Zoom Lens

[Shannonang]

Hi, I am a total newbie towards photography. Just got my Canon 550D with EF-S18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS lens a year back.

I'm considering on getting a zoom lens but have no idea which one would be idealistic. The lens got to be user friendly and not too heavy. However my budget is rather low, perhaps below SGD$1000.

Any suggestion? Thanks!

 

[Levis]

Your 18-135mm is already good enough...

 

[Rashkae]

Hi, I am a total newbie towards photography. Just got my Canon 550D with EF-S18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS lens a year back.

I'm considering on getting a zoom lens but have no idea which one would be idealistic. The lens got to be user friendly and not too heavy. However my budget is rather low, perhaps below SGD$1000.

Any suggestion? Thanks!

You already have a "zoom" lens. The 18-135 is a 7.5x "zoom", calculated as 135/18.

All lenses are "user friendly", they won't bite, don't worry.

We do not call it "zoom" as that's a totally arbitrary thing, we refer to the focal length.

Look at the priceguide, see what matches your budget and provides the telefocal length you need. Then, after you have shortlisted the lenses, you would go online and read the reviews and then either try the lens in the shops or rent the lens.

 

[jas1984]

I personally think 135mm is already quite a good range.. if really not good enough for you.. maybe you can consider the 70-300mm..

If you really not sure whether you really need another lens.. or which one to get, it will be better you rent one out and try first..

http://sg.camerarental.biz/PriceList/PriceList.aspx

 

[ZerocoolAstra]

Hi, I am a total newbie towards photography. Just got my Canon 550D with EF-S18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS lens a year back.

I'm considering on getting a zoom lens but have no idea which one would be idealistic. The lens got to be user friendly and not too heavy. However my budget is rather low, perhaps below SGD$1000.

Any suggestion? Thanks!

$1000 is not too shabby a budget.
Perhaps you would like to share the reasons why you feel dissatisfied with your current lens 18-135.

 

[kelchew]

Hi, I am a total newbie towards photography. Just got my Canon 550D with EF-S18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS lens a year back.

I'm considering on getting a zoom lens but have no idea which one would be idealistic. The lens got to be user friendly and not too heavy. However my budget is rather low, perhaps below SGD$1000.

Any suggestion? Thanks!

if you looking for a lens can range longer maybe a 55-250 ?
is not too ex can take a look on it..

 

[Octarine]

Hi, I am a total newbie towards photography. Just got my Canon 550D with EF-S18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS lens a year back.
I'm considering on getting a zoom lens but have no idea which one would be idealistic. The lens got to be user friendly and not too heavy. However my budget is rather low, perhaps below SGD$1000.

1) What is the reason that you think you need another lens? You have already a zoom lens, btw.
2) How user friendly should it be? In which way is your current lens not friendly to you?
3) I'm not sure how idealistic a lens can be. I'd think all lenses hope to be taken care of well, right?
If you refer to 'ideal lens' then we have a big big disappointment for you: there is no ideal lens in absolute terms. If such a lens existed then nobody would buy the other lenses anymore, right? But there are lenses being 'good for a certain purpose' (again: there is no 'ideal', bummer!), providing certain features which are usually helpful in such situations. So the turn goes back to you: what purposes do you have in mind? What kind of pictures are you taking usually? What do you need that the current lens cannot deliver?
4) If you have no idea what to get you simply don't need to get anything. Use your current setup and focus on taking pictures. Hunting gears will not improve your images but empty your wallet. Photographic skills can make use of all kinds of cameras (ok.. with limitations... )

 

[theandycreation]

Actually there is china lenses, but uses nikon and canon brand...

 

[rhino123]

What are you (TS) looking for in a lens... more sharpness, better contrast, more range (200mm, 250mm, 300mm, 400mm?). What subject interest you in the first place... if you want to go birding, then maybe your 135mm is not enough... you might want to consider the 70-300mm lens or 100-400mm lens but those are beyond your budget.

If you just want a normal zoom lens for general purposes, your 18-135mm is an excellent choice.

 

[Shannonang]

Oh wow, thanks for all your opinions and advices. I guess I'll just stick with my 135mm lens for now.

Another questions, 550D has the video function and when i'm taking a video, is manual focus a better option? Cause I get the lens focusing sounds whenever I use auto-focus which is really loud.

 

[seezhijie]

Just to provide an alternative if you really wanna change lenses,
The tamron 17-50, or 17-55 I can't remember, is around $600 without VC and $900 with VC. Not sure if the $300 range also means better glass though. I don't believe VC costs $300 by itself.
Also, if you don't mind poor quality, there are 18-200mm lenses by third party brands.

 

[SkyStrike]

Oh wow, thanks for all your opinions and advices. I guess I'll just stick with my 135mm lens for now.

Another questions, 550D has the video function and when i'm taking a video, is manual focus a better option? Cause I get the lens focusing sounds whenever I use auto-focus which is really loud.

if you can MF correctly, use MF, the AF really does give that irritating sound that will be captured in the video.

 

[chocolateking123]

the 70-300 IS (non-L) would be a good cheap option to consider

 

[rhino123]

Oh wow, thanks for all your opinions and advices. I guess I'll just stick with my 135mm lens for now.

Another questions, 550D has the video function and when i'm taking a video, is manual focus a better option? Cause I get the lens focusing sounds whenever I use auto-focus which is really loud.

Yes... if I was you, I would not use the autofocus function of the 550D when recording. It is slow and it is loud. I would rather manual focus for video recording. And actually it is not hard or complicated at all. just have to try it a few times and you would get it easy.