Advice on getting my first lens

[demandread]

I've bought my 450d 2 weeks ago (just the body) and have been using my friend's 18-55mm to take photos with. Now I'm ready to take the next step and buy my own lens. I'm thinking about getting the EF 28-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS USM by the end of the month (do they sell lenses at the IT show?). I've tried looking around the canon forum but it seems that this lens hasn't been discussed recently.

Any advice/comments would be welcome.

I'm planning to use it as a general purpose lens, but would also want to do some landscape/city scape photography.

[pplneedthelord]

Originally Posted by demandread I've bought my 450d 2 weeks ago (just the body) and have been using my friend's 18-55mm to take photos with. Now I'm ready to take the next step and buy my own lens. I'm thinking about getting the EF 28-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS USM by the end of the month (do they sell lenses at the IT show?). I've tried looking around the canon forum but it seems that this lens hasn't been discussed recently. Any advice/comments would be welcome. I'm planning to use it as a general purpose lens, but would also want to do some landscape/city scape photography.

i would suggest the sigma 18-125mm. image quality is about the same as the 28-135. i'm sure the 10mm wouldn't really matter for its price.

[m3lv1nh0]

Why not a Canon 18-200 IS or Tamron 18-270?

[demandread]

I'm actually just basing my lens choices off the lens price guide thread as it would also give me a perspective of how much I would spend. The 18-200 is not listed there and I haven't seen the reviews for the 18-270.

The 28-105mm is also tempting but it hasn't got IS (would I need this? The current one I'm using doesn't have it too), and would the missing 30mm be quite large?

To add something more the the decsion, i'm planning to get a 10-22mm next year as soon as I could save up for it.

[calebk]

I have a question that perhaps I do not see an answer to: what do you think you want out of the new lens? How does the 18-55 work/not work for you?

Personally, I feel that the 18-55 focal range is a good start off range for beginners; it is versatile enough to start off with, not to mention that the 18-55 IS can also be found reasonably cheap on the second-hand market.

[demandread]

I think I'm looking for more range. I was going around the biennale last weekend and there were some shots I couldn't take

[Flashbulb]

Originally Posted by demandread I think I'm looking for more range. I was going around the biennale last weekend and there were some shots I couldn't take

ask yourself this also, will you be upgrading to FF cameras in future? In that case use EF lenses rather than EFS lenses.

check also the rental services in the Commercial thread to see if they have the lens you want and try for a day or two.

[ggodetucsamoht]

28-105 II USM is also a good len to start with if you are not looking at the kit. if not 1-2 hundreds bucks more you can get the 28-135 IS USM. people is selling this lens from $350-$400 on the sales section, you might want to take a look on it. if not you might want to drop by any 2nd hand dealer like TCW to get from them, abit warranty from them also. just for advice, do not ever consider of getting lens or simply any camera equipment from IT show or pc show, far more expensive.

[pplneedthelord]

Originally Posted by ggodetucsamoht 28-105 II USM is also a good len to start with if you are not looking at the kit. if not 1-2 hundreds bucks more you can get the 28-135 IS USM. people is selling this lens from $350-$400 on the sales section, you might want to take a look on it. if not you might want to drop by any 2nd hand dealer like TCW to get from them, abit warranty from them also. just for advice, do not ever consider of getting lens or simply any camera equipment from IT show or pc show, far more expensive.

agree.

furthermore, for the same price you pay in reputable camera shops, you can get more stuff.

[photographer20]

Originally Posted by ggodetucsamoht 28-105 II USM is also a good len to start with if you are not looking at the kit. if not 1-2 hundreds bucks more you can get the 28-135 IS USM. people is selling this lens from $350-$400 on the sales section, you might want to take a look on it. if not you might want to drop by any 2nd hand dealer like TCW to get from them, abit warranty from them also. just for advice, do not ever consider of getting lens or simply any camera equipment from IT show or pc show, far more expensive.

Hi newbie here, sorry for leeching on this thread.

Just like to ask, what's TCW and how do I contact this 2nd hand dealer?

Thanks!

[eleveninth]

Originally Posted by photographer20 Hi newbie here, sorry for leeching on this thread. Just like to ask, what's TCW and how do I contact this 2nd hand dealer? Thanks!

TWC is The Camera Workshop

It's at Peninsular (Excelsior hotel one) 1st floor, next to the toilets. lol can't remember the unit no. tho.

[kenkht]

ok I'm only basing it on my own experience here..so might not be relevant to your needs. I also had the 18-55 for some time and find the range not quite enough.. I wanted a lens for a concert at the Victoria Concert Hall, so I went on to get the 70-300mm for the range and it was great. During the concert, while most of the photographers went to the front of the stage to shoot, I just sat at my seat and shot away. Didn't move from my seat once and I got great shots. Granted once in a while a head pops up in front of my view but it was no problem

So I guess, your question would be to look at the range that you want, check out if you need zoom or primes and then ask a more directed question rather than a very general question. This way you won't be confused by the enormous range of answers given. Good luck in your search.

[Flashbulb]

actually, why not keep the 18-55 as general purpose lens and instead go for a UWA lens like 10-22 for your landscape shots?

[demandread]

I think the best way to describe my confusion is:

"I know what I want, but I don't know if what I want is what I really need"

as I said on my first post, the 18-55 one isn't mine, and while the 70-300mm does sound nice, I would then loose out on the lower focal lengths.

I asked my friend a while ago if the 18-200mm was good and he said that I should not just look at the range, but also on the aperture and suggested that the 2.8 ones are good. From memroy, the 2.8 ones would be the L lenses, and I don't think I can afford that one yet (unless I skip a couple of lunches and say goodbye to buying other lenses in the near future). Is aperture size really that big of a consideration?

In buying a 2nd hand lens, the price difference is good enough to make me consider, but I have absolutely no idea on what should I be looking for when checking out a 2nd hand one (like how to check for damage etc)

As for upgrading to FF, i don't see myself doing this (yet) as i've only just started on photography.

I really appreciate the options that everyone is giving me, and sorry if some of my questions have been asked before, or if I sound really noobish

[kenkht]

Originally Posted by demandread "I know what I want, but I don't know if what I want is what I really need" as I said on my first post, the 18-55 one isn't mine, and while the 70-300mm does sound nice, I would then loose out on the lower focal lengths.

Since you already have a 18-55m range, the 70-300 will just complement it unless you're talking about having "One Lens To Rule Them All"

[demandread]

the 18-55 belongs to my friend (though in hindsight, I think I should have just gotten the kit lens).

not a "one lens to rule them all" but something like "if i only have space for 1 lens, it would be this" lens (as long as it is within budget)

[Flashbulb]

Originally Posted by demandread the 18-55 belongs to my friend (though in hindsight, I think I should have just gotten the kit lens). not a "one lens to rule them all" but something like "if i only have space for 1 lens, it would be this" lens (as long as it is within budget)

why not get from the 2nd hand market, an 18-55mm with IS is about $150-ish with about 10mth warranty.

Unless got any event, most of the time its the 18-55mm in my bag. Not only for the performance but it is relatively cheap to replace if accidentally broken.

[demandread]

actually, the only reason why I didn't get the kit lens was that I read reviews which said that the 18-55 lens was crap and that I should just get a better one instead

So since I'm kind of committed now (shouldn't cry over spilt milk and all that), i thought it might be a good idea to get something within budget (i've set aside something like 600-700 for this)

[calebk]

Originally Posted by demandread actually, the only reason why I didn't get the kit lens was that I read reviews which said that the 18-55 lens was crap and that I should just get a better one instead So since I'm kind of committed now (shouldn't cry over spilt milk and all that), i thought it might be a good idea to get something within budget (i've set aside something like 600-700 for this)

It
is
not
crap.

Granted, there are better, faster lenses around, that are more suitable for low light work, but by no means is the kit lens crap, especially for its price point.

[YqArts]

Originally Posted by demandread actually, the only reason why I didn't get the kit lens was that I read reviews which said that the 18-55 lens was crap and that I should just get a better one instead So since I'm kind of committed now (shouldn't cry over spilt milk and all that), i thought it might be a good idea to get something within budget (i've set aside something like 600-700 for this)

Which reviews do you read from? Crap? are you sure what you are talking about?

Anyway. From your situations, I feel that you didnt really do sufficient reading up and are hoping for answers that you already gotten for yourself. If you say that the 18-55 is crap, i can assure you the optics from the few lens you mention will make you eat your words

Dont put down statements if you dont know..