More lense advice please

[Rosscoah]

**lens**

A little help here if you would.

I'm going to be purchasing a new lens (or 2) to replace the kit lens i got with the 450D. Have been looking at the Canon 50mm 1.8 and also the Canon 55 - 250mm I.S.

Budget is probs gonna be around £250 in total so i could get both of the above for well within that price range.

What do you lot think, any recommendations or advice on what to buy/avoid??

Should i be looking into other manufacturers stuff, Sigma, Tamron etc?


Cheers

[keeps21]

I'd say you can't go wrong with the 50mm f/1.8, only every hear good things about them

Don't know anything about the other lens though.

[not spavin]

Sigma and Tamron lenses are hit and miss - some are fantastic, some are great considering the price, and others just aren't worth bothering with. The majority of the modern Canon / Nikon lenses are good, but the same can't be said for the 3rd party brands.

If you find a Sigma or Tamron lens that takes your interest, it's worth taking some time to read the review here or here.

[keeps21]

I've got the Sigma 70-300mm DG Macro for my D80 and have nothing to complain about.

It's a bit soft at the maximum focal length but you've got to expect that unless you're spending thousands.

Personally, I wouldn't buy a lens with a plastic mount as I'd be scared it'll break easily.

[AB22 Easy Tiger]

Originally Posted by keeps21

I've got the Sigma 70-300mm DG Macro for my D80 and have nothing to complain about.

It's a bit soft at the maximum focal length but you've got to expect that unless you're spending thousands.

Personally, I wouldn't buy a lens with a plastic mount as I'd be scared it'll break easily.

I'm sure that's the one that EH7 used for last month's photo.

Originally Posted by Ghost of EH7

OK, there's mine up.

Shot at the long end of my non APO Sigma 70-300 at f/5 to try to get good bokeh. Vignetting was added in PP as was a slightly "cross processed" tint.

I tried to focus on the decayed part of the leaf but you'll need to look at the largeversion to see whether I succeeded or not, the small size of the pic in the thread means I can't see that. Maybe it's just my crap eyesight.

[peachbum]

Originally Posted by Rosscoah

**lens**

A little help here if you would.

I'm going to be purchasing a new lens (or 2) to replace the kit lens i got with the 450D. Have been looking at the Canon 50mm 1.8 and also the Canon 55 - 250mm I.S.

Budget is probs gonna be around £250 in total so i could get both of the above for well within that price range.

What do you lot think, any recommendations or advice on what to buy/avoid??

Should i be looking into other manufacturers stuff, Sigma, Tamron etc?


Cheers

I was always told to go for a prime lens (50mm) before one with varying focal distances (55-250mm)
and if you get a 50mm 1.4 it would be even better. (This information may be out of date as it was related to me about a film camera, but I am guessing it still stands.)

[not spavin]

Originally Posted by peachbum

I was always told to go for a prime lens (50mm) before one with varying focal distances (55-250mm)
and if you get a 50mm 1.4 it would be even better. (This information may be out of date as it was related to me about a film camera, but I am guessing it still stands.)

imo the difference between the 50mm 1.4 and 1.8 isn't big enough to justify the cost - it's over twice the price, and certainly isn't twice the lens.

[peachbum]

Originally Posted by not spavin

imo the difference between the 50mm 1.4 and 1.8 isn't big enough to justify the cost - it's over twice the price, and certainly isn't twice the lens.

I would be inclined to agree (cost wise), but it is a better lens.

[AB22 Easy Tiger]

I have the 1.4 and it's a fantastic and well built lens - but it wasn't cheap. I've only heard good reports about the 1.8 other than it's a bit "plasticy".

I'd certainly go for a 50mm though (unless you can find one of these babies going cheap) and a zoom lens for longer focal lengths.

[Rosscoah]

Thanks for the advice people, defo gonna go for a 50mm which will leave me a bit spare cash for something else.

Would a Canon FD 50mm F1.4 standard lens, manual focus be compatible with my 450D? What does FD mean?