Which lens?!?!

[Penguin3195]

I am soon going to be purchacing a canon t2i. But through reading many reviews on the kit lens ive started wondering if i should save up a little more moolay and just get the camera body and order a more decent lens to begin with?

Would this be a good idea? Ive seen lots of people comment on how the kits lens are never fully sharp or how limiting they can be. I am rather new to the DSLR world but i have had the opportunity to play around with my friends' DSLRs who all had different lenses and I liked the way they performed, i have never used the kit lens.

If it is a good idea what would be a good step up from the kit lens? I take pictures of everything so id like something that can be versatile....without breaking the bank.. I don't need a fancy fancy lens, just the next step up from the kit lens.

Thank you!!!!!

[ccting]

Originally Posted by Penguin3195

I am soon going to be purchacing a canon t2i. But through reading many reviews on the kit lens ive started wondering if i should save up a little more moolay and just get the camera body and order a more decent lens to begin with?

Would this be a good idea? Ive seen lots of people comment on how the kits lens are never fully sharp or how limiting they can be. I am rather new to the DSLR world but i have had the opportunity to play around with my friends' DSLRs who all had different lenses and I liked the way they performed, i have never used the kit lens.

If it is a good idea what would be a good step up from the kit lens? I take pictures of everything so id like something that can be versatile....without breaking the bank.. I don't need a fancy fancy lens, just the next step up from the kit lens.

Thank you!!!!!

According to Kenrockwell, Nikon VR kit len autofocus better than Canon's.
I always get soft images. The problem is me myself, not the cameras or lens. After i apply flash, the photos have been extremely sharp. You can even can count the hair, broken part of hairs etc. Try to think about this question: Are you going to be serious about photography, later (not now). Then i tell you what I think..

For me, I will never buy vr kit len. I probably downgrade to 35mm f1.8 which can be used for all situation, especially low-light.

If you think you are going to be serious about photography, find out if your camera support flash channeling, dust / rain resistance, motor for older lenses, good noise handling etc etc.. Hopefully some experts will feedback to you.

lenses have two kind of speed : autofocus and "capturing" speeds. Slow len means slow "capturing" speed that cause image blur, especially inside a room.. Image blur caused by 2 factors - your camera shake or subject movement.. a lot more... learn about VR, IS, NR , ISO, Aperture, Shutter speed..Flash channeling, LPPH, MTF curve etc etc. etc.

Ken said, with 35mm f/1.8, you are almost ready for everything. After I read the article "tips on shooting at Zoo", probably you could take your 35mm len and go near tigers and shoot them, see what will happen ;D

I still disagree with 85mm len to shoot baby. If i have 1.7 crop factor camera body, 85mm is equal t0 85mm X 1.7mm=144mm. How are you going to shoot from every angle, particularly from top? I believe the height of the ceiling in your house is not tall enough. Are you going to climb up ladder to shoot the baby from top?

Better for you to survey first, before buy. Unless you are a rich guy..

I am a noob too.

[ceremus]

If this is your first DSLR, I typically recommend getting a camera body with the common 18-55 lens for a few reasons. Yes, it's cheap, it's slow, it's usually all plastic and not particularly professional looking. All those faults considered though, when bought as a kit the lens is typically only an added cost of $100. It's cheap, it's light, it's not the worst thing to have when you're traveling, or if you're trying something more risky and don't want to put your more expensive equipment in harm's way.

Also, there's nothing wrong with starting out shooting the kit lens, the Canon kit is actually fairly sharp considering how inexpensive it is (sharpness will improve significantly when stopped down of course). Once you get a feel for shooting with it you'll have a firmer grasp on its technical limitations, and the better you'll know what to look for when buying new equipment. And even when you do buy better lenses for your set up and put the kit lens aside, it never hurts to have a backup. I know a guy that just dropped his camera on the way to a party, his 50mm f/1.8 didn't survive. If he didn't have his kit lens to fall back on he'd have nothing to shoot with.

Lastly, if at some point you want to upgrade your camera body and sell off your old one, attaching the kit lens to the offer helps the resale value.


A very typical 2nd lens purchase for Canon folks is the 50mm f/1.8 prime lens. It's similarly very inexpensive, it's very sharp, it's much more versatile in low light than the kit lens, and being a prime (non-zooming fixed focal length) lens, it forces beginners to consider their composition since it makes them "zoom with their feet".

Myself I went with the 50mm f/1.4 since I preferred the improved build quality and larger max aperture over the f/1.8, but not everyone will have the budget to step up to that. The f/1.8 is still plenty good glass to do the job in most situations.

[A@EPOCH]

Ceremus is exactly right, I would suggest the kit lens for any first DSLR body purchase... as well as his second point in suggesting buying the 50mm 1.8 or 1.4 as your first alternate lens. Your getting great quality for little investment, plus with using a prime you'll learn to zoom with your feet and create more interesting results.

[Penguin3195]

thanks guys ive been looking into the 50mm 1.4f. Perhaps when ive gotton used to the camera ill try it out.

[gturner]

on a crop senso I would look at a 35mm f2. Far more versatile than 50mm, which is very tight indoors.

Kit lenses are not terrible, for the price they are excellent.

[ccting]

Originally Posted by Penguin3195

thanks guys ive been looking into the 50mm 1.4f. Perhaps when ive gotton used to the camera ill try it out.

Dear Penguin,
First look at the signature of A@EPOCH A@EPOCH. Can you still find the kit len? I bet you will throw the kit len away within 6 months and get one of those 35mm / 50mm f/1.8 or f/1.4. Go around this website, and look at their signatures & gear. As long as they have more than one lenses, you can hardly find kit lenses!

Remember you need to clean the sensor if you change the len too frequent. The cost of cleaning is not cheap.. Just look at this website kenrockwell.com. From there, we know that most of users will buy many lenses, but ended with only 1-2 frequent lenses. VR KIT is just too slow, don't buy. Buy a fast len 35mm f/1.8 first, then get better zoom len or lenses that can last for at least 10 years. I believe your vr kit will only last you for 1-2 years before keep it into the store, forever. the vr kit len is much expensive than your must len 35mm or 50mm f/1.8. Just make a survey, why the new vr kit lenses are sold 50% of retail price. Why 35mm f/1.8 always out of stock. The simple reason is, when you know more about photography, you will tend to throw your vr kit len away, and never used it. It slow autofocus, slow len is less suitable for all kind of photography. Try to ask your friends / experts who have 2-3 years experience, are they still using kit lens? Good lenses must survive for more than 10 years, otherwise is a waste of money.

Get a MUST-have len first, vr kit len is not a must-have len. 50mm f/1.4 has less sharpness compared to 50mm f/1.8 and has much lower autofocus capability, for nikon at least. I am not sure about canon. 35mm is always sharper than 50mm, for 1.5 / 1.6 crop factor camera because of its normal view.

If you get 50mm, you must probably unable to take photo of a small room. You will stuck to portrait like photography. I suggest you study Kenrockwell website before make any purchase. I have study this website for 3-4 months, and finally decided to buy 35mm f/1.8 compared to 50mm f/1.8 / f/1.4. You could try to ask A@EPOCH A@EPOCH whether he is willing to buy your kit len after 1 year? or are they still using kit lens after they purchase other lenses?

Finally, I suggest you get 35mm f/1.8 first, then 24-70mm f/2.8, 70-200mm f/2.8, 400mm f/2.8. or even 85mm classic portrait len, or replace them with 18-200mm zoom len (by paying a bit money to upgrade from kit len). By the time your vr kit len is a waste. Believe me, you NEVER EVER able to sell your kit len at good price, as everyone is selling after 1-2 years, perhaps even no one wants it. The simple reason is that, the len is just too common, and everyone wishes to sell and no one wants to use that after they have new lenses.

[ravncat]

Originally Posted by ccting

Go around this website, and look at their signatures & gear. As long as they have more than one lenses, you can hardly find kit lenses!

While this is true (I don't use my kit lenses any more either) It's good to note, that I used a kit lens for many years in the beginning. My kit lenses served to take excellent photographs and I learned alot through their use, which helped inform me on what kind of lenses I wanted later. Some people are happy with kit lenses - other's want to focus on longer zoom, or lower light, or wider angle - it depends alot on one's personal style, or the photographic problem to be solved. If you have a kit lens, i'd learn the heck out of it, till you know what it will do in and out, before moving on.

I'd be willing to bet that even though you can hardly find kit lenses in people's signature's just about everyone used one for some length of time in the beginning.

[RichardTaylor]

For general purpose photography the kit lens can still do the job in a lot of cases.

I have a whole pile of lenses however almost invariably the kit lens (Canon EF 24-105mm f/4 L IS USM Lens is on my full frame camera.
Mainly because 24-105mm is an very versatile focal length range. F4 maximum aperture with IS allows me to shoot hand held in city reasonably lit streets etc and the USM means it focuses fast and the IQ is good, even wide open.
I do own other lenses as well.


I do own the Canon EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS II Lens and it is a good lens for the money and is an OK general purpose lens. My doesn't see much use any more since purchasing a full frame camera.

If your budget will stretch to it and you want a bit more versatile, and better performing, "kit" lens then you may want to consider the Canon EF-S 15-85mm f/3.5-5.6 IS USM .

Do not discount the value of IS or VR. They fact that you can shoot at slower shutter speeds, without using a tripod, gives you as lot more versatility.

+1 ceremus's suggestion

[ceremus]

Originally Posted by ravncat

While this is true (I don't use my kit lenses any more either) It's good to note, that I used a kit lens for many years in the beginning. My kit lenses served to take excellent photographs and I learned alot through their use, which helped inform me on what kind of lenses I wanted later. Some people are happy with kit lenses - other's want to focus on longer zoom, or lower light, or wider angle - it depends alot on one's personal style, or the photographic problem to be solved. If you have a kit lens, i'd learn the heck out of it, till you know what it will do in and out, before moving on.

I'd be willing to bet that even though you can hardly find kit lenses in people's signature's just about everyone used one for some length of time in the beginning.

Matter of fact, my 18-55 kit lens is in my is in my current gear bag. My preferred 17-55 standard zoom is on loan to my sister who has several shoots this week and needs to go a bit wider than she can get on a crop body with her 24-70. If I didn't have my kit lens I'd be well out of luck if I wanted to get any sort of wide shot. I don't regret getting the kit for a second.