Looking for some INFO!!!

[timfiremedik]

I have a Canon EOS Rebel XTi. I'm looking to buy a new lens. My problem is I don't know what to get. I have the kit lens, 18-55mm zoom and a 80-200mm zoom (I got this for my EOS Rebel 35mm but seems to work fine with the XTi). I enjoy shooting landscape, family and sports (boy plays soccer). I have been looking all over the web to try to find a good or correct lens for my use. Any and all input would be great.

Thanks
Tim

[SusanH1970]

What's your budget?

[inkista]

And what is it you want that your current lenses can't get you?

[timfiremedik]

Right now i have about $1,000 that I can put into my photography!!! But I would like to get a few other things, like a remote, lens hood. So on the lens I will say $900 to be safe.

[timfiremedik]

Originally Posted by inkista

And what is it you want that your current lenses can't get you?

I feel my pictures are not as sharp as they could be and I credit that to the lens I use. And not much of a wide angle. Like the Canon 10-22mm lens can get.

[Samanax]

Do you shoot in JPEG or RAW? The reason I ask is I have a XTi and didn't like the images I was getting with it when I was shooting JPEGs. Some friends convinced me to give RAW a try and I'm glad they did. After converting the RAW files in ACR and editing them in Photoshop Elements 6, my images are much sharper with better image quality (richer colors and better contrast).

If you're shooting in JPEG, try shooting in RAW for awhile and compare you images yourself.

If you don't already have one, you might want to pick up a EF 50mm f/1.8 II "Nifty Fifty" lens. It's an inexpensive lens (about $100) but the image quality will be much better than your EF-S 18-55mm kit lens.

[inkista]

Originally Posted by timfiremedik

I feel my pictures are not as sharp as they could be and I credit that to the lens I use.

Ummm..


Canon 50D. EF-S 18-55 non-IS kit lens. iso 200, f/8, 1/160s.

And my 18-55 is softer than the 18-55 IS.

I'm not saying the 18-55 IS kit lens is a demon lens that's tack sharp, or that you shouldn't upgrade. But often, it can be a matter of technique and post-processing as much (or more than) the glass. Just be sure that it's not the technique that's at fault, before blowing money on a lens. If you know it's the lens and not you, then it's time to consider upgrading. Otherwise, you might spend a lot of money and still be disappointed, because you haven't actually fixed what was at fault.

[timfiremedik]

Originally Posted by inkista

And what is it you want that your current lenses can't get you?

Originally Posted by inkista

Ummm..


Canon 50D. EF-S 18-55 non-IS kit lens. iso 200, f/8, 1/160s.

And my 18-55 is softer than the 18-55 IS.

I'm not saying the 18-55 IS kit lens is a demon lens that's tack sharp, or that you shouldn't upgrade. But often, it can be a matter of technique and post-processing as much (or more than) the glass. Just be sure that it's not the technique that's at fault, before blowing money on a lens. If you know it's the lens and not you, then it's time to consider upgrading. Otherwise, you might spend a lot of money and still be disappointed, because you haven't actually fixed what was at fault.

I seen this shot on your page and knew then I was going to receive it in your next reply. LOL!! if you will look at some of my pictures on my page here and tell me what your think.
Thank you.

[timfiremedik]

Originally Posted by Samanax

Do you shoot in JPEG or RAW? The reason I ask is I have a XTi and didn't like the images I was getting with it when I was shooting JPEGs. Some friends convinced me to give RAW a try and I'm glad they did. After converting the RAW files in ACR and editing them in Photoshop Elements 6, my images are much sharper with better image quality (richer colors and better contrast).

If you're shooting in JPEG, try shooting in RAW for awhile and compare you images yourself.

If you don't already have one, you might want to pick up a EF 50mm f/1.8 II "Nifty Fifty" lens. It's an inexpensive lens (about $100) but the image quality will be much better than your EF-S 18-55mm kit lens.

I was shooting in RAW and just could not get them to look right, I was using demo of Photoshop, Paint.net, GIMP and Paint Shop Pro 3X Demo.
So I went back to JPEG

[inkista]

Originally Posted by timfiremedik

I seen this shot on your page and knew then I was going to receive it in your next reply. LOL!!

if you will look at some of my pictures on my page here and tell me what your think.
Thank you.

It's hard to tell without access to the EXIF, but I think that the one thing you may want to check is whether you're shooting at 55mm and f/5.6 all the time. Wide open is almost always a weak points in any lens's performance, and the one most folks will be trying to use the most. Stopping down almost always makes a lens sharper. The problem, though, with stopping down a lens like the 18-55 (especially at the 55mm end), however, is that you don't have much wiggle room between f/5.6 being wide open, and f/16-f/22 being diffraction limited. And, obviously, you need a lot of light to handhold at shutter speeds that won't introduce motion blur from camera shake.

This is one reason to get a better/faster lens: stopping down from f/2 or f/2.8 gives you a lot more room than stopping down from f/5.6. And it's also why an f/4 lens, like the 24-105, can be something of a compromise. I have a 24-105L, and it's a great walkaround lens for outdoors, but inside for available light, it's... er... less great.