Best price for EF-S15-85mm f/3.5-5.6 IS USM in Singapore

[vaniudhay]

Hi all... i am planning to buy Canon 500D/550D(still undecided)...I need to know the best price for Canon EF-S15-85mm f/3.5-5.6 IS USM
Canon offers the lens @ 1369$
I would also like to have more suggestions.. reg. lens...
I would like to photograph landscape,my toddler's expressions & friends...so think my interest falls under Wide-angle & Portraiture...

Thanx in advance..

 

[Diluted]

Welcome to cs

Have you considered the 17-55mm 2.8?? Can also look at tamron's 17-50mm 2.8 for a cheaper alternative..

Just my 2 cents

 

[Rashkae]

We have a priceguides section for a reason. Please look there.

 

[daredevil123]

Welcome to CS!

I encourage you to read more online, join some outings, shoot more and share more.

Good start here:

Singapore Camera equipment price guides:
http://www.clubsnap.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=124

Newbie guide to buying lenses:
http://www.dpreview.com/learn/?/Guides/lens_buying_guide_01.htm

Newbie guide to buying DSLR:
http://www.dpreview.com/learn/?/Guides/dslr_buying_guide_01.htm

Basics of camera operation:
http://www.clubsnap.com/forums/showthread.php?t=309544

Composition
http://www.amateursnapper.com/photography/10-top-photography-composition-rules
http://www.digital-photography-school.com/digital-photography-composition-tips
http://www.digital-photography-school.com/10-more-quick-composition-tips-illustrated

Flash photography
http://www.gentleye.com/photo/photoart/advflash/index.html
http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=171657

More topics covered here:
http://www.cambridgeincolour.com/tutorials.htm

 

[coolthought]

Hi all... i am planning to buy Canon 500D/550D(still undecided)...I need to know the best price for Canon EF-S15-85mm f/3.5-5.6 IS USM
Canon offers the lens @ 1369$
I would also like to have more suggestions.. reg. lens...
I would like to photograph landscape,my toddler's expressions & friends...so think my interest falls under Wide-angle & Portraiture...

Thanx in advance..

The 15-85 should do quite good with landscape and portraits for starters. Upgrade(get a different lens) the lens only when you feel it is limiting you in some ways.

Under the price guide, there should be a list of the reputable camera shop with phone numbers you can call to check. Nothing can be more accurate, easier and faster than this.

 

[enzeru21]

welcome..

before you go spending any money, think carefully what you need... NEED not want... then think through what you can afford...

then check back on the pricing and value etc etc..


the simplest way to start is to start with the kit lens.. !!!!

do not be misguided into thinking that if you use a kit lens you are a beginner.. and lousy, and can't get nice photos like others becos they are using more expensive lens...

without photography skills and experience... an expensive lens is just a wasted piece of glass... give a good photographer a kit lens, he can still do wonders..

 

[Octarine]

I would like to photograph landscape,my toddler's expressions & friends...so think my interest falls under Wide-angle & Portraiture...

Any kit lens can do that. That's why makers pack these lenses as 'starter kit' into the camera box.
For your toddler the light is more important, since it will be indoors. Save the $ for the lens, get an external flash and diffuser, learn how to use it. If you still need the extra reach get the EF-S 55-250 (also comes with IS). Both, lens and flash, are still cheaper than the EF-S 15-85.

 

[vaniudhay]

Thank you all.. Yeah.. I have read some tutorials... it was mentioned that the wide-angle is 24mm or wider...but the lenses like EF-S 18-250,EF 17-85,etc... when used with APS-C cameras have the reach of 28 or longer(at min S).. so i am kinda confused... can a landscape be covered with high IQ with these lenses too ? We are going on a vacation to Australia in Dec... I need to know which lens/lenses will be better for a vacation... Since i have a toddler, i dont want to carry a no of lenses..

Does non USM lens affect IQ ? Learnt in some tutorial that it makes manual focussing harder & noisy & slow..
Also learnt that IS is useful(must) in telezoom but what will i lose without USM ?

 

[enzeru21]

Thank you all.. Yeah.. I have read some tutorials... it was mentioned that the wide-angle is 24mm or wider...but the lenses like EF-S 18-250,EF 17-85,etc... when used with APS-C cameras have the reach of 28 or longer(at min S).. so i am kinda confused... can a landscape be covered with high IQ with these lenses too ? We are going on a vacation to Australia in Dec... I need to know which lens/lenses will be better for a vacation... Since i have a toddler, i dont want to carry a no of lenses..

Does non USM lens affect IQ ? Learnt in some tutorial that it makes manual focussing harder & noisy & slow..
Also learnt that IS is useful(must) in telezoom but what will i lose without USM ?

well first of all.. if you're travelling then just stick to a one lens strategy...

a 18-55, 17-85, 18-135 is all fine... 17-18 focal range is wide enough for almost everything.. you don't have to worry about landscapes.. what you do need for nice landscapes is a tripod and the correct shooting technique and at the right time...

if not, give you the widest lens of 10-22 oso you won't get nice stunning landscapes.. remember its not about the lens, its about the feel of the photo...

USM shouldn't affect IQ, its supposed to affect the focusing speed.. without USM just means the focusing is slower or is not silent..

still these are not things you should be worrying too much about..

don't make your holiday so stressful... you should enjoy the holiday and just take more photos of ur toddler and ur spouse...

 

[Octarine]

Thank you all.. Yeah.. I have read some tutorials... it was mentioned that the wide-angle is 24mm or wider...but the lenses like EF-S 18-250,EF 17-85,etc... when used with APS-C cameras have the reach of 28 or longer(at min S).. so i am kinda confused... can a landscape be covered with high IQ with these lenses too ?

This is called crop factor or focal length multiplier. It is an effect caused by the smaller sensor in APS-C cameras, compared to Full Frame / film cameras. It doesn't affect the image quality at all. The effect just reduces the field of view. On Canon, this factor is 1.6, which means that the picture taken with APS-C at 18mm focal length has the same field of view as a picture taken with Full Frame / film at 29mm. This is still wide enough for a lot of landscapes. If you still need a wider field of view then you will need an Ultra Wide Angle lens. But those UWA don't come cheap and it's another lens to carry. Since you have not much imagination what focal length and field of view means in practice I suggest the kit lens.

Does non USM lens affect IQ ? Learnt in some tutorial that it makes manual focussing harder & noisy & slow..
Also learnt that IS is useful(must) in telezoom but what will i lose without USM ?

USM is only a focusing motor, how would it affect the image quality? There are some lenses where the USM version is better, but only because it is an upgrade / modified version of an existing lens. Why would you want to use manual focusing? Chasing your toddler with manual? Good luck Spending more time on manual focusing when taking pics? Not sure whether the rest of your family will like that. Use AF, it has a purpose. Non-USM focus systems are not necessarily bad, the difference is overrated for most cases (unless your object is moving fast and also your camera AF is able to follow).
IS makes more sense for longer focal length, yes.

Enjoy your holiday, spend more time (and maybe money) when you come back. Would be terrible to use holiday money for some quick buy and later you just carry the lens without using it.

 

[enzeru21]

Enjoy your holiday, spend more time (and maybe money) when you come back. Would be terrible to use holiday money for some quick buy and later you just carry the lens without using it.

:thumbsup::thumbsup:

totally agree...

here read this.... http://www.digital-photography-school.com/buy-less-gear-travel-and-experience-more

 

[vaniudhay]

Thanx once again ... that really helps... my budget is not > 1500SGD(body+lens)... Think i'll buy Canon EOS500D... & i'll stick to one lens strategy as of now...atleast for my vacation..
Is Canon EF-S18-200mm f/3.5-5.6 IS or Sigma 18-200mm f/3.5-6.3 DC OS HSM a better choice ? How about EF-S18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS? 'coz i donno if i nead 200mm reach & the latter also $200 cheaper...
I also want to know if an UV filter is a must-have.. What is an AI Servo ? I came across this in Canon EF-S18-200mm f/3.5-5.6 IS thread...
There is an online warranty promo for Canon EF 50mm F1.8 II Autofocus Lens for just 60$..read good reviews abt tht lens too... think it'll be helpful in taking candid shots of my kid indoors ...

I am just starting to venture into DSLR world... some of my queries might be very basic... but i need help & i found this forum very helpful...Do I have to be techically very sound in pp for using a DSLR ?

We are planning to buy the EOS tomorrow.. Any suggestions r welcome.. i dont want to regret it later..

 

[vaniudhay]

:thumbsup::thumbsup:

totally agree...

here read this.... http://www.digital-photography-school.com/buy-less-gear-travel-and-experience-more

Yeah...i agree...i read this post yesterday...

 

[enzeru21]

Thanx once again ... that really helps... my budget is not > 1500SGD(body+lens)... Think i'll buy Canon EOS500D... & i'll stick to one lens strategy as of now...atleast for my vacation..
Is Canon EF-S18-200mm f/3.5-5.6 IS or Sigma 18-200mm f/3.5-6.3 DC OS HSM a better choice ? How about EF-S18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS? 'coz i donno if i nead 200mm reach & the latter also $200 cheaper...
I also want to know if an UV filter is a must-have.. What is an AI Servo ? I came across this in Canon EF-S18-200mm f/3.5-5.6 IS thread...
There is an online warranty promo for Canon EF 50mm F1.8 II Autofocus Lens for just 60$..read good reviews abt tht lens too... think it'll be helpful in taking candid shots of my kid indoors ...

I am just starting to venture into DSLR world... some of my queries might be very basic... but i need help & i found this forum very helpful...Do I have to be techically very sound in pp for using a DSLR ?

We are planning to buy the EOS tomorrow.. Any suggestions r welcome.. i dont want to regret it later..

both the 18-200 and 18-135 are reasonably ok lens.. i would say the 18-135 is slightly newer so its built and the sharpness is slightly better..

UV filter is not a must, but it helps protect the glass.. taking night scene shots may sometimes require us to take it off... but most people usually have one on.. unless you really fussy then get a really good grade one.. if not just a simple one..

Al servo is a focusing function, not the lens but the camera..

when you buy ur camera, go to one of the trusted shops.. and know what you want.. know what you need.. don't be psycho-ed into adding this extra adding that extra.. then you end up paying much more than originally.. the most you may need is extra battery... and a travel tripod that will be good when travelling, but you don't really want to lug around a tripod.. unless you are searching for landscape pics...

 

[Octarine]

There is an online warranty promo for Canon EF 50mm F1.8 II Autofocus Lens for just 60$..read good reviews abt tht lens too... think it'll be helpful in taking candid shots of my kid indoors ...

That's a good offer, grab it. The lens is very useful, although you might need to learn a thing or two about working with a prime lens.
Regarding lens: if you don't know whether you need it chances are that you don't. Better get a second memory card (or more,m don't get the biggest size) and a card reader from the same brand. Lexar and Sandisk are picked frequently by people here. Another battery also comes handy. Get a blower to clear dust from the lens, a good camera bag makes it easier to carry all things and have it tidy in one place.
UV filters as protective filters are not a must, it's an option for clumsy or overly concerned / worried people. Get a good one (Hoya and up) or don't get any. In terms of image they are hardly useful, DSLR cameras are not sensitive to UV and the lens blocks most of it anyway. Never buy $10 crap that a sales man wants to push over to you. Best: buy exactly what you need and know, reject everything else. Keep in mind: the camera kit is all what it needs to take pictures.
The only filter I'd recommend for landscapes is a CPL. Hoya, Kenko, Tokina are fine as entry level. Do get multi coated versions. And do read up about the usage. Not too difficult, but can make a difference

Do I have to be techically very sound in pp for using a DSLR ?

Not necessarily, but it's better to learn it soon. You can achieve good results with in-camera settings and all cameras come with bundled software. Canon DPP is quite easy to use. Sufficient for beginners.

We are planning to buy the EOS tomorrow.. Any suggestions r welcome.. i dont want to regret it later..

Read again the sticky FAQ thread by Rashkae about getting DSLR. Don't worry too much about lenses, it took me more than a year to discover the need for another lens

 

[vaniudhay]

I already have a tripod & drybox,that came with my Sony camcorder... will that be enough ? You mentioned not to buy bigger size SD.. hope 8GB is fyn..

 

[Octarine]

I already have a tripod & drybox,that came with my Sony camcorder... will that be enough ? You mentioned not to buy bigger size SD.. hope 8GB is fyn..

For some basic purposes it should be fine. I also started with some camcorder tripod before I learned about the other types. Check that the threads are the same. Leave the dry box at home, not necessary. Get a good bag. 8GB is fine, get 2 or 3 to cover your holidays. Beginners tend to shoot a lot

 

[enzeru21]

8GB is fine, get 2 or 3 to cover your holidays. Beginners tend to shoot a lot

or you are bringing a laptop can transfer is also good.. so you have back up copies.. don't lose anything due to mishaps...

 

[Octarine]

or you are bringing a laptop can transfer is also good.. so you have back up copies.. don't lose anything due to mishaps...

If TS cannot even carry a second lens where shall (s)he hide a laptop? Internet cafes usually have CD/DVD burn services. Just let them copy everything to a DVD.

 

[vaniudhay]

Thanx guys for the advice... Atlast i bought my 1st DSLR after abt a month os scouting around.. Bought Canon EOS 550D kit with EF-S 18-135mm f1:3 3.5-5.6 IS..Costs $1495 in SLR-R... Also bought EF 50mm f1.8 II for $60 in the online warranty promo.. & B+W UV+Haze filter for 85$..

Is it good to buy a 3rd party battery ? Canon extra battery costs 75$ so me+husband decided to buy later.. They din't have the ordinary blower there to clean the lens...they showed us Blower+Brush+? all-in-one for 24$...so din buy that too... when we asked abt lens hood,he said don have & its not a must.... any suggestions ?