Help with a Canon 400D

[Dymetrie]

Hi peoples,

On Friday it is my sister-in-law's birthday....

For chrimble she got a 400D and so here is a quick request for people who might have a clue...

Me and my brother are looking at getting a few half decent lenses for her, a telephoto and a wide angle...

We've got a budget of about £150ish for both of these but have no idea what to get :/

Any advice in the next few days for lenses which would be good within the budget would be greatly appreciated :)

Thanks

Dym o/

[leowyatt]

Do they have to be brand new? I think you might struggle to get stuff for that price, especially both.

telephoto (http://www.mpbphotographic.co.uk/index.php?id=23&product_uid=792)

[petemc]

Ah. £150 is seriously pushing it. My Sigma 10-20 was £300, but cheaper now. Generally a half-decent lens (imho) will be about £250-300. A really good lens, £600-1000. The problem is theres just no point buying cheap lenses as you'll get rubbish photos and only have to buy a new lens. Unfortunately I don't really know what to recommend. I stick with Canon's L glass simply because I know 100% for sure that the build and glass quality does the job I need. Maybe someone else with have a suggestion.

Ah, the Sigma 70-300. If you get very very very lucky it'll be ok. Otherwise its a terribly soft lens.

[leowyatt]

Could you guys stretch to this (http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/CANON-EF-28-200-mm-28-200mm-f-3-5-5-6-USM-Lens-7yrs-Wty_W0QQitemZ230088770791QQihZ013QQcategoryZ4687QQ rdZ1QQssPageNameZWD1VQQ_trksidZp1638.m118.l1247QQc mdZViewItem)? It would cover both her needs and is around your budget :)

EDIT: just thought does she have the kit lens? if so that is the 18-55 so will do some okish wide angle.

28-80 (http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/CANON-EF-28-80mm-f-3-5-5-6-II-Lens-DIGITAL-COMPATIBLE_W0QQitemZ150215335953QQihZ005QQcategory Z30070QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem)

28-80 (http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Canon-EF-28-80mm-Autofocur-F3-5-5-6-MK-II-Zoom-Lens_W0QQitemZ120222432707QQihZ002QQcategoryZ30070 QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem)
17-85 (http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Canon-EF-S-17-85mm-F4-5-6-IS-USM-Pro-Zoom-Lens-REF-KG_W0QQitemZ120222487292QQihZ002QQcategoryZ30070QQ ssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem)
28-210 (http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Cosina-28-210mm-Telephoto-Zoom-Lens-for-Canon-EOS-EF_W0QQitemZ320216921034QQihZ011QQcategoryZ30070QQ ssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem)
28-105 (http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Canon-EF-lens-28-105mm-f-3-5-4-5-USM-ring-MINT_W0QQitemZ110223976598QQihZ001QQcategoryZ30070 QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem)
80-200 (http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Genuine-CANON-EF-80-200-Zoom-Lens-EXCELLENT-80-200mm_W0QQitemZ190197565937QQihZ009QQcategoryZ3007 0QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem)

[petemc]

The 28-105 was my first lens. Nice lens, highly recommended.

[leowyatt]

The 28-105 was my first lens. Nice lens, highly recommended.

result :cool:

[Dymetrie]

Fantastic answers lads, only problem is that I have no idea what you're talking about :D

Why and how are any of those lenses good? To do what? WHY!!!??

Lovely level of reply though lads :)

[Tysonator]

Fantastic answers lads, only problem is that I have no idea what you're talking about :D

Why and how are any of those lenses good? To do what? WHY!!!??

Lovely level of reply though lads :)

Give me a call and I can hopefully put you in the right direction.

Though a most people have mentioned, a decent lens is alot of wedge these days.
When you buy in to SLR or DSLR in the Canon or Nikon camp's. Every thing costs alot !

[petemc]

Cheaper lenses will often produce soft images. They won't be sharp and crisp. The build quality will probably be a bit iffy too. Telephoto requires more glass. Theres a reason why my Canon 70-200 f/2.8 IS L is 1.5kg and why the Canon 100-400 IS L extends to 1ft long. They're full of quality glass. The Sigma 70-300 is tiny by comparison and the image quality just isn't great. Basically its just no worth buying. Of course I'm not suggesting a 70-200 f/2.8 either as they're £1k :) But if you're looking to spend £150 you're not likely to get good glass for that price.

I'm assuming she did get the 18-55 kit lens. Its not bad per say. You'll get barrel distortion at 18mm, which means buildings bend over etc. You'll be hard pushed to find wider for under £250. As for telephoto, hmmm. I'm not sure. I'd say Canon 70-200 f/4, but its pricey. Another great lens is the Canon 50mm f/1.8 at about £60ish. Its a brilliant portrait lens and works in a great variety of light.

[Dymetrie]

Wndedrful advice other than the fact that I, and my brother, have no ****ing idea what you're on about...

Did I forget to mention that I am a ****ing ifiot when it comes to this stuff?

Apologies...

[petemc]

Or, goto Jessops and buy vouchers ;)

[Dymetrie]

Mornings with coffee are nice...

The main problem is not having a clue what the numbers mean, which makes any advice which is relying on numbers without explaining what they mean not particularly helpful.

[petemc]

Ah right. Ok. A lens is like this. Canon 70-200 f/2.8 IS L. 70-200 is the zoom. 70mm to 200mm. Basically anything over 100mm is generally considered telephoto. The smaller then number the wider the view. The next number, f/2.8 is the maximum aperture on the lens. Some lenses are 4-5.6 which means at the wider view its 4 and zoomed in its 5.6. IS means image stabilizer.

[Dymetrie]

Thanks for the explanation Pete, that pretty much makes sense (still floundering with the term aperture, I know what the word means but no idea what it means in this context :/).

Have found a sigma 70-300 on Amazon for ~£120 brand new...

Worth picking up?

[petemc]

No :) I really wouldn't wish that lens on anyone. Its just not a good lens, unless you get very lucky. Sigma's quality control isn't great.

[Dymetrie]

Hows about this (http://www.amazon.co.uk/Tamron-55-200mm-F4-5-5-6-Macro-Canon/dp/B000BONMLY/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1203252722&sr=1-1)?

[petemc]

I couldn't say. I generally don't look at anything other than Canon L glass because I know it will do the job, 100% guaranteed.

[Dymetrie]

Awesome, have instructed the brother to buy :)

Thanks for the help and the teaching of what things mean :)

[Joe 90]

Have found a sigma 70-300 on Amazon for ~£120 brand new...
Worth picking up?
That was my second lens after picking up a 50mm f1.8

I know this is a little late, but i'm typing anyway :p
As pete said, these kind of lenses are rather soft due to them being 'cheap'

I've got my eyes on a new lens, and tbh wish i'd of picked it up first... oh hindsight and greater experience prevail. Looking at a 28-135 USM IS lens as it seems like a perfect walkabout lens having a decent focal range with a nice quiet motor and some image stablising prisms ;D £260 but i'm sure it'll be worth every penny.

[lostkat]

That was my second lens after picking up a 50mm f1.8

AWESOME lens and such a bargain too!!

[lostkat]

*strokes Tamron*
Which one?? :)

[Tysonator]

Hows about this (http://www.amazon.co.uk/Tamron-55-200mm-F4-5-5-6-Macro-Canon/dp/B000BONMLY/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1203252722&sr=1-1)?

Hi,

I have this lens, I purchased at the same time when I got my Canon 400D.
Not a bad lens, it is light and compack. At the moment camera World are selling it for apx £70. So you can buy that fro her plus ( as mentioned earlyer in this thread ) a cable release, UV filter for the said lens.

Any problems dude, phone me

[Tysonator]

the same one Dym's buying - 55-200. That's the one I bought in SF this year - brought it with me at some point when you were there but can't remember when. Macro's not hot at all - but then I have the Sigma for Macro stuff so I wasn't bothered. Was a big decision between 200 or 300 but I felt that the futher distance lessened the quality somewhat so went smaller.

Good Call !

[Tysonator]

That was my second lens after picking up a 50mm f1.8

I know this is a little late, but i'm typing anyway :p
As pete said, these kind of lenses are rather soft due to them being 'cheap'

I've got my eyes on a new lens, and tbh wish i'd of picked it up first... oh hindsight and greater experience prevail. Looking at a 28-135 USM IS lens as it seems like a perfect walkabout lens having a decent focal range with a nice quiet motor and some image stablising prisms ;D £260 but i'm sure it'll be worth every penny.

I have looked at this Canon lens, not bad really. I got a sigma 17-70mm DC macro, sharp pic's, heavy lens, build quality excellent.
I was thinking about getting used sigma telephoto lens in the 300 to 400 mm range and getting the sigma 2 x tele convertors !
Any ideas on which sigma lens which I should look at please ?

[Dymetrie]

Well the lens was presented and Jess said that she actually wanted a macro lens (fork up in communication/understanding by my brother when she said 'close ups'...)..

So it's being returned and a decent macro lens (which Jess has picked out herself) will be purchased...

*sigh*

She likes the camera bag me and Kate got for her though :D

[Tysonator]

Dude, at least you tried !