or close to] focal range so you can shoot tiny critters and the like close up, a very loose description of 'macro' is a lens for shooting small things in detail in other words.

any lens that has a single length or size, such as 50mm, or 100mm, etc is called a prime and will generally be on the expensive side. Anything that has two lengths, for example, 24-70mm, is a zoom, and can be expensive, but there are also usually much cheaper versions of these too.


I can only suggest you follow Roberst advice of basically deciding where you want your pictures to go next before deving into the hugely complicated chosing of which lens. You need to decide what you will want that lens to do in order to narrow the choices down to something you can deal with ;)
 
thank you.

To be frank (cause it's the only way I can describe what I want) I want to take pictures of a single flower close up, or a leaf of a flower, - I want to take pictures like this one (the flower head was about 5mm and taken with my other camera)

DSCF2313.jpg


and shots like this (again taken with my other camera - fuji finepix 8100sd)

DSCF1614.jpg

That was taken from the other side of the pond (there's an island in the centre of the pond)

the fuji has a zoom of upto 400 and something though, lol

I'm looking to spend no more than around £200 for each of the 2 lenses though
 
I'd be interested to know too - Anyone have any thoughts on this please?
Thanks!
 
to take shots like the flower one above...you don't necessarily need a macro lens.the shot would best be described as "close up",as opposed to "macro"...and could be achieved with a kit lens,or a similar lens with a macro facility like the sigma 17-70 F/2.8-4.5 DC macro.although it's not a true macro lens as it's not 1:1,it may be all you need.as regards the 2nd shot...a zoom lens with a focal length of say,70-300 would be best i would say..great for wildlife,sports etc...

you can also use the 70-300 for the flower shots,although the working distance will be generally greater(distance from the subject to the lens).the shot below was taken with a 70-200 lens,so as you can see,close up shots can be achieved with medium zoom lens...

DSC01022_filteredcopy.jpg


i hope i've not confused you even more...yes,it is a steep learning curve..but one you will soon overcome,i'm sure :thumbs:
 
Unless you want to spend all of your £400 budget I think the Sigma AF 70-300mm f4-5.6 DG APO Macro is going to suit you very well and its only £173. It is long enough to reach far away (within reason) subjects and will focus close enough for close ups of flowers and insects.
 
hi kristy and welcome to tp heres a nice place to check hth mike

http://www.photozone.de/

its a german site but dont worry its all in english :thumbs:

the bottom website is my signature and only good for nikon users sorry!!!
 
MagicMynx said:
Thanks guys

what do you think of thises lenses? (Need sony/minolta fit)

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Tamron-AF-7...5INM/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1244358637&sr=1-3

and

http://www.warehouseexpress.com/product/default.aspx?sku=1011874

I *think* I like these (but think they're the same?) but kindadon't know what I'm talking about, so don't know if I like them, LOL
Click to expand...

hi magicmynx...as a sony user,i've no experience of either of these lens,which doesn't help you much i know.what i do know however,is that this lens..

http://www.warehouseexpress.com/product/default.aspx?sku=1011618

comes highly regarded,and although a little higher in price than the tamron offering,apparently is better optically..so worth paying the extra bucks...

there may be a few users here...

http://www.talkphotography.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?t=107446

that may be able to give you an opinion on how the tamron offerings perform,so if you post a question on there.....
 
You better forget Ken Rockwell, because he's not a reliable source of information. :)

A good and easy way - without complicating too much since you are just starting - can be the following:

- Go to Fred Miranda's website and check lenses reviews from Canon, Sigma, Tokina and Tamron.
http://www.fredmiranda.com/reviews/

- Check which ones are rated with the highest scores. Try to avoid lenses which are rated less than 8/10. Some of them may be good and even better than others with higher score, but generally it means they aren't that good for the price.
If you are looking for a general use lens, select something between 17-100mm and avoid other focal distances. For example: 17-50mm, 17-55mm, 17-70mm, 18-50mm, 24-60mm, 24-70mm, 24-105mm, 28-75mm...

- Go to flickr and make a search with the models you find interesting. Select the ones which may fit your needs, judging by the pictures.

- Check for their prices and see which ones you can get.

- Search for some reviews on the internet and ask information in the forum, so you can confirm if those lenses are really made for the purposes you are expecting.

- Go check prices once again and pick the better deal in a safe store. :)
 
stan the man said:
hi magicmynx...as a sony user,i've no experience of either of these lens,which doesn't help you much i know.what i do know however,is that this lens..

http://www.warehouseexpress.com/product/default.aspx?sku=1011618

comes highly regarded,and although a little higher in price than the tamron offering,apparently is better optically..so worth paying the extra bucks...

there may be a few users here...

http://www.talkphotography.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?t=107446

that may be able to give you an opinion on how the tamron offerings perform,so if you post a question on there.....
Click to expand...

Well...I've just ordered it....hopefully it's what I mean LOL
 
MagicMynx said:
Thanks guys

what do you think of thises lenses? (Need sony/minolta fit)

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Tamron-AF-7...5INM/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1244358637&sr=1-3

and

http://www.warehouseexpress.com/product/default.aspx?sku=1011874

I *think* I like these (but think they're the same?) but kindadon't know what I'm talking about, so don't know if I like them, LOL
Click to expand...

Hi, from one newbie to another, welcome. I started out with a 400D, and apart from the kit lens that came with the camera, I had the Tamron 70-300 that you mentioned here. The second lens you gave a link for, the 55-200 I dont know anything about.
It is a minefield but quickly starts to become clear as you read up and talk about the subject. Having said that, I am still at the bottom of the learning curve but enjoying it and getting heaps of information and help from this forum.
The Tamron 70-300 gave me excelent results for a relatively cheap lens, especialy using the macro setting. Its not true macro but close to it and works well. I have many pictures on my FLickr site taken using that lens if you want to take a look. I upgraded that lens recently so the macro or close up pics on my site prior to about April this year were taken with the Tamron lens. In can homestly say that I was very happy with the results I had and enjoyed using the lens, I only upgraded when I felt I had pushed the lens to its limit and wanted to move on.
The advert you pasted the link for was for a Sony/Minolta fit, if you do get one, make sure you order one with the Canon fitting.
Hope this helps and good luck.

Having looked back on this thread, let me add that the comment regarding the Canon fit was for KLC with the 400D, MagicMinx has a different make, sorry if I caused confusion there,
 
i first had that lens when i got my 300d, i won a competition with it, so its not a shabby lens, the focus is a little slow but they really are good for the money
 
Hi All
I'm sure MagicMynx would mind, but I'd like to say thanks so much from both of us for the responses to this thread ! I've certainly got a lot of information to read and understand now!

I've just purchased a nifty fifty from a TP member - so very excited to try it out when it arrives!!

Cheers
Kristy
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top