Lens Upgrade for XSI - which do I choose?

[SnapShot64]

I adore photography and my favorite subjects are graveyards, architecture and I have really taken to portraits. With my current lens I'm able to take decent portraits but I want to go to extremes and really make the texture and color pop! I mean really pop! I usually have the subject and backdrop in equal focus, but having a lens that could great a decent blur might come in handy.
Some example of what I'm trying to achieve are:
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Untitled | Flickr - Photo Sharing!
Eric Graham Photography's Photos - 2011! | Facebook

I understand that I can use photoshop and lightroom, etc, etc. However, the less editing and the better the results straight from the camera - that would be ideal.

I have a Rebel XSI with a EFS 18-55mm .25/.8ft lens right now.
My budget is $450.
Any suggestions would be fantastic! I'm open to third party lenses as well.

Thank you!

[oldwolf]

Originally Posted by SnapShot64

I adore photography and my favorite subjects are graveyards, architecture and I have really taken to portraits. With my current lens I'm able to take decent portraits but I want to go to extremes and really make the texture and color pop! I mean really pop! I usually have the subject and backdrop in equal focus, but having a lens that could great a decent blur might come in handy.
Some example of what I'm trying to achieve are:
Login | Facebook
Untitled | Flickr - Photo Sharing!
Eric Graham Photography's Photos - 2011! | Facebook

I understand that I can use photoshop and lightroom, etc, etc. However, the less editing and the better the results straight from the camera - that would be ideal.

I have a Rebel XSI with a EFS 18-55mm .25/.8ft lens right now.
My budget is $450.
Any suggestions would be fantastic! I'm open to third party lenses as well.

Thank you!

Colors and textures popping have to do with post processing. Some of it has to do with the lens as well but a lot of those pictures you linked to are done in post and they have a very good understanding of light.

Blur or bokeh has to do with where your subject is in relation to the camera and background as well as the f/stop you're using.

With that being said here are my recommendations:

Tokina 16.5-135mm f/3.5-5.6 AT-X DX AF Lens ATXAF635DX B&H Photo

Canon EF 28-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS Image Stabilizer USM 2562A002 B&H

If you had more of a budget I'd suggest a 3rd party 24-70mm f/2.8.

[inkista]

Just me, but I'm with oldwolf. You don't need a new lens. You need Lightroom (or other RAW/post-processing software).


Canon XT/350D. EF-S 18-55 f/3.5-5.6 II (non-IS version of the kit lens)
@18mm, iso 100, f/3.5, 1/800s. shot RAW, and processed in Lightroom.

Just me, but I say blow $250 of your budget (or $80 if you're a student/teacher) on a LR3 license.

Otherwise, what you probably want is an L lens, and that's going to cost way more than $450.

[SnapShot64]

Thank you for the replies so far but they do not really answer my question. I use Lightroom and Photoshop and I always take pictures in RAW format. However, photographers shouldn't depend on computer programs to fix errors or create texture when there already is a beautiful texture. The camera / lens / settings should do most of the work - otherwise we should discard digital and revert to film for the better skill.

I know there are lenses to make eyes / hair / skin texture really stand out - really sharp.
I don't know if I should be looking at a telephoto, normal, macro lens - looking around on the web I yield that all can be used interchangeably but that still isn't the best answer.

So far I've found that I might want to look for a 85mm-135mm zoom f/1.4

I just want to know if anyone else has used various lenses and might say, "Hey you'll want to look at something like this for the best pull"

[Thunder_o_b]

Your best pictures will come from primes. Zoom with your feet.

This is the next lens that I will pick up Sigma Normal 50mm f/1.4 EX DG HSM Autofocus Lens 310-101 B&H

It gives you an adjusted focal length of around 75mm on a crop camera, and it is far and away better than the Canon 50mm 1.4 Sigma 50mm F1.4 EX DG HSM Lens Review: 1. Introduction: Digital Photography Review

No one makes a f1.4 zoom at any price or range.

[inkista]

If you really want that kind of speed and reach in your glass, it costs. And as Thunder_o_b says, the fastest zooms that Canon makes are f/2.8.

What you probably want is the EF 135mm f/2L USM prime lens.



It's about $1000.

The EF 85mm f/1.2L USM is closer to $1800.

The Zeiss ZE Makro-Planar T* 100/2 might also be what you're after. It's only manual focus, though. It's about $1800, too. You might be able to find and adapt an old C/Y mount version, but it's not as sharp or macro capable, and it'll still be in the $700-$800 price range. But it has considerable "3-d"-ness and pop.



The only Canon lens that comes close to having the same 3-d rendering character as the Planar 100/2 is the 135L.

You could settle for the non-L USM 85/1.8 USM or 100/2 USM lenses, but you're not going to get the same color "pop" from them, and it sounds like you're completely unwilling to compromise on these issues.

[Thunder_o_b]

Originally Posted by inkista

If you really want that kind of speed and reach in your glass, it costs. And as Thunder_o_b says, the fastest zooms that Canon makes are f/2.8.

What you probably want is the EF 135mm f/2L USM prime lens.



It's about $1000.

The EF 85mm f/1.2L USM is closer to $1800.

The Zeiss ZE Makro-Planar T* 100/2 might also be what you're after. It's only manual focus, though. It's about $1800, too. You might be able to find and adapt an old C/Y mount version, but it's not as sharp or macro capable, and it'll still be in the $700-$800 price range. But it has considerable "3-d"-ness and pop.



The only Canon lens that comes close to having the same 3-d rendering character as the Planar 100/2 is the 135L.

You could settle for the non-L USM 85/1.8 USM or 100/2 USM lenses, but you're not going to get the same color "pop" from them, and it sounds like you're completely unwilling to compromise on these issues.

That first shot is outstanding. I have given that lens some serious thought.

[RichardTaylor]

From personal experience, but not in this order.

(1) It's a very long time since I used mine (on a screw mount Pentax)
Can be used on a Canon DSLR with an adaptor.
PENTAX 50mm f/4 SMC MACRO-TAKUMAR M42
Cost less than $US200

Scan from a slide of mine.


(2) In line with Inksta's suggestions. Canon 135 F2 L (this will considerably blow your budget (beautiful bokeh costs $$$$)
@F2


(3) and again 135mm @ F2



(4) 70-200 F4 L @ F4 (this will also exceed your budget)